Nine Jimmy Rimmers – Arsenal and Football

A year ago we played Leeds United in the Third Round of the FA Cup, just as we are today.  We very nearly went out. Arsene Wenger changed half the team and we couldn’t cope with Leeds.  They got a goal and kept us pegged back.  In the end we escaped with a very late penalty and won the replay.

Just like last year we are going to have changes to the team.  Djourou is our with a red card.  Gervinho has departed to join his national team in the African Cup of Nations.  Arsene Wenger has decided that Robin Van Persie must take a break and it’s hard to argue with that.

So that’s three changes.  Then there’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Ahead of the Fulham game, Arsene Wenger said Chamberlsin was very close to a first team start, but he didn’t feature.  Was Arsene Wenger thinking ahead to this game?  Is that four changes?  Then we also have to think about Arteta, who had played just about every game since he joined the club.

So very quickly you can see a case for changing half the team, just like last year.  And as Arsene Wenger says, this is the third most important competition for the club out the three were in.  But we don’t want to lose right?

What that means is no start for Thierry Henry, though I would be surprised to see him on at some stage to get some match time.  I also think that it means Song stays in and Coquelin stays at fullback.  I’ve seen some suggesting that Song could be rested, but I think that would be a change too many.

I reckon there are two big choices.  First is whether to put Squillaci or Miquel in the back four.  I would like to see Miquel.  He is the future, so give him experience.  Second is whether to give all the attacking slots to players with something to prove, or whether to put Arshavin or Benayoun in to add experience.  Whether Arteta needs a rest is something that only Arsene and his team know.

So I hope we won’t see in any more changes than this:

______ Szczesny _______
Kos _ Merte _ Miquel _ Coq
________ Song _________
_ AOC _ Rosicky _ Rambo _
___ Chamakh _ Park _____

But that might still be too many.

Meanwhile, the draw for the next round had already happened and if we sort out Leeds, we are at home to Villa which isn’t the easiest of games but not the hardest either.  Most interesting tie in the draw is Liverpool v Manchester United after the Suarez incident.  Will Evra play. Will he suffer abuse on or off the pitch?

Hopefully this will be a chance for players and fans to step up, but I’m not holding my breath.  I hope Liverpool are going to be proactive about creating the right atmosphere for the game.

The transfer rumour mill spins on, now throwing out entertaining claims that we will pay £100m for Hulk from Porto to replace a departing Van Persie or, alternatively that we will swap RVP for two Real Madrid players.  Well I suppose that’s more exciting than pondering a loan deal for a fullback!

Back later with Arsenal Man of the Match Poll.

I have dozed and slept most the weekend and what have I missed? Not too much really. No great cup upsets to speak of. Bolton should have seen off Macclesfield and QPR should have buried MK Dons. Wigan fans will be slightly irked by losing to Swindon, but they know that fighting relegation is the more important battle. I have woken up for United v City, which is getting interesting.

When I was a kid I was completely transfixed by the FA Cup and would spend the whole of Saturday switching between Frank Bough on Grandstand and Dickie Davies on World of Sport. There were features on carworkers and shopkeepers who would be playing for ‘minnows’ like Bideford or Alvechurch against ‘giants’ like Derby County and Nottingham Forrest. Teams like Hendon would get a draw at St James Park and then get tonked in the replay. Blyth Spartans sounded strangely exotic, but wasn’t.

Now, somehow I’m unmoved. Have I just grown up or has the long diet of European football cast the FA Cup into the shadows? Then again, there was that barney we had up at Old Trafford! The one with the pizza. That got my attention but the competition as a whole doesn’t move me so much now.

The most notable thing to happen in the Third Round so far has been that someone at Anfield shouted racial abuse at a black Oldham player. A man has now been arrested. Presumably his defence will be that he found the club’s guidance on the subject confusing and that, in any event, he only meant the words in a friendly way to calm the lad’s nerves on the big occasion.

Meanwhile, the papers would have us believe that great transfer tussles are going on with Arsenal pouncing or, alternatively, getting snubbed over various players. Matius Suarez is the flavour of the weekend for Arsenal rumours and gives me the chance of two Suarez tags in the same post. Demba Ba also gets some mentions by those who’ve forgotten the stories they wrote last week about Newcastle struggling now the African Cup of Nations is upon us.

My transfer window predictions remain the same, in the following order of likelihood:
1) Henry plus a fullback on loan.
2) Just Henry.
3) Henry, a fullback and a striker.

Anyway, the odds’n'ends are taking over this post so back to the plot. Who will play for Arsenal tomorrow against Leeds United? Will it be the return of the King?

Part of me can’t wait. Part of me dreads the thought of some Leeds United numptie deciding to get fifteen minutes of fame by reminding Thierry just want cup football on a cold January evening is all about! Followed by an announcement that Thierry is out for at least six weeks.

We played Leeds in the FA Cup last year of course, snatching a late draw and then winning the replay 3:1. This was the team for the draw:

Szczesny
Eboue, Djourou, Squillaci, Gibbs
Song, Denilson, Rosicky
Arshavin, Chamakh, Bendtner

Vela, Walcott and Fabregas came on as subs and Cesc saved our embarrassment with a late penalty equalizer. In the replay the starting line-up was beefed up by Sagna, Koscielny and Nasri.

So what about tomorrow. Well we know that Thierry Henry is available and Chamakh. But Van Persie and Gervinho won’t feature.

How will Arsene Wenger perm four from: Coquelin, Squillaci, Mertesacker, Miquel and Koscielny? Is there a start for Yennaris maybe?

Up front, Wenger has talked of Chamakh and maybe Park. Perhaps he will play both with Thierry waiting on the bench.

Before the Fulham game, Arsene Wenger said that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was very close to a start but he didn’t feature at all. Will he be in for the Leeds game?

How about:

______ Szczesny _______
Kos _ Merte _ Miquel _ Coq
________ Song _________
_ AOC _ Rosicky _ Rambo _
___ Chamakh _ Park _____

Or is that a bit risky up front? What do you think?

The media’s attempts to fill Arsenal’s fullback hole go on. Today a particularly curious story in The Times tells us that Arsenal will give a trial this week to an Omani left back called Saad al-Mukaini. Most of us have no knowledge of Omani second division football so comment on how exciting or how mundane this story is seems pointless. He has played international football for Oman, but beyond that I know very little.

Having decided that the Podolski story has gone cold, the media has moved on to Lille striker Moussa Sow as a prospect for Arsenal or Tottenham. But the stories are not backed up with sources on or off the record.

This is typical of what’s out there today, unsourced stories about the potential success or failure to secure players that Arsenal may or may not be trying to sign.

Real enough though are Manchester United’s problems, with them getting thoroughly turned over by Newcastle last night. Two defeats in a row is unusual territory for them. Heartbreaking I know. Hopefully we can add to their woes when they come to The Emirates later this month. What it does show is how much there is to play for still in this season.

Whether Thierry Henry will be an option for that and other games is still not finalised. Various loans terms still to be agreed apparently. Vito Mannone is spending the rest of the season on loan at Hull, where he spent a good part of last year. I guess this is a sensible move to get himself in the shop window now that his Arsenal chances are limited to long-term back up to Szczesny.

Meanwhile Luis Suarez has made something of an apology. It’s rather half-hearted, apologising generally for any offence caused, but it’s a whole lot better than anything that has come out of Liverpool so far on this issue.

That could be it for today folks unless some more exciting news turns up. Back tomorrow, hopefully with a bit more meat!

Well we all know about Thierry Henry.  Subject to a deal over injury insurance he will join Arsenal this week until the end of February.  Nobody seems to think that this will be completed by tomorrow night’s game.  I guess it’s not the sort of thing those meerkats sort out.

The next biggest rumour is that we will sign Lukas Podolski from FC Koln.  Plenty of football websites and some mainstream media are reporting that Arsenal are set to offer £10-13million for the German international.  If the story is true it may take a little more to get him. Arsenal can afford this, but is it true?

I think that Arsene Wenger wants a new striker.  Chamakh can’t score in the odd games he gets and he doesn’t like playing out wide so he won’t get a start ahead of Gervinho or Arshavin.  Something’s not right with Park.  Wenger talks about his acclimatisation period but Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santos and plenty others have done all that on the pitch – straight off.

Is Podolski a credible purchase?  Yes.  He’s talked about leaving Koln and about moving outside Germany.  Per Mertesacker has been talking up the possibility.  Definite possibility.

Next issue is leftback.  Until Thomas Vermaelen limped off, Arsene Wenger had been playing down the need for action on this.  He rightly pointed out that we have four good fullbacks, they’re just not fit at present, but will be back.  Now, with no Vermaelen he’s talking about how dumb it would be to drop points because we don’t have a leftback available.  He won’t buy, but a loan is a distinct possibility if he can pull one off.

The two names the media have in the frame are Bridge and Taiwo.  If it has to be one of those I would prefer Taiwo.  But I’ve got a horrible feeling that Bridge us the more likely. Mancini would like to shift him, even if only for half a season.

Now for ages everyone has been talking about Gotze or Hazard.  Personally I don’t see either of these happening this month.  Neither strikes me as an obvious winter deals. In the summer maybe, but why would either player or their clubs go for it now?

Two other names getting an airing are Yann M’vila and Lucas Biglia.  Both are interesting players, but are we really looking for a bother defensive midfielder?  Is Arsene Wenger about to switch tactics and play two holding players?  Not sure I go along with these stories.  I think that they are both agent talk.

So, Podolski – yes please, Bridge – if we must, Henry – I’d even be tempted to buy a shirt!  I’m not expecting anything else this winter.

Arsene Wenger has been talking fullbacks and forwards.  The idea of bringing in Wayne Bridge on loan is still all the rage.  Wenger says no enquiry has been made but didn’t rule it out.

What he did do was make clear that he’s thinking short-term as far as an extra fullback goes.  Arsenal have four decent fullbacks and Vermaelen and Koscielny can provide decent cover.  So when everyone’s fit, no-one else is required – choosing two from six not an issue.

But with four injured fullbacks and Djourou out too, we need help.  Getting in the January window isn’t easy.  Neither is getting the quality you want through a loan.  Great players don’t get loaned, they play or they get cashed in.

That’s why someone like Bridge or Taiwo are the likely candidates.  Hopefully there are other possibilities too.  Because I’m sure about Bridge and I don’t think AC Milan will want to help us out.  Even though he couldn’t play Champions League football, easing our defensive problems still isn’t to their advantage.

Presumably Arsene Wenger has some scouting reports to think about and has had his inbox filled with video clips from agents.  I have this image of the Wenger household tomorrow – Arsene sat to one side just watching video clips on his ipad with a notepad on the arm of the chair.  Hopefully in amongst all that is some decent nugget of a fullback.

Up-front all the talk is of Thierry Henry making a cameo appearance for January and half of February.  Well maybe, but this surely makes less sense.  Arsenal need a longer term answer to who backs up Robin Van Persie.  Arsenal gave have cash to spend but it’s still a tricky problem.  First question from any decent player approached won’t so much be what’s the pay, as how often will I play?

Our current formation only allows for one out and out striker and were not alone in that.  It’s how most of the top clubs are playing.  What the likes of Manchester United have though is a steady supply of goals from the players who spend most of the game out wide.

If that means that they’ve got the right tactical solution then it isn’t so much an out and out striker we need.  Chamakh isn’t scoring less than Berbatov and Owen.  If we’re sticking with this formation then we need to say bye-bye Arshavin and bring in someone who does what Walcott and Gervinho do – only get more goals like Nani.

Four central defenders can work, but four full-backs fail

Arsenal kept a clean sheet on Saturday despite not having a single fit fullback available.  Admittedly Everton are not the biggest threat but Djourou, Mertesacker, Koscielny and Vermaelen still had a job to do.  Perhaps on these days of more athletic ‘total football’, central defenders have to be more mobile and more comfortable on the ball.  Of those four players, only Mertesacker would have struggled at full-back and back-up Ignasi Miquel has also filled in well playing out wide.

Does it work the other way though?

The answer from Newcastle certainly seems to be no, as their back line of fullbacks shipped four goals at Norwich.  With injuries to Stephen Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini, I think they’re going to struggle now.  There are only so many that Demba Ba can get at the other end.

It is possible to feel sorry for Spurs?

Well it is nearly Christmas and they were playing Stoke, so let’s be big-hearted over this!  Spurs were robbed of a win yesterday by some dreadful refereeing.   Tottenham players were twice prevented from leaping for crosses as Stoke defenders clung on to them.  Ryan Shawcross made a goal-line clearance with his elbow.  Crouch used his arm to control the ball before setting up Etherington’s first goal.  Adebayor was no-where near offside for his disallowed goal, the Assistant Referee suffered severe tunnel vision and ignored the Stoke player, returning to the pitch after sliding out, who put three Spurs a yard onside.

Chris Foy and his assistants have helped tighten things at the top I suppose, but crap refereeing turns games into stupid lottery. I didn’t include the red card in the list as the second yellow was definitely a foul and quite a few referees would have done the same.

Blackburn and Bolton are in trouble

To be truthful, that isn’t just a lesson of this weekend.  But whilst these showed that they are consistent in their lack of talent, Sunderland and Wigan showed that they have some answers if only they can make it work often enough.

Meanwhile…

David Moyes apparently took the chance of Arsenal’s Birthday Party to cheekily ask Thierry Henry if he fancied a spell at Everton.  I’m sure Thierry was gracious enough to give him a sympathetic smile in return.

The media have decided that Szczesny isn’t the only ready to kiss Van Persie’s feet and that he is Real Madrid’s top transfer target.  I guess that for as long as Van Persie is fit and scoring we’re going to have to put up with these stories constantly.  Hopefully Robin will tell the Special One to kiss some other part of his anatomy.

Not an easy game this, with one or two players in slightly stuttering form.  It was a strange contrast to the obvious party atmosphere around the ground before kick-off.

What did work well for the most part was the re-organized back four.  Having four central defenders didn’t prove a problem against Everton.  Apart from Djourou losing track of things a bit towards the end, they were pretty faultless.  Obviously they are going to have to work a lot harder next Sunday against Manchester City.

The goal, when it came, was a peach. Such technique from two players.  First, an inch perfect pass from Song.  Second, well what you say?  That’s got to such a hard thing to do.  Control the pace and direction of a volley on a ball coming from behind you and across your body.  Most players wouldn’t even have attempted it. If Van Persie had instead taken a touch just to receive and control it we’d have been impressed, but he whacked it into the far corner of the goal. Perfection.

Alex Song won our man of the match poll.  It was interesting, in the few hours straight after the game, Van Persie was clearly ahead, but by this morning Song was the winner.  I guess the voting immediately after the game is dominated by those who have seen the scored and scorer.  Then later when people have seen the game on TV or on-line you get a more considered opinion.

All-in-all, a good day’s work against a well organized backdrop of nostalgia.

I’m still in two minds about the statues. Herbert Chapman?  Obviously.  Adams and Henry, well why not, but what about Brady, George and Bergkamp?  Maybe it’s just an age thing.   But life-size lumps of bronze are a long-term thing anyway.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m pondering rather than whinging!  It was all a great celebration of by far the greatest club the world has ever seen.

So today we are fourth.  We could still be fourth by the end of tomorrow of course if Manchester City beat Chelsea. Is that what we want?

When I joked about this to a Chelsea fan at work his reply was: “so Arsenal gave given up on winning the title then?”.  I guess the honest answer, after the fiasco of the Fabregas/Nasri business and the ensuing disastrous start to the season, is that I probably have and that I will be well satisfied with a top-four finish.

I do think that we could still do better than fourth.  Chelsea may have got some confidence and organisation back but there are some serious holes in their squad.  Manchester United have some gaps too.  There’s still plenty to play for.  But is the top spot still on offer?  Could Man City choke?

We’ll have to see, and Arsenal fans have seen such a thing happen to league leaders!  Today though, fourth looks pretty good and I’m content to aim for one place gain at a time.

So, Norwich!  A while since we’ve been there – back in our unbeaten run.   It was August 2004 and we won 4-1 with goals from Reyes, Henry, Pires and Bergkamp.

But that was then and this is now.  Norwich have made a good start to this season back in the Premier League and we mustn’t take them for granted.  We’ve only won once away from home after all.

Looking at the team, back then I see that Justin Hoyte got a goal, so we must have been suffering injury problems in the back four.  Nothing changes.  Kieran Gibbs has had an operation this week to sort out a hernia.  Carl Jenkinson sounds in worse nick though with a stress fracture in his back.

At left-back, the fish’n'chip fuelled Santos can play for Gibbs, so no problem there.  As for right-back, we’re right back with the debate of a fortnight or so ago.  Who covers that slot in the absence of Sagna and Jenkinson.  Djourou or Kosceilny?  If our top three central defenders are all good to go then I would like to see Laurent Koscielny at right-back.   He’s said he’s up for it and he’s played there before.  Djourou’s no mug there, but he’s not great.

There rest of the line-up should be number won choices – no other injuries reported apart from the long-term Wilshere.  Does that mean Arshavin or Gervinho?  Recently it’s meant Gervinho of course and that’ what I expect tomorrow, unless Arsene Wenger decides to give Arshavin a start to keep him happy and save Gervinho for the midweek game against Dortmund.

So I reckon:

______ Szczesny _______
Kos _ Merte _ Verm _ Santos
_______ Song _________
__Arteta _____ Ramsey __
Walcott __ RVP __ Gervinho

What do you think?

Arsenal took the chance to rest first choice players and give Thomas Vermaelen his first run after injury. The result was a side that didn’t entirely gel, but got the job done.

Man of the Match, scoring the first and assisting the second, was Andrey Arshavin. The Russian played a more central role than normal, behind striker Park, and looked very effective.

Quite a few fans have suggested that’s where he should play, post-Fabregas, and his performance last night did no harm to that argument.

His run with the ball for the first goal was inspiring stuff. Park’s cool finish for the winner was excellent too, with a few comparisons to Thierry Henry.

Thomas Vermaelen had a great game and then worried us all by being taken off ten minutes before the end. Apparently we shouldn’t worry as it was only cramp. Trouble is we have rather learnt to worry however good the immediate diagnosis. But for most of the game he looked strong, athletic and on control.

Even if he is fit and ready for Chelsea though, I’m not sure he should play. Mertesacker and Koscielny are playing well together and Chelsea will be a tougher test than Bolton despite the mess they made of the QPR game at the weekend.

Squillaci and Fabianski have been players that some fans have loved to slate, but both had good games last night.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has had a lot of hype lately that he was unable to live up to last night. He couldn’t make much impact and eventually came off. But games like this are about building experience for players like him, Coquelin and Frimpong.

One first-team newcomer who really did shine last night was Nicholas Yennaris at right back. A very impressive performance through the whole game that makes you wonder briefly about Djourou being the best stand-in for Sagna and Jenkinson.

All-in-all, a competent if uninspiring win that gave big players a rest and moves us on to the next round. Job done! Again.

So what should we make of this?  Despair at seeing Cesc in blue and red stripes?  More irritation at the antics of the Barcelona players?  Or just stay incredibly cool, with fingers crossed?

Seems like every summer is like this, Thierry Henry and then Cesc Fabregas.  What’s the connection?  Oh yeah, @#!>ing Barcelona.