Nine Jimmy Rimmers – Arsenal and Football

The Arsenal squad has arrived in Germany for tomorrow’s game against Dortmund. The bad news is that neither Rosicky nor Ramsey were fit enough to make the trip.

This leaves Arsenal a little short in midfield. Who will play alongside Arteta and Song?

To my mind Rosicky is the bigger miss in this Champions League context. He’s got stacks or European experience and can play an all-round game.

So what are Wenger’s options?

Go defensive and put Frimpong in. Not sure about that. We started the second Udinese game with both Song and Frimpong and it didn’t work well. Too much of a change in style and the passing suffered.

The other options are a midfield role for either Arshavin or Benayoun. My guess would be Arshavin, so maybe we will line up like this:

________ Szczesny ________
Sagna _ Merte _ Kos ___ Gibbs
_________ Song __________
____ Arteta ___ Arshavin ____
Walcott _ Van Persie _ Gervinho

What do you think?

Usually Arsene Wenger says very little about transfer plans.  But this hasn’t been a usual summer and now he has said exactly what he wants: a striker, a midfielder and a defender.

The defender that he’s been pressing for over the last 48 hours is obviously Gary Cahill. Equally obvious, despite the hostile comments of Coyle and Gartside, is Bolton’s need to sell.

Like Nasri, Cahill is a valuable asset a in the last year of his contract.  Whilst Arsenal could have taken the risk of Nasri leaving on a free, it made more sense to take the money.  The same applies to Bolton only more so.

Although Phil Gartside showed a complete lack of class in retweeting that abusive comment, he’s probably hoping to drum up some rival bids. The problem he has is that other wealthy clubs have already bought central defenders.  So Arsenal have probably done no harm by starting with a relatively low bid.

Rumour has it that the alternate to Cahill is Raul Albiol who is apparently surplus to requirements at Real Madrid.  I don’t know how solid that rumour is and you always wonder about a player that is being offloaded.  But he’s experienced and we certainly need someone.

Some French media sources claim that for all the public denials, the move for Lille’s Eden Hazard is definitely on if a price can be agreed.  But that price could be £35million.  Well if he’s the right player, we’ve got the money.

I’ve no idea who the striker will be.  It’s clear though from Wenger’s comments that he is expecting Bendtner to leave.  We he a striker, he said, to cover us when Gervinho and Chamakh are both away at the African Cup of Nations.

After all the waiting, the last few days of the transfer window could be exciting.  Let’s hope there is actually enough time to get the deals done.

Meanwhile there’s the small matter of taking on Manchester United tomorrow!  Choosing the squad will be easy, step forward anyone who isn’t suspended and is actually fit enough to step forward.

The obvious hole is holding midfielder, with both Song and Frimpong unavailable.  The two options are probably Djourou or Vermaelen.  Johann Djourou used to play as a defensive midfielder and Thomas Vermaelen clearly has the mobility to cover there too.  That’s assuming Vermaelen has got over the knock he took on Wednesday.

The key to this decision is most likely to be which one of them is needed alongside Koscielny at the back.  My guess is that having the strongest back four will take priority and so Djourou will cover for Song.  Does completing that strongest back four mean Jenkinson or Traore?  I think it was significant that Wenger started with Jenkinson for the must win game against Udinese, with Traore coming on later.  Plus there is talk of Traore spending the season on loan at QPR.

With no Gervinho I guess Arshavin will start.

So I’m guessing:

________ Szczesny _______
Jenkinson _ Kos _ Verm _ Sagna
_________ Djourou _______
_____Rosicky _ Ramsey ____
Walcott _ Van Persie _ Arshavin

What do you think?

Usually when the team wins it’s a goal scorer who tops the Man of the Match Poll, but not last night.  Wojciech Szczesny was the overwhelming choice with three times the number of votes that next player Gervinho received.

Szczesny 65%
Gervinho 25%

Everyone else, including scorers Van Persie and Walcott were way behind.

Szczesny is also leading the media coverage with headlines like “£25million saved”.  He deserves it too, although I’m surprised that the applause is a bit more widely shared because the team put in a fantastic effort.

When anyone in the future looks back at the score they will think it is just a run of the mill Arsenal qualification performance.  But given everything that has been going on: the Fabregas and Nasri saga, the general media trashing, the injuries and suspensions and just a single goal in the first three matches; this was a fantastic, brave performance by a young team.

We aren’t out of the woods yet.  Pulling off decent transfer deals in a week and going to Old Trafford without some key players are going to be tough.  But thanks to Wojciech Szczesny and everyone else who played last night we are still in the hunt.

 Loading ...

Where to start.  First, just shear relief.  The tension in the team, club, the fans over these opening games of the season.  Now we can get started.

Arsenal started well but then Udinese got back into it and it was end to end.  But we looked vulnerable.  Sagna was looking uncomfortable on the left and Jenkinson was getting beaten on the right.

Starting with two holding players didn’t seem to work either.  They were doing a job, but the team wasn’t flowing.  It just didn’t seem to fit Arsenal.

The Udinese goal, when it came, felt inevitable and you began to worry.  Di Natalie got between Vermaelen and Djourou, no-one attacking the ball.  Di Natalie did brilliantly to put enough pace on a gentle cross and in it went.  Arsenal needed half time.

After the break the Song/Frimpong pairing was ditched and Rosicky came on.  Immediately the play was better.  The passing began to flow.  Rosicky began to play the best game I’ve seen.

Then Gervinho picked up a deflected ball and took on a defender, put the ball in the middle of the six yard box and Robin Van Persie stuck in the crucial away goal.

Now Udinese had to score another two goals.  Could Arsenal relax?  Not yet.  Udinese got a penalty after the ball hit both Vermaelen’s arms.  It didn’t look deliberate but it was a penalty.

But not a goal, thanks to a fantastic save from Wojciech Szczesny.  He’s a big keeper and he guessed the right way, but it was still a fantastic save.

Now Arsenal could relax because the penalty miss definitely deflated Udinese.  It fact they began to get a bit ratty.

Meanwhile, Rosicky was not only helping the passes to flow, he was also putting in some great tackles.

Then came the goal that put it to bed. Strong running from Walcott and a fantastic finish.  If ever there was a time that Theo made a case for being a striker, this was it.

Now the whole team was playing well. Jenkinson had the right under control.  Gervinho was running with the ball, doing something different for the team.

In the end this was a great result.  Arsenal got better and better.  It should give them some much needed confidence.

So, Champions League status retained, money in the bank.  Now it’s time to fill some holes.

Tonight was fantastic, restorative, but there is more to do and let’s not kid ourselves.

But for tonight we can celebrate, or even just sleep easy, and wonder at the list of players Arsenal will be linked with in the morning!

***** Vote for your Arsenal Man of the Match here. *****

Arsenal will not sign anyone today.  Today is all about the match against Udinese.  The transfer rumour mill is largely focused elsewhere.

Despite are reduced team options, Arsenal should be strong enough to win.  But the Udinese players will be pumped up for this one, believing that they have a chance to turn it around.

Last Saturday I imagine Kenny Dalgliesh told his players there wouldn’t be a better day to beat Arsenal.  Udinese coach will have the same message to motivate his players today.

Arsenal will clearly have to absorb a lot of pressure, no matter how much they try to take the game to Udinese.  Obviously another early goal would be ideal. It would disturb Udinese’s dream and leave them needing to score three. Here’s hoping.

Some fans have called for team changes to give Ryo Miyaichi or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a debut.  Others have praised the spirit shown by Frimpong as he Tweets against Piers Morgan and Samir Nasri.

But Ryo isn’t in the squad and I don’t see this as the ideal situation the give Chamberlain his first start.  There’s going to be pressure enough for the most experienced players.

Frimpong could start if Arsene Wenger wants to play with two holding players throughout.  But doing that would surely send out a very weak signal.  It would be saying that we have come here just to cling on.  Well in truth we have, but another goal is the best way to do it.

So there are probably two key question marks over the starting line-up.  Is Traore fit and does he go back in over Jenkinson?  Is Rosicky fit enough to start?

On the second, Rosicky has to be truly fit.  He struggles to make an impact over ninety minutes anyway, without playing with an injury.

It’s going to be a nervous evening.  Whatever the outcome, Arsenal will dominate the sports pages and websites tomorrow.  Either because the club is in the middle of the worst media storm it’s seen in years, or there will be a madly frothing transfer rumour mill, as everyone and their dog dives in to help Arsene spend £80million in six days!  Let’s hope it’s the second.

C’mon Arsenal!

This morning I speculated that our team against Udinese tomorrow night might look something like this:

_____Szczesny________
Sagna_DJ_Verm_Jenkinson
_______Song_________
____Nasri_Ramsey_____
_Walcott_RVP_Gervinho_

But now we know that Samir Nasri is departing for Manchester City. In itself, this is a good deal – a £10million profit on a player with a year left on his contract.  But where we are, with a massive game tomorrow, it just adds to the pressure.

The squad that has travelled to Italy for the game is:

GK: Lukasz Fabianski, Wojciech Szczesny
FB: Carl Jenkinson, Bacary Sagna, Armand Traore,
CB: Johan Djourou,Ignasi Miquel,Thomas Vermaelen,
MID: Andrey Arshavin, Emmanuel Frimpong, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Song, Tomas Rosicky
FOR:  Marouane Chamakh, Gervinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott

Tomas Rosicky has been included despite that fact that there is still a doubt over his fitness.  So if he isn’t fit, who will replace him.  I guess it’s a choice between Arshavin if you favour experience and attacking, or Frimpong for energy and defending.

The only good news of the day is that UEFA have relented slightly and Arsene Wenger can now be on the touchline for the game, with a hearing to follow later.

It’s only our fourth competitive game of the season, but so much hangs on it. So much that could shape Arsenal’s prospects for some time.

Mess up and no Champions League football this season. No Champions League football this season and less reason for big players to join the club in this or the January transfer window. No big signings and a tougher battle to finish top four at the end of the season. So no pressure then!

Let’s start with availability then. Out are: Koscielny, Diaby, Gibbs and Squillaci.

Possibly fit again are: Djourou, Traore, Wilshere and Rosicky. Of these, Wilshere sounds the most unlikely. “He has a chance.”

The suspensions of Song and Gervinho don’t apply for the Champions League.

Starters for the first leg were: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Song, Ramsey, Rosicky, Walcott, Chamakh, Gervinho.

Szczesny will start, as will Sagna and Vermaelen. We have to hope that Djourou is ready again. Miquel may have a big future but Saturday shows that he is still finding his way at senior level.

Traore or Jenkinson as the second fullback? My hunch is Jenkinson. He’s already as good if not better than Traore. From what little I’ve seen of both, I think Jenkinson is also the most decisive of the two, which means a lot at the back especially when your taking a lot of pressure.

Song, Ramsey, Rosicky? Well I guess that depends where we are with Arsenal loving Nasri doesn’t it? Because if he takes anyone’s place I think it will be Rosicky’s.

So what is going on with the Nasri deal? My guess is that he is going, but if was a certainty it would already have happened. This morning it is being reported that Nasri will not be in the party travelling to Italy, at his request.

Walcott, Van Persie, Gervinho?

Hmm, this sounds familiar. Walcott or Arshavin? How many times did we ask that last season? Walcott or Arshavin? Heh, Theo’s our top scorer!

Both Arshavin and Walcott were quiet on Saturday. It’s hard to guess. Much easier is the prediction that Van Persie will start rather than Chamakh.

Best guess:

Szczesny
Sagna DJ Verm Jenkinson
Song
Nasri Ramsey
Walcott RVP Gervinho

What do you think?

Two competitive games in and were already looking a little thin with injuries and suspensions. To add to selection dilemmas, we take a slim first leg advantage to Udinese on Wednesday. Mess up then and Arsenal’s status changes.

Do we face the prospect of having to rest key players for the first home league game of the season?

It starts off easily enough, Szczesny in goal. Sagna at right back, Koscielny and Vermaelen in the middle right? Unless of course Vermaelen is needed at left back. But if Djourou is still injured that would mean Squillaci! OK, so Koscielny and Vermaelen in the middle.

On the left, Traore or Jenkinson? Assuming Gibbs is still injured. Rumour has it that Traore might go out on loan to QPR. Surely that means we’re bringing in someone else at left back? But for Saturday it could mean Jenkinson.

Song is suspended for stamping on Joey Barton so Frimpong in front of the back four.

Central midfield? We appear to have two fit and experienced options – Ramsey and Rosicky. But they could be the only two fit for Udinese too. Lansbury? I think that Wenger will cross his fingers and stick to the two ‘R’s.

In fact, I think that Wenger is more likely to gamble on injury than on untested players. So I think that the front three will be Walcott, Van Persie and Arshavin.

So, the team that picks itself:

_________Szczesny_______
Sagna_Kos_Verm_Jenkinson
_________Frimpong_______
_____Ramsey____Rosicky_
Walcott____RVP___Arshavin

What do you think?