Reading 1-2 Arsenal (aet): World class makes the difference

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

I didn't mind the rotation...
I don't see the virtue in having the likes of Wilshere, Walcott, Welbeck and the lot if they aren't going to get a chance to play at least once every three or four games. I get that all of the players who were rotated in did not play well at all (except perhaps Theo), but I more than understand the logic of giving them game time against Reading. If Danny Welbeck doesn't play well against a Championship side, that's his prerogative, unless there was something hugely amiss in the tactical setup.

Personally, however, I would have given the likes of Kieran Gibbs, Mathieu Debuchy, Danny Welbeck (or maybe even Szczesny) a game against Burnley, rather than Reading. In hindsight, it doesn't take a genius to note that yesterday had higher stakes than last week.

Arsene Wenger teams don't thrive under pressure...
Accept it, it's fact. It's not even a particularly monumental one. Parts of yesterday were frustrating and worrying, yes, but they weren't nerve-racking because I was subconsciously aware that Arsenal make a hash out of big occasions. Knowing that Wenger is probably here to stay for two years, it's best if we buckle up and set expectations as per. 

I still don't understand playing Ramsey on the right...
I'd love some clarification for this. All throughout the game Ramsey was drifting way too centrally, crowding the box and not providing an outlet on the right. You can't blame him, it's not in his DNA, so to say.

The result was that we had an in-form player slowly sapped out of confidence, looking bewildered at times. The Ramsey of last year would have taken the two chances he had with a shrug. This one didn't - and the reason why is apparent. Confidence.

Wojciech Szczesny is a confidence player too...
It's funny, I thought Szczesny would wipe his game up when he was given the chance to prove his worth. Now, he didn't have an entirely terrible Southampton-esque game at all, but was still worrying.

Szczesny, to me, seems to have lost his mojo. He's no longer seems like the likeable cheeky prat with the Bendtner levels of ego to shield his self-doubt. True, Reading's equalizer was more down to Gibbs' incompetence than the Polish goalkeeper's, but that doesn't entirely absolve him of blame. He didn't show enough urgency to prevent the ball going over the line, and parried a simple shot all over the place previously.

Ospina thoroughly merits his place above Szczesny, but I wonder if this signals the end of Szczesny at Arsenal. I would hope not, for he's been an Arsenal through-and-through, but if his attitude continues till the end of the season, he may force the manager's hand.

Sanchez wasn't playing well but he made the difference...
...and that's what matters. Alexis sprayed his passes all over the place, buffered in front of goal too often and gave the ball away, yet he popped up when it was necessary - to put away two Ozil passes, even though he had a bit of luck with the second one. In a way, he was the perfect symbolism of how Arsenal played yesterday. 

Mesut Ozil carried the team...
Although I don't think I've said it too many times, I am guilty of having the opinion of Ozil being a fair-weathered footballer. To me, he always felt like the player who would put the icing on many cakes and only work his magic when the conditions suited him. In addition, I didn't think him to be a player having the bottle to carry Arsenal from a hidey hole.

Yesterday was different. Arsenal were sluggish and way too cautious, but Mesut was the only one willing to pull the strings. A person looking at the glass half-empty would say "Well it's only Reading", but be mindful that this was the FA Cup semi finals as well. Ozil didn't slouch under the occasion, especially when his teammates seemed to. It's a vast improvement on last season.

Would it be too much to consider him as Arsenal's second best player of the season?

Theo Walcott was livelier...
I know that Walcott has his limitations and is a bit one-dimensional, but we still need him. I for one don't believe we're elite enough to consider him surplus to requirements. Sure, he may find himself to be below the pecking order when a more dynamic Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain shows his face, but until then Wenger should be giving him way more game time, especially when Ramsey on the right doesn't seem to be working out.

I'm not saying that Walcott should be the first on the team sheet or that he's the best forward we have, but I honestly think he's better than Danny Welbeck. If you gave me a choice between a forward who doesn't score goals but is more "involved" and a forward who actually scores goals, I'd gladly pick the latter. I was among the hordes who foolishly joined the Welbeck bandwagon, but I still have the sense to see that the £16m we shelled isn't looking too pretty.

I hope we get Liverpool...
I know they'll be way more difficult to get past than Aston Villa, but I believe they have the tendency to crumble in big games like we do. Besides, I badly want Arsenal to be the reason Gerrard does not get a proper farewell.

Gerrard lost my respect when he called Arsenal a lesser club and blocked the Suarez move. I know he's been a largely classy player and an iconic Premier League figure of a club I happen to like, but I still feel he should get his comeuppance. He's been largely juvenile for a long time now, and I would relish us to have a crack at setting him straight.

If you excuse me, I think I need a psychologist now.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

FA Cup Final Preview

This is it. And I really mean it when I say it.

One game away from ending a shameful run 8 years, 11 months and 24 days, and the game's against Hull City, minus their two strikers. This really is as easy as it gets, and for the sake of my nerves, I pray we don't make hot water of it.

Regardless of the result in the FA Cup Final, I'm convinced Arsene Wenger will stay. I genuinely reckon he would have left had we lost the penalty shoot-out to Wigan, hence a part of me wanted us to lose. However, with his next two year apparently sealed at Arsenal FC, what the heck, let's pick up trophies under him while we can.

We really should be winning this, but I think we've seen enough of Arsenal to know it isn't a given we will. It's almost definite we'll make hot water out of it, yet I don't care. As long as the final result is in our favour, I don't CARE.

Tomorrow won't be a day of performances, it will be one of results. Yes, a good performance invariably leads to a good result, which is why having Ramsey, Ozil, Gibbs and (maybe) Oxlade-Chamberlain for this game is a huge boost. However, in the end, it all boils down to the final result.

I feel the nerves creeping upon me like snakes as I type this, 24 hours away from kickoff. Imagine my state when I wake up, considering I also have a touch of the seasonal cough on me. I, like every Gooner, will be as excited as terrified of what is to come.

Confession? I have never seen Arsenal pick up a trophy. The first Arsenal match I saw was back in 2006, the Champions League Final. I don't really remember much of it, except that Ashley Cole had dived to win the free-kick that led to Sol's opener. Of course, I remember losing, but it never hurt me like it would have today.

I missed out on watching the 2008 League Cup Final, and was unable to watch the 2011 League Cup Final as well. A close Gooner (who, incidentally, has written a piece on this blog) texted me the updates. I still remember the last SMS he sent me, I still haven't deleted it from my phone as well as my memory:

"Birmingham score, commit suicide Arsenal fans."

Considering it was Birmingham, that was heartbreak. And it will be the same if Arsenal fail to defeat Hull.

Contrary to other opinions, I'm certain that winning the FA Cup will not be a platform to replicate the glory days. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, it is only the future of Arsene Wenger that will signal progress or regress at Arsenal. Maybe winning the FA Cup will give him a taste of success, and make him more ruthless in the transfer market for a start, but I don't think it will happen. Increasingly, I think that winning the FA Cup will cement Wenger's belief that his deluded ideology is accurate.

Why do I want Arsenal to win the FA Cup? The answer is simple, for these guys.

Mesut Ozil: "It’s normal to be tense before a game. You want to give your all and that’s exactly the same case with a final. But the most important thing is that everyone is aware that we can win trophies now and can repay the fans. They have been excellent for the whole season and that’s also why I think we deserve to win this trophy."


Mathieu Flamini: "We have not won a trophy for a while so it is very important for the club and it is important for the players. When you play such good football and have so much quality, it is important to win trophies. We [also] want to win it for the fans. They have been behind us, even when we have not been winning trophies, so that will be a motivation for us.”


Mikel Arteta: "I think when you get to that line and you win, it creates a lot of confidence and builds something special. It will be something special between the players, the fans, the staff. Then suddenly you have the Community Shield to play for, which is another trophy and the ball is rolling. In my opinion this is something else than just a final and a trophy.”

Santi Cazorla: "It is the first ever cup final that I am going to play in, I have just played in the finals of the European Championship with the national side and I have never played any other final with any club. So it is something new for me and something that I want to experience, hopefully it is the first of many with Arsenal."

Olivier Giroud: "We feel really excited because the final is a special moment for a player and especially for the club and for the fans as well. We have been waiting for a trophy for nine years now so we really want to win it for all the Gunners."

Kieran Gibbs: "I just feel like the boys have given everything that they've had this season and we want to finish it off strongly. We finished higher than we did last year in terms of points and a trophy would add an extra positive feel to our season."

I love the players. I love the fans. In fact, apart from Arsene Wenger and a few frightened board members, I love everything connected to this football club. And for the sake of the club, I hope they win this.

I have cried only three times while being an Arsenal fan, all in recent times:

1) When Arsenal lost the Carling Cup Final to Birmingham

2) When Thierry scored against Leeds

3) When, amazingly, Wigan defeat Manchester City 2-1 in the quarters

I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I know there will be tears at the end of it. Whether it's tears of joy or of sorrow, that's up to Arsenal to decide.

Geez. What's left to say? Come on Arsenal.

-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )

Arsenal 1-1 Wigan [4-2 on penalties]: Worrying performance, wonderful result

I know that many Arsenal supporters are in paradise at the moment. I know that with Hull coming up in the finals, they'll be relishing their chances. I know that Fabianski's heroics kept us in firm control of a penalty shootout which everyone expected to be nervy.

However, I was downright alarmed by the reactions of this game. I went into it hoping, almost knowing that we'll trash the living shit out of Wigan, irrespective of how uncertain the Arsenal fanbase was. Yesterday I saw why.

Spoiler alert: If you want to know the real truth of what happened yesterday, carry on. I didn't post this article yesterday because I was sure that the joy of reaching the final would taint my analysis of the game. In addition, I also did not want to dent the happiness of Gooners by posting a hugely negative review in the immediate aftermath of our penalty shootout victory.

However, now that the dust has settled, here I go.

Our performance...
Clearly, we had learnt nothing from previous games. Upon slight pressing by a better Wigan, Arsenal became completely pedestrian. Let's not forget that we were playing a Championship side with Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Podolski and Cazorla in our ranks.

It's worrying when teams like Chelsea, Everton and Liverpool press you into submission. However, it really is beyond alarming when Wigan Athletic manages to outplay Wenger tactically. Based on this performance, if Wenger learns nothing I seriously doubt his capability of snatching fourth from Everton.

A fellow Gooner argued that Wigan had defeated Manchester City, which meant that the game would always be difficult. Sorry, it doesn't rub with me. An in-crisis United trashed Wigan 4-0 in the very same stadium. Moreover, equating Wigan with City really is beyond ridiculous. Bradford defeated Arsenal and Arsenal defeated Bayern in the same season - does that mean Bradford would put up a fight against Bayern?

I'm surprised at everyone's relaxed attitude on the prospect of losing out on Champions League. I honestly reckon Everton will defeat Manchester United as well as Southampton. The only genuine banana skin, for them, remains Manchester City. In order for us to gain fourth, we HAVE to win all games starting tomorrow. Based on our performance against Wigan, I'm almost certain we won't.

I think we'll finish the season in fifth.

Podolski's substitution...
Was well deserved, in my opinion. Lukas looked far off the pace and was barely in the game.

But then again, the same could be said of Yaya Sanogo. While the Frenchman did look lively and had his chances, I didn't for one second think that he was going to get on the scoresheet. At least Podolski has the knack of scoring goals and providing assists regardless of his performance, kind of like Theo Walcott. Sanogo doesn't.

Wenger did what I wanted; employ a 4-4-2. However, he did it with the wrong personnel. Why put two target men up front in a 4-4-2? Wouldn't Giroud and Podolski as the two strikers make more sense?

I could deduce two conclusions from this. One, that Wenger's French favouritism enabled him to substitute Podolski rather than Sanogo. Two, that his change to a 4-4-2 formation was more out of desperation than tactical genius.

Nine out of ten managers would tell you that playing two similar strikers up front in a 4-4-2 is stupidity, and the tenth would be Arsene Wenger.

Mertesacker...
Could have been the villain, but instead became the saviour. His tackle in the box, let's face it, was reckless and deserving of a pen.

However, kudos to him for getting the equalizer at the death. At a time when I was genuinely wondering where the goals were going to come from, it was a centre back that gave me the answer.

I hope that the manager learns from this. Arsenal seem unable to get a goal from anywhere at the moment. While we used to be a one-man team with RVP, we now look like a zero man team. There needs to be a short-term change in the system - he needs to employ formations conducive to attackers like Podolski, Cazorla or Chamberlain. That's one of the reasons he's paid 6.5 million every season.

As it stands, we really look toothless in front of goal.

Fabianski should be our first-choice keeper...
I like Szczesny, but he's too cocky and arrogant for my liking. While in terms of ability I think the both of them are similar, Szczesny is known to take unnecessary risks and mess up in important games.

Fabianski doesn't. He's matured, composed and delivers, especially at times when it really matters. He saved us against Liverpool, and did the same against Wigan. While Fabianski was earlier used as a tool to threaten Szczesny's position in the starting lineup, I think it's time we promote him to our regular keeper.

If I were Wenger, Fabianski would have been on a bumper contract with a promise of regular first-team football.

In conclusion...
I agree with the supporters, celebrating at the end was completely justifiable. It wasn't because we had barely scrapped past Wigan, it was because we managed to get into the final when it really seemed like we wouldn't.

However, that's the trouble. Barely scrapping past Wigan is not a sign of a progressive team. In all honesty, we really were lucky to have gotten into the final. If we want to fulfill our objective of finishing fourth and winning the FA Cup, big short-term changes are needed.

Knowing Wenger, I don't think we'll see any changes. If we do get fourth, it would be down to scrappy victories against mediocre opposition. At a time when we were supposed to be challenging for the title, we're looking uncertain over fourth. What a mess.

It's times like these, irrespective of FA Cup joy, that makes me pray Wenger leaves in June.

-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )

Arsenal vs Wigan: Match Preview

I'm not nervous.

A fellow Gooner WhatsApped me today, "If Arsenal don't win the FA Cup, I'll dedicate my Facebook page to Phil Collins and become a John Terry fan for a week."

Poor guy. Imagine dedicating your Facebook page to Phil Collins. Actually, don't, our mind's our corrupted enough already.

It's symbolic of how desperate Arsenal supporters have gone for a trophy that they wouldn't want anything to go wrong today. And judging our 'performance' at Goodison Park, there's plenty that could go wrong. The supporters, the players, the manager, the backroom staff, heck, even that ridiculous dinosaur mascot of ours - everyone related to Arsenal has gone (pardon my language) fucking paranoid today.

Not me, though. Surprisingly, on the cusp of our most important game of the season, I feel no heartbeat in my ribs. I feel no sweaty palms, no mood swings and no shaky hands, even though I've run out of my supply of Tic Tacs.

It's odd, isn't it? I go completely berserk while watching Arsenal trying to defend a narrow 1-0 lead at the Westfalenstadion, yet my mind's the most colourless I could ever imagine going into a make-or-break game for Arsenal and for Wenger. And while my mentality is downright peculiar for even myself, I know that there is a perfectly logical explanation for it.

Deep down I know that irrespective of what happens, I'll leave the game with a positive mentality. There is no way, absolutely no way that I'll feel like shite after the match. The moment Wigan defeated Manchester City I knew that the FA Cup would decide Wenger's future at Arsenal. Today, it seems, is judgement day.

If you think rationally, the FA Cup does much more for Arsenal than just provide something tangible for this season:


CASE 1: We win the FA Cup, get the trophyless run off our backs and provide consolation to a season that admittedly should have provided much more. We finish in the top four, and the manager stays on.

CASE 2: We lose today, yet make the top four. Wenger leaves regardless.

CASE 3: We win today but lose the final. However, we still make the top four. In this case, I reckon the manager will stay.

CASE 4: We win today but lose the final. To add to that, we miss out on the Champions League. Heartbreak, but Wenger definitely leaves.

CASE 5: We lose today and screw up top four. Let's not think about that.

--

I'm betting most Arsenal fans, if not all, would go for Case 1 here. At this point, there's seems to be simply no other option but to cut our losses and win a Champions League spot along with the FA Cup. Plus, it would offer Wenger a chance to make amends for a terrible campaign.

While I too would be happy with Case 1, I'm making Case 2 my preference. Believe me when I say that losing the FA Cup is better for us in the long-term, because well, it is. We'd finally get rid of Wenger, we'd have a top four foundation for the next manager and we'd have genuine hope instead of this "fourth place is a trophy" nonsense. I know as a fact that Wenger will leave if we don't win today, and I don't need to emphasize how good it would be if Wenger does go.

What fears me the most is Case 3. No trophies (please don't say fourth place) and more of Wenger for two years? I think I'd do drugs.

However, I actually am okay with the other four cases. In the end, all I want (all we want) is for Arsenal Football Club to do better. Yes, I have a strange method for wanting that, but there you go. If wanting Wenger out of the club has gotten me to the level of wanting us to lose today, then so be it.

The team news, as you'd expect, is disastrous. To add to the already expanding list of Koscielny, Wilshere, Ozil and Walcott, we're potentially deprived of Chamberlain, Rosicky and Gibbs as well, forcing Ramsey a start. I'd suggest Arsene to field a starting line up of Fabianski - Jenkinson - Mertesacker - Sagna - Monreal - Kallstrom/Vermaelen - Arteta - Ramsey - Cazorla - Podolski - Sanogo, but I guess Wenger will instead choose to overplay Rosicky and Chamberlain regardless of injuries or overplaying. That's one of the million reasons of why I want him out, by the way.

I won't exactly be rooting for Arsenal to fail, just to clarify. I wouldn't go all crazy if Wigan take the lead, nor would I be depressed if Arsenal go to the final. I'm just saying that regardless of what happens, there always will be a silver lining.

This really isn't an "all or nothing" situation, as the mainstream media have wrongly made it out to be. In reality, regardless of what happens it'll definitely be a bittersweet moment, for me at least. My head - which wants Wenger out - and my heart, which badly wants Arsenal to win a trophy; either one of them will be satisfied at the end of the match.

Which will it be? Well, that's down to Arsenal now, isn't it?


P.S. Don't know if anyone noticed, but this was blog no. 100. How fitting was it that it came today, on undoubtedly Arsenal's most important game of the season so far.

Oh, and spare a thought for the guy who is on the verge of supporting Phil Collins and John Terry. Bad times indeed.

-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )

Arsenal 4-1 Everton: Wembley beckons, bitches!

Here are the highlights.

Huge, huge win. The most important of the season so far, no doubt.

It's impossible to not be proud of the players. It was a massive occasion, the whole season was at stake and boos were certain to follow if we lost. The FA Cup, let's face it, was and is the only way we can transform this season into a success. And we're bang on track so far.

So many players stepped up today. Mesut Ozil got a goal and an assist. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (my MOTM) showed fantastic commitment and won a penalty. Olivier Giroud ran around and calmed the nerves, showing a rusty Sanogo how it's done (not a great achievement, though). Santi Cazorla sparkled like glitter, playing an inch-perfect pass to Ozil's opener. Not to mention Arteta, who REFUSED to crumble under pressure and dispatched away a crucial goal. Twice.

The job is almost done. We're on our way to Wembley, for the first time since 2011.

Today was exactly why I love these group of players. I scoff at people who suggest that Mikel Arteta or Olivier Giroud are liabilities to the club, because they clearly aren't. Bar Nicklas Bendtner (and maybe Mesut Ozil), I don't think there is anyone else in the team who is not desperate to end the trophy drought. I do NOT blame the players for not winning the Premier League - I have been saying since the inception of this blog that Wenger was forcing a task too many in their hands.

However, winning the FA Cup was always possible. After today, it seems almost probable.

These players deserve a trophy. Yes, I believe that Arsene Wenger doesn't, but that shouldn't cover the fact that almost every single Arsenal footballer have played their guts out since the season began. They've toiled, they've overcome hurdles (after which others might have crumbled) and they've overperformed through most of the campaign. Finally, it seems their reward is fast approaching.

The Sagnas, the Rosickys, the Wilsheres... even the Ramseys and the Walcotts have defiantly stayed by this club through times of peril. It wasn't easy; obstacles against Birmingham, Bradford and Blackburn stung in particular. However, another opportunity is being presented to them, more importantly to a much wiser Arsenal.

Perhaps what makes me even more proud about these players is how they're overperforming despite Wenger. Don't let this win fool you - Arsene Wenger still needs to go. His failure to buy a striker, buck up tactically and motivate his team in crunch clashes for almost 7 years yet stays in my mind.

However, I really don't think that today's the day to have the argument. Today's just a day to bask in the glory of sniffing the FA Cup and a day to realistically think about ending the trophy drought. It's a day to be proud of the players and connect with the club even more, if possible.

We are two wins away from achieving what we failed for 9 years. If we avoid Manchester City somehow, we are almost definitely playing in the finals of the FA Cup. It's impossible to not be excited by that.

Yes, I believe that the sub-points of the game were a bit overrated. Ozil, for instance, isn't 'regenerated', as Wenger says. I want him to do well, but aside 1 goal and 1 assist I didn't see much of him in the match (that wasn't sarcastic). I'm sorry to put a dent on this glorious day, but this match wasn't a sign that Mesut Ozil is back to his best.

We didn't blow Everton away either. Indeed, had Barkley not wasted an easy opportunity, the game could have finished much differently. Our attempts at goal were a bit few and far between for a good 60 minutes, and had Wenger not realized how ineffective Yaya Sanogo was, Giroud mightn't have come on and scored two crucial goals.

However, I don't care. This game carries similarities to the Liverpool one in the FA Cup: the scoreline was different and a bit flattering, but the result was one of such significance that it overshadowed the flaws. Who would care if we get lucky in two games as long as we win the FA Cup?

Of course, the season isn't a success yet. We still need to win two more matches to win the FA Cup. While every Gooner must pray to avoid Manchester City in tomorrow's draw, the fact remains that we have restored a lot of pride in England.

It's time to do that in Europe in as well.

-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )