Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland: Second would have been progress. Third is not.

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

I do not understand why people do not understand the difference between second and third.

"Footballistically", as Arsene Wenger would put it, there isn't any. Neither Manchester City nor us would have to go through the sadomasochism of the Champions League qualifiers that Manchester United will experience. I imagine the gulf in monetary rewards by Barclays will not be mammoth. And, considering the difference in points between us and the Citizens, anyone could argue that it could have been us at second.

And that is what does not rub with me. The fact that we could not usurp second whilst Manchester were dealing with their baggage under little pressure is worrying. It won't be nearly as easy next season. City will look to bounce back with a new manager and a new goal. United have already started on their summer business, nabbing Gundogan and Depay. Chelsea will strengthen to push on for Champions League glory.

I have accepted that Wenger will stay at Arsenal until 2017, but I hoped (perhaps foolishly) that we would at least compete for something worthwhile under him. That, other teams' incompetence and our general impressive individual qualities would overshadow Arsene's tactical limitations and his man-management flaws. I was wrong - to overtake a Jose Mourinho team or the Bayerns and Barcas of the Champions League, you need a modern, competent manager who can cover that percentile difference.

Second would have been huge for Arsenal. It's been, what, nine years since we finished runners-up? As mentioned above, it would not have made much difference on paper, but the psychological implications would have been huge. The media would have portrayed us as Chelsea's biggest foe. Potentially great players in the team would have been more recognized. We would have had the edge on most games simply because of the fear factor associated to being a title contender.

More than that, the players would have belief. Confidence in an Arsene Wenger side is key. It's what makes them play zippy football and score slinky goals. I'm not saying it would guarantee us Premier League 2015/16, but at least it would have provided the "big club" illusion which would keep world class like Ozil and Sanchez at Arsenal until Wenger leaves for a better manager.

But, no. Third and FA Cup is hardly huge progress from fourth and FA Cup (one could argue that Liverpool's decline is what pushed us up to third, too). Baby steps such as these aren't going to convince the quality players we do have that this is the place to be. I'd imagine that if Arsenal don't compete in the Premier League or the Champions League next season, Mesut Ozil would well call it a day.

And you wouldn't blame him. Say what you will about Sterling's agents having a greedy hand for wrecking his PR Image, but I'll be damned if Raheem's actions are 100% dictated by his advisers. All top players are winners. Sterling's willingness to leave Liverpool is as much propelled by the lucre of major honours as it is of making big bucks.

Arsenal can buy top players because we have the money, but we sure as hell won't keep them if we keep stalling as we are. It's been pretty clear that Arsene Wenger cannot and will not get us past the 3rd-4th threshold into elitism. If Ivan Gazidis and the board do not take action on the managerial situation soon, Wenger's last memories of managing Arsenal would be overseeing a mass exodus of players who were meant to be the bedrock of our future. It's up to the board to ensure that they do their job.

Or three years from now, we'll be looking back at this time and thinking "Why didn't we nab Jurgen Klopp when we had the chance?"

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Arsenal 0-1 Swansea: One of those?

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

The lineup...
The argument around the Arsenal (Twitter) camp stirred when there was no Jack Wilshere, no Theo Walcott or at a stretch, no Tomas Rosicky given a start. Retorts followed: "Why would anyone change a winning team?"

After yesterday's first half performance it became clear why. I fully understand that this is a team in form and probably merit their starting berths, but rotating players is not all to do with bringing squad players inside after injuries or suspensions. Sometimes, even the best players need a rest, or need to lay back and reanalyze their game.

The same tactics and personnel won't work against every team on Earth. I agree that playing Ramsey on the right flank worked well against Liverpool and Hull City, but that does not mean shunting him there against every opposition. Back against Liverpool, we were dazzling. Today, we were narrow.

Selecting a starting eleven depends on the traits of the opposition as much as it depends on the traits of ours. Team selection is a subjective concept, not an objective one. However, Wenger's refusal to change a winning team will not only cost us in the short term, it will also cost us in the long term when the likes of Wilshere, Walcott and Rosicky will leave for lack of game time.

Rotation is important for morale as well as for keeping players physically fresh. I've been pointing this flaw out throughout our winning streak simply because it's so avoidable. Today, the game needed the flair of Wilshere and Rosicky, and the pace of Walcott.

We aren't getting injuries because there's a huge gap between matches having little importance. This won't happen between August-February though, which is why learning the practice of rotation is imperative. 

The tactical approach...
Toward the end of the first half, Mesut Ozil proved his true wizardry when he himself seemed to be forming a tactical gameplan of his own. Realizing that Giroud was getting crowded by Swansea and Arsenal attacks were breaking down when they got to him, he decided to drop deep and spray balls from there. It worked to great effect because Giroud is always prone to pinballing passes when he gets them from afar, which resulted in some quick passing and, invariably, chances.

Was this masterminded by Wenger? Unlikely, because any manager looking to deploy their most creative midfielder at the center of the pitch would not opt to remove the defensive support (aka Francis Coquelin) from there.

Also, Mesut Ozil's general tendency to drift toward pockets of space (here, the middle of the park because Swansea had no proper striker to hound the defenders and the midfielders), and Wenger's track record of his general one-dimensional tactical approach also speaks against him.

The impression I got from the manager was that he sensed a goal was coming, so he stuck with his plan. It's not a foolish idea - it seemed to be working in the second half and we were creating chances. My concern, however, lied when he withdrew Coquelin. The move reeked of "Losing/chasing? Bring off Coquelin for a forward. Doesn't matter how we're playing or what the other team are doing, just do it."

The pre-plannedness of this Wenger move worried me, as it did everyone. 

David Ospina...
He should have saved that - it's ridiculous to even debate it. He's been augmented by a very good defensive unit in recent times and has been on a good run himself, but using that argument to support the fact that he flapped a straightforward parry is baffling. For the Indian audience, it's almost like justifying Salman Khan's crimes because of the Being Human that followed.

I've always felt Szczesny was the superior keeper despite his supposedly arrogant personality, and I hope to see him more often after yesterday. Obviously I'd be more than welcoming should Wenger decide otherwise and buy a goalkeeper, but considering the dearth in the market and Wenger's general tendency to put faith in his players (Ospina's a newbie, too), it seems unlikely.

It could be worse. Juggling between Szczesny and Ospina is better than juggling between Almunia and Fabianski.

In conclusion...
We weren't poor by any stretch, and should have won this game regardless of Wenger's choices of hoofing Coquelin and playing Walcott as a center forward, so I'm tempted to coin the unlucky term on this game. However, seeing the entire team with no structure nor organization ever since Francis left the pitch was very worrying, and reminiscent of Anderlecht, Monaco, Manchester United and indeed, Swansea away. I understand the manager's ineptness, but surely the players ought to have had the nous to leave more players than Koscielny and Ospina behind the halfway line?

P.S. Apologies for the dysfunctionalism of this post - but I've been a bit busy over the times. Hopefully that should change soon. Until then.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Hull vs Arsenal: Match Preview

Preview | Pre-match conference | Team news

With Chelsea sealing the Barclays Premier League crown, at least all of our hopes can be pinned on something more realistic i.e. second. It's a job made much easier after Manchester United (heh) fell prey to West Brom. And for obvious reasons, it would be an important step toward challenging for the title next season.

I feel that we really need to curb on injuries if we want to win the league, though. Obviously variables like Wenger's relatively one-dimensional tactical approach won't change, but his rotational policy has shown signs of progressing. Not enough of course, seeing that the likes of Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky don't play even though the season approaches its formality stages.

Mesut Ozil was overplayed whilst carrying an injury against Bayern Munich and Chelsea and missed the subsequent two months or so. Alexis Sanchez burned out around the January-March phase because he played straight 90s for around a dozen games. Look at Chelsea - despite their superior training regime and relatively relaxed style of play, everyone minus Hazard ran out of steam in the second half of the season.

Giroud was on an enforced quarterly break and came back a lot stronger, partly because he was augmented by Danny Welbeck, who played in the FA Cup to take some of the burden from him. Now compare that to the Giroud of last season who seemed like running through cement because he was knackered toward the tail end of 2013/14. No prizes for guessing which policy is better.

We don't need Ozil nor Sanchez to intimidate or overrun a Hull City as good as immune from relegation. In fact, the only two games needing a full-strength squad are against Manchester United and the FA Cup Final. Bringing in a few fresh legs at this point would not only take the heat of our more prominent personalities, but would also make squad players relatively positive about their Arsenal futures. Making certain that our top players don't get long term injuries now is also part of preparation for next season title assault.

Hull caused us plenty of problems in recent times with the 2-2 at the Emirates and the FA Cup last year, but we weren't in the best of places back then, and a marginally better Arsenal easily saw them away 2-0 a couple of months later. If we manage to make hard work of this then that's on us but I suspect we won't. Won't we?

Right, till then happy St. Totteringham's in advance (I'm that confident!) and take it easy. Later.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea: Answering the post-game FAQs

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

I was about to embark on my usual way of reviewing this game by reporting events and squeezing my thoughts in between them, but the variety of arguments and subplots meant that I was better off attacking issues individually, than to conjure jumbled up dysfunctional garble in one post.

Yesterday was odd for many reasons - many people did not know what to feel about Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea's approach and Arsenal's result. And look, such is football. There are things that dazzle and things that bemuse, and yesterday had perhaps more of the latter. What I provide below are not the answers, but just my own views on yesterday's events. It's called having a blog.

So if you wish to clear your mind or want the open mindedness to hear the other side of the debate, feel free to hunt for your query below!

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1. Did Arsenal deserve to win the game?
If not anything, this game at least demonstrated that Arsenal had progressed just an inch further. I had said in the preview that Chelsea parking the bus right from the off must not be taken as a given, and that we shouldn't look to bombard men forward from the word go.

Wenger heard my concerns - he seemed to have put a more focused team out there. Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez were the only players who had the goal of moving forward in their minds. Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla expressed caution, but rightly threw that to the winds once Chelsea retreated in their shell late on. It didn't hurt to see Coquelin and Alexis sticking their foot in and roughhousing Chelsea. We need more of that.

I firmly believe that a final scoreline is always deserved, barring referee interventions. This game certainly had their share of contentious decisions by a referee who refuses to penalize Arsenal. The first one was - in my opinion - definitely not a penalty, the second was stonewall (Szczesny did something similar against Bayern and was sent off), but the Fabregas one tends to divide opinion.

In my opinion, it is a penalty. This is modern football - in the penalty box, if a player goes to snatch the ball but mistimes it, it is always a penalty regardless of the force exerted on the fouled player. I don't like it, but this is what modern football has come to.

The Gary Cahill handball was, in my opinion, a penalty too, but had the referee given all the above decisions, Arsenal were potentially 2-1 down. Basic mathematics dictates that Arsenal actually benefited from the referee's incompetence.

The fact that Arsenal had more of the ball but couldn't win the game is down to our incompetence. You can't excuse Ozil and Cazorla missing chances under the pretext of "Arsenal had more of the ball". Possession doesn't win matches - goals do. We had a shade of fortune with respect to the refereeing but otherwise deserved what we got.

It matters little if Ozil had snuck in the late chance. The way I see it, Wenger knew the way Mourinho was going to set up. He was armed with an entire week of preparation and with in-form players to work a way around an uninspiring Chelsea (at home), but still failed.

Let's face it - we're firmly second best.

2. Should Arsenal be more like Mourinho's boring Chelsea?
Look, I have absolutely no problem with negation football. It's what Arsenal did in the George Graham years and what Chelsea are doing now. I honestly feel that style of play matters little when it comes to trophies. Winning is all that matters in football. I don't remember too many people complaining when Arsenal parked the bus against Manchester City and triumphed. If you place style of play over major honours, you have little reason to moan over Arsenal's trophy drought.

Different situations require different styles of play - it just needs a manager and players who can work that system effectively.

Jose Mourinho, always criticized for grinding wins in any time of the season, actually found the right balance between beautiful football and parking the bus this season. He played the most attractive football in the country for the initial two-thirds of the season, and became pragmatic when it was time to hold nerves. Let's not forget that Jose only truly parked the bus against Arsenal after the 65th minute, when it really mattered.

The greatest criticism that comes toward Jose Mourinho is why he chooses such a boring, almost cowardly approach to games when he has all the billions to spend in the world. You could definitely weigh that argument against him in his Inter Milan and Real Madrid days, but certainly not his second-spell Chelsea ones. While this season his balance between attractive football and ruthless pragmatism was not perfect, it was close enough. And hey, it won him a league title.

Chelsea's final step toward unofficially sealing the league was making sure Arsenal dropped points (which we did), so I see no problem in Chelsea celebrating as if they won the league because yesterday, to be honest, they practically did. And don't kid yourself, you wouldn't be embarrassed of Arsenal if this time next season Per Mertesacker was bouncing around Stamford Bridge after Arsenal played out a 0-0 draw which practically sealed Arsenal as champions.

The least we can do is not be hypocrites, act classy and congratulate Chelsea on winning the league through gritted teeth. Know when you're beaten. We should have done better this league season, but there's still plenty of honour in being runners-up.

3. Was I right in booing/applauding Cesc Fabregas?
Many people have different reasons to hate Cesc Fabregas. For some, he's a mercenary. For some, he's a gold digger. For some, he backstabbed Arsenal when they needed him. Personally I don't care much for Fabregas, but I do want to add another dynamic to this debate.

Take your mind back to summer 2010 and remember the situation when Barcelona had an interest for Fabregas. Wenger told him to stay and give his Project Youth one more chance, didn't he? Fabregas obliged, but after the post-Birmingham collapse he understandably had had enough. Fabregas wanted a club who could satiate his ambitions, and Barcelona provided that.

However, Wenger wasn't willing to hold up his end of the bargain in 2011 because Nasri had allegedly said "if Cesc goes, I go" (or something like that).

Anyway, an angered Fabregas felt betrayed by Wenger went on strike and probably sulked around for precisely this reason. When Wenger realized he couldn't keep Fabregas around, he had accept the lower rate from Barca. And look, many players would have gone on strike if they had a deal and the manager did not hold his end. The days of Tony Adams signing a contract with his eyes closed are long gone. If you want your best players to stay, you lucre them with money and trophies. That's modern football for you.

Even if you want to believe that Fabregas would have backstabbed Arsenal regardless of promises and circumstances, try this. Arsene Wenger rejected Fabregas when he wanted to leave Barcelona. Just as Fabregas apparently rejected Arsenal when we needed him the most, Wenger rejected Fabregas when he needed us the most. Again, that's modern football for you.

I understand that you would want to hate Fabregas because he was once an Arsenal player and is now at Chelsea, but using the 'he forced his way out' angle to justify it probably isn't right. To suit your conscience, a better reason would be his quotes after he signed for Chelsea, clearly saying he CHOSE them after having "considered all the other offers very carefully", which means that he did not have Arsenal in his mind at all after he realized that Wenger did not want him back.

Boo him for choosing an Arsenal rival despite many options, or stay mute because your thoughts are fixated on Ozil and Cazorla. However, in all honesty, I don't believe for a second that when Fabregas was celebrating his goal at San Siro, or Arshavin's against Barcelona, the first thought in his mind was "Stage One: Gaining the trust of the Arsenal faithful to betray them in the future, check!"

4. How many of Thierry Henry's comments were senseless?
Right, time to take this one at a time.

*Henry on Giroud: "I think Giroud is doing extremely well. But can you win the league with him? I wouldn't think so. He does a job, and he does it ever so well, but you can't win the league [with him as striker]."

While others have interpreted this as Thierry not knowing much about Giroud's current form or being hypocritical by swaying along with the mood of the club (he just massively praised Giroud last week), I think differently.

I don't think Henry managed to convey this very well, but I think his point was that Giroud is a fairly decent player but Arsenal need an undoubted world class player as striker to win the league. Look, Giroud is important to Arsenal's attacking approach and is currently playing very well, but you always feel that he's punching above his weight, and will fall to something along the mean in the near future.

It's a crude example, but look at Southampton. Mathematically they were in it for fourth most of this season, but many people perceived that as a team merely on a purple patch, who will go back to their level once their honeymoon period is over. It's the same with Giroud. What Henry was trying to say (I believe) is that while Giroud has done a good impression of a world-class player these past few weeks, in reality he is not one. Arsenal need the real deal, not an aspirant.

*Henry on Arsenal's transfer needs: "I think they need to buy four players - they need that spine. They need a goalkeeper, they still need a centre back, they still need a holding midfielder and, I'm afraid, they need a top, top quality striker to win this league again."

Here's where Henry sounds a bit like a 12 year old kid who just started watching football saying "Get me Messi, Ronaldo and Neuer and we'll win everything." I think he fails to take into account the players that Arsenal do have at present.

Buying a striker is easier said than done - Arsenal have recently bought Welbeck and are unlikely to let him go after one season, especially since Wenger seems to rate him. Maybe Wenger could sell Walcott, push Danny to the wings and make way for a striker, but even so, the market does not seem to be awfully buzzing with forwards.

Defensive midfield and goalkeeper are understandable concerns, but centre back is probably not. Per Mertesacker is an excellent defender in a system not including the offside trap. Laurent Koscielny is almost always reliable. Gabriel Paulista is capable of doing the dirty work and Calum Chambers is a promising lad.

It's easy to admire Thierry's ambition, but he really should have put some thought in what he said.

*Henry on Fabregas and Ozil: "I would have benched Ozil for Fabregas [if the Spaniard had been brought back to Arsenal]. I will single out Mesut Ozil. It was his eight game today against a top four side, he has zero goals and two assists. That is not enough, overall since he’s been at Arsenal he has 14 assists.  Now if you take Cesc Fabregas, he did that in one season with 16 assists."

This is impossible to defend because it seems like Mister Henry has climbed onto the "Ozil is amateur" bandwagon as well. It's a real shame because he's an Arsenal fan and seems to be a person who really understands football, but has passed a hugely uninformed opinion. Loads of Chelsea fans will look back at Henry's comment and use that against Arsenal fans which is unfair, because his comment is truly irrational.

Such criticism on Ozil would have made sense back in October, but it doesn't now. Ozil has been pulling the strings and carrying Arsenal's creative burden for some time now. Even the manner of the criticism does not make sense, for he has taken Ozil's assist record against three teams and compared it to Cesc's assist record in the entire season.

The only reason Wenger should have bought Fabregas in the summer was so that a club like Chelsea could not have gotten their hands on him (again, that's modern football for you), but I'm still relatively happy with how things turned out. Mesut has been at Real Madrid proportions since January. Fabregas has the edge over him in defensive workrate and versatility, but Ozil is creatively superior.

Either this was nostalgia with Cesc getting the better of Henry or he was paid to say this, but either way, it was hugely flawed and I'd love to hear a follow up from anyone in the near future.

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Right, that's that. Just as a footnote, I'd like to mention that if you have any feedback about my thoughts I'd prefer them in the Comments section than in a personal email. I'm sure others are interested in your views too :)


-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Arsenal vs Chelsea: Match Preview

Preview | Pre-match conference | Team news

Mathematically, this match is almost an irrelevance. We won't miss out on Champions League nor snatch the crown from Jose Mourinho's hooked nose based on today's result. Today's not a day for sealing top four or having a go at the title. In the context of the present season, absolutely nothing hinges on this game.

However, today could bear huge implications with respect to next season. There's indeed no use in crying over this season's spilled milk, but we could look to make amends by laying foundations for a title challenge next season. Winning against Chelsea could bring about a big-club perception Arsenal have been lacking for too long.

You don't need an expert to tell you that that's vital. We've been compared among the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham, even Everton for too long. Rising to a better class of football clubs does psychological wonders for the club. Smaller teams are too afraid to take a shot at causing an upset. Bigger teams exercise caution. The inferiority complex dictates that most home matches are won before the ball is kicked.

Arsenal terribly need some of the hubris, and breaking Mourinho's curse would go a long way to restoring that. Mourinho's record against Wenger is not a jinx or a curse, it's simply because he's a better manager.  Calling it a curse promotes the "luck" factor and invariably inaction, just like Arsenal's injury woes. Both of them were not down to luck, they were down to incompetence.

However, despite their managerial skills, Arsene still has a chance to put one over Mourinho today. Chelsea know they have won the title and they don't look too bothered about today, whereas Arsenal are in roaring form and know that this match is not about three points. The moral of the players could make all the difference today.

Arsenal and Chelsea have both been on phony runs of form lately, but the players of Chelsea seem to know that their performances have not warranted the results. Conversely, however, Arsenal believing that their run of form have been supported by brilliant performances reeks of ignorance, but provides the confidence that Arsenal needed to smash Liverpool away. That same confidence could help them overturn a skeptical Chelsea, not to mention provide credence to the "Ignorance is bliss" statement.

Having said that, I fear Mourinho may be leading Wenger into a trap. Having a whirl at Chelsea is all well and good and definitely characteristic of a "big team", but it must be exercised with caution. The whole world is rambling on how Mourinho would look to park the bus and hit Arsenal on the break. There is the possibility that, for the sake of catching that particular assumption off-guard, Mourinho might do something different.

Where is the guarantee that Mourinho will set up to merely get a point at the Emirates? Granted, he did that against Manchester United (at Stamford Bridge, no less), but that doesn't mean it's set in stone he'll do the same today. For safety's sake, Arsene at least needs to exercise caution at least for the initial minutes and then have a crack, should it transpire that Jose has indeed employed the expected gameplan. Be brave but not foolhardy, certainly not 6-0 foolhardy.

Most of the team pretty much selects itself. David Ospina should start in goal; I'm guessing Mathieu Debuchy would get the nod over Hector Bellerin; Nacho Monreal will take over from Gibbs, and presuming that Mertesacker won't make it, Gabriel should slot in to partner Koscielny.

I would have preferred Mertesacker to make it today. David Ospina is certainly the better keeper on form, but he still exudes a certain nervousness at set pieces, which Chelsea specialize in. Paulista and Koscielny would amount for terrific pace, but with Chelsea looking to start an aging Didier Drogba, that pace may not be all necessary.

Francis Coquelin is a sure starter in midfield, and based on current form, Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil, Alexis and Giroud would play ahead of him. I don't see it happening, but I hope Cazorla is benched for Theo Walcott. The Spaniard has looked out of touch in recent games, probably because there are too many similar players in that team. Walcott would add a different dimension in terms of width, and his knack of scoring against Chelsea could be crucial today.

However, if Cazorla starts (which seems likely), I'd prefer him on the wing than Ramsey. While both of them do not have the skill set to provide Arsenal width, Cazorla is certainly more tactically aware than Ramsey. I've heard the argument that a more energetic Ramsey could stifle Hazard on the left but it doesn't rub with me, because Ramsey spends half the time in the centre of midfield. While Cazorla tends to drift in, he certainly does not do it to Ramsey proportions.

To me, though, it's only Alexis Sanchez or Mesut Ozil who could make the difference for Arsenal. Mourinho had ensured Azpilicueta was onto Sanchez in the previous encounter which had hugely minimized his impact. Perhaps home support or the danger of having other players in form to mark would mean that Sanchez gets more space to work his magic, but I don't see it happening.

Alexis has been documented as Arsenal's runaway best player by everyone in the footballing world, so much so that they've overestimated his impact to the team. They're wrong - in the second half of the season, Cazorla, Ozil and Giroud have contributed more than Sanchez. However, Jose is likely to jump on the bandwagon and make Sanchez his top priority, which could be of huge advantage to us.

Mesut Ozil could have a screamer today because his run of form hasn't been caught on by the media yet. It's amazing that they still perceive him as some overpaid flop who doesn't run around enough to make the cut for Arsenal, but it could work to our favour today. There is the possibility that Jose could underestimate Ozil's (or even Giroud's) importance for Arsenal. He certainly has the ego to think that.


I have a feeling that Arsenal might draw, but I certainly know that today is winnable. Chelsea are uncertain and they don't have a lot to fight for, but we do. And while today would not have much inkling on this season's Premier League winner, it certainly could on next season's. Today is an important step in future Premier League (or maybe, maybe, Champions League) glory for Arsenal. We need to take it.

P.S. If you're wondering why I haven't mentioned the Cesc Fabregas subplot today, the answer is simple: I don't care much of him. He taught me a valuable lesson about loyalty and trust, but that's about it. He doesn't owe Arsenal anything and nor do we, him. I'd rather focus on the creative players who ply their trade for Arsenal than Chelsea. I suggest you do too.


-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Burnley 0-1 Arsenal: That'll do

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't hoped for something more stylish, but then again, a good, solid 1-0 win in an away Premier League is not the worst thing in the world. It means we stay ahead of pace of the two Manchester clubs and keep Chelsea on their toes. Or one toe, at least.

I won't sugarcoat it when I say the team sheet disappointed me. While I agree that the likes of Ospina, Ozil, Giroud or even the Mertescielny axis at a stretch needed to be there to keep the spine of the team (and most of them were in undroppable form), this really should have been a game where we rested our big guns.

As I said in the preview, while it's apparent that someone like Theo Walcott is not rated by the manager (and for valid reasons), I refuse to believe that he would have produced a substandard performance against a team like Burnley. Surely, going into the second half, his pace would have been an asset?

Strength in depth is not only to make the bench look pretty, it's also to act as backup while the main men are out getting massages. With all respect to Sean Dyche's men (who put up a good fight), it's against inferior oppositions like these where a manager can afford to play squad players. This is a problem Wenger has been guilty of for ages, and also a contributing factor in why our star players tend to get injured more frequently. If you make the same players play all the games, the probability of them getting crocked gets higher, that's basic mathematics.

I know it sounds petty, but it's an important issue nonetheless. The matter has been swept under the rug because we've gotten away unscathed, but imagine if one of our players had turned victim to one of oh-so-many Burnley fouls. The effects it would have had on an upcoming FA Cup semi final could perhaps have been decisive.

Right, anyway. The football.

As expected we dominated the hold of the ball and created a couple of early chances. Heaton made an elementary save to a Sanchez free kick, minutes after which the Chilean could have gotten an early goal but instead blazed it over. The two chances were sandwiched with a decent save from Ospina after a Vokes shot, where Mertesacker's lack of pace was apparent.

Aaron Ramsey got the opener after what seemed like a trillion of deflections. It started when Alexis decided to take matters in his own hands. His shot was deflected onto Ozil, Mesut forced a good save from Heaton, but Aaron pounced on the parry to strike a fine one in the roof of the net.

Amidst all the shower of praises over Ozil, Coquelin, Giroud and the lot, it's easy for Ramsey's resurrection to go under the radar. I reckon that'd suit him, though. He seems like a confidence player - I wouldn't want to burden him with expectations.

Having said that, though, I found Wenger's decision to play him on the right a bit curious. On that, the Welshman said:

"I’m doing a job out there. I like to be involved in the game a lot more in the middle but I’ve had to do a job there. I’ve had a couple of assists and a goal in the last couple of games, so I’m having an impact out there, but I’d like to be more involved in the game!"

Clearly the last few matches would suggest that it hasn't diminished his output, but it's still intriguing why Wenger has shunted him there. It's not as if there's a severe dearth of options  - Walcott and Danny Welbeck can both do "a job" there. Heck, to me, Tomas Rosicky seems a better fit to that role than Ramsey!

I always presumed in the last couple of games that Mesut Ozil would play on the left flank with Alexis on the right, but the manager's apparent alternative is odd. It appears that Coquelin and Cazorla are playing deeper with Ozil in the center and Ramsey on the right. I know that Wenger had played Ramsey on the right flank back in 2012 in an attempt to resurrect his form, but I feel it's unnecessary to stick him out there now. Is this just a mishmash of fitting the most in-form players in eleven slots, or are there bigger tactical balls at play here?

Ramsey's obviously doing a good job out there, but I can't help but feel that we could bring more out of him by playing him in a more favourable position.

Anyway, the rest of the first half trudged on through rare highlights involving an Ospina save from a Trippier free kick and a Cazorla free kick whizzing past the post. Was I the only one to feel that Mike Dean blowing his whistle on a load of fouls disrupted the momentum of the game? Perhaps the game would have been more eventful had he been more ruthless.

Ozil was probably the only highlight of the second half as he lit up Turf Moor with two brilliant pieces of play. The first - a backheel to Sanchez - forced a good save, while the second was a lob to Ramsey who couldn't get his shot away due to a truly brilliant block. If there's one microcosm of how hard Burnley toiled around the pitch, that was it.

Danny Ings tried to create trouble when he hit a cycle kick - again, terrific save from Ospina there - and Mee put in a delicious cross at the death to which no one got their heads to, but other than that I don't remember a moment where Burnley genuinely threatened to equalize.

Indeed, it was us who could have doubled our tally during a four minute spell. Ozil could have played a better pass to Welbeck on 85, four minutes after which a cross from Bellerin was too loopy for Sanchez to get much power on.

Wenger's late substitutions merely compounded the aforementioned lack-of-rotation problem, but apart from that we had enough stomach to see them through. Every point in the Premier League is important, so it's great to see us nabbing all of them. It also makes the Manchester derby a lot more relaxing to watch.

There was the usual post-match gaffle from Wenger and the players about the fighting spirit, but what caught my eye was a show of sense from Per, when he said:

"It [the title] is not in our hands anymore. They [Chelsea, who else?] have a decent lead so it’s very difficult for us. At the moment, we’re just focusing on ourselves and that has made us very strong in recent weeks."

He, and every other rational person, is spot on. I agree that second wasn't the objective at the start of the season, but it's still a goal that deserves merit. It could have been much worse back in January, so while I'm not at all suggesting that second should remain the be-all and end-all of our ambitions, it's nice to see an Arsenal trying for something higher than the absolute minimum i.e. fourth.

What's realistic and gains greater credence than 2nd starts next week. The FA Cup may not be a major trophy in itself, but coupling that with a runners-up finish in the Premier League amounts to progress most clubs would kill for. It shouldn't be where our aspirations halt (although I fear it is) but it's a good starting point.

Saturday would go a long way into satiating that.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Burnley vs Arsenal: Match Preview

Preview | Pre-match conference | Team news

It's important to keep the momentum going, not only because of how the table stacks, but also because there's an FA Cup semi final on the way. Burnley are one of the weakest teams in the league, yes, but any away game in the Premier League has the potential to be quite tricky, as Manchester City found out at Selhurst Park.

And look, this game could be a perfect tune-up on how to approach next week. Both teams - Burnley and Reading - are of a similar ilk, which makes it rather probable that a similar mentality may be required to dispatch away both of them.

Sure, Burnley could be like how Granada were for Real Madrid - earmarking the games they need for survival and entirely giving up on the rest. However, I wouldn't put it past Heisenberg Sean Dyche to look to snatch something away from this game. They've been rather good against the top sides - especially City - and they burst a lung for the smallest half-chance.

This is just one of those games that we need to get through to get to the matches carrying greater credence like against United, Chelsea and next week. However, we shouldn't look to underestimate this opposition. We had a tough time at St. James' and Selhurst Park. There's every chance that today could be akin to those struggles.

Having said that, I'd prefer some rotation. The likes of Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud are in monstrous form, but are due a breather despite having a week of rest. I understand why players like Theo Walcott are not trusted by Wenger, but surely he's Premier League standard enough to get a game today?

While Ospina is a nailed-on certainty in goal, the right back position could offer the manager some food for thought. Mathieu Debuchy is fully fit and raring to go, while the lad from Barcelona is in fine form. Personally, despite progressing as fast as he runs, I still have minor positional doubts about him. That, coupled with the need to rotate a 20 year old fullback who's played almost every match in the past 3 months means that I hope Debuchy gets the nod today.

Gabriel should act as an ice pack for either Mertesacker or Koscielny today, and I hope Kieran Gibbs gets a chance too. There are doubts about his defensive contribution, but again, he should be more than capable of holding out Burnley. Lest we forget this is the same Gibbs who made acres of strides last season and was the undisputed starting left back for a while.

Francis Coquelin should start in midfield along with Ramsey, but it's the rest of the front four that intrigue me. While I think Arsene will choose the safer option of overplaying Cazorla, Ozil, Sanchez and Giroud, I hope at least two of them are rested. We have players like Rosicky, the returning Wilshere, Walcott and Welbeck to provide much needed backup. There's really no point in having these players if they don't get the nod in matches like today.

My gut says that today could be a close match, simply because there doesn't seem to be enough seriousness coming into the game. Wenger was right when he said that we need to stay focused because the two Manchester clubs are breathing down our necks, and I hope we approach this game with the requisite rubber gloves. Certainly not by showing Burnley too much respect and taking them on the counter, but instead by cautiously imposing our style of play and consolidating once we get the lead.

Right, time to catch the second half of the Everton game. See you on the other side.

Up The Arse!

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool: An uncharacteristic ruthless dismantling

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

I'll gleefully hold my hands up in guilt for overestimating Liverpool and underestimating ourselves after us absolutely tearing them to shreds. The goals were all audacious and spectacular, yes, but it was the manner of exuberance and ego we showed on the pitch that was far more encouraging.

Make no mistake, although Liverpool were average, we took ruthless advantage of that. It's no exaggeration to say we strangled them to submission right from the off. Were it not for some below-par initial finishing from Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey, we could have sealed the game in the opening 5 minutes.

Our recent winning streak may have been exaggerated to a degree, but it brought along with it a factor that ultimately proved pivotal in Liverpool's dismantling - confidence. We didn't show Liverpool the respect we showed Tottenham or even Monaco earlier this season, pressing them and hardly letting their back three (especially Kolo Toure) build from the back.

Brendan Rodgers wasn't to be outdone yet, though. I noticed he was penciling notes around the 16th minute, after which he seemed to get his plan across. Having weathered the early storm, Liverpool were confidently playing on the counterattack and growing into the game, taking advantage of Arsene Wenger adopting a high line. It almost worked when Coutinho released Markovic but the Russian (heh) couldn't find Sterling with his pass.

I couldn't have been the only one worried then. Per Mertesacker was drifting toward the wing, Mesut Ozil was losing focus with his touches, Francis Coquelin was forced into making too many last-ditch sliding tackles and Bellerin seemed to be taking too many risks with the ball. With each passing minute, the early Ramsey miss was beginning to feel more and more synonymous to Jack Wilshere's against Manchester United.

I realize the irony when I say that all of those worries were put to rest with a Bellerin risk. Ozil found Ramsey who was drifting to the right for most of the half, Aaron played it on to Bellerin, and for me, he just seemed to have that "Screw this scrappiness, I'm taking the law into my own hands here" moment when he went past Moreno and curled in an absolute beaut with his weaker foot. As much as it is easy to notice Liverpool ineptitude in defence there, it is easier to, well, not give a shit.

With Liverpool rocking, Arsenal took full advantage and found a second. Mesut Ozil won a free kick barely two minutes later and launched a technically sound curler into the far post. Mignolet, who was having a great game until that point, really should have done better because the shot wasn't fiercely struck, but again, who really cares apart from Liverpool?

With Arsenal, 2-0 up is hardly game over but Liverpool didn't seem to think so, as they absolutely lost the plot and failed to keep any sort of structure. After Giroud headed over an Ozil corner, Bellerin (was it?) initiated some world-class football by playing it on to Ramsey. Aaron's turn was sublime, his pass was perfect, and Sanchez gave the perfect cream to ice the cake. Taking the ball on the bounce and getting away from an appalling Kolo Toure challenge, he rifled in one of the fastest and most Podolski-esque shots you would see this season. You can't really fault the goalkeeper for that. I'm surprised he even saw it.

Rodgers tried to save face in the second half by bringing on Daniel Sturridge and employing a 4-1-4-1 with Sterling on the left, but really, even by Arsenal standards this game was done and dusted. Whatever Liverpool were looking to throw at us was so easy to the defence it was almost enjoyable. Indeed, we could have got a fourth in the 54th minute when Mignolet tipped over a Giroud header, but aside from that it was strolling in the garden stuff, with the only minor cause of frustration being Alexis giving the ball away on the counterattack.

They did get a faint lifeline when Sterling was felled in the box and a penalty awarded, which Henderson barely converted. There's a fair case to say that Bellerin should have gotten a second yellow (and I'd agree), but well, he didn't, and today's not a day to focus on what could have been when what actually happened was a 4-1 thumping. Having said that, Bellerin's gamble which failed (but not punished enough) was another reminder that he's merely 20 and will make mistakes. We mustn't look to Harry Kane him for a fall from grace.

After Emre Can was shown the door and Santi hit the post, Giroud made sure Arsenal ended on a high by scoring a pearler from an Alexis pass, ending Liverpool's misery. A terrific performance against an in-form team and some star performers to thank for.

Mesut Ozil, after getting the second goal oozed class. He's a confidence player like Giroud, which is why it was great to see those little flicks and movements when Arsenal in general were cruising. Perhaps what was more heartening to see was Wenger subbing him around the 73rd minute for Danny Welbeck, when the game was over and Ozil needn't be overplayed.

I know it's far from the father of the thought, but Welbeck continues to worry me. I've never expressed on this blog enough my discontent at his sheer lack of end product. Yes, he's a good squad player who puts himself about, but that's about it. Goals are what we need from a forward, which is why I'd prefer Theo Walcott to him.

While Alexis Sanchez won the official MOTM award, I've got to hand it to Francis Coquelin. The man's playing like an absolute beast. He revels in the art of defending and being the lone sweeper, and is currently a prime reason why our 4-1-4-1 is ticking. He'll definitely do a job till the end of the season, but I still feel that we need one more specialist in that position to be absolutely secure. It's an unnecessary risk to be overly reliant on him, and competition on all fronts should be the bedrock of an elite team. Mikel Arteta may be a model professional and all that, but he hardly offers competition for Coquelin.

All in all a fantastic job done by the players and the fans. Many had expected Arsenal to win this game (I confess I wasn't one of them), but the manner in which we made it possible bodes well for what's left of this season. A title challenge is a crazy assumption, but looking to overhaul Manchester City is very much possible, and whichever way you look at it, that's progress.

The psychological impetus of beating a potential FA Cup finalist must also be noted. Liverpool are the only team left in the competition capable of ruining the party for us, but having that edge and relinquishing the 5-1 loss last season would go miles into calming nerves for the big day, should it arrives.

All that's left of this season is a potential second place fight and an FA Cup win, but make no mistake, that's more than most clubs in England. With players returning from injury and the squad looking to have some serious depth, if we keep this up, we could make 2014/15 a very memorable one indeed.

Go on Arsenal.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Arsenal vs Liverpool: Match Preview

Preview | Pre-match conference | Team news

The race for second is much better than the race for fourth, but we're in just as much of a risk of falling as we are of rising.

That sounded like a Batman quote, didn't it?

I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be nervous or excited for tomorrow. Our run of form has been encouraging, yet thoroughly overrated. The expectation of defeating Liverpool almost comfortably tends to turn into pressure very quickly, and we don't react favourably to that.

An early goal could be vital here. Once our nerves are settled there's no denying we can devastate almost any opposition. Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil, in particular, tend to flourish when the atmosphere is more relaxed. Liverpool have been on a good run but the loss to United would have hurt, and an early breakthrough could turn their confidence to ash.

We must be going for the win. Manchester City are crumbling, and Crystal Palace could take advantage of that. On the other hand, United have a pretty straightforward encounter against Aston Villa. Dispatching away Liverpool will not only keep United at bay and give us a shot at second, but would also do away with Liverpool for good.

I'm wary of Liverpool. They looked like a clueless side earlier this season, but it turned out Rodgers had a plan. Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen are playing well, Sterling and Coutinho give them the extra edge, and they may be missing Martin Skrtel, but Sturridge is seemingly going to make it. It's easy to forget that he almost scored thrice at the Emirates last season.

David Ospina seems set to start in goal, and he should, for he hasn't done anything apocalyptic to warrant a dropping. Mertesacker, Koscielny and Monreal would start in defence, and despite Debuchy returning from injury it seems he may not be match fit enough and Bellerin may get the nod.

The only worry I have about Bellerin is that he tends to drift towards the center a bit too much, but that may work to Arsenal's advantage as Liverpool's presumed left winger - Coutinho - tends to cut inside rather than run down the wings. Alberto Moreno may give him pause for thought though.

I like Bellerin, but if Debuchy is fit enough I hope he's given a start because his experience could bode well for us. This is the business end of the season and an extremely important game, which is why I'd rather not see any mucking about.

Francis Coquelin is the obvious candidate in central defensive midfield, but it's his midfield partner who could win us the game. I really hope that one of Jack Wilshere or Tomas Rosicky are given a role in this game - assuming their fit enough, of course - because this is the kind of game they tend to revel in. Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla are technically sound, yes, but Wilshere or Rosicky add that extra bite and flair in midfield to counter that of Henderson's. It's the manager's call, of course, but I would really prefer seeing a Rosicky or a Wilshere on the pitch.

Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are somewhat of a given to start, but the question lies as to where to start them. Sanchez should play on the right flank, no doubt, as Bellerin will need defensive support. My gut says Ozil would play on the left with Cazorla in the center, but I really hope that's not the case. Ozil only ever played well once on the left flank (against Aston Villa at home - hardly a barometer of his quality). If Ozil is to start, I don't see any other place to play him than in the hole. If there's no place for him in central attacking midfield, fine, get a Walcott or a Welbeck in there, but please don't diminish his powers out wide.

Giroud's improvement has been fantastic, and we need another performance of that ilk today. There'll be huge pressure on him to cut the mustard, and rightly so. We need an early goal, and we cannot afford to see Giroud have a stinker, like against Monaco. Say what you will about his current form (and I'd probably agree), but Monaco at home was the only other match where the stakes were really high. Giroud has been scoring against big teams this season, which is great, but for me he still has to do more to convince me that he's a reliable Plan A.

We're really wedged in between City and United, and it goes without saying that we need to win all of our games to have a greater comfort zone. This is definitely the time of the season where results are all that counts, even though good performances invariably lead to good results. Take this one game at a time, rest and rotate players whenever necessary, and we could get out of this pivotal stage looking handsome.

This game ought to be really difficult, but it's still winnable. Flying out of the blocks is key, because an early goal will leave them rocking. Maintaining focus is pivotal too. We rode our luck a lot against them in the 2-2 draw against December. Instead of showing them too much respect or give them confidence, we must intimidate and bully them. Because I see little chance of an Arsenal victory if we play on the back foot or keep handing them the initiative.

Come on Arsenal!

Extra reading : Crazy About EPL | Arsenal vs Liverpool : Match Preview and Prediction

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

West Ham 1-2 Arsenal: Signs of progress

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

I'm not one for unnecessarily bringing hopes up by overrating the positives. I don't think, for instance, that defending that lead till the death is a huge step or a turning point. West Ham were impressive until we sucker-punched ourselves into the lead - that doesn't mean we were assured as such. The impressive defending that spanned across the calendar year of 2013 looks to me like a one-off, not something we've taken heart from and progressed.

Francis Coquelin was impressive. I for one always rated him whenever I saw him on the pitch, but I assumed he might have regressed since he barely got games in for Freiburg and Charlton. However, I don't really think this might be some sort of career landmark moment for him. He was an emergency player and performed admirably as one. I would like to give him a run of games, for he certainly seems calmer than Mathieu Flamini, but asking Wenger to give someone a chance has become foolish thought nowadays. The man hardly ever rotates.

However, the only positive that I found was about our attack starting to click. I know that many were fans of the Welbeck-Alexis-Giroud trio, but I personally prefer Oxlade-Chamberlain into the mix. The forward trio we had out there, sandwiched with Santi Cazorla in the middle produced one of the finest attacking displays this season.

West Ham at home, particularly this season, are not to be undermined. Manchester City faced them and couldn't find a goal because the likes of Cresswell and Song were so influential. For this jaded Arsenal side to find three valuable points and legitimately claim that we could have won by more is not to be scoffed at. With the defence yet to settle down, I have a feeling our attack may have to carry us for the games to follow.

On a final point to this alarmingly microscopic match report - don't for one second bear any illusions of Arsenal stumbling into the title race. From an Arsenal perspective Chelsea are impossible to overtake, while although Manchester City are not different class as such, we still have a lot to work to do and a lot of fine margins to reach before thinking about them. Imagining Arsene Wenger remedying the minutiae is laughed at for a reason.

Speaking of Arsene Wenger, here's a superb Arsenal Truth piece that goes miles into describing him.

Until then, Happy New Year!

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Arsenal 2-1 QPR: Super Sanchez seals nervy points

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

We've had so many unconvincing wins this season that yesterday seemed almost routine. The pattern was almost familiar - a possession-dominated Arsenal side failed to impress in front of goal, only to be bailed out by the magnificent Sanchez, yet almost found a way to Arsenal it all up. I guess Jesus was on our side for this one, because despite not getting some of the decisions our way, we were fortunate to not concede a penalty which many referees would have given.

The lineup hit me as a bit of a surprise, but on second thoughts, I realized there didn't seem to be much choice for Wenger than to bring Tomas Rosicky for the injured Oxlade-Chamberlain. Apart from that the only other change was Nacho Monreal for Calum Chambers. While I appreciate the rotation, on a personal level I would have tried to being Podolski into the fold, for either Sanchez or Welbeck.

I know that Podolski isn't rated highly by the manager, but it's not exactly a monumental task to trust him to deliver the goods against one of the worst teams in the league at home. He does have his faults in terms of his defensive contribution and his workrate, but he also has utility to the team. He wasn't and isn't a German international by fluke.

Wenger spoke about rotation in the Christmas period, coming out against it with some pretty ludicrous quotes:

“The difficulty is finding the right balance between rotation and the balance of the team without destabilising it. Therefore you sometimes have to limit the numbers of rotation.”

To me it seems like a poorly thought out way to window dress his man management skills throughout the years and promote inaction. Anyone who plays football - it doesn't even have to be Premier League standard - knows that their body is a temple. Carefully managing the team throughout the season (which include the training sessions as much as the Matchday fixtures) is very important. The answer to winning all games isn't playing all the best players by default, especially when you take into consideration that most of the players Arsene has assembled are relatively brittle and are playing football week in, week out since a tender age.

It's amazing how readily people dismiss and downplay the consequences of overplaying a footballer to defend their manager. Any football authority worth their salt will tell you its of huge importance, none more so than Shad Forsythe. However, in the end, Shad doesn't pick our starting XI, Arsene Wenger does. And it is this overplaying that increases the casualty list after almost every match.

Ospina's injury was down to poor management (he's fit now though, bless him). Koscielny, Ozil, Arteta and Ramsey were definitely exerted. It isn't unfair to suggest that at this going rate, the likes of Mertesacker, Flamini, Cazorla, Alexis and Welbeck could pick up an injury pertaining to muscle strains. Even playing them too much too quickly increases the balance of probability in them picking up an impact injury.

Should Mertesacker, for instance, get injured, it will be hard to blame the medical staff. The reason for his injury will be down to him being physically and mentally strained, which goes back to the transfer market. However, Wenger still has control over the Cazorla, Alexis and Welbeck situation. He has players like Rosicky, Podolski and Campbell who can do a job for a few games. He needs to stop using the same group of players and trust other portions of his teams too.

On any manager's level, though, it's easy to understand the temptation to play Sanchez regularly. Even (or especially) when he makes an error in Arsenal proceedings, he hustles and harries to make amends.

After some steady pressure, Traore showed exactly why Wenger let him go when he foolishly felled Sanchez in the box. The Chilean's penalty was admittedly up to the standard of Traore's challenge. I don't know if he was overly confident or what, but he shanked that. Wenger hinted in the post-match presser that Cazorla was supposed to take the spot-kick. And while that speaks of Sanchez's selfishness, it also spoke of his determination.

At that point, I felt that we were going to give the game away. Never mind it was QPR and Harry Redknapp, Arsenal remain Arsenal. I couldn't trust this team to beat Arsenal Ladies anymore. It did seem for a while that things were starting to go haywire. Mertesacker was mispositioning himself into the final third. Around the 32nd minute Sanchez chose not to cross to Giroud, seemingly out of lack of concentration. Even a classy player like Rosicky was only starting to get into the game. A better team than QPR might have punished us.

Thankfully, we punished them for their lack of opportunism. Welbeck picked up the ball around the centre of the park and fed Santi on the edge of the box. Cazorla, with his back to goal, rolled in Gibbs, who crossed towards the far post. Armand Traore's positional sense was shot to pieces when he realized he left Sanchez in so much space I thought he was offside. Green didn't help by leaving his goal open either, and Sanchez took the gift with both hands. Or his head. You know what I mean.

Stephen Caulker almost negated the lead within a minute, but missed his header. No matter, as Arsenal took advantage of QPR's meh-ism and bossed the ball. Around half-time I remember possession stats reading 71% in Arsenal's favour. I always love that when we're winning.

Of course, all those feelings of "thank God we're finally getting it together" we're squished early into the second half when Giroud got himself needlessly sent off. And look, I know that I get some stick for being a Giroud supporter (people who support Giroud but not Arsene Wenger live in a lonely world, believe me!) and I'm not at all advocating his head-to-head stupidity. However, I really think had Onouha not done his bit of theatrics and instead rivaled with Giroud's head, the both of them would have been on yellows. It's happened a lot of times in the league where two players have had a coming together, gone on each other's faces but stayed on the field. Maybe it's just my opinion, but I feel that Onouha contributed decisively to Giroud's sending off as much as Olivier did.

Another point to consider - why wasn't Rio Ferdinand shown a second yellow when he physically manhandled Giroud? Needless to say it's another joke on the FA when they choose to ban him for three games for abusing an internet troller but won't lay a finger when he catches the back of someone's neck on the pitch. I know it's a bit off-topic, but something has to be done.

Leaving aside the mitigations of the situation, the red for Giroud was expected and once again invited a mentally frail Arsenal to make hot water of an easy task. Wenger went with a weird ten-men formation which had Welbeck on the left flank, Sanchez as striker, Rosicky as a right attacking midfielder, Cazorla in left central midfield and Flamini playing defensive midfield. Picture that in your mind if you can. Of course, employing such a "formation" left only Debuchy guarding the right side. Harry Redknapp tried to exploit that by taking off Traore for Hoilett.

It started to work, but not before Sanchez took the team on his stocky shoulders again. Picking the ball dead center, he went past two Rangers defenders before finding Rosicky in space. The Czech showed his rustiness with an uncertain strike, but a kind deflection and an even kinder goalkeeper helped the ball into the net. Regardless, you could see what that goal meant to him. He wasn't different class on the pitch, so to say, but he did make himself known when he was given the time. Hopefully (ha!) Wenger gives him an extended run.

QPR brought on Zamora for Jordan Mutch. It was supposed to seem that they had nothing to lose, but on the pitch it seemed like Arsenal were 2-0 down! What particularly struck me as baffling was when Mertesacker and Debuchy went ahead for a corner around the 76th minute. It's one thing to go 10 men down and leave only Debuchy to guard the right hand side, but it's very much another for even the Frenchman to abandon his much-needed post.

Of course the corner came to nothing and QPR broke. They waltzed forward into the final third - where Rosicky was playing left back - and Hoilett found himself with space on Arsenal's right side. A retreating Debuchy stuck out a nervous foot at Hoilett, he went to ground and the ref pointed to the spot. The decision was debatable, but was partly the consequence of our own actions. Leaving a 10 men side that exposed is criminal.

Charlie Austin converted the penalty and then it was back to the walls stuff for Arsenal. We aren't very good at it in all honesty, and legs were also starting to tire. Wenger made his first change at - I kid you not - 83 minutes when he took off Rosicky for Chambers and later Welbeck for Coquelin. If you don't count Bellerin as a first-team defender, we had all of our fit defenders on the pitch at that moment.

They had a late Zamora penalty shout, which I felt should have been given. Obviously I was chuffed that it wasn't, but it was just another example of how panicky we tend to get under pressure. It isn't a personal thing for Gibbs by any means - it happens to almost every Arsenal player during the crunch time. Last season we kept our heads very well, but we seem to have regressed massively on that front this time around. It's cost us a lot of points already, and almost did yesterday.

Arsene Wenger has his own opinion of why Kieran sort of lost it, saying:

"The last five minutes were a bit edgy because we conceded a late goal last week and you could feel that was a bit in our mind. But overall I think we were in control for big parts of the game and in the end we have shown resilience and fortunately got the three points."

I always love me some Boxing Day points, but today was another example of how at Arsenal mistakes aren't rectified and minds aren't set straight. Today we were bailed out by a quite remarkable Chilean and an unconvincing opposition, but West Ham tomorrow won't be as polite.

There's a reason why they are above us in the table. We have to start exhibiting some of those, too.

Extra reading | Arsenal 2-1 QPR : Rangers fail to take man advantage [Crazy About EPL]

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal: Getting difficult to rephrase the same old

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

Familiarity breeds contempt. It also breeds difficulty in blogging.

Let's be honest - much of what happened yesterday weren't anomalies. We knew that we are injury ravaged, yet we don't do the minimum rotation we can. I know it's an increasingly redundant debate and definitely not the father of the thought, but why isn't Lukas Podolski getting a game in? Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez have to be in crimson zones, forget red. Such overplaying and elementary errors seek to compound already complex injury situations.

Arsene was forced into playing half-fit Oxlade-Chamberlain in a relatively unknown position. On second thoughts, "forced" may not suffice appropriate terminology. It's more of driving into a ditch he can see. Mikel Arteta, on his last legs, isn't physically capable of holding it together on one of the most physical positions in the park. Aaron Ramsey played a pointless game against Galatasaray. Mesut Ozil played in every game since he returned from international break, and was instructed to complete 90 minutes against Chelsea despite picking up a serious knee injury. Jack Wilshere is the exception to this norm.

Laurent Koscielny was overplayed. So was Monreal. So are Chambers, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Flamini, the aforementioned Ox, Cazorla, and the front trio. The Theo Walcott and David Ospina situations weren't well-handled. And we wonder why Arsenal pick up injuries?

It's not sheer misfortune, it's appalling man management from the manager. And, for obvious reasons, it's costing us.

I wish I could use the "less said about the game the better" phrase and try to run away from getting into the excruciates, but I don't see the point in keeping this blog, then. Which is why, for the zillionth time, I will trudge on.

To an extent I rate Brendan Rodgers tactical nous (especially in the attacking sense), but to me, it seems like Wenger made him look good. His 3-4-3 was meant to pack the midfield, and clearly it worked. Arsenal couldn't play the way they wanted to, which stung confidence and momentum. What does Wenger do?

Rodgers played Sterling as a false nine striker, but later switched him to the left flank in an attempt to discomfort Chambers. Clearly it worked. On more than one occasion Arsenal were exposed on their right flank. What does Wenger do?

Okay, despite playing abjectly (to say the least), the team managed to take the lead through the only discernible attack I can remember. Okay, there are lack of options on the bench owing to the injury crisis. I still don't see how that justifies removing Giroud for Coquelin. We needed Olivier's hold-up play, set-piece defending and ability to keep ball. Chances were we'd be lumping a lot of balls clear which meant he could have harried those clearances and made a nuisance of himself. Instead, we put a tiring, wishy-washy Welbeck as striker.

I can begin to understand the logic of Coquelin coming on. I like him, unlike others who have formed opinions on him solely on Arsene Wenger's say-so. But by looking at this objectively, won't hooking Flamini (treading lightly on a yellow) or Oxlade-Chamberlain (half-fit, lest we forget) be a better call? Not for Wenger.

Despite Arsenal's phenomenal attempts to throw the game away, Liverpool go a step further. Fabio Borini came on for Kolo Toure and promptly got sent off. At this point, Liverpool were 10 men with no strikers and Sakho and a bandaged Skrtel manning their defence. How could Arsenal possibly screw this one over?

By giving Skrtel a free header, of course. Arsenal probably decided to keep all men in their box to add to the banter than to genuinely try to defend it.

And so ended another innovative Arsenal methodology of Arsenal-ing a game up. As I had said weeks before - Wenger disappointing fans has become routine. The only question is how he does it. Against Stoke it was a fluke-ish half-comeback, which fed hope to Arsenal fans and poisoned their souls. Against United it was dominance followed by sucker-punching. Swansea was just hopeless. Today was more of well we played turd but by some happy accident we're in the lead but it doesn't look like we can keep it at all and oh shit we just gave away a free header and what the fuck and why bother pretending to be pissed when honestly it was pretty much expected and deserved.

I could go on about the management, the injuries, the fourth agenda, the Wenger Out propaganda, the Joel Campbell situation, the transfer window, but instead, I'm just bringing this post to an abrupt end. Because, while I was writing this piece, I just realized that I've ran out of different ways of saying it.

Besides, Wenger will give me plenty of opportunities to look out for them.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Stoke 3-2 Arsenal: Not remotely unexpected, but not remotely disappointing either

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

The circumstances of the loss weren't foreseeable by any means, but if you told me we'd walk away from the Britannia pointless, I wouldn't have batted an eye. Synonymous to Manchester United, Stoke City have become a team we invariably fall prey to, regardless of the players they have. We're scared of the name.

What can you expect when you play a defence as (no other word for it) funny as ours? I've been long crying for Bellerin to start, but playing him at Stoke by force is no show of faith. It's a last resort and even he knows that. That, coupled with a horrific defensive show won't exactly do wonders for his morale.

We should be counting our lucky stars Gibbs didn't pick up a hammy or an impact injury. Needless to say, he wasn't at his best either. One could understand Bellerin's pangs to make adventurous forward forays because he's a kid, but legislating for Gibbs isn't an option anymore. With Bellerin high up the pitch, shouldn't Gibbs have the sense to be pragmatic and stand behind? He's experienced enough to realize that. He didn't, and all balance was ruptured. With only Mertesacker, Chambers and an experienced Flamini providing emergency cover, we looked a banterous back three. All of the goals we conceded came from our left channel.

Or perhaps it's not Kieran's fault. Maybe Arsene Wenger tells him to stay high up the pitch and press the ball. Flamini said something of the sort weeks ago. Maybe it's not the players at fault, but of the manager handing them the instructions panel. We kept it simple in the last three games, but reverted to gung-ho as soon as Crouch scored. As I said - back to basics is always a short-term Wenger solution. Admittedly though, even I didn't think it'd be this short-term.

Chambers and Mertesacker had mares. I don't entirely buy into the theory that Mertesacker's dip in form is 100% down to Laurent Koscielny's absence (even if it is, Wenger's at fault for overplaying him). I think Mertesacker is a fine defender who, despite his pace, was one of the world's best centre backs at one point. Back then, it didn't seem like he was reliant on other players to sort out the spoils. The fact that he's tanking may be down to issues pertaining to rocky defences, lopsided formations and confidence issues. Or maybe he's just past it and getting found out.

Chambers was at fault for the first goal, but let's give him a break. We forget that he's 19 and was bound to make costly errors. It's part of a defender's game. And yes, while I agree Calum needs to work on his tackling in general, none of his two yellows were remotely justiciable.

Which brings me to the referee. I thought (and let's face it, even a roadside vendor would concur) he was absolutely atrocious throughout. I don't think he's a biased referee, but he's certainly a bad one. He stopped play when Giroud was clean through. He disallowed a legitimate Bojan goal. He (and let's be honest here) gave us a soft penalty. He didn't award Welbeck plenty of deserved fouls in dangerous areas. And boy, that Charlie Adam fiasco. I remember tweeting along the lines of "Stoke and Taylor should be sent to a concentration camp" at that time.

As insane as the ref was, once again he's a handy distraction from the way we approached the game. Another referee would not have given Arsenal their penalty. Another referee would not have disallowed Bojan's goal, which - it's fair to say - would have meant 4-0 and confidence torn to ribbons. Agreed, a fair ref wouldn't have stopped play when Giroud was clean through in the first half, but based on the sitter the Frenchman missed earlier, would I have placed good money on him to score? Probably not.

Even if Giroud had nodded in that chance, it would have been papering-over-the-cracks and happy-accident stuff. We weren't nearly at the races. The Charlie Adam stranglehold on Alexis Sanchez was a neat symbolism of the game - an undoubtedly talented individual or team jostled away by a more physical and solid one. The only time we really looked convincing was  the last five minutes, which isn't a lot based on the total duration of the game. Personally, I didn't feel especially pissed off or have "oh-my-day-is-ruined" emotions. I was actually laughing like Walter White in Breaking Bad when I thought Bojan scored the fourth. Come to think of it, the last time I felt genuinely anguished after an Arsenal performance was Swansea away. Even losing to United didn't bring the levels of disappointments that I had planned to anticipate. It was more of tepid disapproval than raw, animalistic angst.

Perhaps it's because the failures have become too repetitive to give a toss about. Perhaps it's because the only unexpected variable is "how exactly will Arsenal disappoint me tonight", either through a freak own goal or a capitulation in the dying minutes. Finding genuine positives from a game has become a treasure hunt. We pounce on rare positives like Martinez or Chambers and understandably hype them, only to be brought down to harsh reality. Or maybe the reason Arsenal have become so ennui is because we know that rehashing the same old flaws will not change the way the manager and the board operates, not by one iota. Why would the club take our suggestions? Wenger doesn't give value to Paul Scholes' and Paul Merson's input - why would he care a jack's squat about ours?

The reason I stick it out and try to convince more and more of Wenger's incompetence is simple - loyalty. Supporting any other club for me, and for many more, is not an option. However, even though I cling on to Arsenal like a husband does to a dying wife (that's a terrible analogy), it won't dissuade me from the fact that being a Gooner is not fun right now. I went to see Mumbai City FC play Atletico de Kolkata in the stadium yesterday in a crunch Indian Super League encounter (which is why this blog post is late), and despite the team I support - Mumbai - being bottom of the table, I supported the shit out of them. Honestly though, if I ever get the opportunity to visit the Emirates as of this moment, I'm uncertain if I'll recreate the same passion.

The difference between the two teams is obvious - hope. With Mumbai, even if they're last in the league, at least there's some semblance of hope and possibility of unpredictability. At least I know that if things aren't going well, the club will do all they can to make things better and aim for the winner's spot eventually.

None at Arsenal, though. Being fiercely loyal to the red and white doesn't mean I'll ignore that the club are currently in limbo. That under Arsene Wenger, hoping for anything more than Champions League qualification and genuine competing for major honours is fanciful at the least. I can't ignore that until most of the fanbase realize Wenger was long past it, he and his repetitive errors will stay. All I can do is try to speed up that process by convincing more people, which is one of the prime reasons I started this blog in the first place. But since I don't think justice to the fallen legend is around the corner, all I can do is bide my time until it does come.

Till then, as Le Grove said, I'll sit back, buckle up and watch Wenger's illustrious reign fall apart, trying not to fall asleep on the way.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]