Wenger hails Arsenal's returning 'leader' Fábregas after Blackburn win

Theo Walcott's crisp finishing quite rightly dominated post-match discussions after Arsenal safely negotiated their trip to bandit country, or at least the part of the world where football sometimes resembles rugby, though Arsène Wenger seemed to attach greater significance to the contribution Cesc Fábregas made in his first start of the season.

The Arsenal captain looked slightly surprised to be withdrawn after 68 minutes, not long after helping to create his side's winning goal, but his manager is determined to get the best out of him over the course of a whole season. "He didn't know he would be coming off before the end, but that was his first appearance since the World Cup final," Wenger said.

"As long as we look after him I don't think there will be any problems in getting him back to the player he was before. I don't think he is the type to give anything less than his best, just because he didn't get a move. He may have wanted to join Barcelona but he loves Arsenal as well, and that's why he made his decision. I am happy because you always want to keep your best players and it was vital for us to keep Cesc. There is a trust and confidence on both sides. He has given enough to the club and the club has given a lot to him in return."

Wenger is well aware that Javier Mascherano has just ruthlessly engineered his own move to Barcelona by effectively refusing to continue playing for Liverpool, but he has no fears Fábregas would try to do the same. "I don't know everything about the Liverpool situation, maybe there was a financial problem, but I do know it is difficult to legislate once a player says he is unhappy at a club. But Cesc has not said that. He is still our leader and I am looking forward to having him back."

If Arsenal were not quite at their free-flowing best at Ewood, that was due in part to Blackburn's wholly legitimate tenacity. The home side rallied after Walcott's opening goal and managed to finish the first half on top, though Sam Allardyce was willing to concede that Arsenal were a superior side. "You know when you play them that you have to take your opportunities to get your nose in front," he said. "Because if you don't you only need switch off for a split second and they will punish you."

Blackburn did switch off momentarily in letting Bacary Sagna escape down the right to set up Arsenal's winner. Fábregas's shot came back off Walcott for Andrey Arshavin to beat Paul Robinson to the rebound, though not even Allardyce could bring himself to point the finger at his defence for the first goal. "I wouldn't necessarily want to blame my defenders because I'm not sure what they could have done to deal with such accurate first time passing," he said. "When you have that sort of quality it is very hard to stop."

Blackburn's only hope, once Robin van Persie's unimprovable pass had breached their defence and invited Walcott to cut in on goal from the right, was that the England forward would pass up the chance or give another example of his allegedly poor decision-making. Some chance. Walcott had picked out Robinson's bottom corner before the goalkeeper had fully assessed the danger, shooting early and so sweetly the ball actually broke a few strands of the side-netting.

The only downside for Arsenal was that Van Persie lasted only 15 minutes longer before twisting an ankle that will keep him out for a couple of weeks.

The home side hauled their way back into the game in a most impressive manner, with El Hadji Diouf going round a suddenly ponderous Laurent Koscielny on the outside to leave Mame Biram Diouf the easiest of tap-ins with a ball cut back from the byline. Two Dioufs (the scorer is on a season-long loan from Manchester United) are not all Blackburn have to offer up front this season. Just before the Arsenal game they signed Benjani Mwaruwari from Manchester City on a one year contract. Rovers may continue to struggle against the very top teams, but life will not be dull with those three up front.

United's Diouf in particular looks as if he will be a handful for most defences on his own. As Allardyce said, his goal may have been a tap-in but he knew how to time his run and where to position himself after crossing from the opposite wing. Big and muscular, he put over a few useful crosses as well as meeting one or two, and when fully match-fit he should be a more than useful acquisition. Blackburn have finished outside the top 10 on only three occasions in their present 10-year Premier League sequence, and appear to have enough firepower to make the top half once again.

Source: Paul Wilson, The Guardian on 30 Aug 10

Gritty win at Ewood should not mask Arsenal need

The visit to Blackburn was always going to be a benchmark for what kind of autumn Arsenal were going to enjoy. After some disappointing displays towards the back end of last season, one of them at Ewood Park, there was a fear that, at least in terms of the team’s ability to cope with the potential banana skins of visits to more committed sides, we were witnessing a slow and continual decline in the spirit of the players. They didn’t care and weren’t always prepared to put in a shift and earn the right to play. Certainly, something went very wrong away from home in the concluding part of last season, a huge contrast to the opening away performances at Everton and Celtic.

However, a new season has begun. Possibly, with the exit of the moody William Gallas, there is a little more harmony in the dressing room. I won’t overplay this, as when things are going well, team spirit comes easy. However, Arsenal went to Blackburn and coped admirably with the physical onslaught of long balls into the area. Manuel Almunia was well protected by his defenders and when called upon did not shirk. Fair play to him for that, although one performance of this ilk should not change the fact that Wenger will never win a league title with Almunia in goal. He is not going to turn into a title-winning stopper at his age. So it is still imperative that a new keeper – presumably Schwarzer – arrives before August turns to September.

It must be hard work supporting a Sam Allardyce managed side. The joys, I suppose, are the winning of tackles and the thrill of danger when the ball is lumped into the opposition area. However, it’s interesting to note that the Rory Delap technique of using a towel as a prelude to a long throw-in has been adopted by Allardyce to create extra set pieces. But ultimately, it’s a bit like watching a battle, the Premier League season a war. It’s about territory, getting the ball in the danger area. There are times when there is a place in the game for some of what Blackburn do. They don’t take chances with the ball in defence. How Arsenal fans would love the full backs to play the ball down the line rather than square into the danger area in front of their own box. If Blackburn’s safety first tactics had been used in the dying embers of the game at St Andrews in late February 2008, the season might have had a different outcome. There is a time and a place for everything. Still, 90 minutes of Allardyce football at Ewood Park 19 times a season will keep Rovers in the top flight, which ultimately, I suspect, is the club’s priority.

Ironically, Rovers’ goal came from an on the floor attacking move which saw Koscielny caught out by El Hadj-Diouf. It wasn’t great defending, but for most of the afternoon, the team performed creditably in that department. Blackburn’s tactics were always going to create danger, but the visitors were solid and coped admirably with the onslaught. Predictably, Arsenal dominated possession and crafted enough openings to gain the points. It is difficult to single out any player as most did play very well. Fabregas was a little off his game at times, but rather than question his attitude, at this stage of the season, you have to put that down to his fitness. There is no conclusive news on Van Persie’s injury, but if he doesn’t play international football in the next fortnight you can see an upside.

Theo Walcott built on his display against Blackpool to make an excellent contribution. There are signs that he may be maturing in the way his believers always had faith he would. Long may it continue. To be fair to the player, a lot of hoo hah is being made about the talents of Manchester United’s new Mexican youngster Javier Hernández, and yet he is a year older than Theo. Over the seasons, his passing has been nowhere near as accurate at that of Cesc Fabregas, who developed in the spotlight from a similar age as Walcott. He has undoubtedly suffered by comparison. It seems to me the player might have bulked up a little recently. Strength added to speed undoubtedly caused problems for Blackburn, and now what Theo has to add to his game is consistency. He’s had two cracking matches and we can only hope for more. Even his doubters want him to make it, even if his development has, at times, proved very frustrating to witness.

The other goalscorer, Arshavin, made more of a contribution in this game. The first goal was a result of slick passing from the number 23 to Van Persie and then on to Theo. It was a lightning move – not ponderous at all. Passed into the goal, yes, but without unnecessary keep-ball in the build up. Very direct and too fast to counter. More of this please. The winning goal was equally delightful, using width to get the opposition defence on the back foot. With the amount of pace Arsenal possess, there should be more attempts to get the ball to the bi-line in this fashion. It’s how Blackburn scored too.

So, an encouraging start to the season. Arsenal will need to be as solid and impressive as this on a good number of other occasions if they are to succeed, but at this stage, all you can ask for is a statement of intent. Overcoming a Sam Allardyce managed side away was just that. Now for the team to deliver consistently, especially in the games against their main rivals, occasions where they invariably fell short last season.

However, there should be no illusion about the goalkeeping position. Ideally, both a keeper and a physical central midfielder will arrive before midnight on Tuesday. At this stage, the signs are that a keeper is all we can hope for. However, a failure to strengthen in the one position the squad is patently short in would be an abdication of duty, a surrender of Arsenal’s title chances. Over to you and that bulging bank balance Monsieur Wenger.

Source: Kevin Whitcher, The Online Gooner at 29 Aug 10

Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Arsenal: Arsenal’s passing game prevails

Arsenal emerge with the points after a professional display in a decent match.

Sam Allardyce chose to use the two Dioufs either side of Nikola Kalinic upfront, and continued to use Phil Jones ahead of the back four, in a very defensive midfield role. Vince Grella also came into midfield – Allardyce seems to see him as a ‘big game player’, since his three starts in 2010 have come against Arsenal (twice) and Manchester United, and the two before that were against Tottenham and Liverpool.

Arsene Wenger selected Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie for the first time this season. Laurent Koscielny returned to the side after suspension, so Alex Song moved back into his preferred deep midfield role.

The game started – and panned out – largely as expected. Arsenal tried to keep possession in midfield, whilst Blackburn pumped long balls into the box from every angle. Morten Gamst Pedersen’s throw-ins were dealt with reasonably well, but Arsenal’s backline had slightly more trouble with Paul Robinson’s huge punts into the area from his own half, and were guilty of both dropping too deep, and letting the ball bounce in the area.

Arsenal were fluid in midfield – it was surprising how often Fabregas dropped deep to link play, and it was also interesting how frequently Alex Song found himself in advance of Abou Diaby. The shape was rather more 4-2-1-3 than it was 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 – Theo Walcott and Andrei Arshavin played high up the pitch and looked to press the full-backs rather than forming two banks of four, whilst Fabregas acted as the link player.

The second point of interest about Arsenal’s shape was van Persie’s inclination to come short to meet the ball, playing the false nine role he perfected at the start of last season, before his injury when on international duty. Blackburn were reasonably well set-up to deal with this, with Jones ahead of the back four, but van Persie still found space to operate in, and his excellent ball in behind the full-back for Walcott’s finish (a classic Walcott goal) demonstrated the value of a striker dropping deep, and two wingers looking to make out-to-in runs.

Blackburn’s goal may have been atypical of their approach play, since it involved the ball being passed along the ground, but it still fitted with their general gameplan of playing direct football. Christopher Samba moved out of defence and hit a good ball to El-Hadji Diouf, who beat Koscielny before squaring for Mame Biram Diouf to tap into an empty net. Arsenal had been slightly caught out by quick balls into wide areas throughout the game, and Allardyce’s use of two quick, direct wide players worked well here.

After half-time the game continued its general pattern, though van Persie had been forced to leave the pitch through injury, Marouane Chamakh his replacement – the Moroccan offered a slightly more direct option, but Arsenal didn’t change their approach. With Fabregas not quite up to speed, the main threat was from the wide players, and in particular from Walcott. Gael Givet had problems with the Arsenal winger all day, frequently getting too tight to his man, which meant Walcott could use his pace to get in behind the defence, rather than having to beat Givet with a trick on the ball.

It was Walcott that created Arsenal’s second – not by his involvement in the deflection that found its way to Arshavin for the finish – but by his intelligent off-the-ball run into the centre of the pitch, to bring Givet inside and open up space for Bacary Sagna, who delivered the ball into the box. Walcott’s “footballing intelligence” has been criticized recently, based on the fact his final ball isn’t always good enough.

But this overlooks what Walcott does off the ball – he frequently makes very clever runs to draw defenders out of position, and Arsenal’s second was a good example of a goal stemming from that. This is an area where his lightning pace is vital but is not always appreciated – take his sideways run to take Nemanja Vidic away from the centre of the pitch for Samir Nasri’s goal against Manchester United – the idea of the run is the key factor, but Walcott’s pace is also key – had he not been so quick, Vidic wouldn’t have been so out of position, and may have got a block on the shot.

Blackburn were surprisingly subdued at 1-2 down, and Arsenal controlled the game well by keeping possession of the ball. Allardyce tried to introduce some guile in midfield by bringing on David Dunn, but he probably would have been better simply sticking to the long ball route, as the game completely passed Dunn by. Allardyce’s decision to remove Kalinic also seemed strange considering he eventually resorted to his classic Plan B of shoving Samba into a striking role.

Nevertheless, Arsenal clung on well, with Manuel Almunia commanding his box more effectively than some may have expected. Koscielny was guilty of making a mistake in the lead up to Blackburn’s equaliser in the first half, but was excellent in the second, and his overall tackling/aerial battle success rate was exactly what Arsenal needed in a fixture like this:

With two such differing styles, this game was about how effectively each could deal with the other’s gameplan. All too often Arsenal have struggled away against Sam Allardyce’s sides, but today they were much more assured defensively, and the win will be a good confidence boost for similar trips to sides which offer a more ‘physical’ approach than Arsenal would like.

Blackburn, however, struggled to deal with Arsenal’s movement off-the-ball – van Persie and Walcott’s runs into unusual zones caused problems for both the goals, although the second was rather fortunate. Blackburn have seemed too one-dimensional in their opening three games, and their goal showed that a similarly direct – but more sophisticated – approach might help them score more goals.

Source: Zonal Marking on 28 Aug 10

Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Arsenal: Gunners battle for win

Theo Walcott and Andrei Arshavin were on target as Arsenal battled to a 2-1 win over Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Walcott fired a stunning 19th minute opener as the Gunners worked hard for the points. He was sent scampering clear down the right flank by a fine ball from Robin van Persie before cutting inside and ramming a low shot past Paul Robinson.

Rovers made life hard for Arsene Wenger's men and Mame Diouf's 26th-minute equaliser was the least they deserved before Arshavin won it for the visitors in the 51st minute.

Wenger never relishes his trips to Ewood Park and the driving east Lancashire rain approaching kick-off time threatened to make his latest return an unwelcome one.

Rovers started positively, with Morten Gamst Pedersen's long throw causing Manuel Almunia to enter the action early to pluck the ball off the head of Christopher Samba.

The Gunners came close to an opener in the third minute when Abou Diaby's shot in a crowded box took a heavy deflection off Vince Grella and rather fortuitously struck goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

But Rovers set about peppering the Arsenal box with high balls and their tactic nearly paid off in the ninth minute when Ryan Nelsen's header was headed off the line by Cesc Fabregas.

In a promising opening spell Fabregas then split the Rovers defence with a through-ball towards Walcott, only for Samba to get in with a superb saving challenge.

El-Hadji Diouf failed to pick out namesake Mame in acres of space in a Rovers counter-attack then in the 15th minute Samba headed just over from another Pedersen corner.

Walcott's 19th minute strike was so powerful it required lengthy half-time repairs to the net - but when Arsenal threatened to go on and win at a canter it was the home side who struck back.

Samba set off a swift counter-attack which sent El-Hadji Diouf tearing down the left where he cut inside the hapless Laurent Koscielny and squared for Mame Diouf to sweep home.

Wenger was forced to make his first change in the 34th minute when Van Persie hobbled off with an apparent knee injury and was replaced by Marouane Chamakh.

Confidence continued to bleed back into Blackburn after the break and Pedersen was not too far away with an audacious long-range effort in the 50th minute.

But the Gunners went back ahead one minute later when a Fabregas effort in the box was blocked only to squirt clear to Arshavin, who poked past the advancing Robinson.

Nikola Kalinic blazed a left-foot shot over the bar before Allardyce made his first change introducing Dunn in a bid to add some creativity to his midfield.

However, as the game wore on, Wenger's men looked increasingly to be finding their rhythm and Nelsen and Samba were working overtime to repel Arshavin and Chamakh.

But it was Walcott who always looked the biggest threat and the young striker came close to a second on 75 minutes when he lofted a long-range effort inches over the bar.

Walcott thought he had knocked home the Gunners' third at the other end only to be deemed inches offside, then substitute Jack Wilshere missed a sitter in injury time.

Arsene Wenger said his side had to shrug off an attack of nerves to win the match.

Wenger's dislike of the home side's qualities are well known and he insisted his side had approached the game with concerns after a bruising battle in the equivalent fixture last season.

Wenger said: "We had a good start but in my opinion we were too nervous dealing with the game of Blackburn. Who would not be unsettled by the kind of game Blackburn gave us today? Last year we had bad memories here and because we knew they would play the kind of game we don't like we had not enough confidence to deal with that.

"In the second half I felt we were calmer. We put the ball well on the ground and controlled it better and it was just a question of time. We had the right resilience and commitment."

And Wenger is adamant the way his side shrugged off those nerves to take the points sent a strong signal that they will not be found wanting in the title chase this season.

"If you have ambition in this league you have got to win at Blackburn," Wenger added. "If you fail to win at Blackburn - if you go to clubs like that and you don't win - your ambition will not be respected by the other teams so it was an important test for us. The players are committed and we had that little bit more experience today, even if on just one or two occasions we were a bit lucky."

Theo Walcott admitted he is benefiting from a relaxing summer after continuing his recent good form against Blackburn. The England hopeful was disappointed to miss the World Cup, but he impressed in front of Fabio Capello at Ewood Park.

"I've had a good think in the summer - I didn't blame anyone else for not being at the World Cup but didn't read too much into it because I had a nice break, I've not had one for a long time," he said after the game.

"Now I just want to get playing and show people what I can do. It's for me to push on and get on the goal sheet a bit more often.''

One negative aspect of the afternoon for Arsenal was the late ankle injury suffered by Robin van Persie, which Wenger believes will keep the Dutchman out for at least ten days.

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce bemoaned his side's failure to make the most of their chances which cost them after Mame Diouf's goal had brought them back into the match.

"I'm disappointed we didn't get something out of the game and from my point of view the first half was our opportunity to get our noses in front," Allardyce said. "Because we didn't take those opportunities we paid the price for that. At some stage Arsenal were going to take control of the game. You switch off for a split second and they are very, very good at punishing you.

"The pass and Walcott's finish were top quality and while we might try and criticise our defenders it's very difficult to stop that sort of quality of football."

But Allardyce is the first to admit his side need to turn performances into points after two successive league defeats to follow the opening-day win over Everton.

Allardyce added: "We played to our maximum as a team, which you've got to be reasonably satisfied with, but the game is about results and we've lost two games on the trot.

"It's put us in a difficult position in terms of points on the board. While our performances over the three games have been very good, we've only got three points and that's the danger."

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 28 Aug 10

Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Arsenal

Andrey Arshavin grabbed the winner for Arsenal as they showed the steel needed to overcome a committed Blackburn.

Theo Walcott gave the Gunners the lead at Ewood Park, powering an angled shot past Paul Robinson after a slick move.

But Mame Biram Diouf tapped in from an El-Hadji Diouf pass as Rovers impressively equalised.

Arshavin threaded in the winner after a Cesc Fabregas effort was deflected into his path and the north Londoners held on to complete a hard-fought win.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger had wanted his side to send out a message that they were capable of dealing with the type of physical approach Blackburn would adopt.

And, after weathering the Rovers onslaught and earning the right to play, Wenger will be encouraged by the character his team showed to come out on top and enhance their title credentials.

Blackburn did not take long to test Arsenal's resolve, with the visitors nervously clearing when goalkeeper Robinson launched a free-kick into their box, before his Gunners counterpart Manuel Almunia caught a long throw hurled into his six yard box.

It set the tone for an aerial bombardment on the Arsenal goal although, in the opening skirmishes, the visitors almost dealt Blackburn a blow when an Abou Diaby shot pin-balled off an unwitting Vince Grella and Robinson to safety.

But Blackburn were in forceful mood and defender Ryan Nelsen had a header cleared off the Arsenal line by Fabregas, while Almunia had to palm away from under his crossbar after Christopher Samba headed on another long throw.

The clash of styles made for a fast and furious game with some unrelenting action as both teams strived to wrest the upper hand.

Samba headed just over from a near post corner before the visitors matched the substance they were showing with the type of play that makes them so pleasing on the eye.

Almunia played the ball out and, six passes later, Walcott ran on to Van Persie's measured ball and took a touch before sending in a shot at the far post.

However, while Wenger might have been fearing the type of 'rugby' tactics he talked about ahead of the game, Rovers produced the type of penetrating move of which the Gunners would have been proud.

Samba showed some nifty footwork belying his 6ft 4in stature before releasing El-Hadji Diouf, who surged past Laurent Koscielny on the left and passed for Mame Biram Diouf to tap in.

Robin van Persie became Arsenal's first casualty as he was forced off with an ankle injury but the visitors' passing game was slowly coming to the fore against the more direct manner of Rovers.

The Gunners restored their lead when Fabregas had an effort blocked from Bacary Sagna's cross before Arshavin pounced to drive in the crucial goal.

Arsenal had a degree of control as they dominated possession and, although Blackburn were struggling to impose themselves, they still carried a threat.

Nikola Kalininc blazed high after a mistake by Thomas Vermaelen but the home side's attacks had become few and far between.

Jack Wilshere missed a great chance late on, although it would only have put the gloss on Arsenal's first away win since March.

Source: Mandeep Sanghera, BBC Sport on 28 Aug 10

Wenger's reaction to the Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Arsenal match

On the 2-1 victory...
"It is always difficult to win here [at Ewood Park] but I felt that we had a good start, scored a great goal and after that, in my opinion, were a bit too nervous dealing with Blackburn's game. In the second half I felt we were calmer, put the ball on the ground well and controlled the game much better and it was just a question of time. Of course, in the last 15 or 20 minutes you can always be tested and need a bit of luck but we had the right resilience and commitment and as long as you cannot score the third goal you are always under threat with a team like Blackburn."

On why he thinks his side looked nervous in the first half...
"Because we had last year [a 2-1 defeat at Ewood Park] and bad memories here and because we know they play the kind of game that we will not like, so we didn't have enough confidence to deal with that. In the second half we were much better."

On Walcott's performance against Blackburn compared to his performance against Blackpool last week...
"Well last week he was on the ball much more and, of course, much more dominant today. But what you want from a striker is that sometimes you have games where you have less opportunities but you are still dangerous, you are still sharp and [against Blackburn, Walcott] had a clinical finish. You judge a player by the numbers; the goals he scores, the assists when he is a striker and his numbers are already very, very good. It looks like he is more confident and has moved forward."

On Arsenal's first win away to a side managed by Sam Allardyce since 2002...
"For me it is important, more than to beat Sam Allardyce, to beat Blackburn in a difficult away game. I do not make a personal battle of the game. I feel it is important, as I said before the game, that if you have ambition in this league, you have to win at Blackburn. If you fail to win at Blackburn and go to clubs like that and don't win, your ambition will not be respected by the other teams. So it was an important test for us."

On if he stressed to his side the importance of commitment in these games...
"Of course. The players are committed. I believe experience brings you calm in the box, defensively and offensively and that is where we have a little bit more experience, even if on one or two occasions today we were a lit lucky. But who would not be unsettled by the kind of game Blackburn gave us today?"

On if the referee protected the defenders well enough...
"Yes, that is what we demanded. We had one yellow card today, when Givet stopped Walcott on the flank."

On Cesc Fabregas...
"It was his first start. He has shown that he has class but of course he is not completely there yet. I planned to play him for an hour and I left him on for longer. In two weeks he should be ready to play."

On Robin van Persie's injury...
"He twisted his ankle and the first news is 10 days. If there is no bad news tomorrow it should be two weeks maybe."

Source: Arsenal.com on 28 Aug 10

28 August 2010: Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Arsenal, Ewood Park

Arsenal withstood a Blackburn battering to pull off a welcome 2-1 win at Ewood Park on Saturday.

The visitors took the lead midway through the first half when Robin van Persie's pass allowed Theo Walcott to drill home a cross-shot. It was the England winger's fourth goal in two games.

Blackburn replied almost immediately. El-Hadji Diouf muscled past Laurent Koscielny on the left and Mame Biram Diouf tapped home from close range.

Before and after the goals, Blackburn put Arsenal under expected pressure from corners and throw-ins. This time the visitors stayed strong.

They grabbed the winner six minutes after the restart when Andrey Arshavin fired home through a forest of legs.

The home side tried to bulldozer an equaliser in the final stages but, once again, the visitors were galvanised with Manuel Almunia excellent in goal.

The only blight on the day was an injury to Van Persie. Apart from that, this was Arsenal's afternoon. The three points were valuable of course but the confidence instilled from this type victory may be much more important.

Arsenal are looking like title contenders this season.

A wet Ewood Park was a world away from the World Cup Final in a sweltering Johannesburg on July 11. But Wenger chose this afternoon to start Cesc Fabregas and Van Persie for the first time since then.

The Spaniard replaced Jack Wilshere, the Dutchman's inclusion pushed Marouane Chamakh down to the bench.

Centre back Laurent Koscielny returned after suspension so Alex Song moved into his more familiar role in central midfield. Tomas Rosicky made way.

Wenger had been quietly content with his side's draw at Liverpool and 6-0 win at Blackpool so far this season. But this would offer a different measuring stick. Arsenal had led here last May only to concede to a couple of scrappy goals from corners.

The squad had changed little since then but had the lessons been learnt?

Overall, the first half suggested they had.

In the opening minutes, Van Persie took a corner from the right-hand side. Walcott's shot was blocked and the ball then ping-ponged to Diaby 25 yards out. His shot seemed goal-bound before hitting defender Vince Grella.

After that, as the rain took over, so did Blackburn. They forced a succession of corners and Stoke-style throw-ins.

Via the former method, Ryan Nelsen nodded powerfully towards the top corner only for Fabregas to head the ball off the line.

Via the latter method, Samba's back header was pawed away by the stretching Almunia.

Then, in the 14th minute, the centre back rose above the Arsenal defence to steer a powerful header six inches over the bar.

The visitors were mounting a reasonable rear-guard action but that is never going to be their forte.

As soon as they got the ball down and started playing, they took the lead.

In the 20th minute, Van Persie stuck out a telescopic leg in midfield to control Arshavin's pass and released the galloping Walcott on the right-hand side. He took a touch and buried his low shot just inside the far post. It was a classy finish following his hat-trick last Saturday.

Suddenly Arsenal looked a team transformed. Now the visitors were using their strengths to pressure their opponents.

Blackburn were on the back-foot. But not for long.

El-Hadji Diouf collected the ball on the left with Koscielny in close attendance. It was a one-on-one and the Senegalese international won it. Koscielny was shouldered off the ball and Diouf reached the byline. The Blackburn winger had time and space for his namesake to pull away from Gael Clichy and stab home into the empty net.

It was a body blow to Arsenal, who had weathered the early storm so well. They struggled to respond in the 15 minutes that followed. Their cause was not helped by the loss of Van Persie.

The Dutchman had received treatment just after he had set up the goal. After a second seeing-to from the physio, he gingerly walked off. Chamakh came on.

Both managers would have buoyed enough to give positive team-talks at the break. However it was Arsenal would came out with more positivity.

Six minutes in, Sagna thundered down the right and crossed into the area. Fabregas found the ball at his feet but his goal-bound drive hit Walcott six yards out. The ball fell kindly to Arshavin who fired his shot through a crowded area and into the far corner of the net.

A couple of minutes later, Nikola Kalanic profited from Vermaelen's mistake and fired fiercely over the bar.

But Arsenal were now in the ascendency. Walcott and Arshavin had shots blocked as the visitors tried to put the game to bed.

However Blackburn would not be buried. Fifteen minutes from time, El Hadji Diouf angled a ball towards Mame Diram Doiuf on the penalty spot but Sagna raced in to thieve the ball.

After Walcott had whisked a shot just over the bar, Koscielny slipped and substitute David Dunn stole in. However his shot was straight at Almunia. A couple of minutes later, Michel Salgado fired over from close range.

The home side were cranking up into a crescendo. It was The Alamo for the Arsenal again.

Five minutes from time, Samba knocked the ball down for Gael Givet to fire in a low shot that Sagna blocked before Almunia could intervene.

Blackburn had a couple of claims for a penalty rightly denied in the final seconds and, after one, Arsenal broke quickly but substitute Jack Wilshere was denied at the far post by Robinson.

The whistle blew shortly afterwards and the celebrations from supporters and players seemed a little more joyous than usual.

Both knew that a significant hurdle had been leapt this afternoon.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 28 Aug 10

Theo Walcott scores a netbuster as Arsenal overcome dogged Blackburn

Fabio Capello was at Ewood Park to watch Theo Walcott – he could hardly have been interested in anyone else in the starting line-ups – and he will have been pleased by what he saw.

Walcott scored an excellent goal in the first half and was unlucky not to add a second near the end with a confident drive from outside the area that only just cleared Paul Robinson's bar. The England manager will not be concerned at whether Walcott has a football brain or not, to quote the debate started by Chris Waddle last season, he will just have noted that he is running, shooting and finishing with poise and confidence.

Both sides could have scored in a frantic opening to an open game. Arsenal were unlucky not to go in front in the third minute when Abou Diaby's shot through a crowded penalty area was stopped on the line by Vince Grella, who was relieved to see the rebound cannon from his shin on to Robinson's shin then out to safety rather than off the goalkeeper and into the back of the net. Then, after Blackburn Rovers applied some pressure and won a couple of corners, Ryan Nelsen's goalbound header was headed off the line by Cesc Fábregas.

It took a good interception by Chris Samba to prevent Fábregas sending Walcott clear a couple of minutes later, although Blackburn's respite was brief. Robin van Persie took a pass from Andrey Arshavin and found Walcott quite brilliantly with a diagonal ball behind Gaël Givet, and the finishing prowess evident last week against Blackpool was displayed again as the winger strode on to the ball and clipped a low, early shot past Robinson's dive. Walcott found Robinson's bottom-right corner so perfectly, in fact, that the side-netting needed a minor repair at half-time. He had gone for placement rather than power yet still managed to split the net.

Unlike a few of their north-west neighbours, Blackburn are not the sort of side to lie down and take a hammering, however, and although Arsenal briefly threatened to run riot they found themselves defending for most of the rest of the half following a smartly taken equaliser. Rovers now boast two Dioufs in their ranks, Manchester United's Mame Biram having arrived on a season's loan to join the already established El Hadji, and Laurent Koscielny in particular will not forget the way they combined in the 26th minute.

Seizing on to Samba's clearance El Hadji took on the French defender on the outside and won hands down, staying on his feet in spite of a heavy challenge and supplying a cut-back from the byline that Mame Biram needed only to tap into the net. Big, strong and mobile with an ability to deliver a good cross as well as get on the end of one, the new Diouf looks exactly Sam Allardyce's sort of player, and when Benjani joins the attack – he has signed for a year after his contract expired at Manchester City – Blackburn should be able to bother quite a few defences.

Arsenal's attack lost some of its sharpness when Van Persie went off with a leg injury just past half an hour after a firm but fair tackle by Phil Jones, although the visitors were still potent enough to take the lead again early in the second half. Bacary Sagna got away down the right to set up Fábregas for a shot that was blocked, and as Robinson left his line to claim the rebound he was beaten to the ball by a determined Arshavin. Blackburn could not manage a second equaliser.

The substitute David Dunn had the best opportunity 10 minutes from time but having made space for a shot he directed it straight at Manuel Almunia. When Arsenal had a chance to make it three right at the end with Walcott unselfishly setting up Jack Wilshere, Robinson denied the young England hopeful. Capello was probably on his way to Blackpool by then.

Source: Paul Wilson, The Guardian on 28 Aug 10

Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs Arsenal

Arsène Wenger intends to send out a team of ‘imposers' at Blackburn on Saturday.

When these teams met at Ewood Park last May, the home side trailed early on but then enforced their physical game and won with a couple of scrappy, scratchy goals.

It perpetuated the argument that Arsenal were too young, too weak and too vulnerable when they faced the brute force of the Premier League.

Less than 300 minutes of game-time has past since that fixture but Wenger believes his side have steeled in that period.

In the past the Arsenal manager has been accused of camouflaging the deficiencies in his team by branding them as ‘young'. But these days, Wenger reserves that label merely for his Carling Cup crèche. He is well aware that the likes of Gael Clichy, Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Alex Song, Abou Diaby, Denilson and Bacary Sagna are getting on. Only the Dutchman can be classed as ‘in his prime' but all have at least 100 starts on their Arsenal CV after three seasons at the Club.

That is why the manager believes his side are equipped to chisel a win out of the granite at Ewood Park.

But, in order to achieve that, Saturday must be about what they do. Not what is done to them.

"It is always important that you're strong away from home," said Wenger at his pre-match press conference.

"We had a difficult first game at Liverpool and now we have this second away game at Blackburn.

"In this one it is vital we deal with their strengths - good commitment, an efficient game - but we must not forget to play our game too. It will be a little bit a confrontation of two styles so it's important that we dictate our style.

"We have more [steel] than a few years ago when I felt we were a bit too immature with this kind of game. But I don't feel that anymore. I'll tell my players to be committed and that means dealing with every single challenge.

"For us it will be important that we are strong in the air because they favour that style. They have [keeper] Paul Robinson who kicks the ball very long and they have long throws too. It's important in England if you want to win the title that you deal with all this.

"I feel we have a good opportunity to send a strong message on Saturday."

Much was made of Wenger's pre-match comments about Stoke's tough tactics against Tottenham last Saturday. The Arsenal manager suggested that referees had to be strong so that association football did not morph into rugby football.

"I'm not really concerned about [what happened in that game]," said the manager. "What I mean is that, even though you have to deal with the tactics you face, you still want your goalkeepers to get the right protection.

"The rules are the same for everybody and every manager is free to play the style he wants. I don't have a problem with that, it's just the rules have to be respected."

Given strength is the watchword on Saturday, you can see Laurent Koscielny coming straight into the side after suspension and Alex Song returning to his more usual position at centre back. Denilson is fit after an abdominal problem but Johan Djourou is still likely to be bench-bound as he works his way back from a hamstring injury. Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie have had another week of training since the 6-0 win over Blackpool but, on Thursday,

Wenger was still non-committal over their involvement from the start.

It was interesting to note that, when Van Persie came on last Saturday, it was Marouane Chamakh who moved position. The Dutchman has more of a history on the flank but the Moroccan actually went to the wing.

Saturday is perhaps the first time when Wenger will have a real choice over his spearhead striker. When pressed on the matter, he hedged his bets.

"I don't know what I will do yet," he said. "But one thing is for sure. You cannot play 4-4-2 with Arshavin, Walcott, Van Persie, Fabregas and Chamakh. That is not a system, that is suicide.

"But we have a number of games in front of us and a number of international games too. That is why I feel having two strikers of that calibre - plus Bendtner coming back and Vela who can play right or left - is not a luxury. You have to rotate."

Goals have been a burning Premier League all issue week. Three 6-0 wins, including one from Wenger's side, made headlines at the weekend and leaders Chelsea have rattled up a goal difference of +12 after two games. However the Frenchman predicted it won't last.

"It is down to good attacking but some other things as well," he said. "There are new defences that are not completely coordinated in the way they play. I have seen some goals where you have three players on one line and one guy who plays five yards behind. I don't think that will happen in October. That happens in the first two games.

"I watched the Villa game and if you had told me after Carew took the penalty that that would finish 6-0 to Newcastle I would not have believed you. There are some strange games at the moment but overall that will calm down, and for Chelsea too."

Saturday is more than a marker for Arsenal. It will make an early-season statement on the team. Defeat leaves them wide open to well-worn clichés of weakness, victory will help manifest physical strength into mental steel.

Blackburn will offer no surprises and no apology. They don't need to.

It is simply up to Arsenal to show they can cope this time around.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 28 Aug 10

A Clash of Cultures at Ewood Park

Blackburn midfielder David Dunn could return to the side for the Barclays Premier League match against Arsenal at Ewood Park.

Dunn returned to training this week after suffering a groin injury during the opening day victory over Everton.

Gael Givet is expected to play after losing a tooth in the Carling Cup win over Norwich which left him in in some discomfort but Keith Andrews is absent with a groin problem.

Boss Sam Allardyce takes extra confidence going into the match from his side's good form at Ewood Park.

They beat Everton on the opening day and lost only three times in the league last season in front of their own supporters.

He said: "Psychologically we feel very good when we play at home. The players come in and feel very buoyant and I need to keep that feeling going as long as possible.

"It has been going for the best part of two years now. Ever since I came here, even though we were in the doldrums and in the bottom three, we were always very competitive and capable of picking up points at home.

"Overall I've lost about five home games during my time at Ewood Park and that is a record we want to keep and we want to improve on.

"You can't ever give up on telling your players how to do the right things in the right areas.

"You must constantly get onto them about continuing to do those things no matter who you are playing. If you do that then you get the results. If you don't you can end up slipping up.''

Arsenal will have midfielder Denilson back in the squad after an abdominal injury.

Centre-half Laurent Koscielny is available again following a one-match ban, but new signing Sebastien Squillaci is not expected to be involved at Ewood Park.

Samir Nasri (knee), Nicklas Bendtner (groin) and Aaron Ramsey (broken leg) remain sidelined.

Arsenal head to Ewood Park on the back of a 6-0 thrashing of newboys Blackpool.

England forward Theo Walcott grabbed a hat-trick against the Tangerines, but still drew criticism from BBC pundit Alan Hansen.

Wenger, though, feels the 21-year-old - now very much back in the England fold after being left out of the World Cup squad - will take it all in his stride.

"I believe you can always win every battle - just show up with a good performance,'' the Arsenal manager said.

"It was a one-day performance, but I believe personally that Theo has the quality to repeat those kind of performances and that is what he has to show on the football pitch.

"I have seen so many great players in my life. They have all been questioned - Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney has been questioned at 20, Zidane had been questioned at 20, but that is down to the players to answer on the pitch with their performance.''

Wenger added: "Theo has a quality, apart from football qualities, he is mentally strong, he is fit on the ground and is intelligent.

"He was unlucky many times with long-term injuries, but it helped him to mature as well and to take a distance from all the hype after he went to the World Cup at 17. He dealt with that very well.

"For the rest, if you are fit on the ground and fit on earth, turn up on Saturday and have a great game and that is the best way to get everybody on board.''

Source: Tom Adams, ESPN Soccernet on 27 Aug 10

What To Expect From Squillaci

The Man or another Pascal Cygan? A France based football journalist reveals what to expect from the Gunners' new signing...

During his early years in England, Arsène Wenger turned to a brilliant generation of French attackers to get Arsenal playing the kind of slick, attacking football that would become their trademark. Nobody could argue with the wisdom of bringing Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Sylvain Wiltord to north London. However, the manager’s current penchant for signing central defenders from his homeland is likely to prove much less fruitful.

Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny are both good players. In fact, they are two of the best French central defenders around. But that statement needs to be put in context.

Firstly, French football is no longer what it was. Wenger’s move to Arsenal coincided with a boom in France that would see Les Bleus crowned world and European champions. The last decade has been far harder. They continue to produce good players (Hugo Lloris, Patrice Evra, Jeremy Toulalan, Yoann Gourcuff, Samir Nasri, Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema would get into most national teams). Yet one glaring problem remains: France has not produced a world-class centre-half since the days of Laurent Blanc and Marcel Desailly.

Say what you like about Raymond Domenech, he was continually let down by glaring individual errors during his six years at the helm. Philippe Mexes scored one and set up two – for the opposition – when France crashed in Austria two years ago. Julien Escude put through his own net in the crucial qualifier with Romania. Michael Ciani, another player Wenger admires, looked like a rabbit in the headlights during his recent debut against Spain. Adil Rami was far from solid alongside Mexes in Norway two weeks ago.

That Jean-Alain Boumsong has stayed in contention for so long says a lot. The only centre-back of true quality to come out of France in recent years is William Gallas. Given that Wenger had grown tired of the 33-year-old’s persistent injuries and occasional tantrums, it seems odd that he has returned home to reinforce this crucial area.

The issue has become so worrying France Football magazine this week launched an investigation. “We have forgotten the basics,” complains ex-France defender Patrick Battiston in the feature headlined: “SOS défense centrale!” In the same piece, Gerard Houllier claims French youngsters no longer want to play in defence, while youth coach Philippe Bergeroo reveals – somewhat alarmingly – that French kids are no longer taught the art of tackling.

Neither of Wenger’s recruits can be blamed for national team’s demise. The 24-year-old Koscielny had only one season in the top flight with Lorient before joining Arsenal, and has not yet been blooded at international level. His time will surely come. Koscielny is rated very highly, and Gunners fans are not the only ones hoping he develops into a class act.

Squillaci, meanwhile, has won 21 caps and has rarely let his country down when called upon. He was included in France’s 2010 World Cup squad as back up to Gallas and the error-prone Eric Abidal mainly because he was the only contender left not to have committed an embarrassing and costly blunder. The 30-year-old is strong in the air, reasonably quick on the turn, and plays with impressive consistency. He has not, however, developed into the commanding presence many hoped he would during his promising early years.

In 2004, Squillaci was being billed as a natural successor to the recently-retired Lilian Thuram. He had just enjoyed a superb season at Monaco, starring in a defence that also included Evra and Gael Givet. Squillaci was a rock as Didier Deschamps’ men saw off Real Madrid and Chelsea on their way to the Champions League final.

A golden future seemingly beckoned, yet Squillaci struggled to make the step up to international level. Picked alongside his club-mate Givet, he cut a hesitant figure in the blue of France and his passing was woeful. As Wenger might say, the Stade de France supporters had become accustomed to eating caviar and were unimpressed with the bangers and mash Domenech’s rabble were serving up. Givet and Squillaci bore the brunt of the criticism, Thuram was lured out of retirement – along with Zinedine Zidane and Claude Makelele – and Squillaci’s confidence took a hammering.

Squillaci’s switch to Lyon in 2006 prompted a recall from Domenech, and he has been a regular in the France squad ever since. But despite winning back-to-back league titles, he never truly imposed himself at Stade Gerland and was certainly not a crowd favourite. Lyon were happy to let him go when Sevilla offered €5.5m in 2008.

Moving to Spain brought the best out of Squillaci. He probably needed to leave France, where people had him pigeonholed as the talented defender who ultimately disappointed. Replacing a player of Thuram’s ilk at the age of 24 was never going to be easy and, sadly for Squillaci, he had neither the skill nor the temperament to do so.

Over the past two years, however, he has shown his true quality at Sevilla, emerging as one of La Liga’s most reliable defenders. Squillaci’s experience should serve Arsenal well. He is a steady performer and is better equipped for such a challenge than he was six years ago.

Rest assured he is definitely not the next Pascal Cygan. But Arsenal fans should not expect him to be another John Terry or Nemanja Vidic either. After all, the days when France used to produce defenders with such a towering presence have long since gone.

Source: Matt Spiro, Sabotage Times on 26 Aug 10

Squillaci signs for Arsenal

Arsenal Football Club today made its third signing of the summer, as French international defender, Sebastien Squillaci joins the north London club from Sevilla, on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee.

Part of the France 2010 World Cup squad, Squillaci (30) is a tall, strong and vastly experienced central defender who has made 36 appearances in the Champions League, Europe's premier club competition, as well as tallying 21 caps for his country.

Prior to his time in Spain, Squillaci enjoyed a successful spell in France with Lyon by winning back-to-back Ligue 1 titles in 2007 and 2008. The combative defender was also part of AS Monaco's impressive Champions League campaign in 2004, helping the side reach the Final by beating Real Madrid and Chelsea en route.

Sebastien Squillaci said on his arrival at Arsenal: "This is an exciting move for me. Arsène Wenger is a highly respected coach who I am very much looking forward to working with and of course, I know some of the Arsenal players through the national team. Arsenal is recognised as a side that not only plays beautiful football but one that challenges for trophies at the highest level and I am very excited to be joining such a fantastic club."

Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger added: "Sebastien has many qualities that will add to the strength of our squad. He is quick, hugely experienced with an aggressive edge to his game. His signing will give us some variation at the back as we look to build on last season's campaign and fight for silverware this year."

Squillaci will wear the number 18.

Source: Arsenal.com on 27 Aug 10

What to Expect From Chamakh in Attack

He's the exact opposite of Adebayor, despite the mercenary being his hero, but the key question is - can he shoot the Gunners to Premier League glory?

Marouane Chamakh still has a bit to learn about diplomacy. When I met him at Bordeaux’s training ground in May, Arsenal’s summer signing committed a series of faux pas. Attempting to explain why he hadn’t moved to the Premier League when the opportunity arose a year ago, he said he had only received offers from “small clubs” like Tottenham and Sunderland. Arsenal fans, of course, won’t mind that comment. They may cringe, however, when they discover that the Moroccan named Emmanuel Adebayor as one of his role models.

Chamakh first ran into Adebayor a decade ago. He was a shy 16-year-old leading the line for Bordeaux’s youth team in a championship showdown against Metz. At the other end was another imposing, talented striker from Togo, who was already much taller than Chamakh, and more self-confident too. “He really impressed me,” Chamakh says today. “I knew then he had a big future, and ever since I’ve been trying to follow his path.”

Arsenal fans preparing to cry into their beer glasses at the thought of another greedy, self-centred forward arriving at the Emirates need not worry. Chamakh is not the same player as Adebayor – and he is certainly not the same person.

A look back at their respective careers provides ample evidence of contrasting characters. Adebayor spent two seasons at Metz before heading to Monaco where he then went on strike to force through his move to Arsenal. Little needs to be said about Adebayor’s acrimonious departure from north London, and he has certainly not become the darling of the Manchester City fans yet.

Currently in international retirement, Adebayor has performed well for Togo but is best known for an explosive bust-up with former coach Stephen Keshi and regular disputes with the Togolese FA over payments.

Chamakh, on the other hand, joined Bordeaux at 16 and left them this summer after ten years’ loyal service, receiving a long and emotional ovation from the fans at the end of his last home game. Although he was born in France, the 26-year-old has played more than 50 times for the country of his parents, Morocco, where he is a national hero and regarded as an outstanding role model for youngsters.

In his spare time, ‘Ce bon Chamakh’ – as L’Equipe newspaper branded him in a headline last season – is an ambassador for the charity ‘Mille et un Sourires’, helping disadvantaged Moroccan schoolchildren and attending social functions for elderly former servicemen.

Of course plenty of footballers associate themselves with charities; Chamakh is not a saint and Adebayor, contrary to popular belief in N5, is not all bad. Indeed, ask any Ligue 1 defender what they think of Chamakh, and they will be much more likely to show you their bruises or talk about the way he uses his elbow when he jumps than wax lyrical about his charity work.

Yet so different is he to Adebayor it makes you wonder if Arsène Wenger, who was personally stung by the City striker’s lack of loyalty, has intentionally plumped for a player who is the exact opposite.

Chamakh was seen as a major talent from the moment he broke into Bordeaux’s senior sqaud as a teenager and began pushing Christoph Dugarry and Pedro Pauleta hard for a regular place. When, aged 20, he struck ten league goals in the 2004/05 season, perennial French champions Lyon came knocking. A superb team, OL were dominating Ligue 1 at the time and Chamakh was understandably keen to team up with the likes of Michael Essien and Juninho Pernambucano.

Bordeaux stood firm, though. Chamakh was clearly unhappy but never threw a tantrum. He kept his head down and continued to work hard for his hometown club. Maybe Chamakh’s career would have progressed more quickly had he been a bit more headstrong and forced Bordeaux’s hand in 2005. After all, Les Girondins went through a barren period under Ricardo Gomes, and Chamakh scored only 16 goals in the next three seasons.

Scoring, incidentally, has never been Chamakh’s forte. Technically assured, outstanding in the air and surprisingly athletic given his height (6’2”), he has all the qualities a striker needs. Well, almost. He lacks a nose for goal. Too often he is caught on his heels when a winger gets to the byline and cuts the ball back. Yet Chamakh contributes so much it is possible to overlook this flaw. He is constantly bringing team-mates into the play, works hard in both penalty areas, and fights with the determination of an old-fashioned English target man.

His club career took off at last during his second season under Laurent Blanc. Or, to be more precise, on December 23, 2008, at Monaco’s Stade Louis II. Monaco were 3-0 up and cruising when Chamakh came off the bench in the second half and totally transformed the game. He scored two headers – the second an equaliser in the 87th minute – and then set up Fernando Cavenaghi’s injury-time winner. Monaco simply could not live with the forward’s power, and Bordeaux had found their talisman. In 2009, his brilliant understanding with Yoann Gourcuff and his new-found scoring touch (he scored 13 that season) propelled the club to their first title in a decade.

In winning the league, Chamakh had fulfilled his childhood dream and was ready for a new challenge. But even though he had just a year left on his contract, Bordeaux refused to sanction a €6m move to Arsenal, holding out for €8m. For the second time in four years, they were denying Chamakh the move he wanted – and for the second time Chamakh remained utterly professional, refusing to fall out with Bordeaux. He agreed to serve the last year of his contract, despite being on €20,000 a week, a salary five times lower than that of his pal Gourcuff.

Not only did he stay but he fought every bit as hard, scoring ten goals in the league and five in the Champions League. Bordeaux capitulated in the second half of the campaign, finishing sixth having led handsomely at Christmas. The collapse prompted resentment from supporters, yet Chamakh – despite openly admitting he wanted out – was never a target for abuse. The fans recognised his loyalty and loved his attitude. He could leave Bordeaux with his held high.

Chamakh may not be the best striker in the world. He may not even be as talented as Adebayor. But if it is loyalty and commitment Wenger is after, he may just have found his man.

Source: Matt Spiro, Sabotage Times on 15 Aug 10

Arsenal draw Shakhtar, Braga and Partizan

The draw for the UEFA Champions League Group Stage has been made.

Arsenal will take on Shakhtar Donetsk, Sporting Braga and Partizan Belgrade in Group H.

Below are brief profiles of the three sides, with links to their official websites.

Shakhtar Donetsk
Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk qualified directly for the Group Stage and are already seven games into their domestic league season. Former Arsenal striker Eduardo has scored twice in three appearances for Shakhtar.

Sporting Braga
Sporting Braga came second in the Portuguese Liga last season and defeated Sevilla 5-3 on aggregate in their play-off match to reach the Group Stage.

Partizan Belgrade
Serbian champions Partizan Belgrade qualified for the Group Stage after defeating Anderlecht on penalties in their play-off. Both legs had ended 2-2. It is their first appearance in the Champions League for seven years.

Source: Arsenal.com on 26 Aug 10

Arsène Wenger relaxes his 'over-30s rule' to sign Sébastien Squillaci

Arsène Wenger has admitted he is now willing to relax his "over-30s rule" by signing older players on longer deals, having previously only offered them one-year contracts. The Arsenal manager also indicated that no players moving on from the club would be sold to Premier League rivals.

When he was hoping to keep the 33-year-old William Gallas at Arsenal this summer, Wenger confirmed his usual policy was to offer a 12-month contract. "Yes, unfortunately that is the rule here," he said. But having completed the €4m (£3.3m) signing of the 30-year-old Sébastien Squillaci on a three-year contract from Sevilla the Frenchman clarified his policy, saying it can depend on a player's position.

Wenger said: "It's not over 30, it's over 32. So when you have a player [who is] 32 he will just get a one-year contract. It depends on the positions as well. If a central defender, then no problem to sign them until 34. But a striker is different. After 32 you go from year to year. A midfielder as well, after 32 you go from year-to-year."

Squillaci is only the fourth player aged 30 or more that Wenger has signed for a fee in his 14 years at Arsenal. The Frenchman, though, is clear that Squillaci should be ideally suited to the Premier League. "We needed a centre-back of quality and experience if possible and at the right price – he was all of that," he said. "He is a real defender and is good in the one-against-one, good in the air, and can score goals on set-pieces as well. I believe he will be suited to the English game. He will train with us tomorrow morning, but will not be involved on Saturday [against Blackburn Rovers]."

The Arsenal manager avoided discussing whether Mark Schwarzer, the Fulham goalkeeper, would be joining after the west London club last week rejected an unimproved offer of £2m from Arsenal. "We have four great keepers and it's important that we have confidence in our goalkeepers to play the next game," he said.

Wenger, who appears to have lost confidence in Manuel Almunia, ruled out a move for Amir Begovic, the Stoke City gaolkeeper wanted by Chelsea. "No, I have never been interested in him," he said.

Wenger also claimed that any players leaving the club in the transfer window would have to move overseas. "No players will be going out domestically. Some could leave and go abroad, for example in Spain and Italy where the season hasn't started yet," he said. "But once the season has started it is important that there is no movement."

Source: Jamie Jackson, The Guardian on 26 Aug 10

Arsenal confirm signing of Sebastien Squillaci

Arsenal have completed the signing of the French defender Sebastien Squillaci from Sevilla.

The Gunners manager, Arsène Wenger, has confirmed that the deal for the 30-year-old centre-back has been sealed after the Spanish club accepted an offer last week.

"We needed a centre-back of quality and experience if possible, and at the right price – he was all of that," said Wenger. "He is a real defender and is good in the one against one, good in the air, and can score goals on set-pieces as well. I believe he will be suited to the English game."

Squillaci will not play in Saturday's Premier League game at Blackburn but will be eligible for the Champions League campaign.

The former Lyon centre-half, who joined Sevilla two years ago, asked to be left out of the side for the Champions League play-off against Braga last week so he would not be cup-tied for European competition.

Squillaci will strengthen an Arsenal rearguard weakened by the departures of William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre, Sol Campbell and Philippe Senderos.

Arsenal are also keen on the Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, with the Cottagers turning down two bids for the 37-year-old. Wenger refused to rule out bringing in any more players ahead of the transfer deadline, but insisted no deals were imminent.

"We are where we are – we have four great keepers and it is important we give confidence to them for the next game," Wenger said. "I do not rule it out, but at the moment I say I am not in a position to sign anybody. At the moment, it is all dead."

Wenger, though, indicated players could still move overseas, with full-back Armand Traoré looking set to leave for Benfica.

"I believe the transfer window should have been over already for a long time, because it should stop when the championship starts for domestic transfers, internationally it should go on until 31 August because not everybody starts at the same time," he said.

Source: The Guardian on 26 Aug 10

Arsenal will make experience tell on return to Rovers, says Arshavin

Andrei Arshavin has warned Blackburn that Arsenal will have some unfinished business at Ewood Park on Saturday. The Gunners, who look to be closing in on the £6m signing of experienced French defender Sébastien Squillaci from Seville, suffered a 2-1 defeat to Rovers in early May, having just seen any lingering hopes of staying in the title race brought to an abrupt end after losses at Tottenham and Wigan.

Afterwards the Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, accused Sam Allardyce's men of unfair tactics in showing "no purpose to play the ball" and also blamed the referee, Martin Atkinson, for not providing his team with more protection.

It was not the first time the Gunners have come unstuck against such an approach – although they had thumped Rovers 4-0 in the same fixture two seasons ago.

Saturday's lunchtime kick-off is set to provide another test of character for a team Wenger believes can finally come of age this season, having thrashed newcomers Blackpool 6-0 last weekend to build on their point at Liverpool.

Arshavin, who opened his account for the season with a penalty against the Tangerines, feels victory at Ewood Park would serve a double purpose heading into the international break. "We have a very important game against Blackburn," the Russian said. "We should win in order to leave without any worries for a break caused by the participation of the players in the national teams, this will give confidence to the team. In addition, we haven't forgotten about the defeat against Blackburn at the end of the last season."

Arshavin shares his manager's beliefs the current squad have learnt some hard lessons from last season, when they failed to produce big performances when it mattered most. "I think all the young players have become, not old, but they have experience now," Arshavin said. "Arsène works with them for a long time and that's why he knows them better and he knows what to expect during the season from the players. It gives me belief that we can get something this year.

"My opinion is, if you look at the points on last season's table, we were close, but then we met Chelsea and Manchester United and they beat us very easily. I would like to see this season that we will manage to fight against big teams."

Seville confirmed on Sunday night they had accepted an offer from Arsenal for Squillaci.

The 30-year-old centre-back has travelled to London for a medical to complete the deal which is expected to be officially confirmed in the next day or two.

Wenger had made no secret of his need to bring in more cover at the heart of the defence, following the summer departures of William Gallas, Mikaël Silvestre, reported to be on the verge of moving to Werder Bremen, Sol Campbell and Philippe Senderos.

Arsenal's largest shareholder, Stan Kroenke, moved a step closer to buying the St Louis Rams National Football League franchise after the governing body's finance committee unanimously approved his bid to take up an option for the remaining 60 percent of the stock.

Kroenke, who holds 29.9 per cent of the shares in Arsenal's parent company, challenged the NFL's rules against cross-ownership – the American also has interests in the Denver Nuggets basketball team, Colorado Avalanche ice hockey side as well as the Colorado Rapids soccer club which has a link-up with the Gunners.

Were Kroenke Sports Enterprises to purchase another 10 shares in Arsenal, then under City rules it would cross the threshold for triggering a takeover bid.

Source: Jim van Wijk, The Independent on 26 Aug 10

Why good goalkeepers are worth their weight in goal

"What kind of a goalkeeper is the one who is not tormented by the goal he has allowed?" said the Russian great. "He must be tormented! And if he is calm, that means the end. No matter what he had in the past, he has no future."

While Yashin's philosophical assessment may have been poignant during the 1950s and '60s, he would probably revise his opinion in the tumult of the Premier League era.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been searching all summer for a perfectly balanced individual with fingertips of steel, the kicking ability of Jonny Wilkinson, the concentration of a Queen's Guard and an ability for organising defences.

Wenger has had two £2m bids for Mark Schwarzer turned down by Fulham, while Manchester City's Shay Given and Stoke's Asmir Begovic have been linked with possible moves around England.

Basic economics should dictate that a paucity of supply, coupled with high demand, should force prices to increase, although strangely that theory does not seem to apply for goalkeepers.

"A good goalkeeper is as valuable as a striker that's going to score 20 to 25 goals a season," former Arsenal goalkeeper John Lukic told BBC Sport.

"When I first started playing [in 1978] there was not a great deal of importance placed on keepers but Brian Clough was the instigator of the goalkeeper being an important part of the team when he bought Peter Shilton for Nottingham Forest [in 1977].

"And he went on to be proved right when they won European Cups and championships."

At 37, Schwarzer is clearly not a long-term prospect for Wenger, which explains the low price tag. But what the Australia international lacks in cash value he more than makes up for in experience, with over 450 games in the top flight.

A couple of seasons of Schwarzer would give Arsenal just enough time to turn either Lukasz Fabianski, Vito Mannone or Wojciech Szczesny into the next David Seaman.

"The top managers need someone who can stand there for 70 minutes and, when called upon, can make the saves they want him to make, as opposed to someone younger and inexperienced who might not make that save," said Lukic.

"If you have a track record and pedigree, which both Schwarzer and Given have, it's better than going for someone who is 25 or 26 who has played a couple of seasons who has done OK. Managers like keepers with experience."

Behind every great team is a great goalkeeper, an ever-present figure on whom championship-winning empires are built around. Think Shilton at Forest, Bruce Grobelaar at Liverpool, David Seaman at Arsenal, Peter Schmeichel at Manchester United or Petr Cech at Chelsea.

And according to Lukic, who made 223 appearances for Arsenal in an eight-year spell at Highbury between 1983 and 1990, the reason is rather prosaic.

"Most top keepers are not transient - they don't float from team to team," he said.

"They go to a team and stay there. Their services are retained because they are that good - it's as simple as that.

"Myself and Dave Seaman spent the best part of 20 years at the club, but look at the number of keepers they have had since then."

Schwarzer would not be the first veteran goalkeeper Wenger has turned to in order to fill a sizeable gap. He signed a 33-year-old Jens Lehmann in 2003 to replace Seaman, and the German spent five seasons with the club until his departure in 2008.

But the interim period has seen Manuel Almunia's fortunes fluctuate between the posts, while neither Fabianski or Mannone have shown sufficient proficiency to convince Wenger they are ready for the long haul.

"I think Manuel has been unlucky - there have been errors but you are in control of your own destiny as a keeper," said Lukic.

"Rumours only start circulating when question marks are placed against you and it seems it has been placed against Manuel. Schwarzer may or may not happen, but Almunia is the one who remains incumbent and has to deal with whatever is thrown at him."

Time is running out for Wenger, and the Premier League's other goalkeeper-deficient managers, as the summer transfer window deadline fast approaches on 31 August.

They may not be as tormented as in the days of Yashin, but a reliable modern-day goalkeeper with all the trimmings will always remain an in-demand - and increasingly rare - commodity.

Source: Pranav Soneji , BBC Sport on 23 Aug 10

Sébastien Squillaci unrepentant after forcing transfer to Arsenal

Sébastien Squillaci has already demonstrated a ruthless and single-minded approach in forcing through his £5m move from Sevilla to Arsenal and now the France defender is intent on winning the battle to establish himself in Arsène Wenger's team.

The 30-year caused uproar last Wednesday when he refused to play for Sevilla in the first-leg of their Champions League play-off against Braga in Portugal, as he did not want to become cup-tied in Europe and so jeopardise his hopes of making the proposed transfer.

Sevilla lost 1-0, leaving them with work to do in the return fixture tomorrow night , and Squillaci was criticised for his behaviour, although the coach, Antonio Alvarez, said that he was quick to put the controversy behind him. "I didn't like the fact that Squillaci didn't want to play but the circumstances turned out that way," he said. "I turned over a new page and forgot about the issue."

The Sevilla defender Julien Escudé said that Squillaci had been named in the line-up only to be withdrawn in what, at the time, were mysterious circumstances. "When the coach gave his team talk, Sebastien was starting," Escudé said. "Then, I do not know what happened, with the coach or the sporting director, but there was a change in the line-up. Later, we knew Sébastien refused to play. I was surprised."

Arsenal, who were unhappy at the way Barcelona targeted and unsettled their captain, Cesc Fábregas, for much of the summer only for him to stay in north London, have maintained they have done nothing wrong over Squillaci and the player himself was unrepentant.

"If a French player receives an offer from Arsène Wenger, it's practically impossible to turn down," he said. "It was a sensational offer for me and I was happy Sevilla let me go. It was a difficult situation but I knew I had to take this chance. I knew if I played against Braga then I would not have been able to play for Arsenal in the Champions League."

Squillaci, formerly of Monaco and Lyon, suggested it was a dream to follow in the footsteps of some of his countrymen and join Arsenal, who are sometimes referred to in France as their first division's 21st club. He enters competition with Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou for a starting place in the centre of defence. Alex Song, the midfielder, can also play in the position.

"Arsenal were always the team I watched out for," said Squillaci, who began his medical assessment at the club today. "For any spectator like me, you had to watch a squad with [Thierry] Henry, [Robert] Pirès, [Patrick] Vieira and [William] Gallas. Now, I'm happy to have my name in the history books. For me, this is a great new challenge and I've gone there purely to be part of that.

"I don't think my age is a problem. My experience in football is great and players of my age tend to be at the peak of their playing career."

Arsenal have started the season with a 1-1 draw at Liverpool and a 6-0 home win over Blackpool and two players to have emerged with credit are the midfielders Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky. Wilshere, who is known for his creative and attacking prowess, played in front of the back four against Blackpool, alongside Abou Diaby, and Wenger suggested that the 18-year-old's development would be best served in such a role.

"He is strong one against one, he has good commitment and it is important in the development of a player for him to start there," Wenger said. "After, you can always push a player higher up but let's start with the difficult work. Once you do that, you can always take the easier job. And I always have many offensive players."

One of them is the Czech Rosicky who, after so much injury turmoil, has finally enjoyed a full pre-season and is eager to show his true colours this season. "I am very happy for Rosicky," Wenger said. "It was not really Rosicky last year. I like to handle him on the pitch and in the dressing room because he is an outstanding character. He is a team player and has great quality."

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 23 Aug 10

Six-Gunners

Arsenal were expected to beat Blackpool easily at Ashburton Grove yesterday and they did just that. Racking up a 6-0 victory, it was a fine way to kick off their home campaign and was a critical early boost to their goal difference.

Theo Walcott was the star of the afternoon, notching the first hat-trick of his Arsenal career inside an hour. It crowned one of his more assertive displays for the club. The Seasiders couldn't live with his pace and a far more direct approach from the young winger reaped dividends. After the match, Arsene Wenger praised Walcott's decision-making in delivering his final ball. It was better, but there still is room for improvement. However, it was a performance that he can build on and the real test will be whether he can replicate producing this sort of threat week in, week out over the course of the season and against sterner opposition.

Walcott's, and Arsenal's, first goal settled any nerves but it was the second goal that ended the encounter as a contest. Ian Evatt was adjudged to have brought down Marouane Chamakh in the area and was given a red card for his trouble. Up stepped Andrey Arshavin to convert the penalty and from there the afternoon became one of damage limitation for Blackpool. And, in truth, reduced to ten men, six-nil was damage limitation. On another day, with sharper finishing, the Gunners might have hit a double-figure total against their beleaguered visitors as the match turned into something more akin to a training game than a top-flight fixture.

As the goals flew in, the match did become more about the Gunners’ goal difference column. With Chelsea winning their opening two games by a six-goal margin, the importance of punishing weaker opposition to the maximum cannot be over-stated. After such a dominant display, it would be churlish to pick holes in yesterday's performance but the only criticism that could be levelled was that the goal tally wasn't higher - because it really could (and maybe ought to) have been. Still, if you cannot be delighted after a six-nil home win then you are never going to be happy. It was a very pleasing afternoon.

Despite the satisfaction of a handsome victory, it has to be said that there had to be a measure of sympathy for Blackpool. After their stunning win at Wigan last week, this was a dose of cold and very harsh reality for Ian Holloway and his team. However, they acquitted themselves with honour and kept trying to play their game even though they were overwhelmingly outclassed. At no point did they resort to simply trying to kick Arsenal off the pitch as a defensive tactic. Their travelling support were also magnificent and though both players and fans will probably experience a few other days similarly tough days this season, there is no doubt that the attitude of everyone connected with the club is absolutely spot on and they will win a lot of friends this year.

So, at the end of the weekend, Arsenal stand second in the table after what has been a solid start. The next two games - against Blackburn away and Bolton at home - will tell us more about the true state of the team than yesterday's game did. We shall also see the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Robin Van Persie beginning their seasons in earnest. Though Theo Walcott took the plaudits yesterday, the loudest individual cheer of the afternoon came when Fabregas took the pitch as a 63rd minute substitute. The Spaniard looked a little rusty and short of full fitness but it was a wonderful sight to see him back in action for the Gunners after a summer of speculation about his future.

Elsewhere this week we have had our first real dose of injury news. It feels like Arsenal suffer more than most with injuries but they are part of the game and a key attribute of any team that wins title is the ability to weather the absences of key players - something the Gunners have not managed in recent seasons. Samir Nasri had to have surgery after taking a knock at Liverpool last weekend but the heartening news is though that he is only due to be out for a month, which is far from being a disaster.

Later in the week though, it was announced that Emmanuel Frimpong will be out for the remainder of the season after damaging ligaments in training. One has to feel desperately sorry for the boy. After an impressive pre-season, he looked to be on the brink of making a break-through into the first team and clearly featured in Arsene Wenger's plans.

Think for a moment of the years of hard work and effort that he has put in just to get himself the point where he is in contention for Arsenal‘s first-team squad. Now, instead of embarking on the most important and exciting season of his career so far, he faces nine months of uncertainty as he undergoes rehabilitation and has to live with the hope that, not only will he make a full recovery, but that his chance will come again. It must be heart-breaking for him. We can only wish him well and hope he returns better and stronger for the start of next season.

Source: David Young, ESPN Soccernet on 23 Aug 10

Wenger: Hat-trick proves Walcott is a fast learner

"Walcott (3)". Where have we seen that line on the scoresheet before? In Zagreb, on that heady night two years ago when it seemed the boy from Berkshire was destined to make the 2010 World Cup his own.

It did not quite turn out like that, but now Theo Walcott is back, probably. Eviscerating 10-man Blackpool at home is a long way from tearing apart high-class international defences (not a definition which applied to Croatia in late 2008 either), but Saturday's display at the Emirates was nevertheless encouraging. Walcott was not perfect, but he did show the benefits of a proper summer break (thanks, Fabio) and a full pre-season, not a combination he has often enjoyed at Arsenal.

"I had a nice little break mentally and a very good pre-season, which is massive," Walcott said. "I was very unlucky with injuries last season so I'm trying to look after myself a bit more."

Walcott, who had to rescue the match ball from the ballboys – "I nearly forgot, to be honest. I can't believe that" – added: "I'm just raring to go. I'm pretty much one of the last to leave training now. I stay behind to practise crosses and set pieces and stuff like that. It's down to me. I just want to show people what I can do."

Walcott has been criticised for lacking "a football brain" and, said Alan Hansen on Saturday night, "that is not something you can learn". Why not? Walcott is intelligent and under one of the game's best coaches, Arsène Wenger, who said of him: "You always worry about a player's development, but I was always positive about Theo because I have looked at his disappointments, and how well he analyses things. When you are intelligent, you always improve. He's not there yet but he is developing, maybe what happened to him is part of his development.

"I believe he can score goals because when he was young he scored goals, and I am convinced he will finish in the middle. He times his runs well, once he is a yard clear nobody in the world can catch him, and now he is more composed in front of goal."

Amid the fanfare for Walcott, it was easy to overlook the fact his was not the best Arsenal performance of the day. That came from Tomas Rosicky, who deputised for Cesc Fabregas so impressively. Arsenal played with less fluency after the latter came on around the hour mark. Rosicky has suffered even more than Walcott from injury in recent years, making 29 League starts in three seasons.

"I am very happy for Rosicky because he is a great player," Wenger said. "I like to have him on the pitch and in the dressing room because he is an outstanding character, very positive, a team player. He is a very intelligent player and it was not really Rosicky playing last year."

It was Rosicky and Andrei Arshavin who linked to set up Walcott for the first and Rosicky's ball which Marouane Chamakh was running on to when tripped (initially outside the box) by Ian Evatt on the half-hour. Evatt was dismissed, Arshavin converted from the spot and the contest was over.

Ian Holloway disagreed with the decision, although he accepted Arsenal would probably still have won. The Blackpool manager boldly fielded three forwards and encouraged his team to take Arsenal on at a passing game. This was never likely to work but, if he succeeds in securing the discount goalscorer he seeks, it may pay dividends over the season. Blackpool look desperately short of quality and pace, but Holloway is a shrewd tactician and his desire to eschew the percentage game favoured by some of the less-resourced Premier League sides deserves reward.

Either side of half-time, Walcott and Abou Diaby doubled the lead and when Walcott, with his left, made it 5-0 inside the hour, an ever worse rout loomed but Blackpool showed character and were beaten only once more, by Chamakh, whose header from an impressive standing jump suggested he could be a significant figure for Arsenal this season.

So might Jack Wilshere, used at Anfield on opening day in a holding role. "I believe he is strong in a one against one and has good commitment," Wenger said. The prospect arises of Wilshere partnering Jack Rodwell at the anchor of England's midfield in the near future.

The joy felt by Arsenal fans was doubtless tempered when they heard Chelsea had also scored six, again, but Walcott had already stressed the players would not get carried away. He said: "The most important thing is how we play at Blackburn next week. Away. Early kick-off. They are the games we need to be winning, the ones that might have let us down last season. That' s where we have to show our character."

Source: Glenn Moore, The Independent on 23 Aug 10

Hat-trick by Arsenal's Theo Walcott fails to win round the doubters

You have just scored a hat-trick in a thumping home win, you have the match-ball signed by your team-mates and, after recent trials and tribulations, the headlines are ready to glow positively for you. There is the understandable urge to stick on Match of the Day, relive the goals and revel in one or two plaudits. After all, it is the first hat-trick of your club career.

For Theo Walcott, though, there always seems to be a sting in the tale and the pundit Alan Hansen provided it on Saturday night. Only the Scot knows why he decided that the moment was right to jump on a bandwagon set in motion by Chris Waddle to criticise Walcott for a perceived lack of football intelligence.

The Arsenal winger scored three, the third of which was a beauty, and laid on excellent chances for Andrey Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh (twice) – the first one for Arshavin coming after he had time to weigh up the final ball . But Hansen was in pantomime villain mode and chose to highlight Walcott's 30th-minute miss, blazed high when clean through, and one poorly conceived low cross.

Hansen argued that when Walcott has time to think he mucks things up, maybe because he was introduced to the game relatively late and therefore he has no natural feel for what to do or, to use the buzz phase, "no football brain". Yet it is a different story, Hansen suggested, when Walcott relies on his instincts which, presumably, are not linked to intelligence or any type of ingrained feel for the game. All very confusing.

The wider point, however, involved the expectation levels that press down on Walcott's shoulders, those that, after a man-of-the-match display, can lead to him being slated on national television. What does he have to do to win acceptance from his critics? "We forget Theo is only 21 years old," the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said, "and most of the big players in your country had not started their international careers at 21. We forget that, because he has been on the circuit for three or four years, he is only a young boy."

Walcott's exuberance still reminds you of that. High on the euphoria of his hat-trick, he almost made for the dressing room at full-time without the match ball. "I nearly forgot it, I can't believe that," he said. "One of the ball-boys had it. Everyone has signed it and I don't think there are any swear words on it."

But there is a steely edge to his professionalism and a determination to roll with the punches to prove his true worth. There has been no bigger setback than his omission by Fabio Capello from the England World Cup squad in the summer after an injury-blighted season. "I had a nice little break mentally through the summer so I could think about things and it's just pushing on now," Walcott said. "I'm only 21. I want to play games every week and it's a big season for me. I just want to show people what I can do now."

This time last year, Walcott was injured, having been overexerted at international level in June and deprived of any sort of pre-season. The contrast to the summer just gone is vivid. Walcott played in all six of Arsenal's pre-season friendlies, from which they emerged undefeated, and he feels that he is in the condition to generate some momentum.

Wenger reiterated that he saw Walcott evolving into a central striker, and he appears blessed with creative and attacking options wherever he looks. Tomas Rosicky was outstanding in the free role behind Chamakh while the mercurial Arshavin was in the mood. Blackpool had had five goals knocked past them if not the stuffing knocked out of them when Wenger introduced Cesc Fábregas and Robin van Persie as 62nd-minute substitutes. The home crowd were delighted to welcome Fábregas, after seeing him almost make a summer move to Barcelona.

Blackpool came to play and the manager Ian Holloway looked to go forward even after the 31st-minute dismissal of Ian Evatt for a professional foul on Chamakh. To the bitter end, Blackpool heads did not drop. Wenger had praise for Holloway but, then again, he always does when lesser teams come to Emirates Stadium and try to play Arsenal at their own game. He knows there can only be one winner.

"I looked at my watch after the sending-off, they were 2-0 up and there was all that time left, and I thought, 'Holy mackerel'," Holloway said. "Luckily for me, it was only six."

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 22 Aug 10