Chelsea profit after defensive errors add to familiar Arsenal flaws

It is surely no consolation to Arsenal that their first defeat of the season showed a certain togetherness, as blame for it could be shared throughout the side. There were deficiencies in defence, deficiencies in midfield and deficiencies up front.

Arsène Wenger expressed familiar lamentations about his team's mentality. And supporters were left venting familiar grievances about a club they fear will remain prone to such performances for as long as they spend each new season integrating fresh arrivals to replace departed stalwarts and make do with a squad that never quite looks complete.

Before this match Arsenal announced pre-tax profits of £36.6m for the year ending 31 May, and they are in rude health financially. But the fans' mood is still locked in a debilitating cycle of boom and bust. After the upswing triggered by the impressive win over Liverpool and draw at Manchester City, the sorry loss to Chelsea caused a plunge back towards pessimism. Chelsea did not have to excel to triumph.

"This was a game where everybody said 'OK, this is a real test of how we are doing' and we did well, so that is pleasing." That was the assessment of the Chelsea goalkeeper, Petr Cech: the flip side applies to Arsenal.

The home side's most obvious flaw was not necessarily the most worrying for the campaign ahead. Chelsea's goals came from set-pieces that were badly defended, notably by Laurent Koscielny, who lost his bearings as Fernando Torres guided in the first one in the 20th minute and then, in the 53rd, failed to cut out Juan Mata's free-kick and instead helped it into the net.

"We knew before the game we were playing against a team that was more mobile, more based on movement and played more on the ground and that's why I decided to play him," said Wenger by way of explanation for his decision to deploy Koscielny instead of Per Mertesacker, who had enjoyed a fine start to the season.

In fairness to Wenger, his logic was sound. But Koscielny suffered an off-day. That can happen to anyone but what was more alarming was that his mistakes were aggravated by a lack of communication – Wenger suggested Koscielny's troubles at the first goal were caused partially by the team's failure to reassign marking responsibilities after Abou Diaby was forced off injured three minutes earlier.

Such a laissez-aller approach pervaded this Arsenal performance and that, unlike Koscielny's bungling, is a frequent complaint. "We needed more personality, we were too passive," regretted Wenger. "We needed to attack the ball." That charge could be aimed at the whole team, not just a defence that, until the visit of Chelsea, had shown clear signs of progress since the summer appointment of Steve Bould as Wenger's assistant.

The meekness was perhaps most evident in midfield. Diaby was twice caught dozing on the ball before departing in the 17th minute and, while Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta toiled without finding much inspiration, Aaron Ramsey seemed too content to be a passenger. The Wales captain seldom exerts an influence commensurate with the faith placed in him. Up front, there can be no denying that Gervinho exerts an influence. However, even though he struck his fourth goal of the season with a splendid swivel and shot just before half-time, it is by no means clear that the Ivorian's influence is more positive than negative. Against Chelsea, as on countless previous occasions, his decision-making and execution were frequently exasperating, causing chances to disappear in groans.

Theo Walcott, who began on the bench, is accused of lacking a football brain but even he seems to have more reliable instincts than Gervinho. For the season ahead, the forwards on whom Arsenal could find themselves counting the most are Lukas Podolski, who was peripheral to proceedings here, even if one late header did bring a smart save from Cech, and Olivier Giroud.

Not for the first time this season, Giroud perpetrated a miss late in this game that Wenger admitted was "difficult to explain", slashing into the side netting after rounding Cech. That miss means he has scored just one goal in eight appearances since his £13m move from Montpellier.

However, unflattering comparisons with Marouane Chamakh could yet prove unwarranted. Giroud's movement, strength and build-up play suggest he has the skills to be an effective fulcrum and that his barren spell is as unsustainable as Gervinho's prolific one. If he rediscovers his knack for finishing, Giroud could solve one Arsenal problem. But the big Arsenal problem is that the team remains beset by too many 'ifs'.

Man of match: Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Source: Paul Doyle, The Guardian on 30 Sep 12

A Premier League of ups, downs and outs leaves a legacy of flaws

The Champions League finalists finish sixth in the league, Manchester United lose an eight-point lead and Manchester City lose five away games but end up winners

It was the flaws that made for an engrossing Premier League season. Even Manchester City, on their path to the prize, contrived to lose five away games. The new champions will scarcely be in anguish now but such results emphasised that this, to put it kindly, has been a transitional campaign.

One ought to marvel that Manchester United got so close to retaining the title. Expenditure in the transfer market has increased by comparison with earlier periods under the ownership of the Glazers but the outlay still seems relatively small when set against the scale of the club itself. That policy leaves United with a capable team rather than an enthralling one.

No one, for instance, assumes that either Antonio Valencia or Ashley Young, the wingers employed against Sunderland on Sunday, is going to be ranked with Cristiano Ronaldo, who moved from Old Trafford to the Bernabéu in 2009, when he was 24. There can be no claim that his best years had been in the service of United.

In the weekend win it always looked as if Wayne Rooney alone could settle the outcome, as he did. United are not alone in being a prominent side that is, for the moment, best suited to domestic consumption. The last 16 of the Champions League contained only two English sides. Arsenal were eliminated by Milan then and, while Chelsea will meet Bayern Munich in the final, the Stamford Bridge team have come sixth in the Premier League.

In the case of Arsenal one wonders if a touch of panic might be of assistance. Arsène Wenger seems so patient that trophies are still a remote consideration. Depth, for instance, was needed in attack but the transfer of Lukas Podolski from Cologne was agreed only recently. Had another forward arrived sooner, Arsenal would have enjoyed the option, on occasion, of selecting the excellent Robin van Persie as a schemer instead of a spearhead.

It might, all the same, be perverse to dwell on that sort of issue when half the teams in this season's Premier League have had a better defensive record in away matches than Arsenal. For a club of their standing, references to the injury troubles of Thomas Vermaelen do not amount to a satisfactory explanation. Indeed the side lost 4-0 away to Milan when the Belgian was in the line-up.

Vulnerability at even the mighty clubs has intensified the drama of the Premier League. Instead of being the resourceful, steely side of former days, United could find nothing better to do with an eight-point lead than discard it while losing, for instance, at Wigan Athletic and allowing Everton to recover from 4-2 down to draw at Old Trafford.

Nemanja Vidic suffered a grave injury against Basel in December but one would expect United to cope better at critical times, even if their points tally for the season was still large. Chelsea have suffered a greater fall from grace and, given the switch from the unsuccessful André Villas-Boas to the interim head coach Roberto Di Matteo, the improvisatory tone has been inescapable.

There is a craving at Stamford Bridge to see Fernando Torres flourish but the striker instead seems like the embodiment of the Premier League nowadays. He holds the promise of excellence but it is not fulfilled often enough. So it is, incongruously, that a 34-year-old Didier Drogba can look the principal hope for Chelsea, with agitation at the likelihood that he will leave.

Elsewhere the general state of affairs at Stamford Bridge would be envied. Liverpool have made a modest advance by taking the League Cup after a penalty shoot-out with Cardiff City and getting to an FA Cup final won by Chelsea, but it is too much to ask that Steven Gerrard single-handedly supplies the verve in midfield.

Tottenham Hotspur have come fourth, denying Newcastle United the prospect of Champions League football, but their stadium is not big enough to help generate the levels of income that would enhance the squad markedly. Beyond the current circumstances there is a difficulty in telling what we ought to anticipate from the Premier League in the near future.

Touches of austerity can be spotted, even if City are unacquainted with them. Should the forthcoming financial fair play measures have the profound effect sought by Uefa, we could see a dip in glamour that is more than offset by the rise in competitiveness. As it is, the elite have not seemed quite so aloof even if City will be sure that their era is only beginning.

Source: Kevin McCarra, The Guardian on 15 May 12

A dangerous meander

The season isn’t over, but watching the match between Arsenal and Chelsea on Saturday, it would have been easy to think that both sides had nothing to play for. For Arsenal, we are in danger of undoing the good work of the second half of the season by not finishing off the job of finishing third. Apart from Newcastle’s good run of form, we’re fortunate that the teams behind us can’t put a string of good results together.

The team looked fatigued against Chelsea, which is understandable at this stage of the season, however when the opposition were in a similar state and were mainly focussed on defending, it’s frustrating that we couldn’t win the game. It’s hard to be angry at the result though, because it was a poor game, and Arsenal didn’t force the issue or grab the initiative to press forward for a win.

We’re still in a good position to finish third, but we have to take the last three matches seriously and not just let the season drift and meander away, as it did at the end of last season. The negative vibes that built up during the last few weeks of last season then continued into the summer, and things hardly went smoothly in the last off-season. Fatigue does play a part, but it’s also the case for every team. The players should be able to deal with it and be prepared to give everything, otherwise we’ll find ourselves slip out of the top three, and possibly the top four.

One of the main talking points amongst supporters after the Chelsea match was Aaron Ramsey again. I’ve said enough times on this blog that I think he will be a good player for Arsenal, and that he’s still young and is going through a rough patch of form. We’ve seen how Tomas Rosicky has turned it round, so there’s no reason why Ramsey won’t improve. With the injuries we’ve got, we need him to find some form quickly, otherwise our midfield will look weak without Arteta.

On Saturday, Arsenal weren’t overrun in midfield, far from it, but there was a spark missing. Ramsey and Song don’t have the understanding that Song and Arteta have built up this season, and whilst Rosicky was ok, Chelsea had midfielders sitting deep enough to try and nullify his threat. Ramsey was caught in possession too much, but he can’t be criticised for working hard to win the ball back when that happened. He just needs to quicken his decision making when playing in the deeper role as his role can be vital when trying to maintain momentum in an attack, and it’s important in setting the momentum from the deeper role when building attacks from midfield.

One positive in central midfield was the return of Abou Diaby. He still looked rusty, but having only made three substitute appearances all season, that was understandable. Stoke next week might not be the ideal game for him to be eased back into, but his height will be useful with the inevitable Stoke tactics, should he be selected from the start. Hopefully Diaby will be able to have a full pre-season and get back to his best next season. He can be outrageously skilful and powerful in midfield; he just needs to be injury free and in form.

Most Gooners would have been excited to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain start on the left, however we can’t expect greatness from him in every game. He’s still only 18, and has exceeded people’s expectations this season anyway. He still looked dangerous against Chelsea, but his eagerness to attack often meant the ball ran away from him or his control let him down. With Theo Walcott injured and likely to be out for the remaining games, I think we’ll see more of the Ox on the right. It’ll be a good chance for him to make a late claim to be in the England squad for the European Championships. On the other side, we need Gervinho to find some form as well. He’s looked out of sorts after the African Cup of Nations, and if we sign another forward minded player in the summer, he could be the one to miss out on a regular starting place next season.

Up front, Robin van Persie looked tired. More so than the rest of the team, fatigue for Robin is to be expected. We’ve never got so many games out of him in a season, and the effects of it are just catching up with him. As this shows, Robin’s time on the pitch in the Premier League has increased massively this season (via @1DavidWall on twitter). He had chances against Chelsea that would have resulted in a goal earlier in the season, but the problem remains in our squad that a fatigued Robin van Persie is still a heck of lot more likely than Marouane Chamakh or Ju-Young Park to convert those chances. The priority in the summer initially has to be to get Robin to stay. After that, sign someone to support him.

Robin van Persie was deservedly named the PFA player of the year on Sunday night, proving that some footballers do know what they’re talking about. Wayne Rooney has been in good form recently, but there couldn’t be any other winner. Van Persie has not only played in every game and scored a lot of goals, he’s lead the team through some difficult times, and we’ve come out of it in decent shape. He’s matured as a player and as a leader this season, so hopefully he’ll see that he can progress further as part of this team next season.

The biggest positive from the Chelsea game, and one of the reasons why the match wasn’t a thriller, was that we defended well. Laurent Koscielny returned from suspension and was immense. He has improved so much this season, and is now arguably a better defender than Thomas Vermaelen. Koscielny is quick, reads the game well and now isn’t afraid of a tackle. He’s another example of what hard work and a bit of experience can do for a player.

Frankly, the Chelsea match was boring, so the less said about it the better. We didn’t lose and kept a clean sheet, so let’s take that forward to Stoke on Saturday. It’s well publicised how Arsenal don’t like going to Stoke, but they have very little to play for, so hopefully that’ll take a bit of the edge off the game for them. It’ll still be a difficult game though, and Arsenal should by now have wised up to the challenge faced and be able to brace themselves for that challenge.

If there is one game left this season that I’m desperate for Aaron Ramsey to play well in, it’s the Stoke match. We all know the history he has with this fixture, so it really is a good time to get behind him and the team. If there are brainless Stoke fans booing him again (it wasn’t his fault that his leg was broken), it’d be great to see Ramsey put in a great performance. It would go a long way to getting the relationship he has with the fans back to the strength it was after that horrific incident.

It’s not just Ramsey, but the whole team need to put in a good performance at Stoke, otherwise our much heralded comeback might collapse Spurs-style. Let’s face it; we want to leave that sort of thing for them to do.

Source: Sam Limbert, ESPN Soccernet on 23 Apr 12

Quality lacking in London showdown

The Premier League may still be the most celebrated domestic championship in the world, boasting a mystique that ensures it is one of sport's most lucrative brands, yet games like this do little to dispel the theory that its standards are on the slide.

As a misfiring Arsenal side drew a blank with a much-changed Chelsea at a curiously muted Emirates Stadium, the quality of football on show fell short of what is expected of a showdown between these two London giants with the value of the three points on offer failing to inspire either team to match-winning heights.

With misplaced passes aplenty and a general lack of attacking verve on display from two who may well end up representing England in the Champions League next season, this game had all the hallmarks of a scoreless stalemate from first whistle to last, with the big names on show collectively failing to live up to their billing.

Sell-out crowds do not pay the high ticket prices to watch Premier League games as dour as this, with the lack of attacking class on both sides as alarming as it was frustrating on a day when two teams capable of so much more played out the sort of game you would associate more with the defensive-minded Serie A.

Drawing useful conclusions from such an uninspiring match was not easy, but time may eventually confirm that this was a point which helped Arsenal cement their position as the third best team in England's top tier, while Chelsea could argue this was the best result they could hope for amid a demanding run of fixtures that would drain the best of squads.

After their backs-to-the-wall victory against mighty Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday, this was another example of a Chelsea's grit overcoming the ambitions of opponents who were unable to pick their solid defensive unit apart, with John Terry and Gary Cahill superb once more at the heart of their backline.

Despite the efforts of the Blues' defensive talismen, Arsenal came closest to winning this game as they twice rattled the woodwork and generally looked more threatening without ever showing the sort of thrilling, attacking cutting edge they are capable of. Indeed, Robin van Persie's dip in form means they are failing to dig out the sort of wins their skipper has been inventing for them for most of this campaign.

Arsenal's surrender of five points here at Emirates Stadium in the space of two games against Wigan and Chelsea in recent days means they have opened the door for their rivals to test their nerve in the final three games of the season and manager Arsene Wenger was honest enough to concede as much.

"I was surprised with the way Chelsea played this game as they needed to win and I expected us to see an open game as a result," said the downbeat Arsenal boss. "In the end, they stayed tight at the back, played as they will try to do against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday night and made it hard for us to break them down.

"We didn't find our quick passing in the offensive third and that meant we failed to get in behind Chelsea enough, but I look at the chances created in the game and it's clear that we had all the best opportunities and they did not even create one big chance.

"The defeat against Wigan meant we looked nervous in this game. We knew we dare not lose again and it meant we played with the handbrake on, but you have to give Chelsea some credit for making it hard for us."

Predictably, Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo had a different view of the day's events, as he hit back at Wenger's claim that his side were too negative, justifiably citing the 'crazy schedule' his side have tried to deal with in the last week as a reason for his lack of ambition to win this game.

"We have come off the back of two massive semi-finals in the space of a week and then had to play Arsenal away, so this point is a good one for us," stated Di Matteo. "I changed a lot of players from the Barcelona game and that was natural as you cannot expect the same guys to play one massive game after the next and not begin to feel it a little and I felt we put in a very disciplined performance.

"Now we have three home matches left and one away game and if we can win all four, then we will still have a chance to claim the fourth place in the table, even though we are dealing with a crazy schedule right now."

Having made eight changes to his line-up from the Barcelona triumph, Di Matteo had every right to toast this point, yet it remains to be seen whether a top-four finish is still a realistic prospect after a result that leaves them well off the pace being set by the Gunners and Newcastle.

If they reach the Champions League final and win the FA Cup next month, Chelsea could argue they have enjoyed a more productive season than Arsenal, yet neither of these two great clubs should feel satisfied with a season that sees them languishing some 20 points behind the Premier League leaders.

MAN OF THE MATCH: John Terry
On a day when Di Matteo opted to rest several star names, the captain refused to buckle as he continued to perform heroically. Even with a damaged rib, this leader is trying to carry Chelsea's season towards a glorious conclusion.

ARSENAL VERDICT
This point may well prove to be crucial in their bid to wrap up third spot in the Premier League, but would Arsenal fans rather be in Chelsea's position challenging for two major trophies at this late stage of the season? It is a question only the Gunners' supporters can answer.

CHELSEA VERDICT
Their ability to dig in and get results in games like this confirms that they have a chance to dump Barcelona out of the Champions League on Tuesday night. The Blues may not be as good as they once were, as Frank Lampard readily admits, but that is not halting their ambition to win trophies in the face of adversity.

RVP'S FUTURE
Arsenal skipper Van Persie used his programme notes to clear up why he had been seen at the Barcelona team hotel in London earlier this week, which had sparked speculation that he may be plotting a move to the Nou Camp. "My good friend Ibrahim Afellay plays for Barcelona and I wanted to catch up," he said. "I can't imagine anyone conducting transfer negotiations in these circumstances!"

Source: Kevin Palmer, ESPN Soccernet on 21 Apr 12

Arsenal and Chelsea share frustration and points at the Emirates

Chelsea's blueprint for Champions League glory was laid out last Wednesday. To the dismay of Arsène Wenger, it was fine-tuned here. Whether in pre-match hope or expectation, the Arsenal manager had described the defensive strategy that Chelsea adopted against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final first-leg as a "one-day situation".

Wrong. Roberto Di Matteo made wholesale changes to his starting XI as he contended with Chelsea's "crazy" schedule but the approach that he employed to secure the 1-0 scoreline that his team will take to the Camp Nou on Tuesday was not dissimilar. Three midfielders sat in front of a back four that put their bodies on the line; there was pace in wide areas, and there was a result that Di Matteo and his players said they were happy with. One thing was clear. Chelsea will sign up for more of the same in Catalonia.

It could be that Chelsea's most realistic route into next season's Champions League lies in them winning the tournament this time out. Although they still have Newcastle United to play at Stamford Bridge, they are running out of opportunities to gatecrash the Premier League's top four.

The frustration, though, belonged to Arsenal. Hard on the heels of Monday's home loss to Wigan Athletic, this was a game that Wenger wanted to win and he felt that his team had the chances to do so. He lamented a "very unfair result" and it seems as though Arsenal are spluttering to the finish, even if they remain the slight favourites to come in behind the Manchester clubs for the final automatic Champions League qualifying berth.

Their trips to Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion, either side of the home game against Norwich City, could feature anxiety.

Wenger complained that his team had been forced to play the role of stooges. "Chelsea adopted the system they played against Barcelona," he said. "They wanted to practice for Tuesday night." But he had other grumbles, which went beyond a strangely disjointed performance from his team.

Robin van Persie, he said, should have had a penalty in the 80th minute when Gary Cahill appeared to shove him, while the clearest chances of a dismal game did fall to those in red, with Van Persie, on his 50th appearance of the season for club and country, curiously off-colour in front of goal. Laurent Koscielny also headed against the crossbar, from Van Persie's chipped free-kick, in the 42nd minute. It spoke volumes for the spectacle that one of the principal talking points was the hamstring injury that Theo Walcott suffered, which forced his withdrawal and will rule him out of Arsenal's remaining matches. Stuart Pearce, the England caretaker manager, who was in the crowd, will hope that the winger can recover in time for Euro 2012, as Wenger predicted he would.

Walcott had felt the hamstring after tracking back in the 57th minute only to carry on after treatment. When he pulled up and collapsed to the turf on the hour, following a forward surge, it was possible to wonder why he had not already been withdrawn or withdrawn himself.

The home crowd were irritated at their team's lack of tempo and inspiration. All of Arsenal's creative talents were under par. With Chelsea massing men behind the ball when they did not have it, it was heavy going, not least for the neutral. What is it about early kick-offs?

Di Matteo's selection had felt a little scratchy, with only three of his line-up certain to start at the Camp Nou – Petr Cech, Cahill and the indefatigable John Terry. It was the substitutes' bench that was well stocked with leading players. Chelsea's ambition was limited but they were compact throughout, with Oriol Romeu, on his first appearance since 5 February, anchoring the narrow midfield trio. Chelsea were happy to try their luck on the counter, and they almost profited in the first half when Salomon Kalou twice got in behind Arsenal.

On the second occasion, Koscielny needed to bail out Wojciech Szczesny, who had bolted from his line while on the first, Kalou felt that he had been tripped by Bacary Sagna. He had not been. But Chelsea had louder shouts for a penalty when Sagna tangled with the onrushing Ryan Bertrand. Chelsea also flickered when Cahill lifted a shot over the crossbar.

Van Persie fluffed his lines from point-blank range in the early running, from Walcott's free-kick, and was spared embarrassment by an erroneously raised offside flag, while he shot straight at Cech before half-time and, as Arsenal summoned a spirited finish, he had a few more sightings. The closest that the visitors came was when Koscielny denied Daniel Sturridge with a saving block.

Chelsea took heart from their resilience. Onward to Barcelona.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 21 Apr 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea match

on whether it was a fair result…
It was a very unfair result but it is a result. I think [we should have had a penalty], I think also we had chances. At the end of the game we had the chances and they had zero. I cannot remember them having one chance. Having said that it was a little bit of a strange game because before the game I thought it would be an open one - we had to win, they had to win. They decided to lock up the game and catch us on the break only, with two wide players who are quick, and Torres.

on his team's performance...
On our side I felt we had a very solid defensive performance. Going forward we didn't find our quick passing game and the regret we have today is that we played offensively with a handbrake and not as clean technically as we can do. That is why we didn't open them up enough. It was a bit similar to what we saw against Wigan and that's a regret I have today. They had three defensive midfielders with Romeu, Malouda and Essien in the middle of the park so it was very difficult to play through there. It was very physical as well. They adopted a little bit the system they played against Barcelona - certainly they wanted to practice for Tuesday night.

on whether tiredness is creeping in…
No, I feel that we were a bit nervous today because we lost against Wigan and you could see it played a part in the fact that we played with the handbrake in the first half. To have an open game the two [teams] must go for it, but Chelsea never came really out.

on Theo Walcott's injury…
It looks like a serious hamstring. First we assessed the hamstring, he wanted to go on and stay on the pitch, and I think he should have gone off straight away because the second time it was a real hamstring [injury]. I think now for him it will be tough to come back before the end of the season. It is usually 21 days [minimum]. He should be OK to play for England - he just will have a good rest. You suddenly become favourite to win the European Championship! But I don't think he will be ready to play for us.

on whether his players were trying too hard…
No, I just felt we were a bit nervous today because we knew we could not afford to lose the game. We didn't pass the ball quickly enough. Chelsea are experienced enough to force you to play the ball where they want you to play it. We couldn't open them up enough and our change of pace in the game wasn't good enough.

on Robin van Persie…
He played his 50th game [of the season] today and he gave absolutely everything again today. He was unlucky in the first half, he had a free kick he deflected and it was a clear-cut chance. Then when he was through I think he rushed his decision making a bit, when he took it with his right foot, because he had Diaby coming in completely on his own. It was not easy for him because he was completely on his own at some stages with not enough support. And he was caught offside one time and I am not sure he was.

on the race for Champions League places…
What it means is that we have to win the rest of our games and we have to look at the results over the weekend as well.

Source: Arsenal.com on 21 Apr 12

21 April 2012: Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea, Emirates Stadium

Arsenal inched closer to Champions League qualification after they drew 0-0 with Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

This game had promised much but, in truth, never really caught light. A much-changed Chelsea edged the first half but it was Arsenal that hit the woodwork through Robin van Persie and Laurent Koscielny.

The home side grew in confidence as the game went on but could not sustain pressure on the visitors’ goal.

They had strong claims for a penalty late on when Van Persie seemed to be pushed over by Gary Cahill. However, referee Mike Dean waved play on.

At the final whistle, the draw left Arsenal six points ahead of Spurs and Newcastle, in fourth and fifth places, having played two games more.

It is building up to be a tense finale in the race for the top four. Wenger’s men, however, have the points and therefore the advantage.

The manager made four changes from the side beaten 2-1 by Wigan on Monday – two tactical alterations in defence and two enforced ones in midfield.

Laurent Koscielny and Kieran Gibbs replaced Johan Djourou and Andre Santos at centre back and left back respectively.

Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came in for Mikel Arteta (ankle) and Yossi Benayoun (ineligible) through the middle.

If Wenger was tweaking his side, Roberto Di Matteo gave his major surgery. Chelsea were amid a run of four major games in three different competitions over 10 days.

That explained his eight changes from the midweek win over Barcelona. Only Petr Cech, Cahill and John Terry were retained, however, most of the big guns were on the bench.

Still, there was no sign of fatigue in Chelsea early on. In fact they were probably the brighter outfit in the opening 10 minutes but had nothing to show for it.

The first chance fell to Arsenal – and it nearly saw them take the lead. In the 13th minute, Oxlade-Chamberlain was clipped outside the area and Walcott floated the subsequent free-kick to the far post. Van Persie darted in and flicked the ball against the base of the post.

It was a huge chance and against the run of play. Chelsea were the better side and Salomon Kalou was their best outlet. He set up Fernando Torres, whose shot was blocked, and midway through the half then nearly profited when Wojciech Szczesny mistimed his rush out of the area.

Up to this point, Arsenal had not been fluid and were struggling to retain pressure going forward. Chelsea were hardly ripping through the home side but they had a significant edge territorially.

However, three minutes from half time, Arsenal would again create a chance that would rattle the post. Once more, the genesis of the chance came when Oxlade-Chamberlain was fouled. Van Persie floated in the free-kick and Koscielny emerged unmarked to guide a header against the bar.

Suddenly the game found a spark. Cahill headed over from a corner but Arsenal broke forward and Alex Song found Van Persie in space on the left.

The captain’s fierce shot was beaten away by Cech at the near post.

It was perhaps Arsenal’s brightest spell of the first half. But they knew they had to do better in the second period.

The home side started with intent but the game soon returned to the stodgy morass seen throughout the opening period.

Defeat would be a huge blow to both sides and they seemed cautious of making the first mistake.

Stalemate was the result.

On the hour, Wenger brought on Gervinho for Theo Walcott, who had already been down needing treatment. When the England international went down again, the switch was made. Walcott went off hobbling.

The Arsenal manager followed that almost immediately by taking off Tomas Rosicky for Abou Diaby. It was the French midfielder’s fourth appearance of the season – all as a substitute.

Arsenal were looking a little more lively now. Van Persie fired over twice – from a long-range free-kick and a high, hanging cross by Ramsey.

Wenger’s final change saw Andre Santos replace Oxlade-Chamberlain on the left.

Gervinho and Van Persie set up Diaby, whose goalbound effort was blocked. Arsenal also had a decent claim for a penalty when Cahill appeared to bundled over the Dutchman in the six-yard box.

The home side were ending the game on top. Van Persie slashed a shot wide and then saw Cech block his effort at the near post.

A game that had been so cagey for so long opened up at the end but neither side could break the deadlock.

Arsenal can take solace from the fact that they have taken four points from Manchester City and Chelsea at home – the two biggest names on their run-in agenda.

However, Wenger’s men still have work to do to secure their place in next season’s Champions League.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 21 Apr 12

Will English clubs' Champions League failure be a passing phase?

Chelsea and Arsenal's expected failure to reach the Champions League last eight could mark a low ebb in English football

The vultures are beginning to circle over the stumbling, disorganised remnants of Premier League participation in Europe's major club competition, waiting for the moment when life can be pronounced extinct and the bones of a once thriving enterprise can be picked clean, probably prior to being danced over.

In case you haven't heard, should Arsenal and Chelsea fail to overcome their first-leg deficits against Italian opponents when the Champions League resumes next month, English football will not have a side in the last eight for the first time since its formation 1996. Sixteen years is a long time, especially when English clubs have reached the final on no fewer than eight occasions in that period, and even if the actual success rate (three European Cups) was slightly disappointing the rest of Europe seems totally delighted now that the Premier League is in danger of losing its superior smirk.

Never mind that Chelsea and Arsenal still have microscopically small chances of making progress. The rest of Europe has just seen Chelsea and Arsenal in action, and judgment need not wait until elimination becomes a mathematical certainty. By Champions League standards, indeed by the standards of previous English attempts on Europe's summit, these are two poor sides. One can only imagine a certain amount of confusion exists in continental Europe as to how Chelsea and Arsenal ended up as the last two English representatives. If the last two are that bad, does it follow that Manchester City and Manchester United are even worse?

Not necessarily. City in particular were both inexperienced and unlucky enough to find themselves in a highly competitive group, not to mention handicapped by recalcitrant substitutes. But City were never going to win the Champions League this year, even Roberto Mancini would tell you that. They never had the same amount of wind in their sails that Tottenham Hotspur had last season, and though they would have liked to make it out of their qualification group, they would inevitably have found the going tough in the latter stages at a time when all their concentration needs to be on their bid to secure a first domestic title in 44 years.

A fact much harder to face is that United were never going to win the Champions League this year either. Reaching two of the last three finals counts for nothing when you have been so thoroughly outplayed by the same team in each, and though all at Old Trafford would strenuously deny it, the possibility exists that confidence, perhaps at some subconscious level, was irreparably damaged by the two crushing Barcelona defeats. It is hard to think of other reasons why a team of United's experience and pedigree should come up short against the likes of Basel and Benfica, and a number of supporters are consoling themselves with the thought that as long as Barcelona are still at large there is little point in fighting all the way to the final anyway. That is an understandable reaction, though a somewhat flattering one. Barcelona are far from the only team in Europe who now look quite uncatchable to English sides. Real Madrid, Milan and Bayern Munich, if not a few others, all look capable of beating United at the moment, and by extension anyone else from the Premier League.

So English football, or at least the product produced by mostly foreign players and managers from the English Premier League, is not as strong as it used to be. The evidence is clear. We appear to be a footballing nation in decline, except that one year may not be representative of the overall situation. There was an English team in the final last season after all, and two more reached the last eight. The question now is how strong Premier League teams are going to be in the Champions League next year. Maybe Chelsea or Arsenal or even both will miss out, and on recent evidence that may be no bad thing. But who will replace them? Spurs are in prime position, though it is difficult to say who will be managing Spurs next season.

It will be a pity, from a club point of view, should Harry Redknapp accept the England position, because as Sir Alex Ferguson says, he has put together a very attractive team at White Hart Lane. Without the England distraction Spurs would ordinarily have been looking forward to using the experience gained last season and having a real go at the Champions League, a prospect that seems infinitely preferable to having Redknapp attempt to persuade Paul Scholes out of retirement for a World Cup qualifier in Moldova. It is up to Redknapp to decide what is the grander destiny, but anyone neutral in the matter would not take long to conclude that Spurs have a far greater capacity for attacking, exciting football than England, and there is no guarantee that the next manager will be able to maintain the club's momentum.

In terms of renewing the English challenge in Europe then, there is already a question mark over Spurs. There is a question over Liverpool too, because they may not be able to qualify. There is some doubt over whether Liverpool would cause many problems for the big names of Europe when they keep ceding points to the likes of Fulham, Norwich City and Swansea City, though the recent elimination of the two Manchester clubs from the two domestic cups gave a better indication of what they are capable of when the occasion arises. Liverpool have always shown great stickability in Europe – their 2005 triumph was not just a miracle in Istanbul, they were written off at almost every stage preceding the final – and few English clubs have ever proved more adept at the art of winning over two legs. Yet unless their league form improves they will have to wait another year, and anything can happen in that time period.

The only other breakthrough contenders, unless Martin O'Neill is about to whisk Sunderland all the way into the top four, are Newcastle United. Stranger things have happened, though not many, and with due respect to Alan Pardew's achievements the reality appears to be that the two Manchester clubs and Spurs will take the top three positions, leaving Chelsea and Arsenal to fight over fourth spot. Only in the event of complete collapse from both will anyone else get a look-in, and though Chelsea and Arsenal look as if they may have some more collapsing to do, it will be a surprise if both manage to mess up the rest of the season badly enough to miss out.

That's not a very encouraging picture, is it? United, Chelsea and Arsenal have failed to scare Europe this season and have given little indication that things are going to be much better next time round. City might be all right, depending on how well things go for the rest of this season, but are short of Champions League experience and are beginning to be hampered by the financial fair play rules. Spurs could be just about the best bet, but must be wishing Carlo Ancelotti was still available for a seamless takeover should Redknapp say goodbye.

The bottom line is that it is hard to see Chelsea or Arsenal improving significantly in Europe next season. Both seem to be due a major shakeup. United also seem to be battling on rather than blazing any new trails of glory, and though it could be argued a major shakeup at Old Trafford is long overdue, the owners and long-serving manager seem content with the present conservative policy. United could easily improve on this season's performance in Europe – it is hard to see them doing any worse – but they have not progressed in recent years as much as other top sides in the Champions League. City and Spurs both have plenty of room for improvement, but plenty of scope for all manner of unexpected things to go wrong. While it would be great to predict that English clubs will be back with a bang in Europe next year, the reality is that it could be another whimper.

Source: Paul Wilson, The Guardian on 22 Feb 12

Arsenal and Chelsea may struggle to tame shrewd Serie A teams

The resurgence of Italian clubs in the Champions League has coincided with a blossoming of imaginative coaches

It is peculiar to find that the Serie A sides have an element of surprise in their repertoire. After all, Italian football has often been synonymous with excellence, as well as a little cunning to add a tang to the sophistication. Few expected them to outnumber the English clubs in the last 16 of the Champions League. Indeed this is the first time it has happened in a round of the tournament that replaced the dreary, second group phase for the 2003-04 campaign.

It might be a statistical quirk, but there was nothing freakish about, say, Napoli drawing with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium this season and then beating them at the Stadio San Paolo in group stage matches that did much to eliminate Roberto Mancini's side from the tournament. The Serie A club, managed by Walter Mazzarri, were never behind in either game.

Napoli's encounter with Chelsea begins next week and Arsenal, on Wednesday, have first to take on Milan at San Siro. There is encouragement in the fact that the Premier League clubs each topped their group to secure home advantage for the return leg, but the possibility exists that there will be no English participants in the quarter-finals. No one can claim that Chelsea or Arsenal have exercised much authority on the domestic front.

That aspect does at least add to the intrigue of the Champions League and a resurgence by Italian teams is welcome since the Champions League badly needs more diversity in its latter stages. It cannot come as a shock that Serie A has a leading role once more, but the circumstances are radically altered. Although Internazionale, under José Mourinho's management, were champions of Europe as recently as 2010 and retain many of the players involved then, there is less bombast now that owners have to fret more than ever about funding.

The turmoil in the Eurozone will do some harm even to a trading partner such as the United Kingdom that lies outside it, but apprehension is far more marked on the continent.

Financial constraints prevent much of the exuberant spending that once seemed to characterise owners such as Silvio Berlusconi at Milan. If any counterpart exists now it would be Sheikh Mansour and the extraordinary outlay he has authorised for Manchester City, but that was surely being done to make an impact in the period before the forthcoming financial fair play regulations take effect.

If wealth can, in practice, be kept at bay it will be richness of imagination in coaches and managers that is the greatest affluence. Some are well-accustomed to those strictures and it hardly seems to occur to Sir Alex Ferguson that he ought be able to go on a spree at a club of Manchester United's means and global popularity. Parsimony, of course, was not quite so much in favour with the crowd after their side was edged out of the Champions League by Basel.

Even so, we may be entering the era when the richness of a manager's thinking is the true opulence.

Luis Enrique, with his 62 caps for Spain, might have been viewed as a permanent member of the elite, but, in practice, he devoted the best part of three seasons to managing the Barcelona B team. That paved the way for him to take charge of Roma this season.

He may not have conquered Serie A immediately, but his side, in sixth place, are only a point behind Internazionale. Indeed those opponents were recently crushed 4-0 by Roma. There is, too, an emphasis on the evaluation of players, with the winger Rodrigo Taddei converted to full-back. By the same token, someone like Fabio Borini, once on Chelsea's books, has had an increased impact since joining Roma where his goals led to a permanent transfer for some £4m being agreed with Parma last month.

The economics are affecting football, but it at least means that there is little to be taken for granted. Acumen can be sensed anywhere, but Serie A football in particular, once known for an extravagance verging on exhibitionism, now appears to draw more on prudence. In a different form, such shrewdness will make life difficult for Arsenal and Chelsea.

Source: Kevin McCarra, The Guardian on 13 Feb 12

London and Manchester: a tale of two cities dominating the Premier League

Twenty years on the top flight has turned many former big hitters into small-town clubs

Every time the hype and anticipation surrounding Spain's El Clásico series of grudge matches starts up in earnest, as it did last week for Barcelona's 2–1 Copa del Rey defeat of Real Madrid, it is remarked rather smugly in this country that at least the Premier League can boast more than two teams capable of winning the title.

That is still just about true, though by common consent – Roberto Mancini, Sir Alex Ferguson, André Villas-Boas and a few others – the number presently stands at three. Viz, the two Manchester sides and Tottenham Hotspur, and even that number may reduce should City open up an eight-point gap over Spurs on Sunday afternoon. The rest of the chasers are already looking at an even bigger chasm to bridge, and as the Manchester United manager said last weekend it would take a collapse by all three teams at the top of the table to give Chelsea and Arsenal a glimmer of hope.

Three teams is only slightly better than two, though what the Premier League can rejoice in and La Liga cannot is that two of those three names are new. Manchester City have not won a league title since 1968, have had 22 managers since Joe Mercer, have been all the way to the third tier of English football and back and were everyone's favourite joke club until three or four years ago. Spurs have never quite gone in for comedy to the same extent but you could have raised a laugh just a few seasons ago with the notion that they would be leading London's challenge for the title with Chelsea and Arsenal floundering in their wake.

So the argument that the Premier League is more competitive than La Liga is not without merit, particularly as Arsenal and Chelsea are still in the Champions League and are still capable of mounting a convincing domestic challenge most seasons, and not forgetting it is less than a month since the bottom-placed team rather grandly prevented United ascending to the top of the table by beating them 3-2 at Old Trafford. There is more to English football than a rivalry between two teams, as is the rather unhealthy case in Spain, though increasingly the Premier League is becoming a tale of two cities.

Consider the facts. In the 20 years of its history, the Premier League has been won only once by a team from outside London or Manchester, and unless Liverpool or Newcastle are going to be absolutely amazing in the coming months, this season will conform to the usual pattern. The only exception to the rule, Blackburn under Jack Walker and Kenny Dalglish, was 18 years ago and acknowledged even at the time to be a one-off, never to be repeated achievement. In the first year of the Premier League Aston Villa were runners-up and Norwich finished third. The next few years saw Blackburn, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Leeds claim what might be termed podium finishes, though since the turn of the century the London-Manchester duopoly has tightened its grip. Only Liverpool, runners-up twice and in third place three times, have managed to get a look-in at the top in the past 11 years, apart from Newcastle, who managed third place in 2003. That means, of 33 possible podium places, only six have ended up outside London or Manchester since the 2000-01 season.

Liverpool and Newcastle, as it happens, are still the likeliest challengers to the duopoly, though not so likely that London or Manchester need be worried. At least not the leading teams in London and Manchester. Arsenal and Chelsea will be well aware that fourth place is still up for grabs, and Liverpool supporters in particular confident that once a toehold in Europe has been gained it can be used as a springboard to much greater glory. But as things stand Dalglish has yet to reverse the slow decline that has been his club's story since they won their last title 22 years ago, and Newcastle have still to prove they can match the standards set under Kevin Keegan and Bobby Robson.

Elsewhere, however, the wastage is even worse. Everton and Leeds, among the last winners of the old First Division title, have slipped well out of contention. Leeds, like Nottingham Forest, have even slipped the odd division. Aston Villa have more in common with Midlands neighbours Wolves and West Brom in fearing relegation more than aspiring to achievement, three Lancashire clubs could easily be relegated – not that Blackburn, Bolton or Wigan have been doing much of late at the other end of the table – and although a certain level of success can presently be claimed at Stoke, Sunderland, Norwich and Swansea it is on a regional rather than national scale. That is not to denigrate the considerable achievements of Tony Pulis, Martin O'Neill, Paul Lambert and Brendan Rodgers, just to point out that it will be a while before they are acclaimed outside the Premier League.

Abroad used to be that England was a country with an astonishing number of professional clubs and an incredible depth to its league system. That largely remains the case, though it is being obscured by the view that London and Manchester are synonymous with English success. The rest of the world can just about grasp that London, as a major capital and population centre, can contain a bewildering number of professional teams, though Spurs joining Arsenal and Chelsea in the Champions League bracket gives it an unusual potency. Manchester is a provincial city – that's why both its teams carry its name – and although United's unparalleled success in the last couple of decades has been the single biggest factor in shutting out the rest of the country, City's wealth now seems likely to continue the process.

For how long is anyone's guess, but the predictions made at the beginning of the Premier League, that it would eventually work against small-town teams and favour big clubs from big cities, appear to be coming true. It is just that 20 years ago no one had Liverpool and Birmingham or Newcastle, Sheffield and Leeds down as small towns. And no one imagined the number of big cities would be just two.

This afternoon's big matches – City v Spurs, Arsenal v United – would have been pretty big at most points in the game's history. London v Manchester has always been a rivalry within the overall context of English football, but where it used to be a subplot, it is now the whole story. It is true that more teams are involved in England, and there is comfort in that, but the situation is not so far removed from Spain that the Premier League can afford to feel smugness or superiority.

Source: Paul Wilson, The Guardian on 21 Jan 12

2011 Review: Arsenal’s 10 defining moments

Optimism abounds as Arsenal’s year draws to a close but there have been numerous peaks and troughs along the way. As 2012 edges closer we look back at some of the defining moments from an extraordinary 12 months for the Club.

DECEMBER 10 - THE CLUB'S 125 CELEBRATIONS
Arsenal celebrated their 125th anniversary by paying tribute to heroes past and present on an emotional day at the Emirates. After unveiling statues of Herbert Chapman, Thierry Henry and Tony Adams, the Club welcomed Everton for the commemorative game. A number of Arsenal legends were presented to a packed stadium, referee Howard Webb used a sixpence to decide the kick-off and the great grandchildren of Club founder David Danskin took out the match ball. To cap off a memorable occasion for everyone associated with the Gunners, Van Persie fired in a sublime volley to claim three points for Wenger’s side.

OCTOBER 29 - CHELSEA 3-5 ARSENAL
The Gunners’ revival had started to build momentum after four successive victories, but the acid test of how far they had progressed would come at Stamford Bridge. Despite trailing 2-1 at half time, a reinvigorated Arsenal stormed out after the break to take the lead through goals from Santos and Walcott, before Mata fired in a late equaliser. However, a Terry slip gifted Van Persie the chance to put Wenger’s men ahead again, and the Dutch striker completed a wonderful hat trick with a last-gasp strike. Arsenal truly were back.

SEPTEMBER 25 - ARSENAL LADIES COMPLETE THE TREBLE
Laura Harvey’s side secured an historic Treble with a 4-1 victory against Birmingham City in the Continental Cup after goals from Ellen White, Jayne Ludlow and a Rachel Yankey brace. In an incredible season, Arsenal beat Birmingham to the Super League title by three points and won the FA Women’s Cup too. “These are really exciting times - we have a batch of young players who have stepped up this season and they will get better and better,” Harvey said.

AUGUST 30/31 - WENGER'S LATE SUMMER SIGNINGS
With the clock ticking down to the transfer deadline, Wenger made a number of late moves. The signings of Santos, Mertesacker, Arteta, Benayoun and Park - all full internationals – immediately injected greater depth and experience to Arsenal’s squad and led to a major upturn in form as the team climbed the table.

AUGUST 28 - MANCHESTER UNITED 8-2 ARSENAL
An injury-hit, depleted Arsenal side suffered the worst defeat of Wenger’s reign at Old Trafford. Despite the painful nature of the result, the Gunners’ travelling fans were widely praised for their vociferous support. Afterwards, Wenger admitted his squad was short in key areas, prompting him to re-enter the transfer market.

AUGUST 15-24 - CESC FABREGAS AND SAMIR NASRI LEAVE
After long-term speculation over his future, Fabregas returned Barcelona just two days after the start of the new season. The Spaniard made 303 appearances for the Club after joining in 2003, scoring 57 goals, and is widely regarded as having developed into one of the world’s best midfielders under Wenger’s tutelage. A week later Nasri also left the Emirates, moving to Manchester City in a big-money deal.

APRIL ONWARDS - STAN KROENKE INCREASES MAJORITY SHAREHOLDING
An Arsenal director since September 2008, Mr Kroenke made an offer for the Club in April. He had increased his majority shareholding to 66.64 per cent by June and it now stands at 66.82 per cent. Mr Kroenke purchased the shares of Danny Fiszman, shortly before the long-serving director’s tragic death at the age of 66 in April.

FEBRUARY 27 - ARSENAL 1-2 BIRMINGHAM
Wenger’s side were heavy favourites to win their first trophy in six years against struggling Birmingham in the Carling Cup Final, but they went behind to Zigic’s 28th-minute strike. Van Persie restored parity on the stroke of half-time with a sublime volley, but much as Arsenal pressed in the second half, they could not break down the stubborn Blues. With the game seemingly destined for extra-time, a defensive mix-up gifted Martins a heartbreaking late winner. It proved to be a turning point, as the Gunners won just three times in their last 14 games.

FEBRUARY 16 - ARSENAL 2-1 BARCELONA
Coming just 11 days after the result at St James’ Park, few gave Arsenal much hope against the imperious Catalans in their Champions League last-16 first leg. David Villa fired Barcelona in front after 26 minutes but the resilient Gunners refused to buckle. With Jack Wilshere in dominant form, Wenger’s side stormed back to claim a famous victory with goals from Van Persie and Arshavin. The Gunners went on to lose the second leg at the Nou Camp but proved they could beat the cream of Europe.

FEBRUARY 5 - NEWCASTLE 4-4 ARSENAL
Arsène Wenger’s side raced into a four-goal lead after just 26 minutes following strikes from Walcott, Djourou and a Van Persie brace. But Djourou’s injury and Diaby’s sending off five minutes after the break changed the course of the game and Newcastle took advantage to complete a late comeback in a result that showed both the best and the worst of the Gunners.

Source: Rob Kelly, Arsenal.com on 30 Dec 11

Chelsea on message but André Villas-Boas needs to work on method

If Chelsea's adaptation to all that André Villas-Boas aspires to was expected to be seamless, then it has not taken long for a sense of realism to set in. Life under him will clearly be illuminating at times, the football refreshingly attack-minded and exhilarating when it clicks, but there will be occasions such as this when his team become unstitched.

This derby was thrilling, though the majesty of the occasion was lost on the defeated as they trudged from the turf at the end. Chelsea have suffered in riotous collisions with Manchester United and now Arsenal this season despite the fact that, in both contests with rival contenders, they have scintillated. Profligacy has undermined them where they might have run up cricket scores yet, ultimately, the focus has been drawn away from the chances spurned to those conceded. This is a forward-thinking side whose desire to pour forward leaves them open and, against better opposition, alarmingly vulnerable.

Villas-Boas is attempting to implement the style and tactics that proved so successful in his only full season as a manager, a glittering campaign at Porto that yielded every major trophy available, but the demands for a high defensive line and a disciplined pressing approach to regain the ball are still being digested by this squad of players.

Their style, with Ashley Cole and José Bosingwa as auxiliary attackers and those in the centre asked to shield and cover, hassle and harry when out of possession, can appear naive when opponents rip through on the break as often as Arsenal did on Saturday. The philosophy is admirable and entertaining, whether it thrives or not; it is the implementation that on occasion has let Chelsea down to date.

The technical staff will have been privately uncomfortable when concentration wavered in midfield, with players caught out of position or drawn into areas that left team-mates exposed. Villas-Boas insisted after Chelsea's first five-goal concession in this stadium since Liverpool won 5-2 in 1989 that he was not one for changing.

"The results [in the Premier League this season] reflect how chaotic the game is and how beautiful it is at the same time," he said. "For the neutrals it is a good spectacle. For supporters of that team, you want to play beautiful football and win. So we need to get the two together.

"We created enough chances to win but we have to try to find the efficiency to win. We shouldn't turn things around. This is the route we are taking and we want to do the things properly. The players have talent and they enjoy it. So we will try to get things right. Everyone is praising a strong, attacking team like Manchester City and we are exactly the same."

City, however, tend to benefit from the presence of two defensively-minded midfield sitters who grant their forward line more freedom to dazzle. Mikel John Obi has actually felt more effective on occasion this season but contests against the best tend to leave him outnumbered and bypassed. There may be a logic to employing Oriol Romeu, whose cameos have been impressive, alongside the Nigerian in key games to come.

Similarly, with Alex having failed to convince and David Luiz prone to meander upfield, the management might seek to add more steel to the ranks at centre-half in January – or at least players who are more familiar to the demands now being placed on them. At most clubs this might be considered a season of transition but Chelsea are not known for patience.

The true balance Villas-Boas has to strike is between implementing his ideas while also maintaining challenges on all fronts. Had this been a Champions League match against Barcelona, Chelsea would have been out of the competition.

As it is, their powers of recovery will be tested. Arsenal were as fragile defensively here but they were less profligate up front and that covered their deficiencies. In Robin van Persie they had the game's outstanding forward – Fernando Torres was desperately quiet in comparison – while Aaron Ramsey emerged to eclipse Frank Lampard as the game's creator-in-chief. All the goals were superbly executed but still owed something to defensive chaos, with the exception perhaps of Juan Mata's superb third which might normally have been disallowed after Romelu Lukaku blocked André Santos.

That restoration of parity at 3-3 had briefly hinted at a late onslaught from Chelsea only for John Terry's scriptwriters to veer off course. The captain's goal on the stroke of half-time had suggested strength of character, an unwillingness to bend under the weight of the allegations of racism that are under investigation by the Football Association. Instead Florent Malouda's routine back-pass prompted panic and the England centre-half first stumbled, then sank to the ground as Van Persie raced away to round Petr Cech and restore Arsenal's lead.

The image of Terry prostrate on the turf rather summed up what this occasion had become. Villas-Boas has not suffered successive league defeats since his Academica side succumbed to Porto and Guimarães in March 2010. But, while Blackburn Rovers await at Ewood Park on Saturday, it is the contests with Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur over the next six weeks that may prove more definitive. Adaptation needs to be accelerated.

Source: Dominic Fifield, The Guardian on 30 Oct 11

The efficient Arsenal front line made more of the high back lines

Both sides squeezed the centre of the pitch, leaving space behind, but the Arsenal strikers took better advantage of it

This was a helter-skelter occasion, a game of huge excitement with all caution thrown to the wind, and at its conclusion the professor had gazumped the apprentice. Yet the thrill this match provided was encouraged throughout by naive defending from both sides. On the day, the efficiency of Arsenal's forwards better masked their own team's defensive vulnerability. Chelsea missed their opportunities and paid the price.

It was the eagerness of both sides to play such high defensive lines that opened this contest up. Arsenal set that tone early on, with Per Mertesacker squeezing the play to keep Fernando Torres further away from goal and, in doing so, ensure the distances between the visitors' backline, midfield and frontline stayed relatively short. The upside of the tactic was that the visitors were never strung out and, when possession was regained, they were close to each other to support. The flip side, though, was the pockets of space left between defenders and the acres behind them that Chelsea's forwards sought to exploit.

A sharper home attack would have punished the Arsenal bravery. They ran invitingly and unopposed behind Arsenal's full-backs in the contest's opening minutes and might have established a healthy early lead. It was a dangerous tactic for Arsenal to adopt, given that top-quality players, given a fraction of a second, can time a pass to perfection and send team-mates bearing down on goal. Mertesacker might have preferred to have sat deeper among his back four. Yet he was spared at times here because Daniel Sturridge seemed uncertain of touch, Torres was passive and Juan Mata was unable to command the ball enough to dictate the proceedings.

But Chelsea too, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, played high and left space behind, which Theo Walcott, in particular, relished. The England winger ran merrily beyond Ashley Cole (see diagram), his accurate selection of pass a pleasing improvement. The opportunities passed up by Gervinho and Robin van Persie in the opening 15 minutes were an indication of how open Chelsea were, with Walcott outpacing Cole at will. When playing such a high line, there must always be pressure exerted on the player in possession who is seeking to thread the ball through. It said a lot for Aaron Ramsey's performance that, after the interval in particular, he was able to escape the attentions of Mikel John Obi when Arsène Wenger pushed the Welshman further forward to contribute telling passes.

With Alex Song holding, Ramsey was better able to express himself; his is an old head on young shoulders, twisting and turning, with his timing of the pass spot on. Given responsibility, and now injury-free, Ramsey could prove inspirational. Gervinho was bright and worked hard, offering Van Persie strong support on the inside of José Bosingwa. In the end, it was the efficiency of Arsenal's forwards, who took their chances better than their hosts, that claimed victory. The willingness to play high made this a refreshing occasion, one that I'd predicted might end in a 4-4 draw after that frantic opening five minutes. That, in the end, did not prove to be too far out.

Source: David Pleat, The Guardian on 30 Oct 11

That's why we keep the faith

There have too many occasions in 2011 that Arsenal fans have been annoyed, frustrated, embarrassed, disillusioned, or have strongly questioned the most successful manager in our history. Often those frustrations and questions have been justified, and many, myself included, thought we were seeing the beginning of an inglorious end to Arsene Wenger’s reign as Arsenal manager.

I wrote on this blog earlier in the season that I was desperate for Wenger to turn things around because of how much he gives and cares for the club. We saw on Saturday at Stamford Bridge, that he’s far from done as Arsenal manager. Our eighth win in nine games confirmed this new team under Wenger are on the right track to salvage something from a season that looked set to be a train wreck.

Everything still isn’t perfect, we can still be defensively vulnerable, we’re still outside the top four and we drew Manchester City in the Carling Cup quarter finals, but we have pride, confidence and some real belief in this team now. The target is still the top four, suggestions that we’re now back in the title race are slightly far-fetched, but it appears the 8-2 at Manchester United can now be written off as a massive blip, and a result that wasn’t terminal for Arsenal Football Club. Lesser men and lesser clubs would have crumbled after the start to the season we had, so far it seems that doesn’t apply to Arsene and Arsenal.

So often in recent years we’ve come out of big games with some credit for playing some nice football, but haven’t converted that into a win. We did that on Saturday. After our recent improvement, we needed to send a statement out to the rest of the league that we were competitive again by beating a big team. We did that on Saturday.

It was a phenomenal football match and there is so much you could analyse from it. However pushing aside the technical aspect of the game, what was fantastic was the spirit from Arsenal. I’ve mentioned it after games recently that the team seem more together and willing to fight for each other, and it showed on Saturday. When you consider the squad has only really been together for two months, the way they’ve bonded and come together is to Arsene Wenger’s great credit. You only needed to see the celebrations at the end of the game to see how much it meant to all of them. Whilst we’re still arguably down on quality, the spirit, effort and commitment from the players is as good as it’s been for quite a few seasons.

The first half was worrying as both full backs, Djourou and Santos, looked vulnerable, and we missed a couple of great chances going forward. However the signs were there that if we could tighten up the defence, we’d make chances at the other end with the way Chelsea were defending.

Our first goal saw us rip Chelsea open in a style we haven’t seen since Bergkamp and co. in 2004. The pass from Ramsey was excellent, and Gervinho was calm in setting up van Persie. Both Gervinho and van Persie should have scored before that in moves that made massive holes in the Blues’ backline.

When Chelsea had the ball in the first half, we stood off them too much and allowed them time to pick out runners and move with the ball. That was clearly addressed at half time by Arsene Wenger, as we were much improved in the second half.

Andre Santos typified the difference in halves. Frankly, he had a torrid first 45 and a lot of fans would have wanted Thomas Vermaelen on. However there’s something about Arsenal left backs and scoring at Stamford Bridge. Think Nigel Winterburn and Silvinho, and now add Andre Santos. We won the ball back from applying pressure at a throw, Song played a fantastic ball, and Santos showed great composure to slot home. I don’t know where Chelsea right back Bosingwa, as he wasn’t where he should have been, but who cares? Santos spotted the opportunity, timed his run well and deserved his celebratory dance.

Another man who upped his game was Theo Walcott. Maybe he should face Ashley Cole every week, as the last two occasions he’s faced him, Walcott has destroyed everyone’s least favourite ex-Gunner. I’m not sure how he made his run work after falling over, but it fooled Chelsea, and his finish was fantastic. We love seeing anyone run Ashley Cole ragged, the challenge for Theo is to do it to whoever he’s up against every week, as Saturday was a reminder that he can be a great player.

As I’ve mentioned Ashley Cole, it would be wrong not to touch on Wojciech Szczesny’s challenge on him in the second half. I was very worried when he did it, but Koscielny was getting back quickly enough to put doubt in the referee’s mind about sending Szczesny off. After he only got a yellow, I’m sure many Gooners deep down loved seeing the Pole clatter into Cole. He got seriously Wojciech-ed.

In the second half, as much as I was full of nerves, we controlled the game quite well. Szczesny wasn’t tested too much, until Mata’s long range strike. It just seemed like another case of a player scoring a wonder goal in a big game against Arsenal. My mind went back to Essien doing something similar a few years ago at Stamford Bridge. Although at 3-3 with ten to go, Robin van Persie had barely got going.

Our fourth goal is something I can watch again, and again, and again, and probably again and it’ll still be absolutely hilarious. You often need some luck to win big games, something that we’ve arguably not had in recent times, but we got some with Malouda’s back pass and John Terry’s slip. It’s not just how the goal happened, it’s who slipped over. John Terry has been annoying football fans up and down the country for years, so I’m sure it wasn’t just Arsenal fans that had more than a chuckle when it happened. Once he was one-on-one with Cech, there was no way Robin van Persie was going to miss.

Having got the lead, I immediately assumed we’d throw it away somehow; this was still Arsenal we were watching. However we were composed at the back in the final minutes, Koscielny had another very good game, and then wrapped it up on the counter attack. With just a one goal lead, we probably shouldn’t have had so many players rushing forward, but the move was well executed, and Robin van Persie scored the pick of his hat-trick with another wave of his wand of a left foot.

With Robin van Persie, I’m not getting tired of mentioning him on this blog every week. He is a phenomenal striker. I am getting tired of some still arguing that Arsenal are a one-man team, as every great side needs someone to score a load of goals. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that, in our recent trophyless years, we’ve rarely had a player score more than 20 goals in a season for us. We’ve still got to create the chance for Robin, it just helps that he is finishing them so well.

The midfield were very good again in helping the team tick over. Aaron Ramsey has grown massively in confidence since his goal against Marseille, whilst Mikel Arteta is getting through a lot of unseen hard work. Although it could be argued he should have done better with Chelsea’s third goal, Wojciech Szczesny continues to endear himself to Arsenal fans. As well as the Ashley Cole takedown, go and watch back Daniel Sturridge’s disallowed goal. Szczesny’s reaction afterwards is brilliant.

In the context of the league table, it was a massive victory. We’re now seventh, but are just three points off Chelsea and can sniff the top four again. Plus we’ve almost wiped out the goal difference from Old Trafford.

Regardless of how bad Chelsea’s defending was, the records tell you how impressive it is to go and score five at Stamford Bridge. The way this team was a little over two months ago, one goal in this game would barely have seemed feasible.

We move onto Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday, knowing a win will secure qualification for the knockout stages. The team will be full of confidence, and getting qualification out of the way will really help later in the year.

We have to guard against any possibility of complacency and treat the game as a completely fresh start. As much as we’re basking in the glory of Saturday, and trust me us Gooners are doing some serious basking, the players have to be ready to put in the same levels of effort and commitment that has brought the recent improvement. Marseille will probably try and keep it tight, so we’ll need to show some creativity to open them up, and if we give Robin van Persie any sniff of the goal, we’ve got a good chance of winning.

The 8-2 was a fairly grim time to be an Arsenal fan, but the team have quietly worked hard, become a strong collective unit and provided the travelling Arsenal fans (who were superb by the way) a memorable day at Stamford Bridge. Arsene Wenger took a big gamble, by his standards, with all the signings on deadline day, and so far that gamble is paying off. I’m loving the work of the new players, I’m loving the spirit within the club, I’m loving the attitude of the players, I’m loving the effort and desire to play for the Arsenal, I’m loving Robin van Persie, I’m loving that Arsene Wenger isn’t finished yet and I’m loving that there is some positivity around the Arsenal again. Saturday was proof that with Wenger in charge, it’s always worth keeping the faith.

This has to be the base. We have to build on this result and get ourselves back up into the top four.

That’s enough from me, I’m off to practise the Santos samba shuffle whilst trying not to slip over…………

Source: Sam Limbert, ESPN Soccernet on 31 Oct 11

John Terry is fall guy in Chelsea's comedy of errors against Arsenal

André Villas-Boas threw a protective shield around John Terry, only for his captain's renowned resilience to desert him

Innocent until proven guilty of a racial slur against Anton Ferdinand, John Terry could safely be condemned for his part in a dreadful display by Chelsea's defenders as the English game's elite laid on another circus.

After Manchester United 8 Arsenal 2 and Manchester United 1 Manchester City 6, Chelsea conceded five at home for the first time in the Premier League. The tactic of being nicer and nicer about Terry as the week wore on brought no reward for André Villas-Boas, the Chelsea manager, who shielded him from public suspicion, but could not protect him from Robin van Persie, who destroyed the hosts with two memorable late goals.

"Racist, racist," Arsenal fans chanted at Terry after half an hour, raising the stakes from intermittent booing. "There's only one England captain," the Chelsea crowd responded. Stamford Bridge has served for many years as the private theatre in which Terry plays out his troubles. The saga with Wayne Bridge's ex that caused him to lose the England captaincy was a Mills and Boon plot compared to the storms of the past week, in which Terry admitted using the phrase "fucking black cunt", but claims he did so only to deny using it in the first place against Ferdinand.

As I typed those vile words here, a black member of Chelsea's staff arrived at the work station, thus adding to the uncomfortable and unreal sense that pervaded Stamford Bridge all day. There was no clear way to address the fall-out from Loftus Road last Sunday, when Chelsea lost to Queens Park Rangers, but it could be felt everywhere, from the presence of so many black players on the field of play to Villas-Boas's clipped response to questions on the issue: "For me, it was never a situation. It's an FA investigation so let them investigate."

Terry came through the press room looking weary and dispirited. He awaits the outcome of police and Football Association investigations into his conduct last weekend, which was broadcast endlessly on the internet. As it turned out, Villas-Boas was wrong to think he could erect a cordon around his captain by telling journalists they should be "proud" to see him wear the England armband and ought to cut him some extra slack on the basis of his status in the national side.

Chelsea's defensive meltdown had many causes, but Terry's absent-mindedness was certainly one. When one second-half Chelsea move broke down, both centre-backs were stranded up the pitch and had to sprint back to deal with an Arsenal counter-attack. This was before Van Persie's great flourish closed the deal for Arsène Wenger's men. It would never have happened under José Mourinho, or several other of the nine Chelsea managers Wenger has faced in his 15 years in London.

It was Arsenal who started out with the dubious back-four. Johan Djourou (right) and Andre Santos (left) scuffled either side of Per Mertesacker, the German centre-back who seems determined to impose his own pace on the Premier League.

Chelsea guarded their safe with a familiar combination: José Bosingwa, Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Ashley Cole, who, Terry claimed, had obscured a vital piece of evidence when wandering across the picture at Loftus Road just before Terry uttered the alleged insult at Ferdinand. The whole JT legend dictates that he is endlessly resilient and will face down any moral challenge. Well, even he can see the disastrous potential of that TV clip from Loftus Road.

He scored, he slipped, he lost heavily, In chronological order, Terry saw another old-gang member, Frank Lampard, put Chelsea in front, then Van Persie equalise. Next he met a Chelsea corner to restore his team's lead a minute before half-time and wheeled away to be enveloped by his team-mates, black and white.

Was this to be an afternoon of cliches about his fortitude under pressure? No. André Santos equalised for Arsenal, Theo Walcott made it 3-2, Juan Mata equalised again, then came the moment photographers will have fired back to their desks. As Florent Malouda played a simple back-pass, Terry's studs slipped through the turf and Van Persie swooped, rounding Petr Cech to finish before crashing in Arsenal's fifth in added time.

"I would argue with anyone that our defensive organisation was a problem before this game. We committed mistakes today we will try to resolve," Villas-Boas said. Yet this was the first time since 2003 that Chelsea had failed to keep a clean sheet in nine consecutive league games. The cost of a more free-flowing style is vulnerability at the back, where Mikel John Obi continues to baffle and frustrate in the holding role.

"It's our way of playing, we are proud of the way we play," Villas-Boas said. But in one week Chelsea have been plunged into an alleged racism scandal, been fined £20,000 for crowding a referee, had three players sent off and lost a battle over the future of Stamford Bridge to Chelsea Pitch Owners. After league defeats to QPR and Arsenal come trips to Genk and Blackburn before the visit of Liverpool.

This is suddenly a team at odds with itself, defensively suspect and unsure of its new direction. Villas-Boas spent all week saying Terry was an asset, to Chelsea, England and society. On the pitch, in this thrilling, accident-laden game, the case for the defence was not well made.

Source: Paul Hayward, The Guardian on 29 Oct 11

Robin van Persie hat-trick stuns Chelsea in goal frenzy at the Bridge

John Terry's face peered out from the match-day programme in typical pose: staunch, unswerving, never-say-die. In the 85th minute of an outlandish game, his expression was one of devastation.

There was still all to play for as Ashley Cole's routine pass made its way towards Terry, but Chelsea's captain inexplicably tumbled. Nobody was within five yards of him, the pitch was true, the day was bright – and, with no rhyme or reason, his legs went from under him.

There could be no worse sight from his position, prone on the pitch, than that of Robin van Persie accelerating away. The Premier League's current master of scoring dispatched the chance with aplomb, skipping around Petr Cech to put Arsenal back in front and en route to a precious victory. Some might say Terry had bad luck, but others might say it was karma.

That is two defeats in a row for Chelsea. Two derbies, as well. At the end of the match, Arsenal massed at the away end to relish a triumph that caps their recovery and demonstrated how they are over their early season slump. Eight wins out of nine sees them on the kind of positive wave that makes Arsène Wenger's plea for trust ring a lot truer.

But it had all started so well for Chelsea and their man in the spotlight. In the 14th minute, they went in front thanks to clinical finishing. The move emanated from an excellent, searching crossfield pass from Terry's left foot. Juan Mata, who had been on Wenger's radar before joining Chelsea, created space on the right to outfox André Santos with customary trickery and swung in a cross for Frank Lampard to nod past Wojciech Szczesny.

Where a month ago this might have been the signal for an Arsenal collapse, they were not cowed. They kept going and equalised in the 36th minute when Aaron Ramsey threaded the ball to Gervinho, who squared for Van Persie to sidefoot the ball past Cech.

But lingering defensive vulnerabilities are never far away. Chelsea thought they were back in front when Ramires tapped in José Bosingwa's cross, but the goal was chalked off because he had drifted a fraction offside. Just before half-time there was no dispute as Terry made the most of a corner to poke a shot into the bottom corner. The reaction of the home crowd was to joyfully hail "one England captain".

Arsenal rallied again. They emerged from the break on the attack and the excellent Ramsey hooked a chance over the bar. In the 49th minute, Alex Song picked a gaping hole in Chelsea's back line and André Santos ran on to the ball and aimed his shot straight between Cech's legs.

A minute later and the action swung back down the other end. Cole advanced all alone in the inside-left position, Szczesny careered out of his area to meet him and performed a star jump in an attempt to put the full-back off. The Pole collided with Cole, but referee Andre Marriner deemed the infringement only worthy of a yellow card. To add to Chelsea's irritation, Szczesny tipped away Lampard's free kick.

Another sharp swing: Walcott ambled towards the thin blue line that now passed for Chelsea's defence. Four players were around the England winger, who skidded down to the turf then stumbled up and away towards goal. He curled the ball ferociously past Cech at the near post.

André Villas-Boas saw two of his substitutes play an important role in Mata's equaliser. Romelu Lukaku checked André Santos and Raul Meireles advanced to provide for the Spaniard, whose finish was emphatic.

Not as emphatic as Van Persie's coup de grâce, as the Dutchman concluded the game with a thumping drive to take the match ball home as well as the three points. That made for one happy captain.

Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 29 Oct 11

Wenger's reaction to the Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal match

on Chelsea's third goal…
I was very unhappy but overall I must say I can only praise my team. We didn't look disappointed on the pitch and we kept going. We knew that we needed a win here and we kept going to win the game. Overall I feel that they had a good team performance and they have shown great spirit. When you go 2-1 down just before half time it's difficult but we came out in the second half with a complete desire to go forward.

In the second half I felt we were much better defensively than in the first half. We gave too many chances away in the first half - it's certainly down to the fact that Chelsea have a lot going forward. But we always looked dangerous through the whole game and I hope the team strengthens its belief with a performance like that to focus on getting stronger and stronger.

on Robin van Persie…
He is of course on fire and he takes advantage through his class. We attack a lot and we create chances overall of course. The intelligence of his movement around the box and the accuracy of his finishing is exceptional.

on Laurent Koscielny's performance…
I think he was outstanding. He was the one at the back in the first half who looked strong. But I felt in the first half we gave them too much room at the back and in midfield and in the second half we got much tighter. We kept being dangerous going forward but we were less in trouble defensively.

on encouraging the team to slow down at the end…
You know how it is on the bench when you are 4-3 up with two minutes to do - you do not necessarily encourage your team to be crazy. But this is the brand of our team and our Club. Sometimes you get rewarded for it and sometimes you pay for it.

on previous Chelsea teams being so open…
I have to think about that. I think one year we won here 3-2 when Kanu scored two goals and we were 2-1 down. It depends on the games because up until now Chelsea didn't look completely open at all. They looked very secure defensively in the games they have played up until now. It is our quality today that opened them up and we kept throwing absolutely everything forward.

on what has changed for his team…
What has changed is that we got half of the team in on August 31 and we had to qualify for the Champions League. We had to rebuild a complete unity in the way we want to play football. Every win makes you stronger as well.

So now the players get used to the way we play so we get stronger but we have to remain humble, keep focus and work very hard together. There is still some ground to make up to come into a stronger position in the league and teams in front of us do not drop many points. But that quality we have shown today should make us more confident.

on Aaron Ramsey…
What people forget about players like Wojciech, Ramsey and Wilshere are all 19-20 years old. They are top quality and it is normal that they improve from game to game and from year to year.

on a strong run of form…
It's the best habit in my job. We are more consistent now and we have to keep that going now. Tuesday night will be another test where we will have to focus and produce that quality again, that's what is at stake.

on a big statement…
We played some games like Liverpool and Manchester United when we played with ten men. But we did not have the team at that time - I feel as though we are much stronger now.

on goals conceded in big games this season...
It's a good question because is it down to the fact that there are so many good offensive players on the pitch or is it down to a team scoring more goals and opening themselves up? Or is it down to the fact that the top teams are a bit more fragile defensively? It is difficult to answer that, we need more games to do that.
 
Source: Arsenal.com on 29 Oct 11