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

Arsenal come from behind again with late goal to beat Newcastle

Arsenal cannot win like a normal team. It seems they must wring every last ounce of drama from the occasion. Their standard policy in recent weeks has been to give their opponents the lead before roaring back – and here they left it until the Fat Lady had shouted herself hoarse.

Five minutes of injury time had been signalled and it looked as though Arsenal would not be able to summon the knock-out blow against a Newcastle United team that was out on its feet. The second half had amounted to a siege but Arsenal raised the intensity still further in the closing stages and they carved out the chances to have turned several games.

Thomas Vermaelen alone had a header cleared from in front of the line by Danny Simpson and another acrobatically tipped over the crossbar by Tim Krul. Yet the defender mustered one last surge upfield, in the very final minute, to emerge as the match-winner.

One of the most painful cuts felt by a Newcastle side now without a win in four games was that they had the ball deep in Arsenal territory yet somehow they contrived to be felled on the counter.

With Simpson injured and unable to get back, Vermaelen made his move, overtaking players in black and white as he devoured the ground from the edge of his own area. His gallop might have been set to the music from an action film. The outstanding Theo Walcott duly supplied the cross from the right and when the ball broke, Vermaelen was unmarked at the far post to crash home his shot from close range. The crowd lost themselves in frenzy.

Arsenal have now come from behind to win their last four Premier League matches, which is a record for the competition. Their supporters might prize most highly the 5-2 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur, having been 2-0 down, but, hard on the heels of the last-minute victory at Liverpool, this was another impossibly sweet success for them.

Emotions stamped wildly through the stadium and they bubbled over when Robin van Persie taunted Krul, his fellow Dutchman, after the winning goal. Van Persie had been incensed from late in the first half at what he felt had been time-wasting from Krul and it was easy to imagine him telling the goalkeeper that he could take all the time he wanted after he picked the ball from his net. A mêlée flared and both players were booked. Arsène Wenger suggested that there was history between the pair.

But if divisions among Dutchmen felt like nothing new, nor was Arsenal's never-say-die spirit, which has defined their battle back from the dark days of the early season and their push for automatic Champions League qualification. Before the derby a little over two weeks ago Wenger's team had trailed Tottenham in third by 10 points. The deficit now stands at one, with momentum and belief most assuredly in the red corner. Wenger said his players refused to bow to the inevitable while Walcott noted that how a team finished the season was of the greater importance.

It was heartbreaking for Newcastle, who had taken the lead through Hatem Ben Arfa and, having ridden their luck and dug deep defensively, looked set to emerge with a point coated in endeavour. Alan Pardew had billed the game as a must-win in terms of his club's Champions League aspirations, although he might take comfort from the likelihood that sixth ought to carry a Europa League berth.

There had been a looseness about Arsenal when Ben Arfa scored. Vermaelen gave the ball away to Chiek Tioté and, in a flash, Demba Ba and Gabriel Obertan had worked it right to Ben Arfa. He jinked inside Kieran Gibbs, who was a long way from being tight, and exposed Wojciech Szczesny at his near post with a fierce shot. Newcastle's players strutted en masse in celebration.

But to Pardew's dismay, the lead lasted less than a minute. Walcott's first assist of a pulsating evening picked out Van Persie in the area and his touch and cuteness embarrassed Mike Williamson. The Arsenal captain dispatched his 33rd goal of the season beyond Krul.

Wenger's team were the more adventurous in the first half and they pressed harder and harder on to the front foot in the second. Newcastle were stretched and they repeatedly put bodies on the line, with Tioté epitomising their work ethic. The Ivorian might clatter on the edge of the game's margins – and he was booked for clipping Tomas Rosicky – but his bite was vital.

Arsenal and the home support raged at what they felt were cynical efforts by Newcastle to remove the sting from the game. Krul was jeered as he eked away seconds when he had the ball and Van Persie, in particular, felt his hackles rise. Pardew attempted to explain away the tactics, arguing that his team needed to wait for their strikers to "get set" upfield. Newcastle have endured worse at St James' Park this season, he said.

Yet the chances came in increasing volume for Arsenal. Rosicky drew a save from Krul with a sharp header while Van Persie should have done better from Mikel Arteta's low ball. Rosicky miskicked when gloriously placed; the substitute Gervinho scuffed as the goal gaped; Vermaelen threatened and so did Walcott.

In the end, though, Vermaelen simply refused to accept that it would not be Arsenal's night.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 13 Mar 12

Robin van Persie proves to be a captain fantastic in the Vieira mould

Arsène Wenger's decision to hand the striker the armband has given Arsenal the kind of leadership not seen since 2005

Robin van Persie might not have been everybody's idea of a captain when Arsène Wenger announced in pre-season, after the sale of Cesc Fábregas, that the armband he had passed around so flippantly to Lukasz Fabianski, Sébastien Squillaci and Johan Djourou would be given to an injury prone No 10.

As it turns out, not only is Van Persie Arsenal's supreme scorer this season but he has displayed the kind of leadership that suggests he is the most natural captain the club has had since Patrick Vieira. In his actions, his equalising goal and his at times overwrought emotions as he displayed contempt for the time-wasting of Tim Krul, he set the tone which has summed up his team of late. They are not prepared to be pushovers any more.

Where not so long ago questions were rightly asked about the fragility of the team and mere mention of Wenger's catchphrase about "mental strength" was enough to make Arsenal supporters feel like banging their heads against the nearest brick wall, now few would argue with Thomas Vermaelen's assertion that they have the "mentality of fighters".

Vermaelen's theatrically timed matchwinner, bustled in as the sands disappeared in five minutes of stoppage time, set a Premier League record. With it Arsenal became the first team to win from a losing position on four consecutive occasions. In three of those games – at Sunderland, Liverpool and now at home to a resilient and effective Newcastle – the turnaround was sealed in the 90th minute or later.

Add the comeback of sorts that they mustered against Milan in the Champions League, coming to within a goal of clawing back a 4-0 deficit, and the evidence is quite striking that something profound has changed in the personality of a side who seemed doomed on more than one occasion this season. The wind in Arsenal's sails is gusting strong.

This is the second time during a turbulent campaign that they have dragged themselves back from depression. After the recovery from a dismal start summed up by the stomach churning defeats at Old Trafford and Ewood Park, Arsenal went backwards again with a lean January. In a run that was the polar opposite to what they are experiencing now, they squandered winning positions against Fulham and Swansea and lost. Then they fought against Manchester United and lost. That match remains symbolic this season for the moment Wenger was rudely challenged by the Emirates crowd for hauling off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Andrey Arshavin. It felt like the end of something. Who could have imagined it might be a watershed from which Arsenal could forge a brave beginning?

They have gone from mutiny to exhilaration, from bleakness to hopeful anticipation that Arsenal can finish the season strongly for the first time in a while and hurdle Tottenham into a third-placed finish which would be something of a miracle considering the black ice they have skated over this season.

It speaks volumes for their newly forged character that Newcastle's opening goal, taken skilfully by Hatem Ben Arfa, did not disrupt Arsenal's "relentlessness", as Wenger described it, for a second.

They withstood that body blow and quickly jabbed their way back off the ropes. That it was Van Persie at the heart of it was only what this crowd have come to expect. When the ball came his way less than a minute after Wojciech Szczesny had fetched it out of Arsenal's net, the master marksman coerced it past Mike Williamson with absolute determination to give himself the chance to drive past Krul.

His body language spoke volumes. His response to Arsenal conceding a goal was rooted as much in raw determination as the talent that has brought him an avalanche of goals this season. Van Persie's influence in the dressing room is hugely significant. He is by nature a very positive thinker and, as Wenger puts it, a "football fanatic" whose knowledge of and fascination for the game make him a person you want to listen to.

Wenger has always been of the opinion that a team has many leaders, that the armband itself is not the most significant thing in the world. It was symbolic, then, that one of the team's other big leaders came up with the goal that keeps Arsenal's momentum rolling. Vermaelen's partnership with the team's most improved player, Laurent Koscielny, has been a feature of this revival. The team's backbone has been hardened by the return of a more balanced back four, with Bacary Sagna's reappearance in the first of the four comeback games also hugely important.

The timing of the stoppage-time winner was a bitter pill for Newcastle, who have showed they have developed spirit of their own in this season of the unexpected. Ultimately, though, it was not enough to send galvanised Arsenal off course.

Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 13 Mar 12

Walcott wide awake as Arsenal ascend

Having crashed through the swinging doors of the last-chance saloon with his fate as a flop apparently sealed, Theo Walcott suddenly seems intent on salvaging his Arsenal career.

Those of us who were present inside Emirates Stadium for the north London derby against Tottenham just two weeks ago will confirm that Walcott was being singled out as the fall guy for the Gunners' imminent failure, the symbol of false promise in a season that was apparently set to confirm their demise.

An increasing majority of the fans who had grown frustrated with Walcott's consistent inconsistency decided the moment had come to abandon their patience and give up on Walcott once Spurs moved into a 2-0 lead in a game Arsenal dare not lose. At that moment, it seemed as if the one-time 'next big thing' in English football was about to drown in his own mediocrity.

Manager Arsene Wenger admitted he contemplated "removing Walcott from the firing line" as the supporters turned against him, yet that Spurs game proved to be the afternoon when the kid who has long promised so much finally awoke from his slumber.

Two superb second-half goals against the old enemy meant those same Arsenal fans who were goading Walcott at will were quick to hail him as their darling once again and while his displays since that memorable Sunday afternoon have hardly been a revelation, it seems as if something has clicked in Walcott's fragile mind.

The emergence of a young man signed from the same south coast club he was recruited from may well have sparked Walcott into life, as just when it seemed as if his fellow Southampton academy graduate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was about to steal the crown previously reserved for him, the original boy wonder has shot to the forefront once again.

Creator-in-chief as a Van Persie strike and dramatic late Thomas Vermaelen winner sealed a vital win against battling Newcastle, the player vilified as one of the architects of Arsenal's demise is now leading their improbable end-of-season revival.

Walcott looked capable of ruffling Newcastle's feathers throughout this game and while the visitors' eagerness to unsettle their opponents by wasting time at every opportunity nearly paid off, a winning goal was always likely to stem from the Arsenal No.14. And so it proved.

His threat throughout this game rarely waned. Midway through the first half, Walcott so nearly swung the game in his side's favour with a burst of his trademark pace. A perfectly-weighted ball invited Tomas Rosicky to convert from close range, only for the in-form Czech to screw his effort wide.

The removal of Oxlade-Chamberlain moments later sparked a heated debate among the Arsenal fans sitting around the press box, many of whom would have preferred to see Walcott removed. That would have been a harsh sentence for the winger, though, whose willingness to make himself available and improved desire earned him the right to remain.

Walcott so nearly snatched the winning goal as his shot was blocked by the back of talismanic Newcastle skipper Fabrico Coloccini in the final seconds of normal time, yet the winger who has flattered to deceive so often was not ready to give up on his mission to win this game.

The 95th minute began with Walcott offering a final burst of pace down the flank and as the ball fell fortuitously for the onrushing Vermaelen in the box, the big defender gleefully tapped home a winner that sparked a stunning roar from fans who believe in their team all over again.

"Tottenham have got to be watching over their shoulders now," boasted a delighted Walcott afterwards. "It has been an up and down season, but it is how you finish that matters. I put the ball into a decent area in the end and we had someone who could tuck it again. It's a big win for us, but we have to crack on from here."

Wenger was equally bullish as he was quick to hail the performance of his previously-maligned winger. "Walcott produced an exceptional performance in this game as we proved once more how incredible the spirit is in this team," said Wenger. "We look like we are refusing to give up at the moment and that has led to us getting last-minute winners against Sunderland, Liverpool and now Newcastle.

"Despite this, we have to keep our feet on the ground. We are giving everything right now and we now find ourselves in a much better position that we were a few weeks ago, but there are still ten games to play and nothing is decided yet."

Arsenal's late winner was harsh on a Newcastle side who had given their all to the cause, with boss Alan Pardew admitting fatigue cost his side in the end. "When the board went up with five minutes added time, I looked at the bodies I had out on the pitch and realised we would do well to get through it," he conceded.

"We had given everything and while I felt we had just about done enough to see it through, it was not to be in the end. What we cannot do is allow this disappointment to deflate us unduly as there is still a real chance for us to challenge for a Europa League place this season."

Fittingly, Walcott was the last Arsenal player to leave the field, with cries of 'Theo, Theo, Theo' heralding his exit. What a difference two weeks can make.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Theo Walcott
With two assists and an energetic display down the flank, Walcott has gone from zero to hero in double-quick time at Arsenal. Now he needs to maintain this improved form.

LATE DRAMA
Arsenal skipper Van Persie was at the centre of a scuffle with compatriot Tim Krul after the Gunners snatched their late goal. Clearly annoyed by the time wasting efforts of the big goalkeeper, the feud continued down the tunnel.

NEWCASTLE VERDICT
For all their hard work and effort, Newcastle left Emirates Stadium empty handed. There was much for boss Pardew to take from his side's display, but the point he craved was snatched from his grasp at the last.

ARSENAL VERDICT
Momentum is a vital commodity in any sport and Arsenal have it in abundance all of a sudden. Having come from behind four times in succession to win in the Premier League, they are now firm favourites to claim third sport after a revival not even their most blinkered of followers saw coming.

Source: Kevin Palmer, ESPN Soccernet on 12 Mar 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 2-1 Newcastle United match

on setting a new Premier League record…
That is the best response to something that has been questioned sometimes this season. I believe that shows we have quality, we have spirit, which I have never questioned. It was a relentless effort again tonight from the first to the last minute. The tempo was absolutely top level tonight. We kept going until the last second and just managed to win the game.

Certainly the fact we have done it before helped us. Even when we were 1-0 down we just kept going and we feel now at the moment in the team we just have that complete and total commitment to do as well as we can and give absolutely everything. That gets the crowd behind the team and you saw a very entertaining game tonight against a very good Newcastle side.

on Van Persie's altercation with Krul…
I don't know, is it history from Holland? Is it just today's story? I don't know, they both looked a bit nervous. I have not spoken to Robin yet. I will find out but I am happy it stayed yellow and did not become red. He is absolutely committed and he gave everything again tonight. He got us a quick equaliser. But the whole team played very well and Walcott also had an exceptional performance tonight.

on the potential to overtake Tottenham…
We played recently against Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sunderland who are all very difficult to beat and we won all of these games. We know every time it was very tight and we won in the last minute in three of them. There is definitely complete commitment in every single game. Where we finish is down to how we keep going and if we put that same amount of effort into every single game.

on whether Tottenham will be concerned…
I don't know, I don't focus on Tottenham. I feel what is at stake for us is our commitment and that's all we want to do.

on cutting the gap to one point…
I don't compare us to any other team, I just think we have rebuilt confidence and belief and that will be vital in the race until the end. It can change very quickly because as soon as you lose a little bit of urgency you are in trouble in this league. So let's focus on keeping that and after we will see when we finish.

on the importance of third place…
At the moment I maintain that because we have gone through some difficult periods and it's very important that we keep our feet on the ground, keep our complete focus and give absolutely everything until the end. We have done that recently because we produced a great game tonight, we produced a great game against Milan and we produced a great game against Tottenham. That has to be our real target.

on frustrations at missing out on the title…
If you look at our run from the Chelsea win until January you will see that our run was quite positive. But we had four full backs out in January and it is something that can work one game but it cannot work for five or six games. For that I believe we were punished but the quality was always there. Today we have 52 points with ten games to go and we have gone through a difficult period in January but recently we have won the games in the last minute whereas we lost the games in the last minute against Fulham and Manchester United.

on the atmosphere in the dressing room…
The atmosphere is great within the squad, and tonight it was exceptional in the dressing room because the pleasure is even more intense when you win in the final minute of the game where you have given everything. And the disappointment is intense when you have lost in the last minute of a game.

on the team refusing to lose…
That is fantastic. It shows that as much as two defeats are quicksand, the positive recent history of a team has a very positive influence and the positive vibes make everyone stronger.

on players coming back from injury…
Diaby is not far [away], Santos I think will play on Wednesday night in the Reserves against West Brom. He will need 90 minutes. Diaby should be back for Everton, he has a little chance. Jack [Wilshere] is less imminent.

on Theo Walcott's form…
I think that he is so long in the spotlight that people forget that he is 22 years old and getting now to an age where you perform. It is as simple as that. He develops well because he is intelligent. Tactically, technically tonight he had a complete game.

Source: Arsenal.com on 12 Mar 12

12 March 2012: Arsenal 2-1 Newcastle United, Emirates Stadium

Arsenal's comeback kings were at it again on Monday night as a dramatic stoppage-time winner from Thomas Vermaelen snatched all three points against Newcastle.

Arsène Wenger's side went into this fixture having turned around their last three top-flight games and Hatem Ben Arfa's early strike left them in familiar territory.

But Robin van Persie equalised within a minute with his 33rd goal of the season and Vermaelen ended Newcastle's resistance with a close-range finish in the dying seconds.

No other team has come from behind to win four consecutive Premier League matches and, make no mistake, Arsenal had to dig deep against a talented and committed Newcastle side.

Their heads could have dropped when chances went begging in a one-sided second half but another relentess effort carried them through.

With 10 games left Arsenal lie fourth, three points ahead of Chelsea and just one behind their old rivals Tottenham. There will be twists and turns in the chase for Champions League places. But Wenger's side have the momentum and if they maintain these high standards - and this work ethic - they should get what they want come May.

The manager had plenty of good news before Newcastle's visit as Mikel Arteta, Aaron Ramsey, Yossi Benayoun and Andre Santos all returned to the squad, the latter after three months on the sidelines. But the manager opted for a tweak rather than wholesale changes, merely replacing Gervinho with Arteta.

All the same it was heartening to see some game-changers on the bench.

This fixture brought together two of the Premier League's most prolific scorers - between them Van Persie and Demba Ba had mustered 41 goals in 47 starts - so it was no surprise to see them fire the game's warning shots.

Ba got one away after just 65 seconds and Van Persie was inches away from connecting with Theo Walcott's inviting cross in the third minute. The Dutchman might have done better moments later too when he lost control of Alex Song's deflected pass and Tim Krul was able to grab the loose ball.

This was already shaping up as a decent game. Newcastle, bright, tenacious and attack-minded, looked every inch the top-four contenders while Arsenal looked busy and dangerous, especially down the right when Walcott and Bacary Sagna got on the ball.

The flanks seemed the best option with Gabriel Obertan shadowing Song and Cheick Tiote and Yohan Cabaye buzzing around Tomas Rosicky and Arteta. A confident Walcott gave Davide Santon plenty of problems throughout the first half.

But it was Newcastle's own flying winger who made the breakthrough in the 14th minute. Tiote cut out Vermaelen's pass and fed Ba before Obertan picked out Ben Arfa's run on the right. The Frenchman cut inside and arrowed a shot just inside Wojciech Szczesny's near post.

The visitors celebrated but they led for just 55 seconds.

That's how long it took Tomas Rosicky, proud owner of a new contract, to send Walcott racing down the right. The England international crossed and Van Persie shrugged off Mike Williamson before slamming a shot low into the corner. The perfect riposte.

For the record, it was Van Persie's 33rd goal of a remarkable campaign and it saw him eclipse Ruud van Nistelrooy as the most prolific Dutchman in a single Premier League season.

The Arsenal captain set about doubling his tally, firing a speculative shot over from 20 yards before testing Krul with a fiercely-struck free kick.

Goalmouth action was in shorter supply for the rest of the half but the game was no less compelling as Arsenal probed and attempted to pick their way through a committed Newcastle rearguard.

Santon was withdrawn at the break but Walcott had the beating of his replacement, James Perch, and he swung over another dangerous cross four minutes into the second half. Rosicky got power on his header but Krul threw up an arm to deny the Czech.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was next to go close with a bolt from the blue, fizzing a volley over the bar from 20 yards. Then Van Persie shot straight at Krul after Arteta had flicked a cross into the box.

This was nip and tuck no longer - Arsenal were very much in the ascendancy and cracks were beginning to appear in the Newcastle defence.

The hosts should have gone ahead in the 67th minute. Once again Walcott was the instigator, collecting a pass from Rosicky on the right and surging past his marker. He squared for Rosicky, who had continued his run, but the Czech sliced his shot wide.

Three minutes later the old one-two of Song and Van Persie linked up - but this time the end product was a virtual mis-kick instead of a deadly volley.

Wenger turned to his subs, bringing on Gervinho for Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ramsey for Rosicky.

Van Persie lashed a right-footed effort wide after Kieran Gibbs had robbed Ben Arfa on the byline and Gervinho failed to make solid contact after a left-wing corner reached him beyond the far post.

By now it was a siege. Vermaelen saw his firm header tipped over by Krul and five minutes of stoppage time began with Fabricio Coloccini deflecting Walcott's effort over the bar.

But Arsenal deserved their winner and eventually it came, Vermaelen stealing in at the far post to bundle a close-range effort past Krul.

Source: Chris Harris, Arsenal.com on 12 Mar 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

Bullied by Barton again and adios Cesc

So real football is back. Just for 90 minutes we were able to stop talking about Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, and watch those who seemingly want to be at the club, play in the red and white (complete with red socks!). After the defensive horrors at St James’ Park last season, all Arsenal fans would have grabbed the chance to keep a clean sheet. However, the goal scoring was also lacking, and for the most part we opened the season with a bore draw.

Given Joey Barton was on the pitch, there was always the chance that there’d be some controversy, particularly after he started the collapse last season in helping get Abou Diaby sent off. Somehow, that man annoys Arsenal to the point of petulance, which the modern Arsenal doesn’t usually show.

In 2008, Samir Nasri was new to the Premier League and had a run-in with Barton at the Emirates. It ended with Nasri tripping over the Newcastle man off the ball. Last season, when we were 4-0 up, Barton put in a needlessly strong tackle that brought an overreaction from Diaby that got him sent off. Unfortunately, the same happened on Saturday with Barton provoking reactions from Arsenal players.

In the second half, Alex Song dispossessed Barton near the half way line and appeared to be fouled. With Barton on the floor, Song stamped on him. Being honest, my initial thought on seeing the incident was that I couldn’t blame him. However, it was stupid of Song to lower himself to Barton’s level and risk a sending off in an important game. Whereas Song’s act on the face of it didn’t look to be seriously provoked by Barton, the second key incident involving the Newcastle midfielder was because of his own over-reaction.

On his competitive debut, Gervinho generally looked lively and caused the Newcastle defence a number of problems. As the game neared its conclusion, he went on a good run into the box down the left, cut inside Tiote and went down. His fall did look exaggerated, but he was caught by Tiote and had both feet off the floor when it happened, so the fall was more justified. In other words, it should have been a penalty.

After a spot kick wasn’t awarded by Peter Walton, Joey Barton thought the Ivorian had dived to try and win a penalty. He yanked Gervinho’s shirt to pull him off the floor and started an unsightly scuffle as he very impolitely tried to convey his (wrong) view. Surrounded by three Newcastle players, Gervinho stuck out a hand and slapped Barton around the top of the head. Immediately Barton fell to the floor as if he’d been on the end of a right hook from a heavyweight boxer. Again, my initial reaction was that I couldn’t blame Gervinho for slapping him, and a small part of me wished he’d hit him harder. On reflection, like Alex Song’s stamp, it was a stupid and needless slap that was always going to risk a sending off. It was inexperience from Gervinho and an eye-opener for him about the reality of the Premier League.

I can in no way condone what Gervinho or Song did, and it’s massively frustrating that the Ivorian will miss games against Liverpool and Manchester United this month because of it. Song could also be retrospectively punished and miss important matches. It’s made more frustrating that Barton was looking for a reaction. As with Diaby last season, he knew what he was doing and will view the sending off as a success. Arsenal in recent years have needed to show more fight, but not in the sense Song and Gervinho showed on Saturday. There’s being aggressive, and then there’s being petulant and stupid whilst putting your team at risk. It’s good to see the players not accepting Barton trying to bully them, but the response was wrong as they stooped to Barton’s level. Somehow that aggression needs to be channelled differently and more effectively to help the side.

Having said that, not reacting to Barton is difficult. With the Gervinho incident, he was aggressively questioning the integrity of Gervinho by suggesting he dived, when Gervinho hadn’t done so. It wasn’t like Gervinho was running round screaming at the referee for a penalty, he was just lying on the ground and beginning to get up when Barton set upon him. Plus, if Barton is so anti-diving, why did he throw himself to the floor and claim a punch when Gervinho lightly slapped him. It was disgraceful behaviour that should have seen him sent off as well. I think he’s a nasty piece of work, and if anyone seriously thinks he should join Arsenal, then I’d question how you think in any way he’d improve the morale and the mood in the dressing room. I also don’t think he’s a very good player, so we should stay as far away from him as possible.

Without the Barton incidents, there isn’t too much to talk about from the game. We defended quite well and limited the hosts’ chances well. Hopefully this one good defensive performance won’t make Arsene Wenger think that we don’t need a centre back, because we clearly still do.

Attacking wise, we unfortunately did miss Fabregas. The final pass was missing on a number of occasions, and Fabregas has so often been the provider of that in the past. That might improve when Jack Wilshere returns from injury, but it is a concern that we couldn’t create clear cut chances for Robin van Persie. If the Dutchman doesn’t get the right service, he has a tendency to drop into midfield to get the ball, and then leave us short of players in the middle when the ball gets towards the box. With better service, he’ll stay upfront and therefore we’ll score more with his clinical finishing.

At the time of writing, Samir Nasri is still an Arsenal player. However should he leave along with Cesc Fabregas, then we need to sign an attacking midfield with the ability to provide chances for van Persie to score. Being honest, I don’t know who that could be as that sort of quality player is hard to find, making the loss of Fabregas and the relatively low price even more annoying.

Just to give some context, I’d already drafted this blog post last night, just before news broke that Arsenal had agreed a fee with Barcelona for the sale of Cesc Fabregas. I wasn’t initially going to dwell too much on his departure, however it’s tough to see your captain leave the club, and it’s happened too many times in recent seasons.

Fabregas was a great player for the club, and was always likely to return to Barcelona at some point. It could have happened in previous summers, but even though it was expected this year, it’s still massively disappointing and gut wrenching. I thought I was prepared for it, but now it’s happened, it really hurts to see him go. Even when the likes of Henry and Vieira went, it wasn’t as hard as we knew they’d given a massive amount to the club and that their powers were declining. Unfortunately, Fabregas has gone with his best years still in front of him. At 24, he was only going to improve further, and now that won’t happen at Arsenal. That arguably won’t happen at Barcelona either as he will struggle to get into the midfield three of Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets.

I don’t want to get too nostalgic about Fabregas as we need to try and forget him and move on, but there are a few memories of him that stick out for me that deserve a mention. The 2004 Community Shield against Manchester United, which Arsenal won 3-1, saw Fabregas, complete with a mullet, dominate the match from midfield at the age of 17 when up against Roy Keane. Later that year, he was apparently the man who threw pizza over Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, instantly making him popular amongst Gooners. He was epic in the Champions League match at Highbury in 2006 against Juventus, went on a fantastic scoring run at the start of 2007/08 and took on the armband in 2008, winning his first match as captain 1-0 against Dynamo Kiev.

In 2009/10, two games stand out. The 3-0 victory over Tottenham at the Emirates saw Fabregas score straight after we’d taken the lead by winning the ball from kick off and running through to finish past Gomes. The reaction of Cesc and the fans to that goal was immense. That season also saw his best cameo in an Arsenal shirt. We were drawing 0-0 with Aston Villa when Cesc came on, returning from injury. He was only on the pitch for less than half an hour, but when he went off with a recurring hamstring injury, we were 2-0 up, after Cesc scored both goals. Finally, from last season, it’s hard to look past the Barcelona match at home. It wasn’t a vintage Cesc performance, but he contributed to the winning goal and looked chuffed to get one over his home town team.

I’m certain all true Arsenal fans will thank Cesc wholeheartedly for some of the great moments he gave us over eight years, and how great it was to see such a fantastic player at the club. We all wish him the best for the future. However, I don’t think I’m alone by not wishing his new club the best. Their pursuit of him has left a nasty taste among Arsenal fans, and should we meet them again soon, it’s a taste that could reappear.

After a fairly uninspiring start at St James’ Park, we now face a crucial Champions League tie. If we are going to sign new players, being in the Champions League could be a deciding factor for those players and the club, with the money that would come in from qualifying.

Udinese travel to the Emirates after finishing fourth in Serie A last season. No Italian team who finishes in the top four can be underestimated; however they have also lost key players this summer. The first leg will be made more difficult with Robin van Persie missing through suspension, meaning there will be a lot of pressure on Marouane Chamakh to somehow return to the form he showed at the start of last season. Jack Wilshere could also be missing through injury, and Nasri is suspended.

A good result on Tuesday will help the team gain confidence ahead of next weekend’s clash with Liverpool, and will allow us to rotate the squad in the second leg ahead of Manchester United at the end of August. With the sale of Fabregas completed, fans need the feel-good factor to return, and Udinese provides a challenge, but the perfect chance to make people proud to wear the red and white again.

Thanks for everything Cesc. Now it’s time to forget our former captain, starting with Udinese on Tuesday.

Source: Sam Limbert, ESPN Soccernet on 16 Aug 11

Gervinho off as Gunners are held

Gervinho's Arsenal debut ended in ignominy as he was sent off for slapping Joey Barton in a hard-fought goalless draw at Newcastle.

The Ivory Coast international was dismissed with 14 minutes remaining of the Premier League encounter after lashing out at the midfielder when he confronted him over what he believed was a dive inside the home penalty area.

Gervinho's premature departure capped a disappointing evening on Tyneside for the Gunners as they were unable to break down a Magpies side which rarely looked like taking all three points, but was in no mood to surrender the one with which they started.

Theo Walcott might have won it within three minutes of his introduction as a 61st-minute substitute, but goalkeeper Tim Krul denied him with one of the few genuine saves he was called upon to make.

Transfer-listed Barton only started the game after assuring manager Alan Pardew that he was fully committed to the cause, but he turned in a fine individual display in a team performance which was solid rather than inspired.

But the home fans among a crowd of 46,894 left reasonably satisfied, unlike their travelling counterparts, who repeatedly implored Arsene Wenger to "spend some money'' after a toothless start to the new campaign.

The corresponding fixture last season demonstrated the best and the worst of both teams as the Gunners raced into a 4-0 lead by half-time, only to succumb to a stunning fightback to allow the Magpies to snatch a point.

In that respect, Pardew will have been delighted to see his side reach the break with their clean sheet intact, although perhaps not with the pattern of play which had seen the visitors dominate.

Even without Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the starting line-up as speculation mounted over their futures at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal moved the ball confidently with Andrey Arshavin and Tomas Rosicky particularly prominent.

Gervinho, one of the men close to the top of the list of strikers Pardew tried to sign during the summer - the vacancy at St James' Park remains unfilled - caused problems for makeshift left-back Ryan Taylor as he repeatedly pulled to a wide right position.

However, although he linked up with Robin van Persie on numerous occasions, Wenger's men were unable to break down a defence well-marshalled by new skipper Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor to the extent that keeper Krul, preferred to Steve Harper and Fraser Forster, did not have a single save of note to make during the first 45 minutes.

Rosicky steered an early shot wide of the Dutchman's far post, but despite all the pressure, his only anxious moment came 14 minutes before the break when he spilled the Czech Republic international's corner under Laurent Koscielny's challenge and Danny Simpson had to clear off the line.

In fairness, opposite number Wojciech Szczesny was similarly under-employed as strikers Shola Ameobi and Demba Ba saw too little of the ball to cause any damage.

He got down well to collect Simpson's deflected 17th-minute cross and Jonas Gutierrez smashed a 22nd-minute volley well wide, but the Gunners' goal rarely came under any real threat during the first half.

Pardew changed both personnel and formation after the break when he withdrew Ba and replaced him with another debutant, Gabriel Obertan, who lined up in a five-man midfield behind lone striker Ameobi.

Kieran Gibbs and Rosicky picked up bookings in quick succession as the game restarted at a high tempo, but it was the visitors who came close to breaking the deadlock with 55 minutes gone.

Gutierrez was penalised for a challenge on Rosicky wide on the right and Van Persie sent in a viciously-dipping free-kick which dropped onto the roof of the net with Krul desperately trying to get across.

Yohan Cabaye was unable to make the most of Obertan's back-heeled 61st-minute ball into the box, and Wenger decided to make a change of his own seconds later when he replaced Arshavin with England international Walcott.

The newcomer might have given his side the lead within minutes when he ran onto Aaron Ramsey's through-ball, but he could not beat Krul from close range.

However, the game exploded into controversy with 14 minutes remaining when Barton reacted furiously to what he believed was a dive by Gervinho under Cheick Tiote's challenge inside the box.

The Ivory Coast international lost his cool and slapped Barton in the resulting melee, and referee Peter Walton had little option but to produce a red card.

Newcastle might have snatched victory at the death, only for the impressive Koscielny to deny substitute Peter Lovenkrands a close-range header, but that would have been harsh on the visitors, who were nevertheless booed from the pitch.

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 13 Aug 11

Arsène Wenger defends Gervinho after his sending off at Newcastle

It was no eight-goal thriller but Arsenal's visit to Newcastle still ended as contentiously as last season's game, with Joey Barton as the agent provocateur when the visitors had a player dismissed in the second half.

Last season it was Abou Diaby, this time it was Gervinho, making his English league debut. Alan Pardew insisted he dived, Arsène Wenger claimed he did not, but the salient point was that after Barton had hauled him brusquely to his feet and told him to get on with the game the Ivorian became involved in a scuffle and clearly slapped the Newcastle man.

"I think I saw more than the referee did," Wenger said, making an unusual case for the defence. "It was just an argument, the referee could have produced two yellow cards or two red ones. I don't think Gervinho deserved to be sent off and certainly Barton was not hit hard enough to lie down for two minutes in the way he did. I will have to have a good look at it again before we decide whether to appeal."

That much is true, though the letter of the law is that raising one's hands constitutes violent conduct, so Gervinho will now be looking at a three-match ban, unless Arsenal manage to successfully appeal. Pardew advised them not to bother.

"First of all Gervinho dived, there's no question about that," the Newcastle manager said. "Joey's reaction was to chastise him, which you can understand, and then there was a tussle and Gervinho slapped him. You can't do that. I'm not going to defend Joey to the hilt, I've had my run-ins with him too, but on this occasion he was calm. He was just incensed at an opponent attempting to con the referee and I don't think that makes him a villain. He's just an opinionated boy, that's all."

Even Wenger could not disagree with that assessment. Showing remarkable good humour in the circumstances, the Arsenal manager noted that Barton was the obvious link between the two dismissals in the last two games and claimed he had "got away with it" on both occasions.

When it was put to Wenger that Arsenal had been linked with Barton in transfer speculation over the summer, he smiled and did not rule out the possibility. "That may be the solution to sort out our problem," he said. "We do not seek to provoke opponents though, we try to play football. I am concerned that maybe sometimes our players overreact to provocation and that is an area where we must try to improve."

Wenger was somewhat less relaxed about the visiting Arsenal supporters telling him in no uncertain terms to spend some money as his players ran out of ideas in the second half. Clearly frustrated by the apparently inevitable departures of Cesc Fábregas and Samir Nasri, and the lack of replacements being lined up, the Arsenal fans high up in the Leazes End twice chanted that Wenger needed to get his chequebook out.

Source: Paul Wilson, The Guardian on 13 Aug 11

Gervinho sent off as uninspired Arsenal are held by Newcastle

Gervinho was dismissed on his Arsenal league debut as Arsène Wenger's side made an unconvincing start to life without Cesc Fábregas and Samir Nasri in another fractious encounter on Tyneside. Perhaps not quite as unconvincing as their memorable collapse in the corresponding fixture last season, when they managed to throw away a 4-0 interval lead and indicate to all concerned that they were unlikely to win the title, but unsatisfactory in the sense that they began a new campaign looking just like the side that finished the last one. A side looking tired and short of ideas.

Newcastle can be even happier with this point than the one they gained in such unpromising circumstances in January. They never looked like winning the game but they were never taken apart, either. They too were solid but uninspired, though at least for Newcastle that counts as improvement. There were chants of "Spend some of your money" from the end containing the Arsenal fans as full time approached, though it was impossible to tell whether there were home supporters joining in as well.

That seemed about as exciting as the day was going to get until a fracas in the Newcastle penalty area 14 minutes from the end. Gervinho was lying on the floor attempting to make a meal of minimal contact in a fair challenge by Cheik Tioté when Joey Barton came across to tell him to get on with the game. Gervinho took offence, a scuffle turned into a melee and, amid all the handbags, the Ivorian connected with a girly slap to Barton's temple. Barton probably did not need to fall down as if poleaxed, though he did, and Peter Walton probably did not have to produce a red card, though he did. Barton was given a yellow card, which was possibly slightly harsh, and Alex Song went unpunished after an earlier stamp on Barton, which was caught by the cameras. The Newcastle player was far more sinned against than sinning here, yet in almost identical circumstances, with Barton involved both times, Arsenal went down to 10 men for a second successive season in this fixture. The only difference this time was that Newcastle were not inspired to score four goals.

"I will have to have a good look at it again before we decide whether to appeal," Wenger said. "I don't think Gervinho deserved to be sent off, and I don't know how the decision was made because I am 100% sure the referee and the linesman did not get a good view of the incident. I think there should have been a yellow card to each player or a red card to each player."

Arsenal began with the slick, quick passing game that got them off to such a good start here last season, without seeing anything like the same results. They lacked penetration and precision, though Gervinho showed up well in the opening exchanges. He found space in the Newcastle penalty area after just a couple of minutes, after Andrey Arshavin and Robin van Persie had made the initial inroads, but wanted too much time to release a shot. Then he turned up on the left wing, dancing round Danny Simpson and putting in a decent cross that needed a sharper reaction from Van Persie.

Simpson made a timely intervention to prevent Arshavin's cross from the right reaching the Gervinho in the 13th minute before Newcastle launched their first attack of any note, Wojciech Szczesny diving to his left to make a near-post stop after Barton's raking pass had freed Simpson on the right.

Jonás Gutiérrez flashed a spectacular volley well wide midway through the first half, but with Newcastle repeatedly giving the ball away, and Arsenal missing the invention of Fábregas and Jack Wilshere, the game was already settling down into an ordinary sort of midfield struggle, nothing like last term's goalfest.

As if to prove the point, when Arshavin stayed onside after almost half an hour and had a great chance to play Gervinho clear with only Tim Krul to beat, he managed to pass straight to Fabricio Coloccini.

Moments after that Krul failed to deal with a corner from Tomas Rosicky and Simpson had to prevent the ball crossing the line.

Just as one of the most yawnful of opening-day first halves was drawing to a close, Arshavin managed to create something out of nothing with a scooped pass over the defence that caught Newcastle by surprise, but though Van Persie was ideally positioned to anticipate it and accept the ball, he again reacted too slowly to take advantage.

The reason Arsenal were four goals to the good at the same stage of the game last season was that almost everything they tried had worked to perfection, not to mention that Newcastle were a ragged mess. Here, Arsenal did not even try that much and Newcastle were much more secure at the back, not that being any less secure would have been a viable option.

This ought to have brought some cheer to the home support, though by the interval the Newcastle fans were becoming audibly dissatisfied with their side's inability to offer any kind of threat going forward. Set pieces seemed Newcastle's best hope of pinching something, and most teams have found them profitable against Arsenal, yet in the first half at least Newcastle failed to put Szczesny's goal under any significant threat from the few free kicks and corners they managed to win.

Alan Pardew attempted to change that at half-time by sending on Gabriel Obertan for the ineffective Demba Ba, stationing the former Manchester United winger in the middle in the hope his pace could trouble the Arsenal central defence. The French player spent a frustrating couple of years at Old Trafford struggling to make sufficient impression to break into the team and has signed a five-year deal at Newcastle in the expectation of getting regular games, so he must have been relieved at not having to spend the whole afternoon on the bench.

Wenger responded by bringing on pace of his own after an hour and Theo Walcott was into the game quicker than Obertan, bringing a save from Tim Krul with one of his first touches when he possibly had the time to do better.

If it is any consolation to Arsenal, they performed better with 10 men than they did last time, taking the game to their opponents and looking the more likely to score. Newcastle's best attempt of the last few minutes was a rising drive from Barton that flew well over, much to Wenger's relief. A late winner from Barton would have been just too much.

Source: Paul Wilson, The Guardian on 13 Aug 11

Wenger's reaction to the Newcastle United 0-0 Arsenal match

on what he thought of Gervinho’s red card..
I think I saw two yellows or two reds but not one yellow and one red.

on Joey Barton’s involvement in the incident…
There is a link between the incident [and Diaby’s sending off last season]. He got away with a yellow card both years.

on whether Gervinho should have had a penalty…
I don’t know. I wasn’t close enough to see it so we will have to watch it again.

on Arsenal’s performance…
I thought we had a solid performance and were in control. Newcastle had last season’s 4-4 more in their mind than we did. They organised not to concede goals, defended well and it was very difficult for us because we played a team who was highly focused to defend. We missed something, the regret is that we missed something in the final third and in the speed of our passing. But, overall, we had a good performance. I can’t remember giving Newcastle a chance at goal and, away from home, you have to give credit to our team for that.

on the reaction of his players…
We try to play football and, if you watched today, you will see that. Overall, I feel we have been very harshly punished today. We try to play and sometimes we overreact. We have to take control of that. If we have an area to improve on, then that is it. We will learn from that today.

on the performance of Koscielny and Vermaelen…
If we had conceded a goal I would have been bombarded with questions about why I don’t buy a centre back! They have to take credit.

on whether he will do any more business in the transfer market…
I am not against spending money if the players we buy can improve our squad. We have a big squad and if some players leave we will try to bring players in. We request top quality and we are not scared to spend money.

on the fans’ relationship with the players…
It is important that there is a love between the fans and the players. The players today have shown a commitment that deserves the support of the fans.

on Nasri, Fabregas’ situations…
We are, on both fronts, in no-mans land. At the moment, they are players of Arsenal Football Club.

on whether there has been an approach from Manchester City for Nasri…
I wouldn’t like to comment on that. We will keep you informed.
 
Source: Arsenal.com on 13 Aug 11

13 August 2011: Newcastle United 1-1 Arsenal, St James' Park

Ten-man Arsenal were held to a goalless draw at Newcastle on the opening day of the Premier League season.

Arsène Wenger’s side bossed the game and seemed set for a late charge before Gervinho was sent off in the 75th minute.

The debutant raced into the area from the left-hand flank, cut inside Cheik Tiote and tumbled over his challenge. Referee Peter Walton refused the penalty but Joey Barton took issue with the Ivorian.

After a brief skirmish, Gervinho was dismissed and Barton saw yellow.

The point was scant reward for Arsenal, who dominated in both possession and territory.

Robin van Persie whisked a free-kick inches over the bar and Theo Walcott saw a low shot saved by Tim Krul.

The red card denied everyone the crescendo this open game deserved. However, if Arsenal continue to perform at this level throughout the campaign, they will be challenging at the top once again.

It had been a difficult few days for the Club. One of those annoying periods when the stories seem to overtake the football.

Wenger’s men just need to play – and win – a game. Here was an opportunity.

Gervinho was handed his full debut on the left of midfield with Andrey Arshavin on the opposite flank. Tomas Rosicky was just behind frontman Robin van Persie. New signings Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Carl Jenkinson were on the bench.

Newcastle had been under scrutiny themselves and the main focus was Barton. The midfielder had been made available for a free transfer but was still selected in midfield this afternoon.

The Englishman had been in the limelight during that incredible game last season. It was his tackle which had elicited the melee after which Abou Diaby had been sent off. Later on, Barton had scored two penalties in that incredible comeback.

Both sides could probably do without that sort of drama this afternoon - but a better result.

And in the first half only Arsenal looked capable of achieving that.

Wenger’s men found their feet early on and, bar the odd pocket of Newcastle pressure, never slipped up.

In the opening minutes, Kieran Gibbs and Arshavin combined to put Gervinho momentarily clear on the right however the ball got stuck under his feet and Tomas Rosicky’s follow-up shot flew wide.

Arsenal were direct going forward and strong in the tackle when they did lose the ball. And the new signing from Lille was catching the eye.

In the 18th minute, Gervinho’s cross fortunately fell to Van Persie six yards out but his shot deflected wide.

For Newcastle, Jonas Gutierrez thundered a volley well wide and Wojciech Szczesny snaffled the ball after Danny Simpson’s cross was deflected towards the near post by Gibbs. But that was about it.

On the half hour Laurent Koscienly beat Tim Krul to Rosicky’s corner but the header was booted away from danger by Simpson.

Arsenal continued to ask all the questions. They were profligate at times – like when Arshavin found Fabricio Coloccini, the only covering defender, as he sought out Gervinho. But mostly Arsenal were slick and incisive with only the final ball sometimes lacking.

Two minutes from the break, Arshavin’s shovel pass set Van Persie free for a second but – as it had a couple of times a few times in the first half - the ball would not settle for Arsenal and chance went begging.

The start of the second half was all Arsenal once more. Nine minutes in, Gutierrez clipped Sagna on the right and Van Persie sent a free-kick inches over the bar.

At the other end, Gabriel Obertan’s flick sent Yohan Cabaye clear for a second but Arsenal smothered the danger.

Wenger replaced Arshavin with Walcott and, within minutes, the Englishman nearly put Arsenal ahead. He received Ramsey’s pass on the left of the area, cut inside his marker and let fly. Krul gathered at the second attempt.

Arsenal were now penning Newcastle back in their own half and looking for the winner.

Then, in the 75th minute, the game changed.

Gervinho sped down the left, darted inside the area and cut back on Tiote. The Arsenal winger went down under the trailing leg of the Newcastle midfielder and referee Walton waved play on.

However Barton took issue with Gervinho and a momentary melee ensued. Once the dust had settled referee Walton handed a red card to the Arsenal combatant and a yellow to the Newcastle one.

The dismissal sucked the life out of the game. Newcastle barely mustered a notable chance and Arsenal were reluctant to go forward for fear of finishing with no points.

They had deserved all three.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 13 Aug 11

Newcastle Hangover

Since Arsenal's calamitous second-half capitulation at Newcastle, the last few days have felt like walking around with the worst sort of hangover. The kind that gives you flashbacks to the whatever appalling antics you were up to in your stupor and leaves you questioning: did that really happen?

Well, it did and it is still hard to believe. A family member texted me after the game to ask how on earth the Gunners could allow a four-nil half-time lead to be canceled out? The only response I could offer was “gross incompetence and lack of bottle?”

Certainly, the referee didn’t help matters - both penalties were ridiculously soft - and yes, for the larger portion of the second half the Gunners were reduced to ten-men thanks to Abou Diaby stupidly getting himself sent off. Added to this, they had also lost Johan Djourou, their most influential central defender, to a knock. But none of these are adequate excuses for what happened.

It would be nice to be able to dismiss the performance as a “freak event” but we have been here a couple of times before this season. Added to Saturday’s debacle are the draw away at Wigan and, most notably, the defeat to Spurs at home. On all three occasions the Gunners were in winning positions and when required to see the job through they failed to hold their nerve. It is a worrying aspect of this team.

On the whole they seem to have toughened-up mentally this season, but the fact that they are still prone to occasional lapses and, indeed, collapses is troubling and does raise the question as to whether this flaw in their psychological strength will mean they ultimately fail to truly fulfill their undoubted potential. Let’s face it, sitting in the stands most weeks, you never feel entirely confident that they have matches won until they are either three goals ahead or the final whistle sounds.

After the match, Arsene Wenger conceded that, when the match went to 1-4, the team “panicked”. Really? Why? Considering that Joey Barton didn’t convert his first penalty until the 68th minute, that is a pretty shocking admission. Leading 4-1 with 22 minutes to go, you might have expected the Newcastle goal to sharpen Arsenal’s focus for the closing stages but, in actual fact, they did more than panic. They totally went to pieces. The only player to emerge from the second half with any real credit was Wojciech Szczesny who had little chance with the goals but pulled off several good saves to ensure that Arsenal’s embarrassment was restricted to drawing the match rather than losing it.

The team’s second half display defies analysis beyond that which I offered in my text response above. However, the one thing that manager, players and supporters are all agreed on is the need to move on from this as quickly as possible. In the longer term, it is for Arsene Wenger to sort out the psychological glitches in the team’s make up. In the shorter term, the players have to get back to winning ways immediately.

On Saturday, Wolves visit Ashburton Grove. Mick McCarthy’s men will be in buoyant mood after ending Manchester United’s unbeaten run last Saturday and they are a team that have proved they can dish out a bloody nose to the big boys when they want to, having also scalped Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City this season.

Though Arsenal won 2-0 at Molineux back in November, it was hardly a cakewalk; and Wolves are not going to be a pushover in the return either. With the Gunners sweating on injuries to two of their more-physical players - Alex Song and Johan Djourou - Saturday will is going to be a very big test.

For once, this week’s international break might actually be a welcome interruption to the real business of the Premier League. For many of the Arsenal players it will be a good distraction from Saturday’s meltdown and will stop them from dwelling too much on what happened. It will also direct the media’s attention elsewhere - the last thing the team needed was a slow news week. Fingers crossed, those who have gone away with their national sides will come back injury-free and those who have swung the lead and cried off with “flu” will have a good rest.

Everyone needs to return mentally fresh and ready to deliver a very big performance against Wolves on Saturday.

Source: David Young, ESPN Soccernet on 8 Feb 11

Joey Barton's maverick inspiration proves just what Newcastle need

After the sale of Andy Carroll and going 4-0 down to Arsenal, Newcastle United's morale needed something extraordinary to avoid collapsing entirely ...

Into the vast hole where Andy Carroll used to be stepped Joey Barton, agent provocateur and expert penalty taker, and Cheick Tioté, who started with the Ivorian minor league side FC Bibo before progressing, via stints in Belgium and Holland, into Newcastle legend as the scorer of one of the finest goals ever seen on Tyneside.

One of the most valuable, too, because Tioté's majestic left-foot volley three minutes from time was the last act in a great Premier League comeback in which Arsenal lurched from 4-0 up after 26 minutes to sharing a point with a side who were being shamed until Abou Diaby's dismissal turned the match upside down and inside out. The whole league was lively: 41 goals were scored in one afternoon.

First half good, second half not so good: for Arsenal, that is. For Newcastle this astounding counter‑surge saved the club's owners from a week of accusatory comment about their willingness to sell the team's most valuable player for £35m on the last day of the transfer window – too late to replace him, and with the possibility of relegation greatly enhanced.

A goal down in 42 seconds, Mike Ashley's executive toy conceded again before three minutes were on the clock, then again in the 10th, and finally for a fourth time with Robin van Persie's second on 25m 59sec. Despairing, some Newcastle fans shuffled towards the exit. One stood behind Alan Pardew, bellowing: "Get out now. Can't you see what we're watching? I'm paying for this."

The only way Newcastle could have found a use for their £35m windfall at this stage was to pile it up in banknotes between their own posts to stem the tide of Arsenal goals. Carroll, the lone scorer, was the difference when these sides met in London in November, and Carroll was what seemed to be separating them again in this apparent thrashing. Arsenal groaned with talent, the other bemoaned its absence. With his thigh injury, Britain's most expensive home‑born footballer would have missed this epic anyway, just as he was absent for Wednesday's 1-0 defeat at Fulham. But unavoidably the sale of their brightest hope since Alan Shearer was at the heart of the grandstand talk about Arsenal's early brilliance and the apparent collapse of Newcastle's confidence.

"It's not always about technique or tactics, sometimes it's about what's inside you," said Pardew. The memory strains to recall a result – a performance – more likely to shape a club's campaign. After half an hour, a relegation struggle loomed into view. Cashing in looked like a supremely destructive act: the final triumph of money over ambition.

It was amateur psychology time. The Carroll sale had broken the club's spirit. Shola Ameobi's cheek was fractured at Fulham and now an unfair burden was falling on Leon Best and Nile Ranger, the last of the Magpie centre‑forwards. Ranger is a teenager and Best's last club was Coventry City. Before that there were stints with Yeovil, Bournemouth and Notts County.

A morality play was forming. Mike Ashley had destroyed Newcastle's morale. But then the teams came back out, Barton delivered one of his patented brutal tackles and Diaby lost his cool, grabbing his assailant by the back of the neck. Barton has been collared a few times in his life. Unfortunately for him, Diaby is not an officer of the law, so the gesture was badly received, especially by Kevin Nolan, the Newcastle captain who had congratulated Carroll for joining "a fantastic club [Liverpool]".

When Diaby shoved Nolan as well his departure became a formality. Then the avalanche began. A soft foul by Laurent Koscielny on Best brought Barton his first from the spot. Twenty-three minutes left. Then Best pulled another one back. Sixteen minutes on the clock. With eight minutes left Arsenal conceded another penalty and Barton scored again. Then the coup de grâce. A Gaël Clichy clearance dropped to Tioté, on the volley, 25 yards out, and the ball blazed low into the right-hand a corner.

With this the game relaunched itself as a comic strip. Barton sprinted to the touchline and threw himself at his coaching staff. As he lay on the ground, Wenger pointed at him with mute distaste. "I believe Barton was very lucky to stay on the pitch," Wenger said later.

For the Arsenal manager and his trophy-chasing team this was a mighty psychological blow. Can't defend a 4-0 lead at Newcastle? How will they cope against Barcelona in the Champions League? But for Newcastle there is the reassuring sense now that no cause is lost. Even more importantly Carroll's sale to Liverpool has not pulled the ceiling down on St James' Park, where the patient barcode hordes started out having one of the worst afternoons of their football-watching lives, but went home jubilant after one of the best.

Source: Paul Hayward, The Guardian on 6 Feb 11

Toon seal stunning comeback

Cheik Tiote's first goal in English football secured a remarkable point for Newcastle as they fought back from 4-0 down against 10-man Arsenal.

The Ivory Coast international pegged back the Gunners with a stunning 87th-minute volley after Joey Barton had scored twice from the penalty spot either side of Leon Best's fourth goal of the season.

Alan Pardew's men were in complete disarray as the Gunners raced into a 4-0 lead at St James' Park within the opening 26 minutes.

Goals from Theo Walcott, Johan Djourou and a Robin van Persie double looked to have wrapped up the points and allowed Arsenal to keep the pressure on Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester United.

But after midfielder Abou Diaby had been sent off for furiously pushing Barton to the ground after a no-holds-barred 48th-minute challenge, Newcastle, roared on by a crowd of 51,561, pulled off the most unlikely of recoveries.

Life for Newcastle without Andy Carroll had got off to a bad start at Fulham on Wednesday evening, and the mood inside St James' was decidedly ugly by the time 10 chaotic minutes had elapsed.

Arsenal were breathtaking as their pace and movement left the men in black and white at times bewildered.

However, they met little resistance as a Newcastle side which had won 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium in November showed few signs of producing a similarly dogged display on their own pitch, even with combative midfielder Tiote restored to the side after his three-match ban.

The worry before kick-off had been that, without Carroll, now at Liverpool, and the injured Shola Ameobi, the ball would not stick in the final third of the field and that would invite pressure on to Newcastle's back four.

In the event, neither Carroll nor Ameobi would have made a significant difference as their side saw too little of the ball to worry the Gunners.

They did not see it at all in amid a red and white blizzard as Arsenal had the game under control before they had broken sweat.

Walcott had scored twice in a 4-0 Carling Cup victory on Tyneside in October, and he needed only 42 seconds to increase his tally as he ran on to Andrey Arshavin's pass and slid the ball past Steve Harper with Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson trailing in his wake.

There were less than three minutes on the clock when Djourou was inexplicably allowed to meet an Arshavin free-kick seven yards out, and his header flew in off the underside of the crossbar.

When Van Persie fired home a third goal from Walcott's cross in the 10th minute, a packed house settled down for what looked certain to be an agonising remaining 80 minutes.

The first chorus of disapproval aimed at owner Mike Ashley rang around St James' Park as the game restarted.

Wenger's men were simply irresistible, with Cesc Fabregas and Diaby dominating in the middle of the pitch to allow Arshavin, Walcott and Jack Wilshere to repeatedly run at the shell-shocked Newcastle defence.

Arsenal increased their lead with 26 minutes gone when Van Persie headed Bacary Sagna's cross home, and it came as a surprise that the scoreline remained at 4-0 when the half-time whistle handed the Magpies brief respite.

Van Persie might have done better after running on to Williamson's weak header and shooting wide, and Harper managed to turn the Dutchman's shot against the post in injury-time.

But the cracks started to appear after Diaby over-reacted to Barton's rugged challenge and pushed him to the ground to earn an inevitable red card.

Newcastle took the Frenchman's untimely departure as their cue to step up a gear, and they got their reward after 68 minutes when, after Koscielny had brought down Best inside the box, Barton converted from the penalty spot to at least give the more optimistic members of the Toon Army some hope.

Alarm bells started ringing for the Gunners when Best struck from close range with 15 minutes remaining, and when Barton drilled home a second penalty with seven minutes to play, a point was there for the taking.

Tiote saved the best for last when he lashed an 87th-minute left-footed volley into the bottom left corner to complete a remarkable repair job.

Kevin Nolan might even have won the game for Newcastle in injury-time, but that was a little too much to ask.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger blasted Joey Barton after seeing his side squander a four-goal lead at Newcastle and leave with only a point.

Wenger, who was also critical of the two penalties awarded by referee Phil Dowd, said: "It was a completely unnecessary sending-off, and I believe Barton was very lucky to stay on the pitch for the tackle on Diaby.

"It's a shame [for Diaby] because he had a great first half. Sometimes you could understand when he has a bad game, but he had an outstanding game.

"I explain that by the fact that he has been injured so many times from bad tackles that he lost a bit quickly his nerves because this boy has been out for a long time and many times. Certainly the tackle provoked his reaction.''

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was quick to defend Barton, whose England claims he promoted once again.

Pardew said: "You have got to make a challenge. It was a proper, honest challenge - I have seen it two or three times and there's nothing wrong with it.

"He goes for the ball, he wins the ball clean. He is aggressive in the challenge, he takes a little bit of the player after he has won the ball.''

Asked if the drama of Andy Carroll's £35million switch to Liverpool on Monday had cast a shadow over the first half, Pardew said: "You must be kidding. Yes.

"That was part of what I said at half-time: 'If you are going to feel sorry for yourself, if you are going to think, okay, it's been a tough week, lost at Fulham, lost a really good young player and take that out into that kind of arena, then you are going to be embarrassed', and they were embarrassed.

"They were a disgrace in some things that we did. The second half, though, more than made up for it. It's one of the most remarkable games I have ever been involved in in my life - and I am talking about Sunday mornings as well, 7-7s, I have had, everything.''

Wenger admitted the psychological damage inflicted by Newcastle's fightback could have a lasting effect. Asked about the cost, Wenger said: "Mathematically, two points; psychologically, the damage is a bit bigger tonight because everybody is, of course, very, very disappointed in the dressing room. But only the future will tell.''

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 5 Feb 11

Cheik Tioté completes remarkable Newcastle comeback against Arsenal

Send for the cliche police, this was the ultimate game of two halves. Arsenal laid out their title credentials in the first 45 minutes – actually make that the first 10 minutes – then one interval and one sending-off later exposed their own defensive brittleness and allowed Newcastle to claim a seemingly impossible point.

Arsenal went in at the interval four goals up and believing they could be champions, or at least Manchester United's closest challengers. They went in at the end with 10 men, two points dropped and a furious Arsène Wenger waiting to speak to the referee. "We were very unlucky with some decisions that went against us," the Arsenal manager said. "I could not argue with Abou Diaby's red card, but I believe Joey Barton should have been sent off for the original tackle. My opinion is not important, though. We panicked a little bit in the second half, we have dropped two points, but psychologically the damage is bigger. We have a very disappointed dressing room."

No one could possibly have imagined such an outcome at the start of the game, when Arsenal looked deadly and Newcastle looked dead and buried. Striking even more quickly than Wayne Rooney had against Villa, Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead after a mere 42 seconds, running into space behind the Newcastle backline to pick up Andrey Arshavin's flick from the centre circle and easily holding off Fabricio Coloccini to score. Anyone who imagined Newcastle could not have made a worst start was swiftly proved wrong. When Arshavin sent over a free-kick from the left, Johan Djourou was permitted a free header from six yards out to put Arsenal two up after three minutes. "You might as well go home," chorused the travelling supporters in the Leazes End.

It appeared the Newcastle defence already had. Pre-match speculation centred on how much the home attack would fare without Andy Carroll and Shola Ameobi – on his way to his radio commentary position Malcolm MacDonald lost count of the number of times he was asked whether he had brought his boots – yet the upshot of recent events seemed to be a complete loss of confidence throughout the team and an almost scandalous lack of concentration at the back.

Walcott had the pace and penetration to exploit the situation and he set up Arsenal's third after 10 minutes, skipping round José Enrique with embarrassing ease and crossing for Robin van Persie to stab a shot past Steve Harper. When the same player made it four inside half an hour, heading home Bacary Sagna's cross after neat interpassing on the right, Alan Pardew began to come in for sustained abuse from supporters immediately behind the dugout. The comments were audible because it was just about the only noise the home fans were making.

Cesc Fábregas and Van Persie brought saves from Harper before the interval, before the game turned on a meaty challenge by Barton a couple of minutes after the restart. Though Diaby was the injured party, Phil Dowd had little option but to take a dim view of the Arsenal player grabbing hold of his opponent by the scruff of the neck afterwards and flinging him to the floor. "The referee's decision was fair," Pardew said. "It was an aggressive tackle, that's all. I told the players at half-time I wanted aggression. We needed to show we cared. They went out and played like lions."

Newcastle got back into the game thanks to their remarkable supporters, as well as a penalty conceded by Laurent Koscielny and converted by Barton. As soon as the first goal of the fightback went in the grumbling ceased and the home side were roared forward. Arsenal crumbled with a suddenness that did not augur well for their title aspirations.

By the time Leon Best scored Newcastle's second he had already seen a goal chalked off for a borderline offside and, with Arsenal unable to subdue either Newcastle or their fans, more mistakes and more goals became inevitable. If Wenger could not see what the second penalty was awarded for he was not the only one. Neither Koscielny nor Tomas Rosicky appeared to do anything wrong, but Barton gratefully accepted his second invitation to score from the spot. The stadium was rocking by now and when Cheik Tioté brought the scores level, with a sumptuous volley after a Barton free-kick was only half-cleared, it duly exploded.

"Our fans will remember this for a long time," Pardew said. "When we went four goals down I thought the house might come down, but in the end we sent 51,000 Geordies home relatively happy. We were even a bit unlucky, because I thought we scored five good goals." Newcastle rarely managed that with Carroll, so perhaps they are not relegation fodder after all. And perhaps Arsenal will not be champions.

Source: Paul Wilson, The Guardian on 5 Feb 11