It was quick. It was incisive. It was devastating. And, in the middle of all the carnage, was Theo Walcott.
Arsenal produced a scintillating display, and along with Newcastle United put on a brilliant show of football for the neutrals. The second half produced 8 goals, which is roughly a goal every 5 minutes, and Arsenal pulled away to create a massive gap between the two sides, when it threatened to continue to yo-yo.
Arsenal made only one change from the side that narrowly beat Wigan, with Per Mertesacker calling ill before the game. Laurent Koscielny came in, and you would be forgiven to think that we were in for a rough ride. The manager kept his faith in Walcott starting though the middle, as Olivier Giroud watched from the bench.
I had, just yesterday, spoken about how Arsenal would do better with Theo Walcott on the wings, instead of the centre, as he may not have enough quality against solid defenders. I preferred Giroud through the middle because of his physicality and directness.
Newcastle, going through a period of injuries, suspensions and tough games, name a very raw midfield, containing Sylvain Marveax, Gael Bigirimana, the returning Cheik Tiote and Gabriel Obertan, supporting Demba Ba and Papis Cisse up front.
Arsenal started the brighter, understandably, having had a good week’s rest, while Newcastle looked to be on the backfoot, having lost by the odd goal, in a 7 goal thriller at Old Trafford, just days earlier. Jack Wilshere spotted Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but his shot was wide. The Toon had their chances as well, when Ba outjumped Vermaelen, Koscielny and even Papis Cisse, to head over the bar.
Arsenal were creating chances, but not finding any space. That was until, the 20th minute, when Lukas Podolski retrieved the ball close to the half way mark, and released Walcott on the flank. Walcott used his pace, and cut in, and while everyone was expecting him to set up Cazorla, who was free, with only Santon for marking, Walcott curled in the opening goal, a la Henry.
The master, Thierry Henry, himself applauded from the stands, as Walcott celebrated. It was a top quality finish. From there on, however, the Gunners failed to kick on. Newcastle set a tempo, dominating possession in midfield, with Tiote, Marveaux and Bigirimana working in tandem. Arsenal were chasing shadows for a long time.
Arsenal had another chance to score, when Podolski set up Walcott but the Englishman’s left footed effort was smothered by Krul. Tiote found acres of space outside the penalty area, and his shot stung the palm of Szczesny.
Newcastle got the goal they were looking for, minutes later. Gabriel Obertan was impeded by Sagna just outside the box. Demba Ba’s resultant free kick went in off Jack Wilshere’s head, past a confused Szczesny. It was probably deserved for the enterprise the Magpies had shown.
Arsenal came stronger in the second half. First, Podolski spotted the run of Kieran Gibbs over his shoulder, but the left-back’s attempt was saved by Krul. Minutes later, Podolski and Cazorla set up Chamberlain, whose shot from outside the box found the far corner of the net. It was the winger’s first goal in the league since the 7-1 demolition of Blackburn, way back in February.
Arsenal again lost the lead they had, when Obertan beat Sagna, and his cross the entire Arsenal defence, as Marveux tapped home the equalizing goal. Arsenal had to do all the work again, and 4 minutes later, were in the lead, as Jack Wilshere made a darting run, and crossed just before he ran out of ground. The ball was precariously floating over the bar when Collocini thought he had cleared the danger.
But, the ball struck the top of the post, and straight back into the path of Podolski who bundled the ball home. 3-2 Arsenal. Newcastle, who led thrice at Old Trafford, found tremendous will power and energy to equalize again.
Marveux’s cross from the left was tapped home by an unmarked Demba Ba, who, if he was auditioning for a possible move to the Gunners, was impressing thus far. It was poor from Arsenal’s defenders however, who failed to spot the danger, especially Kieran Gibbs, who was caught ball watching.
The score didn’t stay the same for long though. Arsenal kicked on from there onwards. Gibbs found Walcott bang in the centre of the penalty box. Walcott turned and shot into an empty corner of the Newcastle goal, despite the swarm of players around.
He was involved again, as his delicious cross was headed in by a diving Olivier Giroud, as he beat the attentions of Newcastle’s defenders. And, Arsenal were looking to finish with a flurry of goals. Giroud scored his second, three minutes later, as he collected the ball from just outside the area, and released a rasping drive past Krul.
Whoever said he is not good with his feet. Arsenal, however were not done yet. Giroud was needlessly fouled by Davide Santon near the corner flag. Wilshere and Walcott stood over, but it was the latter who made the difference.
He made a darting run at Newcastle’s defence, and was bought down, for what seemed a sure shot penalty. But, he stood up, and chipped the ball past Krul, to complete a sublime hat-trick. Arsenal probably could have had the 8th goal, and Giroud his hat-trick, but his close range effort rattled the post.
Plenty of positives and negatives to take from an exhilarating evening of football. Let’s start with the positives. Walcott seems to be defying his critics, including me, over his suitability to playing as a centre-forward. He controlled the game well, creating space for others, and also scored 3 wonderful goals.
Lukas Podolski worked immensely, and as I said, did what he does best, drift inwards, and link with Gibbs and Wilshere to good effect. Cazorla was a bit restricted, but Wilshere compensated for that. Olivier Giroud bought in freshness as he came on, and put a tiring defence to sword.
Defensively, we are still lacking some steel. No disrespect to Newcastle, but again all the goals we conceded were avoidable. Obertan had Sagna in wraps, on more than one ocassion. Koscielny may be our best defender, but twice I spotted him making a forward run, that could have proved fatal, with only Vermaelen back for cover.
There were too many gaps in our midfield, and we really need some presence in midfield. Arteta at times seemed out of ideas, as he was overrun, by a young and energetic Newcastle midfield trio. We struggled to cope with the delicate movements and touches of Ba and Cisse, which again is worrying.
Against more fitter, and stronger sides, we could struggle to contain the opposition. There seemed to be just too much space afforded in midfield.
But let’s not take away anything from a marvelous attacking performance, and a good note to end the year. Hopefully we will be treated to more goal fests like these in the coming year. And Theo Walcott, sign da ting son.
Till next year!
Jai Arsenal 🙂
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The past week must have been the longest week in the history of weeks. First, there was impending doom, or the apocalypse as it is called to get past. Once that was done, there was Wigan Athletic, who we made look far more dangerous then the eastern wave hitting Washington D.C.
There was the tumultuous midweek non-Arsenal football, where we had to endure Sp*rs score 4 goals, and Alex Ferguson escaping capital punishment, yet again, despite clearly having a go at the officials.
But fear not. Arsenal are in action tonight. So, there’s a great chance to flush out the misery of last week. Let’s start positively, and with some good news. Former assistant manager Pat Rice, who served the club in various roles for 44 years, as youth team player, captain of the first team, making 528 appearances, youth team coach, senior team coach and finally as assistant manager, received an MBE, in the Queen’s New Years’ honors list. He was of course delighted with the honor.
I’m delighted and honoured to be receiving an MBE. The news of the award came as a complete surprise and I’m just so flattered to be included in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.Football and Arsenal have been my life and I have so many fantastic memories during my career. I have been lucky to have played and worked with so many great individuals, and through hard work I have enjoyed some success along the way.It has been a privilege to have represented Arsenal Football Club for more than forty years, a great club with great values. I am also proud to have represented my country on many occasions, and also a special mention to Watford Football Club, who I enjoyed a short spell with as well.I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me throughout my career, and importantly, a special thank you to all my family, who have always been there for me and supported me throughout my career.
I think it is fantastic, that a man serves a club for 44 years in these times and ages. Rice has seen it all, from the 1971 double winning team, to the 1989 Anfield win, all the way down to the Invincibles! Young players need to take loyalty lessons from this man.
Speaking of which, Jack Wilshere has promised to repay the faith Arsene Wenger has shown in him, despite his young age.
He’s always been there for me,He showed faith in me when I was 18, and he stuck with me throughout the whole time I was injured.He knew the only thing that would get me better is games, and he stood by me. I need to thank him for that, and yes, he was a big part of why I signed.I’m very happy here. I’ve signed a long-term deal, I’m not 21 yet and I see my future here. We have got a good crop of young players, and good young English players as well. We’ve got Coquelin, Ramsey too – we are all coming through together and we are all improving as we get more experience.Chambo’s 19, I’m 20, Jenko is 20, Gibbs too. When you get to 25 or 26 that’s when you hit your peak and we all want to be here for that. We want to create something and we want to win things for Arsenal together.
One player who is certainly enjoying playing alongside the Englishman is Santi Cazorla. It is delightful to watch the two dynamo sized midfielder dictate play week in, week out. What’s more, both of them are great at ball retention, something which we were guilty of not doing enough of last season.
He has amazing potential. I did not know him well when I arrived because he was not at the training sessions due to his injury, and everyone was already talking about him, saying that when he returned, the team would improve, and that has been the case. Every day he is gaining more confidence, he is forgetting about the injury, and he is a key player that can influence the result in a game, and thus, we are all very happy to see him 100 per cent again. He was out for a long time and it was an injury that takes time to heal. It is always hard to come back from injury, especially if it is very long. You always have that fear up until you start getting your confidence back, and you start getting back to your old self, and he has done that quickly.Every day that goes by we understand each other better. It is very easy for me to play with them.Mikel is more of a tactical player, a very important player in any side. He always has to be well positioned, to cover the open spaces that we leave further up the field.
There however is the feeling that something is still missing in the midfield, despite the presence of 3 excellent technical players. And, that is presence. Abou Diaby’s injury worries haven’t helped a bit, and Coquelin doesn’t look half the player he was last season. This has often resulted in Mikel Arteta having to play a heavy pressure role, every week, and you could see it’s effects are taking a toll on him.
There have been the odd performances where our midfield has been completely overrun, due to the lack of physical presence. While Michael Essien was linked to join the Gunners on loan during the summer transfer window, there have been a host of new names to have popped up, to fill that void in midfield.
While none of the names mentioned in that post may be the definitive answer, it will surely be a step in the right direction. This potential weakness in midfield could cause us more points than we think, as the season progresses, and the club would do well to sign a handy player in that position.
Arsene Wenger has revealed that he will be a busy man during the transfer window. There are various positions that need some fixing in the squad. For me, the main positions that still require some repair are defensive midfield and an experienced goal getter.
Now, don’t get me wrong. As much as I like Olivier Giroud, I feel it is something that has let us down this season. We have created several chances, but many of them have gone begging, for want of a better finish. Giroud seems like the kind of player at the moment, who will do a good job of pulling in the defender towards him, and create space for the others, but not one that will guarantee you 20 goals a season.
He doesn’t really have enough pace, or enough guile to trick defenders, but he uses his extremely good physique and balance to get into good scoring positions, and harry defenders.
Theo Walcott has been used as a striking option, but clearly he is not the solution. He had a decent game at Reading, partly because Reading are worse than my Sunday League Team. They played such a poor line, and gave him enough freedom to run in behind them, using his raw pace.
At Wigan, he was a shadow of himself, as he struggled to get past a solid and physical defence. He had to work in spaces, but was robbed off the ball far too often. Yes, he won the penalty, but apart from that he was average. Let’s get this straight, he is not going to be a Thierry Henry. Not now. Not ever. The quicker he realizes his attributes suit well to the wing, the better. And sign the ting already!
Finally, our ‘other’ attacking option, Lukas Podolski. There have been talks of how playing Podolski on the left has hampered his real attacking and goal scoring instincts. For me, Podolski is playing in the right position.
He is not a winger. Let’s face it. He cannot beat too many defenders, for want of pace. What he does best, is drift inwards. He doesn’t make too many mazy runs, but is a direct attacker who loves running into defenders. That said, playing him as a striker, wouldn’t work, simply because he is not a striker.
In the current system, where we play a 4-5-1, which naturally progresses to 4-3-3, Podolski wouldn’t fit up top. He struggles to get past defenders, which is a massive problem. When played on the left, he finds space for himself, as well as the left-back. As we have seen so far this season, he has linked well with Gibbs and Wilshere, the two closest players to him on the left side of the pitch.
For these, and only these simple reasons, I feel that a goal savvy striker would really bolster our squad by leaps and bounds, and may eventually prove to be the final piece of what has been a puzzling puzzle.
One of the strikers quoted is Demba Ba, who will be turning out for the opposition tonight. But, these rumors have been quashed in their infancy by the manager. A loan move for Thierry Henry is nothing but a surface smoothener. Arsenal fans will go nuts, if a new striker doesn’t arrive next month.
As we speak about transfers, rumors are that Reading are the front runners for the signature of Andrei Arshavin. As much as I love Arshavin, I think it is best for all that he leaves. He was delightful, but just one half bad season later, he found himself in a lurch. This season, he has played as a sub a few times, and in the Capitol One Cup, where he provided 6 assists in 2 games.
Marouane Chamakh, too, looks on his way out to West Ham. Clearly, this move would suit everyone involved. West Ham, not so sure. That’s their problem anyways. If they can get the goalscorer out of the Moroccan, then great! I am sure Sam Allardyce will be a revered person in the history of the game.
Right, team news then. Tomas Rosicky and Olivier Giroud are both fit, having missed the clash at Wigan, due to cold. Abou Diaby and Andre Santos will return to training in the coming week.
Newcastle are in the midst of a player crunch at the moment. Vurnon Anita was injured in the midweek game against Manchester United. He, or is it she, joins, Hatem Ben Arfa, Jonas Gutierrez, Yohan Cabaye and Steven Taylor in the treatment room. Additionally, Mike Williamson is suspended, but Cheik Tiote returns after serving his suspension.
Newcastle have gone completely off the boil this season, and you would think it is partly due to the Europa League burden on them. Having to play Thursday and Sunday has clearly taken a toll on a limited squad.
Arsene Wenger has called for consistence, and says that the consistent teams will be rewarded. Yeah. Bit like saying Francis Jeffers is useless, or Robin van Persie is a cunt. Goes without saying.
I prefer Giroud to start through the centre, because Walcott wouldn’t be able to deal with the physicality of Collocini and Perch. It would be like two bullet trains charging down on a Maruti 800, on speed boosters.
Newcastle gave it their all in midweek, and surely will be a bit tired after that, as well as deflated after the late loss. But, the French duo of Sylvain Marveaux and the Bigiri dude have really impressed. They can certainly cause Arsenal problems. Cheik Tiote is a good player, but known to have a light fuse. Arsenal have to dominate midfield, to win this game.
Papis Demba Cisse and Demba Ba, have never clicked as a partnership, despite playing together at club and country level. However, their unpredictability makes them two of the most dangerous strikers in the league. The defence will have to be on their toes again.
Arsenal need a win to stay within touching distance of Chelsea, and anything but will be a major disappointment.
The Sportskeeda Blogger of the Year Award 2012 is here. Sportskeeda is one of the fastest growing Indian sports networks, with a global reach. It’s nomination time in the competition, and I’d be extremely happy and honored, if you, my esteemed reader, nominate my blog under the ‘Club Fan Site’ category. Today is the last day to nominate, so hurry up!
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Newcastle are puzzling. They have a fantastic support, yet their team lets them down far often than not. They have had some great players in the past, but collectively failed to won zilch. Ahead of Newcastle’s visit to the Emirates, here is my favorite memory of an Arsenal-Newcastle clash!
Arsenal 2 (Henry (pen) 81, van Persie 87)
This match is special to all Arsenal fans in some way or the other. It was the last time the Gunners stepped on to the pitch to kickoff a season at Highbury. It was the introduction of those beautiful red currant kits for the final season at the stadium
It was also the first real season, where I watched almost all the games, having missed out on quite a few during the 2004/2005 campaign. Patrick Vieira had just departed to join Juventus over the summer, and the captain’s armband was handed to Thierry Henry. Quite a no-brainer that!
Arsenal had been looking for Vieira’s replacement during the summer, and talks with Newcastle’s Jermaine Jenas had supposedly broken down. But the answer, lay within, as Cesc Fabregas shone in midfield.
Jenas would be the culprit in the eyes of Newcastle, as he was sent off for a rash challenge on Gilberto Silva, in the 32nd minute. He would leave the club just days later, to join Sp*rs.
Shay Given was singlehandedly keeping Arsenal out, as 10 man Newcastle failed to hold on to the terrific pace the Arsenal side possessed. Having saved a Bergkamp shot early on, he saved an effort from Kolo Toure, from just yards out.
Henry, Ljungberg all tried, but in vain, as Given made save after save. Ljungberg was set free by Henry on one ocassion, but Given was alert, and he collected the ball with Ljungberg in full pelt.
However, 9 minutes from time, Charles N’Zogbia bought down Ljungberg in the area. Again, Given saved the penalty, but the shot had enough in it, to scramble into the back of the net. Henry celebrated making a ‘T’, with his index fingers, in indication of his newly born daughter, named Tea.
Arsenal sealed the points in the 87th minute, when Robin van Cunty finished from close range.
The Gunners endured a frustrating season, to eventually finish 4th, pipping Sp*rs to 4th spot, and heartbreakingly losing to Barcelona in the Champion’s League final.
The Sportskeeda Blogger of the Year Award 2012 is here. Sportskeeda is one of the fastest growing Indian sports networks, with a global reach. It’s nomination time in the competition, and I’d be extremely happy and honored, if you, my esteemed reader, nominate my blog under the ‘Club Fan Site’ category.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————– While you are about it, follow Blazing Cannons on twitter. @blazingcannons
The transfer window is almost upon as, and the waves of transfer rumors are intensifying more than ever. There are rumors of the most outrageous of proportions, and then there are those, where you go “Ah well!”. Here’s a definitive look at all the players linked to Arsenal.
GOALKEEPERS
1) Pepe Reina (Age – 30)
Current Club – Liverpool
Rumour Rating – Pretty weak at the moment. Despite talk that Brendan Rodgers isn’t happy with Reina’s keeping, and could swoop in for Jack Butland, there is no real indication of that.
Attributes – Good shotstopper, commands his area well, decent distribution.
Pedigree – Pretty decent. Unfortunately, for Reina, he was born in the same generation as Iker Casillas. Signed from Villarreal in 2005, Reina has been number one choice at Anfield, but his career has been plagued by clumsy errors. Arsenal have been beneficiaries themselves, in 2010 when he failed to hold on to a Chamakh header, and earlier this season, when the ball squirmed into the net off him, through a Cazorla shot.
Do we need him? – Not really. Szczesny is number one, and Fabianski and Mannone aren’t bad options for 2nd and 3rd choice goalkeepers.
Probability of Happening – Pretty low. Liverpool won’t sell unless they get a good replacement, and Wenger doesn’t really like splashing out on keepers. Either ways, Reina wouldn’t want to play second fiddle to Szczesny.
DEFENDERS
2) Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (Age – 23)
Current Club – Montpellier
Rumour Rating – Medium. These rumors circulated at the start of the season, but didn’t materialize.
Attributes – Strong, uncompromising defender, good leader, versatile, tough-tackling and strong in the air.
Pedigree – Broke into Montpellier’s first team in 2007, as a 18 year old, and grew in stature. Is the club captain and led the club to their first league title in their history, also earning international caps for France. Impressed in both games against Arsenal this season.
Do we need him? – Probably we do. With Johan Djourou increasingly looking for a move away to save his career, and Squillaci set to be released at the end of the season, he would be a great signing in defence for the club. But, he will have to compete with 3 world class centre-backs to start, in Koscielny, Mertesacker and Vermaelen. His versatility could be of good use, as he is used to play in Yaya Toure-like role.
Probability of Happening – Pretty low. The player indicated he prefers Milan over Arsenal, and going from captain of a French league winning side, despite all their present troubles, to 4th choice centre-back at a club struggling to finish 4th in the English league, may not be a very wise career choice.
3) Luke Shaw (Age – 17)
Current Club – Southampton
Rumour Rating – Medium. He has been linked to a host of top clubs.
Attributes – Not completely sure, but he is known to have good pace, dribbling ability and ball control.
Pedigree – He comes from a famed production line of quality players, which includes Walcott, Bale and Chamberlain. Still very young, but already considered a player with a lot of potential.
Do we need him? – Again, not really. Kieran Gibbs looks like he will be our left-back for years to come, and although Andre Santos may leave at the end of the season, Jernade Meade looks like a promising prospect.
Probability of Happening – Medium. Knowing Arsene Wenger’s fondness for young talents from Southampton, this could very well happen.
4) Dani Alves (Age – 29)
Current Club – Barcelona
Rumour Rating – Weak. Sidelined at Barcelona, due to the rise of youngster Martin Montoya.
Attributes – Strong defender. Never loses the ball. Duh! Runs around 2km more than the team average. Great work ethic and hard-working. Good crosses, and can score goals as well.
Pedigree – Strong. How bad can Brazilian full-backs be? I mean, see Andre Santos. Well, on a serious note, Alves is one of the best right-backs out there.
Do we need him? – Not right now. Bacary Sagna has been linked with a move away at the end of the season. But, Carl Jenkinson has shown enough promise. Bringing Alves would curb Jenkinson.
Probability of Happening – Low. Can’t see this going through.
MIDFIELDERS
5) Luiz Gustavo (Age – 25)
Current Club – Bayern Munich
Rumour Rating – Medium to Strong. These rumors started recently, thanks to Arsenal’s indifferent form, which seemed to boil over after the defeat to Swansea.
Attributes – A good tough tackling midfielder. Versatile and can play across the back line.
Pedigree – Good pedigree. Had a good season last year, but has found lesser game time with the arrival of Spain international Javi Martinez at Bayern.
Do we need him? – Would be a great option to keep in the transfer window. The squad looks short of personnel in defensive midfield. Diaby is out injured, Arteta doesn’t really look comfortable there and Coquelin is not playing at his best level.
Probability of Happening – Medium to strong. Would be a great signing.
6) Marrouane Fellaini (Age – 25)
Current Club – Everton
Rumour Rating – Medium.
Attributes – Strong, and a pain in the a*se for the opposition. In your face all the time (Nemanja Vidic discovered the hard way), and can be effective all over central midfield, and has been used even as a makeshift striker. Has a penchant for reserving his best against Manure. Also known for his penchant for picking up bookings. Good at identifying cunts and headbutting them. For example, Ryan Shawcross.
Pedigree – Strong pedigree. One of the best central midfielders in the league at the moment. But has a long list of disciplinary issues. Picks up cards faster than Everton pick up points.
Do we need him? – Yes Please. But, only if he is willing to curb his attaking instincts, and become more disciplined. Would add much needed bite into midfield. Could be a perfect foil for more creative players like Wilshere, Arteta and Cazorla.
Probability of Happening – Medium. Everton may not be able to hold on to him longer, considering all the attention he is garnering. But, we may have to ward off interest from other bidders.
7) Yann M’Vila (Age – 22)
Current Club – Rennes
Rumour Rating – Medium.
Attributes – Typical defensive midfielder. Strong, built like an ox, unflinching on the tackle.
Pedigree – Mixed. He was highly noted for captaining his club side at a young age and being their best player. But, has had discipline issues with the national team, when he was banned for 18 months from international football, for going on a night-out, whilst with the U-21 side.
Do we need him? – Maybe we do. Maybe we don’t. His stock has considerably fallen recently. His quality is unquestioned, but his consistency and discipline are question marks.
Probability of Happening – Medium. Supposedly, he was precariously close to joining the club, and Arsene Wenger may go for him again, as he has already rated him highly.
8) Kevin Strootman(Age – 22)
Current Club – PSV Eindhoven
Rumour Rating – Weak. Linked heavily to Manure, though.
Attributes – Central midfielder capable of playing in a defensive role, as well as an attacking role. Has a fantastic eye for a creative pass.
Pedigree – So far, good. Since joining PSV last season from Utrecht, he has been a first team regular. Earned himself an international call up, and has not looked back since.
Do we need him? – Not really sure. At the moment, the need for a defensive midfielder is more than a midfielder who can play both roles.
Probability of Happening – Low. PSV may demand a huge fee, which Manure may be able to pump up.
9) Mohamed Diame(Age – 25)
Current Club – West Ham United
Rumour Rating – Medium. Rumors started recently, after his strong performances for the Hammers.
Attributes – Powerful midfielder. A carbon copy of Yaya Toure. Not shy to tackle or go forward, and puts his body on the line when required. Not the most consistent.
Pedigree – Growing. Not many noticed him at Wigan, but he has been a vital player in West Ham’s rise. How did Wigan let him go on a free?
Do we need him? – Why not? Knowing that Diaby is perennially injured, he would add a new dimension to the midfield.
Probability of Happening – Medium. He joined West Ham just months earlier, but may be available for as little as £4 million if some reports are to be believed.
10) Lewis Holtby (Age – 22)
Current Club – Schalke 04
Rumour Rating – Medium to Strong. He has been linked to several top clubs in England, including his beloved Everton.
Attributes – Typical German midfielder. Efficient, neat passer of the ball, with a great vision. Can also score goals. Got some neat hair.
Pedigree – Pretty good. Has earned a lot of good reviews for his performances with Schalke. In contention to play for Germany, despite the plethora of talent available in their midfield.
Do we need him? – Why not? With Rosicky and Diaby addicted to injuries, Holtby could be a breath of fresh air. He is technically very good, and will suit well to the already existing dwarf sized Arsenal midfield.
Probability of Happening – Medium to strong. With his contract over in the summer, he is free to sign a pre-contract in January. With Arsene Wenger a long term admirer, and the player himself wanting to move to Arsenal, could be a great coup.
11) Stewart Downing(Age – 28)
Current Club – Liverpool
Rumour Rating – Weak. Came once or twice in the tabloids and since blown out of proportion.
Attributes – Hmm. Let’s see. He can cross. Scores and assists once in a blue moon. Can fill in at left-back, if found to be completely useless at left midfield.
Pedigree – Declined from being one of England’s bright young talents at Middlesbrough and Aston Villa to a joke at Liverpool.
Do we need him? – A decent left sided squad player. We have enough of those, in Gibbs, Santos and Podolski. So, maybe no.
Probability of Happening – Nil. If we buy him, then there would be a protest march at the Emirates for sure.
12) Mario Gotze(Age – 20)
Current Club – Borussia Dortmund
Rumour Rating – Medium. Crazy rumors had indicated that Arsenal had already signed him. But, the story was completely different as he extended his contract at Dortmund.
Attributes – Potentially world class. Highly technical. Can create chances and take them as well. An attacking midfielder, he has been used at wings occasionally.
Pedigree – Very strong across Europe. All top clubs have had him on his radar for quite some time.
Do we need him? – Why not? Would be a fantastic addition, though comes a bit costly, valued at around £30 million. Would add more flair, and creativity in midfield.
Probability of Happening – Weak. Arsenal rarely go for players with such massive transfer tags. Wenger would prefer going for someone a bit cheaper, but probably with the same level of talent.
13) Remy Cabella(Age – 22)
Current Club – Montpellier
Rumour Rating – Medium. Highly rated by Robert Pires, and has since been linked with top clubs with his impressive performances in the French league and Montpellier’s doomed Champions League adventure.
Attributes – Tricky customer. Quick, great close control. More like a Spanish midfielder.
Pedigree – Improving. He has been noted for his performances in Europe so far, and been marked out as a permanent fixture in the France national side for the future.
Do we need him? – If Walcott leaves, then Cabella would be a good enough replacement for the Englishman. May need some time to settle into the English league though.
Probability of Happening – Weak to Medium. Knowing Arsene’s love for short, technical and French players, Cabella may well be coming to Arsenal, but with the pressure of buying established stars may force the manager to back out.
14) Hatem Ben Arfa(Age – 25)
Current Club – Newcastle United
Rumour Rating – Medium. Rumours have died down since they were all over in August-September.
Attributes – A bright young talent, with pace to burn on the wings. Scores spectacular goals occasionally. Has had disciplinary issues in the past. Has had scuffles with Diaby and Squillaci in the past.
Pedigree – Curvy. Has never put a consistent run together, but is capable of something special.
Do we need him? – Not really. Consistency and discipline are the key words, and Ben Arfa lacks both.
Probability of Happening – Weak to Medium. Looks out of place at Newcastle, and could probably be eyeing a move to a top club.
15) Luis Nani(Age – 26)
Current Club – Manchester United
Rumour Rating – Medium. Linked after reportedly falling out with Alex Ferguson. Was pictured outside Watford’s training ground, to attend his son’s football match, but blown out of proportion by the media, who reported it as Arsenal’s training ground.
Attributes – Pacy, tricky winger with good crossing ability. On his day, can beat any defender. Scores some goals as well. Fantastic celebration. Arrogant prick of the first order.
Pedigree – Curvy. Has never been consistent enough, despite the tag of being a left sided Cristiano Ronaldo, when he first arrived at United.
Do we need him? – Maybe we do, but please, no more cunts!
Probability of Happening – Weak. Can’t really picture him in an Arsenal shirt.
16) Isco(Age – 20)
Current Club – Malaga
Rumour Rating – Medium. His stellar performances for Malaga in the league as well as in Europe have attracted attention from all over Europe.
Attributes – A fine attacking midfielder, with an eye for a pass. Scores some goals as well, and highly rated by Spanish youth coaches.
Pedigree – Pretty Good. Is the holder of the Golden Boy Award, an award won by no-hopers like van der Vaart, Rooney, Messi, Fabregas, Aguero, Gotze to name a few.
Do we need him? – Would be a great signing, but the problem would be accommodating him in an already crowded midfield
Probability of Happening – Weak. We are really looking for a defensive midfielder at the moment.
17) Lucas Biglia(Age – 26)
Current Club – Anderlecht
Rumour Rating – Medium. Has been linked for over a year now, with reports surfacing now and then, especially when Arsenal’s defensive midfield problems are under scrutiny.
Attributes – Argentine international. Has good European experience with Anderlecht of Belgium. A disciplined defensive midfielder.
Pedigree – Good. One of the best players in the Belgian league. A move to a bigger league would help showcase his talents.
Do we need him? – Would be a great signing, and most definitely be a step towards solving our defensive midfield problems.
Probability of Happening – Medium.
FORWARDS
18) Wilfried Zaha(Age – 20)
Current Club – Crystal Palace
Rumour Rating – Strong. Has been linked for quite some time, and Arsenal seem closest to snapping up the youngster.
Attributes – Bags of pace. Raw, but skillful and can trouble any defender on his day.
Pedigree – Reasonably good. Was voted the Football League’s Young Player of the Year in 2012. Earned his first cap recently, in a friendly against Sweden.
Do we need him? – Not really, considering we have Chamberlain, and Miyachi coming through. The hope is still that Walcott will sign a new contract.
Probability of Happening – Medium. Arsene Wenger is an admirer, and he has recently taken a liking to young English talents. Could very well be happening.
***************************************SPOILER ALERT – NOT HAPPENING!********************************************
19) Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Age – 29)
Current Club – Schalke 04
Rumour Rating – Strong. Very very strong. Arsenal and Liverpool remain the only two clubs his agent claims want to sign the experienced Dutch international. Some German reports, who first reported the Podolski deal claim this one is as good as done.
Attributes – Finishing, finishing and er, finishing. A brilliant goal poacher, who knows where the back of the net lies like I know the back of my pc when I am browsing for porn.
Pedigree – Strong. Has played for some top clubs like Ajax, Real Madrid, Milan and Schalke. Basically, the strongest leagues in Europe. The Premier League remains unchartered territory. Scored 48 goals last season.
Do we need him? – Yes please. We are still a striker short of having a strong strike force. Moreover, we can have our own Dutch goal machine.
Probability of Happening – Very high. If reports are to be believed, the player wants to play in the Champions League, and Arsenal should suit the bill perfectly. Would be available for as little as £5 million in January, or as a free at the end of the season.
Rumour Rating – Medium. Was linked during the van Cunty saga, when City had offered the Bosnian plus cash for van Cunty. Rumours have started recirculating since Dzeko has not been hold on to a first team place.
Attributes – The definition of a supersub. Never scores when he starts, never starts when he scores. For some strange reason, doesn’t start games too well, but loves taking on defenders while coming late on. Without his late goals, City would be languishing in mid-table this season.
Pedigree – Good. A known goal scorer in the Bundesliga and in the Premier League.
Do we need him? – Maybe. If Wenger can somehow work his magic and make him score when he starts, would be a great signing. But, looks like a player similar to Giroud.
Probability of Happening – Low. City know the value of having him on the bench. Wenger may be looking for a different type of striker as well.
21) Fernando Llorente(Age – 27)
Current Club – Athletic Bilbao
Rumour Rating – Medium. Has been linked to several clubs for a couple of years now.
Attributes – A goal scorer. Has been integrated into the Spanish style of play at Bilbao and with Spain.
Pedigree – Good. One of the best strikers in the Spanish League, and highly revered by Bilbao fans.
Do we need him? – Probably. Considering his goal scoring record, we may well sign him. Again, like Dzeko, too similar to Giroud.
Probability of Happening – Medium. May take some time to suit to the Premier League.
22) Edinson Cavani(Age – 25)
Current Club – Napoli
Rumour Rating – Medium. Has been linked with top clubs all over Europe.
Attributes – Loves scoring goals. A hard working player, who has a ferocious shot. Can comjure the sublime with the outrageous.
Pedigree – Strong. Feared all over the Serie A. Scored 66 goals in the last two seasons.
Do we need him? – Yes please. Would be one of the biggest signings the club will make, if he signs. A real marquee signing.
Probability of Happening – Low toMedium. He may well come to the Premier League, but his asking price may be a bit too much for Arsenal to shell out.
23) Adrian Lopez(Age – 24)
Current Club – Atletico Madrid
Rumour Rating – Medium.
Attributes – Not an out and out goal scorer, but a good support striker. A false 9, if you like.
Pedigree – Reasonable. Has been overshadowed by a certain Radamel Falcao at club level. Scored 19 goals in all competitions last season.
Do we need him? – Yes. Would be a good option up front.
Probability of Happening – Medium
24) Demba Ba(Age – 27)
Current Club – Newcastle United
Rumour Rating – Weak to Medium. Has been wanting away from Newcastle in recent times.
Attributes – Strong physical striker, who has taken to the Premier League like a fish to water. Can score from, everywhere on the pitch. Known to be temperamental.
Pedigree – Good. A known goal scorer in the Premier League.
Do we need him? – Mixed views on this. No doubts about his talent, but whether he will suit Arsenal’s style of play.
Probability of Happening – Medium. Not really Arsenal material.
25) David Villa(Age – 31)
Current Club – Barcelona
Rumour Rating – Weak to Medium. His lack of chances at Barcelona in recent times have been the catalyst for such rumors.
Attributes – Short quick striker, with a penchant for scoring goals. Goals. Many of them. Abundance. A lot of it.
Pedigree – Good. One of the most lethal strikers in Europe, a couple of seasons back, but suffered an injury which kept him out for an entire season. Has lost his place in the team since.
Do we need him? – Mixed views on this. No doubts about his talent, but whether he will suit Arsenal’s style of play.
Probability of Happening – Low. Can’t really see Arsene splashing £12 million for a 31 year old.
The Sportskeeda Blogger of the Year Award 2012 is here. Sportskeeda is one of the fastest growing Indian sports networks, with a global reach. It’s nomination time in the competition, and I’d be extremely happy and honored, if you, my esteemed reader, nominate my blog under the ‘Club Fan Site’ category.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————– While you are about it, follow Blazing Cannons on twitter. @blazingcannons
It’s that time of the year again, isn’t it! No, I am not talking about Christmas. Most certainly not!
It’s actually that time of the week again, when there’s a holiday and you don’t know what to do with it, especially after an Arsenal game, supposed to be played the next day, has been postponed to some indefinite day.
Yes, I am talking about that very midweek hangover. That post-apocalyptic wasteland that is a midweek without football!
Ah, but let’s not ruin the Christmas spirit!
Wish you all wonderful Gooners a very Merry Christmas! To the rest of you lot, a dull, uneventful and boring one!
Don’t let Arsenal’s finances, or Walcott’s contract, or van Persie’s great escape from death, or Arshavin’s laziness, or Diaby’s fragile legs etc. ruin it for you!
Unspectacular. Edgy. Nervy. And yes, full of tension. Nonetheless, 3 points. That was the story of today’s win over Wigan.
And while the optimism of a win is always good, Arsenal fans do have the tendency to go overboard with it. Post the Reading win, there were a barrage of posts all over, claiming that Arsenal’s crisis is all over, and how it would be a launchpad for the rest of the season. How we went from losing to Bradford, to becoming world beaters in the space of 6 days.
Well, Arsenal fans, wakey wakey. Yes, we won, on Monday, and we won today, but things are from what we would assume as ideal, as Arsenal were made to work hard for their points, and almost gave it away in some nervous closing minutes of the match.
Olivier Giroud and Tomas Rosicky missed out due to the colds. Hmm. Anyways, Arsenal started with the trio of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski up front. Wigan, suffering from an injury crisis, managed to get James McCarthy fit, in time.
It was a cold dull day in Lancashire. There were about 4672 fans in the stadium. Including 4500 Arsenal fans. Just a number that, 4672. Typical Wigan atmosphere.
Anyways, Arsenal had to wait for their first real sniff at goal. Mikel Arteta played in Chamberlain, but his shot was saved by Oman international Ali Al Habsi. Moments later, he snapped away the danger of a strong Podolski shot.
Wigan, however, were frustrating their opponents, with the craft, guile, movement and pace of the attacking trio of Shaun Maloney, Arouna Kone and Franco di Santo. However, they were let down by the service provided from the flanks by Chilean Jean Beausejour and Ronnie Stam.
Arsenal were playing some high pressure football, with the defence at times lurking even near the half way line, and it almost proved fatal, as a smart through ball from di Santo fell into the path of Kone, who outran Mertesacker, but his shit was wide.
Arsenal weren’t getting much luck either, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looking lively, but his final pass at times wayward, and so was the finishing from Theo Walcott, playing in the central role, who had a shot blocked by stand in Wigan skipper Emmerson Boyce.
Even the referee Jon Moss seemed to have an off day, when he handed Jack Wilshere a yellow card, for what seemed to be a perfect tackle on Shaun Maloney. Later on, he would sideline Franco di Santo, who had gone out of play, for over two minutes, despite the striker and assistant referee continuously waving to get the referee’s attention.
Arsenal began the second half with more purpose. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played a perfectly weighted pass to Walcott, but his shot was saved by Al Habsi. However, the Gunners did not have to wait long, as a wayward cross from the left was collected by Walcott. He pulled stand in left back Jean Beausejour towards him, and bundled over to earn his side a penalty. It was a calm finish by Arteta, who scored his 4th goal of the season, and this was his 3rd penalty.
Wigan upped the ante in search of an equalizer. Maynor Figueroa almost took advantage of the boggy pitch, when his low skidded shot threatened to go in past Szczesny. Kone, then beat Sagna and Mertesacker, cutting in from the left, but his shot was blocked again by Szczesny.
David Jones then saw his shot fly just wide. And, Arsenal made more last ditch interventions to prevent the Latics from scoring. Stam, came in running, clear of any challenges from the left, but his cross was cleared by Mertesacker, with Kone waiting to tap home.
Jordi Gomez injected some freshness when he came late on, and Wigan should have had a penalty when a Wigan shot struck the arms of Gibbs, and then Vermaelen, but the referee failed to notice.
So, a massive 3 points, and a 3rd consecutive win. This takes us to 3rd above Sp*rs, who drew against Stoke at home. A few positives. We have gotten 3 points despite playing average, and now we have a week to prepare for the visit of Newcastle, as the West Ham game on Boxing Day has been postponed.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looked lively. His pace seems to have gone down a bit. Needs to shed some holiday weight. Jack Wilshere was superb again. It’s a pleasure watching him at times.
Mertesacker’s pace was thoroughly exposed today, as well as our defensive frailties. Luckily, the opposition was so poor that they failed to take any of the chances presented to them. God help us against Bayern Munich.
But, there’s still time for that. A merry Christmas to all you wonderful Gooners out there!
The Sportskeeda Blogger of the Year Award 2012 is here. Sportskeeda is one of the fastest growing Indian sports networks, with a global reach. It’s nomination time in the competition, and I’d be extremely happy and honored, if you, my esteemed reader, nominate my blog under the ‘Club Fan Site’ category.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————– While you are about it, follow Blazing Cannons on twitter. @blazingcannons
Another weekend, and another must win game awaits us. It has been a mixed few days since the 5-2 win at Reading. And I say, mixed because, it was only f*cking Reading, and on the other hands, it is a massive win in the long term.
Having suffered a harrowing few weeks, the win came as a bit of plaster to paper over the quite visible cracks. But, hey, a win is a win, and it is about time we kick off. I am tired of the cliche that every time we win a game after a series of bad results, that game turns out to be the game, from where we kick start our season.
Two wins in the league have propped us up from 10th to 5th, and within touching distance of Chelsea and Sp*rs, who lost their only chance to finish above Arsenal, when the Mayan’s prediction of Apocalypse failed to come true. Of course, when Sp*rs do manage to finish above us, I am pretty sure, apocalypse will be near.
The biggest news of the week, however, was the Champions League draw. Arsenal drew Bayern Munich from the hat, which I suppose was any days better than drawing Barcelona. The tie of the round of course is Real Madrid facing off Manchester United, and it will be some occasion.
My first reaction on drawing Bayern was “Not Barcelona! Phew!”, but come to think of it, Bayern are a daunting opposition for any side, including Barcelona. They are an extremely efficient and attacking unit, with plenty of flair, and some big names. And, it would take a great deal of effort from a stuttering Arsenal to get past the German giants.
Bayern have quality all over the pitch, and that is a fact recognized by our two very own Germans. Lukas Podolski, who played at Bayern for 3 years, had this to say.
They played in the final in 2010 and last year,It’s a big club but we have the chance to win against Bayern Munich. They have a very good team with big players. There are two matches, one at home, one away. Both teams have the chance to win.
Per Mertesacker, who has plenty of experience against the Bavarians, whilst at Werder Bremen, said:
Maybe it’s a good opportunity for us to face them in February because we will be in our rhythm,We will hopefully go through the Christmas period in a strong way. We can do that.We have a lot of potential and Bayern know they will face an Arsenal squad that will be strong in February.We have to be consistent until then. We have to show that it’s not only our potential which makes us a good side. We have to get good results until the next Champions League game. It’s a long period for us and the German teams have a little break and a little rest. We will see what happens in February. But we hope we can get into a good rhythm to face them.
It will be an epic encounter between the two sides, who have faced each other previously in the knockout stages once, in 2004/2005 season, when Arsenal failed to progress, losing 3-2 on aggregate, despite a 1-0 second leg win at Highbury.
The other big news, is of course the signing of new long term contracts from Arsenal’s young English bunch. It is a promising step in the right direction from the club, and a lesson they have learnt since the failure of the last youth project.
Players like Jack Wilshere and Carl Jenkinson will be the future faces of the club, while Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Aaron Ramsey have plenty to prove in the coming years. On the other hand, new contracts mean a bigger responsibility to fulfill, as these players slowly pave their way into a first team, of full international players.
Few fans have mixed views on Aaron Ramsey. The Welsh midfielder, of course suffered a horrendous injury, when tackled recklessly by that Stoke thug Ryan Shawcross, who inturn got headbutted by Marrouane Fellaini, quite recently. However, former Arsenal captain Frank McLintock, of the famous 1970/71 side, spoke highly about the player.
Aaron is doing what I did when I first went to Arsenal. I tried too hard as well,I tried to do everybody’s work, and I think that’s what Aaron is trying to do now. He’s a lad that’s got a great engine in him, he’s got a good honest attitude.It’s a great aspect to have but he’s trying to do everybody’s job and he should concentrate a little bit on doing his own work and perfecting his own game.I would just love to have a chat with him and tell him to improve his performance by a long way by just simplifying his game.I feel he takes too many touches on the ball. He’s trying to over-complicate it. I’m not trying to sound too critical, I’m actually trying to give him a little bit of advice and my opinion.
Carl Jenkinson expressed his delight at the new contract, and is eager to repay the faith his beloved club showed in him.
Obviously I’m over the moon – really happy. I see my future at this football club and I’m delighted they see things the same way.Signing the contract shows commitment from me, which Arsenal can always count on, but it’s a big commitment from them as well. People here clearly have belief in me, and now I have to make sure I prove them right.I’m obviously really pleased with my progress over the past 18 months. Of course there have been some challenging times along the way, and I’ve had to work really hard, but I’m pleased with where I am now and I’m so happy with the new contract.Now I just need to take every day as it comes, working and training hard.We’re an English club and I think the core of the squad should reflect that,That’s why I’m delighted the other boys have signed up with me.Arsenal has such a vast scouting system that it can pick up great players from numerous other countries, and that will always be the case, but I think it’s fantastic and appropriate to have an English core. It’s something the [English] fans can relate to.
Theo Walcott’s contract situation still remains at loggerheads. However, according to some recent developments, rumors are that he will sign the new deal after all. Arsene Wenger has urged the England international to sign the new contact, and has told him, it’s time to give something back to the club.
Captain Thomas Vermaelen, however, is unsure whether the winger will stay at the club come next season.
Of course we want him to stay but that is something that is going on between the player and the club,I don’t know what is going on behind the scenes — we don’t talk about it. Of course, Theo has been invaluable for us when he played this year. He is dangerous for us and I hope he could stay this year.It happened last time with Robin in the summer. It’s the job of the board and the club what they are going to do with it so we can’t do anything about it.We know his qualities — he is quick and goes in behind defenders all the time — and I think we could find him yesterday and it helped us score a few goals.
Among other news, is of course the interview of Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who has a big stake in the club, but has no say whatsoever, in the club’s affairs. He spoke about how he felt Wenger did not have the right backing of the board, and he wanted to have a bigger say in the day to day running of the club.
However, the manager has again come to the rescue of the board, insisting that he has the full support of the board.
I believe I have always had the support from the board, and am very grateful for that, We have worked over the years in respecting in what we did, which is to always work within our financial resources.Therefore we made decisions which, from outside, looked not based on purely football reasons, but it was based as well on financial reasons.Let’s see how far this team can go,If we can add one or two exceptional players, we will do it. What we do not want to do is add players just because people put us under pressure to buy players.That is where we have to be strong enough. If we find a player who will give us something special, we will do it – but that in January will not be easy.We have money, and why should I not spend it if it is to find the right players? I believe as well the first and most important thing is to keep confidence in the players we have. If we are consistent, we can come back.
Yes, I am pretty sure you heard these lines last year, or the year before that, or even the year before that. It has been quite a session of ping-pong between the media, the board, Usmanov and the manager regarding the top level management at the club, and surely we can do better than washing our dirty linen in public.
Right, to the football then, which means team news. Wigan are going through some sort of doomsday crisis, with nearly 8 players sidelined. James McCarthy, Ivan Ramis, Gary Caldwell (major doubt), Piscu, Antonin Alcaraz, Adrian Lopez are all out.
Arsenal are without Andre Santos, Abou Diaby and Lukasz Fabianski, which is not really much of a concern. No fresh knocks after the Reading game, and Olivier Giroud will be looking to start this time round.
Here is how I expect the sides to lineup.
Wigan are going through a poor run of form, which has seen them dip to the relegation zone, and Arsenal will be expected to take all 3 points from the DW Stadium.
They lost to Norwich last week, before which they garnered a point at home against QPR, a loss at Newcastle, and a home loss to Manchester City, after they got past Reading 3-2.
The Sportskeeda Blogger of the Year Award 2012 is here. Sportskeeda is one of the fastest growing Indian sports networks, with a global reach. It’s nomination time in the competition, and I’d be extremely happy and honored, if you, my esteemed reader, nominate my blog under the ‘Club Fan Site’ category.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————– While you are about it, follow Blazing Cannons on twitter. @blazingcannons
The Team – Bankrolled by the Qatar Investment Authority, Paris Saint Germain have joined the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Malaga etc, in a way buy success, by first buying the best players around the world. After narrowly missing out on the French League title to poor cousin Montpellier, PSG have gone on a spending spree. They have signed one of the best central defenders in the world, Brazilian Thiago Silva, and super Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic for a whopping £52 million from Milan, to add to Argentine Ezequiel Lavezzi (£21 million), Brazilian playmaker Lucas Moura (£36 million), and Dutch right-back Gregory van der Wiel (£5 million). Last season they purchased Javier Pastore (£33 million), to add to a core of French internationals Mamadou Sakho, Jeremy Menez, Mathieu Bodmer and Christophe Jallet. PSG topped their group, and are at the top of the French Ligue, tied on points with Lyon and Marseille.
The Manager – There are fewer managers in the world with a stronger pedigree than Carlo Ancelotti. Tactically astute, he is a born winner, with a glittering CV. In his 8 year spell as manager of Milan, he won the league and cup once, and the Champions League twice, and managed a glittering side of players, in Andrea Pirlo, Fillipo Inzaghi, Gennaro Gattuso, Allesandro Nesta, Clarence Seedorf, Paolo Maldini, Dida, Jaap Stam, Kaka, to name a few. He did the league and cup double in his very first season with Chelsea in 2009/2010. The same has not been the case with PSG, and there have been reports that the owners want Jose Mourinho at the helm.
The Arsenal Connection
Well, not much. Let’s see. We share the same shirt sponsors, for starters. And, that’s about it. Oh wait! There was this dude we bought from them and later built an entire training complex in his memory. Oh yes, Nicolas Anelka, who transferred to Arsenal for a paltry £0.5 million, but left Arsenal, two years, 89 games and 27 goals later, to Real Madrid for a whopping £23 million. Thank you very much! Of course, he would return to PSG, 2 years later, sulking out of Madrid. He spent two more years in the French capital, before making a few more sulkings, to end up playing for more clubs than the number of managers Abrahamovic has sacked at Chelsea.
Past Matches
1) Paris Saint Germain 1-1 Arsenal, 29th March 1994, European Cup Winners Cup Semi Finals 1st Leg, Parc des Princes
Arsenal scored a vital away goal, against a talented French side, containing names such as Paul Le Guen, George Weah and David Ginola. Ian Wright opened the scoring in the 35th minute, before David Ginola equalized in the 50th.
2) Arsenal 1-0Paris Saint Germain, 12th April 1994, European Cup Winners Cup Semi Finals 2nd Leg, Highbury
Arsenal squeezed past PSG into the final of the Cup Winners Cup, a competition they would go on to win, against Parma in the final. Kevin Campbell scored in as early as the 7th minute. However, the striking image of the match was a distraught Ian Wright, after he picked up a yellow card, which meant he would miss the final.
Record
Played 2, Won 1, Lost 0, Drawn 1
Prediction
Surely, PSG is one of the easier draws we could get in the Champions League this season. It is a fairly new squad, that PSG have assembled, and despite their domestic success, it is a different ball game in Europe. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who tormented the Gunners last season at the San Siro is the main threat, and if he gets going, PSG would be hard to stop. Not a tie, in which we are definite to go through, but certainly one with high chances.
Verdict
Two different philosophies. One built on strong financial backing aka oil riches, and the other on a slow and steady process, but with little to cheer about. A manager who has won it all, against another, trying to find back his seemingly lost winning mentality. An intriguing clash.
MALAGA
The Team – Like PSG, Malaga are bankrolled by an Arab consortium, which has seen them buy some quality players recently. After a crazy summer in 2011, when they signed players like Julio Baptista, Martin Demichelis, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Nacho Monreal, Jeremy Toulalan, Joris Mathijsen, Isco, Santi Cazorla, Joaquin Sanchez and Carlos Kameni, they suffered financial problems in 2012, and underwent a mass exodus. They still managed to attract Javier Saviola, and Roque Santa Cruz, both of whom were once highly rated, but have seen their careers fizzle out, due to poor career guidance. After finishing 4th last season in La Liga, they have been impressive this season as well, and find themselves in 4th place, and topped their group, comprising Milan, Zenit and Anderlecht.
The Manager – Manuel Pellegrini. Strikes a bell? Pellegrini was manager of Villarreal, when he took the Yellow Submarines to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2005/2006, eventually losing to Arsenal. He was manager even in 2008/09 when the clubs met again the Champions League, but at the quarter final stage. Pellegrini got his shot at the big time again, when he was offered the manager’s role at Real Madrid. However, he couldn’t manage to win a trophy, and despite garnering record 96 points in the league, they finished second to Barcelona. He would sign for Malaga soon afterwards. The Chilean has a great eye for talent, especially South American talent. He turned Villarreal from mid-table loafers to Champions League material, and in the process handing players like Marcos Senna, Juan Roman Riquelme, Diego Forlan and Juan Pablo Sorin another chance at the top level, while helping Santi Cazorla and Mathias Fernandez make their way to the top.
The Arsenal Connection
Look no further than Santi Cazorla, who joined Malaga from Villarreal for £17 million. He played 42 games, scoring 9 times, before moving to Arsenal for around £10 million. Julio Baptista, now at Malaga, enjoyed one season with Arsenal, on loan from Real Madrid, in 2006/2007 but never really impressed. He played 35 games, scoring 10 goals, including 4 in one game at Anfield, a 6-3 win in the League Cup. He joined Malaga from Roma in 2010.
Predicition
Malaga is the most favourable looking draw for Arsenal at the moment, and nothing but a win would be expected, considering Santi Cazorla will leak all information about Malaga’s tactics, training methods, Pellegrini’s tea times etc. Just kidding. Arsenal will surely be favorites to win this tie, simply because Malaga do not have any European pedigree or experience, but it could be harder than you think. Malaga have some quality players all over, with a point to prove.
Verdict
Surely, this is the best draw Arsenal fans can hope for. Not mouth-watering, but not something that would make you pee in your pants either. God, give us Malaga for now. Barcelona, we will see them later!
The Sportskeeda Blogger of the Year Award 2012 is here. Sportskeeda is one of the fastest growing Indian sports networks, with a global reach. It’s nomination time in the competition, and I’d be extremely happy and honored, if you, my esteemed reader, nominate my blog under the ‘Club Fan Site’ category.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————– While you are about it, follow Blazing Cannons on twitter. @blazingcannons
After the lowdown on Barcelona and Bayern Munich, we now have at Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND
The Team – Like Bayern, Dortmund boast of a strong German core. German internationals Mats Hummels, Marcel Schmelzer, Sven Bender, Marco Reus and the highly rated Mario Gotze, combine with experienced campaigner Sebastien Kehl, Croatian Ivan Perisic and the Polish trio of Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Robert Lewandowski, to form a formidable force in German football, and now in European football. They may have lost a key player in Japan international Shinji Kagawa, but stunned the football world by topping a tough group comprising Manchester City, Real Madrid and Ajax. Defensively solid, they have an extremely talented midfield, with goal machine Lewandowski leading the line. They are defending Bundesliga champions for two years now.
The Manager – Jurgen Klopp is Dortmund’s version of Arsene Wenger in his prime. Charismatic and charming, he likes the beautiful game, and has successfully integrated the club’s youngsters into the first team, while also having to deal with departures of key names. He has turned Dortmund from an under performing team in 2008, to two-time German champions in just 4 years. A mark of a great manager.
The Arsenal Connection
The strongest connection is that of Tomas Rosicky, who joined Dortmund in 1998, as a fresh faced 18 year old. He went on to make 145 appearances in the space of 8 seasons, and left with the nickname of “Little Mozart” for his ability to orchestrate attacks. Rosicky’s time at Arsenal however has been injury stricken, making 168 appearances in over 6 seasons. Another player, previously on Dortmund’s books is young German midfielder, Thomas Eisfeld, already rated very highly by Arsenal’s coaches. And, in the not too distant past, 2003 to be precise, Arsenal snapped up Jens Lehmann from Dortmund. He had helped them win the Bundesliga in 2001-2002, before helping Arsenal win the league in the historic 2003-2004 season, and single-handedly won the FA Cup a year later. He made 179 appearances for Dortmund, and 200 for the Gunners.
Past Matches
1) Arsenal 2-0 Borussia Dortmund, 17th September 2002, Champions League Group Stage, Highbury
Arsenal produced an efficient display to beat the German champions, thanks to a fine strike from Dennis Bergkamp, which went in off a Dortmund defender in the 62 minute, and a Ljungberg tapin 15 minutes later.
2) Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Arsenal, 30th October 2002, Champions League Group Stage, Westfalenstadion
Arsenal suffered their 4th defeat in a row, when they went down 2-1 in Dortmund. The Gunners went ahead through a Henry free-kick in the 18th minute. Soon, they were pegged back when a Rosicky free-kick was deflected in by Gilberto. And, in the 63rd minute, Jan Koller made most of an onrushing Seaman, to earn his side a penalty. Who else, to score, but Rosicky?
3) Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Arsenal, 13th September 2011, Champions League Group Stage, Westfalenstadion
A new look Arsenal side, stuttering in the league, began their European campaign in Germany having beaten Udinese in the qualifying stage. The Gunners went ahead on the stroke of half time through Robin van Persie, despite being on the backfoot for the entire half. The Germans applied the pressure, and finally got their equalizer in the 88th minute, Ivan Perisic scoring a great goal.
4) Arsenal 2-1 Borussia Dortmund, 23rd November 2011, Champions League Group Stage, Emirates Stadium
Arsenal ensured their progress into the knockout stages, as well as dumped Dortmund from the Champions League with a 2-1 win at the Emirates. Alex Song, hmm, and, er, Robin van Persie combined for the first, before the Dutchman doubled the advantage in the 86th. Kagawa’s consolation was too late to spark any sort of a comeback.
Record
Played 4, Won 2, Lost 1, Drawn 1
Prediction
Dortmund have proved their pedigree this season, by topping the Group of Death, after their poor performance in the group stage last season. Their vibrant young squad has already attracted eyes of top clubs across Europe scouring for their players, and are a force to be reckoned with at home, especially with their strong home support. If drawn, it will be a clash that will be very hard to predict, considering the teams almost can match each other. Could be two very edgy clashes, with Dortmund having the slight upper hand, because they play the second leg at home.
Verdict
Two similar philosophies, two similar managers, and a similar style of football. An intriguing football battle, that could entertain or even turn out to be a match where both sides cancel each other out. Surely, Arsenal fans would do better than to wish for drawing Dortmund.
JUVENTUS
The Team – The Italian champions matched Arsenal’s record of going 49 games unbeaten in the league, but like the Gunners in 2004, fell 1 agonizingly short of the magical 50 mark, when they lost to rivals Inter Milan. Blessed with a strong, typical Italian defence, in Chiellini, Barzagli and Bonucci, they also have one of the world’s best goalkeepers in Gianluigi Buffon. They aren’t too short in midfield either. Andrea Pirlo, probably the world’s best playmaker, joins forces with the likes of Simone Pepe, Emanuele Giacherini, Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio. Up front, Montenegrin hot shot Mirko Vucinic is ably supported by Italian internationals Sebastien Giovinco and Fabio Quagliarella.
The Manager – At the helm of Juve’s affair, is one of their own legends, Antonio Conte, who spent a succesfull 13 years as a player. He is known to be obsessed with the tactical side of the game, something which has seen him key games over the past two seasons. His approach is very Un-Italian, and he prefers flair and fluidity, often going for 3 strikers up front. He won the league title in his very first season in charge of the Turin club, in 2011/2012, a feat they accomplished without losing a single game, to be known as Italy’s Invincibles.
The Arsenal Connection
Arsenal’s connection with the Italian giants go back into the late 50’s, when Juventus visited Highbury for a friendly game. After the Gunners knocked out Juventus in the 1979/1980 European Cup Winners Cup, Juve extracted a bit of revenge by purchasing Arsenal’s star midfielder and club legend Liam Brady. Brady played in the famous stripes for two seasons, before making further moves around Italy to Sampdoria, Inter, Ascoli, and seeing out his playing days back in England, with West Ham United. Arsenal then made the best signing in the history of the club, when they snapped up some random French chap named Thierry Henry. Of course, that guy would go on to score a meagre 228 goals, and become arguably Arsenal’s best ever player. In 2005, Juventus managed to snap up another legend, in Patrick Vieira. However, Vieira’s stay at Juventus was short, as they were relegated to Serie B, as a result of the Italian match fixing scandal of 2006. More recently, Juventus were one of the clubs interested in signing Robin van Persie, but had to settle for Danish Smartypants, er, Niklas Bendtner.
Past Games
1) Arsenal 1-1 Juventus, 9th April 1980, European Cup Winners’ Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg, Highbury
Juventus started confidently and took the lead through a rebound penalty from Cabrini, after Roberto Bettega was bought down in the box by Brian Talbot in the 11th minute. The Italians pursued their physical game, and David O’Leary had to be stretchered off, when tackled by Bettega. Minutes later, Tardelli was sent off for hacking Liam Brady, as the card count continued to rise. Arsenal piled on the pressure and camped in the Juve half. The pressure finally told in the 85th minute, when the ball went in off Bettega’s shoulder, under pressure from Frank Stapleton.
2) Juventus 0-1 Arsenal, 23rd April, European Cup Winners’ Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg, Stadio Olimpico
In an edgy game, in front of a packed stadium, the game seemed destined for a goalless draw. Juventus would have gone through on away goals. Terry Neill bought on young 19 year old striker Paul Vaessen. A mazy run by Graham Rix resulted in a cross, and Paul Vaesen outjumped 38 year old Italian goalkeeping legend Dino Zoff to bundle the ball home, with just 2 minutes in normal time to go. Arsenal became the first English team to beat Juventus in Turin. Unfortunately, Arsenal lost to Valencia in the final, and it marked the disintegration of the talented team. Paul Vaesen had his career cut short, and died tragically, aged just 39.
3) Arsenal 3-1 Juventus, 4th December 2001, Champions League Second Group Stage, Highbury
An in-form and confident Juventus were beaten by an Arsenal side, that showed plenty of attacking intent on the night. Fredrik Ljungberg opened the scoring in the 21st minute, and Henry made it 2-0 with a fine free kick. Juventus finally got one back when 3rd choice keeper Stuart Taylor conceded an unfortunate own goal. But, Dennis Bergkamp played a brilliant pass to setup Ljungberg who sealed a 3-1 win for the Gunners.
4) Juventus 1-0 Arsenal, 20th March 2002, Champions League Second Group Stage, Stadio delle Alpi
Juventus, already out of the competition were playing for pride, while Arsenal needed a win to have a chance of securing qualification to the quarter finals. But, the Gunners missed a host of opportunities, including a penalty, and were made to rue their luck when Marcelo Zalayeta scored the winner for Juventus with 14 minutes left.
5) Arsenal 2-0 Juventus, 28th March 2006, Champions League Quarter Finals 1st Leg, Highbury
Arsenal’s young side produced a master class against a strong and star-studded, but ageing Juventus side. The buildup of the match was overshadowed by the return of former captain Patrick Vieira, months after he had left. But, he was out shined by his successor, as young Cesc Fabregas ran the Gunners’ show in midfield, and scored the opening goal in the 40th minute. Arsenal piled on the pressure, and took a decisive 2-0 lead, with an acrobatic Henry finish.
6) Juventus 0-0 Arsenal, 5th April 2006, Champions League Quarter Finals 1st Leg, Stadio delle Alpi
Arsenal had an easier game than expected, as Juventus, two goals down produced a toothless performance in their own backyard. Arsenal had more chances, but failed to score. Juventus barely managed any proper attacks, and even saw 3 players sent off over the two legs. Arsenal would reach the final that year, but lose narrowly to Barcelona in the final.
Record
Played 6, Won 3, Lost 1, Drawn 2
Prediction
Juventus showed their class when they thumped defending European champions Chelsea 3-0, with some brilliant tactical football. What sets them apart is their strong pressing and strong defending. The flair in midfield is what makes them a dangerous side. Andrea Pirlo can destroy any midfield with his passing, and will be a major threat to Arsenal’s hopes. The Gunners surely have the quality to qualify over two legs, and if history is anything to go by, it is most certainly possible.
Verdict
The Gunners wouldn’t mind a draw with Juventus, as they would be happy to prevent facing Barcelona or Bayern. But, underestimate the Italian champions at your own peril. Tactically astute, it could ultimately be a battle of wits between Wenger and Conte.
The Sportskeeda Blogger of the Year Award 2012 is here. Sportskeeda is one of the fastest growing Indian sports networks, with a global reach. It’s nomination time in the competition, and I’d be extremely happy and honored, if you, my esteemed reader, nominate my blog under the ‘Club Fan Site’ category.
So, would you prefer Borussia Dortmund, the German champions with a burgeoning reputation, or Juventus, the Old Lady who can still bite vs Arsenal, in the next round? Leave your comments below!
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————– While you are about it, follow Blazing Cannons on twitter. @blazingcannons
After the quirky and humorous lowdown by Arseblog, on Arsenal’s possible Champions League opponents, here is the definitive lowdown on Arsenal’s possible Champions League opponents.
BARCELONA
The Team – Let’s face it. Barcelona are the best club side in the world at the moment. They retain the ball like no one else, score goals like no one else, press like no one else, and win games and trophies like no one else. Filled with stars of the Spanish national team, from back to front, in Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, er, Francesc Fabregas, David Villa, etc., they also possess the best footballer in the world at the moment in Argentine Lionel Messi. It’s a formidable lineup, enough to send shivers down even Madrid’s expensively assembled Galacticos.
The Manager – Pep Guardiola heralded a fantastic generation of Catalan football, and sprinkled with a few foreigners, made them into an all conquering force. Having taken over as manager in 2008, he won a hat-trick of league titles, 2 Copa Del Rey’s and more importantly, 2 Champions League titles, among others. But after missing out on the Champions League and the La Liga title, Guardiola resigned from his post, to take a breather. Next in line was his right hand man Tito Vilanova, who knows the squad inside out, having worked closely with Guardiola in delivering 14 major trophies. He doesn’t come with a great CV, but so far, this season, has proved his tactical nous.
The Arsenal Connection
Arsenal and Barcelona have had a relation of a seller and buyer over the past decade. The Catalan club, which boasts of having such a proud and clean record, have themselves gone out of their way, and at times even illegally, to tap up Arsenal players in the past. Among their techniques to lure Arsenal players are
1) Hiring Pepe Reina/ random Villarreal fan to force a Barcelona jersey over an Arsenal player.
2) Using the power of the presidency, Joan Laporta and Sandro Rossell make phone calls to their favorite Arsenal players, to speak about a possible transfer. Marca reveals it as just a casual chat.
2) Directing their own players to tweet about how good their Arsenal target is.
3) Use the joke of a newspaper, Marca to accuse Arsenal of taking away their own talent (who they weren’t going to upgrade to the first team anyway)
4) Use the joke of a newspaper, Marca to accuse Arsenal of being hard to deal with. (They think they have the right to buy any of our players at any time they wish, with minimim of fuss.)
Arsenal players to have transferred to the Nou Camp (a list which by no means will end anytime soon) are Marc Overmars (2000), Emmanuel Petit (2000) Giovanni van Bronkhorst (2004), Thierry Henry (2007), Alexander Hleb (2008), Francesc Fabregas (2011), Alex Song (2012), while the Gunners have ‘poached’ Fabregas and Jan Toral from the La Masia Alien Football Academy. Additionally, Pep Guardiola, earned few of his UEFA coaching badges under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, while young Arsenal defender Ignasi Miquel was part of Barca’s youth set up not too long ago.
Past Games
1) Barcelona 1-1 Arsenal, 29th September 1999, Champions League Group Stage, Nou Camp
A heroic performance from 10 man Arsenal, to rescue a point after going behind in the 16th minute through Luis Enrique. Having been outclassed in the first half, the Gunners came out with more purpose, but were dealt a blow when Giles Grimandi was sent off for an elbow on, er, Pep Guardiola. Arsenal however equalized moments later through Nwankwo Kanu.
2) Arsenal 2-4 Barcelona, 19th October 1999, Champions League Group Stage, Wembley
In an enthralling battle, Barcelona were 2-0 up in no time, after Rivaldo converted a penalty, earned by a diving Philip Cocu, and Luis Enrique scoring after some poor Arsenal defending. The Gunners, however, playing in their adopted home, temporarily, dominated the rest of the half and got a goal back through Dennis Bergkamp. The Catalans, proved to be too strong, Luis Figo and Cocu scoring, before Overmars’ late consolation.
3) Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal, 17th May 2006, Champions League Final, Parc des Princes
Arsenal had battled an injury ridden season to earn their place in the final against a Barcelona side, having names such as Ronaldinho, Eto’o, Giuly and Deco. However, Arsenal were dealt a blow when goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off after just 15 minutes. Arsenal defended bravely, and took the lead when Sol Campbell thumped in a header in the 31st minute. It looked like Arsenal would pull of a miracle, but two goals in the space of 5 minutes, late on put an end to the Gunners’ resistance and broke their hearts.
4) Arsenal 2-2 Barcelona, 31st March 2010, Champions League Quarter-Final 1st Leg, Emirates Stadium
Arsenal produced a stirring comeback against a sizzling Barcelona side. In a close first half, dominated by the Catalans, Arsenal lost Arshavin and Gallas to injuries, who were replaced by Eboue and Denilson. Super Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice in the first 15 minutes of the second half, but Walcott pulled one back in the 69th. In the 85th minute, Puyol pulled down Fabregas in the box and was sent off. Fabregas scored the equalizer from the spot, and injured himself in the process.
5) Barcelona 4-1 Arsenal, 6th April 2010, Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg, Nou Camp
Lionel Messi produced a masterclass, as a depleted Arsenal side were brushed aside by 4 goals from the Argentine. The Gunners took a shock lead through Niklas Bendtner, after he contrived to miss at first. But, Messi had other plans, as he scored a hat-trick before half-time. The Gunners weathered the storm till a late fourth from Messi added gloss to the scoreline.
6) Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona, 16th February 2011, Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg, Emirates Stadium
In an epic encounter, which could probably be one of the best games of football ever played, Arsenal stunned Barcelona and beat them with their own style of football. In a frantic game of chances at both ends, Arsenal had the first crack at goal, before Barcelona settled into their stride, Messi assisting Villa for the opener. However, Arsenal knocked and knocked, and finally the door opened when Robin van Persie scored from the narrowest of angles in the 78th minute. 5 minutes later, the Emirates erupted again, when Fabregas and Nasri combined to setup Arshavin for a delightful winner.
7) Barcelona 3-1 Arsenal, 8th March 2011, Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg, Nou Camp
Arsenal were undone by the referee again on a forgettable night. Barcelona dominated the entire game, and had the lead late into the first half. Arsenal were given a lifeline when Busquets clumsily headed into his own goal, but the referee decided to turn the tables into Barcelona’s favour, by harshly sending off van Persie, for kicking the ball after the referee had blown the whistle. As expected, Barca did the needful and dumped the Gunners out of the competition.
Record
Played 7, Won 1, Lost 4, Drawn 2
Prediction
Arsenal fans will sincerely be hoping they avoid Barcelona, considering the past record, wherein the Catalans have managed to play with 12 men (including ref) on the field, against Arsenal’s 10 on more than one ocassion. At the moment, Barcelona look like they could stampede any side they come up against, while Arsenal are suffering a poor season under Arsene Wenger. If drawn, Barcelona would be expected to win easily, unless the Gunners can park the bus like Chelsea did. Going by our defensive frailties this season, that may as well not happen.
Verdict
While the game will be a big draw for the purists, Arsenal fans will crinch more than once if we do draw Barcelona again. On one hand, if we can play to our full potential, we may finally get the Barca monkey off our backs, while on the other hands, it could be another embarrassing drubbing.
BAYERN MUNICH
The Team – Last year’s finalists Bayern Munich have an extremely talented, young and strong squad, with a very German core. Having won the competition 4 times in their history, they came close twice in recent years, in 2010 and in 2012, losing to Inter and the Chelsea on home soil respectively. Bayern are almost as much Bavarian as Barcelona are Catalan, with a host of stars coming through their youth team. Philip Lahm, Holger Badstuber, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Mueller, Toni Kroos are all full German internationals from Bayern’s youth sides, while they have some talented European names, in France’s Frank Ribery, Spain’s Javi Martinez, Netherlands’ Arjen Robben, Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri, Croatian Milan Mandzukic, and German Mario Gomez.
The Manager – Former West Germany international Jupp Heynckes brings with him a wealth of experience, having managed teams in Germany, Spain and Portugal. He is in his 3rd stint as Bayern manager. In his first stint lasting 4 years, he won two Bundesliga titles, whilst winning the Champions League when in charge of Real Madrid in 1998. After a short stint in 2009, he was reappointed as manager in 2011, where he lost the final of the Champions League to Chelsea on penalties, and the league and cup to Borussia Dortmund.
The Arsenal Connection
The strongest is that of Lukas Podolski, who enjoyed, or rather, didn’t enjoy his 3 year stint with the German giants. Following Cologne’s relegation from the Bundesliga in 2006, Bayern signed Podolski, who had just won the Young Player award during the FIFA World Cup. His career at Bayern, never took off, and was blighted by poor form and injuries. The arrival of Luca Toni meant Podolski got even more game further reduced Podolski’s game time, and he would return to his beloved Cologne in 2009. Apart from that, there aren’t too many connectors between the two clubs. Jens Lehmann and Oliver Kahn were at loggerheads for the German goalkeeping gloves, while Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker, was close to joining Bayern, according to some reports, before chosing Arsenal.
Past Games
1) Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich, 5th December 2000, Champions League Second Group Stage, Highbury
Arsenal got off to a flying start, taking the lead through Thierry Henry, in as early as the 3rd minute, and continued to dominate the game, with Bayern having to relent on counters. The Gunners were deservedly 2-0 up, 9 minutes into the second half, when Kanu scored a cracking goal. But, Bayern hit back at the restart, through Michael Tarnat, before Mehmet Scholl levelled the scores, 8 minutes later.
2) Bayern Munich 1-0 Arsenal, 14th March 2001, Champions League Second Group Stage, Olympiastadion
Bayern won an edgy match 1-0, having taken the lead through Brazilian striker Giovane Elber, to top the group. The Gunners would be eventually knocked out by Valencia in the next round.
3) Bayern Munich 3-1 Arsenal, 22nd February 2005, Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg, Olympiastadion
Bayern Munich turned on the style on a chilly night in Munich, against a poor Arsenal side, who never looked threatening. Claudio Pizarro scored in the 3rd minute, and the Gunners repelled waves of Bayern attacks. However, 20 minutes into the second half, Bayern were 3-0 up, thanks to another goal from Pizzaro and then Hasan Salihamidzic. Kolo Toure pulled one back late on.
4) Arsenal 1-0 Bayern Munich, 9th March 2005, Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg, Highbury
In a cagey game, it was Arsenal who took the lead in the 66th minute through a well taken finish from Thierry Henry. But, Bayern nervously held on to progress 3-2 on aggregate.
Record
Played 4, Won 1, Lost 2, Drawn 1
Prediction
Bayern have superior squad strength, in terms of personnel and cohesion. Their vast array of talent and experience will be up against a newly assembled Arsenal side. They are going great guns in the Bundesliga, and extremely high on confidence. Extremely well disciplined and unit. Hard to break down. But, they do have a tendency of profligacy, and that may just about balance the scale. A very hard game, but more even than you think.
Verdict
Surely, facing Bayern in the next round will not be on the wishlist of any sane Arsenal fan. Then again, it would be an intriguing clash between two teams, similar and dissimilar in numerous ways.
The Sportskeeda Blogger of the Year Award 2012 is here. Sportskeeda is one of the fastest growing Indian sports networks, with a global reach. It’s nomination time in the competition, and I’d be extremely happy and honored, if you, my esteemed reader, nominate my blog under the ‘Club Fan Site’ category.
So, would you prefer Barcelona, the strongest team in the world or Bayern Munich, the well oiled efficient German unit vs Arsenal, in the next round? Leave your comments below!
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————– While you are about it, follow Blazing Cannons on twitter. @blazingcannons
Self Assists
=1. Gary Cahill - 1 (1PL)
=1. Steve Cook - 1 (1PL)
=1. Wayne Routledge - 1 (1PL)
Clean Sheets
Petr Cech
1. Leicester (A), 20 Aug
2. Chelsea (H), 24 Sep
3. Burnley (A), 2 Oct
4. Middlesbrough (H), 22 Oct
5. West Brom (H), 26 Dec
6. Crystal Palace (H), 1 Jan
7. Swansea (A), 14 Jan Matt Macey
1. Nottm. Forest (A), 20 Sep David Ospina
1. FC Basel (H), 28 Sep
2. Ludogorets (H), 19 Oct
3. Southampton (A), 28 Jan Emiliano Martinez
1. Reading (H), 25 Oct
Discipline
YELLOW CARDS
Francis Coquelin- 4 (2PL,2CL)
Granit Xhaka- 2 (1PL,1CL)
Alex Iwobi- 1 (1PL)
Rob Holding- 1 (1PL)
Jack Wilshere- 1 (1PL)
Nacho Monreal- 3 (1CL,2PL)
Santi Cazorla- 2 (2PL)
Olivier Giroud- 2 (1CL,1PL)
Petr Cech- 2 (2PL)
Rob Holding- 1 (1LC)
Shkodran Mustafi- 3 (3PL)
Kieran Gibbs- 2 (2PL)
Alexis Sanchez- 2 (2PL)
Carl Jenkinson- 1 (1CL)
Laurent Koscielny- 1 (1PL)
Gabriel Paulista- 3 (2PL,1FAC)
Mohamed Elneny- 1 (1PL)
Aaron Ramsey- 2 (2PL)
Hector Bellerin- 1 (1PL)
RED CARDS
Olivier Giroud- 1 (1CL)
Granit Xhaka- 2 (2PL)
supreetkini
Blazing Cannons 