Arsenal:When will this torture end?

Last night I had a dream about Arsenal. We we’re playing Chelsea and there were fans everywhere, I wasn’t at the game though. There we’re just loads and loads of Arsenal and Chelsea fans down in Poole, where I work. I realized the time and the game had started half an hour ago and I was running around everywhere dodging all these people trying to get to the pub. I got there and it was 1-0 to Chelsea at half time, but Alex Song scored two in the second half and we won…yay.

Don’t know why I’m telling you this but there you go.

alexandre song man united tevezAlex Song can be the new Peter Storey according to Frank McLintock. He’s had a good start to the season. He’s done his job well and been very efficient. Alex hasn’t made any headlines but then neither did Gilberto Silva, that’s just their style of play. He’s stamped his place in the first team in this early part of the season and he doesn’t really have anyone competing for it. It would be nice to have a bit of back up but he’s doing well there so lets hope he can continue.

There’s been some more ‘Arsenalization’ of the ground. It’s another player mural, this one featuring Dennis Bergkamp, Bob Wilson, Eddie Hapgood and Charlie George. I must admit I didn’t have a clue who Hapgood was… plastic fan I know, I know. He was a legendary left back who captained Arsenal and England in the 30’s. I feel a bit bad not knowing who he was but I do now so it’s all good…

Arsene Wenger’s been saying that he will not name the new Arsenal manager. I wouldn’t expect him too anyways. I think considering everything he’s done for the club we’d probably take his opinion on board but that would be it.

“If they consult me I will give an opinion but I certainly will not name the next manager because that’s not my job and I wouldn’t like to do anything other than my job.

When I leave this Club one day I would like to leave it in fantastic shape and give the [new] manager an opportunity to do better. [I want to] leave a team behind that has potential, not a team where nobody is there anymore.”

I don’t know how long Wenger’s going to stick around for to be honest. I think he would like to at least spend another two or three years bringing this current side through. There’s no indication yet of when he might call it a day, he’s just passed the 13 year mark but I don’t see him still being here on the 20th anniversary. I don’t know, we’ll see.

There’s really nothing else to talk about, it’s soooo boring around here. We have a game at the weekend but that just seems so long away. There’s another round of internationals this midweek so we won’t be able to start talking Premier League until about Thursday or Friday. It sucks.

I better go then. Thanks for reading.

source the canon

arsenal news:Wenger: Good Arsenal players make good international players

Arsene Wenger believes consistency at club level will enable his international contingent to perform well at the World Cup.

The vast majority of the Gunners squad have been away with their respective countries around the globe during the international break.

"I am keen for them to qualify, hopefully as quickly as possible as group winners, because that would preclude them from having to play a decisive play-off game in November," Wenger said.

"I am convinced it is important for the players to go to the World Cup, but as well I know that those who have a good World Cup are those who win with their clubs during the season.

"We have seen that before here [with France], and so the most important thing is that they do well with the club and it puts you in a strong position confidence-wise for what follows."

arsenal news:Arsenal board make January cash available to Wenger

The Arsenal board will make cash available for the January market.

The Daily Mail says Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been assured that he will have the funds if he wants to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window.

Wenger, who celebrated 13 years in charge of the club last week, will have been largely encouraged by Arsenal's start to the season, and will be expecting victory against Birmingham on Saturday.

arsenal news:sene Wenger, “The partnership between Gallas and Vermaelen has gelled more quickly than I expected”

Arsenal defender William Gallas is enjoying a very solid season with the Gunners despite having to quickly adapt to a new partner at the back, after the departure of Kolo Toure.

Speaking of the Frenchman, manager Arsene Wenger highlighted how well the 32-year old is performing and also revealed he never expected the former captain to click so quickly with his new colleague.

Wenger said:

William Gallas has had a fine start to the season, which is down to both his attitude and the quality of the player.

it can happen that any player has highs and lows in his career, but I must say his form now is a consequence of the way he behaves every day.

He behaves 100 per cent as a professional and is highly focused in training.

The partnership between William and Thomas Vermaelen has gelled more quickly than I expected. This is for two reasons, first of all, Vermaelen adapted faster, and secondly William fits more comfortably on the right side of a central defence than on the left.

source arsenal mania

arsenal news:Arsenal legend likens Song to Storey

Arsenal Double-winning captain Frank McLintock has likened Alex Song to former teammate Peter Storey.

Song is now perceived as a vital member of Arsène Wenger's first-team, especially now the manager has adopted a 4-3-3 formation.

"When they have three in the centre of midfield and they leave Van Persie up front, it's making us stronger in midfield," McLintock told Arsenal.com.

"We always played 4-4-2 with Peter Storey as the anchor man in midfield and he was very protective of the back four. Song is one of those players who can do the same kind of job as Peter Storey. Peter ended up with about 20 caps."

Arsenal:How do we replace Song

Only at Arsenal would you be wondering one season whether a kid of Alex Song's age should be on the pitch at all in such an important position, just to find yourself the next season wondering about who is going to replace a vital 22-year-old when he goes away for 6 weeks. So we look towards an even younger bench. Crazy isn't it?

Song has really grown so much. The little things have really made the difference with him. He knows on which side of a player to be in a defensive situation. That way he doesn't have to give away free-kicks and he will slow down the player even if he doesn't win the ball.

Small, but vital to killing the opposition fluency. 4-3-3 also gives Alex more options to pass the ball and space to recover in. In a crowded 4-4-2, he would run into his midfield partner. I remember we conceded a costly goal last season as Song and Abou Diaby ran into each other. Alex has his space and he has mastered that space.

The next improvement for Alex is to win and release in one move. Right now, he wins the ball, protects it and then looks to release. The improvement I have seen in him assures me that I only have to be patient and that too will come. Diaby, by the way, has the same problem. He needs to release quicker.

We have seen that Song can pass surprisingly accurate long and short. The importance of having Rosicky is that Arsenal now have Andrey Arshavin, Tomas Rosicky, Francesc Fabregas and sometimes Robin van Persie who can take the ball in a crowded place and still find an exit pass. That has improved Song's options and you can now see how he can make telling passes. However, it is also a HUGE shame that Song has no left foot because he cannot pass to Arshavin. That is a huge loss but you can't have everything.

So how will Arsenal replace Song when he goes to Africa?

Patrick Vieira has been mentioned. Vieira was a defensive midfielder when he played with Petit. Then Emmanuel Petit was sold and Vieira had a torrid time trying to hold midfield by himself. The blessing in that painful year was that Vieira learned how to play offensively. When Gilberto arrived, Vieira was an experienced offensive midfielder with massive defensive capabilities. Vieira cannot really be classed as a defensive midfielder so he is not ideal to replace Alex Song.

We also have to consider the mileage and the recovery speed that Song has to execute to cater for Arsenal playing in 4-3-3. That's no job for a 33-year-old. If Vieira comes in January, Wenger will have to use him on the bench and risk one of his kids or Diaby on 4-3-3. Afterall, Arsenal need to place their bets on their attack so there is more sense in keeping the system that is delivering goals.

If Arsenal are away from him or go into a second half needing to tighten up and nick a goal or protect a lead then Vieira can come in with a switch to 4-4-2. Vieira can contribute in 4-4-2. With Arshavin, Rosicky, Samir Nasri, van Persie, Eduardo, Theo Walcott, Carlos Vela and Nicklas Bendtner, Arsenal has limitless possibilities on how to balance the strike force in 4-4-2 for half a game.

Last season I would have been opposed to Vieira's return but now the team has its own life and its own structure and feeling so a big player like Vieira will not be able to upset it as easily. He will not be a leader – the team has their leaders and they have results that show they are good enough by themselves. But what he can do is contribute experience. In delicate games, he can help the talented squad do the right things at the right time. If Arsenal miss anything, it is the experience to do the right thing at the right time.

So I would welcome Vieira and he might be lucky enough to be the one Wenger player from the past that wins the Champions League with Arsenal. Thierry Henry would be jealous because I am sure Titi would have liked to win it at Arsenal instead of or in addition to winning it at Barcelona.

Written by Joel Che on Wednesday, October 14, 2009

source arsenal mania

Arsenal transfer news:Bayer Leverkusen striker Stefan Kiebling being watched by Arsenal

Bayer Leverkusen striker Stefan Kiebling is being watched by Arsenal.

Kiebling has been in superb form so far this season, and is the leading scorer in the Bundesliga.

His agent Ali Bulut said: "Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Milan are the clubs that have shown an interest.

"He wants to move to a big club."