A great time to get the monkey off your back

Super result in the snow last night. Vela frustrated and then showed his class by setting up Bendtner. Its worth mentioning Vela got past his man and delivered some quality balls into the box and generally looked very lively, but clearly not match-sharp.

Which begs the question, what can we do for players like Vela. He needs to play some games, I think we should bung him off in Jan on a 6 month loan deal to someone in the championship, he needs competitive games and he needs to do it here. It needs to be a development move for him and he needs to stay focussed on Arsenal, not be casting approving looks elsewhere in Spain etc.

I like Vela, I like the way he just picks himself up, dusts off and tries again. He offers something different but he'll never hit form playing reserve and carling cup games.

Bendtner had a decent game too last night, pushing away the lazy slurs he worked hard last night. I do wish he'd look at Chamakh's game and try and learn from it though. I still think he's a bit naive when it comes to working a defence, but I'm not bashing him for it, he's still young and has the potential if his ego will allow him to learn. Which is a big BIG question mark.

For the second game in a row I was impressed with Koscielny, I thought he was on the money last night. Tackling, jockeying and heading he was an all-action hero. He didn't leave Djourou much to do but together they did well.

Wilshire played well, setting up Vela on many occasions but the young mexican was profligate in front of goal and unfortunate, his lack of match-sharpness was so apparent last night. Wilshire continues to impressand he's definitely proving his mettle with another battling display and he clearly outshone Denilson who had a bit of a bad day at the office I felt.

Last night provided an excellent opportunity to get the home losses off of our backs and start again and a cleany wont hurt at all. Sczcesny did ok with little to do, he'll be hoping for more of the same in his next appearance to continue to see his stock rise and take the next step towards the number 1 jersey.

So whats up next, we've got the Cottagers at home. Its time for Mark Schwarzers bi-annual storming performance and a whole lot will be made of it pre-match. Importantly the players need to focus and deliver a performance. Fulham won't lie down and they'll play tight and hit us where it hurts on the counter.

For now, embrace the snow, its going to be here for a while...although not here...its just frosty at the moment here in Wigan.

WG

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Being forceful, but are they really safe hands?

Morning all, in the daily toilet rags we can see Mark Schwarzer has stated that he is having to "grin and bear it" at the moment but in January he is willing to force the issue to have his ambition of playing in the Champions League fulfilled.

I'm in two minds about Schwarzer, in one mind I've never been massively impressed with him. He's been solid over the years but he's never set the world on fire and no big club has ever shown an interest before. He's a signing borne of frustration and desperation from Wenger and they rarely are a success.

In the other he's got experience and he had a good season last year and the one before. He's 38 which ties in well with the youth we have coming through. But will Szczesny put up with being dropped back down the order again? He's running towards the end of his contract and I haven't heard any news about him signing yet.

So, do we gamble on youth, put our faith in Szczesny and promote him up to No 2 and drop the chase for Schwarzer or do we continue to block Szczesny's path which will probably make him go for a free?

I think a tribunal will protect us in this and we'll get a nominal fee but even so, it just seems daft. Kill off a potential long term solution to install a potential short term solution. In the history of knee-jerks, this one could be a corker.

Til next time Gooners

WG

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2010-2011 Season - Please please please let me get what I want

Trepidation, Mark Schwarzer singing the fab Smiths classic, records et al.

I was asked last night by a friend if I was looking forward to the season starting. He was quite excited, there was a light in his eyes that showed hope, excitement and joy. Like me he loves his football.

Despite his enthusiasm, all I could do was look at him and say almost deadpan "Not if we don't sign another Centre-Back"..the words echoed in my head and in my eyes. I don't think I've ever felt so uninspired about a season, certainly not for the last fifteen years at least.

It would be wrong to say I don't think we have a chance, with a bit of luck on the injuries front (like that ever happens!) we could be challenging and thats good. We're a good team and we need to be fighting for the league. As previously mentioned, Chelsea are weaker this year, considerably so now they've just sold their best centre-back to Real Madrid. So I think we've got a shot at the top two.

I would like to see Nordveit given a shot at Centre-back in the Carling Cup as I think Wenger sees him as a backup player for that role. Given that he had a successful season in the Bundesliga last season (albeit in a defensive midfield role) perhaps Wenger is thinking he might be ready to take the next step? Perhaps he's thinking stick Nordveit in midfield and let Song play Centre-back..I'm not Arsene, its on his head if we become stuck for central defenders. We've had the opportunity to sign, but I guess its down to clubs wanting to sell and similar to our situation with Fab4, if he's a decent player and you don't have to sell, why would you?

On a lighter note, young Theo has equalled a 99yr old record for England, see below;

England can't stop winning with Theo Walcott in the team.

Arsenal's flying winger Theo Walcott, now 21, has now featured in 12 England matches…and England have won all 12.

He became his country's youngest player at 17 years 75 days when making his debut as a substitute for Michael Owen in an Old Trafford friendly against Hungary in 2006, a match that England won 3-1.

England's results in the eleven internationals in which Walcott has played since then have been: 3-0 v Trinidad & Tobago (away), 2-0 v Andorra (away), 4-1 v Croatia (away), 5-1 v Kazakhstan (home), 3-1 v Belarus (away), 4-0 v Kazakhstan (away), 6-0 v Andorra (home), 3-1 v Egypt (home), 3-1 v Mexico (home), 2-1 v Japan (in Austria) and 2-1 v Hungary (home).

Last night at Wembley he equalled a record that had stood for nearly a century. Derby County half-back Ben Warren won 12 consecutive matches with England between 1908 and 1911. England's results in a different age were even more spectacular: 6-1 v Austria, 11-1 v Austria, 7-0 v Hungary and 4-0 v Bohemia (all away), 4-0 v Ireland, 2-0 v Wales and 2-0 v Scotland (all at home), 4-2 v Hungary, 8-2 v England and 8-1 v Austria (all away), 2-1 v Ireland and 3-0 v Wales (both at home).

They weren't the first 12 appearances made by Warren, a player described as 'a touch slow but brave, splendid in ball control and crisp in tackling'. Certainly no-one would suggest that Walcott was 'a touch slow'...

Gawd bless Unlucky Theo!

In other news, Mark Schwarzer has issued a "Please, please, please let me get what I want" statement via the worlds media (I'm assuming he performed it in the unmistakable style of the Smiths) and let him transfer to Arsenal. To be honest I don't know if he is better than what we have, but he is an established international 'keeper and he's got a confident aura. He's not afraid of shouting at his defence and he's good at set pieces...something that I feel we've lacked.

As with all good blogs and some rubbish ones too, I'm feeling better about the season now I've worked it out in my head and in words...If we get Schwarzer and another Centre-back or even if we just have a good start to the season with Djourou or Kozza playing well I'm sure we'll be ok.

WG's Predo....Arsenal to win the league. You heard it here first.

I'm having a BBQ this weekend and will get rather drunk, so I'll hit you guys up Sunday night/Monday with a review of Arsenal/Liverpool.

Til then gooners - happy trails!!

WG

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Player-coach...really?

Mark Schwarzer is being touted as a player-coach prospect. That would be a first, I'm sure Arsene would prefer his players to be focussed on playing and performing, not training up his players.

I think we are really looking at someone a bit more left field, the oft-mentioned Stekelenberg from Ajax would be a good signing, but his age presents a problem, at 25 he is clearly blocking Fabianski's route to the #1 jersey, so its a question of who Wenger wants more.

Personally, I think there would be more weight to the Schwarzer-deal who will hopefully play well for a season or two til our other players are ready. However, this isn't a tactic that has worked in the past. Lehmann leaving left a Almunia and Fabianski and neither of them has stepped up to the plate with little significant impact other than to make the odd glaring cock-up.

I would love to Arsenal to sign a goalie who would garner a bit of excitement. Lehmann I was actually excited about as I'd seen him play for Dortmund and rated him. Almunia does not excite me. Fabianski I like but his composure lets him down, a lot. I feel his mentality is like Senderos, he cares too much. Mannone hasn't really had much of a crack at it, but perhaps he will get a shot at the Carling Cup, unless Chesney stays with us this season, if he does I expect him to play.

I mentioned the other week about heroes, I'm excited to see what happens between now and September 1st.

Blog at you soon..

WG