Tuesday 19 February 2013

The Wenger Debate...again

Following yet another cup debacle, this time at home to Blackburn in the FA Cup, it is becoming hard for all us blogger types to really pinpoint new reasons as to why Arsenal continue to disappoint in this fashion. I said to myself that the draw was near perfect after it was made- an unspectacular tie, unlikely to draw much media attention; we weren't playing a club many divisions below us, so the media would not be waiting to pounce on the next 'giant killing'; we were at home, requiring a trip up north to Ewood Park and we had put in a good display against Sunderland a week before- the stage was set for us NOT to crash to another, supposedly inferior opponent. But alas, many missed chances, scuffed shots, desperate scurries and agonising minutes later, that was exactly what The Arsenal had gone and done again.

The following morning, the rather pre-meditated Wenger-shaped cyclone of debate swept across the media, and no-one could escape it's vast expanses. What can easily be gleaned from this is that Le Prof is under a lot pressure, as has been the case for the last couple of seasons, if not from employers in the boardroom, certainly from the eager English press, who are beginning to sense the potential end of an era at The Arsenal. And this pressure should exist, there is no question that Arsenal are under performing for a club of their size and stature- a club who promised their fans great success since their move to grand new 60,000-seater stadium, success that has yet to materialise. If some form of pressure is not existent from the boardroom, you have to question the board's desire for sporting success at Arsenal. They may well still deem that Wenger is still the right man to lead Arsenal forward, and may well be right with that assertion, nut if questions are not being asked and changes of some form are not being made, I think all Gooners should be concerned.

In regards to personal opinion on Wenger's predicament, I do think, and partly hope, that the end of his tenure at Arsenal is nigh. Looking at Arsene's body language, downbeat press conferences, broken promises and general struggles over the last two seasons in particular, I believe that it would be best for both him and the club if they were to part ways in the near future. He has been a great servant to Arsenal Football club and quite possibly our most inspirational, innovative and successful manager, who has undoubtedly changed the face of English football, but like all goods things, Arsene's time at Arsenal can't last forever, and at some point, his performance in his role was destined to dip. Arsene could still go on to be hugely successful elsewhere, at Real Madrid or Paris-Saint Germain perhaps, but in regard to Arsenal, I think his time is almost done.

We just need a change. A freshening up, dusting down, and a new lease of life. The board should heed the warning signs and see that Arsene's days are numbered, and see that they would be wise to start preparing for his departure sooner rather than later, as coping with it will not be an easy task. Whoever the new man may be, the board must back him to the hilt and ensure that they are supported by the board in ever sense- through financial backing, support in the press and a helping hand when needed, as I am not sure that this help has been there for Arsene in recent times. As for who Arsene's successor should be, I'll leave that to another day, but I just hope that this board- however much I loathe them- has the guts and the brawn to make the tough decisions, and see that ultimately Arsenal FC is stronger club for them.


 

Saturday 16 February 2013

Piece in The Gooner Fanzine

Proud to have my first piece published in The Gooner Fanzine which was on sale outside the game today (a game I'd rather not discuss...). My piece is titled 'Defining a 'well-run' club' and you can read it, along with many other (probably better) pieces by buying issue 233 using the link below, and support a fantastic Arsenal fanzine. At £2 I doubt you'll find anything that's better value.



http://www.onlinegooner.com/shop/catalog/

Monday 11 February 2013

Gooner Fan Focus- PSG

From time to time I love to endulge in the wonders of what makes our game so special. Really, its just us- the fans- that set football apart from any other sport in the world. Fan culture is something that interests me greatly, and every so often, I plan to profile a fanbase- looking at their history, traditions and culture. In this post, I'll take a look at the fascinating story of PSG.


A huge club with a lot of history and tradition Paris St Germain enjoy the second largest support in France and their notorious supporters are probably the country’s finest.

 ‘The Kobistes’ France’s most notorious hooligans have a dubious and at some points rather unpleasant history. After naming the stand the ‘KoB’ or ‘Kop of Boulogne’ after Liverpool’s Kop, the fans made the stand into a hub for French football hooliganism. Violence, racism and fascism were rife in the KoB and far-right groups began to dominate the stand. To try and alleviate the issue the club came up with a creative solution, building a rival Kop at the other end of the ground, which became known as ‘The Auteuil’. However, this only made the problem worse as various fan groups soon appeared in the new stand, forming a bitter rivalry with the KoB. One thing that didn’t help the matte was the fact that most of the fans attracted to the new stand were ethnic minority supporters, who were not welcomed warmly by the far-right groups of the KoB.

One of the amazing things about PSG is how these problems carried on until the last few years, with fan groups clashing internally, even leading to the murder of a KoB leader in 2010. However, PSG has managed to tackle its major hooliganism problems and after the media began to shed light on the often shocking behavior of some of the club’s fans, the KoB’s biggest group ‘The Boulogne Boys’ along with The Auteil’s main 2 groups ‘Tigris Mystic’ and ‘Supras Auteil’.

Despite, their shady and dubious history, there is no doubt that PSG fans deserve to be ranked among the most passionate in Europe. Their home support is undoubtedly one of the best on the Continent and their vocal support is second to none. Here is an example of their stunning vocal support in this clip:

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxFAK6tKJY8

Sunday 10 February 2013

David Villa- Expensive gamble or Marquee Signing?


Following a typically mundane and uneventful January transfer window with Malaga left-back Nacho Monreal our only addition, there seems to be hope that the summer may be slightly more uplifting.
Throughout January, the out of favour Villa was linked with a move to Arsenal (the move was never completed as Arsene claimed Barcelona were unwilling to sell at the time). This certainly was an exciting prospect for all Gooners, as it would be fair to say that it has been a while since Arsenal have been able to attract such a big name to the club. A ‘big name’ is undoubtedly an apt term to describe Villa- who boasts a staggering honours list including a World Cup, a European Championship, a La Liga title, 3 Copa Del Rey’s (Spanish equivalent of the FA Cup), two Supercopa’s (equivalent of the League Cup), a World Club Championship and a Golden Boot, as well as being Spain’s all-time top goal scorer- compare to Arsenal’s current squad, who boast 2 French Cups, 4 Ligue 1 titles, a Copa Del Rey, a Confederations Cup, a Bundesliga title, an SPL title, a Scottish Cup, a Scottish League Cup, 2 Russian Premier League titles and a UEFA Cup between them. Considering that the majority of these cup are not perceived as major ones, that 6 of the trophies have been won by Sebastien Squillaci and Andrey Arshavin- players barely considered part of Arsenal’s first-team; and that none of the trophies have been won during the players’ time at Arsenal, and you can see why Villa’s résumé is likely to whet the appetite of many Gooners, whose team has largely been starved of so-called ‘stars’. But despite the eager anticipation surrounding his possible move, does Villa, a 31-year-old who played just 14 games last season following a serious leg break, really represent a good move, commanding a price likely to be at least £15 million, coupled with wages that would likely be at least £100,000 per week? A move for Villa certainly has its pros and cons. Let’s start with the positives.
As I pointed out before, with such a prestigious list of honours to his name Villa should carry with the much famed ‘winning mentality’- something arguably lacking from the Arsenal team in recent years. Also, the fact that his name shines with stardom, would give a much-needed lift to everyone connected with the club and create a buzz of positivity in pre-season. His ability is also unquestioned, he has an outstanding scoring record at all of his previous clubs- 40 in 85 appearances at Sporting Gijon, 41 in 92 appearances at Real Zaragoza, 128 in 217 appearances at Valencia and 42 goals in 98 appearances at Barcelona, a career total of 276 goals in 557 games, a strike rate of around 1 in 2- a phenomenal record considering his longevity at the top level of Spanish and International football. So if Villa could re-capture this form, he would certainly bolster Arsenal’s attacking options and their goal-scoring abilities as a team. Villa also offers reasonable versatility, being able to operate either as a central striker, or as on the wide-left of a front three, so Arsene would be able to deploy him in multiple roles across the front line. Furthermore, despite him hardly representing a bargain, at around £15 million- the fee Villa could likely be obtained for- his transfer would not be ludicrously high in today’s world of football, where players with far inferior records command far higher fees.
However, despite the many positives, there would still be an element of risk and uncertainty to Villa’s move. At 31, Villa is not getting any younger and his best days are probably behind him, although he would probably still request a fairly long-term contract of three or four years, possibly looking to see out his playing career with his next club. This could mean that were Villa not to work out, Arsenal could be lumbered with a past-his-best, highly-paid player on the fringes of the team and struggling for fitness (Andrey Arshavin anyone?). And although that is a very gloomy worst case scenario, it remains a possible outcome. Villa would also represent a health risk for Arsenal. Villa suffered a nasty leg break in the semi-finals of the World Club Championship against Al-Sadd of Qatar, which kept him out of action for eight months. Despite seemingly making a good recovery, Villa has yet to re-establish himself in the Barcelona team and get regular playing time. This could be partly down to the arrival of Alexis Sanchez from Udinese for over $26 million, but also could be down to the possibility that Villa simply isn’t the player he was before the injury. We Gooners know only too well how a long-term lay-off can affect a player- just take a look at Eduardo. Also, without consistent first-team minutes at Barcelona, it is questionable how David Villa would stand up to the considerable that would be piled upon him a Arsenal, which would likely involve having to play week-in, week-out.
To summarise, the ambition and desire that Arsenal signing David Villa would show would be great, the move would lift spirits at the club and catch the eye of the watchful English press. The move would give us all a short-term boost, but would David Villa be a good acquisition for Arsenal? - That is still up for debate.

Saturday 2 February 2013

Gooner Signing Review- Nacho Monreal


Despite preparing myself thoroughly for another frustrating and disappointing deadline day, as other teams scurried around rushing through paperwork for their latest marquee signing and Wenger simply sat and muttered about the hordes of players that would be coming back from injury (a list which only actually consists of just 3 players that could be considered of any importance- Arteta, Gibbs and now Vermaelen). But as I watched Sky Sports News- more in hope than expectation- I was met with the pleasant news of an Arsenal signing- Malaga left-back Nacho Monreal. But will his play live up to his excellent name?

As the dust settles and Gooners have begun to run the rule over Arsenal's latest acquisition, the consensus seems to be mainly positive. My initial reaction to the move was that it was a panic buy- following the injury to Gibbs, stoking fears that he may just be a slimmer version of Santos. So I was understandably relieved to hear that we have allegedly been tracking him for a while, (although that does seem to be the case with every player we sign) and that the transfer has simply been shunted forward a few months, with Wenger planning to sign him in the summer prior to Gibbs' injury.

 
Looking at his career so far it seems Nacho is heading to London with a reasonable résumé. At 26 years old, he should be reaching the peak of his career, so hopefully his finest times will come in a red and white shirt. A product of CA Osasuna's youth academy, he went on to play 127 times for the La Liga outfit, with Cesar Azpilicueta- now of Chelsea starting alongside him at right-back. In 2011, he transferred to Malaga for the reasonable fee of €6 million, where he featured heavily in a season which saw Malaga finish fourth, making the Champions League for the first time. Since 2009, Nacho has also gained 9 caps for Spain- hopefully a good indicator of his quality, as the Spanish team are hardly mugs.

 
In terms of build and style, Nacho seems to be the archetypal modern Spanish footballer- relatively small at 5ft 10 and fairly slight at a weight of 72 kg. By all accounts, this makes Nacho the kind of footballer who should fit in well with Le Professor’s possession football. His mobility and skill, which should allow him to get forward successfully have been the main talk of football pundits casting their eye over Nacho, but his defensive qualities should not be underestimated. Coming through the youth ranks as a full-back, he should have good positional sense- something which has often been the shortfall of Kieran Gibbs- a player who I believe incidentally started out was a left-winger. Similar to his ex-teammate Azpilicueta, he is strong and firm in the tackle and is generally a astute and well-drilled defender who should bring stability to a side of our defence with has been a cause for concern in recent weeks. He is also said to possess good crossing ability- something particularly useful given the presence of Olivier Giroud- along with the fact that Sagna’s crossing can be somewhat suspect, but Nacho should offer a high-quality supply of crosses to the head of the big Frenchman. Overall, despite his rather more eye-catching nickname, Nacho generally seems to be seen as quite a solid, dependable full-back, who understands who to strike a good equilibrium between defence ad attack- just the type of player Arsenal’s cavalier and erratic defensive line may require.

 

Nacho- A source of stability?

 

At a fee believed to be around £8.5 million Nacho hasn’t come cheap, but he seems to be type of player who could just steady the ship in defence- like Arteta did to an extent last season in the midfield, when he was an invaluable asset. We shouldn’t be expecting a world-beater, but he certainly will be better than Santos- a lot better. We just better hope the Brazilian doesn’t mistake his new companion for a tasty snack.

Here's some clips of our new man in action for you to sample: