It seems a long time ago now, but it was so painful for Arsenal fans that I doubt I will ever forget the feeling as I watched the Gunners slump to a 2-0 defeat by West Ham on the opening day of this season. All that belief, positivity and excitement washed down the toilet in the space of 90 minutes.
What made it so much worse though, was that the only signing of the summer and the player that was responsible for so much of our confidence in a Premier League title challenge was directly responsible. Petr Cech had a nightmare and didn´t the Chelsea fans make the most of it?
They had stitched us up and sold us a dud who was past his best, blah, blah, blah. It was a tough time for Arsenal and must have been even harder for the new keeper. Fast forward a few weeks and four games later; Cech has conceded just one more goal and only Man City and Leicester have more points. The Czech international is understandably proud of the way he and the team have bounced back.
He told Arsenal Player, “I think if you spill the milk or coffee in your kitchen you don’t just let it lay there, you wipe it off and clean it. It is the same thing when you do something wrong, you just take the first opportunity to make this right and correct it.
“This is the only way. When you know the world well, you are prepared and if a bad game happens it is probably part of football and you need to understand that.
“I had a great pre-season, I was feeling well going into the game, excited to play my first home game. Then obviously the game did not go according to plan for everybody, particularly me.
“But we recovered from there and it was good to see the reaction of the team because it was a big blow as we had wanted to start on a winning note.”
He seems to have organised the defence and given them confidence and assurance, even managing to rescue Chambers and Gabriel from their horrible first half against Liverpool. And meanwhile his former club has the worst defensive record in the league.
Could it be that Arsenal now have the leader that many thought we have lacked for years, while Chelsea have lost it from their own dressing room?
The spine that was so often criticized by pundits and fans has shown immense improvement.
Cech, Gab/Mertz, Kos and Coquelin. The best defensive core we’ve had in a decade IMO.
Cazorla and Ozil are just carving defences with their movement and passing. Two of the best three creators in the league. Absolute quality.
Giroud and Theo polarize opinion. They’ve been wasteful, but their movement has been first-class. There will be haters no matter what. But if they keep going about their business form and goals will come, and come heavily.
There hasn’t been much mention of Cazorla getting the arm-band. I actually think it’s a great choice. Consistently brilliant, has a huge influence on the way we attack and gives his all.
I love the way he handed the ban to Arteta as soon as he came on even though it was late, this can only mean Cazorla is very respectful someone and he deserves the ban after arteta.
What da F!!!
Just read Gabriel faces ban.
The bloody motd hosts said ohh he reacted, piss poor broadcasting. six to one and half a dozen as they say but it’s Arsenal, everyone knows Arsenal aren’t aloud to get physical because they play nice football. For every one Arsenal infringement, bet there should have been thrice that for the physically accepted clubs who don’t know any better because they don’t know how to keep possession ..only how to win it.
If he does the Arnautovic faces ban as well. But to me, the replays were not convincing for both players.
The issue’s not the top XI, but coverage and tactics used with given squad. Utilize Walcott’s pace and Girouds power in the box. Dictate the game after what makes your goalscorers chances of scoring as high as possible. You don’t base your game on crossing the ball into the box with Walcott as the main striker. Neither do you base it on this tiki-wenger-taka thing with Giroud (nor Walcott imo.)
Wenger’s philosophy is that the opposing team can’t score if the don’t have the ball, and so forces players to play his style of football. And so we camp outside their box, passing the ball while searching for holes in their 9-10 man defensive wall. Usually it results in them breaking up the attack and countering us.
In the late 80’s, there was a Norwegian (Nils Arne Eggen) who took a mid table club in the second division – Got promoted the same year, and won the top league the following season. He further went on to Rosenborg (We played them in CL group stage back in 2006 i think) and won the league every year from 1992 to 2002. His philosophy: Take advantage of the players’ good attributes and dictate the tactics from there. If he had a big and strong striker – played him good by basing the attack on crossers to the box. If he had speedsters, he would utilize them by having long passes for them behind the defensive line to pick up and score from. Now wenger has both kinds, but yet plays like he had a third choice in someone like Lewandowski “Clinical striker being at the right places at the right time”
You know we’ve lost one game so far yeah?
The Emirates was rocking on Saturday. But its still not loud enough. We need drums, more flags.
Does peter ‘pan’ cech have a song yet?
Absolute quality of a ball by Mezut Ozil, shades of Begkamp for sure. Talk about pin point accuracy, and great touch by Theo running with pace.
Cech, definitely a bid character with great experience and exactly what we need in goal. I’d love if Coq could bring that aggression to his speech so to pump up the rest of the lads, would make a great captain if he could translate it.
SAFE HANDS
Stray thoughts: Who else thinks Walcott should start on the right ahead of Ramsey? I think a combo of Giroud in the middle and Walcott on the right, would make alotta sense…
My best moment of the game, beside the goals: Kos long range shot…
@ josh37, “movements been brilliant” really???
You certainly haven’t been watching what the rest of the footballing world have that’s for sure.
Arsenal currently have 2 positions which are weak links on the pitch striker (Giroud n walcott) n right wing ( rambo ) all 3 are in the wenger “faves list” so regardless of how they play are more less undroppable.
Even Saturday esp theo n Giroud did thier utmost to hand stoke a draw appalling finishing, oh n apart from rambo 1 good season(2013-14) what he has done to justify a guaranteed starting place week in week out?
None of the ” engine non stop running” nonsense plz.
Would luv to hear some views (biased) on this lol
^ you know that was west ham not man city and at home lol
Benteke
Martial Ozil Sanchez
This could be our formidable Dream Attack…..
A big mistake not to pursue Benteke and Martial
Heard you mention how we would be champions with either of Martial Benteke, I find it extremely hard to believe if signed you would have came on here saying the titles in bag. More likely said would be we need a backup for Sanchez, We need a replacement for Kos as he’s losing his pace. These ideas you’ve mentioned already suggest that you would’ve been more likely to say we need a backup for Martial. That’s if you haven’t slated Wenger for buying an unproven youngster from France.
Why not just say we should have bought evry single transfered player, uhn?
Yeah its like a cech that bounces but in the god sense.
I believe we now have several we lacked, Cech of course, a born winner,he’s won it all, so of course he is a great leader.
I see Cazorla as a leader in the way he plays, trusted with the ball no matter his situation, we look to him to start everything.
And everyones favourite Beast, Francis Coquelin, The midfield battler we have missed for so many years, and he isnt afraid to shout at our so called “more talented” players for neglecting their defensive duties.