Right, that’s the suits sorted.
I got a chance to talk to Arsene Wenger immediately after the most recent AFC Shareholders’ meeting in October. At the time he felt the club still needed to work harder. That was his comment in response to my fulfilling a long harboured desire to simply shake his hand and thank him for all he has done for the club. A simple “You’re welcome” would have been sufficient.
My guess as to how he’d answer the above question is: “Quite”.
He would be the first to point out we’ve won nothing yet, this season, and there is a long way to go. He might mention something about little bit marathons and sprints. I don’t know.
But this uniquely humble, committed, visionary genius of a man would be the last one in any room to start counting his chickens.
I, on the other hand, unburdened with a fraction of his wisdom can, as I write, immediately spy that we are top of the two leagues that matter, out of one domestic cup competition and ready to do battle in another.
On what basis, then, might Arsene argue that we are merely doing “quite well”, at this stage.
Arsene, in that modest manner of his would suggest that our house is in relatively good order with a fully-functioning world class stadium continuing to routinely sell out on match days.
Our squad is a balanced one with a decent mixture of young first-teamers developing their talents alongside older heads. Our recent arrivals ply their trade shoulder-to-shoulder with those who know only how to wear the Arsenal shirt. Our squad is also a profoundly stable one having emerged intact from the last transfer window with no loss of stars and a trimmed down squad. There was the small matter of the addition of three players, at least one of whom can legitimately be described as a world class superstar. And whilst Flamini’s impact on the squad has proved as great as the speed with which he hit the ground playing the Wenger-way as though he’d never been away, a third fellow, oh Yaya, can usefully described as a decent future prospect. None of the three new players added can be said to have disrupted the squad or its playing style at any level.
It’s worth noting that not all new signings work out – at AFC or any club. The development of Olivier Giroud is bordering on astonishing. Despite what some might suggest our first choice forward is indeed fit to wear the shirt and not only that, is fast becoming one of the most dreaded and least ‘playable’ attackers seen in the EPL possibly since Drogba cast his immense shadow across the defences of the land. Per Mertsacker (100 games for Germany, 95 at senior level) has suddenly just revealed himself, to some, as one of the finest centre-backs in the game.
Quelle surprise!
As Arsene probably wouldn’t say.
And to cap it all, Aaron Ramsey’s turned out not too bad. Much to the chagrin of those who fell over their own reputations in writing him off as ‘not good enough for Arsenal’.
These four players alone have in recent months been the subject of some public doubt and even ridicule but in reality their success simply highlights that far from Arsene Wenger having somehow ‘lost it’, he has very much retained his eye for talent – and world class talent, at that. At the same time, 2013’s defeat of both Bayern Munich and Dortmund also exposes another lie that Wenger somehow does not ‘do tactics’. This summer’s purchases in particular embarrassed those who liked to claim he does not have the nerve to deal in high-profile, high-value player acquisitions.
Evidently, these three aspects of our recent history serve to suggest the Manager is in extremely good nick. His continued public charm, humour and humilty are not the hallmarks of someone about to give up on anything, either.
We have an injury list that has proved manageable with established first-teamers getting back to action in time to facilitate squad rotation nicely ahead of the business end of the season.
We have quite possibly the most exciting U21’s squad likely to be found anywhere in world football.
We appear to have cash in hand to fund further strengthening in either January or possibly more likely in the summer. Unlike most UK clubs we are not up to our eye-balls in debt and neither are we hemorrhaging support despite the dire warnings from the nay-sayers. We lack neither the wisdom, confidence or the stability at the highest levels of the club which would otherwise cause us to rush out and squander all available cash like headless (wait for it) chickens. We are big enough to bide our time.
In the EPL, as of this weekend, we find ourselves on 28 points and a goal difference of 14, four points ahead of second-placed Liverpool and Chelsea, five ahead of City and Southampton, seven ahead of Man u and Everton, who bring up the rear in seventh. Way, way down in mid-table, after 12 games gone and with 26 to go, Tottenham, having jettisoned all the cash from the Bale bale-out, cling to 9th place with just 20 points and a goal difference of -3 (minus three). But, ironically, Spurs’ situation, despite the envy-driven, panicky hysteria amongst some of our own less well-grounded fans during the transfer season, turns out to be not really relevant for this article, after all.
In order to better grasp how well Arsenal are doing at this early stage it probably helps to look at our nearest competitors and consider what kind of health they are in. The problem is, it’s not always easy to tell exactly who are our nearest competitors. Liverpool have undeniably done well, having survived the early games of the season sans Suarez, and they are now clearly benefiting from his particular brand of attacking talent. If ever a player was putting himself in ‘the window’ it’s Luis and one fears for Liverpool’s post-January prospects should they fail, like Tottenham in the summer, to keep their best player. The impact of the loss of key players to Arsenal in successive seasons has to provide a salutary lesson for all; subtract Suarez and it’s difficult to imagine Liverpool keeping up with the leaders as Spurs have conspicuously failed to do.
Whilst City remain the favourites with many to win the EPL, their form is remarkably inconsistent having already lost four EPL games – a third of those played – drawn one including the loss to Sunderland, a side looking destined for relegation (again). City’s away form in combination with a huge question mark over the confidence issues affecting their goalkeeper are nonetheless still a side a long way from a crisis. Equally, however, given the sums spent in recent seasons, they, alongside every other competitor to Arsenal, are a long way from dominating the league and if the points-lost trend of the last 12 games is maintained, then success is hardly assured.
Both Chelsea and Man u play a particularly unattractive, unappealing brand of football which has nonetheless been getting results. A good number of these results, however, can hardly be said to have been all that deserved. The simple fact is that the south Londoners have already dropped 12 points and united 15 and it’s still only November.
It’s true that Arsenal have also dropped points – 8 in all – but these days points gained at our expense are generating a shock wave of surprise at the loss, such has been the nature of our form throughout the whole of 2013. Our goals against column shows 10 goals conceded which ain’t bad for an attacking side supposedly frail at the back (who’s writing this shit?). Only one side, Southampton, have a better record with 7 against and we just stuck two past them on Saturday. Does that count as a ‘test’? I’m guessing not on account of their not being above us in the league (is it the same person writing all the crap, it certainly feels like it?).
In contrast, Man u dropped two more points at Cardiff yesterday but this resulted in merriment amongst observers rather than shock or awe. Despite having had decades to plan this, the ineffective handover to Moyes from Ferguson coupled with their abject failure in the transfer market and the rushed replacement of backroom staff at Old Trafford has clearly had an impact on united’s start to the season. Meanwhile, down Fulham way, Jose’s touch looks far less assured than first time around and how he copes without a limitless transfer budget remains to be seen. His first summer actions in loaning out some of the club’s best talent might be considered odd in the extreme. Neither his nor the Glazer’s club will likely run away with anything this season even with a fair wind from now until May. Quite what the impact will be of failure to finish in the top four for any of these clubs hardly bears thinking about.
That all said, in truth, and without bothering to attempt a like-with-like analysis versus last year’s fixtures and results, the English Premier League is wide open. There is plenty of time for others to sort out their form (not you, Spurs) and for Arsenal to, theoretically at least, lose their way over the coming 26 games (they won’t).
But for me, it’s the trend that is significant. In overall terms and on every identifiable criteria, the club is going forward where others are stumbling or stalling. Even in Europe our form has been outstanding with the warning from London being heard loud and clear across the continent following remarkable performances and results against Dortmund and the rest. It can not pass without mention that the two defeats in the EPL have come about to some extent as a result of either refereeing intervention or intervention of a less divine source with both squad sickness and terrible officiating playing key roles in our rare 2013 setbacks. Had the fans of any of the top clubs been offered parity on points at the top of the EPL by Xmas I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have to be Lois Suarez to, well you can guess the rest.
So yes, Arsene, if you were to say to me you thought we were doing quite well I’d have to agree. Sure, the marathon/sprint thing is as true today as it’s always been. But I do think with the hard graft the manager already believes is required clearly permeating the squad’s work ethic, we are as well placed as anyone to win, and to win well this season.
Whether that turns out to be the trophies some say the club clearly deserves to win, only time, a handful of games in Europe plus twenty-six riveting encounters in the EPL, will tell.
Positively Arsenal 
Wonderful round up Andrew, thanks. I’m sitting in the hotel lobby waiting for a driver….
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Marvelous,we believe a little more with each passing game.
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Very nice, Andrew, and the crowd even managed a ‘waaaan Arsene Wenger….’ in the stadium on Saturday. Long may it continue.
Now this ‘colon button’? Where the fuck is your ‘colon button’? I don’t seem to have one?
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we are doing well but it is only 12 games and chelski and city will strengthen in the window. it is also quite logical to assume that the clubs with new managers or new squads in the case of the scum will get better the longer the season goes on, where their celling is unknown at this stage. The main thing is at the moment we are the most stable and our improvement is on a stable upward trend as well. How other managers will cope when the eight or nine have to be squeezed into four and they are staring the barrel of the sack will be interesting, will we see the bus driver eye gouging agin who knows.
As far as the scum are concerned they are always relevant because the average fan has the illusion on our well being measured against those of their nearest rival.
on the U21 squad again it is good to see the amount of lads that are at this level for their first season doing so well and I honestly believe we are producing a higher quality of player each season. interesting to note from Jeorge birds site five of the team were 16 last night( not on the night obviously) maybe 3/5 years from hitting the first team we are definitely in good shape
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Just can’t fail to be impressed with AW,as I once said on the other blog,he’s an even better man than he is a manager and that’s saying something,fantastic piece by the way Andrew.
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ii ya un seul Arsene Wenger
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Very fair piece Andrew – you catch the sense of a work in progress, positive progress, well
Only one minor point I would probably disagree on is the assumption of Citeh and Chels strengthening in the January window
In Citeh’s case I don’t really e they need ti strengthen as they are not short of highly priced good players – where they have struggled as you rightly point out is getting those players to gell on the pitch away from Eastlands
And Chelsea ? I expected Jose to be given a big wad of cash when he came back but, in comparative terms, it did not happen. Like Citeh CFC have a big big squad. The talk appears to be that if he wants to buy then he needs to sell Luiz to generate the cash.
I think more likely the squads now, probably including our own are what we will see through to May
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This is a very different Andrew from the one earlier in the summer who was pessimistic and concerned whether Wenger could survive the negativity and doubts in our own stadium. Remember that piece AA?
It is remarkable what a good dose of patience and positivity can do?
Up The Arsenal!
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Nicely put Andrew. Very very nicely put. People have a problem with the celebration of our current position because nothing is won yet. Of course we haven’t won anything yet but we can surely celebrate when we’re winning can’t we?
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Sometimes 4th place can be a trophy, sometimes it can’t. For AFC and THFC 4th place last May was of huge importance. For us it confirmed the progress of this new team and allowed us to keep players more easily – and also to attract two new ones of real Champions League latter-round standard. For THFC it led to them having little option but to sell their heart and soul, and as yet the top class (but not top, top class) players they have assembled to replace him and to rebuild their team have yet to gel together properly. Perhaps they will, perhaps they won’t – time alone will tell. For Liverpool 4th place was never a real target last year, but they are in the process of what looks like a longer term and more carefully thought out rebuilding, and I think they will be happy with the way things are going right now.
But we should certainly be happy and although there are stern tests to come, it is easy to believe that this team – our team – trust themselves, trust each other, and most i
mportantly, trust their manager to lead them to real trophies.
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Afternoon all and many thanks for the kind comments.
Shotta – yes, I do remember being very concerned for Arsene and the team as the groundswell of negativity seemed to be sweeping all up in its path. Had you been present in the stadium for the Villa game I’m sure you’d have been more concerned about the fan reaction than the result itself. It was truly hideous. We really seemed to be at a tipping point and friends and allies were pretty thin on the ground at the time – I’m sure we all remember who stood by the club at this time and all those who did not.
My seat in the Emirates is immediately behind the ‘In Arsene We Trust’ flag that is draped over the hording beside the goal at the North End. I’m actually sat immediately behind the ‘S’ in ‘Arsene’. During the Villa game some lunatics actually tried to tear the banner down and at the end of the game the banner’s owner pitched up and said he might not bring it the following week, such was the trouble it was causing.
A terrible, terrible moment.
But several things happened, as we all know. The signing of Ozil, the continuation of last season’s 2nd half-year form and some extremely good results home and away, in the EPL and in Europe have all played a role in reversing the atmosphere that hit its nadir at the end of that Villa game.
The mythologies that had been allowed to grow up around the club – some of which I touched on in the article – are quite remarkable. That the relentless negativity was starting to affect the club has been conceded by Arsene in very recent remarks revealing how close he was to pulling Aaron Ramsey from the side, such was the vile tirade the talented youngster was attracting on a daily basis.
On reflection, when Arsene spoke to me of having to try harder, I think it was about getting the fans back onside as much as anything.
How quickly some fans might slip back into negative mode should there be a sequence of setbacks still concern me, to be honest.
But as Steww rightly says – let’s celebrate while we are winning.
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ok I withdraw my remark on only being 12 matches were supposed to be positive on here so lets celebrate each step we climb in accent to the top COYG
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A_or_B – ha ha, that’s the spirit! To be fair, it’s only supposed to be an overview of where we are right now, not a definitive statement.
Right, off out for the rest of the day before heading for a chilly Emirates …
Enjoy the game everyone.
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According to the plundits, we still need to sort out our defence despite having conceded less than everyone bar Southampton, who have only let in seven. According to the same pack of hyenas, we also have a dodgy attack because we haven’t demolished a pony side like Spuds or Norwich just yet. Oh, and we are not that good because we didn’t spend fuck loads of cash in the off season either.
———
Arse or Brain: “We are doing well but it is only 12 games and chelski and city will strengthen in the window. it is also quite logical to assume that the clubs with new managers or new squads in the case of the scum will get better the longer the season goes on, where their celling is unknown at this stage”
Chelski and City will not strengthen. It’s a world cup year and anyone who is Brazil bound is not going to risk that in order to ride the bench at either of these two clubs.
True, the teams around us will get stronger, but so will the under performers of the league. I look at Villa, Fulham, Swansea, Newcastle and Sunderland to tighten up significantly and cause the teams higher up the table to drop points.
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The righteous indignity from some fans about the Bendtner scuffle with a locked door , is nauseating.
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When I saw the headlines I thought Nick had burned down a gym full of people
I was worried I can tell you with the window not open for a month, although I know what it is to take a joke a bit too far
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Frank
be very careful with the colon, it doesn’t suffer abuse gladly :
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If we bang in a couple of goals against Marseilles tonight,
that’s qualification pretty much sorted.
What we don’t want is BvB to go on the rampage against Napoli.
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Lets enjoy a great bunch of lads, playing beautiful AND competitive football the way God wants it to be played for the best manager in the word in a wonderful stadium with knowledgeable and appreciative fans. And pay our own way doing so.
…what do you mean we can’t have everything?
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BVB is going to get a Rafa style bus parked in their patch. I’m thinking he’ll play a 4-5-1 with Pandev dropping into the midfield to help defend.
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George – Early yesterday, you took a brave stand on Twitter about the scapegoating of Bendtner. Must have been providence because hours later, after the police reports his arrest the hyenas tried to eat you alive for standing up for one of us. Only for the facts to emerge it was all about breaking down a door in his own house. Will the phuckers apologize? Hell no.
As you said above it is “nauseating” this self righteous hypocrisy of these twats. This may not be the most popular blog but it is one of very few that retains a shred of integrity in supporting the club.
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I wish I had lived such a pious life so as I could judge and condemn people for minor indiscretions. It must be wonderful.
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Great piece, Andrew. Such good stuff on here the last few days. Busy, busy, busy at work today, so I couldn’t take the day off, but I have my headphones at the ready, and Arsenal Player on standby. I’ve warned my co-workers not to be alarmed if I yell out of the blue. I’m ready…bring on Marseille.
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Quality finish by Jack.
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One team playing all the football
One team making all the chances
I anticipate the correct score in a short while
And did you see the referee awarding that ‘penalty’ ?
And they say things don’t even out ….
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What’s up with Özil?
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That penalty was an appalling decision.
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He’s German DC
You know they don’t do penalties
To be fair Mesut is having a good game – apart from the spot kick
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I think. Figured it out,
Someone has overdone the sprinkling of the pitch today.
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Job done.
A better team might have punished our profligacy,
But then again, it took a great effort to create all those chances.
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2-0 ?
Textbook
On to Napoli
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The keeper was way off his line for he peno.
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2-0
It’s not exactly a disaster, is it Anicoll?
On to Napoli,
experts say they need to beat us by 3 goals, assuming Dortmund get a win against Marseilles.
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I think we are as well placed as I could have hoped for DC in the so called group of death – four straight wins, two on the road, in five games
A good performance in Napoli required – in tne final game did anyone expect different?
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Who on earth calls the police for petty crap like this?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-25100150
Well done George.
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Job done my gunners. One more of those tests. I am sure Napoli is not relishing the visit by the Arsenal. .
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The stripy ice creams will be coming at us hard to get some early goals, that’s for sure and no doubt pulling every con trick in the book to fool the ref.
Does Wenger play a defensive style or do we play to get a goal ourselves and kill them off? I’d like to see Rafa’s reaction tonight to judge how devastating tonight’s results were to Napoli’s chances, is he despairing and pragmatic, or will he go for it in one last chance?
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double canister at 10:07 pm
After the rampant smearing of Bendtner on Twitter by our own supporters, without a scintilla of information relating to the reason for his arrest, I think it is fitting to rename him:
“The Greatest Scapegoat That Ever Lived.”
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Cardiff A
Hull H
Everton H
Before Napoli on December 11th.
Manageable games, I think. I would be very delighted if Arsenal played like tonight in any one of those games.
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My man of the match was Flamini. I thought he was great this evening. He covered the fullbacks and linked the defence to the midfield without giving the ball away even once. His most polished performance thus far this season.
Nacho Monreal just gave Arsene a lot to think about, as far as that left fullback position is concerned. I don’t see how he doesn’t start against Cardiff. Neat, tidy and assured are the words which come to mind when I think about the way he played tonight.
Olive Giroud gave an exquisite, Massey-like pass to put Jack through and the commentator had the gall to say he misplaced the it. Had he been a big name player, the idiots in the commenting booth would have been beside themselves with that caviar from the handsome bastard. Great game all around, like always. I wouldn’t trade him for any one at the moment.
I think Szczesny can do a Buffon, I really do. His distribution has improved by leaps and bounds and his shot stopping is top shelf. I have been thinking the last few months that he’s the great goalkeeper this team has been waiting for since Lehmann. Our talent scouts are absolutely second to none.
Jack’s finish reminded me of a similar goal he scored for the reserves. However, this one was from a tighter angle and against a Champions League defender. I thought he had a great first half, but was spotty in the second.
Everyone else had a decent game, but not as good as these five.
Who knew we’d qualify so comfortably as this? Once again, the doom mongers can go eat a bar of shit.
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Against Cardiff, I’d like to see Theo start and have one of Jack or Rosicky come in for him after half time. I’d also like to see Aaron taken off early if we manage to score a couple in the first half.
And ain’t it beautiful that Jose has to play a strong squad against Steaua or risk finishing second in his group? He can’t rest his best players either, since they have a tricky away fixture to Stoke before they play the Romanians.
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Gainsbourg69
spot on i would have said except that you missed out rosicky.
i thought he played abso-fucking-lutely well today.
i’ll have a compilation of all his touches up by tomorrow.
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Gains
I think your right,
Wenger is likely to start Theo against Cardiff, assuming he had no adverse fitness reaction tonight. His runs look good, we are not picking them out in time yet.
Maybe we don’t play Aaron at all, that will befuddle the Taffs.
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on Flamini cutting his sleeves…
Yes. I don’t like that and he will not do that again. Yes [it is a club tradition] and I was surprised. We don’t want that.
i want player comfort at the top of the list, but hey a tradition is a tradition
tricky situation..arsene will sort this out 🙂
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Basel brush aside Chelsea.
Boom boom!
Coat, taxi, exit……..
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The other game to watch this week-end: Chelsea v Southampton.
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Gains
Tiny Tots vs manure could be truly comical.
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Nacho was outstanding last night, he has an excellent passing game and a stubborn streak off the ball. It will be interesting going forward because Gibbs is a genuine wing back, and fast. Sagna impresses with every outing, it has been a privilege to watch him mature into a player of immense stature. His ball control and passing in tight angles all show signs of a defender in command of his game. His two crosses against ManU, either of which might have led to a brilliant goal, were of such quality I’m surprised people didn’t comment. His defensive work in the air and on the ground goes without saying, that is always consistent. For me, these were stand-out players last night.
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great game last night.
we need a result in napoli to take the top spot in the group. but if we lose 3-4 we will still top the group.
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with the performance of monreal last night, i expect wenger to trust him more now. a start at home to hull will be a great reward. i cant see wenger dropping gibbs against cardiff, not after their performance against manure and shitty at home.
with the way jack is playing at the moment, it will be difficult to drop him from the starting 11. its like theo will have to earn his place now, even though we all know we missed his pace and directness in some games.
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