A guest post from our very own Hunter13
The last piece of the jigsaw ..?
We have a beautiful football club. The set up, the organisation and the ethos. All wonderful.
We also have a very good team, nice lads generally speaking, willing and committed.
We started the season in very difficult circumstances. Crowd booing plus a highly important 180 minutes which was worth £30 million +.
However, this team had already shown significant progress since last Feb-Mar. The word in the summer was about strengthening with top-top quality. The positions were identified as striker and defensive midfielder. That’s exactly what Arsene went for – Luis, Higuain, Cabaye, Flamini. He also knows what is needed, strangely enough ….
When our midfield flows we are devastating. Without a 30-goal hitman it’s natural to seek your goals from midfielders. But when they press us and the midfield don’t have the ‘flow’, that is where you either need a Suarez to clinically kill the opposition, or mean wingers with pace and dribbling ability who can go directly and diagonally inside the opponent’s box. In the past we had Overmars, Ljunberg, Reyes and Pires to do just that.
We had a tough period with many key players out including Theo, Poldi, and Ox, (even Ryo was unavailable), so we played with three and four CAMs all interchanging behind the target-man, but usually without width and mostly playing through the middle or beating high-line offside traps (Napoli, Marseile) usually from Sagna’s side of the pitch.
And it’s worth saying that Sagna has been a monster of a right-back this season.
Besides losing so many key players for half a season, we also had dear Santi recovering from ankle injury and it took him a while to re-settle into the side with the pace and the physicality of the English game.
So we went on with heroic Ramsey and Giroud plus flashes of brilliance from Ozil and, throughout, ‘imPERious’ defensive stability. And the system worked.
Lately though, and taking into account fatigue, the system couldn’t produce goals. Our midfield was pressured and kicked to death and we’d either not score or score from a player’s solo effort – against Chelsea, City, and our first against West Ham, for example.
There has also been a slight confusion in terms of which games we play Arteta and in which we play Flamini. In games were we need to dominate and kick a few backsides, as well as suffocate opponents, I think the services of Flamini Rosicky and Jack are required. In games were we need a more sophisticated, composed approach we need Arteta. Against Everton for instance, we needed Flamini and Rosicky from the start, but they had played against Napoli. Same goes for the Chelsea home game. Flamini should have been in there to kick Ramires and Obi. Arteta is a very delicate technical artist, not ideal to be a bully or a Gatusso. His talents are more suited for Europe provided he remembers that in Europe you have to be careful with your fouls, unlike the EPL.
I’m of the opinion that Wenger can see his team struggling to score when midfield isn’t firing and that he will go for a clinical finisher now that his wingers are back. I love Giroud to bits and his goal at Newcastle was both important and very difficult to score, but the way he plays (chasing every ball) he will inevitably suffer fatigue and potentially a lack of confidence.
Manager and club need to assist Giroud in this department. Giroud is a great target-man. A lad who can get you 15 goals a season and when in form has good finishing ability, too. And whether the ball is low or high (feet or head) his abilities are unquestionable but he is no Thierry Henry to take the ball, go past two and slide it past the keeper. There will be games when our negated midfield will need such a striker. Wenger might think that since he got 30 goals out of Adebayor anyone can play up top since we create so many scoring opportunities for our striker. But to win the big ones you need something else – va-va-voom.
Philosophically, perhaps, he is aiming for this group to do it as it currently is. But realistically, for that to happen we need things to go our way. If the board view this season as an opportunity to stake a claim of dominance, then they must authorise Wenger to spend what he wants, on whoever he wants.
I believe!
2013-2014 is for ARSENAL
Positively Arsenal 
Hunter
Excellent piece. Some very insightful points. Very enjoyable. Thanks
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Realistically, will we buy anyone in the next month? Just cannot see who is of the required quality and available….
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Wow Hunter, that was a really interesting and well balanced opinion piece. I enjoyed reading it and can’t argue with your logic
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Turns out Hunter is not as mad as a box of frogs after all !
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Nice one Hunter
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Great piece Hunter13, can’t agree more.
With a WC coming up not too many prime options will be available till the summer.
So lets see who is available in january bearing in mind that Podolski’s back, Theo’s back, NickB’s been underplayed & (underfed), and messrs. Ox & Diaby will contribute once healed (fingers crossed)..?
Mohamed Salah (Basel)
21, winger/striker, efficient, experienced enough, CL cup-tied?, salary, loan or buy?, questionable work rate, easy slot-in, won’t need many minutes to contribute, a ready made Wenger player skill set-wise, no WC worries.
…all i can think of for now
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Alvaro Morata (R.Madrid)
21, striker, 6ft 2, CLcup-tied?, loan?, inexperienced, might take too long to hit the ground running, would play few minutes unless NB23’s loaned out/ sold, no WC worries.
Dimitar Berbatov (Fulham): 32, striker, 6ft 2+, PL+CL savvy, >salary, loan or buy?, questionable work rate, easy slot-in, won’t need many minutes to contribute, a ready made Wenger player skill set-wise, no WC worries.
…all i can think of for now
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lol im still posting in yesterdays entry…haha..thanks people…wenger is looking for somehting special..my feelings are known….stan sends check to henry for 60 million for luis. i will gladly accpet 10% increase in ticket…even 20%
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I would say that’s actually that’s spot on Mr Hunter. Fantastic. Cheers (dunno about the ticket hike you’ve just mentioned though…)
And a Happy New Year to you all. It’ll no doubt more be more of the same old shit, but here’s hoping Arsenal can continue where they left off…
PA is always a refreshing antidote when everyone else is throwing the toys (and the baby) out of the pram, it’s the first, sometimes only, blog I visit after we lose a game. Calm heads prevail. Keep up the good work George & Co.
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dunno why the 2nd part wasn’t posted along with the 1st bit but hey thats….all I can think of for now.
see Gibbs, Ozil, Rambo, Giroud are out for Cardiff tomorrow.
who plays…hmm, with Verm & Nacho also possibly out…..
Szcz
Sagna-Per-Kos-Flamini
Rosicky-Arteta-Jack
Theo-NikB-Poldi
+Fabianski, Jenks, Nacho, Frimpong, Santi, Gnabry, Ryo/Park…?
should be interesting.
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Nice piece and I can see the logic. The top teams have always had their go to man, their talisman. The player who makes defenders nervous, who turns premier league matches into playground games where the biggest boy bosses it and scores when he wants. As you say, we have had that striker before and we lack that striker now. As do most teams, for you can only buy a ready-made one of those if you are very wealthy, or if you have seen something in a young player that no one else has spotted yet. Which is why it is always worth gambling on a Sanogo or a Gnabry or maybe a Sanabria (could get confusing if they all line up), just in case. I have little doubt that if the right man was suddenly available, then The Arsenal would spend the money but unfortunately even less doubt that an oil club would spend even more. Perhaps our only chance is if Arsene can do a Mesut and appeal to someone who can see what the project is, and if that is the case then he will have already made his move. The little glint in his eye when he responds to transfer questions suggests that Hunter’s might not be a totally forlorn hope.
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Nice one Hunter, good stuff and many great points.
We know AW was seriously in the market for top striking talent from last summer’s thwarted activities which are a matter of public record. We also know AW, contrary to the expectations of some, does in fact buy in January, and successfully, too.
That a team could hear boos at the end of the season’s first home game and still end up at New Year top of the league tells us many things and not just about the playing side. So-called ‘tests’ have come and gone to a backdrop of injured first-teamers watching from the side as referees have played their part in at least some of the tests in which we might be said to have failed to make the top grades.
The emergence of real leaders throughout the side, the team spirit and a togetherness which can only be the envy of most other sides makes this team a hugely attractive prospect for anyone considering joining us. That our ‘profile’ – with key fixtures in the CL to come and a very real chance of winning the BPL – is at its highest in years would seem to make it more likely than not that we will see a major addition to the squad in January. It strikes me as unlikely that the closing of the last transfer window saw any cessation in the club’s efforts to strengthen THIS season.
As ever, one must brace oneself for a ‘left-field’ signing to come in and take us all by surprise but I think the potential for a championship winning signing has never been greater. It’s not a nailed on certainty, of course, but for nothing to happen would provide the greater surprise.
***
I would just like to say Happy New Year to everyone connected to PA including an army of readers who read without posting, friends near and, in many cases, very far. But especially, to our fellow posters who collectively make this blog a wonderfully positive and generally well-reasoned, well-informed place to hang out with the daily opportunity, at least in my case, to continue to learn more about the game, our team and our club’s place in the footballing world.
I particularly want to acknowledge George’s unique brand of stoicism and perseverance in the face of periodic knock-backs and disappointment which has occasionally punctuated the young life of Positively Arsenal. I hope and trust George to stick with it in the knowledge that his efforts are hugely appreciated and the service he performs for the club and fellow fans, in his own unique ways, are immensely valued by those who know him.
Thanks to you all.
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Mr Hunter. Who is your ghostwritter? Where’s the vitriol? What’s with the uber reasoning? What did they do to you in that East London hossy? Will you be making a habit……. (STFU, Ranta).
Nice piece, H13. I’m still dreaming of the squad we have – somehow finding solutions, and I’d welcome any new players Arsene chooses and can actually get.
How are you health wise? (I saw your comment a couple of days ago, about “May”, and so I wondered).
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hehe the ticket hike was a piss take for certain bloggers crying the other week for the 3% increase…….i suppose they think the stadium is maintained with monopoly boardgame notes. plus i had to laugh with the concept that ‘fans pay the players wages….
its funny…fans want their club to win the biggest trophies and sign big names but when you mention to them the cost of doing so they bury heads in the sand. why should they pay for it…they want the “mug” owner to sugardaddy them. 😉
i guess it doesnt cross their minds that the past days when theyve been sitting comfortably with their families eating and drinking and having a good time in the festive holidays that someone has to put on his shorts and socks and go out in the fucking cold and play football for you …to entertain you now that its christmas as this is a period seen by the industry makers as a period where the public needs to be entertained…….who will pay for that? not me …im just a fan…hahahhahaha…oh yes you will pay…and more..
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Ah yes, you’ve not lost your Bite, you use it in the comments section. I get it. – belatedly. H13.
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Antoine Griezmann (R.Sociedad)
22, 5ft 9, winger, CL cup-tied, no guarantee he’d fit in quickly, good work rate
one other option is to give more playing time to our more natural wingers Gnabry, Ox & Ryo, and to NikB. Buffered with the CM personnel, goals will flow.
Lewndowski’s the best option in the summer with no WC. Can we cajole him into forsaking Bayern though?
Cavani & Falcao are too expensive. Lavezzi’s not efficient enough.
Griezmann & Morata could be had in August as well, after we’ve offloaded NikB, Park & Djourou (+/- LeCoq), and brought back Campbell & Ignasi.
..personally, I’d do the simplest thing…..loan in Berbatov!
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ArsenalAndrew
December 31, 2013 at 11:13 am
thank you andrew. admittedly if luis dont materialise and if we cant …get robin back ( sorry sorry sorry ) …what about quagliarella ?
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Bloody hell Hunter, and here I was actually being super nice an’ all and complimenting you on your article…
I thought it was lucid, insightful and well reasoned, And I agree with you.
Ticket prices is a touchy subject to broach though, even in jest. And to be honest, you’ve lost me there, which is probably just as well. If i was nodding in agreement with everything you say, then that would mean we’ve officially entered the Twilight Zone 😉
Have a good ‘un folks.
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berbatov? ok…even though i feel we need a shark there or a lion…someone with character who will “talk” in big occasions….
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lol harry…yes it is a sensitive subject but to me things are clear as day. top top quality club..in top top quality facilities offering top top quality spectacle…..thats what fans pay for…
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Wow, once he’s off the medication Hunter makes sense.
Last nights last 2 posts would mage a good article as well.
Berb is too slow. We might as well get robbie keane (only joking).
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If AW was prepared to go after Suarez last summer given his reputation at that time, what might the chances be of him doing something similar with Balotelli?
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“Wenger might think that since he got 30 goals out of Adebayor…” 🙂
Some have thought to dismiss the record of the team in 2013. Understandable, that when you have spent so long looking for the end, that you would want to ignore the signs of progress. For football fans, looking back on how this rebuilt squad evolved through 12-13 helps us to appreciate their football in 13-14. That it is all.
It’s been we’ll documented when the defence of this rebuilt squad started their miserly mood. We all saw it happen. Less comments have been made on how things evolved up top. We had two good references in the last two games. The Newcastle game reminding us of the run in last year (although you had Flambo in the, er the Chamberlain role heh. Ok. Ok, I mean the Arteta role…) and the West Ham game reminding us that there is a squad there that are happy to crank it up at times. It was in January that we began to see some truly hopeful signs against West Ham (5-1 when Giroud copied Carzola’s backheel) and against what was obviously an improving Liverpool squad. A team that could blitz opponents, manage their legs and raise the tempo to score (late or second half) bursts of goals.
Liverpool and Napoli at Home, the Dortmund games, games that occurred when the team were not struck by illness or 48hrs after another tough game gave us a taste of where this rebuilt squad are heading this year.
As for the January window, last year in came Monreal. Which was nice. Unfortunately many were too busy bleating to appreciate the signing, the significance. As before, no idea what’ll happen now. Nothing will happen before the FA Cup game, so I’m not sure I can be bothered to care. What I do know is that there are not many better target men in the game then Giroud. No doubt about that. And that this is the player that Vengaaar has been looking for ever since he signed Ade and young Bendy. Different styles to Didier, but still good. And those players were signed when there were other strikers at the club. So, I can’t imagine anyone who has followed the club over the years being surprised if another striker is signed!
The club will sign who they sign. Tomorrow will be my first trip to a game on New Year’s Day, I am worried about the potential hangover.
Thanks to George, Andrew and Steww and all the guest writers on PA and all the other commentators. Good luck in 2014! I hope to see a guest post from Steww at the end of the season 😉
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Double Canister
be careful..they might arrest us for inciting on-pitch violence …
or…..bringin the game in disrepute ……
any lawyers in the house ?
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Hear, hear Arsenal Andrew @ December 31, 2013 at 11:13 am
Couldn’t agree with you more
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If you’re talking about a Malaga style raid by Arsene Vulture upon Milan, I wouldn’t say no to Stephan El Shaarawy. I don’t know much about him, but he’s quick!
Balotelli? Saw him play at THOF two seasons ago. He seemed troubled. Who knows, if anyone could help him find his focus and true potential…
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Alternatively, with Chambo returning soon there could be less games on the left flank for Plodders. It is possible that Podolski will be the second striker.
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I believe El Shaarawy is injured.
Draxler is not off the radar either.
The Bundesliga’s joint top scorer is Adrain Ramos of Hertha Berlin.
Only £4m for the Colombian.
Looks like a Wenger type of buy.
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Happy New Year Positivistas…
COYG and friggin’ win the damn th*ngs!
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Thoughtful piece Hunter.
OK, the thing is …
Giroud is doing a job to instruction and what AW says about his physical talents (in our mainly “small” attacking team) is important. Some stats (Sqwawka): Giroud has been involved in 44% of all our EPL goals this season. His own goals largely (over 70%) arise through crosses, off foot and head, good positioning and movement. His apparent scoring lull, never mind anecdotal stuff (missed chances) coincides with the absence of both wings, or more generally wing-play, as AW adopted a more central attacking play, narrow, adapted superbly (mainly to Ozil/Santi/Tomas and Aaron/Jack), as the correct tactical method in the absence of 3 injured wing-play options of the 4. So, meantime Giroud turned from striker to provider, with wonderful skill and method. The goals have come from midfielders.
AW showed by boldly going in for Higuain, Suarez, then Ba and Eto, unafraid of transfer amounts, he is in the market for a back-up striker. It was tricky then I guess for various reasons, and he finally turned to NB (he was not to know Lukas, Theo, Ox and Sanogo would all be injured); NB has performed adequately; AW also knowing that a fit Sanogo is a back-up. We have been short up-front and it is a marvel we are top.
I don’t think anything has changed, except Giroud has performed so well. He’s been superb when you think about the role he’s been assigned and performed, physically and tactically. He’s no cry baby that’s for sure.
I haven’t heard too much of Campbell; some good reports from time to time, and that is another factor with Sanogo for next season. The youth guys? Who knows? We have wide players – providing attacking options – available again, only Ox to come back.
Berbatov is an option, a back-up and mainly off-the-bench striker with street smarts, but not the best. There are others. If we find a Suarez type option (gifted bloke, perhaps one who doesn’t bite), or a typically left-sided fast wing who might make Lukas the option, I feel we will strike (pun intended). There is an awful lot at stake. We have a realistic chance of topping the EPL with luck and resolve, City’s home record notwithstanding; and in CL we always have a chance. There is the other trophy too.
But if it’s not the top-top lethal striker, it will more likely be a smart and mature striker, a proven asset. In the meantime, Lukas – outstanding finisher – now provides a further options, different roles, as does Theo.
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Harry 11:39am
Well, you mightn’t read PA much in 2014! Hehe.
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“But if it’s not the top-top lethal striker, it will more likely be a smart and mature striker, a proven asset….”
with ZimPaul, agree I do.
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Thank you, Hunter. That was . . . . . . . . . . . that was . . . . . . . . . . .what’s the word I’m looking for? . . . . . . . . . . . . . lucid.
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ah totally worth the worth the wait Hunter even if George did have to snatch it out of your grubby hands, a brilliant piece.
personally I think its a signing from left field we need, not a surprise but an out an out fast ” mean ” winger that can turn teams when were struggling to break sides down.
All of our wingers or players who play on the left or right like to play infield even the ox will end up in the centre and having watched the reserves our seemingly natural wingers like serge and Jon Toral all instinctively come inside rather than hitting the byline as it were.
I can only see the ex spud being disruptive and so I don’t want him, all of our team work very hard now and carrying someone for the odd flash of brilliance is not what we need.
However I am very happy to let Arsene decide as I strongly believe he A; knows what he’s doing and B; knows more than me.
I too would like to echo ArsenalAndrews thoughts on the progression of this site. I think George has a touch of the Arsene about him in the way he has gathered together a great team of regular and guest writers and has backed that up with a talented bunch of regular posters in the comments section I hope to see writing pieces for the site in the future.
After the demise of sanity on aclf I have to thank everyone on here for restoring my faith in ARSENAL supporters at a time when it was becoming very difficult to support the team positively on line, in the street and at the match.
Good luck and a very POSITIVE new year to everyone on here and those who have not yet found us….Happy 2014
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Nice writeup HUNTER13. Well presented except I would not take RVP back if they paid us. Anyways, I don’t think an striker is what we will be looking for.
As I have said before , rightwing forward type is what we are short in depth chart so any ideas AMAN. you scout you.
Someone who can beat kid man and put it on a dime. Or on a pence for you BRITS. if available and if the price is 10 to 15 mil.
Again, happy 2014 you all. Party hardy.
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Good job, Hunter. I even agree with you over when to deploy Arteta and Flamini.
With regard to a striker in the winter transfer market, I like Shane Long from West Brom. I’ve long been an admirer of his because he has pace and plenty of fight in him. I also think he would do very well under a manager like Arsene. Another player worth a look is Nikita Jelavic from Everton. The guy played excellently for Moyes last season. He has plenty of height and strength with good control.
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How tough is OG by the way??
Played and finished that game on injured foot. WARRIOR. HATS OFF.
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Very fine piece, Hunter. I don’t know if a good option is available this window but I agree that we could use a striker in the mold you suggest. For the meantime, I think we’ll probably make due with Poldi, Bendtner and Theo as back up options when Giroud is absent. It will be interesting to see how we play v. Cardiff and Spuds in the FA cup for instance.
Going back to yesterday, I have to agree with Passenal that the Newcastle rotational fouling (and solo fouling by Tiote) added to some very physical play v. Chelsea has taken a toll on our squad, plus another bout of the flu. Vermaelen looks to be back so it is a question of him or Flamini at LB. Right now, I’d say Vermaelen if he’s over the flu.
Like Gains, I see Mourinho trying to re-establish the old stereotype about Arsenal’s soft centre and him as the saviour of English footballing values as the narrative of the season. I hope people see through his patronizing and disingenuous charade. But, I do think the best way to show that up and dispel the view of Arsenal is to win tough games like that at Newcastle. And frankly the punditocracy has been giving us proper credit for winning such a difficult away match without Ozil and Ramsey. However, we pay a price with a weakened squad v. Cardiff, so hopefully everyone else can step up and frankly Ozil, Ramsey,Giroud could really use a break. TR isn’t going to start every three days and it is just bad luck Monreal has the flu. Otherwise, our team should be able to battle Cardiff at home. If we get the three points, I think we’ll get players back for the next league match on the 13th refreshed.
WS
Sagna, Merts, Kos, Verm
Arteta, Wilshere
Theo, Cazorla, Podolski
Bendtner
Bench: Fabianski, Flamini, Jenkinson, Gnabry, Rosicky, Zelalem?
Happy New Year to everyone!
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Also, I liked your discussion of Arteta and Flamini options. If they are used in this way both will stay fresh and give us some options in how we play. One thing I have really appreciated this season is how various and flexible in style of play and tactical approach we’ve been. Having more options with players of different qualities and sufficient experience to play with different emphases has been key, I think, to this.
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Great piece Hunter and a fitting piece and theme of a team developing and growing to see out a great 2013.
With regard to a striker to share the burden a year ago Arsene began his search, the Summer came and went, and now we enter a third window of opportunity. As crucial as the quality of the recruit will be the neccesity that he is able and willing to fit in smoothly. I require a quiet worker, no destructive Asprilla for me.
And George, regular contributors, occasional posters and the lurkers thank you for a year of entertainment and may 2014 give us as many highs, and the occasional low in order that we truly appreciate the good things.
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Next month we will have been going for a year.
I must admit ,if I had known how much work was involved I would have stuck to twitter.
However I would like to thank everyone who comments and contributes to the site.
My opinions on Arsenal are irrelevant really .the site was for people with a like mind to gather and celebrate the club,win ,lose or draw.
Some of those who started down the PA path have fallen by the wayside for one reason or another,but without them we would not have reached this point.
Adi was a huge part of setting up the site.
Stew wrote some of the finest articles I have ever seen on the internet.
Frank literally inspired me to be a better fan.
And Andrew is the rock of the site,you can never know how much I rely on him and the work he does.
So thanks again for supporting the site and try to come as much as you can,after all ,its here for you.
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“I see Mourinho trying to re-establish the old stereotype about Arsenal’s soft centre and him as the saviour of English footballing values as the narrative of the season. I hope people see through his patronizing and disingenuous charade.”
So true Lime. beyond transparent. He’ll always be a classless shitheel of a man(ager). the snide and ball achingly tedious antics encouraged by the English hacks who hang on his every word, so he’s constantly indulged and fawned over in press conferences, however absurd his outbursts, instead of confronted about what he’s actually saying.
Football needs it “characters” after all.
The Spanish sports media might not be glowing bastion of journalistic integrity, but it didn’t take ’em five minutes to suss out the risible little twonk.
Having said all that, he’s back at the right club though, you have to give him that. His spiritual home. Made for each other. For a season or two at least.
Heh. I don’t really like him y’know.
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Cheers to you George. It is much more important to have a forum for thoughtful and supportive discussion than to fight the sound bite wars on twitter, even if more work and often less fun. And AA is clearly a gem. Thanks to you both, as an irregular commenter but fairly regular reader.
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Nice post Hunter. I see your point about having a striker who can go past two, three players and win us games singlehandedly. Like others have said, such strikers are in short supply and probably cup-tied.
Zimpaul at 3.21pm has made an extremely good point that I also thought, but much more crudely. I also think that Giroud has it in him to hit the 25 mark this season. He is at 11 in the halfway stage. With the return of Podolski and Walcott, Giroud should be getting more goals. Besides being a good finisher of crosses and being excellent in his positioning and in dragging defenders with him for our midfielders to exploit, he also has the spectacular in him. His strike vs Everton in the dying seconds was a beauty. 2 Inches lower, and it would have been one of the goals of the season. Also, have you noticed that since his return, Walcott has been shifting between playing as a second striker on the left and right of Giroud (sometimes ahead of him, sometimes behind him) and less frequently as a right winger. Maybe this is the next stage in the development of Walcott.
Also, whenever Bendtner has come on, he has looked hungry to me and he has actually played well to give me confidence that he will do a good job. Wenger also said a day or two ago that he is getting better now. However, he hasnt played enough so far.
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Harry, he also couldn’t snow the Italian journalists either. They clearly have in some European journalistic cultures both more self-respect/self-confidence professionally and better knowledge of and interest in tactics. That’s probably why he can’t get away with his silly shtick outside of your sceptered isle!
Only Patrick Barclay seems to get the truth of the situation that Mou is a self-interested and self-regarding bully (with some genuine football and man-managing skills, of course).
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Well said George. I hope Steww hasn’t disappeared from here for good. I always thoroughly enjoyed reading his wonderful musings on the Arsenal.
Almost time for a little drinky (or two).
Ta ta.
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George, what would lessen your burden and make it easier to keep this blog going? Now that Hunter has written a post, I’m sure others will feel more emboldened to share their own views. It’s kind of like Woy calling up Lallana and Rodriguez to the senior squad giving players without huge names hope.
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Good article. Also thanks to George for creating this site, since I only entered Twitter & blogging world in Summer I wasn’t aware that this site was relatively new. Seems professional enough to have been going for longer, especially with the large readership.
If anyone is familiar with my site, goonertastic, and enjoys reading perhaps you could nominate it for best new blog by tweeting to @YDarsenal on twitter. Apologies again for promoting it haha, look forward to seeing my article on here in near future.
Have a good Hogmanay everyone.
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Every occasional writer has done themselves and the site proud.
Even Mel .
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Sensational, I don’t want to sound defeatist but I wouldn’t worry about a striker being cup-tied in Europe very much. We are scheduled to play two games v. defending champions Bayern, the first immediately after Liverpool away and MU at home and the second followed by an incredibly tough run of Spuds away, Chelsea away, City home and Everton away. If we could rest Giroud the weekend before the Bayern matches, we’d be delighted. If we had a really good striker to help us win the league which is an exhausting grind, I think that would mean so much for our club and, frankly, is a genuine prospect. If a rested Giroud can’t take us past Bayern, is it very likely that we would find a striker that could who isn’t cup tied? The only player around quite of that level is Suarez. Either we go in and get him or we try to find the best possible player who would move in a WC year. Putting a constraint of the player not being cup tied seems unduly burdensome and probably not that relevant. Would we want to disqualify Lewandowski for example? If we had topped the group and had two less challenging games to start and anticipated two more for 4 European games, I’d think more seriously about that condition.
I don’t think it likely we’ll find the sort of player we were going after in the summer this January–it is always difficult–but requiring they be eligible for Europe nearly eliminates the field. Just some thoughts. I think we can beat Bayern with Giroud. We won’t be favoured but it was close last season. If we go out we still could use a good striker to make it through the second half of the season.
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