If The Arsenal make it through the Champions League qualifying matches they are guaranteed to play 48 matches of competitive football this season. Reasonable form and a bit of luck with Cup draws would see that up to about 54 games. That’s a lot of football – and when every game matters and is keenly contested it puts a lot of pressure on the squad.
At times matches come thick and fast: August alone is pretty congested.
Charity Shield against City.
Crystal Palace (h).
CL Qualifier.
Everton (A).
CL Qualifier.
Leicester (A).
Six games in three weeks, all of them important and one involving a trip overseas.
There will be time enough to analyse each of those games, but for now I think it’s fair to suggest it’s unlikely the same players will feature each time, as tactical requirements, injuries, possible suspensions and simple rotation will all play their part in selection, as indeed will be the current form of each player. Substitutions, both tactical and forced will also come into play, so as we are constantly reminded (when pundits want to put us down) squad depth is as important as the starting XI if realistic title challenges are to be considered. If you were setting the spread on the amount of players who’d kick a ball in anger in those August matches you’d probably set it 15 to 17 -and I think I’d be a buyer in that market.
Which is why all the talk about who’ll make the best XI, while a great topic over a couple of pints, ever so slightly misses the point.
There is more than a hint of hypocrisy in the air too, as many who spent last season saying that Arsenal had no chance of winning the title because of lack of depth and the unwillingness of the manager to rotate are now only too ready to consign Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla to the scrap heap.
Jack interests me because his situation can be used both ways by the Arsenal haters outside the club and the Arsene haters among the fan base. This is how it goes: “when we sign (let’s say Khedira for argument’s sake) Jack won’t make the team, and this proves he isn’t really top quality and this is because he was over-rated by AW, or not developed by AW, or AW has caused him to have so many injuries.” Or, alternatively, “when we sign Khedira Jack won’t make the team and this is a classic example of a foreign manager acting against the interests of the national side.” Either way, it is Arsenal and Arsene’s fault and the disappointing thing to me is that I don’t hear this comment: “When we sign Khedira, it will be excellent because at various times during the season (and perhaps even at various times during the same match) Khedira will play alongside Jack, and he will play alongside Ramsey, and this will take the pressure of all three of them and they will benefit and learn from each other. “ How many games is it realistic to hope a player starts in – 30, 35, 40? Not much more than that I think, and there will be plenty of opportunity for Jack and Aaron whoever else is signed.
The role of the substitute in the modern game is also interesting, and is worth a brief mention. I am guessing that statistics suggest that the optimum time for a tactical substitution is around 65 minutes on the basis that there is less time for injuries across the field to occur (at least one player needs to be kept for emergency) but enough time for the substitution to have an effect on the course of the game. If used efficiently it can either give a sense of the cavalry coming to relieve a beleaguered situation or of a coup de grace being delivered when the opposition has been softened up and just needs to be dispatched with a killer blow. Both of these scenarios were in evidence in the recent Cup Final, and it almost felt like bullying when Jack and Tomas injected match-winning pace in the closing stages.
I am not suggesting players be only used as substitutes because few would be happy with just that role, but do feel that any talk of squad composition should bear substitutions in mind. A clever manager will make his players very aware of why they are on the bench and will have rehearsed the various scenarios when they might be called upon to make a contribution. I like the thought of a fully fit Podolski coming on with 20 minutes to go, scoring a goal, starting the next match and then perhaps making way for Campbell after 65 minutes. It is never as simple as that of course but it illustrates a general point.
There was dismay among the Twitter ranks yesterday as various speculations became hard fact among the doubters.
First of all came the news that Thomas Eisfeld had left the club to join Fulham, and this was seen by many as an act of gross stupidity on behalf of the club. Despite not many having seen him play that much, he had become a something of a fan’s favourite, and he did have a magnificent match against Reading in the astonishing game two seasons ago. But he was older than many thought (21) and was increasingly unlikely to make a breakthrough into our first team. I suspect it will be a good move for him and for Fulham and I hope it works out.
Hot on the heels came an article by John Cross in which he speculated that both Wilshere and Diaby could play a holding role and that therefore the search for another midfielder was not absolutely essential. Of course any mention of Diaby is likely to get certain supporters incensed (I always see him as human litmus paper, there to reveal a fan’s true allegiance – the acid test, if you like), but I was a little disappointed to see so many come out so strongly against Jack, especially as some had been railing against the decision to transfer Eisfeld only hours earlier. And so mischievously I thought of the following scenario, which while unlikely has some logic behind it, and wondered what the reaction would be.
Liverpool are in the process of building a new side, and under Brendan Rodgers are very much a work in progress. It is no doubt heresy to say this on an Arsenal blog, but I think he is a good manager and it amuses me that my local club, Reading FC, let him go because they simply didn’t understand what he was trying to do. Rodgers knows he will need to replace Gerrard soon (and England need to replace him immediately). Fuelled by paper talk and awareness of fan disaffection expressed through social media he senses that Wilshere would be willing to leave Arsenal and take over that holding role at Anfield. And if that were to happen, would the Arsenal fans still be saying that Wilshere couldn’t play anymore, or that he needed to do this or that if he were ever to play the deeper role, or would they realise that they had yet again contributed to a great player deciding to leave The Emirates behind ?
You see, Jack is good enough to play in a variety of midfield roles, just as all of our players are: of course he could be a DM, or a B2B, or an AM, or a WM, or a faux 9, because he regularly takes up all of those positions, and several more besides that as yet haven’t been given names, in most of the games he plays. It is The Arsenal way for players to switch positions, and that is one of the joys of following the team.
So with regard to transfers I think we are in the privileged position of not needing to sign anyone new (apart from a reserve GK), because with even average luck with injuries we have enough players to rotate successfully throughout the whole 54 game season. But we also have the money (quite a lot of money, actually) to be able to add to that highly-talented squad should the right top quality players become available. And if we do add a Pogba or a Cavani, then who knows we might just be looking at a 60 game season, which would see all of our very best players more than happily occupied, and perhaps even bring a smile to those fans who apparently have already forgotten we have signed Alexis Sanchez.
Today’s piece was by @foreverheady .Thanks Tim.
Positively Arsenal 
Comment*
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Jason I saw those games. But unlike you I didn’t forget all the others.
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I also understand how excess pressure can have an impact in sport (I made a comment on Cook above, and people can also refer to the many many interviews with Afsenal players after the final talking about the excessive pressure they had felt, Ramsey especially (please also see today’s comments by AW) and also for reference many players at the World Cup. Which is why it was nice to see that 2014 board go up into the stadium. Because it means that this rebuilt squad will now be playing under less pressure.
Of course that doesn’t mean Palace will bean easier game, it’s going to be a toughie as most games are. But along with the added reinforcements the extra confidence in the squad is exciting for Arsenal fans.
Enjoy watching Gazprom next season! I know you will.
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Hmmm. Best ignore the brackets in the above comment. Apologies. I’m supposed to be washing up, that’s my excuse for rushing, but it’s quite nice here out in the garden…
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It’s actually incredible that Jason chose to ignore the 0-0 at home. Jose was out parked, or at least Arsenal were relatively cautious. It was very funny.
Adrian Clarke on his breakdown:
“one of the most cautious games I have seen in a long time”
Only Dean denied Arsenal the three points, not for the first time, as he momentarily found himself teleported into another dimension and missed Willian (him again!) uprooting Walcott with an ever so obvious scoop that everyone as in everyone (as in an inexcusable error) inside the stadium could see.
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Adrian Clarke also said:
“The returning captain (Vermaelan) was dominant…”
Arsenal need to keep him. If possible. I hope letting him lift the FA Cup trophy works!
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Having skim read some of the exchanges with Jason tonight I would say it was a rather waste of time…..an irrefragable argument……
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Fabulous Article FH.
I’ve read through the ensuing debate – taking time off between blocks of comments – not wanting to react to “the same ol’ shit”. Having watched a program about students, I’ve reminded myself that we all (or maybe just me) have potential to absorb multifarious bolux – and see it all as ‘the gospel’. So I bore that in mind as I read through Jason’s comments. I think I Got irritated mainly cos I’m unused to seeing the repeated lauding of people like Maureen – on this site.
Things like “beating big teams/heavy losses against” for example.
Either here or on UA – I commented on the benefits of watching a match closely, in order to see what’s actually going on. Who is benefitting from the refs decisions? During last seasons big losses it was evident from kick off how the match officials wanted the match to go. Liverpool got a phantom foul (Mert, Suarez), moved the ball another 30 yards up the pitch, and then scored an offside goal. At Chelski they kicked right from the off. Bayern injured Ozil within the first minute, though he tried to keep going till half time. Man C became Stoke. Etc, etc, etc.
What games are you watching? How are you so easily taken in by what press and plundits are saying? When they simply lie about what’s taken place, what exactly are you thinking?
Did you watch the whole of the FA cup final? What do you make of that, other than the fact Arsenal won? Did it strike you that the chosen ref done everything possible to Fk up the Arsenal, and that no matter who Arsenal play, that’ll always be the way? Of course it didn’t. You probably doubt there should’ve been 4 penalties to Arsenal in the 2nd half alone, even though prats like Townsend actually, unbelievably, expressed (fake) disbelief that penalties weren’t given.
Watch the whole final again. It’s a blueprint for how Arsenal are treated, for being Arsenal.
Of course once you buy into the whole crap fest, you’re unlikely to see anything wrong with Pulis or Maureen. From the start (league cup final, ref: Howard Webb) showed how he’d continue to act towards Arsenal, and at the same time, showed other refs what he’d learned from Riley and Steve whatshisname, and even David the Harrow schoolmaster. Webb showed in the final of WC2010 “the way it should be done”, having practised it previously with incidents like Ferdinands Kung fu kick on Sagna, which tore his shirt. The only problem for Howard was how to send Sagna off to have his shirt changed, having stood only a few yards away from the incident, and having not even called a foul. I doubt youse saw any of that either.
What’s this Doesn’t do tactics thing. Where dyou pick that up from? What tactics does Maureen do? LC 2007: if starting to lose or look like loosing , kick the fuck out of Arsenal, get the wrong players sent off, claim glorious victory, spend rest of life slandering and degrading opposition you fear. Not much change there. Oh, and congratulate ref of retting you out of shit, then coincidentally get same ref for game against hated opposition, who’ll again allow shitkicking against Arsenal, and have wrong player sent off. See any pattern here? Nah, you ‘a ing a larf, innit!
No chance of explaining that no matter whether you have big or small players, ball players or destroyers, you’re gonna get fkd if you ain’t the chosen ones? Pah, wasting time innit?
I’ve gotta say Thanks to folk who’ve posted on this article. PG, new levels of vociferocation! Superb. (And where is Hunter- eating effing chocolate on his balcony, no doubt).
FH, generosity extremis, having beautifully, carefully, written a great piece.
Anc5, sharpness.
Fins, Thank you. You save me getting real mad. I thought you weren’t gonna watch that Pisser M intvw on AFTV? Anyway, you’ve made my blood boil by suggesting they could’ve spoken to Paul Davies, simply cos that’s such a good point, and I know it’d never ever ever happen, and I really want that to happen.
Shotta, always excellent.
Did anyone see the channel 5 docu about Rogers at Liverpool? The series finished just when a Arsenal gave the scousers a hiding at Klanfield. But that told me all I need to know about Rogers. For me, Yuk!
Aw, I’ll go. Sorry for any truths exposed.
Thanks again for lovely writing. More, please.
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Georgaki-pyrovolitis
Thanks to you too.
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Cannot believe you gave so much time to a chav lover?
“To be fair to Mourinho…”
End of discussion.
Its easy to stifle a team if you are well drilled, tactics don’t really come into it. The issue I have with Mourinho’s teams are that do a very similar job to Pulis’ teams but cost about £250m more.
Oh and Mourinho is a vile cunt. Any so called Gooner defending him is tarred with the same cunty brush IMO.
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This notion of a destroyer is based purely on the fact that a team needs an ard bastard because the PL is full of clogging farkers.
This “shield” who can “attck and defend and cook the dinner and wash up after” sounds like a bit of a genius to me. Like Arteta on roller skates.
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Ha Dexter .That’s tweeted/
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NYRB Press conference:
http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/live
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can i please just say that fm is not a game. fm is a simulator.
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None of us has a clue whatnWenger is really up to.
That’s what makes the transfer window so exciting
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twitter is amazing, after Arsene admitted he had to only use Aaron away as the home crowd we so unforgiving someone suggested that when your shit at your job you should be sacked. when I pointed out as a shit supporter he should be sacked he got the arse
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Is he a twit from twatter or a twat from twitter? Or maybe he’s just a ****?
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Potential or actual Thiery selfie:
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It’s somewhat worrying that AW has said that the 3 germans will not be available to start the season. Ozil and Poldi perhaps not a major problem, but Per not available? How does this leave our back four line up? One new RB, Kos, Verm (if he stays) and Gibbs. He’s comments regarding Per were somewhat guarded… saying that he had remained fit over the summer. We will find out the truth at the Charity Shield match!
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Fins: Forgive me – my memory is useless: was it you who wanted some info about James Foster? Could you DM me through Twitter if so.
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ArsPromo
http://www.reddit.com/r/Gunners/new/
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Sorry, here’s ArsPromo
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Best of Arteta
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Thanks Jason for these terms “The regista, the volante, the destroyer”. I knew that there would be new descriptions out there. I think your point about physical presence is a fair one, and is something we have lacked given the seeming unwillingness of referees to apply the rules even-handedly.
I think you are wrong to dismiss the notion of those two expensive players though. I can see why you think that, but I sense you under-estimate the ambition of the club. The move to the Emirates has been wrongly painted as an anti-footballing one, rather than the galactic vision it really was – and is – and will be.
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panathinaikos B.C signs zelalem !!!!!!! wooohooooo!!!!!
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“The regista, the volante, the destroyer”.
who talks like that about football ?
volante???????? ahahahaha… dolores bamboleiro
right ok out of the following names who are the registas who are the volantes ?? etc
mattheus
dunga
deschamps
raijkard
albertini
effenberg
p.souza
redondo
cocu
vieira
carembeu
makelele
davids
keanne
robson
busquets
song
gilberto
gatuso
ambrosini
de rossi
d.baggio
veloso
mascherano
gerrard ( ahahahaa)
..bolare oooOO..cantare ooooOO
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xavier zanetti? extreme regista fullback multi tool XV5.5TS all weather
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makelele ?? lol
its only vieira…before him redondo
and personal wildcard ….ONE RUBEN BARAJA …
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“Well glaze my nipples and call me Rita” !
I have just secured a Community Shield Ticket
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rita ritaki…
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youre not afraid of noone heeeee
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hammeeetfffhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!1
been laughing for days
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regista and volante are not english words but destroyer is. does it mean every defensive midfield in england have always and ever been destructive? hahaha…
can we just play football and leave semantics?
wenger must rate akpom so highly that he took him as the only striker to NYC. hope he takes this golden oppurtunity with both hands.
great to hear aneke doing well for his new club in europa league. he is the next yaya toure in my humble opinion. i hope he finds himself back to us at some point in future
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FH
Thanks, but I don’t tweet, I look at one or two feeds to find videos. I asked about Foster on Sunday just before Prior pulled out and they’ve called up the younger Butler since then. Vaughan said he wasn’t the best ‘keeper out there though he can bat.
It’s not a bad call but in the past we’ve also seen older players like Paul Nixon called up (only to the one day team) and others like Sidebottom and that’s why I thought they could have considered another player instead of the fatigued (& injured) Prior this season.
George can forward you my email if he doesn’t mind!
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Rantetta
Haha!
I did not watch the interview.
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*raises hand at back of class*
Sir. I think a Destroyer must exhibit very Grittish tendencies. He must snarl. He must have presence! I’m not sure if it matters if he can play football. Vinnie Jones is my hero.
He played football like he was playing rugger, testicle tweaking and all.
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Done that Fins.
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george..heh.. why did you all gang up on a 19 year old kid? have you no shame?
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i’m sure wi’ll begin to have various names for goalkeepers. like sweeper or puncher or line to line or …
you see what i mean?
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lol layksite ..then again we have baptised winger/extrems as tens and blame world class managers for not integrating tens when they have integrated three of them ( kaka seedorf pirlo ring a bell to anyone?) …nevermind that that winger/extrem was flying to mykonos on weekends to party. we also call hummels donkeys and hammettfffh not that good and praise djourou and cambell …… we wouldnt have suarez robben messi cause they are ‘cheats’ you see …… and we call fellow posters sexists racists and whatever else based on random slang terms used in football talks…….noone is perfect…how can a 19 year old kid be?
ssssssssSSSSSSSSSSsssssssssssSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
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the dutch lol….. are mad at putin for reasons i cant figure out yet and they want to kick his daughter out of holland….it is a crazy world…at the same time yossi benayun makes barton sound intelligent and morally correct …madnesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
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mou and lou
mention the first three things that come in your mind :
snot vomit diarhea
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we are all wrong and stupid yosi we should hang our heads in shame. how dare we not recognise the israelis right to defend themselves against some shoe-less, pant-less foreign invading tribe attacking them with slingshots rocks and sticks……
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To be fair, Cassano made Hummels look like a proper donkey in the SF in 2012!
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Patrick Viera:
“Arsene Wenger has been at the club for years and has been doing a fantastic job.”
Why does the employee of a rival have more respect for the Arsenal manager then some expert Arsenal bloggers and their hangers on?
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yes..hehe its because cassano is some mug who doesnt know football or how to dribble….has no personality and cant do things on the pitch with the ball…
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Why does the employee of a rival have more respect for the Arsenal manager then some expert Arsenal bloggers and their hangers on?
like who ?…which blog youve been reading lately ?
has it not occured to you that 99% of bloggers aint got a clue on football..they just follow/watch it.
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More like post-to-post keeper!
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penalty area coordinator
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I’ve heard that Cassano “took leave” at times during his career. But he never got himself banned to the detriment of his teammates. Says here that he kept his fisticuffs (with a coach!) in the dressing room.
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