Samir Nasri... the star of the match against Sturm Graz.
The week that was - July 2010
July 30, 2010
The squad is back from Austria and with the Emirates Cup kicking off tomorrow, we can have no clearer sign that the new season is just about upon us.Well, except maybe for the fact that new home kit was officially released this week. I hope I'm not percieved as being a coporate shill here, but it has to be one of the best home kits I've seen since I started following Arsenal. It's available now along with lots of other new gear for the 2010/11 season at ArsenalStoreUSA.com.
So far it’s been a solid pre-season for the first-team squad. They rolled through their first few friendlies without conceding a single goal and (knock on wood, touch wood, swing a cat over my head while dancing under a full moon at midnight… and any other fate blockers you may have) we seem to have avoided major injuries.
The match at Neusiedl saw yet another impressive performance by perhaps our best player of the pre-season Samir Nasri, who you named man of the match. Also impressive was Marouane Chamakh who scored his first goal in an Arsenal shirt. Joining him on the score sheet were Theo Walcott, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Carlos Vela, whose chip was just nice to watch.
Arsène Wenger seemed pretty pleased with the overall performance, and spoke specifically about the workout, Chamakh’s first goal and the perfect pre-season record. Arsenal TV Online also caught up with Vito Mannone who was able to keep the clean sheet by saving a penalty in the second half.
The Boss later touched on the fitness of Johan Drourou, who was substituted early in the first half against Neusiedl, and said he should be back for the Emirates Cup. Nicklas Bendtner on the other hand, is still struggling with the groin issue that gave him some trouble during the World Cup. He is set to be out for a few more weeks it seems.
One the bright side is the renewed fitness of left back Kieran Gibbs. He missed six months last season due to a foot injury. He says he’s excited to be back and will be ready for the season opener at Liverpool on August 15th.
Fellow left back Gael Clichy is also excited about the upcoming season and is hoping that the defense can improve on last year’s performances. He also thinks that improving their defending will have a positive side-effect. “As a unit, as a team, we want to be better defensively, and we know that if we defend well we'll attack better.”
“The Unit” he speaks of is very different from 2009/10. Four defenders have left the club, most recently Sol Campbell who signed with Newcastle this week. Sol played some very inspired football in the latter part of the season and made a huge impact in his 14 games. Good luck to you Sol, it was nice to have you back!
Taking one of the places in the central void is Frenchman Laurent Koscielny who is adjusting to his new team nicely. After receiving some complimentary words from Thomas Vermaelen last week, he spoke up himself about his skills and style. "I like physical challenges and I'm a player that can anticipate situations," he said. Which is good, because that’s exactly the kind of defender this team needs right now.
And Arsenal still needs at least one more. As the Manager himself said, “At the moment we only have three center backs and we have seen last season you needed five.” As we would expect, he’s not naming names, but we have all seen the speculation in the papers and the blogosphere. Stay tuned.
Now, before anyone starts question Arsène’s math skills, he went on to say “I believe we need at least four because we have some other players who can fill in this position." One of those players is likely Norwegian youngster Havard Nordtveit, who he has been playing at right back throughout the pre-season. Wenger said flat out that he can play central defense, but he needs some more experience before he throws him in there.
Looking ahead is this weekend’s Emirates Cup where Arsenal take on AC Milan and Celtic, while Lyon features as the fourth team. Despite playing at home, it could be an especially tough weekend for Arsenal considering the players who will miss out. Between some minor pre-season knocks and World Cup fatigue, the starting midfield will be absent, along with two of our usual strikers. But regardless of the line-up, there’s one thing we can all agree on. Football is back!
Come on you Gunners!
- Kevin Mooney
July 23, 2010
The pre-season is in full swing with a 27-man squad in Austria for training camp, several friendlies out of the way and the Emirates Cup just around the corner. Things are really starting to heat up both literally – 90-degree temperatures in Austria – and figuratively, with several friendlies out of the way and the Emirates Cup just around the corner.
With the exception of a couple of injured players and our two World Cup finalists, all of the players who could be considered first-teamers are in camp now. Arsène Wenger made it known that this is not some kind of Austria spa retreat, but a starting point to improve on last season.
Part of that improvement will come from new signings, and so far Thomas Vermaelen is impressed. Knowing that he will have a new partner in central defense this season, he has been paying close attention to the progress of Laurent Koscielny. “He is a good defender, he puts pressure on the attackers all the time and he is tight with his marking.”
Of course, Arsenal being Arsenal, injuries are also part of the game. But now the focus is on the healthy players returning. Among then Johan Djourou, who after spending almost all of last season in the treatment room, knows how important this pre-season is for him. It’s especially true considering that William Gallas and Mikael Silvestre will not be returning. Havard Nordtveit is also a possibility at center back, and after a couple of seasons on loan, he’s also ready to lock down a place at the Emirates.
And so far things look pretty good – for Nordtveit, Djourou and the team as a whole.
On Wednesday, the squad travelled down the road to take on Sturm Graz, and came away with a 3-0 win. The shining star of the game was Samir Nasri who scored twice in the first half. After breaking his leg at the start of camp last year and missing the start of the season, this is very promising indeed.
Wenger was happy with the win and Nasri’s performance, but he also spoke of news that tempered the win a bit: Eduardo has officially left the Club to sign with Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. The manager said he was saddened by his departure but knows it is for the best.
After a very promising start to his Arsenal career, Eduardo was sidelined for a year after his leg was broken in a match at Birmingham in February 2008. The Croatian striker struggled with fitness and confidence last season, but hopefully pastures anew will restore both. Ever the classy guy, Eduardo asked for the opportunity to say farewell to the fans. Farewell to you Dudu, and good luck!
On a happier note, The Club made some moves for the future by signing a couple of young players to new contracts. First, 17-year-old midfielder Chuks Aneke signed his first professional contract with Arsenal. He’s been steadily improving with the youth side, and has already made some impressive appearances with the Reserve side.
He was joined by 19-year-old Frenchman Francis Coquelin, who signed a long-term deal. He’s already made a few first-team appearances and shows a lot of promise at both midfield and right-back. We won’t get to see him for a while, as he’s off to Ligue 1 side Lorient for the 2010/11 season to pick up some first-team experience.
Speaking of young stars, Jack Wilshere continues to be the focus of a lot of attention. After a successful loan spell at Bolton last season, he has been a big part of the pre-season for Arsenal. He’s chomping at the bit to play as much as possible. Boss is hoping he can gain the experience he needs at Arsenal, and is giving him plenty of chances to show what he can do.
Wenger is using the same philosophy on the goalkeepers. When camp opened, he said flatly that there is no No. 1 keeper at Arsenal at the moment. All four of Arsenal’s keepers are in Austria, and the Boss said "we are at a level where competition is part of our job, we have to accept that and we have to live with that.” There are still rumblings that we will sign another goalkeeper before the transfer window closes, but Wenger is not naming names.
Looking ahead, Arsenal takes on another Austrian club, SC Neusiedl 1919 on Tuesday, and then returns to London ahead of next weekend’s Emirates Cup. Wilshere is looking forward to the tournament and thinks it can really set the tone for the season. With games against AC Milan and Celtic, it’s a good opportunity to see where we stand. If you find yourself in London, it's certainly worth checking out, just be sure to leave your vuvuzelas at home.
Until next week…
- Kevin Mooney
July 17, 2010
… and we’re back!
Just like that things are picking up in the Arsenal universe. A trip up to Barnet for the annual friendly with the Bees officially kicked off the pre-season for Arsenal this weekend. The 4-0 win was a much better overall performance than some of the recent results, and we got to see some pretty impressive performances to boot.
Goals from Andrey Arshavin, Jay Simpson and Samir Nasri were more than we needed. Three goalkeepers combined for the clean sheet: Lukasz Fabianski played the first half and Vito Mannone and Wojciech Szczesny split the second. In fact, there were many solid performances. Who do you think deserves to be named Man of the Match?
Marouane Chamakh made his Arsenal debut in the second half and looked pretty impressive. He wasn’t able to notch his first goal, but he showed the kind of style and talent that we have been made aware of for the last year. Our other summer signing, defender Laurent Koscielny, started the match next to Thomas Vermaelen and played the entire first half.
Arsène Wenger touched on their performances in his post-match interview, and explained why he thinks Chamakh’s style of play will fit in well with the rest of the squad. He also discussed the on-going rumors involving Cesc, declaring that the stories have to stop.
The next step is training camp in Austria with a match against Sturm Graz on Wednesday. It’s the second of three matches that are being aired exclusively on Arsenal TV Online, so if you aren’t already a member, be sure to check it out.
There was also some news off the pitch. Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has officially left Barcelona and signed with the New York Red Bulls. Since the MLS season is in full-gear, he should jump into the action pretty quickly. Despite playing in a new league on a different continent, it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch for Henry. His first match could be against some rather familiar opposition.
The new away kit officially went on sale this week, and it looks to be quite the hit. We got our first glimpse of the home kit today, but it still only available for pre-order right now. You can get a closer look at both shirts over at ArsenalStoreUSA.
Lastly, congratulations to Cesc for winning the 2010 World Cup. His sublime pass to set up Andres Iniesta late in added time made the difference and handed Spain their first World Cup title. Hopefully he really liked lifting that trophy and will make it a habit this year in north London.
Until next week…
- Kevin Mooney
July 09, 2010
The World Cup has been a nice distraction for the past month. Without it, I would certainly have suffered painful withdrawal symptoms and been quite unpleasant to be around. The monotony of the off-season is usually pretty brutal. We normally are forced to survive on week after week of only highlights and recaps. And we sit and wait for Club news that hits a bit deeper than a box office re-opening.
But despite getting off to a slow start, the World Cup has been quite entertaining. And not just for the controversy that seemed to erupt from every other game.
The tournament culminates this weekend with an Arsenal-friendly match-up. On Sunday the Netherlands and Robin van Persie are set to take on Cesc Fabregas’ Spanish squad in Johannesburg. The Dutch are aiming to be the first team to win every game in the World Cup finals since Brazil did it in 1970. Spain is hoping to complete a double of sorts after winning the Euro in 2008.
After a steady diet of International football, it almost seems hard to believe it’s about to end. But the good news is that the excitement for the new season is building, and team news is starting to pick up. We don’t even have to wait long for the pre-season to really get going.
In fact, for players not at the World Cup, it has already started. We have even gotten our first glimpse of new signing Marouane Chamakh at the workouts.
But that’s not all! The big news of the week came in the form of the long-awaited signing of a new defender. Arsenal signed 24-year-old Frenchman Laurent Koscielny on Wednesday. He sat down with Arsenal TV Online to discuss his move from Lorient and his career so far. He also talked about his expectations of life in the Premier League and the role he hopes to play ion Arsenal’s future.
Arsène Wenger described Koscielny as “a very, very strong center half," but still remains focused on acquiring another defensive player. With William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre and Sol Campbell out of contract, it would appear that one more central defender is a big need.
Technically speaking, Arsenal actually did sign another central defender this week, but Saed Hajrovic is only 17 and is certainly not that missing player. After a strong first season at Arsenal with the Under-18s and even a few Reserve appearances, he is one to keep an out for in the future.
Speaking of the Reserves, there are changes afoot. Based on requests and feedback from the clubs, the Premier League has made some changes to the way the Reserve League works. The main changes are in basic structure and where games are played. More information, including the league schedule, will become available next week.
We may also get an update on the fitness of Nicklas Bendter who has been struggling with a groin injury for most of the World Cup. He was in London for some treatment during the week, but according to the Boss, “it is not a big problem."
Hopefully true, because the Barnet friendly just eight days away!
Until next week…
- Kevin Mooney
July 2, 2010
After nearly three weeks of non-stop football in South Africa, we were forced to experience an odd sensation this week: a couple of days off. Weird.
A short break between the Round of 16 and the Quarter-Final was just the thing some of needed to catch up on some sleep and get excited for some big match-ups. Robin van Persie’s Netherlands knocked out perennial favorites Brazil on Friday, and looked quite impressive doing it. Van Persie was active, playing about 85 minutes, taking a few shots on goal and even providing a brief injury scare. The Dutch now have to be considered favorites to make the Final on July 11th.
After Mexico’s defeat at the hands of Argentina in the Round of 16, Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas are the only remaining Arsenal players involved in the tournament. And after not getting off the bench in Spain’s last game, Cesc is sure to be chomping at the bit in Spain’s Quarter-Final against Paraguay on Saturday.
The other big game on Saturday is Argentina vs. Germany, and it has the makings of a true clasico. Or perhaps a ‘klassiker’ depending on your affiliation. Arsène Wenger provided his thoughts on the new generation of German players and there are some definite parallels that can be drawn to Arsenal’s own youth policy.
The Boss also discussed the controversy surrounding the England team. Regarding the goal that wasn’t, he said “That shows you two things. Life can be funny and football has not moved forward.”
As far as the squad’s performance, he was disappointed. “[England] had taken over the game and I think they were killed by their impatience.” The Boss also discussed the general struggles of European sides in South Africa and as always had an interesting view. "We Europeans never play outside our own Continent,” he said. “And perhaps we have not been able to cope with that out here.”
Now, I like the World Cup as much as the next guy, but what’s really exciting to me are all the signs that the new season is almost upon us. In two weeks, the annual friendly against Barnet takes place at Underhill Stadium, and soon after, the squad jets off to training camp in Austria.
We’re still waiting on first-team roster news, but some events have transpired regarding young players named Luke. First, young defender Luke Ayling has made a permanent move to Yeovil Town, and a few days later it was announced that he will be joined by forward phenom Luke Freeman, although his move is a six-month loan.
In non-Luke news, three other youngsters have signed their first professional contracts with Arsenal. 18-year-old striker Roarie Deacon and a pair of 17-year-olds, midfielder Nico Yennaris and defender Daniel Boateng all played a great deal for Steve Bould’s youth teams and expectations are high.
Meanwhile, two weeks after revealing the new away shirt, the Club has released images of the 2010/2011 home kit. And based on early numbers, it looks like Arsenal and Nike have a hit on their hands.
Thomas Vermaelen, Theo Walcott and Alex Song think so at least. All three attended a photo shoot for both the home and away kits, and gave their thoughts on the design and traditions, as well as some reflections on the past season.
Speaking of shirts, the Willow Foundation, an organization founded by Arsenal legend Bob Wilson, is auctioning off a number of signed World Cup jerseys. Each of them is a No. 10 shirt, and Arsenal is represented by Cesc Fabregas and Spain. A worthy cause, and a unique opportunity!
And lastly, big congratulations go out to our captain for winning the EA SPORTS Player of the Season as voted by the fans. Cesc took just under 50% of the vote, with Thomas Vermaelen a distant second.
Until next week…
- Kevin Mooney
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