Rating Arsenal’s Defenders’ Performances in the 2012/13 Season

A bedrock for next season?

Arsenal and defending – two words that don’t go in tandem with each other.

Arsene Wenger has built his football on free-flowing attacking football and times without number, his team has been caught out at the back and there are even times when the Gunners shoot themselves in the foot as they become plotters of their own downfall.

As expected, injuries, suspensions and decline of form took its toll on Arsenal’s defensive rearguard and Arsene Wenger managed to use almost all the defenders in the club’s payroll at some point in the season.

While the big guns featured regularly in the Premier League and the Champions League, the Capital One Cup served as a breeding ground for some young guns and fringe players, and the dead-rubber game against Olympiakos also saw deadwood like Sebastien Squillaci get a run-out as well.

While Per Mertesacker cemented his status as Arsene Wenger’s first choice defender, Thomas Vermaelen partnered the gentle giant by the mere fact that he was the skipper, because his form painted a different picture. When the manager realized how appalling his skipper had become, he made the bold move to axe the Belgian in place of a resurgent Laurent Koscielny.

While Wenger shuffled between his defensive trio of Mertesacker, Vermaelen and Koscielny, there was no room for Johan Djourou that was shipped out to Hannover 96 and the defender has reiterated his desire to remain in Germany. As for Sebastien Squillaci and Ignasi Miquel, they are living on borrowed time.

In the fullback positions, Bacary Sagna’s second leg fracture last season paved the way for Carl Jenkinson to get some first-team action under his belt. On Sagna’s return, he was drafted into the team and failed to replicate that the form of the yesteryear. On the left, Kieran Gibbs was an automatic starter but his fitness was a thorn in his flesh allowing Andre Santos to put up his calamitous outings on a consistent basis.

With Andre Santos failing to impress and Gibbs suffering one of his trademark injuries, Wenger wasted no time in delving into the transfer window to acquire Nacho Monreal’s services.

This is the second installment of a four-post series focused on Arsenal’s performances in the 2012/13 season. I’ve already shared my views on the performances of the goalkeepers but today’s post is focused on Arsenal’s defensive rearguard.

Feel free to share your comments.

Thomas Vermaelen – 39 Apps, One Goal

With club captain, Robin van Persie, departing to join Manchester United, Arsene Wenger was forced with a decision to make regarding the man that was going to lead his team in the 2012/13 campaign. I was looking forward to a new era under the reins of a captain that signed a new deal without thinking twice, stating his love for Arsenal was his primary reason.

He has the aggression of Nemanja Vidic, leaped off the ground easily like a kangaroo, has a gung-ho attitude, good technique on the ball and offered a threat in the opposition’s goal.

The Verm was part of the Arsenal side that kept three clean sheets on the trot but an illness prevented him from playing in his team’s crucial visit to the Etihad Stadium, and his able replacement, Laurent Koscielny, scored the goal that earned Arsenal a share of the spoils. Koscielny and Per Mertesacker played very well that day but Wenger inexplicably chose to bench the “slow” German against Chelsea, as he was probably scared of the pace of the Blues’ attack.

Playing Vermaelen and Koscielny together was like a time-bomb and the captain was culpable for two schoolboy errors that led to both goals scored by Chelsea. They struggled again as a pair when Olympiakos visited the Emirates and despite the fact that the Verm was the weaker link of the two, Koscielny was sacrificed for Mertesacker when the Gunners visited Upton Park to play West Ham.

When Arsenal visited Old Trafford in a game marred by the escapades of Robin van Persie, it took only three minutes for the Red Devils to take the lead when Vermaelen handed RVP a nice assist on a platter. Fast forward to the Capital One Cup quarterfinal clash with Bradford City and despite scoring Arsenal’s late equalizer, Vermaelen missed the penalty that saw his team crash out of the competition.

More appalling performances particularly against Liverpool (home) and Manchester City (home) followed but the last straw was undoubtedly his atrocious outing against Tottenham (away). Wenger axed him from the squad from that moment on and he could only manage a game against Norwich (home) because Mertesacker was suspended.

I must truly say that the Verminator has been a big disappointment in his first season as captain of Arsenal Football Club.

Rating – 4/10

Per Mertesacker – 44 Apps, Three Goals

After playing 27 games in his first season with Arsenal, Per Mertesacker’s season reached an abrupt end when Arsenal visited Sunderland in that pitch good enough to raise cattle. He recovered in time for Euro 2012 but he failed to make any appearance with Holger Badstuber and Matts Hummels playing every game for Germany in the tournament.

Mertesacker began the campaign alongside Thomas Vermaelen and they worked in tandem to get three clean sheets on the bounce at the start of the season. If you thought Mertesacker’s performance against Liverpool (away) was superb, his outing against Manchester City (away) was one of his best in Arsenal colors, as he made so many Per-fect Merte-ceptions in the course of the game.

He proved his worth to the squad when he wasn’t on the pitch as Arsenal struggled in his absence with Vermaelen and Koscielny failing to click with each other. When they played with each other, they lacked the calmness, coordination, composure and positional discipline the BFG had.

He also added goals to his game with three headers against Tottenham (twice) as well as the match winner in the crucial game against Fulham (away). This season, Mertesacker became a mainstay in the team and he has excelled admirably in his defensive duties.

He’s known for being a very clean defender but he got his hands dirty with his first red card in Arsenal colors. However, that game will be forever remembered for the innovative tackle he attempted with his back. It was a truly remarkable season for the big friendly giant and I hope he builds on it.

Rating – 9/10

Laurent Koscielny – 34 Apps, Four Goals

Laurent Koscielny was Arsenal’s best defender by a far mile last season and he had grown from strength to strength since that his horrendous error in Wembley against Birmingham City. After signing a long-term deal with the club, he didn’t begin the campaign well as an injury hindered his progress.

He marked his return to first-team action with a late equalizer against Manchester City (away), forging a formidable partnership with Mertesacker. His inspired performance at the Etihad coupled with Vermaelen’s return to the team saw the manager sacrifice Mertesacker in the home clash against Chelsea. Despite the fact that Vermaelen was at fault for the set pieces that led to the goals, Koscielny also had a hand in both goals as he failed to mark Fernando Torres probably for the first and the ball deflected off his shin into the net for the second.

This led to the Frenchman spending a lot of time in the dugout but he featured and scored a vital goal in that pulsating encounter against Reading (away) in the Capital One Cup. When he was recalled back into the first team following Vermaelen’s dip in form, he grabbed the bull by the horns and took his chance against Bayern Munich (away) with an outstanding performance capped by a headed goal late on.

Since then, Koscielny became an ever-present figure and he contributed immensely to Arsenal’s cause with that assist for his defensive partner, Per Mertesacker, against Fulham as well as a plethora of vital interceptions in defense. To crown a great season for the Frenchman, he scored the goal that secured Champions League football for his team for the season in a row.

Rating – 8/10

The goal that guaranteed Champions League football

Bacary Sagna – 30 Apps, No Goal

In recent times, Bacary Sagna has been marred by long-term injuries that has taken its toll on his career. Suffering two fractures on the same leg must have been a horrific experience but as we all know, football isn’t really a forgiving sport.

With Carl Jenkinson deputizing admirably in Sagna’s absence, many wondered if the Bac Man would replicate the form that won him a place in the 2008 PFA Team of the Year. After a couple of Under-21 fixtures under his belt, Sagna made his long-awaited return against Queens Park Rangers (home), much to the delight of the Arsenal faithful.

Sagna’s continued run of games dented Jenkinson’s progress but unlike the young Englishman that swung crosses into the box with consummate ease, Sagna’s distribution was downright erratic with the ball ending up as a throw-in most times. Then came the torrid run of performances, as Sagna was consistently caught out against Chelsea (away), made Gabby Obertan look like Ronaldinho when Newcastle came to town and his poor clearance led to Gaston Ramirez’ goal when the Gunners visited St. Mary’s.

Amidst the horrible vein of form, Sagna got his moment of redemption when an injury to Koscielny forced Arsene Wenger to play him in an unorthodox center back role with Jenkinson drafted to the right. The fullback’s naivety played a role in him being sent off for two bookable offenses and with Aaron Ramsey becoming a make-shift right back, Sagna was a colossus in defense alongside Mertesacker.

As he continued to struggle with form, Sagna got on every Gooner’s bad books when he foolishly squandered possession to Robin van Persie before hacking him down in the box, forcing the ref to point to the spot. This has been a season Sagna couldn’t wait to come to an end.

Rating – 4/10

Carl Jenkinson – 21 Apps, No Goal

Despite the fact that Carl Jenkinson hasn’t had as much game time as he would have wanted, this has certainly been one hell of a campaign for this young lad.

While Sagna nursed his leg injury, Jenkinson deputized in his stead, putting up committed performances that endeared him to the Arsenal faithful. His work rate was exemplary and he covered every blade of grass like his life depended on it.

His fairy tale campaign reached its zenith when he was called up by Wily Ol’ Woy Hodgson for his maiden international appearance and he featured in the Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired performances in Sweden’s 4-2 win over England. I still can’t get over Ibrahimovic’s incredible 30-yard overhead bicycle kick goal, and it gets better with each passing replay.

Jenkinson also signed a long-term deal with the club but his performances against Swansea (home) and Sunderland (away) showed that even if youthful exuberance is the order of the day, there’s no substitute for experience.

What I can take from this season is that Arsene Wenger can rely on this young lad to put in a great shift when the need arises. With Jenko in our ranks, the future is very bright.

Rating – 7/10

Kieran Gibbs – 34 Apps, One Goal

For those that don’t know, this was the first season Kieran Gibbs had over 30 games for Arsenal in an entire campaign. He’s a player that has become synonymous with injuries and he showed that yet again this season, forcing his manager to delve into the transfer market when he nursed a thigh strain for six weeks.

Gibbs has been highly impressive this season and his output on the final third has drastically improved as well, with the Englishman having five assists to his name this season. For a considerable chunk of the campaign, Gibbs was a mainstay in the team but when he suffered a lengthy lay off, the manager signed an experienced Spanish left back, that has brought stiff competition between both players, which also brought about stellar performances from both players, for the good of the team.

Gibbs also scored a screamer against Swansea in the FA Cup and it looked like a goal worth winning a football match but Arsenal’s lax defending brought Swansea back into the contest. With Monreal bracing himself for his first full season in England, Gibbs will be in for a challenge and I’m sure he’s relishing it.

Rating – 7/10

Nacho Monreal – 11 Apps, One Goal

January 30, 2013.

Arsenal host Liverpool in a Premier League encounter of huge significance to both sides. The visitors open the scoring with a deflected shot from Luiz Suarez then Kieran Gibbs suffers an injury forcing the manager to make a tactical change. With the only defensive options on the bench being Laurent Koscielny and Andre Santos, many Gooners (me included) rightly believed that the Frenchman would be summoned, thereby making Vermaelen play the left back.

The fourth official raises his board up and Andre Santos comes into the pitch much to the fury of some fans that haven’t forgiving him for his antics in Old Trafford. Within moments of his introduction, Jordan Henderson skips past him with ease and instead of trying to win the ball back he doesn’t even make a decent challenge. With a stroke of luck, Liverpool is two up.

Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott save the day but Wenger has seen enough from the atrocious Brazilian and he delves into the transfer market to buy Nacho Monreal. Just two days after his arrival, he makes his debut in a baptism of fire against Stoke (home). He was part of that defense that held the fort against Sunderland (away) but he couldn’t play against Bayern (home) because he was cup-tied.

After making the match-winning assist against Aston Villa (home), he becomes part of that defense that struggled badly against Tottenham. Following Arsenal’s Champions League exit, Monreal scores the first goal against Swansea the first of many goals Arsenal scored in its surge for fourth place.

With Gibbs returning to fitness, he and Monreal battled for the right to become Arsenal’s No. 1 left back and this competition brought the best in both players. While Monreal offers a keen sense of security and stability at the back, I feel he should improve in his distribution on the final third. The battle with Gibbs continues next season.

Rating – 7/10

Andre Santos – 12 Apps, No Goal

To be honest, Andre Santos is one of the most lovable characters in Arsenal.

His lovely smile, his hilarious tweets and nice attitude off the pitch. I still have fresh memories of all three goals he scored last season – the match winner against Olympiakos (home), the vital equalizer in that RVP-inspired win over Chelsea (away) and the equalizer before half time against West Brom (away) on the final day.

This season, things have gone awry for the Brazilian and his performances on the pitch have been nothing short of appalling. His poor positional awareness and dismal defending has cost his team times without number with his performances in the games against Schalke (home), Manchester United (away), Liverpool (home) and Brighton (away) bringing him to the bad books of Arsenal fans.

His performance against Manchester United was so putrid yet he couldn’t even wait for the game to be over before requesting for RVP’s jersey, as that probably meant more to him than the game.

After another bad showing against Liverpool, the manager went to the transfer window when Gibbs suffered an injury, clearly indicating that he had no further plans in his team.

In his touching goodbye message to the club and the fans, Andre Santos thanked everyone for their support and hopes to come back soon. For the good of everyone concerned with Arsenal, I hope that Gremio signs him on a permanent basis.

Rating – 2/10

Sebastien Squillaci, Ignasi Miquel and Johan Djourou – Collective total of Six Apps

Ah! The deadwood.

Arsenal bought Sebastien Squillaci with the hope that would use his “experience” to guide the younger defenders in the team as well as putting up a good shift when the need arose. Squillaci was so poor that his only appearance this season coming up in a dead rubber fixture against Olympiakos. Thank Heavens his contract is expiring soon.

Rating – 0/10

Ignasi Miquel is a youngster tipped for great things but I still don’t know when he’s going to realize that potential. All he can boast of this season was a start against Coventry (home) in the Capital One Cup and a late substitute appearance against Sunderland (away) when the Gunners wanted to preserve their priceless 1-0 lead. Not good enough.

Rating – 2/10

Johan Djourou was Arsenal’s most consistent defender in the 2010/11 season. When he got injured in the tail end of that campaign, his team struggled which highlighted his importance to the side. Last season, he struggled in make-shift positions as a fullback and wasn’t even convincing enough when he played as a center back, earning an unwarranted red card against Fulham (away) that put his team under intense pressure.

This season, Djourou could only make two appearances in the Capital One Cup before he was shipped out to Germany. Shame.

Rating – 1/10

So there you have it, the second of four posts focused on different playing positions in the team. My take on the midfield comes up next.

The voting sequence for the 2012/13 End of Season awards is still ongoing, so feel free tomake your votes count in the polls.

Sayonara.

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Mannone Staying Put and Koscielny on the Spotlight

Not going anywhere

The second phase of international fixtures commence tonight and the star attraction will be the crunch encounter between Spain and France. As expected, the build-up to this game has seen different players come into the spotlight for more reasons than one.

Arsenal’s Spanish representative, Santi Cazorla, has stated that he wants to be like Andres Iniesta when he grows up, and that’s not a bad thing, considering the fact that Iniesta is one of the best midfielders in his generation. Despite the fact that his skin is no different from those zombies in Resident Evil, his football ability is light years ahead of the average attacking midfielder.

Like Iniesta, Cazorla is a versatile lad and he’s pretty good with the ball on his feet. However, Iniesta’s passing ability and creativity is second to none. It still goes down to Santi Cazorla to keep improving and one team will be the beneficiary of his success story – Arsenal.

From the French camp, the spirits are high but their shock loss to Japan raised a few eyebrows. Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny played that game and didn’t put a foot wrong all game long. French defensive legend and World Cup winner, Marcel Desailly, has lauded Koscielny, stating that he’s at par with Nemanja Vidic and Gerard Pique,

I love Koscielny, I’ve seen him a lot. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a great experience [against Japan], but he’s had good momentum since his arrival at Arsenal.

“He has good leg speed, which reminds me of Lilian [Thuram]. The last time we spoke I told him to work hard and he’ll become one of the best defenders in the world.

“He’s at the standard of a Vidic or Pique. I mean that sincerely.”

In contrast to Desailly, I won’t rank Koscielny with Vidic and Pique just yet, because he’s still in a steep learning curve and his performances last season showed what he was capable of. Koscielny on the other hand, is relishing clashing with Spain tonight.

If my memory serves me right, Koscielny’s last match against Spain was his first in the European Championships when he partnered Adil Rami in defense after Phillippe Mexes picked up a suspension. The center back pairing that night was impressive but Xabi Alonso’s brace was enough to book the Spanish side a semifinal berth against Portugal.

For reasons best known to Aliens scared to attack the Earth because Chuck Norris lives, Koscielny lashed out at Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, labelling him as a diver and a cheat. This is probably the reason why,

legend of the “Fall”

Koscielny doesn’t have to be bothered tonight, because the last time I checked, Suarez speaks Spanish but his national team wears Blue and Black. I’m looking forward to tonight’s match and I’ll be rooting for my best national team (after Nigeria, obviously) – Les Bleus.

Elsewhere, Jenkinson has been training with the English squad, Nicklas Bendtner took a swipe at Arsenal’s training philosophy and Alex Song paid a tribute to Arsene Wenger.

It’s fair to say that Vito Mannone is having his longest run-out in the first team making his debut in 2009. He had a run-out similar to this in the 2009/10 campaign, where he put up that 5-star performance against Fulham but when Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski returned to full fitness, Mannone went down the pecking order, much to his dissatisfaction.

Two successful spells to npower Championship outfit, Hull City, followed and the extended run of games did wonders to Mannone’s confidence as he went on an amazing run of nine clean sheets for the Tigers as they narrowly missed out on a play-off spot last season.

As expected, Hull wanted to retain Mannone’s services permanently but Arsene Wenger was having none of it. Maybe he saw the future and envisaged that Mannone could still play a role for the club or maybe he saw that raw potential in the Italian goalie and to be frank, I can’t tell.

Mannone had a couple of pre-season games but the Polish goalkeeping duo played most of the matches. Out of the blue, Lukasz Fabianski suffered a mysterious injury and his whereabouts are still shrouded in mystery, leaving Szczesny and Don Vito as Arsenal’s recognized goalies.

Szczesny kept a clean sheet against Sunderland before suffering a rib injury, and I was as scared as fuck when Wenger announced that Mannone will be  Arsenal’s custodian between the sticks against that Rugby outfit, Stoke City. The Italian did alright and did even better in Anfield, raising his confidence levels.

Szczesny came back to the side against Southampton and would have preferred the ground to open up after his howler but when I learned that he had suffered an “ankle injury”, I thought that Wenger was punishing him for his gaff against Southampton but as we can all see, Szczesny still remains on the sidelines, as Mannone has played every game, with the exception of the Capitol One clash against Coventry.

The young Italian had reiterated his desire to make No. 1 position his for keeps but Wenger was quick to declare that Szczesny is still in Pole position for that position. Mannone has attracted interest from his clubs in his nation, Inter and Napoli, and many believe that he could jump ship.

Mannone has come out to pledge his future to Arsenal, stating that he’s wants to remain at Arsenal for as long as he can,

“I want to make it clear, because there have been unfounded rumours, that my contract is not ending in 12 months,

“I’ve got a few more years and I’m happy to be at Arsenal right now. I’m looking at the present and my future is not in doubt. 

“I want to stay at Arsenal as long as I can, I don’t want to move to any other club.”

Mannone has stated that his current ambition is to break into the Italian national team and it will take some stuffing to displace the legendary Gianluigi Buffon and his able deputy, Salvatore Sirigu.

I still don’t know why I’m not very comfortable with Mannone in goal and his performances in the “big games” we’ve played this season (with the exception of Liverpool) kinda proves me right. He can’t still command his area and that seems to be a very big problem in my opinion.

However, I’m going to cut him some slack because on a grand scale of things, he has done okay, but I want Szczesny to be back a.s.a.p.

That’s today’s bit.

Sayonara.

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Gervais Yao “Pires”?, Latest Injury Updates and Transfer Speculation

With the next Premier League fixture just around the corner, I’m supposed to be filled up with excitement in anticipation of Arsenal grabbing their first maximum points of the campaign…but when I realize that Arsene Wenger and his Red Army are going to the Britannia to play that rugby lot, my optimism isn’t as high as it ought to be.

Our record is a bit shabby in that part of England and we have our fair share of history with that lot – Gael Clichy scoring his first goal for the club, Robin van Persie’s shameful red card, the 2010 FA Cup defeat, Johan Djourou’s putrid performance that led to all three Stoke goals in the 2010/11 campaign and of course, the Shawcrossation of Aaron Ramsey.

My fondest memory of the Britannia still remains watching my team overcome the mental frailty of Ramsey’s double leg fracture to give the fans a second half to remember. Nicklas Bendtner’s header was inch perfect, Cesc Fabregas’ penalty was as cool as they come and the way the team celebrated Thomas Vermaelen’s match clincher exhumed passion in every sense of the word.

I’ll give a befitting preview for the Stoke game in tomorrow’s post.

Moving on to today’s bit, it seems as if there’s going to be a shiny light at the end of Arsenal’s dark injury tunnel as three Gunners are coming close to their optimal venues – two are sure-fire favorites to be fully fit while caution has been thrown to the wind on the third Gunner.

When Arsenal thumped Lukas Podolski’s previous employers in the Rhein-Energie Stadion, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain suffered an ankle injury that also kept him out of an England call-up. After undergoing some therapy from the world’s best medical team (you know I’m kidding, right?), the Ox has been deemed fit to make an appearance against those goons from Stoke-on-Trent.

It’s good to have the Ox back as Theo Walcott put up a shite-like performance against Sunderland, forcing Wenger to resort to the Russian pygmy, Andrey Arshavin, who was average at his best. In a game where Arsenal needed that injection of attacking verve to support the outstanding Santi Cazorla, Arshavin preferred to be sloppy with the ball while putting up his usual lackadaisical and lethargic attitude.

A few weeks ago, Arshavin was proud to announce that he was going to be a father for his third child. If only he showed the same enthusiasm and desire on the pitch in relation to what he does on bed with Mrs. Owl. Just kidding.

The Ox will give Arsenal some wit from the bench and he’s odds on to make a substitute appearance when the chips are down.

Laurent Koscielny is another player that has been on the sidelines recently but the Big F*ckin’ Giant, Per Mertesacker, did well in the Premier League curtain raiser against Sunderland. It’s a bit painful to know that the Stoke game will come too soon for Kos the Boss but he’ll be fit to face Liverpool in Anfield.

Koscielny’s aerial ability would have come in handy against a direct side like Stoke, but Arsenal will have to make do with their current backline. In his time as one of the lynchpins of the famous back four, Steve Bould had a very good frame that allowed him to jump like a kangaroo alongside Mr. Arsenal, Tony Adams, when defending set pieces. I hope that he has shared a tip or two to the team.

Finally, there’s more good news on Jack Wilshere as he continues to train hard in his rehab centre in his bid to gain full fitness. He was scheduled to return in October, but reports are emerging that Jackie boy is exceeding expectations and a comeback is closer than we think.

In my honest opinion, Wilshere should be allowed to build his fitness progressively because we need him for the long-term. If he’s to be fully fit and we look at the calendar to see the month of December, so be it. Wilshere was a general in the midfield when he donned the Red and White but we need to throw caution to the wind with this bloke.

The last time I checked, the depth of this current squad is more than enough to make up for Wilshere’s loss, and plans are still in place to get a new midfielder on loan, even though I wonder why it’s taking all eternity.

Moving over to transfer speculation, I’ll pick up where I left off with that midfielder on loan that Arsenal has been chasing since the days Olusegun Obasanjo was still Nigeria’s president.

Unless you’re living in a cave with no access to internet, Colored TV and civilization, you should know that Arsenal has publicly declared its intention to secure a loan deal for Real Madrid’s deep-lying playmaker, Nuri Sahin.

It was believed that the saga was to be over this week with Arsenal unveiling the handsome lad on Monday, but both negotiating parties hit a snag, as Arsenal wanted to add a clause that would see them purchase the midfielder permanently, but Madrid gave us the middle finger.

With this “development”, Sahin’s agent, Reza Fazeli, placed his client on the transfer radar yet again, and his client was attracted some interest from Arsenal’s rivals, Liverpool. Liverpool had initially withdrawn their interest in signing Sahin because, they like other Arsenal fans, had believed that it was a done deal with the Gunners.

Other rumor mongers are also publishing that Tottenham has half an eye on the Turk but are monitoring proceedings as he can be touted as a replacement for Luka Modric, who’s Madrid-bound.

Mourinho has given Sahin his blessing to set the Premier League alight with Arsenal being his potential destination but the Real Madrid hierarchy has no plans to let their 23-year-old starlet leave Santiago Bernabeu after a potentially successful one year loan spell in his proposed new club.

I like every Arsenal fan out there remains bamboozled and perplexed in Arsenal’s approach for Nuri Sahin. For heaven’s sake, sign this bloke on loan and give him a chance to dictate the tempo of our midfield alongside Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla. When he sees how valuable he can become in the Red half of North London, we can inject him with a lethal dose of the “van Nasregas” formula, which will prompt him to tell the press that a little boy inside him has been screaming, “Arsenal, Arsenal” all year long.

I’m sure you get the drift.

The media Vultures have published a piece linking Spain’s El Homesickla, Jesus Navas, to Arsenal. Navas’ eyes are no different from that of a vampire and like his fellow vamps out there, Navas loves his coffin which is buried in some cave in Seville.

There a lot of sunlight in London and his skin will burn to shreds, so he can like to remain in Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Thanks but no thanks.

In my opinion, that bloke is friggin overrated and I can bet that he wouldn’t thrive in a league as physical as the Premier League, except he wants to pull a Eden Hazard on us. What a signing he has been thus far, all £34m of it.

On potential departures, I’d heard gist about Celta Vigo gunning for Park Chu-Young and Zenit re-igniting their interest in signing Arshavin.

In one word – HALLELUYAH!!!

To wrap things all up, last season’s import from Ligue 1, Gervinho, has stated that he wants to emulate the great and dreamy Le Bob, Robert Pires, and he aims to perform better than Arsene Wenger’s third best French acquisition of all time, after Le Igwe and Monsieur V.

While wearing the famous Number 7 jersey once donned by the great Liam Brady, Pires was the lynchpin of the left wing and he forged a great telepathy with Ca$hley Cuntly Cole. After amassing 284 appearances for the Gunners, Pires had 84 goals to show for it, as well as many fond memories he filled Arsenal hearts with.

The lanky stature, the unpredictable style of play no different from David Ginola, the dreamy looks, vampire fangs, the wavy locks of hair and of course, the standout beard that never seemed to grow beyond that line in his jaw.

Pires also used his amazing football ability to help his club win trophies and his goal against Southampton in the 2003 FA Cup final can never be forgotten, as it was the goal that handed Arsenal the trophy, after a disappointing Premier League campaign that saw the Gunners resign the title to Manchester United under acrimonious circumstances.

Pires has also been in the news lately, as he shared a word or two about Arsenal’s new boy, Santi Cazorla,

“Santi called me when the offer from the club arrived and I told him it was the perfect club for him. The way the team plays will suit him perfectly and he is the kind of player Arsene loves too.</em<

He is a very exciting player, very gifted technically with both feet. He has an impressive creative touch and he can play in the centre or on the wings.

His vision and the quality of his passing is brilliant but he can also take people on. Despite still being quite young, he has big experience with the Spanish national team and has also played in the Champions League.

Finally, he has a very good mentality and is a real team player. He will need a bit of time to settle but I’m convinced he will adapt very quickly and will be a great signing for Arsenal.”

Unlike Pires that managed to notch up eight goals in 51 games (first season), Gervinho managed four goals in 34 games, which wasn’t really a bad return, considering the fact that he went to Africa in the middle of the season to represent his country.

His form really dipped after that tournament and one can look no further than his penalty miss against Zambia that made his team lose a title they were heavy favorites to win.

Gervinho was very impressive against Sunderland and he had 10 successful dribbles from 20 attempts. The last player to equal that feat in the Premier League was Cristiano Ronaldo in his mesmerizing Manure days.

It’s always good to set targets and goals for yourself and Robert Pires will offer Gervinho the perfect platform to build up his game.

Gervinho is nowhere near Pires when he was at his prime but I feel that his dribbling ability was a close match to the Frenchman’s own and he’s way faster. However, his output on the final third is on the wrong end of a scale, if it’s weighed with Pires’ output.

We have a full season ahead of us and I’m hoping to see what the tricky Ivorian magician has in store for Arsenal this season.

I certainly wouldn’t mind his 18-goal outlay that helped LOSC Lille Metropole win the Ligue 1.

The quote of the day goes to @eromzy:

“Chelsea sign Moses. That’s funny because Man United have Judas, Arsenal want Jesus and Liverpool are stuck with Adam”

You don’t need any soothsayer to tell you who Judas Iscariot is. This time, he betrayed us with 235,000 pieces of silver per week.

In my bid to serve my esteemed readers better, I’m proud to announce that the Gooner Daily  App for BlackBerry has been launched and you can find it in AppWorld.

This was an initiative marshalled by  VOE Solutions with the great  Obitwyce the genius at the forefront of the application.

It offers a brilliant interface to read my posts for BlackBerry users and plans are ongoing to create Gooner Daily Apps for iPad, Android and Windows phones.

A podcast is also on the cards.

One more thing – it’s free

That’s today’s bit.

Sayonara

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Injuries, Interlull and Transfer Speculation

With the Premier League just a stone throw away, a set of friendly fixtures have been scheduled to take place in midweek, and Arsenal has sent its fair share of ambassadors to represent their nations. Among the friendly games, there are no much mouthwatering prospects but a repeat of the European Championships quarterfinal fixture between England and Italy will be worth half an eye.

For what its worth, there’ll be no penalty shoot-out to decide England’s fate this time. The last time I checked, there are three certainties in life; death, taxes and England losing on penalties.

However, some Gunners have been forced to pull out of their national teams because the gods of injuries have ravaged the Emirates yet again. I guess the Jack Wilshere sacrifice wasn’t good enough. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had a stormer against Cologne but it’s unfortunate to know that the Ox has suffered an ankle injury that would sideline him for a while. Woy Hodgson has more injury woes to his team as Joe Hart and Danny Sturridge have also pulled out as well.

A few Gunners are expected to lock horns against each other as well. Thomas Vermaelen and Robin van Persie will have a showdown against each other while Andrey Arshavin and Gervinho will be on opposing sides as well. Olivier Giroud was called up to represent Les Bleus in their friendly encounter against Uruguay but Laurent Koscielny will be absent from the French side as he has picked up a calf strain.

With the Premier League curtain raiser just days away, Arsenal has added Kos the Boss and the Ox to its injury list that’s presently occupied by Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Abou Diaby Bacary Sagna. Per Mertesacker is odds on to step in for Koscielny and the Ox’s presence won’t be missed because Arsene Wenger has a million and one options in midfield.

As expected, there has been some transfer news dominating proceedings in the Arsenal blogosphere.

Starting with potential arrivals, The Metro reports that Real Madrid’s deep-lying playmaker, Nuri Sahin, is set to decide on his future this week with many teams (Arsenal included) waiting patiently for his signature on a temporary basis. He has been given the go-ahead by his manager, Jose Mourinho, to get some playing time elsewhere as he failed to secure a first team berth in Santiago Bernabeu, with a meager 10 appearances last season.

Many Gooners are drooling with the prospect of Nuri Sahin in the team and he’ll be the icing on a well-baked transfer cake by Arsenal if he secures a loan switch to the Emirates. AC Milan, Lyon and Turkish duo Galatasaray and Besiktas have all been linked with moves, while Liverpool are understood to have made an offer over the weekend. It will be a real battle for Sahin as all interested parties require his services on a temporary basis.

There has also been some reports about Arsenal engaging AC Milan over a shock swap deal which would involve Arsene Wenger’s long term admirer, Phillippe Mexes, moving over to the Emirates while the World’s Best Striker, Lionel Messi Nicklas Bendtner, would move to the San Siro. Mexes has been in some hot soup recently, as he pulled out from Milan’s pre-season adventure to stay at home with his pregnant wife. The Italians are upset about the defender’s refusal to join the team in the American tour and they are looking to part ways with him.

If this move goes through, it would be heralded as a very good piece of business by Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal hierarchy. According to Arseblog News, Bendtner has already declared that staying in Arsenal is not an option, and I strongly believe that Arsenal has no plans to keep him as well.

There’s also some side talk about Tottenham launching a £9.5m bid for Yann M’Vila (via the Metro). I don’t believe that the folks at Rennes will allow their prized asset to leave for such a paltry amount but if he succeeds in going to Tottenham, many Gooners out there will be the ‘P’ in pissed. In my opinion, news about M’Vila has been taken with a pinch of salt because Rennes has placed a monumental price tag for his services.

On departures, Alex Song continues to cause a stir in the Arsenal realm. The Daily Mail has reported that Barcelona has upped their bid to £17m in their attempt to lure him out of Arsenal. Tito Vilanova intends to use Song as a replacement for the departed Seydou Keita but the Cameroonian gem has acknowledged their interest and has stated that he’s happy at Arsenal,

“I am not going to lie if I said there is no interest but I am at Arsenal and I am happy at Arsenal,

“Barcelona are the best team in the world, and speculation will always continue until the window closes.”

Like Robin van Persie, Alex Song’s transfer speculation with a move away from the Emirates has brought mixed emotions to the Arsenal faithful. Many Gooners still laud Song for his newly-found attacking verve but he was a bit suspect for some of the club’s shortcomings in defense because he failed to do his “primary job” in midfield. Last season, Mikel Arteta was very balanced and mature in his box-to-box role, supporting the attack when he was needed as well as sweeping Song’s tracks when he forayed forward.

Aaron Ramsey lacked the positional awareness to wipe’s Song’s butt when he waltzed forward leaving Arsenal deeply exposed through the middle.

Whatever your opinion of Song is (whether good, bad or ugly), he’s still needed at the Emirates and I will be unhappy if Arsenal sells that bloke when he’s just hitting top gear. At 24, Song’s best years are ahead of him and I hope that Arsenal does well to sort out his contract as well as that of Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie.

I’ll keep you posted with every development.

Sayonara.

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Koscielny Signs a New Deal and some Intense Transfer Speculation

Photoshop?

After a long wait for some goonerific football, Arsene Wenger and his Red Army…or Purple Army per se graced the National Stadium in Kuala Lampur to take on Malaysia’s finest. The Gunners started the game with a strong lineup using the tactical 4-2-3-1 setup.

Vito Mannone was the custodian between the sticks and his defense line was manned by Kieran Gibbs, Johan Djourou, Thomas Vermaelen and Carl Jenkinson.

Francis Coquelin was the midfield enforcer while Abou Diaby and Mikel Arteta played in advanced roles. Andre Santos, Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh completed the attacking triumvirate.

In a first half that had chances few and far between, Mohamad Amzi Muslim lit up fireworks in the humid Kuala Lampur skies as he blasted in a thunderbolt that left Mannone with no chance in Hell.

The equalizer came late on Thomas Eisfeld latched unto Nico Yennaris cut back to slot the ball home. Chuks Aneke won the tie for Arsenal late on with an effort that deflected off a defender.

The young guns were on song as the likes of Ignasi Miquel, Kyle Bartley, Chuks Aneke, Nico Yennaris and Craig Eastmond strutted their stuff. However, Benik Afobe fluffed his chance to get a shot at glory. In the end, it was a good run-out and Wenger had a few words to say in his post-match interview.

With the on-field activities taking center stage, the off the field proceedings dominated the Arsenal blogosphere with many spicy stories that would make the hair at the back of some necks stand up.

Starting with good news, Laurent Koscielny has agreed to sign a new long-term contract with the club till all eternity I guess. In just two seasons with Arsenal, Bosscielny has notched up an impressive 85 appearances and he has scored six goals.

I’m really ecstatic about this bit of info because it has shown that Arsenal are learning their lessons from the past. Koscielny has grown to become a massive defender and in my honest opinion, he was better than Fabrizio Coloccini that earned a place in last season’s Team of the Year.

Still on contracts, Theo Walcott is another player whose future has been shrouded in mystery. Robin van Persie has taken over the spotlight all summer long but people tend to forget that Walcott is faced with the same situation as well. The winger insists he knows nothing of rumours linking him with an exit from Arsenal this summer, with talks over a new contract ongoing. He stated that he’ll leave that business to his agent and he’ll continue doing his thing on the pitch.

Wenger also wants to resolve van Persie’s future in time for the start of the new season. We are no strangers to Wenger’s intention to keep van Persie but everyone is hoping for a speedy resolution because there’s a fresh season to look forward too.

Manchester City’s gaffer, Roberto Mancini, is getting frustrated over this saga and he’s hoping for the Etihad hierarchy to step up their bid for the Flying Dutchman. Man City had offered £15m for van Persie’s services but Arsenal sent the money back to them with a complimentary “fuck off” message as well.

With so much sidetalk of the club accepting a £20m bid from Juventus, Man City will have to flex their financial muscles a bit to make Arsenal bulge. In my opinion, a move to Juventus would be in everyone’s best interest. They would finally get a striker capable of blasting in the goals on a consistent basis while Arsenal would have done good business for a wantaway 29-year-old with one more year left in his deal.

Sky Sports had reported that Arsenal isn’t doing any transfer business anytime soon but the news making waves in the Arsenal world is that Malaga’s Santi Cazorla has agreed personal terms with Arsenal over a proposed £15.5m move (via Guardian). Apparently, negotiations have been ongoing and Malaga’s present financial woes could force their hands to let go off Cazorla.

Cazorla had been in Villarreal all his life and he secured a loan move to Recreativo Huelva in 2006. However, he secured a big money move to Malaga last season, where he played an instrumental role in the Champions League qualification fairytale adventure.

One of the writers of Memoirs of a Gooner, Escobar, aired his reasons why he wouldn’t want to see Cazorla in Arsenal. It’s worth a read.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news though, but Arsene Wenger has ruled out a move for Yann M’Vila (via Goal.com),

When you look we have Alex Song, Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin, Diaby, Wilshere and Mikel Arteta. We are not short if Diaby and Wilshere are coming back. If we have setbacks in pre-season, it could be different.

This is the same Wenger that denied interest in Lukas Podolski during the winter transfer window and had stated that Thierry Henry was “only practising” with the Gunners.

M’Vila is a player that will contribute immensely to Arsenal’s cause this season but I believe that Wenger is taking a coy approach in handling this issue.

Arsenal’s next match will take place in the magnificent Beijing Bird’s Nest Stadium against a familiar foe, Manchester City. It’s scheduled to start around 12.00pm on Friday 27th of July, 2012.

For those that voted in the poll I created in my last post, 85.95% of the fans that voted wanted the captaincy to be handed to Thomas Vermaelen, 6.14% wanted the band to remain with van Persie while 7.89% didn’t give any fledgling fuck.

Thanks for sharing your opinion on your preferred destination for the Arsenal captaincy this season. Feel free to share yours on this post as well.

Sayonara.

You can follow Gooner Daily on Twitter  @goonerdaily. I’ll follow back

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