Dare to Dream
August 31, 2008 | 112 Comments
I am brand new to posting on this site (even though I met the man MikeK at Slainte in Baltimore last year) so please bear with me. I, like the rest of us diehard fans, are clamoring for a transfer before the deadline. Although I agree that we need a DM, do we as Gooners really appreciate our squad?
Dream with me, for a bit now, a time with no injuries to the whole squad. I know injuries are a part of the game and we need cover for every position, BUT……we have an amazing roster that has never played together at the same time. More so than wondering where the squad needs to improve, I wonder how we can incorporate all the players we have into any single game. The talent is off the charts. Dare to dream of a healthy RVP, Eduardo, Rosicky, and Diaby, into a squad that already has Ade, Cesc, Walcott, Nasri, Vela, Sagna, and Clichy.
I have loved the Arsenal since the first time I chose them on FIFA for Sega back in the mid 90s. It’s been a wild ride since then and we’ve had our ups and downs. BUT not since the Invincibles have I seen a squad so loaded with talent. It’s hard to have perspective as a Gooner, but I think we need some right now. For all the big name signings across Europe, I believe that our squad, without injuries, is capable of everything.
Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle
August 30, 2008 | 73 Comments
Home sweet home. Arsenal return to the Emirates for a Premier league fixture after last week’s torrid away trip to Fulham. Although, the mid-week home European tie would have helped to soothe some wounds and soften the criticism at last week’s display. Also, another cause of renewed optimism for Saturday’s fixture would be the return of Cesc to the line-up.
It is hard to believe that any of the other teams in the league would have come under such criticism had they put in the sort of 90 minutes that Arsenal managed at Fulham. Part of that has to do with the expectation of the football that Arsenal plays. At times, the media is awash with written words about Arsenal’s beautiful football whereas other teams are stuck with words such as “grinding out a victory” or “efficient display”. So when Arsenal do not produce the champagne display that is expected of them, then questions are raised. The title-less years are reminded, just like the red card count was recycled a few years ago everytime an Arsenal player got sent off.
On the other hand, currently Newcastle is a team whose name is not even remotely associated with winning the Premier League title. In fact, the team has not come close since 1996 when they let a 12 point lead at the top of the table slip up. Also back in 1996, Kevin Keegan let himself get sucked into the mental game traps laid by Ferguson, something that the Man Utd manager has repeatedly used over the years since. A mixed series of results followed in the years for Newcastle (including back to back trips to the F.A Cup final, only to lose on both occasions in 1998 & 1999) before things turned sour last season a few months after Big Sam’s arrival. The return of Kevin Keegan produced joy off the field but unfortunately the team’s on field display has not matched that enthusiasm that greeted his return.
With Newcastle, it is hard to know what to expect. In games where they are expected to put on a good display, they fold, while they manage to fight in games when nothing is at stake. Still to their credit they started this season with a 1-1 draw away to Man Utd, a place where they collapsed miserably seven months ago. They followed that tie with a 1-0 home win over Bolton, meaning after two games, they are one point up on Arsenal. It is not too often in the last decade that Newcastle have gone into a game against the Gunners holding a slight edge in the league table, even if only a handful of fixtures have been played.
Arsenal fans don’t need reminding of the last time the Gunners lost a home fixture to Newcastle. The 3-1 loss back in December 2001 was certainly an eventful game, with the red cards, late penalty and Henry’s outburst. Ofcourse, Arsenal went to claim the league-cup double that season in a very impressive fashion. But that game belonged to a different era with a different team. This current team is building its own memory bank of experiences as each match still presents a fresh challenge for some players.
The late fixture once again means that people on the West coast can sleep in a little before tuning in, while those in the East can enjoy their favourite alcoholic brew as they take in the game. And for those on the other side of the ocean, a slightly late night fixture.
So feel free to distill your unfiltered comments and analysis for this contest.
Champions League Draw, Group Stages
August 28, 2008 | 66 Comments
Arsenal are drawn in G along with Porto, Fenerbahçe & Dynamo Kyiv.
Liverpool have gotten a tough draw in Group D, the group of Death, with PSV, Marseille and Atletico Madrid.
Man Utd, as usual, get their easy group (Group E, appropriately) with Villarreal, Celtic and Aalborg.
Chelsea are in Group A with Roma, Bordeaux and CFR 1907 Cluj.
The other groups….
Group B: Inter, Werder, Panathinaikos, Anorthosis
Group C: Barcelona, Sporting, Basel, Shakhtar
Group F: Lyon, Bayern, Steaua, Fiorentina
Group H: Real Madrid, Juventus, Zenit, Bate Borisov
Arsenal 4-0 FC Twente, CL qualifier 2nd Leg
August 27, 2008 | 114 Comments
This is it. Arsenal stand 90 minutes away from getting the keys to the kingdom. Err..more like getting the keys to Stage 1 of the kingdom known as the Champions League.
The good: Arsenal hold a slight advantage with their first leg 2-0 win. Even though 2-0 is not something the team can rest on, it does give some breathing room.
The bad: well…something to do with a corner at Craven Cottage and other lack of positive activities on Saturday. Plus injuries and having the squad’s weight on the lighter side of things.
6 months on…the worm hole still exists
Saturday’s game was exactly 6 months to the day when that awful nightmarish game took place in Birmingham. Maybe in some alternate universe, Eduardo beautifully skipped past the kicking machine and Arsenal went onto win that game (instead of drawing 2-2) and the league title, along with a European trophy. But that universe only exists in theory. In the present, that 2-2 event still stands as a marker which has etched the events that have taken place since then — titles slipped away, captaincy questioned, weakness exposed and the squad disappearing over the summer.
”Form is temporary, class is permanent”
What if the class is missing albeit via injury, absence or is just having a rusty day? Then the form becomes important. Each positive result will only feed into the next and build some sort of momentum to carry the team through.
As it stands, Arsenal need to produce a positive display on Wednesday to erase the awful display from Saturday. Right now, the team’s biggest challenge is within in atleast raising the standard of their game to an efficient standard, let alone reaching the beautiful brand that was produced in past seasons.
As for FC Twente, this game is all they are playing for right now as their Dutch league season only starts on Sat, Aug 30 away to Roda. So Twente have not had to deal with any questions about their league form, their squad depth or even the choice of umbrellas that their manager prefers.
Game time weather indicates a nice rain-free night. The pitch should be in perfect condition as well.
Comments, thoughts and analysis on the game…over to you guys.
What’s So Different Now?
August 24, 2008 | 131 Comments
I think everyone can agree that Arsene Wenger is one the greatest Arsenal managers ever. He has brought to Arsenal and to the English top flight a revolutionary brand of football that is admired world wide. He has these very untypical fitness and training methods and a very philosophical approach to managing team and the way the game should be played.
Perhaps the highlight of Wenger’s time in charge has been his ability to take little known talent and turn them into champions. The names of Patrick Vieira, Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, and Francesc Fabregas immediately come to mind. These were all good quality players with who’s careers were going nowhere fast. Wenger brought them to Arsenal and has been credited with turning them all into world-class players; household names in the world of football. But does he really deserve all the credit?
I, like Wenger, consider myself a philosophical guy. I have a theory that says that Wenger does not deserve all the credit. In every job you’ve got your big boss; the guy who’s ultimately responsible for everything that happens be it good or bad. In Wenger, we even have a father figure. But then there are workers that take the new guys under their wing and show them the ropes to try and help them be successful in their new job. They work with the newbies a lot closer than the big boss and essentially become mentors. New guys listen to them because they have experiences that the young bucks don’t.
When I look at Patrick Vieira, it’s clear that his mentors helped develop him into what he became. There is no one that’s ever played midfield like Vieira. Every team in the world is looking for someone who can play like Vieira but they won’t find it. What they fail to realize is Vieira’s not normal but a hybrid. Players aren’t born like Vieira, they‘re made. We had the Vieira of AC Milan who under the guidance of Wenger and the close attention and mentorship of Petit, Keown, and Adams, evolved into the phenomenal hybrid Arsenal legend, Vieira. There’s a similar story with Thierry Henry and the mixture of influence received from Bergkamp and Kanu.
So, what’s so different now? Has Wenger suddenly become a poor judge of talent? Has he changed his philosophical approach to how the game should be played? Has Wenger lost the plot? No, no, and no. The biggest difference is that there is no mentorship in the team. Young Aaron Ramsey is getting the scoop from Denilson. Denilson is looking up to Eboue. WTF? Where is the Tony Adams or Dennis Bergkamp figure at? With Arsenal playing with such a young team, is there any way to escape this dilemma?
Disclaimer: Understand that this is just a theory; a bunch of crap that I made up. However, I believe there to be an element of truth to what I’ve said. I’m sure there’s something that I haven’t considered and this is just for conversation sake on this site. Now come with the knives.
Fulham 1-0 Arsenal
August 23, 2008 | 128 Comments
AA Jackson, MS Branch: Arsenal at the Crossroads
August 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
The lack of football-friendly pubs in Jackson, Mississippi has not given Frank Garrison the blues. The Atlanta native settled in Jackson about 8 years ago, and when the idea of Branch Offices was floated around, he eagerly volunteered for duty.
Frank first caught sight of Arsenal watching the Fox Sports highlight shows in the mid-late 1990′s. In the spring of 1998, He made it to Highbury where an FA Cup tie was taking place. Unable to get inside for the match, he was still in awe of the stadium, the neighborhood, the supporters and the atmosphere.
The romance continued as Frank watched Arsenal players help France win the World Cup that very same year. He also says, “It helped that the name, Arsenal, did not include a specific geographic reference, so it was easier for me to feel an alliegance to a club that did not have a place name in its title”. By the time he made it over for his first match, the love affair was complete.
After his initial trip in 2003, he went back again in December/January 2005/2006 to see the Gunners against West Brom and Villareal. More recently, in November 2007, Frank saw Arsenal and ManUre play to a 2-2 draw, as well as an away match versus Slavia Prague.
His favorite memory is the Champions League Semi-Final match in 2005 at Highbury. He recalls, “Final night match at Highbury, only European Semi at Highbury, and I was there. 1-0. Magical.”
Frank is also an Ole Miss season ticket holder and says “Supporting Arsenal is the closest thing I’ve found to (and in many ways, it surpasses) the fervor, the passion and the dedication of SEC football here in the USA. The devotion is absolute. I have to respect that”.
“Aside from the fantastic football”, Frank continues, “my experience, while certainly not extensive, has been that Arsenal supporters are the friendliest, most open supporters there are if you know what you’re talking about, football-wise anyway, and I usually do (I think)”.
The lack of football-friendly pubs, means match meet-ups in Jackson, are highly irregular. When they do happen, they’re usually at Frank’s place.
ArsenalAmerica Jackson, MS Branch Manager, Frank Garrison “with” Lauren.
Arsenal sign Silvestre
August 20, 2008 | 144 Comments
Nothing yet on Arsenal.com, but according to BBC Sport, French defender Mikael Silvestre has made the rare move from Manchester United to Arsenal this evening for an undisclosed fee. I’m sure there’s more to come regarding this signing, but for Arsene to give a 31 year-old a two year contract is even rarer than recent player movements between these two clubs!
UPDATE – 16:00 EST – It’s on Arsenal.com
The Real Gooners of Los Angeles County
August 19, 2008 | 4 Comments
Casey Duggan might be the newest of ArsenalAmerica Branch Managers, but he is certainly no less enthusiastic. Originally born in San Francisco, where he grew up skateboarding and somewhat oblivious to the beautiful game, he eventually moved south.
Luke had his Obi-Wan and Casey had his best friend Bergin, who badgered him with constant praise for The Arsenal. Eventually, Casey made it to the pub at 6:30AM to catch a match, where upon the Gunners dispatched Liverpool, 2-0.
Amidst the early morning pints, the upraised voices of the Arsenal faithful, the boos of the unhappy Scousers, Casey says, “I had never in my life experienced anything like it”.
The following week, with the 2-nil victory permanently etched in his memory, he found he was so excited; he couldn’t sleep, and arrived at the pub well before it opened. “I haven’t missed a match since”, he says proudly.
When Casey is not busy updating the L.A. Gooners Arsenal Supporters Club website, he and “a great group of loyal supporters” can be found at The Fox And Hounds Pub in Studio City, for every match. All true Gooners are encouraged to come on down and have a pint!
He laments not yet having made the pilgrimage to see Arsenal play in person but says one of the best things about being a Gooner is, “Even if we lose, we can hold our heads up high and know we played better football than the other teams. And we got Kevin Costner on our side”.
Casey counts a recent Arsenal memory amongst his favorite moments, as the Gunners played Bolton at the end of the season. He recalls, “We had not won a game in our last 6 and team morale was at a season low. Arsenal went down 2 nil in the first half, and Abou Diaby was sent off for a horrible 2-footed tackle. Things were not looking good. A ten Man Arsenal returned to the pitch in the second half. By now, it’s pouring rain at the Reebok. It was William Gallas who struck first for Arsenal in the 63rd, Then Robin van Persie in the 69th. Another draw looked imminent when None other than Cesc Fabregas Scored a heroic 90th minute dagger Saving the day. The players were exhausted and soaking wet but they never gave up”.
When not at the pub, Casey can often be found hanging with his cat, named The Bear, who watches all the matches at home, and is a particular fan of Theo Walcott.
Casey Duggan, Arsenal America Los Angeles Branch Manager
A promise is a promise
August 17, 2008 | 115 Comments
When Fabregas was 16, he’s struggling to make the grade at Barcelona. At one point, he had almost joined another smaller La Liga club Espanyol. Until Wenger came along and tried to lurk him to Highbury. Cesc hestitated. It’s hard enough of a decision for any player to move aboard, it’s even harder for a 16-year-old. Afterall, La Liga itself is a big league. So why England?
Wenger gave him his words – he will play him “as soon as possible”. Not to underestimate this PROMISE from Wenger. For without it, would Cesc have come?
The rest, of course, is history.
Gael Clichy, a player Wenger was so keen to sign that he flew over to France right after the final match at the end of one previous season, without taking much sleep, just so that he could get his man. Like Fabregas, Clichy was a young 19-year-old back then, and wasn’t sure if was a good idea to move to England. And again, Wenger offered him his WORDS – that he had in fact “promised” him a particular number of appearances on Clichy’s first season.
There’s one theory today suggesting Wenger’s persistence with youth is down to his ego.
Is it really the case? Or could it be some other reasons?
Let’s for once try to think for ourselves, and not be brainwashed by what we read from the papers.
If we are talking about EGO, what better way to boost one’s own ego with a CV full of trophies? Had Mourinho never won the Champions League, would he have the nerve to come out and tell the world he’s the “Special One”?
Think of the “promises” Wenger had made to both Fabregas and Clichy, then think of the rest of our young players. Could Cesc and Clichy be the only exceptions that Wenger had offered them his “words”?
One of the most important attritubes in a player-manager relationship is TRUST. If a manager does not trust his player, he won’t play him. Likewise, if a player does not trust his manager, there’s no way he will be able to play well under him neither.
Wenger may not necessary guarantee his players a first team place. I am sure though he has promised them “chances” – that as long as they work hard, they will get their chances.
So to me, it’s not about EGO, rather than the “promises” that Wenger had given his young recruits that he simply wants to fulfill.
I look at the sceniro of Gilberto. WHY Wenger would let him go? I am pretty sure despite the advance age, Gilberto could still be doing a good job for us had he stayed and would be better than anyone who’s been linked with us, players like Barry or Yaya.
The only reason I can think of, that Wenger decided to let him go, is he could not promise him first team football. In his mind, Wenger probably wants to make either Diaby or Denilson as his first choice. So he could only offer Gilberto once again a back up role. And we know Gilberto wanted first team football.
Think of it this way – HAD Wenger being a man who does not honor his own words, he could have easily just promised Gilberto first team football. So that we could keep him and play him as an emergency back up. That would have added to the strength in depth of our squad. And from Wenger and Arsenal’s point of view, it’s a win-win siutation.
The only victim though is merely a Gilberto. But hell, football is business today, why should a manager worries about his players’ feeling? If all it matters to him is his own “ego”?
But clearly, this is not the type of man in charge of our club. And personally, I am very proud of it.
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