By Walter Broeckx
Looking back at the Emirates Cup we have a lot to feel happy about.
Of course the amazing 6-0 win against Lyon was the most eye catching but the win against Wolfsburg was also very promising.
Let us first analyse the win against Lyon a bit deeper. One could argue that we are further in our build up to the season because we have to play the Community Shield next weekend. But the league starts for Lyon also at the same weekend as it starts in England. In fact Lyon also play in the super cup in France next weekend. So both teams should have been at the same level coming in to this match and looking at the schedule they have in front of them.
And yet Arsenal was very much on top of Lyon and blew them off the field when we really stepped it up during the match. Özil was outstanding in this match and even though not all and everything came off as he wanted it, he was a joy to watch.
But youngster Iwobi was another player to catch the eye. Not just for his goal. Or should I say goals? Because I still haven’t seen a full replay of the disallowed goal because Arsenal went on to score another goal just when they wanted to show the replay and so they had to cut the replay just before the decisive moment. But his overall play and contribution was also of the quality for a young lad making his debut at the Emirates.
What was also impressive was the combination Özil-Ramsey in this match. They both were on fire in the first match. If you can have a look at the 4th goal it was Ramsey who was at the start of the move and then he ran all the pitch to put the delicate cross from Özil over the goal line. If you can have a look at that goal you should try to stop the video at the moment Özil is going to give his pass to Ramsey. To see that opening…it does take some special eyes.
Of course they had the knowledge that Coquelin was behind them picking up the loose balls when needed and so they could run riot at Lyon for most of the match. He sure seems to pick up where he finished last season.
Giroud also contributed a lot not just with his shouldered goal (an Arsenal speciality?) but a good assist for the second goal was also very important. I know the haters will say time and time again that we need a world class striker (without giving a real definition or a player that is available at a realistic price) but for me he did what he had to do. Putting his weight on the Lyon defenders, dragging them from left to right and back to make openings for teammates.
Oxlade-Chamberlain seems raring to go also. I hope the way he finished off the chance and scored our second goal will give him more belief in himself when it comes to scoring: the thing that is missing from his game and that he really can improve on and should.
He has not scored enough goals. That and losing the ball in dangerous positions are the two things he has to work on and keep attention on. Something I also noticed with Ramsey just before he broke his leg and something that got Wenger a bit frustrated at the time. So I’m pretty confident Wenger will teach the Ox as he did with Ramsey. It will be all right in the near future I think.
But we should also give a special mention to the back 4 (or 5). Martinez looked comfortable the whole 90 minutes and is also turning in to a good keeper after his bad start at Reading a few seasons ago. But the back four with Debuchy and Gibbs on the flanks did an excellent job. You could see that both players are realising that they have to work very hard to get a starting place in front of Bellerin and Monreal. Per and Kos were also their usual themselves with good and strong defending whenever it was needed.
Putting six goals past Lyon is not something that happens a lot. They had a rather good defensive record last season so it must have come as a shock to them. And we must remember we did this with last season’s best player not on the field. But I have seen some pictures and a short video clip that Alexis posted on the internet of him doing some training on the beach in Chile on his own. I have the impression he wants to be ready when he comes back to London in a few days.
Amazing to think that we still have Alexis not playing. And Welbeck. And Rosicky and Flamini. That is two more strikers and two more midfielders.
More in the next article.
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I think we have got 2 pretty good x1s no matter how u mix them up.
Cech
Bellerin mertesacker koscielny Monreal
Coquelin cazorla
Welbeck ozil alexis
Walcott
Ospina
Debuchy chambers Gabriel gibbs
Arteta ramsey
Chamberlain wilshire rosicky
Giroud
Perhaps arteta and rosicky could still be improved upon by signing a dm as direct replacement, moving Walcott back to the flank instead of rosicky and signing another centre forward.
Then we have Martinez, Macey, iliev, hayden, flamini, kamara, bielik, zelalem, toral, gnabry, iwobi, wellington, campbell, akpom
Do we need a ‘world class’ striker? Hell no!
Do we need ‘world class’ DM? Hell No!
We have a plethora of strikers most of whom would be starters in just about any other club in Europe and have one of the best DMs in Coquelin with adequate cover.
So no we don’t need a striker or DM. That’s not to say that Arsène won’t sign either if a player becomes available who is genuinely an improvement on our current squad. Until then I’m really looking forward to this season and feel that we have a real chance of topping the league with our current squad.
I also feel that the overseas players we have signed at U18 and U21 levels have significantly improved both of those squads.
I have to first apologise to Arsenal for my error of saying they’ve not won the Emirates Cup in their history in my pre Emirates Cup comments postings. Whereas yesterday was the 4th time they are winning the Cup. I have been misled in some articles that I read on the internet media that says Arsenal have not won the E/Cup since…. We have to thank God for yesterday’s victory by the Gunners over the stubborn Wolfsburg. I think they want to lift the trophy as they threw all they had into the match. I am now looking forward to see the Boss’ Gunners pound the Jose Mourinho’s Blues at Wembley this Sunday to retain the Shield. I am positive the Gunners will be more than strong to withstand whatever be the game-waves the Blues will unleash against them, and overturn the tides against the Blues by beating them soundly.
Speaking of Ramsey, he has a twit up at Arsenal.com, asking people to vote for his goal as UEFA Goal of the Season.
I think this is the URL.
http://www.uefa.com/goal-of-the-season/
You need javascript turned on in order for the site to work.
Gord
Thanks for that link.
Vote cast.
I tink we’re pretty much OK for d new season
Some very impressive performances over the weekend, including from some very young players.
Off topic, but it seems wrestler Hulk Hogan has reportedly been saying racist things, and football fans in general, especially Arsenal fans have been duping him into retweets. His Twitter feed makes amusing reading, below is just one he retweeted
https://mobile.twitter.com/ethanmorleyy/status/625519350099914752
Am happy with the way the players played over the weekend . Do hope they be close knit and play their hearts out for the Arsenal , and have a great tilt this coming season.
Up the Gunners !
Have voted too for Ramsey .Thanks for the link ,Gord.
Voted 🙂
bc. Yes finally we have two complete great squads AND some good benchers too. Just hope we get the “mix” and “blend” right all the time this coming season.
Looking forward to good things.
Does CS go to penalties at a draw? Would like to demoralise Chel$ next Sun though. Really demoralise them.
@para
July 28, 2015 at 6:08 am
“Would like to demoralise Chel$ next Sun though. Really demoralise them.”
After reading about Mouriwho this morning and the crap coming out of his trap, how I would love for us to give them a real spanking this weekend…and send them home!!
I’m surprised nay shocked that Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is set to join Italian side Roma and will have a medical on Monday in Rome (from the BBC).
@Menace
July 28, 2015 at 7:32 am
No surpass there really; Szczesny has been good under the sticks for us, has also had some moments of ‘madness’, I would think he needs time away to get his thinking straight (on and off the field). Should he do that I am sure he will have a place back with us in the future – should he not…well he will move on, and we have a sound Martinez waiting!
>surprises ** (spellcheck) 🙂
Andrew Crawshaw
I’m so in agreement with you regarding our Squad, there is competition for all places, which beggars belief why so called Pundits and the Media seem to think we’re a Striker & DM away from challenging for the PL.
Its quite funny how Ex-footballers and Managers never seem to back their own expert opinion/judgement in buying a Football Club and making it Successful. Maybe in this case Words speak louder than Action.
@BennE
July 28, 2015 at 10:34 am
“…why so called Pundits and the Media seem to think we’re a Striker & DM away from challenging for the PL.”
Fact is that these people can not sell stories with The Arsenal way…what they can sell is gossip and fabrications of would be transfers…without that bla bla, they are drained of what the call journalism!!! What Arsenal do and the way AW has managed to BUILD things would a/ go against their (Media) agendas, b/ Need much real journalism to expand a story with…both totally impossible for these OUTFITS!
Oh look Arsenal.com took my article for their best of blogs series 🙂 http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150728/a-preview-of-things-to-come
Well done Walter!
Congrats Walter. UA is being recognised by Arsenal.com once again.
Will they ever publish anything from Le Groove? I doubt very much.
@Damilare I believe that the club learned something from the Stewart Robson affair; Arsenal gets bitten enough by the snakes in the grass… why invite the serpents indoors.