Quick Reflections on the Benfica Game

Arsenal rounded up their pre-season with a 2-1 reverse at Benfica. In a fiercely contested game, which really didn't seem like a friendly, Arsenal again couldn't manage to hold a lead. I appreciate that it is only pre-season and it's not a true representation of how the season will pan out, but Arsenal managed just 2 wins when they really should have won every single game. There was not one opponent who - on paper - are better than the Gunners.

The game today was truly end to end stuff, an enthralling encounter between a strong Benfica side, and a weakened Arsenal one. The first half saw some fantastic moves from both sides, Benfica having the best of the opening exchanges. Arsenal grew into the game though  and began to put Benfica under increasing pressure and after Gervinho and Van Persie had a series of chances which went close, birthday boy, Robin Van Persie cool-ly converted a Kieran Gibbs cross. Swept in low, from the left-hand side, Gibbs' cross picked out Van Persie with pinpoint accuracy, allowing him to calmly slot home from 4 yards. The 'keeper never stood a chance.

Half time came, and both Benfica and Arsenal made a multitude of changes, Benfica strengthening, Arsenal arguably moving towards a worse side. Chamakh, Myaichi, Squillaci, Frimpong, Fabianski and Jenkinson replacing Van Persie, Arshavin, Djourou, Song, Szczesney and Sagna.

Just 4 minutes into the second half, some sloppy Arsenal defending allowed the Benfica attack far too much space and on reciving the ball, Aimar had enough room to turn inside the area and get his shot away. The equaliser; 1-1. Fast forward 11 minutes, further defensive errors allowed Benfica to go ahead - Squillaci beaten by Nolito, who fiercely fired home. The goal came at the worst possible time, the Gunners were beginning to grow into the game again, and find some rhythm - much like in the first half - but Benfica's second truly was a hammer-blow. Arsenal's usually tidy passing game went, and when they had the ball, this inexperienced Arsenal side gave it back far too easily. Neither side looked much like scoring the game's fourth goal, but the game became truly end-to-end, and although a disappointing result for the boys in turquoise and blue, they had a good run out in preparation for Saturday's season opener away at Newcastle United.

Did you watch? What is our strongest line up? Get in touch using the comments below or through Twitter: @Goonernl

Emirates Cup Musings + RBNY & PSG Players of the Day

Arsenal vs. Boca Juniors 



A good performance from some, but disappointing overall

Arsene Wenger named a fairly strong side to start this friendly, with Van Persie, Nasri, Wilshere & Gervinho all starting. In the opening exchanges, of what turned out to be quite a mardy affair, Arsenal seemed to be just about on top. Earning some fairly soft free kicks in some decent positions, the Gunners failed to capitalise, the score remaining at 0-0 for almost half an hour, before Gervinho burst down the left flank, whipping in a low cross for Robin Van Persie to gobble up at the near post which got the entire stadium - mid Mexican wave - on it's feet to celebrate; Arsenal's first home goal of the 2011/12 campaign. I must be said, that with 2 goals and an assist to his name from just 2 cameos, Gervinho has made a very good start to his career in N5.

At half time, Wenger made 5 of the 6 changes the Emirates Cup rules permitted him to Mannone, Squillaci, Ramsey, Vela and Chamakh replacing Fabianski, Koscielny, Wilshere, Gervinho and Van Persie. Two of these substitutes had an immediate impact, Vela surged forward, and used some clever footwork to reach the edge of the box, before cutting back to Ramsey who slammed home from 25 yards. Sadly all this was undone by two moments of defensive uncertainty from Arsenal (now when has that happened before?!!) Boca's first came from a Squillaci mistake, the ball landing up with Lucas Viatri who hammered the ball home. This was followed 3 minutes later by a Johan Djourou mistake, he botched a slid clearance and Pablo Mouche took his opportunity with aplomb, smacking the ball home, totally ruining Mannone's day.

Traditional Arsenal flaws let us down again, and it was disappointing to see the lack of urgency or desire that the side had at 2-2 with 10 minutes to go. I appreciate that it was only a friendly, however it was similar to the performances of the end of last season, so I feel that it is something which is a cause for concern if this continues into 2011/12 proper.

New York Red Bulls vs. Paris Saint-Germain



NYRB's Dax McCarty in action vs. PSG



With all due respect, the day's first game wasn't fantastic, the Red Bulls were a fantastically organised team, playing in a rigid 4-1-4-1 formation, and defending with a tenacity which Arsenal could certainly learn from. Their goal was taken well enough, Estonian Joel Lindpere finished a New York break well. He beat the offside trap nicely, and was slipped through on goal one-on-one by Roy Miller, and slotted home nicely from 12 yards.

As a complete neutral, I took the opportunity to look at the players and tactics on show, rather than getting particularly into the game. I have decided on a standout player from each side (in my opinion) and will write a little about each of them here.

Dax McCarty - New York Red Bulls (pictured above): I felt that McCarty was the Red Bulls' best player by some margin. The right footed midfielder seemed to be more creative than much of the rest of the Red Bulls' midfield. I also felt that his passing was more accurate, and that his first touch was also superior to his teammates. Many of their best moves flowed through him. Although as a side the Red Bulls probably would be mid-table in the Championship, I feel that McCarty would fit in well at a mid-table Premiership club, such as Aston Villa or West Brom.

Jeremy Menez - Paris Saint Germain (pictured below):

PSG's Standout Man, Summer Signing: Jeremy Menez

Signed by PSG from Roma this summer for £7m, I was really impressed by Menez on his PSG debut. The 6' centre midfielder showed some real skill and creativity in the second half, following what I felt was a fairly anonymous first period for him. Wearing the same boots as Samir Nasri, he certainly was played at a level higher than all the other players on the pitch. Despite only scoring 4 from 38 in Italy last season, his creativity fashioned some real chances for a disappointing PSG side. Where McCarty is a player who I feel could play mid-table, I feel that Menez is a player who wouldn't look out of place with a cannon on his chest. At £7m too, I feel that PSG really have bagged themselves a bargain.

Were you at The Emirates today? What did you think of the games? Let me know your thoughts through Twitter (@Goonernl) or the comments below.

Juan Mata on his way to Arsenal?

Juan Mata a man in demand

According  to La Marca today, Arsenal, Tottenham and another English club have all made moves to sign 23 year old winger Juan Mata from Valencia. The ex-Real Madrid man is said to have a €20m buyout clause in his contract, however it is also suggested by Marca that an offer of around €15m will be accepted by Valencia, a club in continuing financial difficulties. Despite their president Manuel Llorente recently saying "Valencia will not sell to any club that wants to buy Mata" it has been reported  that their stance is softening due to their financial perils. La Marca says that his father and agent is evaluating the options, deciding which represents the best move for his son. The other English team interested is most likely to be Liverpool, this means that the only side which can offer Mata Champions League football next season is Arsenal, quite possibly a deciding factor in any move to the Premier League.

Do we need Mata? Where would he fit into the team? Let me know your thoughts through Twitter (@Goonernl) or the comments below.

Who Should Replace Gael Clichy?



Gael Clichy - Now of Manchester City

7 million pounds. If that is how little Gael Clichy cost Manchester City, then they got a bargain. Based on previous City transfer fee form though, we were had. His signing is hardly illogical for City though, and in a way it makes sense for Arsenal too. Despite being the last remaining 'Invincable' Clichy's form of late has been slightly patchy. With only a year left to run on his contract, selling him whilst we still could does make sense for Arsenal. The big question is what happens now?

Arsene Wenger could stand still, and do nothing. Both Keiran Gibbs and Armand Traore are still at Arsenal, and both have had runs in the starting 11. However, Traore is returning to London following an injury blighted spell in Turin, where he hardly set the world alight with his 8 appearences. He's not a bad player, but I really don't feel that he's good enough to make it in N5.  



Armand Traore - Injury Plagued at Juve



Gibbs - Injury Plagued



Arsenal's only other option for 2011/12 - at the moment - is Keiran Gibbs. I, personally, feel that the young Englishman has shown real glimpses of quality and ability when he has had the chance to play. Unfortunately for him, one of his biggest chances to impress was curtailed when he had his foot stamped on by Eliaquim Mangala of Standard Liege during the 2-0 victory over them in November 2009. With Clichy already sidelined, Gibbs was getting a run in the team and was playing well. This fractured metatarsel spelled the end of his season, originally out for 3 months, it was discovered that the surgery had been done wrong, and the recovery period had to be restarted following further surgery.

With Clichy again injured, Gibbs had a short spell in the team at the tail end of last season (10/11), starting the final 3 games of the season. He generally put in some good performances, although some lapses in concentration and bad decision making cost Arsenal. In my opinion he was entirely at fault for the first Fulham goal, leaving his man to try and help out Vermaelen giving the Fulham winger acres of space to receive the ball and cut it back for Sidwell to slot home.

In my opinion, Traore isn't good enough for Arsenal and isn't the right player to provide a high enough level of competition to force Keiran Gibbs to push on and improve his game. I think that now is the right time for Traore to shown the exit door, and a slightly more experienced player should be signed to help Gibbs improve. The question now is who should that person be?

Izaguirre - The Honduran has impressed in Hoops

Emilio Izaguirre is one of the names the media have been putting out there as a potential Arsenal target for months, but now with Clichy gone, their crystal ball is going to be put to the test. The 25 year old Honduran claims that he has turned down Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United already this summer in favor of remaining at Parkhead, so it's tricky to see him moving - assuming he's telling the truth!! Celtic boss Neil Lennon has also said that he is not for sale at any price. Worth around £6.5m it is possible that he could be added to the squad for the same sort of money Clichy left for. The Scottish PFA Player of the Year, has an attacking style, which would fit in well at the Emirates, becoming known for his 'rampaging displays down the left wing' (according to the Daily Mail). Lennon said on signing him that: "he's strong defensively, he's quick, he's got a very good left foot and he's good going forward." No disrespect to the SPL but it's somewhere in between Premiership and Championship, so Izaguirre is untested at the very highest level.

With only 12 months left on his contract, Newcastle United's Jose Enrique could be a good choice for Arsenal. The ex-Villarreal man is valued at around the £10m mark by Newcastle, but it's likely that they would sell for less, rather than run the risk of losing him for nothing next summer. He's made 119 appearances for the Magpies, 85 in the Premier League, so he has good to flight experience, having played in Spain for 2 seasons as well, Enrique could use that experience to help during the Champions League campaign.

 

Jose Enrique - Could do a Clichy...

At 25, the Spaniard isn't too old for Arsene Wenger, and could prove to be a shrewd piece of business. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has also admitted that Enrique could leave, saying "we're not confident we can keep him." Definitely a sign that a deal could be done. Last season, a defence with Enrique in would keep a clean sheet roughly once every 4 games, much better than Arsenal at the tail end of last season. Having only scored the one goal, Enrique is about as prolific as Clichy was. He is a player who would certainly push Gibbs on, and I feel that it would be a close run thing over who would be first choice.

Of  these four options, I would be inclined to give Gibbs his chance, but I would have Enrique there to push him all the way, and there to step in if the injuries and inconsistencies which have troubled Gibbs' career so far resurface in 2011/12.

Who would you like to see at left back next season? What do you think of Clichy's move to City? Tell me in the comments below, or Tweet me @Goonernl

Who Should Be a Transfer Target?

Tim Cahill

Cahill is a player who I really rate, the 31 year old, Evertonian as a box to box midfielder with a fantastic work rate, and ethic. He is a good tackler, and a very passionate player. One of the Australian's main attributes which I feel would really help Arsenal is that - despite only being 5'10'' - Cahill is fantastic in the air. In 2009/10, his first 7 goals of the season were all with his head. This season, he managed 11 goals from 29 starts, not bad by any midfielder's standards, he managed this despite missing part of the season for international duty, and Everton's woeful early season form. He also has 23 goals for Australia from his 52 caps.  Everton would definitely loath to lose him, and contracted until 2014, it could be tricky to prise him away. I would imagine that Everton would be prepared to do business for around £10,000,000 Arsenal could also potentially try to go a part exchange maybe offering Denilson plus some cash could tempt David Moyes to sell.

Miroslav Klose

Klose is a talented player, however, much like Niklas Bendtner - rumoured to be headed to Bayern Munich -, the 32 year old German seems to reserve his best form for his country. He has scored 61 goals in 109 appearances for Germany, whereas (I believe) he has only managed 24 goals from 98 games for Bayern Munich. Last season, he scored 15 from 23 starts and 15 substitute appearances, which sounds reasonable. Available as a free agent, the 6 footer could represent a quality addition to the Arsenal ranks, were Arsene Wenger prepared to go in for a player over 30, especially as his refusal to sign on with Bayern for longer seems to be based on the length of the contract on offer, not on money.

Richard Kingson

The undisputed Ghanaian number 1 was released by Blackpool at the end of last season, following their relegation to the Championship, so the 6'1'' goalkeeper is available on a free transfer. The 32 year old made 19 starts for Blackpool, and made 77 saves. At the World Cup last summer, Kingson made 5 starts, pulling off 27 saves; not a bad showing. He does have one quite major blip on his record, and that is that he failed a drugs test in 2005 whilst playing in Turkey, he received a 6 month ban from UEFA, but would seem to have successfully rebuilt his career and reputation. I'm not suggesting that we sign Kingson as a new #1 but I feel that he would be a good (enough) 'keeper to have in the squad to provide competition for Szczesney and Fabianski. I think that Manuel Almunia will leave in the summer, along with Jens Lehmann and Vito Mannone. Lehmann has been linked with a move back to the Bundesliga to Shalke, and I can see Mannone joining Hull on a permanent basis after excelling on loan there last season. I'm not sure where Almunia will be plying his trade next season, but I'm convinced that it will not be at Arsenal.

Diego Benaglio

The Italian Swiss has proved himself to be a decent 'keeper, both on the international stage, and for German side Wolfsburg. At 27, many Arsenal fans might consider him to be too young, but I would again be suggesting him as a squad player. Last season, the 6'4'' stopper made 102 saves from 28 games, an average of 3.6 per game (compared to 4.1 from Kingson) and made 16 saves in 3 games at the World Cup last year, as the Swiss failed to progress from their group. Another solid goalie, he could provide high level competition for Fabianski and Szczesney. I would see around £8 million snaring Benaglio for Arsenal.

(Dis)agree with me? Who would you like to see at Arsenal next year? Let me know your views on Twitter (@Goonernl) or in the comments below.

Transfer Target? Peter Odemwingie

According to recent reports Arsene Wenger is planning a shock £4 million move for the undeniably talented 29 year old striker. Odemwingie arrived at the Hawthorns from Lokomotiv Moscow in August last year for an undisclosed fee. In his time in Russia, the Nigerian scored 21 goals in 70 games. His goalscoring record for West Brom is much better, scoring 15 goals from 29 starts, roughly a goal every 2 games.

A composed finisher, Odemwingie is strong on the ball, and seemingly un-flustered by an onrushing 'keeper. At 6' he's quite tall, and he is reasonable in the air. For me one of his best attributes is his 'striker's instinct' he's good at following the ball in, and has seemingly poached a fair few goals doing it. A two footed player, he could bring some real versatility to the Arsenal front line. He has a good first touch, and has shown moments of skill, which would fit in well in N5. He has also shown that he is quite quick, another attribute well suited to Arsenal.

With only a year left to run on his contract, it has been suggested that he could be picked up for around £4,000,000. This sort of bargain basement figure is something which is sure to have Wenger interested. With Niklas Bendtner set to be shown the exit door, with Bayern Munich said to be hovering with a £12 million bid, it could be a case of one in one out. From what I have seen of him, the biggest advantages of Odemwingie over Bendtner is that he is much more consistent, and much less cocky. At 29, you wonder if he might be too old for Wenger, although he has indicated that this policy will be changing. If he does arrive at The Emirates this summer, I would expect that it would be on a 3 year deal. He's certainly a good player, who is proven in the Premiership, so a move for him could be a very shrewd transfer.

Your thoughts? Who would you prefer? Would you rather keep Bendtner? Let me know through Twitter (@Goonernl) or in the comments below.

Next Season's Defence + Transfer Target? Chris Samba

Samba:

According to a couple on news outlets, Arsenal have already placed a bid of around £10 million for the 27 year old, Congolese centre back. Samba cost Blackburn £400,000 from Hertha Berlin in 2007, and has made 164 appearances for Rovers to date. Last season, he played 35 times, picking up 3 yellow cards, 1 red and 4 goals along the way. Looking at the stats for the current Arsenal defenders, he's comparable in terms of both discipline and goals:

                                                   Apps.   YC   RC   Goals

                    Chris Samba            35        3       1         4

                    Laurent Koscielny   43       8       2         3

                    Sebastien Squillaci  34        1       1         2

                    Johan Djourou         39        4       0         1

In and since January, Samba dropped some fairly heavy hints about wanting to leave. In January he was quoted as saying: "This is my fifth season here. I've had ups and downs but today I don't want to waste any more time, new owners have arrived, they have fired the coach when he saved us from relegation two years ago. The least they could have done is come to us and explain their project. They haven't done that, it's a lack of respect. I don't want to be part of it." These reports of him wanting out were then blurred, in February, as he signed a new 4 year deal. Contracting him to the club until summer 2015.

More twists in the tale were to follow, at the beginning of May, the Blackburn skipper talked of how close a move to Arsenal was in January: "Everybody knows that I am an ambitious player... I think a move to Arsenal was very close in January, but that is life. You have to continue." Although decisive on the pitch, Samba seems to be unable to make up his mind off it, saying in late May: "I am not going to worry about next year now. I am very happy now though. Let us see who we sign."

Recently many Arsenal blogs and the press have been heralding him as the saviour for Arsenal's apparently lacklustre defence. I can't deny that he is a half-decent centre back, but I would point out that he has been playing for a club which only just avoided relegation, and he was part of a defence which conceded 28 Premiership goals since the turn of the year, compared to Arsenal conceding only 21 goals in the same period. I know that he's only one fifth (including the keeper) of that defence but it's still poor. He's tall and strong, but I wonder if he has the finesse that he would need to play for Arsenal. I am not sure how well he'd make the transition from Rovers' brand of football to that played in N5. There are other more suitable options out there. As well as that, from his quotes, Samba seems to be happy at Blackburn, and with a relatively long term contract in place, they are under no obligation to sell him.

Next Season:

Before the Carling Cup final, Arsenal conceded only 5 goals, from 8 Premier League games, and all of the goals came inside two games, to then concede 16 goals from the remaining 11 PL games is shocking. I feel that Arsenals defensive meltdown was essentially due to confidence. I can understand the calls for a new defender, but Thomas Vermaelen is going to be like a new signing next season, he made only 5 appearances this season, and is probably the first defensive name on the team sheet when he's fit. I think that he and Koscielny will make a cracking partnership next season, our #6 is a decent defender, he does show occasional incompetence, but you have to remember that 2010/11 was only his second season of top flight football. For the most part, his defending is fantastic, he's very good in the air, and excels at with slide tackles. He sometimes gets caught out 1v1, but that will happen to any defender. Thomas Vermaelen's defensive qualities we all know about from his fantastic first season at the club.

Moving down the pecking order, it seems to me that one of Sebastien Squillaci or Kyle Bartley will leave. Bartley has expressed his desire for first team football, and Rangers are happy to offer him it. They reportedly want him back either on loan or permanently next season, after impressing massively in the short spell he spent there before getting injured. A promising youngster who is sure to turn into a 'one that got away' player in the future if he is sold. No club should need five centre backs, although with defensive injuries like 10/11 we probably need 6, and this is why I think that one will go in the summer.

Your thoughts? Let me know through the comments below or on Twitter, you can follow me: @Goonernl