By 1970’s Gooner
Watching during those opening 25 minutes you wouldn’t have thought that Arsenal’s supremacy would eventually have been so easy.
Wolves were pressing the midfield areas of the pitch with gusto and determination not allowing the Arsenal players room to turn.
And if it wasn’t for good defending and Berra’s inability to head towards Arsenal’s goal, when presented with a free header, Wolves would have gone ahead.
It would have been quite a different game after that.
What was wrong during that opening half hour was Wenger’s decision to rest Song and play Ramsey instead.
The little Welsh wizard is a very good player and will grow into a great player but he surely cannot be expected to replace someone as good as Song.
Especially if along side him was Diaby who is of course improving but alas proved not good enough to give young Ramsey the support he needed.
So and don’t get me wrong, I was “pleased” when Diaby had to come off (with a calf strain). As soon as Song came on he bossed that area as only he can. Wolves could not bully us anymore and then Arsenal’s beautiful football took over.
Culminating in that sublime Fabregas goal, Arsenal’s third, after himself moving the ball from defence onto Sagna on the right who then crossed for van Persie in the area who, in one touch, laid it back onto the oncoming Fabregas who promptly dispatched it into the net. FANTASTIC
The worrying thing about today’s performance is that it has shown how vulnerable this Arsenal side can be when Song goes away to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Whoever Wenger picks to replace Song will need to step up the plate if Arsenal are to have a realistic chance to win something this season.
Where team selection proved its worth tonight was in picking Eduardo as one of the wide players in Arsenal’s 4 3 3 formation, although as Tony Adams has revealed, Wenger considers it as a 4 1 4 1 formation.
Whatever it really is it has revolutionised Arsenal’s performances this season and helps to explain why we are scoring so many goals.
Fabregas is of course playing in the more forward positions now. This means that he moves forward to give support to van Persie and therefore can find himself in the more dangerous areas of the pitch and influence matters from there. His “maturity” and clinical finishing inevitably mean that he is among the goals.
But further than this the two wide men are also further up the field feeling more secure with the three midfield men shoring the areas behind them.
That is why Arsenal are pressing much more up the field keeping the opponents pinned in their half especially when their defenders have the ball.
This system depends crucially on the effectiveness of the three midfield men especially the two more destructive midfielders. If they are on top of their game and keep control of the midfield stopping the opposition from playing their football then it can work.
It only worked today when Song came on.
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39 comments:
Can't ageee with you. 25 mins is hardly long enough to say Song is just about irreplaceable. Plenty of teams have given us a hard first 30 mins but in the end they tire and our passing gets the better of them. Song is much improved and is important but it's important we have an alternative so Wenger needs to experiment
Yes it worked with Song and we dominate the midfield alot more when he is in the team playing well, and he will be missed but we have a player in the shadows who has stil yet to prove a lot and i am more than confident he can step up with out a doubt he was likened to Zidane but i see Nasri as a Nasri.
The game was a clear demonstration of how vital Song is in the middle, and also why Wenger wants to bring Ramsey along. And it's not just the ANC. Nov 29-Dec 30 -- 9 games. That will be a real test.
Ramsey showed that he is more comfortable going forward, but needs experience to learn how to slow down at key moments.
The depth is Denilson. I think Wenger expects him to do the Song job during the ANC.
Gooner28, am sure you are not aware that Arsene has ruled out Nasri playing that role becos of his attacking nature
Spot on. But I have to go one more and say i don't think Diaby will make it in this squad, he is too slow for the Arsenal way of playing football.
Welllll, i'm sure he can manage not to be so 'attacking' for a month or two!! :P
I agree that a key moment in the game was Diaby going off and Song coming on. The quality of our performance made a step-change upwards at that moment. Having said that, I don't agree with the ESPN commentators that Wolves were much better in the first 25 minutes. We expected Wolves to throw everything forward from the beginning and we defended pretty well during that period and took the sting out of their assault - that is good play. Wolves didn't have a shot on goal worth the name in that period. John Champion is a muppet but I think Joe Royle is probably the best co-commentator of all.
I agree that a key moment in the game was Diaby going off and Song coming on. The quality of our performance made a step-change upwards at that moment. Having said that, I don't agree with the ESPN commentators that Wolves were much better in the first 25 minutes. We expected Wolves to throw everything forward from the beginning and we defended pretty well during that period and took the sting out of their assault - that is good play. Wolves didn't have a shot on goal worth the name in that period. John Champion is a muppet but I think Joe Royle is probably the best co-commentator of all.
Dont forget Eastmond was on the bench n played bossed against Liverpool so cud be another option
Lol forget what I said he wasn't.
Read on Young Guns yesterday that he wud be oh well lmao
I agree with the first commenter, I dont think this was a fair test.
We've played before and won without song this season.
Diaby I think was the one given more responsibility and was looking to build on a very nice, strong, physical performance in the week before he got injured.
Wolves came at us early on, and I really dont think song would have been able to do much to prevent that. It was just a good home side working hard to deny us space. They werent so much building great attacks, as picking off our midfielders and denying them time. That isnt something song would be immune to.
We got our first 2 goals somewhat fortuitously, but I think we knew what we were doing: weathering the storm and waiting for a chance to strike, because a goal at any time would deflate wolves.
Song will be a massive lost during the afc, but I think with denilson coming back, he can combine with diaby or ramsey to hold the fort. Ramsey had a solid game, and got better as it wore on. He has a great engine on him.
Oh come on - if you understand football surely you realise it would have been the same if Song had started. So many teams start off at a sprint, especially if they're at home, and it's almost impossible to play fluently during that spell, but it's also impossible for teams to keep that up. That's why we score more often towards the end of halves. It's like the marathon runner sprinting out and doing four-minute miles only be to overtaken after the first quarter of the race. Would the commentators say he was the best runner - of course not!!!! That pissed me off with the commentators during the Spurs game. The Spuds worked so hard to keep Arsenal out for 40 minutes and then we took the piss for the rest of the game because they were a spent force.
Song is indeed very important to us but Wenger needed to give Ramsey some match time before the ACN and that's what he did.
Another great performance and hopefully, if we play one game at a time, we'll be challenging come May.
Song gave balance to the team; not sure if Diaby was playing in front of the defence before he was injured but he does okay when Song is behind him like on Wednesday.
Joe Royle on ESPN was balanced, but that other **n* could only damn AFC with faint and begrudging praise. I'm glad Wolves got it in the chops, thicko Yam-Yams singing, 'Engerlund, Engerlund, Engerlund', imbeciles.
I don't see how someone calls himself an Arsenal supporter, yet he is 'pleased' when one of our players is injured? We need all our players fit and Arsene will pick the right player for the right game. Song will be going to the ACN in January so Arsene has to try out other options just in case Denilson is not back or there are other injuries. Diaby is where Song was last season, and those who claim he won't make it at Arsenal are probably the same ones who were saying Song was not fit to wear the Arsenal shirt. They were wrong about Song and they will be proven wrong about Diaby.
know all , know fuk all
think it is time to say arsene is a genius, i have backed him all the time, cannot believe gooners are so fickle. transfers blah blah.Song is class no doubt, but diaby is where song was last year. we have denilson,coqulein,diaby can fill that roll, my team would be for january
almunia
sagna gallas vermaelan clichy
Denilson
cesc rosicky
Arshavin Nasri
van persie
subs fabianski,senedros,gibbs, eastmond,coquelin(can play rb aswell),diaby,ramsey,wilshire,walcott,bendy and eddie
where are the gooners looking 4 new signings?????????1 arsene wenger
Its about time!! its about time we acknowledge how good Song is. He is becoming very very good and making that position his own. anyone who disagrees can take last nights game as your closest example, look at how song song presses player, pressurise players, small nudges that imbalances players trying to make a pass, and this is the most impressive one : Song Can Get Out Of Tights Spaces!!! Amazing! he twists, turns, drags the ball and voila! he is out from the containment of 2-3-4 players around him! amazing. see this video to validate my views!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4p0_eX0h30
And not to mention how given that he's a bit short compared to other players, he can win headers constantly!
I think you missed a vital point about why Song did not start... he's on 4 yellows so another card in the game would have meant his not being available for the Chelsea game. AW NEEDED to try to avoid that especially as we were playing Wolves... besides Ramsey needed the chance, so two birds were being killed with one stone. The early pressure arose largely because that was Wolves' plan and also Diaby may have been carrying a knock before the game as he was not even going in for the tough challenges before he was subbed.
Completely wrong about Eduardo. He was lost on the left and it nullified Arshavin having to play on the left and not be able to cut in. Nasri should've started left, Ashavin right. Eduardo is a striker, nothing else. And of late has been missing every chance he gets. His chip today woud've gone wide by a mile and he should've put Ramsay clean thru instead anyway.
haha one person said that Diaby was playing Song's place and Ramsey in Diaby's..., i wonder how many games he watched.., well anyway the game did change when Song came on, this proved to AW that Ramsey cant play that role at all!! But i think Denilson can but Diaby needs to step up and help him on the physical side
Diaby is nowhere near Song was 2 years ago. After coming back from the ACN, Song has improved so much that now fans get nervous when he is not in the lineup.
But for Diaby, heis so bad that fans get nervous when he is in the lineup.
Blind supporters are trying to likened him to Song but Song wasn't this bad befeore, ever.
think it more a bit of both wolves had work hard for the first 25 but i did cheer when diaby came of he's had 10 games now and has been found wanting. i think song need a rest and played well when he came on. But to say he changed the game completely is little unfair think it helped that wolves had worked so hard and where getting gd ball in the area where song plays and to be up against fresh legs for second half of the half helped the cause. Also the couple of lucky deflections and the game would been very diferent even 0-0 at break not to say wouldn't have gone on to win just might have been harder work.
Come the (african nations cup)ANC i hope that diaby or ramsey is in form or step up. i dont think denilson can do the job song does. it is the one area that all managers want a good player a holding midfielder and they're a rare breed. I dont like saying we need to sign someone but would be nice but who???
Unless AW thinks the verminator has the stamina to play it he's good enough on the ball but does he have the legs?
possible canidates?
Jeremy Toulalan-Lyon?
French world class 26
possible as being played out of postion and has rift with manager about it
Cambiasso-Inter doughtful jose will know how ggod he is
Torsten Frings
too old 33
But would wenger really buy a player for what 1 month cover would this just dent song and ramsey's confidence more so ramsey?
While Song is important, I wouldn't over analyze and over estimate the situation, upon his leave i'm sure the Professor will have the answer ... as the same answer that nobody previously expected Song will be as important today and Arsenal so rampant despite losing Adebayor and Kolo ... so relax guys ... another thumping on Sunderland!
The best combination is a song and nasri, or a song and denilson, or a nasri and denilson.
With Song gone for the ACN, then Denilson will be the guy to replace him as he had a season of experience playing as a DM. Wenger would probably partner Diaby with Denilson during Song's absence.
Song is good, and we need him as much as we could. He is now on 4 yellow cards. I seriously hope he does not get one against sunderland, because he would then miss the chelsea match. And without Diaby and Denilson, we would have no DM against Chelsea and that would be disasterous.
Wenger probably would not use Vermaelen as a DM, and therefore we would lose to the likes of Essien and Lampard.
Therefore fellow gunners, cross your fingers and pray that Song does not get yellow carded against Sunderland. Best is that he does not play at all!!!
Though I would love to see Diaby gets injured and not play at all, but at least I hope to see him come back, then he can play against Sunderland, and thus Song can be rested for the Chelsea game.
Also Denilson should be back training, and hopefully, he would be match fit against Chelsea, so even if Song is really not eligible then at least Denilson is there with Diaby.
Diaby is letting himself down and is hardly staking a claim for a place come January.
Not only does he not get involved enough in winning the ball, he appears clueless at working out where to do it.
And his profligacy in possession is worrying. Wolves had no trouble getting the ball, because most of the time Diaby was giving it to them.
He is a liability and cannot be relied upon to help us command the midfield.
when he was subbed aganist man city , we conceided two goals. i think hes is a perfect cover 4 the fragile Arsenal defence.
Wenger should bring Vieira to replace song when he is away for African nations Cup. Bring him on loan
Diby will be gret player for us.
You lot that slate him make me sick.
Dont forget he missed a season with a broken ankle. He is improving all the time.
Hmmm... do i trust Arsene Wenger or you lot of fickle and clueless supposed fans?
All the more reason to sign Paddy Vieira in January to plug the gap and mature us on to victory!
I appreciate that we are a better team with Song patrolling in front of our back four, but I also think that the Wolves storm would have blown itself out eventually
However that's two games in a week now that I have been breathless at the unique quality of our football, but somehow at the end of each game been left with a kind of uneasy feeling.
Both should have finished at least 4-0 ( we should have in fact scored a lot more) but each time a clean sheet was sacrificed by gift-wrapping a goal to the opposition.
I know Christmas is coming, but this kind of generosity could well come back to haunt us and be more punishing against better teams in both the PL & CL
I still maintain that we will be lucky to actually win anything this season without a world-class goalkeeper which Almunia certainly is not. If we had signed Shay Given, we would be top of the league right now and probably have stayed there.
Clockendjim
Gun_1 said...
Diby will be gret player for us.
You lot that slate him make me sick.
Well be sick mate..As its a sad fact that the guy aint up to the standard of those around him..bad touch, not a great tackler, positionally weak....get over it..
The let in goal by wolves was purely the typical complacement of the arsenal team in the last min...rather than continuing their attack they decided it was enough and the switched caused that single goal! It was so un-necessary at all... :(
1870's gimp
You are as clueless as ever.
It is a joke that you write on a blog entitled "Arsenal Analysis" as that is something you have no skill at doing!
It was not due to Song's anbsence that the opposition team came flying out of the blocks and ran around like headless chickens! That was always goin to be their opening gambit and something that they would not be able to keep up for 45 minutes, never mind 90.
The whole Arsenal team seemed to take to the pitch as if they were about to play in a pre-season friendly or training excercise. And even though Wolves had their best period during the opening 20 minutes, I weas never ever worried about the result and that was proven quite comfortably in the end.
Your continued slating of players and Wenger is pathetic.
Spike are you some sort of absolute cunt? Seriously what game was you watching, without Song in that team we we're completely inbalanced, and that was the sort of game in the last 1-2 seasons without the rise of Song we probably would have conceded away from home and gone on to struggle to an un-impressive result...
As i can now arsenal's power is built around song. so i wonder what will happen when the goes to Nations cup
I can only smile at all the concerns shown here about when Song goes to the ANC
A couple of years ago I posted blogs about how impressed I was watching him play on loan at Charlton
I was called all sorts of 'complimentary' names by so called fellow Gooners and Song was a load of s**t. How conveniently some change their tune
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