Ajax help Arsenal fight their way to the top

By 1970’s Gooner

What stood out clearly during the victory at “bogey team” West Ham, as everyone of course acknowledged, was Arsenal’s new found resilience and tenacity to grind out a victory at an away ground where the opponents refused to let the young guns play their beautiful game.

"One of their characteristics is they put their foot in so it's very competitive out there," said Alan Curbishley.

And the games statistics bear this out. The number of fouls committed by Arsenal (14) was about the same as West Ham’s (16) and there were two yellow cards for each team.

This is indeed a welcomed change which had gone missing after the departure of Patrick Vieira, the talisman, three years ago who would refuse to let these kind of teams intimidate Arsenal.

What surprises me though is that everyone is so surprised. This is, after all, a trait that has surfaced again and again this season prior to this game.

We saw it in abundance at Blackburn where again the performance was not that flowing or beautiful but still the team persevered, battled against that prat Savage and co and still carved out enough chances to win the game.

The goal scored would have been enough to secure a very moral boosting away win but for Lehman’s clanger.

Since then and up until Saturday’s victory at West Ham this resilient spirit has not really been tested. Nearly all the teams Arsenal had to face did not choose or could not play a “in your face” type of game.

They played with 4 4 2 formations and were more open in their approach. Fulham, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Tottenham away and even Derby did not really adopt the more physical approach.

Still there must have been a lot of talking at London Colney about combating the more physical type of opponents during the preseason.

But there is not a lot you can do on the training pitch to instill resilience! The best kind of preparation for such an eventuality is to actually come against it in a proper game on the pitch.

And that game in Amsterdam during the preseason tournament (that Arsenal won) against a very physical, of all teams, Ajax forced the young gunners to respond in kind. If you kick us we will kick you too!

Just like Flamini did against Scot Parker last Saturday.

Arsenal eventually went on to win the Amsterdam Tournament with a goal in the last minute from that fantastic run by Clichy and Robin van Persie’s finish. They showed that they can play too. The old Ajax way!

This type of attitude and performance resurfaced again before the League started.


It was in a more serious game early in August for the Champions league qualifier at Sparta Prague.

The Czechs’ more physical approach was matched toe to toe by Arsenal culminating in their talisman Tomas Repka getting a taste of his own medicine from all people Cesc Fabregas.

So this is not just “a flash in the pan’. There is indeed resilience, tenacity and competitiveness in this team which may go all the way to the top.

Prompted by Ajax. But emulating them in their old ways.


Fabregas has added a “Peter Storey” attitude to his vast arsenal of talents

Blackburn Vs Arsenal. Predictions and betting suggestions

By Aries (Arsenal Analysis odds analyser) and 1970’s Gooner

Trying to arrive at a reasonable prediction for this game is a tough task. This is because there are still unknowns about both teams.

Arsenal’s line up is still to be decided with a doubt about Eduardo’s fitness and the pending decision by Wenger whether he should start him even if he is fit. This is because Eduardo’s inclusion is likely to mean a shift for Hleb to one of the wide positions.

Wenger may be loath to do that as it will mean changing a winning formula. Also he may not want to give Eduardo his first Premiership game at such a difficult away encounter especially coming after injury without proper training behind him.

Blackburn have a doubt about McCarthy but if he is unfit they still have Roberts to pair with new boy Santa Cruz. The real question however is what strategy and formation will Hughes deploy for this game. This decision will dictate whether he plays with one man up front or with two.

The fact that they got hammered last season home and away by playing the rather brave more attacking approach suggests to me that he will approach this game the same way in that FA Cup victory last season at Ewood Park. Conservatively.

Although Arsenal are a superior side, they had a relatively hard game away in Prague. They will be the more technical side on the day but Blackburn are a tough side.


Prediction by Aries:

Draw, 1-1

I fancy half time : draw, full time: draw

I also fancy Arsenal to score a penalty which is good value at 5/1.

This is because Blackburn will be defending a lot and with Arsenal’s intricate passing in the penalty area mistimed challenges are more than likely. Remember Arsenal were awarded a penalty against Fulham and had a clear penalty decision not given.


Prediction by 1970’s Gooner:

If Wenger sticks to the same formation Away win,0-1. Flamini could ghost through.


Best Odds at time of writing

Arsenal to win : 14/11 Pinnacle
Draw: 23/10 Paddy Power
Blackburn to win : 5/2 Coral

Score: 1-1 6/1 Blue Square
Away win 0-1 7/1 Stan James, Ladbrokes
Half time: Draw and full time: Draw 4/1 Extrabet, Stan James

Flamini to score first or last goal : 28/1 Bet 365
Arsenal to score a penalty: 5/1 Bet 365

Good luck!


Underrated Flamini can do a job at Blackburn

Walcott and Clichy should be the wide players against Blackburn

Underrated Flamini can do a job at Blackburn

By Eros, Arsenal Analysis resident season ticket holder at the Emirates

Mathieu Flamini has seen his luck change almost overnight. He was on the brink of quitting Arsenal during the summer due to his frustration of not getting enough games and slipping down the pecking order of the midfielders’ hierarchy at Arsenal.

How fortunes change. Injuries to other midfielders Diaby and young Denilson along with Gilberto Silva’s forced absence to Copa America duty for Brazil have opened the road for him to show to boss Arsene Wenger that he is more than capable of holding his own.

He has impressed during the two pre season tournaments that Arsenal won. And he has carried that into the first two competitive games of the season.

He put in a very strong performance in Prague and similarly against Fulham, a game I watched from the Emirates North Bank (I’ve changed stand if you’ve been following my posts. I am now at North Upper Stand Row Q).

Watching a game at the stadium as opposed to watching it from the couch gives you a more representative and hands-on view.

I talked to a lot of people that watched that game on the television and they all thought that Flamini was the weak link in our midfield. I had a very different view from high up at the north bank.

I thought he was fantastic; he run himself in to the ground as you would expect from Matty, but most importantly he covered both full backs very well when they ventured forward. Which they often did.

He did the same constantly filling the space up when Cesc was beginning to make those runs from the midfield trying to take advantage of the high defensive line that Fulham were playing.

He even made the built up himself playing a lovely ball to Rosicky at the beginning of the second half releasing him one on one with Fulham’s goalkeeper of the day, Warner.

It looks like Wenger will have to rely on Flamini for some time to come. Gilberto has only now returned from his lay off and will need a few weeks to get back to fitness. Diaby is injured and has withdrawn from a deserved call up for the France national squad.

Flamini’s intenion is of course to continue giving sterling performances so as to present Mr Wenger with a selection headache when the other contenders return.

Starting with Blackburn away. I can see him scoring.


Ed:Watch the goal he scored last season against Blackburn at the Emirates (6-2)on the video screen.


Walcott and Clichy should be the wide players against Blackburn

Hleb is top scorer, Robin needs a Batman and Fabregas is the real captain