1-2, Premier League, Emirates, 2012.09.29
Gervinho 43
Today the Arsenal team from recent weeks didn't show up. Simple as that. I, for one, didn't recognize this team, what happened to our quick and purposeful passing game? Today most of our passes were sideways, rarely quick, concise and straight to the point. Our strong defence didn't show up either. Part of that might be down to the fact that Mertesacker was on the bench, who has been brilliant at the heart of our defence so far this season.
Chelsea were the better team for most of the game, to be fair. We didn't start the game particularly well, it was rather even but then they got a goal from a set-piece when Koscielny failed to keep Torres under control. However, just before half-time we got back on equal terms when Jenkinson's cross found its way to Gervinho, who turned to face the goal and pulled off a remarkable shot from standing completely still! After that goal glimpses of brilliance were seen from us, but then came the half-time whistle and the team looked poor again when they took to the pitch in the second half.
The goal that decided this game made the loss even worse. Mata's free-kick was turned into the back of the net through a deflection off Koscielny, who were the only one near the ball, under no pressure whatsoever. Our attempts to find a second equalizer were rather tame except for two chances, one that Podolski had before being replaced where his header was saved by Cech. The last good chance we had was when Giroud managed to get around Cech, yet his shot was just wide of the goal.
This is obviously a massively disappointing result, our first defeat of the season. I just hope that we will see a different Arsenal on Wednesday when we host Olympiacos at the Emirates.
Injury Update;
- Sagna resumed first team training again since suffering from a broken leg in May, which is really good news even though Jenkinson has done great so far this season!
- Szczesny is about two weeks away due to his ankle injury
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Capital One Cup Fourth Round Draw
We have been drawn against Reading in the Capital One Cup fourth round! It will be an away game against the newly promoted side and it will take place on the 30 of October, that is a Tuesday.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Arsenal vs. Coventry City
6-1, Capital One Cup, Emirates Stadium, 2012.09.26
Giroud 39,
Chamberlain 57,
Arshavin 64,
Walcott 73, 90,
Miquel 80
Sorry for forgetting to mention this cup earlier when the draw took place! The Carling Cup is no more, the League Cup is nowadays called the Capital One Cup. Obviously we were drawn against Coventry in this third round and since the draw for the fourth round is taking place later tonight I shall try and post the result of that tomorrow.
Unfortunately this game wasn't shown on any channel that I've got here in Sweden, but thanks to the Arsenal Player I was able to get audio for this game!
The team was a mix of experience and youth, as it tends to be in the League Cup. The game started
on an even level with plenty of chances for Coventry but a domination in possession from Arsenal. As the first half progressed we created more and more chances, Giroud had a decent shot after thirty-five minutes. Not long after this the French international would get his first goal for the Arsenal. Arshavin played a brilliant ball forward to Coquelin who passed it to Olivier Giroud who cheekily lifted the ball over the 'keeper!
The second half began on a good note as well as a bad note for us. We played some great football and was awarded with a penalty when Arshavin was brought down. Giroud stepped up to take the penalty (after a brief pause as some supporters ran onto the pitch) but he saw his penalty saved by the 'keeper! It was a good penalty but an even better save and on the resulting corner Ignasi Miquel headed the ball into the crossbar. We would, however, get our two-goal cushion before long. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain released a powerful and precise shot from outside the area that went straight into the top corner! Brilliant stuff from the young Englishman and we'll hope to see more of that from him in the near future!
Things continued in the same manner as we increased our lead to 3-0 when Andrey Arshavin received a great pass from Giroud and poked it past the Coventry 'keeper. It was the first goal from the Russian captain in a while and it is certainly a great boost if he is back in proper shape.
About midway through the second half Frimpong made his return from the knee injuries that have tormented him for the past nine months. Just after that substitution Theo Walcott made the scoreline 4-0 when he outpaced his defender and unleashed a shot packed with power that went into the back of the net!
Coventry pulled one back in the 79th minute yet it proved to be naught but a consolation goal since we answered that goal with one of our own. This time it was our Spanish defender Ignasi Miquel who got to score! He met Arshavin's cross with a terrific header that left the 'keeper without a chance.
The following minutes saw a flurry of chances for both teams but after that the game ebbed out a bit but there was still time enough left for one last goal. The game ended 6-1 due to Theo Walcott's second goal of the evening, proving yet again what an amazing asset his speed is and mixing it with a brilliant shot!
A terrific display by the team and what better way to prepare for the game against Chelsea on Saturday..?
Giroud 39,
Chamberlain 57,
Arshavin 64,
Walcott 73, 90,
Miquel 80
Sorry for forgetting to mention this cup earlier when the draw took place! The Carling Cup is no more, the League Cup is nowadays called the Capital One Cup. Obviously we were drawn against Coventry in this third round and since the draw for the fourth round is taking place later tonight I shall try and post the result of that tomorrow.
Unfortunately this game wasn't shown on any channel that I've got here in Sweden, but thanks to the Arsenal Player I was able to get audio for this game!
The team was a mix of experience and youth, as it tends to be in the League Cup. The game started
on an even level with plenty of chances for Coventry but a domination in possession from Arsenal. As the first half progressed we created more and more chances, Giroud had a decent shot after thirty-five minutes. Not long after this the French international would get his first goal for the Arsenal. Arshavin played a brilliant ball forward to Coquelin who passed it to Olivier Giroud who cheekily lifted the ball over the 'keeper!
The second half began on a good note as well as a bad note for us. We played some great football and was awarded with a penalty when Arshavin was brought down. Giroud stepped up to take the penalty (after a brief pause as some supporters ran onto the pitch) but he saw his penalty saved by the 'keeper! It was a good penalty but an even better save and on the resulting corner Ignasi Miquel headed the ball into the crossbar. We would, however, get our two-goal cushion before long. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain released a powerful and precise shot from outside the area that went straight into the top corner! Brilliant stuff from the young Englishman and we'll hope to see more of that from him in the near future!
Things continued in the same manner as we increased our lead to 3-0 when Andrey Arshavin received a great pass from Giroud and poked it past the Coventry 'keeper. It was the first goal from the Russian captain in a while and it is certainly a great boost if he is back in proper shape.
About midway through the second half Frimpong made his return from the knee injuries that have tormented him for the past nine months. Just after that substitution Theo Walcott made the scoreline 4-0 when he outpaced his defender and unleashed a shot packed with power that went into the back of the net!
Coventry pulled one back in the 79th minute yet it proved to be naught but a consolation goal since we answered that goal with one of our own. This time it was our Spanish defender Ignasi Miquel who got to score! He met Arshavin's cross with a terrific header that left the 'keeper without a chance.
The following minutes saw a flurry of chances for both teams but after that the game ebbed out a bit but there was still time enough left for one last goal. The game ended 6-1 due to Theo Walcott's second goal of the evening, proving yet again what an amazing asset his speed is and mixing it with a brilliant shot!
A terrific display by the team and what better way to prepare for the game against Chelsea on Saturday..?
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Manchester City vs. Arsenal
1-1, Premier League, Etihad Stadium, 2012-09-23
Koscielny 82
This game looked to be heading in the direction that we've seen on many occasions with Arsenal in the big games, we play really good yet somehow we manage to lose. Well, maybe we're past that this year!
We dominated the beginning of the first half, played some brilliant football and created some great chances. Gervinho came close to scoring when he made a great run into the box, unfortunately his touch was too heavy and Hart could grab the ball. However, we weren't good enough as we conceded from a corner when Mannone failed to punch it clear and Lescott could head it in at the end of the half.
The second half didn't look as an improvement for us, at the start that is. City had the most possession but we fought our way back into the game and as the end drew near we were the ones who dominated in possession and chances. Then, finally, we were rewarded for our efforts! This was a game of centre-halves scoring from corners, it would prove, as Laurent Koscielny found himself by the ball with a small piece of space following Cazorla's corner; and he fired it into the back of the net! Right in front of the away fans who erupted into euphoric celebrations along with the players! It was an amazing scene and one that will be remembered for quite some time!
City came dangerously close to scoring the minute after when Kompany attempted an overhead kick, which was saved by Mannone but then a clearing ended up at the feet of Agüero, whose shot was (fortunately) off-target!
We are currently located at the fifth place of the table, which is good since we've played many difficult away games in the past couple of games. Next up is Chelsea at the Emirates, which will be yet another test but so far we've done excellent so let's hope we continue that run!
Injury Update;
- Vermaelen missed out on this game through an illness.
- Wilshere and Frimpong have both resumed full-training and are getting closer to a return in the team!
- Sagna is about two weeks away and Rosicky is about three weeks away at the moment.
Koscielny 82
This game looked to be heading in the direction that we've seen on many occasions with Arsenal in the big games, we play really good yet somehow we manage to lose. Well, maybe we're past that this year!
We dominated the beginning of the first half, played some brilliant football and created some great chances. Gervinho came close to scoring when he made a great run into the box, unfortunately his touch was too heavy and Hart could grab the ball. However, we weren't good enough as we conceded from a corner when Mannone failed to punch it clear and Lescott could head it in at the end of the half.
The second half didn't look as an improvement for us, at the start that is. City had the most possession but we fought our way back into the game and as the end drew near we were the ones who dominated in possession and chances. Then, finally, we were rewarded for our efforts! This was a game of centre-halves scoring from corners, it would prove, as Laurent Koscielny found himself by the ball with a small piece of space following Cazorla's corner; and he fired it into the back of the net! Right in front of the away fans who erupted into euphoric celebrations along with the players! It was an amazing scene and one that will be remembered for quite some time!
City came dangerously close to scoring the minute after when Kompany attempted an overhead kick, which was saved by Mannone but then a clearing ended up at the feet of Agüero, whose shot was (fortunately) off-target!
We are currently located at the fifth place of the table, which is good since we've played many difficult away games in the past couple of games. Next up is Chelsea at the Emirates, which will be yet another test but so far we've done excellent so let's hope we continue that run!
Injury Update;
- Vermaelen missed out on this game through an illness.
- Wilshere and Frimpong have both resumed full-training and are getting closer to a return in the team!
- Sagna is about two weeks away and Rosicky is about three weeks away at the moment.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Montpellier vs. Arsenal
2-1, Champions League: Group B, La Mosson, 2012-09-18
Podolski 16,
Gervinho 18
A massive away victory! To win your first game of the group stage is always a treat, but to do it on an away ground is impressive, not to mention away against last year's French Champions! It was truly nail-biting towards the end, but we held onto our three points and they were well deserved.
Like the game on Saturday, we were much better in the first half. We were unlucky to get a penalty against us early in the game, you don't see those situations awarded with penalties often! But in the end our early domination proved to be too much for the French. We basically played circles around Montpellier in the beginning and finding ourselves 1-0 down will only increase the pressure.
Our two top scorers so far this season struck one each to win us this game, much to the satisfaction of the away fans. The equalizer came through our three new players. Cazorla played a ball toward Giroud, who at once played it onwards toward Lukas Podolski. The German striker had just enough time to ensure that his shot would go past the 'keeper and into the back of the net.
We didn't have to wait long for the goal that would grant us the victory. Just two minutes later Jenkinson produced a brilliant cross that was met by Gervinho, who scored from close-range.
The rest of the game was a mix of chances for both teams, but as the end drew nearer Montpellier built up quite some pressure. Fortunately we held on to ensure that we'd start this Champions League campaign with a victory.
Next up for us in the Champions League is a home game against Olympiacos, which we quite frankly just have to win! However, before that we have some league games. I have the Manchester City game on Sunday in mind particularly. It will doubtless be a tough game but we can beat them if we keep playing like we have recently.
Injury Update;
- Diaby played the entire game and looked as though he has recovered from his injury.
Podolski 16,
Gervinho 18
A massive away victory! To win your first game of the group stage is always a treat, but to do it on an away ground is impressive, not to mention away against last year's French Champions! It was truly nail-biting towards the end, but we held onto our three points and they were well deserved.
Like the game on Saturday, we were much better in the first half. We were unlucky to get a penalty against us early in the game, you don't see those situations awarded with penalties often! But in the end our early domination proved to be too much for the French. We basically played circles around Montpellier in the beginning and finding ourselves 1-0 down will only increase the pressure.
Our two top scorers so far this season struck one each to win us this game, much to the satisfaction of the away fans. The equalizer came through our three new players. Cazorla played a ball toward Giroud, who at once played it onwards toward Lukas Podolski. The German striker had just enough time to ensure that his shot would go past the 'keeper and into the back of the net.
We didn't have to wait long for the goal that would grant us the victory. Just two minutes later Jenkinson produced a brilliant cross that was met by Gervinho, who scored from close-range.
The rest of the game was a mix of chances for both teams, but as the end drew nearer Montpellier built up quite some pressure. Fortunately we held on to ensure that we'd start this Champions League campaign with a victory.
Next up for us in the Champions League is a home game against Olympiacos, which we quite frankly just have to win! However, before that we have some league games. I have the Manchester City game on Sunday in mind particularly. It will doubtless be a tough game but we can beat them if we keep playing like we have recently.
Injury Update;
- Diaby played the entire game and looked as though he has recovered from his injury.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Arsenal vs. Southampton
6-1, Premier League, Emirates, 2012-09-15
Hooiveld 11 (og),
Podolski 31,
Gervinho 35, 71,
Clyne 37 (og),
Walcott 89
What a game by the Arsenal! This was the best I've seen us play for quite some time! We were especially radiant in the first half, the team played in perfect unison. It felt as though the team truly came together in this game, along with a breathtaking passing game!
The first half in particular showcased Arsenal at its best. We played a fast-paced passing game (not really news) with exact precision and players who complemented each other perfectly. We put Southampton under pressure from the first minute and didn't stop until the ref blew his whistle to mark the end of the half.
Even though the first goal was an own goal it was only made possible by some brilliance from Podolski and Gibbs in particular. The German striker showed amazing strength when he managed to keep the ball when surrounded by Southampton players and he played it out to Gibbs, whose cross would've met Podolski if it wasn't for the fact that Hooiveld got in between to score an unfortunate own goal.
Getting an early goal is always crucial in these games, but we were not quite done yet with the half. Lukas Podolski would get his goal when he struck a free-kick superbly, mixing power with precision to find the back of the net. It was an astounding goal and it was met with chants of 'he scores when he wants' from all around the Emirates.
This game would also prove to be a fruitful one for our Ivorian winger, who scored a brace in this game. His first goal was without doubt his most beautiful. Arteta provided the skilled assist, Gervinho made a great run and finished the move off with a shot by the near-post.
The half ended with two goals scored by Southampton, one which was yet another own goal and once again it was Gibbs who provided it as his cross was deflected in by Clyne. The only disappointment of this game came at the end of the first half when Szczesny failed to collect the ball and it dropped straight at the feet of Danny Fox, who put it in the back of the empty net. It's obviously always disappointing to concede, especially when we had had a good run of clean sheets, but shit happens and as long as we score more than we concede we have no cause for complaint!
We dropped a lot of our pace and urgency in the second half, yet that does not mean that we became idle. It's only natural that a team cannot maintain as fast a pace as we had kept in the first half, couple that with the fact that Southampton upped their game for the second half and you get that the game will have slowed down a bit. However, we kept the control of the game and managed to squeeze in two more goals before the end of the game.
Aaron Ramsey came on in the second half and it did not take long before the Welsh captain made an impact. He made a great run that took him past the defence and produced an even greater shot that deserved to find the back of the net. Unfortunately it hit the post, but Gervinho was quick to tap the rebound in. An easy goal for the Ivorian, yet it is an important quality for a striker to know where to be and when, which he definitely proved with this goal.
It was a former Southampton player who got to round the game off with a goal of his own. No, I'm not talking about the Ox. The move was created by Santi Cazorla (as more or less all of our moves these days, the Spaniard is utterly amazing with his technique) who sneaked a ball in for Vermaelen, who himself had ventured far from his defensive role. The Belgian's shot was saved by the 'keeper, but the ball found its way to Theo Walcott who released a powerful shot to make the scoreline 6-1. The Englishman had been ill earlier in the week, missing out on an international game, but there was no trace of that in his shot.
6-1 may look good, but let's not get carried away. Next up is the opening game of the Champions League against Montpellier, then we have two tough games in the Premier League. Next weekend it's away against Manchester City and then we play Chelsea at home the weekend after. Those are quite some tests that we have ahead of us, let's hope that we're up to the challenge!
Injury Update;
- Diaby picked up a slight injury whilst on international duty for France. He could've played in this game, but just as a precaution he was rested.
- Wilshere, Frimpong and Sagna are all approaching their return to the squad, it shouldn't be long for any of them now.
Hooiveld 11 (og),
Podolski 31,
Gervinho 35, 71,
Clyne 37 (og),
Walcott 89
What a game by the Arsenal! This was the best I've seen us play for quite some time! We were especially radiant in the first half, the team played in perfect unison. It felt as though the team truly came together in this game, along with a breathtaking passing game!
The first half in particular showcased Arsenal at its best. We played a fast-paced passing game (not really news) with exact precision and players who complemented each other perfectly. We put Southampton under pressure from the first minute and didn't stop until the ref blew his whistle to mark the end of the half.
Even though the first goal was an own goal it was only made possible by some brilliance from Podolski and Gibbs in particular. The German striker showed amazing strength when he managed to keep the ball when surrounded by Southampton players and he played it out to Gibbs, whose cross would've met Podolski if it wasn't for the fact that Hooiveld got in between to score an unfortunate own goal.
Getting an early goal is always crucial in these games, but we were not quite done yet with the half. Lukas Podolski would get his goal when he struck a free-kick superbly, mixing power with precision to find the back of the net. It was an astounding goal and it was met with chants of 'he scores when he wants' from all around the Emirates.
This game would also prove to be a fruitful one for our Ivorian winger, who scored a brace in this game. His first goal was without doubt his most beautiful. Arteta provided the skilled assist, Gervinho made a great run and finished the move off with a shot by the near-post.
The half ended with two goals scored by Southampton, one which was yet another own goal and once again it was Gibbs who provided it as his cross was deflected in by Clyne. The only disappointment of this game came at the end of the first half when Szczesny failed to collect the ball and it dropped straight at the feet of Danny Fox, who put it in the back of the empty net. It's obviously always disappointing to concede, especially when we had had a good run of clean sheets, but shit happens and as long as we score more than we concede we have no cause for complaint!
We dropped a lot of our pace and urgency in the second half, yet that does not mean that we became idle. It's only natural that a team cannot maintain as fast a pace as we had kept in the first half, couple that with the fact that Southampton upped their game for the second half and you get that the game will have slowed down a bit. However, we kept the control of the game and managed to squeeze in two more goals before the end of the game.
Aaron Ramsey came on in the second half and it did not take long before the Welsh captain made an impact. He made a great run that took him past the defence and produced an even greater shot that deserved to find the back of the net. Unfortunately it hit the post, but Gervinho was quick to tap the rebound in. An easy goal for the Ivorian, yet it is an important quality for a striker to know where to be and when, which he definitely proved with this goal.
It was a former Southampton player who got to round the game off with a goal of his own. No, I'm not talking about the Ox. The move was created by Santi Cazorla (as more or less all of our moves these days, the Spaniard is utterly amazing with his technique) who sneaked a ball in for Vermaelen, who himself had ventured far from his defensive role. The Belgian's shot was saved by the 'keeper, but the ball found its way to Theo Walcott who released a powerful shot to make the scoreline 6-1. The Englishman had been ill earlier in the week, missing out on an international game, but there was no trace of that in his shot.
6-1 may look good, but let's not get carried away. Next up is the opening game of the Champions League against Montpellier, then we have two tough games in the Premier League. Next weekend it's away against Manchester City and then we play Chelsea at home the weekend after. Those are quite some tests that we have ahead of us, let's hope that we're up to the challenge!
Injury Update;
- Diaby picked up a slight injury whilst on international duty for France. He could've played in this game, but just as a precaution he was rested.
- Wilshere, Frimpong and Sagna are all approaching their return to the squad, it shouldn't be long for any of them now.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Liverpool vs. Arsenal
2-0, Premier League, Anfield, 2012-09-02
Podolski 31,
Cazorla 68
We are finally back in the goalscoring business, and we're in it with style. After two goalless draws we have claimed a fantastic win away against Liverpool and we've kept our third clean-sheet of the season whilst doing it! Also great for two of our new boys, Podolski and Cazorla, to get on the score-sheet and build up some confidence for the rest of the season.
This game was played at a fast pace over the entire ninety minutes. However, I do get the feeling that that only played to our advantage. It is difficult for one team to try and up the pace of the game alone and as we prefer short, quick passes we are good at playing a fast paced game. The first half was pretty much all over the place, but we were the ones who found ourselves ahead at half time. Lukas Podolski started a counter-attack by playing the ball to Cazorla and then going on an amazing run into the box, where the Spaniard found him with a perfect pass and the German attacker could place the ball past Reina. This was our first goal of the season and the relief was evident on all of the players, we are finally on our way!
In the second half Liverpool began building up more pressure, especially through the introduction of Downing. But we managed to hold strong and scored through yet another brilliant run, this time from our new Spaniard. Santi Cazorla made the run into the box, received a pass from Podolski (reversed roles this time around) and got a shot at Reina in a really tight angle. I, for one, did not think that it would go in when I saw Reina get his body over the ball, but it squeezed in below him and we had our two-goal lead! It felt great to have the cushion and it truly felt as though we were going to get our first win!
I don't know whether we should thank Steve Bould for this new and strong defence, but something has changed over the summer and we managed to hold on to the lead and keep our third clean-sheet. Thomas Vermaelen were brilliant at the heart of the defence and Kieran Gibbs has made huge improvements over the summer, he might very well be our best player so far this season. Another player to stand out in this game, although who isn't a defender, is Abou Diaby. He was a ledge in the midfield who won the ball and created lots of chances.
Now we face an international break, but two weeks from now we face Southampton at the Emirates on Saturday.
Injury Update;
-Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared to pick up an injury in the second half and was replaced by Ramsey.
-Thomas Vermaelen was replaced in the 90th minute, hopefully it was nothing serious!
Podolski 31,
Cazorla 68
We are finally back in the goalscoring business, and we're in it with style. After two goalless draws we have claimed a fantastic win away against Liverpool and we've kept our third clean-sheet of the season whilst doing it! Also great for two of our new boys, Podolski and Cazorla, to get on the score-sheet and build up some confidence for the rest of the season.
This game was played at a fast pace over the entire ninety minutes. However, I do get the feeling that that only played to our advantage. It is difficult for one team to try and up the pace of the game alone and as we prefer short, quick passes we are good at playing a fast paced game. The first half was pretty much all over the place, but we were the ones who found ourselves ahead at half time. Lukas Podolski started a counter-attack by playing the ball to Cazorla and then going on an amazing run into the box, where the Spaniard found him with a perfect pass and the German attacker could place the ball past Reina. This was our first goal of the season and the relief was evident on all of the players, we are finally on our way!
In the second half Liverpool began building up more pressure, especially through the introduction of Downing. But we managed to hold strong and scored through yet another brilliant run, this time from our new Spaniard. Santi Cazorla made the run into the box, received a pass from Podolski (reversed roles this time around) and got a shot at Reina in a really tight angle. I, for one, did not think that it would go in when I saw Reina get his body over the ball, but it squeezed in below him and we had our two-goal lead! It felt great to have the cushion and it truly felt as though we were going to get our first win!
I don't know whether we should thank Steve Bould for this new and strong defence, but something has changed over the summer and we managed to hold on to the lead and keep our third clean-sheet. Thomas Vermaelen were brilliant at the heart of the defence and Kieran Gibbs has made huge improvements over the summer, he might very well be our best player so far this season. Another player to stand out in this game, although who isn't a defender, is Abou Diaby. He was a ledge in the midfield who won the ball and created lots of chances.
Now we face an international break, but two weeks from now we face Southampton at the Emirates on Saturday.
Injury Update;
-Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared to pick up an injury in the second half and was replaced by Ramsey.
-Thomas Vermaelen was replaced in the 90th minute, hopefully it was nothing serious!
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