Matches

Preview: Manchester United - Arsenal

Arsenal continues the Premier League with another tough match. Arsenal will travel to Old Trafford to play Manchester United wanting to get the firsth win in the league this year. After a goalless draw against Newcastle and a terrible 2-0 beat at Emirates to Liverpool Arsene Wenger and his squad are looking for a positive experience in the league.

Arsenal will miss a number of players while Manchester United tried a new and young team against Tottenham, winning impressive 3-0.

If Arsenal goes without scoring this round it will be the firsth season since the 1953/1954 season that happen. And it will be a tough task to score against the ruling Champions. United was the best home team, only one team managed to get points at Old Trafford, namely West Bromwich.

Last year Arsenal won 1-0 with Aaron Ramseys crucial goal. What a bust for the team if they had repeated that result! But on Old Trafford Arsenal lost 2-0.

Probably Arsenal lineup:

Szczesny

Sagna - Vermaelen - Koscielny - Jenkinson

Walcott - Ramsey - Rosicky - Arshavin

Chamakh - Van Persie

Possible substitusions:

Fabianski

Djorou

Traore

Miquel

Bendtner

Oxlade-Chamberlain

Landsbury

Myachi

 

Superb win away against Udinese qualifies Arsenal to Champions league!

Also in norwegian!

Udinese 1-2 Arsenal, 1-3 on aggregate

Arsenal has reach the Champions league group stage after a fantastic win away against Udinese where Arsenal showed attacking skills and caracter. After being down 1-0 after a Di Natale goal for Udinese, Arsenal showed great caracter and went out in second half with offensive press. Arsenal had a lot of chances and the goal had to come, and it came. 

Gervinho used his fantastisc pase and tecnique to delivere a perfect hard pass to Robin Van Persie who could not do anything other than score. 

Arsenal was just finished with celebrating the goal before Udinese got a unintelligble penalty. The refere had apparently seen a handboal (that no other on the stadium had seen) on Thomas Vermaelen and a yellow card was given to the arsenal defender. The Udinese star striker Di Natale steppping forward to take the penalty and give Udinese the lead, but so easy was not it. Szczesny showed his incredible range he has by saving the penalty entirely by the post. The penalty save showing that nothing will stop Arsenal for reaching the group stage in Champions league!

After the penalty save Arsenal regane the controll in the match and Sagna delivered a clever pass to Walcott where Theo used his speed to come alone with the keeper and sending the ball on the left side for the keeper and into the goal! A good goal that secured Arsenals place in the Champions league.

The rest of the match Arsenal had totally controll and it was only one team on the pitch. Arsenal where closer to put a third goal than Udinese was to a second. After the match it was a relived Arsene Wenger being interviewed.

"Yes, I am relived. We are also proud of playing a superb match and coming back after being 1-0 down. Of course we wants to play in the best tournament, it is there we belong. Maybe this will bring some new players to the club now, but I can not say any names jet" says Arsene Wenger after the match 

There are no doubt this will save a bit of the season for the gunners. This may even be a result bringing new players to Arsenal. Eden Hazard has told that he will join Arsenal, but only if they qualifies to the Champions League.

Arsene Wenger has been exposed for a massiv press both from the supporters and the press, but this will probably end the discusion about Arsene Wengers position in Arsenal.

Player rankings:

W.Szczesny : 9.0

B.Sagna : 7.0

T.Vermaelen : 7.0

J.Djorou : 7.0

C.Jenkinson : 6.5

E.Frimpong : 5.5

A.Song : 7.0

A.Ramsey : 6.5

T.Walcott : 8.0

R. Van Perise : 8.0

Gervinho: 9.0

Substitutions:

T.Rosicky 6.5

A.Traore *.*

A.Arshavin *.*

 

Preview: Udinese-Arsenal

Arsenal has a 1-0 victory after the firsth leg on Emirates to rely on. It was a close match, but Theo Walcotts early goal proved to be the difference between the teams. Szczensy had some amazing saves, but also Arsenal had the opportunity to score more goals.

Arsenal need to not let Udinese striker Di Natale get the opportunities to score goals because he has proven that he can score the most spectaculary goals for the italiens.

For arsenal can Gervinho and Song play, while they still banned for Premier League, and should regain there starting positions. Djorou is fit again after beeing injured the last week, same is Traore. Rosicky will face a last fitness test today, and if he pass he will play the match.

Arsene Wenger says the match is important, and that the team will be absolutely motivated to the game. They will do all they can to beat and qualified to the Champions League.

Probable lineups:
Szczesny
Jenkinson - Vermaelen- Djorou - Sagna
Ramsey - Song - Rosicky
Walcott - Van Persie- Gervinho

Possible substitutes:
Fabianski
Frimpong
Chamakh
Traore
Bendtner
Landsbury
Arshavin
Miquel

 

2-0 defeat against Liverpool

Arsene Wenger chould be prepare for more critical questions after a unlucky defeat against Liverpool. It was a close game until Frimpong got his second yellow card. Liverpool got more space and took over the game. The firsth goal was a really unlucky own goal where the debutant Miquel shot the ball into Ramsey so the ball did get a perfect arc over Szczesny and into the goal. Arsenal tried to reduce the score but in stead Liverpool scored a second goal on a fast attack when most of the Arsenal players still was in attack.

Arsenal got bad news already after 14 minutes, Laurent Koscielny had to be substitue with the youngster Miquel. Before the match already Arsenal had huge injuries problems so thsi was absolutely not what Arsene Wenger and Arsenal needed. It did that Wenger had to play with three debuts in Miquel, Jenkinson and Frimpong and later Landsbury.

Now it will be a really important match against Udinese in Italy in the middle of the week where Arsenal have a 1-0 victory after the firsth leg at Emirates. For match report: http://thearsenalblogg.blogspot.com/2011/08/decisive-match-in-udine.html

The player ratings:

W. Szczesny 8.0: - played a really good match, could not do anything with the two goals, but had some amazing saves

C.Jenkinson 6.0: - played a good debut, but was a bit passive so it came a lot of croses into the arsenal box from his side

T.Vermaelen 9.0: - with no doubt Arsenal best player, where was the mistakes? Had full controll with Andy Caroll.

L.Koscielny **: Played good until he got injured just after 14 minutes. Huge set back for arsenal.

B.Sagna 6.5: Played good and solid on right back. Was good offensive, and had controll defencive to.

E.Frimpong 5.5: Started sloppy, but got bether. Was close to score on a long distance shot in firsth half. Played tough the hole game and the red card was no suprise.

A.Ramsey 6.0: Had a lot of passes that did not come trough. Was invisible in many minutes of the match.

T.Walcott 6.5: Lost the ball several times and did not create much.  
S.Nasri 7.5: Did play a good match. Created some chances alone. Was Arsenal most dangerous player for Liverpool.
A.Arshavin 6.0: Had a lot of misses, but also some good involvments, not close to his top level
R.Van Persie 7.0: Did not have many chances but the few chances he had he made something of. Had a huge chance after about 70 minutes where it should have been a goal for Arsenal.



Szczesny played a good match



Subsitutions:

I.Miquel 7.0: Played a impressive debut after comming in for Koscielny. Had controll and proved that he is a talent for the future.

H.Landsbury **: Came in after Frimpong's red card. Played ok.
N.Bendtner**: Did came in to reduce for Arsenal, but did not have any opportunity

 

 

Preview: Arsenal-Liverpool

A victory today against Liverpool can be really important and stop the caos that are in the club. The fans are critic to Wenger selling and not buying, several player are injured and both Gervinho and Song are suspended.

A defeat, unlike a victory, will create more caos. And the next matches after the Liverpool match are away against Udinese where they have to loose with just 1 goal, play draw or win the match. Next weekend Arsenal plays at Old Trafford. It is no doubt that it is not just joy and happiness in the london club right now, but a victory today could end that situation.

For many years the problem for Arsenal has been the keepers, but now Szczesny seems to be the right man in that position. This year it is more on the field we have problems. Van persie needs help to score goals, and the midtfield needs more players after Fabregas and maybe Nasri leaving the club. Clichy leaved the club in defences, so it would not be stupid to buy a defender to.

Lets hope Arsenal wins the match!

thearsenalblogg's tips: 2-1 to Arsenal

Probably lineup for Arsenal:

Szczesny

Sagna - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Jenkinson

Frimpong - Ramsey

Walcott - Arshavin - Oxlade-Chamberlain

Van Persie

Or:

Szczesny

Sagna - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Jenkinson

Frimpong - Ramsey

Walcott - Van Persie - Arshavin

Chamakh

 

Injuries before the Liverpool-match

Arsene Wenger has many things to decide before the important match against Liverpool. Liverpool played a okey match home against Stoke, it ended 1-1. Not especially good, but Suarez did missed a penalty. One thing that is certaintly, is that Arsenal must play bether than they did against Newcastle. Arsene need to put together the right team to have the chance to beat Liverpool, and he have one problem. Arsenal has many injuries before the match.

Alex Song and Gervinho are suspennded for three games, after the Newcastle match.

Jack Wilshere will not be able to play the match because an ankle injured. He will be back in the start of September.

Tomas Rosicky is struggling with his groin and it is doubtful that he can play the match.

Johan Djorou and Kieran Gibbs will not play the match after they both damaged a tendon in the knee.

In addition Arman Traore also got injured last weekend, but this time in a reserve match. He injured his groin. So Arsene Wenger have a problem in defence.

Abou Diaby is injured long term injured.

The most likely starting team will be:

Szczesny

Sagna - Kosscielny - Vermaelen - Jenkinson 

Arshavin - Ramsey - Frimpong

Van Persie - Chamakh - Walcott

 

 

Decisive match in Udine

Arsenal won a 1-0 victory in a close match against Udinese in the firsth leg of the play-off matches to Champions League. Arsenal started best and with Theo Walcott fabioulos goal after Aaron Ramsey's crose into the near post, Arsenal took the lead. Gervinho could, or maybe should, given Arsenal a second goal only 5 minutes after Arsenal firsth goal in the 4th minute.

The result dose not reflect the match pretty good. Yes, Arsenal could have scored a second goal already in the start of the match, but Udinese had plenty of opportunities to equalized the score. Udinese was close, but they missed there chance to take advantage of an away goal. The fact that Udinese do not have this away goal makes the match in Udine much more exiting.

Arsenal will have a fare, but not easy, task to reach the group stage in Champions League.

The team, with rating from 1-10:

Wojciech Szczesny_____7.5
Bacary Sagna_________7.0
Thomas Vermaelen_____6.0
Laurent Koscielny______5.5
Kieran Gibbs__________6.0
Theo Walcott__________7.0
Aaron Ramsey_________7.5
Alex Song____________6.5
Gervinho_____________7.0
Tomas Rosicky________6.0
Marouane Chamakh____5.5

Substitues:

Johan Djorou_________*.*

Carl Jenkinson________6.0

Emmanuel Frimpong____*.*

 

 

Arsenal 0-0 against Newcastle

Arsenal were hold to a goalless draw away against Newcastle United. Gervinho was sent off after 75 minutes, regardless he played a good debut for Arsenal in the Premier League. Both Robin Van Persie and Theo Walcott were really close to score, but Newcastle keeper Tim Krul played a good match and closed the target.

The team:


Wojciech Szczesny
Bacary Sagna

Thomas Vermaelen

Laurent Koscielny

Kieran Gibbs

Alex Song

Tomas Rosicky 

Aaron Ramsey

Andrey Arshavin

Gervinho

Robin van Persie

Substitues:

Theo Walcott

Emmanuel Frimpong

Johan Djorou





Newcastle  United - Arsenal

Last year: 4-4, after Arsenal leading 4-0

I will unfortunately be on training camp in the weekend and will not have a chance to write about the match, but I will be back to the important play off match to the Champions League against Udinese