So what did we learn against Barnet?
So.. we are one game closer to the start of the season and yesterday we turned the mighty Barnet over to the tune of four goals to nil. Not bad.
You can’t look into these games too much though, there was a decent mix of youth and experience with the chance for a player or two to seal a move away, and a couple of others to persuade the boss to integrate them into the first team in the season coming.
Here is what I took from the game, I watched a full re-run on Arsenal TV last night:
- Jack Wilshere is an unbelievable talent. We have known this for quite some time but he is getting better and better, the praise has to be in moderation though. The last two pre-season’s he has arguably been the star and looked every bit a first team player, this form hasn’t always been carried into the games he has been given a chance in which admittedly, have been few and far between. I see him staying and getting games.
- Emmanuel Frimpong has bulked up and looks a player – aggressive, quick and snapping at heels, the sort of powerful player I have been crying out for in midfield. I wonder if we could see him alongside Alex Song in a few games this season, those two could provide a hell of a shield to the defence (which I’ll come to later) in games where we have to be wary of counter-attacks and teams taking the game to us.
- Andrey Arshavin looked more interested, which is definitely a positive sign. The first goal was nonchalant but the main aspect of his play was his willingness to run at the defence, he opened up the opportunities for players to break ahead of him and make runs across, the third goal is a good example. His passing was more assured too. Its good to know that he is challenged by his younger team-mates though. Jack Wilshere tore a strip off him for not tracking back at one point – good to see the audacity and confidence of someone so young to challenge a much senior player but it is needed.
- I don’t believe Almunia was ‘ill’, and the absence of Eduardo said to me that they will be off pretty soon, maybe both to Spain.
- Chamakh is a decent player from what we saw yesterday, especially in the second half when the service was parched. He seems like one of those players who makes the football look like a pinball, the ball comes into him and all you see it the ball accelerating in another direction as he moves it on straight away without hesitation. Looked quite powerful too, definitely has the physique for the Premiership.
- Which brings me on to Laurent Koscielny, he needs to bulk up – he admitted it is his weakness and he isn’t wrong. He looks about as strong as a sweet wrapper in a hurricane – get him on the protein, creatine, steak breakfasts – everything Arsene. That is not saying he looked a bad player though, he was nervous but he was by no means bad.
- Jay Simpson will demand a respectable fee – two goals and a good performance, he might be in the Premiership next season.
- Worryingly, there was no change in defensive strategy, the long ball over the top still seems to panic our defence and we will not get anywhere with no defensive improvement. Even the finest defender in the world would struggle where there is not much focus on defensive drills and partnership building. Defenders need to improve tackling, heading and reading of the game, not so much emphasis on playing the ball out of defence.
Those are just the thoughts that pop into my head immediately – the players are now in Austria and play again on Wednesday. Catch it on TV Online.
What did you think?
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Seeing as we had none of our world cup players make an appearance it was like playing a pre season as practice for our upcoming injury woes.
The first half was pretty good, I don’t know whether it was because of the players we had on the pitch or that the Barnet midfield was weak but we the run of the pitch and should have scored more.
The second half highlighted our frailty’s though, theo had some great service, made some great runs but he still has no awareness and when cornered runs out of ideas. Instead of constantly trying to make his case for the CF role by drifting in and thus leaving gaps on the right side he should focus on developing the skills necessary to be a good winger. Keen awareness of other players positions, sticking to the touchline and pounding in crosses to our new aerial goal machine instead of forcing Chamakh to come outside and fill the space theo leaves behind just before theo gets dispossessed for running into a wall.
Theo wants to be Henry and I think he could if he did what he was told or maybe we just bought him at the wrong time in his development. Whatever though I think Theo needs to be brought back down to earth a little, I’m hoping being left out of the world cup squad will do him good, that way he’ll see that even though he can on a good day play wright-phillips and lennon off the park they know how to do what they’re told.
As I said earlier knowing our luck with injuries, we could well have seen what our first team will consist of for large parts of the season as per usual. Unfortunately for Wilshire with Ramsey out we need him in the squad but he won’t get many games, another spell at Bolton where they not only love him but he grew immensely as player. Would no doubt have made him a likely contender for Fabregas spot when he eventually goes.
Frimpong was man of the match by far.
Great run-down Goon. I agree completely, and especial the bit about Frimpong playing next to Song as his terrier like enthusiasm would be perfect in the CM or 2nd DM role.
@ Bongo. I disagree about walcott. I think he IS following instructions and Wenger told him to come in off the wing more to play off the last man sometimes. One of Walcotts weaknesses was being left out of the game too much when he doesn’t get the service, usually because he’s being man marked. So to avoid the game by-passing him when that happens he does the right thing by drifting across the defensive line, dragging defenders out of position for others to exploit, and making runs behind which he is so good at but rarely gets to do from the wing.
It’s interesting because in the Barnet game when this happened i thought the formation naturally adapted to a kinda 4222 with Lansbury and Henderson as the deep lying playmakers, Barazite and Nasri as AM who theoretically could drift out wide or look for space to receive the ball. Then with Chamack along side Walcott he is the perfect target man, ready to lay the ball off via foot or head just like Goonblog wrote in his post.
I think it’s a great system and will allow Walcott to really shine.