After months of hitting out at Barcelona for their tapping up of Cesc, the official site have lowered themselves to their level with this article with Bakary Sagna talking about Emir Spahic, the Montpellier defender.
Its the lowest of the low, and just months after arsenal.con introduced the hit spieling Transfer Linked feature it really doesn’t put the club in a position to moan about Barcelona’s tactics – if they did moan about it they have been doing just the same themselves.
Whoever edits that site needs to take a serious look at themselves and how it makes the club look to the fans (who are cringing) and the wider footballing public. It is a disgrace.
The defence…. or lack of.
Last season there was mistake after mistake after mistake. We conceded over forty goals – that lost us the title, or at least put us in a position where winning it was impossible, titles are not won with a defence with as many holes in it as a sieve.
Last seasons first choice back five:
Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy
The current back five:
Almunia/Fabianski. Sagna, Koscielny/Djourou, Vermaelen, Clichy
If there is any improvement there I would like you to point that out to me now – because all I see is regression. Just being in this situation is the fault of Arsene Wenger, of course we can blame the players to a certain degree and that is entirely fair but it is he who brought them into the club, it is he who puts them in that team, it is he who sorts out the tactics, and it is he who has the power to spend the money to improve our weakest area.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a massive fan of the boss but you do have to ask questions, why is he continuously rewarding failure. None of that back five should be assured of a place in the team this season because they failed last time out… where is the competition?
In the past few seasons we have conceded a lot of so called wonder goals – Geovanni – Danny Rose – Grant Leadbitter… (this is just a few I can remember off the top of my head and feel free to add more in the comments) In each of those goals, whilst they are magnificent strikes, better defending – more pressing etc. or better goalkeeping would have stopped the player getting the shot away in the first place.
It was only a pre season game yesterday – but we conceded five goals with pretty much our first choice defence. There is something really, really, wrong.
I’m not going to try and over analyse it because it will get us nowhere, we know the problems.
Now they need fixing properly.
More later…
Arsenal News 24/7
You touched a very good point IMO: the lack of competition in our back 5, and not just in our central defense but on the flanks too.
clichy had a forgettable season last year but he is pretty much sure to play every game. i’m curious if gibbs will be given starts ahead of clichy.
sagna has a bit of competition but eboue is also required to cover for walcott so sagna is not too stressed out.
of course the lack of competition comes from the lack of depth.
one may argue that this players we have right now would play better if there was anybody else who could step in if needed.
Where is the competition? Are you kidding me? Only Vermaelen has no competition for his place. Forget about the goalkeepers for a minute, competition between who’s least horrible is not really competition. Sagna has very strong competition in the form of Eboue a player who is just as capable at defending as sagna but is far better going forward and scores more goals. Clichy has some good competition in Gibbs, who still has more experience to gain but is not far behind him and well the other CB’s are fighting each other for their place.
Defense is a key issue, but it’s one that can be resolved. The problem from set pieces is not solely down to defenders, set pieces are defended by the entire team, that’s where we are let down too often. Arshavin, walcott, nasri, vela, wilshire, are not gonna be able to provide any kind of proper defence in the box for a set piece because they’re not going to win any high balls. That’s where the keeper is supposed to come in, players like those can stick to a player and make it difficult for them to leap giving the keeper enough time to come out for that high ball. We don’t have a confident, commanding keeper that will cover those players and let koscielny, vermaelen, chamakh and our other high ball winners to deal with the aerial threats of the opposition.
Legia warsaw and the other set piece goals we conceded during pre season show that our defenders have to much to do because they know we don’t have a keeper that will jump through players to get the ball.
You nailed it: where are the improvements? We improved the offensive lineup but defense + goalkeeping cost us the title (again). I read everything AW puts out in media and I am now convinced that winning HIS WAY is more important to him than winning PERIOD. In other words, he knows our defense and goalkeepers are below average — and not good enough to **guarantee** a title challenge (he is HOPING they will hold up for a challenge). But the bottom line is, if he went out and bought a top keeper or a top center half, he would need to spend 18-20M (minimum) to do it…which would mean the media would write volumes about AW throwing in the towel on his project, which is to win “purely” without massive spending. Combine the costs it would take for a top quality keeper, CB with what he’s spent on Kos and you’re approaching 30M in spending, in one transfer cycle. AW is simply too committed to the idea that Arsenal will be the team to win without spending, so he won’t do it. There’s a Capt. Ahab quality about it and its frustrating for fans, but at the same time, I respect him massively for actually affixing himself to a principle. It’s just too bad because our top players will not want to wait around forever, HOPING that they’ll get a shot to win.
I’ve been saying this all pre season.
The defence was the area we needed to improve on, including the GK. Wenger has been quoted a number of times saying we need reinforcements in both areas.
The fact he has done nothing is worrying.Money is no longer an issue and we are going to be reporting record profits of some £90m in the next few weeks.
We know he’s worried about value in the market, but sorry the market is the market and at times you have to spend a few £m more than you want.
It is totally unacceptable that we have keepers who wouldn’t get in a top 6 side and a threadbare centre back pairing.
Yes, there are 23 dasy til the window closes, but by then we could already be 6 points behind.
At present i can see liverpool turning us over
AW knows full well that the defence needs strengthening. He has until 1st September to buy and sign. In the meantime, everyone should remain calm and confident and leave matters in the hands of those in charge. He has enough staff at the Emirates assisting him as well as Grimandi and Co abroad. Have patience and all will come right.
Lack of depth – are you guys for real? We are only lacking in depth at CB and AW has stated that he will buy before 1st Sep.
Sagna/Eboue – best RB pair in EPL
Clichy/Gibbs – top 2 or 3 LB pair in EPL
DM – acceptable but look at Chelsea without Essien
Playmakers/Offensive MF: In abundance, best in EPL
Strikers: OK
T2T
problem is mate that the defence has been an issue for a couple of years now but AW has never addressed it depsite having numerous opportunities. Granted, money has been an issue in that we just didnt have any.
However there is no excuse now and quite frankly if you haven’t got all the players you need by the 1st game then you’re already on te back foot.
AW should have acted faster rather than having a month in south arica perhaps…
Great Post! You couldn’t be more on the money. It amazes me how blind with biast sum Gooners are. As much as I admire Mr. Wenger, he’s neglected his job this summer.
Tapping up? Where the hell do you freaking come up with crap like that? Did Sagna say anyone has gunners’ DNA? Is it stated anywhere that he said Spahic must be a gunner? He only said he’d be an important signing- not exactly in those words but clearly he was backing the move and making it clear he would be welcome club. That said,our backlioe deserves a radical surgery indeed. Muslera, Hart, Erey or Akinfeev, anyone but Almunia/Fabianski plus Mertesacker then we can genuinely claim to be contenders for the Premiership, Champions League and perhaps the FA Cup. Otherwise, with our depleted troops we are straight gambling.
defence is not just a case of the 4 defenders. The whole team has to help in defending and against Warsaw it was the whole team that had a bad display in defending.
When you live in a `cloak and dagger` world with only loose change in your pocket you can easily become paranoid.
The big spenders don`t seem to mind opening up their minds and their wallet, rightly or wrongly.
Wenger has some money but he has tripped up in the past and with a reputation like he has he certainly doesn`t want it tarnished. There lies the problem. Will he tarnish it by persuing his present line or tarnish it by taking calculated risks that may not come off. I don`t think he can do himself much harm by opening up his mind and his wallet. The fans are very forgiving even if he makes a mistake just so long as he trys, but to do little or nothing is suicidal.
Now, before fellow Gooners start holding me over the coals, and saying that I am anti-Arsenal, and should be supporting the Spuds up the Seven Sisters, I am writing this because I am totally fed up with the speculation and “We have to blame someone, so lets blame…” attitude that we (myself included) seem to be aiming for.
If we are not blaming the players, we are blaming the management, if it is not the management; it’s the board and so on and so forth.
We all know that AW is a man of principles, ok he has a degree in adding money up, and yes Ashburton cost a fortune and so we have paid the price of moving up the road, but I honestly believe that he and the team are not being supported by, dare I say it, the back room staff!?
We could spend our remaining transfer budget on the best players in the world and as much as I would like us to sign another central defender (I am quite surprised nobody has mentioned Matty Upson?) By the end of the year they will be shit poor, and their confidence rock bottom. Because, suddenly typical defensive principles, have been replaced with total (if you can do 1000 kick ups whilst balancing on your head) football!
Now, I have a few names to mention, so please excuse if my stats and names are not accurate, as the ol’ grey matter is not what it used to be:
Goalkeeping:-
Who remembers the days of Lukic, Seaman, Manninger, Stack and Taylor and Lehmann? These were all trained/coached by the legend that is Bob Wilson. Is it a coincidence that since he retired that the Goalkeeping is piss poor? Lets, face it Flapianski is a a really good shot stopper, a hell of a lot better than Almunia and I honestly believe with more time between the sticks his confidence will get better and he will be a brilliant shot stopper. But alas, he will never be remembered for the great saves that he has made because his decision-making was always piss poor. When Wilson left Mr Gerry Peyton became goalkeeping coach, Lehmann and Almunia began the bitch-fighting and Lehmann was moved on. Now it wouldn’t surprise me that the latter created all this because it seems that he can destabilise his own nationality let alone his colleagues and “friends”. Without an experienced premiership or the old first divison coach, we will struggle because the decision you make you must live or die by and I am sorry Mr Peyton, but I don’t believe you have what we need, because lets face it – Burnley, Fulham, Southend Utd (loan), Bournemouth, Everton, Bolton Wanderers (loan), Brentford, Chelsea (loan), West Ham UnitedBurnley, Fulham, Southend Utd (loan), Bournemouth, Everton, Bolton Wanderers (loan), Brentford, Chelsea (loan), West Ham United really cuts it. Ok, you went to the 1990 world cup, but why do I still remember Paddy Kenny?
Defense:-
Now this is where my knowledge on the backroom gets pretty hazy so bear with me…
Since we have decided to play total “You don’t have to a brick shithouse, but if you can do 1000 kickups, whilst balancing on your head” football, we seemed to have lost the basic principle of defending? Please, do not get me wrong, I am not specifically blaming certain members of the team, but I do blame the coaching staff again.
Now, this is where I become anti-total football (Not anti-arsenal!). WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE MIGHTY GEORGE GRAHAM happened. Listen, yes the football under GG was damn right poor, to pretty awful (Highlight one year at the sacred Highbury was when a rainbow landed on Stewart Houstons head, I think we lost Ipswich – Chris Kiwomya!!) but at least we was never slated for BASIC defending!
Now I know Steve Bould was called back to sure this up, now I am not sure when it was? A couple of years ago after the invincibles or during? Someone else can confirm that? But seriously, Steve Bould??? Lets face it Seaman, Adams, Winterburn, Dixon, Richardson, Jensen, Schwartz, Viera and the list goes on, made him look good. If Bould was training when Gallas was there no wonder we have had so much trouble. This is not an attack on Steve Bould, but if he was a good coach he would be speaking artificial Dutch like a Mr Mclaren now? I still do not understand why we have not asked ‘Mr Addicted’ back, because we all know he wants to come back and learn from the master. He would be able to at least be able to put in the good ol’ fashioned “Kick the f***ers up in the air” attitude, that we so sorely miss, and ironically; is being used against us!
This brings me onto my next point, might be slightly controversial, but WILLIAM “MONEY, MONEY” GALLAS! I was devastated that Toure went and the insecure number 10 stayed (which I still believe was demeaning to DB and Bruce Riochs names!!) The guy was a complete waste of space!! Is it a coincidence that we won f*** all since she joined? Example, I remember when the two centre halves were organising the team when the opposition attacked at SET PIECES! But is it my lack of understanding that he was always marking the player that was never going for the ball? I always seem to remember that when we conceded that he screamed and shouted at the full backs and wingers who were marking the 6 footers, and lets face it the average height was and is 5 foot 7”. This is the guy who threw his toys out of the pram against Birmingham and lost the captaincy. To me, he is the player that created all the issues that we cannot seem to shake. Lets face it, he was a mediocre player in a great French team that won the European and World Cup, but playing in a mediocre Chelski team. I have always been intrigued on how a 6foot plus, defender would not put his head in where it hurts. Defending is about making sure that the attacker knows you are there. Unfortunatly he was not. Can somebody tell me how may times he faced Drogba, because I only remember Senderos being bashed about.?
Toure was brought through the ranks that was taught the art of defending by the legends. I honestly believe if we had him last year that we could off actually pulled it off. AW screwed up on that this one because if you think about it, yaya could be playing for us now for half the price City paid. But that is not the point, Kolo is Arsenal through and through, he loves us as much as we loved him. But because of Mr Gallas, I think we lost the Captain that this team actually deserves. Do not get me wrong, Cesc is good for the image of the club, but he is not a stayer. And honestly, over the last couple of seasons, I can’t imagine him saying to Billy boy “your shit, stop your bitching and do your job!!”
Right, that was my tangent…
This is my last point, and I will go to bed…
This idealism, that we as fans are has been shrouded by the belief we are the English Barcelona. This is my biggest bug, WE ARE NOT this was proved last season when, to be honest, we got slaughtered!! Also, in addition, they have Puyol, who is a Adams/Sol/Frank/O’Leary throw back.
Ok pretty football, but we are THE ARSENAL, we had frigging films made about us, we are more important to the history of the game than those (derogatory, racist and sexual remarks!)Spanish people!
I would always swap pretty football for winning football. Yes we all like to be entertained but I like watching Top Gear; and I like them smashing up crappy cars. This I would class as entertainment, but you would not see me smashing up my crappy old R reg Corsa because it would make me popular to my peers. I need this car for work to pay for tickets for my son and I to cringe at abysmal set piece defending.
So if you are reading this AW (Which you are probably not, because you do not give a flying Tootingham turd about what the fans think, and you are to busy adding things up!!) Please get off your proverbial principles and be a hell of a lot more pro-active because as we all say “Nobody is bigger than the club…”
Anyway, can’t remember what the point of this was, and I am not re-reading it. So get rid off all the back room staff like you did with Gallas and start again…., but keep Mr Brady and Mr Rice?
PS – I have become slighty paranoid now (too much red wine and no food) abut is it me again? but since Gary Lewin moved onto Engerland, did we get these unsustainable injuries? CRAP STAFF!!|I believe that the Spuds has given Colin Lewin a little bit of cash because of the Lasagnegate scenario. But Dave, you might be on the run, but feck me it was worth it…J
Most keepers in the premiership are good shot stoppers though, hell, they damn well need to be and that isn’t the issue. It is the communication and set pieces…
I agree on the defence, we need to just defend, if you dont concede you cant lose..
It was Martin Keown that came back for that champions league run where we didnt concede.
2 signings and we are sorted…. we might see 1 if we are lucky
I knew it was one of them, but bould did come back in coaching capacity?
Mate the fact they published the sprajic pice on our website basically confirms he is coming to Arsenal. They did that with chamakh as well. I guarantee he will be at Arsenal soon. Listen to quotes from their maanger who said arsenal are a club who are honest. It might look bad and hypocritical at this point but it just means we have practically signed him up. It is NOT like the barca fabregas situation.
Also since you are complaining about the defence. there you go, we just signed a new defender. Congrats gunners!
though haha it seems they just took that pice down. Haha well there you go, we might not have signed him and someone at Arsenal might have made a mistake with publishing that piece and later have corrected it. Happy? We can’t be perfect all the time. We still need a defender though
It’s not the wonder goals that are the problem, it used to be that we would only really concede from long range shots or occasional corners, but these days we are getting cut open in open play and on the counter attack FAR too often for a top side.
I think that party stems from the midfield not providing enough protection, which is because we no longer play two fairly defensive centre midfielders with two wide players who contribute defensively. Nowadays we have one holding midfielder, one CM who seems to defender well only some of the time (den/diaby) and an attacking midfielder in cesc, with the two wingers often contributing little or nothing defensively and offering no protection for the fullbacks. At the very least we need another REAL defensive midfielder, like flamini (hopefully gibbs can provide this) so then the DMs can protect a fullback, while the other holds in the centre. We could play almost as we used to in a 4-4-2, with cesc playing almost the bergkamp role..?
Corners are a problem because our gks have been weak at taking crosses recently, and we do lack height as a side.
Martin, that is my point! There has been no communication since the invincibles. Why is that? Are we saying that Keowm came down and suddenly sorted it out? Surely the principle was there, if not then why are we not employing him to do the same now?
Daniyal, surprise me and tell us who we have signed?
There have been reports that Spahic has said goodbye to fans and threw his shirt into the crowd etc so something may be happening. We were ‘close’. Where it is at now I don’t know but Montpellier like to tell a good lie
Is Spahic a good buy, as I am hearing mixed reviews about him? I am still wondering where West Ham had the whole team up for sale last season, and we have not gone and poached? Typical Arsenal transfers, I will be surprised that he will only join on a 1/2 year contract because a aw does not keep them after thirty? So no EPL experience, no time to learn means a dud buy to me?
@Nickerless Bender I was defending arsenal conduct with regards to Arsenal.com publishing a interview by sagna saying sprahic is a good player. they took it down. Clearly someone at Arsenal.com made a mistake. We don’t resort to BArcelona type tactics to sign players. My point was that if an article such as that had been pulished then we must be very close to signing him otherwise we would not publish that. However since they took it down it seems that it was more a mistake than a sign we signed him.
On Shparic, I have no doubt he is a capable defender. N one at arsenal really heard of sagna or vermaelen before they were signed. Plus most people who have seen him play seem to be raving about him. So if we do get him, I am sure he will be good.
[...] The hypocrisy stinks – as does the defence 2010 August 10 tags: defence, hypocrisy, stinks by rich Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.Powered by WP Greet Box WordPress PluginAfter months of hitting out at Barcelona for their tapping up of Cesc, the official site have lowered themselves to their level with this article with Bakary Sagna talking about Emir Spahic, the Montpellier defender. Its the lowest of the low, and just months after arsenal.con introduced the hit spieling Transfer Linked feature it really doesn’t [...] The Goon Blog [...]