There really is little else around so I thought I’d reflect on the start to the season, and one player in particular who looks re-born -Tomas Rosicky
This summer he was close to leaving, not of his own will I hastily add, but there has always been big interest from Germany in him but Werder Bremen and Everton both inquired over his availability as Arsenal were pursuing defenders from both the clubs, Phil Jagielka and Per Mertesacker were the targets on the Arsenal side.
I’m told the club seriously thought about letting him move in part-exchange, his form had been patchy since his come back from injury and he didn’t look the player he once really threatened to be for us. Then again, just seeing him on the field again was a blessing in itself after two years of injuries where he hardly played a game as he battled a hamstring injury.
As it turned out, Arsenal have decided to give him one more season and from the first look it looks an inspired decision. Against Liverpool at Anfield he was exquisite when he came on and looked much improved on last season, then he ran the show at home against Blackpool and backed that up with a good cameo against Blackburn last weekend. It really looks like we have the Rosicky of old back – the player that caused such excitement when we announced a deal in the summer of 2006 to bring him here, then in his first game of the world Cup rifled in two brilliant goals against the USA.
What I really like about Rosicky is his attitude, he isn’t afraid to get involved in the nitty gritty stuff, he will fly into tackles and not take the kicks his predecessors did – an example being Alex Hleb, a fantastic player who wouldn’t give the treatment back.
One moment that sticks in my mind is when we played Bolton away last season and About Diaby was taken out after the Bolton players get annoyed at not getting the ball off him. Rosicky noted that then as Klasnic – the player that felled Diaby – ran off, Rosicky sent him falling flat on his face. Hilarious stuff, luckily he only got a yellow for it. (3.30 on this video)
The form of Rosicky will be important this season, the chances of games getting pushed back to the business end of the season means that we will need a lot of depth in the squad, even with Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri preferring to operate in the same position as him. At their best I prefer Tomas to Nasri, I think he is a more industrious player with a better passing range, both need to work on their consistency though. It will be interesting to see how Wenger is going to incorporate all three into his plans. It’s four players for one position if you think of Jack Wilshere too.
I don’t think there is much left to talk about really, there has been some stuff said about Andrey Arshavin by some nobody ex-Everton player who basically said he is not a very good player at all, I’d like to see him try to score four at Anfield and important goals throughout the season. You see, thats the thing about Arshavin, he does score important goals in big games when it really look as though we are not going to score. Mercurial – yes. Lazy – at times. Talented – beyond belief.
Also, the FA have decided against acting against Arsene Wenger after his ‘rugby’ comments. The day he gets punished for an opinion because some cap-wearing, loudmouth, naked headbutting idiot gets offended is the day that organisation gets laughed out of office.
Til tomorrow
Arsenal News 24/7
This is a great video of Rosicky’s effort in doing the dirty work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH5UxBdIKgw
At the end of last season if I was told Rosicky would leave I wouldn’t mind as we have the likes of Nasri and Cesc as well as Ramsey and Wilshere. But I agree with you completely he’s a model professional and a great guy. He has experience as well which is key for us after Silvestre, Gallas and Sol left and I would like to think Rosicky will play a part in Europe. He isn’t too bad on the flanks either.
Sadly Rosicky is an injury waiting to happen.Wilshire is now above him in the pecking order
Don, the reason why Rosicky was injured so much was because there was a problem that they didnt realize he had.
It was a reoccuring problem.
Good article and I really like Rosicky but re: the stories about him almost leaving the club, do you believe everything you read or hear?
A story where a player is mentioned to be moving in part exchange is an immediate red flag for me because they always come up every single summer and they’re always, it seems, never even close to transpiring, they’re the kind of transfer stories that absolutely reek of being complete fabrications. It’s only happened what, once in recent memory, with Gallas and Cole, which was a pretty unusual situation? Maybe I’m forgetting some others. Anyway I’m not so convinced that he was close to leaving in the first place. don’t mean to sound like I’m having a go though, and that’s just my opinion anyway, good read.
Rosicky is one of the best players of arsenal. he will come good this season if he avoids injury. he can only get better at his age. Also he is due a great season for his talent.
@Paul N well said mate,rosicky did have a problem and noe we all know what it is……………….he’s injury prone!!
though it a shame our two best players are always injured him and van persie could wreck havoc on their day.
though i was surprised wenger did’t sell rosicky and brought in someone else but like we say in arsene we trust.
Rate Rosicky highly but his injuries have been incredibly frustrating.
He’s also a player that barely plays 90 mins becuase of it.
He’s had a great start thus far and I’m hoping a relatively injury free season is in order for him.
We need players of his and Arshavins experience also. 28-33 is where footballers are at their best in my opinion. You do get players who are quality alot earlier but this age is where they are mentally mature virtually every game. Something that is underestimated at times.
And as for Wilshere being higher in the pecking order than Rosicky?? No chance at all. He is still nowhere near the finished article
I heard a rumour that he (rosicky) had a Coke addiction and thats why he was out for long, Arsene was trying to cover it up. Then again it is a rumour.
Tomas R is one of Arsenal’s unsung heroes.
Look at any game he plays in and he gives every attacking move MOMENTUM.
He is quick of though and fleet of foot, tha moves accelarate when he is involved, and I reckon defenders hate that.
Don’t sell him, play him.
Rosicky had a coke addiction?? What a shed full of shite
hehehe honestly…..
His injuries were being caused by a previous injury that had not been correctly treated. Now that has been sorted he is unlikely to suffer it again – and to be honest he has played 20-30 games every season bar that one season out, and one other season where he played about 15.
His injury problems were only exxagerated by the fact we missed his ability so much and the squad was thinner than the logic of ‘in Arsene We Rust’ (Spectrum you are always the title winning idiot in the Premier League of fans).
Rosicky will show us all why he is held is such great regard, and help us win many many games this season! I said it before and I will say it once again – Rosicky is one of my favourite players of all time …. his all round ability is unrivalled even by Cesc. His passing range, creativity, skill and trickery, making runs and opening space – his teamwork and workrate is top notch infact the only thing he lacks is goals. And that is something he has openly admitted, so I am FULLY expecting him to get AT LEAST 9 or 10 this season.
Fucking hell the squad is unbelievable this season I am bursting with excitement – to see a team involving Cesc, Rosicky, Nasri, Van Persie, Walcott, and all the other awesome lads we are lucky enough to get.
Wenger whatever anybody says it will never detract from the amazing squad you are building and the work you have done for ALL fans of football and all league clubs.
Some day they will see the fruits of your labour and stand back in admiration. That will be the day Arsenal have won a few years of back to back titles, cups and the respect of the sporting community – which if things go well could easily be the end of next season!
In Arsene We Trust? Each season that passes I find myself reviewing this statement more and more, and you know what??
I never doubted it, and the more people complain the harder a stance I will take because the guy is pure and simple a genius and a gentleman, a credit to us all.
Which is more than I can say for the embarrassing fans calling for his head. You lot don’t deserve a title winning team, even if that team was scavenged from the rest of the league by a club who values a metal trophy over the values the trophy is supossed to represent
@Common Sensei
Notice how you don’t mention any defenders in your great team, fucking idiot. Sure Arsenal can attack, but they can’t defend. A team that can’t defend will never win a thing. FACT.
james you “knobhead”-brazil 1970,the greatest football team ever,couldn’t defend to save their lives but won the world cup!don’t get so personal son…
At that age and injury-battled body, he’ll only go down not up. Don’t deceive yourself. Arsene should have sold him along with Eduado. He’ll continue to cost us with his injuries.
@James
Ignoring the fact you just started name calling and didn’t actually have a point to make apart from trying to ruin mine. Allow me to blow your point away; shouldn’t take long because it is a rubbish point. Here goes my friend:
Liverpool conceded 36 goals last season in the league, which was the 3rd lowest amount in the league, and only 4 more than Chelsea who were the eventual league winners. Liverpool finished 7th.
Manchester United on the other hand, had THE best defence in the league, conceding just 28 goals but still managed to only come 2nd.
So there goes your point – anything else you want?
There are alot of world class acking at midfielders in these positions, i classify the best into 2 tiers:
1 (Best): Xavi, Iniest, Sneijder, Fabregas, Gerrad, Scholes,(in his hay day) Kaka (as a 2nd position)
2(Just below best): Rosicky (When Fit) Van der Vaart, Lampard, Nasri (maybe just there)Ozil, etc.
3 (Upcoming): Hamsik, Wilshire, etc.
Commonsensei-James is right. Your hero himself told us all at the end of last season that our defending was the real reason we fell flat at the end. Trouble is he hasn’t strengthened the defence-Koscielny-untried at this level is not as good as Campbell, Squilacci-Gallas understudy in the French team and spent nearly all of last year out with injury, Djorou-injury prone and untried. Then we come to our keepers nothing needs to be said, one defensive midfielder in the whole squad. Then we come to the facts-our performance against Man U and Chelsea-have not beaten either since November 2008-thats 18 straight defeats home and away. We don’t beat them because we cant defend. They just score and sit back and defend deep and our attack just peters out. Our left backs? Great going forward but Is either a top defender?
Yeah we have a great team-until they have to defend against a top side.
What?
“Our left backs? Great going forward”
Have you been watching the Arsenal at all? Really?
“Then we come to the facts-our performance against Man U and Chelsea-have not beaten either since November 2008-thats 18 straight defeats home and away”
18? Good job with your facts there homie. Try again
“Squilacci-Gallas understudy in the French team and spent nearly all of last year out with injury”
Great work. Are you really comparing the Gallas who-cant -finish-a-season injury record to Squillaci?
Gallas Total League Appearance: 21, 26, 23 ,31
Squillaci : 14, 33, 28, 35
What does that tell you? Squillaci had one bad injury (or two if you dig deep enough) in recent years now now suddenly spent nearly spent all of the year injured?!
Then what makes Gallas? The merc simply dont have the body to last an entire season. Any gooners know you cant rely on Gallas to stay fit, especially the latter part of the season.
Stop trolling gonnerjay.
If he keeps fit, he is in pole position for “Player Of The Season”.
If you forget his dazzling footwork and passing skill, remove them completely – you’ll notice his phenomenal work-rate. Even Cesc can’t match it. Chamakh looks to be another work horse too and so expect Rosicky/Chamakh to be the key to the season if they remain fit. Eduardo’s drop in form was because of Rosicky’s absence. With Tomas’ return to form I think we would have seen the return of Eddies form if he stayed. Am I the only one who noticed Tomas brought the best out of Eddie? Tomas picks up the slack from other players like Arshavin who sometimes play half-hearted … he maintains the tempo of the game, he loves taking shots from range and with one iota of doubt he’s one of the top players at the Arsenal.
Great article .. and great follow-up comments. @Common sensei, loved the way you handled @James.
Rosicky is a great player and has always been a great player .. shame about the injuries. I desperately hope he stays fit all season. In fact I am salivating at what he could contribute if he has a full and injury-free season.
Where are you going with one more year?
He signed a long term contract and said he loves it Arsenal and doesn’t ever want to leave.
Why do people think that ‘Arsenal cannot defend’? I mean I am not saying there is not room for improvement; but you have to look at these things in perspective!
Considering the injuries of last season, coupled to Gallas and his fits affecting team morale – coupled again to the fact that referees in many cases gave us very little protection from cheating players … I just think it is massively unfair of our own fans to go around saying things like that.
Arsenal defend very well in most cases considering we play attacking football with lots of posession, the weak areas being dead balls and our midfield protecting the back four (or not as the case was).
Manuel Almunia suffered as the scapegoat for most of the off-season which is bad enough; people are now saying our defence hasn’t strengthened or has gotten worse!!
Surely these fans are not being fair – OK we have to improve and we are improving but what more can we ask of our team than this? Buying a shedload of over-priced defenders doesn’t always work as we have seen from big spending city.
kanchelskis was actually right. arshavin underperforms in most games nowadays and is not nearly as good as he was his first spring at arsenal.
it seems like he doesn’t want to be there on the pitch. seems lazy as hell.
i hope he picks up soon or wenger should consider putting him on the bench for 1-2 games as a wake-up call.
OK so let’s say we drop him for a few games who would replace him?
I actually think bringing him off after 45mins each time he appeared lazy might help – although I don’t think he is that bad usually
@Goonerjay
My hero is not a footballer, and cannot even talk so I doubt he ever ‘said’ anything about our defence. Considering it is Steven Hawking and he doesn’t care for football! Lol
@Goonerjay
And if you meant Wenger, what he actually said was that we didn’t win the title because the spine of our team was injured
What a wonderful article on a wonderful man and player- Rossicky. I adore the lad for his fighting spirit, professionalism and dazzling skills. He just does’nt do pitty patter like Hleb, he shoots too. He does so when you least expect it.
I do believe he should remain at our club for a couple of years because its that attitude we should reward: Hard work,skills, loyalty and professionalism. I will soon get our new jersey with his name on.