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There´s a London derby in Store for Arsenal on today as the Gunners look to get back to winning ways when they welcome Crystal Palace to the Emirates Stadium.
Arsene Wenger saw his men slip to second in the Premier League midweek as the team only secured a draw on the road to Southampton. However, Arsenal had won their previous five league games and remains unbeaten in seven Premier League games. While Wenger will be pleased that his team has that solid record, he will want to get the three points over a struggling Crystal Palace and will see anything less as a disaster.
With Manchester City now top and looking formidable, the Arsenal team is playing catch up for the first time in months and Wenger will know any further hiccups could prove disastrous. To keep the squad fresh the French tactician added veteran Spartak Moscow midfielder Kim Kallstrom to bolster his options in the middle of the park. Unfortunately, Kallstrom picked up a back injury during his first day with the club and will be missing for at least a few weeks, ruling him out of a club debut in this match.
While fans will be frustrated that the club let another window go by without spending, Wenger will feel his current crop of players has enough to down Palace at home. Tony Pulis has settled the club since becoming manager but the team is still short of goals (just 15 this season in the Premier League) and there are tough times ahead with clashes against top of the table teams on the horizon.
With Palace finding it tough and Arsenal getting into the winning habit, this should be an easy three points for the Gunners, and anything but a comfortable victory would be a disappointment.
Arsenal´s Premier League pursuit suffered a setback as the Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw against a dogged Southampton away from home. Even though it was an away point gained, Arsenal can now fall off the top spot tomorrow if Manchester City beat Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
Arsene Wenger will be disappointed with the way his team started the match, with a lethargic pace that gave Southampton an early confidence boost. It has been a difficult week for the Saints but the club rallied well by starting the first half in style, passing the ball with confidence and keeping possession. The good football was producing openings too as teenage debutant Sam Gallagher lashed a shot at the hands of Wojciech Szczesny in the Arsenal goal.
The Arsenal players were lacking their usual slick passing and tempo and it was only a matter of time before Southampton took the lead. On the 21st minute the hugely impressive Luke Shaw sent in a cross that was met by Jose Fonte at the back post to head home. The player has had a troubled week after being involved in a training ground bust up with Dani Osvaldo, but the Portuguese defender beat Nacho Monreal to give the Saints a 1-0 lead.
The hosts continued to press throughout the first 45 minutes and went close on several other occasions; including Gallagher´s reaching shot going just wide. Indeed, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was likely pleased to only be trailing by a single goal as the whistle blew for halftime.
The Frenchman´s halftime team talk seemed to do the trick as Arsenal came out for the second half with more fluid possession. With the fluency back the players leveled the match on the 48th minute when Bacary Sagna sent a low driving shot into the box, where it was met by Oliver Giroud who grabbed his ninth league goal of the season.
A barnstorming start to the second half continued on the 52nd minute when Santi Cazorla kept up his recent good form with a delightful left footed strike that beat Southampton keeper Artur Boruc to give Arsenal a 2-1 lead.
The drama continued two minutes later as Arsenal failed to hold onto their lead. Jay Rodriguez was released down the left flank and picked out Adam Lallana, who then sent a shot through Szczesny´s legs to tie the score at 2-2. Both teams continued to seek the win in a high temp finale, but neither could find the winning goal as Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini claimed a straight red card for a late lunge on Morgan Schneiderlin.
Arsenal travel to the south coast on Tuesday night to take on Southampton at the St Mary´s Stadium, for what promises to be a tough challenge for the Gunners. While the Saints have struggled to maintain their blistering early season form, Mauricio Pochettino has a well organized team that plays attractive football, so Arsenal could have a test on their hands.
However, there are plenty of omens playing into Arsene Wenger´s hands when he sends his team out to the field. Firstly, Arsenal are playing 24 hours before their main title rivals, giving the team a chance to extend its advantage at the top of the Premier League. There is also the small fact that the Gunners are unbeaten in their last nine against Southampton (a run that stretches back to 2002).
It has been a difficult week for the south coast club as chief executive Nicola Cortese was dismissed and then Dani Osvaldo clashed with Jose Fonte on the training ground. Arsenal will look to take advantage of the tension and unease surrounding the Saints at the moment, while if any team can make the most of Southampton´s open style it is the North London club.
Pochettino will call back the often dangerous Ricky Lambert and goalkeeper Artur Boric, but will be without Gaston Ramirez and Dejan Lovren who suffer from ankle injuries. Things are looking better for Wenger as aside from the long term absence of Theo Walcott, the Frenchman seems to be getting his key players back just in time for the run in to the end of the season.
Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Thomas Vermaelen will hopefully be back to the squad, but are not expected to start, while Wojciech Szczesny and Olivier Giroud should come back into the starting 11 after sitting on the bench against Coventry in the cup. Jack Wilshere though will not make the trip as he struggles to recover from a knock to his ankle.
Arsenal swept Coventry City aside in a routine FA Cup Fourth Round win that sent the team through to the next stage of the competition.
A first half brace and goals from rested substitutes Oliver Giroud and Santi Carzola helped Arsenal to a cruising 4-0 victory in a match that was never in doubt. Arsene Wenger named a strong starting lineup that included Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, and Gibbs in defence, and Wilshere, Ozil, and Podolski in attack. The Frenchman also handed rare starts to number 2 Fabianski and striker Bendtner, while Oxlade-Chamberlain made a first start since injuring his knee on the opening day of the season.
The Gunners started the game with intent and in the opening exchanges both Jack Wilshere and Lukas Podolski went close. The home team looked in the mood and any lingering tension inside the Emirates was quashed when Podolski rounded Coventry stopper Joe Murphy in the 15th minute to slot home at an angle.
The German doubled his tally and Arsenal´s lead in the 27th minute when he headed home a Per Mertesacker flick on from an Ozil corner. A goal made in Germany indeed.
Coventry´s tough season (the club was deducted 10 points at the start of the campaign) was highlighted by the 5,000 strong away contingent as they protested the club moving from its home in Coventry to play at Northampton for home games. It was perhaps an ideal time to offer their thoughts on the subject with the TV cameras in attendance.
The Gunners continued to press throughout the first 45 minutes, with Podolski close to completing a hat-trick, but ultimately the score remained at 2-0 as the teams headed to the changing rooms at halftime.
16-year old midfield prospect Gedion Zelalem was handed his Arsenal debut when he replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain with 20 minutes left, while Cazorla replaced Bendtner in the same exchange. While Coventry found the odd opening to test Fabianski, the home team was comfortable at 2-0, but put gloss on the victory in the closing stages.
Giroud replaced Ozil and quickly found the net to make it 3-0 after 84 minutes, while Cazorla made it 4 with a neat finish from a Murphy parry from Gibbs´ shot.
Arsenal welcome Coventry City to the Emirates Stadium for this FA Cup clash, and it should prove to be a routine win for Arsene Wenger and his troops.
However, the French tactician will face a familiar cup conundrum when deciding to opt for a full strength team and risk key injuries or pick a weakened team of youngsters and risk elimination. In previous years the FA Cup represented a chance to win silverware, and while Wenger would still like to lift the trophy again, the Gunners current league form means the Premier League must take priority.
While it would be foolish for Wenger to think Coventry will prove an easy target, he will believe that a mix of youth and quality should get the job done. With that in mind we can expect to see a different line up from the home win over Fulham last weekend. Who will be rested is up for debate but it is likely Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will make his return to the starting lineup.
With no new signings expected in this window it will be a balancing act of squad rotation as Wenger attempts to navigate an in form Coventry. The Sky Blues are unbeaten in the last six and are averaging two goals every game in League One as they push for the play-offs after being deducted 10 points at the start of the season.
Premier League leaders Arsenal should have too much for the visitors though, as the Gunners are 100% from their last six and are holding off title challenges from Chelsea and Man City. With the best defence in the top flight (19 conceded) the Emirates should be treated to a comfortable FA Cup win.
Indeed, Arsenal´s last meeting against Coventry came in the 2012 Capital Cup when Wenger´s men emerged as triumphant 6-1 winners, which some may remember was the game in which Oliver Giroud scored his first goal for the club.
Santi Cazorla hit twice in the second half to give Arsenal a comfortable if unspectacular victory over Fulham. It was another indifferent performance from the Gunners but the team had more than enough to see off a Fulham team that has struggled this season, especially away from home. While the fans in the Emirates would love to see Arsenal at full flow, there are encouraging signs to be taken from a team not playing to its full potential but still winning.
Indeed, in many respects Arsenal never had to get out of first gear as Fulham represented an easy target, with the Cottagers never claiming a win in any competition at Arsenal. However, it was a frustrating first half for the players as they struggled to complete their usual fluent style of passing. Although, with Fulham barely registering a threat during the first 45 minutes, Arsenal were content to have the most of possession and await an opportunity.
… That came in the second half as Arsenal emerged with much more impetuous, going close when Jack Wilshere combined with Mesut Ozil to put the German international through down the right side of the penalty area. Ozil sent a scuffed shot wide of the flailing arms of Fulham stopper Maarten Stekelenburg only to see Brede Hangeland (back after a four month layoff) clear the danger.
Arsenal continued to press but were met by a determined group of Fulham players, with Oliver Giroud blasting over when presented with a chance on the edge of the box. Fulham only offered the odd foray forward, such as a Steve Sidwell volley that forced an acrobatic save from Wojciech Szczesny. Despite that reminder, Arsenal were in control and the Emirates faithful could sense a goal coming.
The breakthrough came in the 57th minute when the impressive Cazorla was the recipient of some neat work by Wilshere and Giroud. The Spaniard collected the ball from Giroud in a busy area and drilled a low shot into the bottom right corner to give the home team the lead and to calm any nerves emanating around the Emirates.
The lead was doubled five minutes later when Nacho Monreal´s cross was headed away by Burn, but the clearance could only find the feet of Cazorla. The midfielder wasted no time in driving a quality shot low into the Fulham net to give Arsenal a 2-0 lead after 62 minutes. While Fulham pressed sporadically to get back into the game Arsenal spent the last half hour or the match hunting a third, although it never came.
The Gunners helped themselves to a routine away win over Aston Villa on Monday evening to reclaim the top spot in the Barclays Premier League. A quick-fire first half double put Arsenal in control and despite a late rally from Villa the team saw out the match and came away with three points.
Arsene Wenger has not tasted defeat at Villa Park since 1998 but had to endure an indifferent second half from his troops as they made tough work of an Aston Villa team in woeful home form. Having said that, the Gunners were not unduly worried by the home team during the opening 45-minutes as Wozniak Szczesny had little to do. Bacary Sagna had plenty of space down the right in the early exchanges and whipped in some dangerous looking balls that ultimately came to nothing, despite Oliver Giroud glancing one header beyond the post.
Villa were feeding off scraps and had yet again set up on the counter attack at home. Relying on pace the home team was mostly cut out when breaking forward, although Fabian Delph did drive a shot wide of the Arsenal goal and Karim El Ahmadi volleyed over to give the North London club a timely reminder that the game was still in the balance. Villa´s Nathan Baker took a Gnabry shot full in the face and lay idle on the floor as medics attended to him, stopping the game for six minutes. The news is good for Baker as he has concussion and went to hospital as a precaution.
Arsenal finally made a breakthrough on the 34th minute with a well worked goal. Mesut Ozil cut the Villa defense with a quality pass that found Nacho Monreal down the left and the Spaniard in turn found Jack Wilshere in the area. The England man controlled neatly and clinically found the bottom corner to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead.
The match had barely restarted when Arsenal doubled their lead thanks to Wilshere´s lofted ball to Giroud. The Frenchman grabbed his 12th goal of the campaign with a tidy finish into the roof of the net to give the Gunners a 2-0 advantage after 45 minutes.
In the second half the game continued in the same vein but now Villa looked more dangerous on their forays forward, but Arsenal remained a goal threat at the other end. Monreal was cut out in timely fashion by Villa captain Ron Vlaar but was hurt in the challenge and was replaced by Kieran Gibbs after trying to shake off the problem.
Villa´s danger man Christian Benteke was having a quiet night but on the 74th minute the Belgian pounced to claw one back for the hosts and to make the last 25 minutes tight. A bouncing awkward cross from Matt Lowton was met by a diving Benteke who headed into the far post to give Villa hope. The game went into another gear as the tempo went up and so did the tension, with Villa pursuing a second goal but unable to get it as Arsenal held on to take the points and 1st place in the league.
Arsenal travel to Villa Park on Monday night to clash with an Aston Villa side that is fighting to stay clear of relegation danger. Gunners fans will well remember that Villa defeated the team at the Emirates on the first day of the season, signaling a fresh bout of doom and gloom in North London. How times have changed though as a quality signing (you know who) and a fantastic first half of the season have put Arsenal on a high, and within touching distance of the Premier League trophy.
Form suggests that Arsenal should have a relatively easy evening on Monday as the Gunners have won their last 4 games (three in the Premier League and 1 against Spurs in the cup). Villa have picked up just one win in the last six, but their league form is not quite as bad as it looks on paper. Despite slipping to a home defeat in the FA Cup against Sheffield United the team has actually picked up a win and draw in their last two league games.
However, Villa´s problems run deep as the team is simply terrible at home, as shown by that loss to League One chasers Sheffield United. Villa has not won at home in 5 attempts and has only won at Villa Park three times all season in all competitions. It is the kind of run that makes Arsenal clear favorites, especially as the Villa players like to let teams have the ball. Expect Arsenal´s midfield to get plenty of the football and acres of pitch to play in, while Villa try to hit them on the counter attack. Of course, with Christian Benteke the home team always has a chance, but the truth is the Belgian has not scored in any competition since late September and is not the player he was last season.
Arsenal have their own attacking problems with the news that Theo Walcott will sit out the rest of the season after he picked up an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Walcott had come into the side and was scoring goals, but more importantly he took the weight off Oliver Giroud´s shoulders. Giroud is likely to have recovered from an illness to take on Villa, but once again the pressure is on the Frenchman to score the goals that fire Arsenal to the league title. Arsene Wenger has pointed to the fit again Lukas Podolski as someone who gives Arsenal more attacking options, and the German will surely be of great importance during the next few months.
Arsenal should have far too much for a Villa side also suffering injuries and with the Gunners looking to go back to the summit of the Premier League, a win will be needed. With the ball at their feet too often at Villa Park, Wenger´s men will likely pick up a comfortable away victory.
Arsene Wenger is not in the classic stick or twist position during this transfer window. Arsenal are on course to win the league with the team Wenger has already assembled so he does not necessarily need to spend big this month. Likewise, in the Champions League most big name signings would already be ineligible for the latter stages of the competition, so the question is what should Wenger do?
Wenger could twist now and buy big and yours truly believes he should. Come on, you know you want him to as well, who doesn´t like a flood of huge names coming into their club? However, Wenger is no fool and he has never been one to throw the checkbook around, but there is a unique opportunity open to Arsenal at the moment.
Wenger could sign in January for next season. Sure, it is a tactic fraught with danger as getting big names to move during the winter transfer window usually requires more cash to be stumped up, something that will not appeal to Arsenal. Although, it seems naïve to think that Wenger does not already know who his targets are for next season, the Frenchman will be well aware who he wants to bring in during the summer.
So why not do it now? Bringing in those players now would give them half a season to bed into the team and into the Premier League, they could help Arsenal win the league, and it would save Wenger having to operate in a busy and frantic post World Cup summer window. Whether the master tactician decides to buy now or later in the year, there are certainly areas of the team that need to be addressed, Premier League title or not.
Diego Costa is a name being mooted as a partner to Oliver Giroud as it becomes increasingly clear the French striker needs help. Costa has performed well but would command a huge fee, something Arsenal should be reluctant to play in case Costa is having “one of those seasons”. Karim Benzema is another striker oft linked with the club and his arrival would be far more likely if a price with Real Madrid could be agreed.
There are still certain questions over the defensive line up at the Emirate Stadium, despite a good season thus far. Wenger could be tempted to buy defensive cover and 19-year old Kurt Zouma of St Etienne would fit the bill as he is young and talented, however he is hot property around the continent to a bidding war could ensue.
