Another week rolls around in the Premier League and here we are hoping that Arsene Wenger will happen upon a working formula that might drag his team into something approaching cohesion. Not since the victory over Tottenham last month have we seen Arsenal put in anything like a complete, coherent performance, with just fleeting snippets … Continue reading Arsenal must shake off the stagnation as Newcastle prepare to visit the Emirates
There was a depressing familiarity about the way in which Arsenal huffed and puffed their way to a draw at Southampton on Sunday. The Saints are far from the side they have been in recent seasons and, in truth, should not really have posed a problem for an Arsenal side which aspires to make it … Continue reading Focus must be on defence if Arsenal are to stem the flow of goals
What we saw at the Emirates yesterday was a stark lesson in how to identify and ruthlessly exploit the weaknesses of your opponent in order to mask your own. Jose Mourinho, ever the master tactician, had clearly studied this Arsenal side and recognised that its tendency to overplay the ball in the defensive third was … Continue reading Pragmatism must trump perfection if Arsenal are to rid themselves of defensive frailty
If Arsenal can recapture the spirit, desire, and intensity of last week’s north London derby victory, securing three points at Burnley should prove no problem at all. In fact, if the Gunners played as they did against Spurs every week, they would secure Champions League football at a canter and may even run Manchester City … Continue reading Arsenal must turn promises of consistency into points as they prepare for visit to Burnley
If confidence and belief could be bottled and dished out before every match, it would probably turn this Arsenal team into title winners. Saturday’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur was proof positive that, on their day, when every member of the team is fired up and prepared, the Gunners are capable of brilliance. We have known … Continue reading Arsenal must not fritter away the belief built up in wake of victory over Tottenham
The North London Derbies of recent years have been characterised by a tendency towards caution from both sides. After years of big scores and swashbuckling attacking affairs, the last three or four seasons have seen both teams retreat into a sort of truce, an unofficial agreement that a draw is good enough to keep everyone … Continue reading Arsenal must cast off the shackles if they are to triumph in North London Derby
Much of the talk around Arsenal this week has been about managing expectations after a pretty lacklustre start to the season. In this context, managing can be read as lowering, which is not something any Arsenal fan has really had to do for the last two decades or so. Whatever the circumstances, most of us … Continue reading Lowering expectations doesn’t mean fans can’t expect better from the team
If Arsenal are to stand any chance of coming away from the Etihad Stadium with anything to show for their efforts they must focus on improving their first-half performance. A recurring feature of this fledgling season has been the Gunners inability to play at their best from the first whistle. Too often, the team has … Continue reading No room for slow starts as Arsenal brace for trip to Manchester City
How does the Arsenal squad refocus for today’s visit of Swansea given the relative rollercoaster of a week at the club? After a tumultuous seven days that has seen glorious highs, young stars emerge, and old farts disgrace themselves, a mid-afternoon Premier League clash with struggling Swansea seems positively boring in comparison. Against that sort … Continue reading Arsenal squad must put boardroom balls-up aside for visit of Swansea
Arsenal’s afternoon stroll around Goodison Park on Sunday served only to sharpen the focus on last weekend’s truly woeful result at Watford. The Gunners were absolutely imperious in attack against the most ramshackle Everton side of recent memory, and showed flashes of truly brilliant football as they rained down no fewer than 28 shots on … Continue reading Arsenal’s excellence at Everton is bittersweet set against recent woes
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