November Assessment.. Whose Standing Out?

greetings roaders. We are now three months into the new season. I did a relegation piece a few weeks back and its curious how things are turning out. Some quite surprising. Instead of doing a team by team appraisal (which frankly would bore both you, and I) I am going to highlight the teams that are really raising collective eyebrows, across the board, for both the good and bad reasons.


EVERTON



Everton's excellent start to the season has caught some unaware. But I am not surprised. I have fancied them to do very well this season. They have a team with an excellent manager, a real togetherness with players that have played together for a few seasons now and their telephatic-like understanding of one another is really now showing. You combine that with a couple of inclusions that David Moyes has made, and the Toffees are now a force to be reckoned with; Home and away.

The purchase of Kevin Mirallas from Olympiakos in the Summer, could be one of the Glaswegian's best acquisitions to date and at only 6m to boot. Mirallas has a roaming role for Everton, primarily out on the left wing, but his industry allows him to cover the central role also, in the hole behind Nikica Jelavic. The belgian has scored 2 goals and has 3 assists to date. His open playing style has also alowed Jelavic to increase his contribution - thought not in goal tally - via his hard work and strength up top. Mirallas playing wide has also allowed Marouane Fellaini to play in a new position behind the striker and use his height and formidable strength. This new freedom has allowed Fellaini (and his hair) to notch up 6 goals already. For those of you that don't have a degree in rocket science, thats a goal every two games....

For me though, the key difference to Everton this season is the link up play between Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar. last season Baines' attacking commodities came to the fore. Now he can defend more than adequately, frequently being the Toffees' last line of defence but now also has a telepathy with his South African team mate that allows Baines to bomb forward whilst Pienaar can simultaneously cover his run but also to provide a real width in the attack. Baines is also the designated penalty taker and he has not missed a single league penalty to date.

They may indeed sit fifth now, but if they are to challenge for a top four spot, they really need to convert more of the plethora of chances they create. As was in evidence at the weekend.

that leads me very nicely on to....


NORWICH

After tipping the Canaries to struggle - which they initially did - Norwich have turned into a solid outfit. They have played nearly a third of games in the season already and yes they have lost a third of those games, but that doesn't really tell the story. The Arsenal game seemed to prove pivotal - Certainly to Arsenal - But also Norwich City.

That was the game that signaled the beginning of the current malaise of Arsenal. Conversely, Norwich have gone six games unbeaten. That includes that against Arsenal, but also Man Utd at Carrow Road, where they have not conceded a single goal, also beating Stoke City. Norwich also recorded draws at Reading, Villa and most impressively against the aforementioned Everton, this past weekend. In six games then they have scored five but only conceded two. That's impressive in anyones book. They may not be prolific, but boy can these budgies defend ;)....


I think a lot of their progress can be apportioned to two players; Sebastian Bassong and Javi Garrido. Garrido, lets not forget is a former Man City left back and is not shoddy. He's not what you would call world-class but sometimes, especially in the EPL, teams don't need that; just that one player who threads things together nicely, or rather two in this case. Bassong Ive always liked as a player. He wasn't given a fair crack at Newcastle, less so at Spurs, but was still out of favour much of the time. But that is kind of the point; He's not an amazing player, but he is a perfect fit for a mid table Premier League side that doesn't score many goals.



I still think Norwich will go through a rough spell, but having beaten two of the top four sides, they have to fancy their chances of staying out of trouble. As I predicted, Chris Hughton has got the Canaries playing well.


SWANSEA


In my pre season article, I didn't really focus on the Welsh outfit, as I knew they would be fine. They have a great manager and a great footballing ethos, that Brendan Rodgers installed and that now Michael Laudrup has continued. Swansea deserve huge praise. When a new manager comes in, much uncertainly awaits. Laudrup however has bought very shrewdly, much like a young Arsene Wenger would have done at the beginning of his Arsenal tenure.


Case and point being Miguel Cuesta, or 'Michu'. Signed from Rayo for just 2 million pounds in the Summer, after scoring 15 goals in La Liga in his first season there. Michu perhaps is not your classic Premier League striker, which may be the reason why so few teams went in for him as well as the fact Rayo weren't exactly setting the world alight with their style of football. Nevertheless, in 12 games, he has scored 7 goals already. In the same league, Fernando Torres has scored just 4 more, despite his 59 appearances. Huge credit has to go to Michael Laudrup for that, but perhaps more moreso with Pablo Hernandez.

Another Spaniard at Swansea. Together with Chico Flores, Angel Rangel and Michu, not forgetting Jonathan de Guzman's La Liga experience with Villarreal, Pablo has settled in very nicely in the first third of the season. How Swansea managed to sign Hernandez from Valencia for the measly sum of 5million pounds, I still haven't quite worked out. It was a total coup in my eyes. Hernandez has played with the likes of Mata, Villa, Joaquin, Albelda and Soldado and it is evident he has learnt well from them. Very well.

Deployed on the right winger, often drifting inside, he gets plentiful service from De Guzman, Leon Britton but also Wayne Routledge, who likes to switch wings often during periods of play. Pablo scored 16 goals for Valencia during 4 seasons and is not prolific, certainly, but his hold up play is strong and allows Swansea to flood forward in numbers on the counter attack. He has already scored 2 goals in 9 appearances for the Swans; that is sure to increase.

Swansea will meander in terms of form throughout the season and they will draw more games than they win, but the Welsh outfit, under the great Dane, will be absolutely fine. 


I will be reviewing teams throughout the season..


if you have yet to do so, please follow me on twitter @the91stneil

De Ja Wenger...

afternoon roaders. slightly later post than anticipated and also to say part two of my Dortmund feature will follow soon.


As an Arsenal fan, I have seen the good times, but most recently (and quite often) the bad and the ugly, infact quite hideous.  Once again the ugly has reared its head, after the clubs best start in years, certainly defensively-speaking. Whether it be a cogent argument of not, the facts do not lie; Since the international break Arsenal have simply not been the same team.


After being unbeaten in five games at the start of the season, conceding only 2 goals in the process, Chelsea rolled up to the Emirates and squeaked a 2-1 win. I was concerned. With just one game to go until the interlull, we had to go to West Ham on a chilly Saturday October evening and I foresaw a tough game. Such fears however, did not materialize, and we gave an excellent showing, with Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla running the show in an impressive 1-3 win. Make no mistake; West Ham will be hard to beat at the Boleyn ground for the remainder of the season. I was upbeat.


Certainly moreso, as our return game was against Norwich at Carrow Road. Norwich are a tricky side to play away no doubt and after sharing 6 goals the last time the sides met, there would have been trepidation. But the last team to play Norwich away were Liverpool, who lets be honest are a team in transition and yet they are capable of scoring 5. So Arsenal, having scored 10 goals in their previous 10 league games, should have been optimistic, and strong favourites to record a win.

Unfortunately with Arsenal these days, form can dip - alarmingly so - resulting in great players becoming completely average. Arsenal are the prime example of a confidence team; When one players form drop it spreads through the team like wildfire. Norwich was the beginning of such malaise. Norwich marked out Santi Cazorla out of the whole game, yes, but other elements of Arsenal's attacking, er, Arsenal were simply missing. Ramsey was running about unsure of his role, Gervinho was his usual profligate self, Giroud just didnt look happy and Ive never seen Thomas Vermaelen so jittery.

But the big factor for me was the absence of Kieran Gibbs. Gibbs' progress at the infancy of stage of this season, should not be overlooked. His defensive ability has doubled but his pace and elusiveness has also been a headache for teams in the attacking phase of the pitch. In Gibbs' absence Andre Santos has had to cover his position. Ask any Arsenal fan what they think of him and you will get a response along the lines of; 'Santos? oh he's good in attack but he just cannot defend'. Case and point the Chelsea game at Stamford Bridge last season. That is what we have seen of late, only now we don't get his attacking.


After conceding just 5 goals in 7 games, scoring 13, since the Norwich game, that rate has increased, letting in 7 goals in only 5 games, but more worryingly, scoring only 3 against Schalke, but only a stoppage time consolation versus Man Utd and a late, controversial Mikel Arteta goal at home versus QPR. The goals have dried up and I would argue its down to the Presence of the brazilian left back. Andre Santos is comparable to Glen Johnson in his lack of defensive nouse, but good attacking threat. I know for sure if I was a centre- back next to Santos, I would be terrified. I imagine that is whats occurring with Vermaelen, psychologically. In the first Schalke game at the Emirates, Santos was utterly out of his depth. In the first half he was repeatedly out of position, but looked totally out of shape and seemed to have little or no fitness.


Then there was Andre Santos at Old Trafford last weekend. Another inept performance, but what was so shockingly evident was his lack of care, passion or commitment. This was epitomised by his childish behaviour, begging for his 'mate' RVPs shirt. Now I could forgive that at the end of the game. but this is half time. It's like me turning up to work, doing a half assed job, just to be paid. The difference is I would be sacked. This is a professional footballer getting paid an obscene amount of money, in his case unjustly. Its a disgrace.

Then there is the performance as a whole. I understand the whole not wanting to concede 8 goals again. But as soon as Robin scored, we effectively shut up shop. Both teams played poorly. But the difference was, Utd looked like they gave a fuck. They simply didnt need to play well though, because Arsenal had no intention of attacking. That is a disgrace. Robin was right about the direction of the club. It sickens me to see him in a Utd shirt, but i cant be angry at him, because he is bang on.

I want to go back to my main focus of this article, that being Arsene Wenger. I don't wish to cover old ground, but I feel I may. So I want to look at why I am doing so in the first place. I want to make some things abundantly clear in my mind at least. Arsene Wenger revolutionized Arsenal Football; we are now a big, profitable club. But successful as our beloved CEO Ivan Gazidis states? Successful? we were successful, in 2005, heck we were in 2009, but this is 2012. Enough is enough. Arsene Wenger was a revolutionary manager and was superb at picking talent, grooming them and making them incredibly gifted footballers. But what about today?

In this writers mind, he was revolutionary, but unfortunately he is not evolutionary. That is where we are today. The only manager who has lasted longer than Wenger in management is Sir Alex. 25 years of ups, downs but much success. But he has not been the same manager throughout his tenure. He has evolved. He has had to. Wenger has not evolved, or at least not to the degree that he should have. Mainly because Arsene is now a law unto himself; He is essentially untouchable in his job. He would never be sacked, he would only walk away (which I would say is now a distinct possibility). His frugal spending habits, have made him the apple of his bosses eyes. The club is always in profit. Net spending is significantly less than net profit. For this reason, his shortcomings are never highlighted to him, because in Peter Hill Wood, Ivan Gazidis and Stan Kronke's eyes he is making them very very wealthy men indeed.


Wenger has always liked playing with 4-3-3 formation. In the Arsenal heydays of old, Henry would be supported by Pires on the left and Ljungberg on the right. Then the midfield would do the rest; Vieira, Petit and Gilberto would hold and push up also. These guys were bossed of the ball. Todays equivalent is Aaron Ramsey. Now I like Rambo, but I'm sorry he is not good enough for Arsenal Football Club. he repeatadly gives the ball away by trying to do to much. In the last few games prior to Fulham, he was deployed on the right on the 3 up top. Wenger seems to think that Ramsey is Iniesta. Sadly, he is not and too often is found wanting

As we saw on Saturday and as I predicted, Fulham pushed Arsenal very close again. The width of Riise and Kacaniklic, together with the guile of Bryan Ruiz and the ferocity of Berbatov was a big problem for the deflated outfit to handle. Even at two nil up, I was never convinced it was plain sailing (unlike that illiterate, unqualified pony, Robbie Savage). It just seemed to me the team looked as flat and had no ideas and lacked directed, with Wenger flapping about like a turkey at Christmas, in its vain attempts to avoid the farmer. Its just not right.

This is now Arsenal's worse start to a season under Wenger. Thats 30 years ago, 1982, when we had 14 pts. But football was different then to the fast paced game we have now. I would argue, that even with the likes of Vieira, Petit, Gilberto, etc. that they wouldn't have the same impact. This is what Arsene does not comprehend. Football changes. He is like the old-fashioned grandparent who refuses (or doesnt acknowledge) change. So, 25 years ago we were, on paper better than now. That means pre-Wenger. If that doesnt mean Arsenal have gone backwards, I dont know what evidence there is.


Its all just so stale. If Wenger stays, with Gazidis preached Financial Fair Play within 2 years we'll be nearer Liverpool than Man City. That is food for thought. We thought the North London derby last year was pivotal. It could just be Wenger's last one(s)