Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion, Premier League Match Preview
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller
It’s very hard to be optimistic about Arsenal these days. It is neither in fashion to have hope nor say anything remotely near positivity when speaking of the club.
There isn’t much to write about tomorrow’s match except that the club need to have a caged animal mentality when they take the pitch. A lacksidasical, laid back approach won’t cut it. These are professionals and I for one have faith they will respond.
And that is the tenor and theme I wish to carry forward into today’s match preview – which I am co-opting for a little hope and faith in this team.
These are dark times to be sure. The worst start to any league campaign in 18 years. The worst start under Wenger ever. Yet, I will not wane in my belief in the club when it comes to match day.
Being a club supporter is bit like being a masochist. Your support is there even though you get beaten an downtrodden. Your fellow supporters may ridicule you. Your board has no time for you and your players and manager seem to have pissed off without any fight. But you still support.
Being a supporter is a selective thing. The saying goes, there are two things you can’t change, your parents and your team. If you support a team it means support unconditionally even when the world is turned upside down.
I read with befuddled amusement that people can’t be arsed to watch their team. Or that they are questioning their support of the team. You know what? I’ve got no time for that. I know it’s a cliché but I bleed for my club. This is my club and it pains me to see it in such shape. But it’s my club and when it comes to the game, I will support non-stop.
When things go afoul, I will criticize but I criticize not because I hate, but because I want improvement. But even though I criticize on match day I come back and cheer my team on. I will die with each mistake and rant at the stupid things.
No, I am not a local Gooner. I know the family traditions of Gooners that have been passed down along the ages may seem like they have more invested because they’ve been there since they were born. But I will argue that the minute you decide to support a team – that’s your team and you invest your heart and soul into – regardless of where you are from.
Each week, game after game, I watch. I frantically look for feeds for the littlest match we have. My office is bedecked with Arsenal memorabilia because I made the decision to make this the team I will support above all others. I may have mistresses but Arsenal is my first love.
I get defensive when I hear or read negativity in the press. And while I will always try and remain objective in my blog, I am anything but objective.
We’ve got problems. We all know that. But tomorrow when the club takes the pitch for 90 minutes I will forget about those problems. I will watch my team play and pray with every fiber that they turn it around.
There is no reason they can’t. The distance between them and the top 4 isn’t gigantic. At one point last season it was 13 points between us and Tottenham. We all know how that turned out. Arsenal I believe are capable of going on a run and others are capable of having a down turn (just ask tomorrow’s opponent)
But to me the optimism of each match (twinged with a slight smattering of fear) is why it’s great to be a supporter. I know there are realities to face and the good thing is we are having a healthy dialogue (really loved the chatter on the Wenger piece). But it’s game time and it’s a time I put aside any of my concerns and just focus on what happens for that 90 plus minutes.
Projected Lineups:
Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Walcott (calf), Podolski (hamstring), Sagna (ankle), Koscielny (hip), Santos (abdomen), Diaby (thigh), Fabianski (ankle)
WBA: Foster (groin) Jones (illness)
Leading Scorers:
Arsenal: Podolski 4, Cazorla 4, Walcott 4,Giroud 4
WBA: Long 5, Lukaku 5
Assists Leaders:
Arsenal: Walcott 4
WBA: Long 4
Last Meeting (EPL):
Arsenal: 3
WBA: 2
Goals For:
Arsenal (home): 2.3
WBA (away): 1.4
Goals Against:
Arsenal (home): 1.4
WBA: (away): 1.9
Last Five:
Arsenal: LDDWD
WBA: LLWWW
Goal Difference:
Arsenal: 8
WBA: 5
Match Official:
Referee: Mike Jones (Matches 10, R1 Y37)
Broadcast Information:
US: Foxsoccer.tv 1000 AM EST
UK: ????? 1500 GMT
YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 2
WBA: 1
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Saw the WBA game. A lot more verve in our play than has been the case for quite a while.
Jack, Arteta and Cazorla – were on the same page (at least in this game), add the improved Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Giroud is a solid guy, Gervinho is very individualistic and best not to expect him to do what he won’t/can’t.
Robin van Persie. Winning goal is extra time against the main rivals for the title. That’s class you gotta say. He’s fitted into Old Trafford like a hand and glove. Makes me sick – a bit.
Stagg will suggest (shout) that he was right to go, and in a singular myopic, if we ignore any sense of repaying the faith Wenger/Arsenal had afforded him, yes he was right to go and give himself a real shot at winning. And he has, and may well win something. But… he will always be yet another example to me of the deep lack of morality in professional sport. Van Persie didn’t give great service to Arsenal – he was a passenger ala Rosicky and Diaby. And I find the manner in which he bailed after one good season to be churlish.
But…
It also demonstrates how incredibly clever Ferguson is as a manager. He invests 24m in to a 29 year old, there was big risk (and still is to some degree) that it would pay off. But it is paying off, and each week we see Manchester United edge closer to the title (and other tropies) and that 24m looks a steal.
The fact Arsenal refuse to invest in a similar way tells you everything you need to know about the club and its self imposed limitations. We won’t win anything under this regime. It’s the long slow boat ride to China over and over. Giroud might be great in 2 years… but we need fire power NOW. And in 2 years when (if) he’s great, what’s the chance the rest of the team will be great too??? The sense of timing and creating enought momentum is just not there. Wenger sees everything in the ‘long-run’ and yet we’ve seen the long-run doesn’ happen in sport because you have to create enough intensity in a season to win something. It’s nice he likes to ‘grow things’ but this isn’t gardening. This is an industry defined by intensity over a season. It sets the terms and clubs play to those terms. I think Dein understood that – he brought that to the table and compensated for Wenger’s extreme long-run-ness.
It’s the same al over the squad, this sense of ‘in the long run…’ just doesn’t cut it. Diaby in the long run…. Wilshere in the long run… Rosicky in the long run…. No, he needs to deal in the here and now, otherwise by the time Giroud and Wilshere come good they’ll be ripe for the picking and (and go willingly).
Kiwi, at 29 years old… and at the top of the footballing world from a production stand-point…
what would expect Robin Van Persie to do, when he is faced with the FACT, that Arsene and Arsenal are NOT INTERESTED in trying to win trophies?
How ANY blame can go to ANY Arsenal player for leaving is just beyond me.
Your time is limited in sports… you are 1 career ending injury away… so you make as much as you can, and you try to win immediately, because there might not be another chance.
RVP is/was oft injured. He knows it.
Arsenal does NOT offer the most money. Arsenal does NOT offer a chance to win.
Why would you stay at Arsenal if you are a top player? You don’t. You wouldn’t. You can’t.
Arsenal can’t pay you, and Arsenal can’t win… they aren’t trying to.
So, YES. You are correct… I like Giroud, but if he has a few good years and take a step to
that next level … i’d expect him to leave as well… probably to PSG, or some other team with ambition.
Jack Wilshire… I think he’s class. He is going to be the best player on Arsenal in about a year… when he gets to that next level, he too will LEAVE THE CLUB. He will HAVE TO, in order to make the money stars make, and to play for a club trying to win trophies.
Until the board changes, the owner changes and the manager changes…
Arsenal Football Club are DONE. We are nowhere. No chance to win anything of note.
Might we win a Capital One Cup?
Sure. That would be about it… no chance of winning anything else. NONE.
Nah, Van Persie couldn’t play a full season for 7 years at Arsenal due to injury. Wenger allowed him to remain the foci of the attack despite the fact he was never fit enough to fulfill that role and so the team suffered, year upon year. He happily picked up his pay and contract extensions and claimed his love for the shirt. And why not? No one better would have signed him and given him that place UNTIL he had a good injury free year. And what happened? One good year and he plays the “you aren’t ambitious enough for me card”. What a first class smuck.
Of course I agree with the notion that we lack the required ambition, I comment on it continually – but, and this is a capital letter BUT, Van Persie owed Arsenal Football Club better than what he did to us. You can guarantee every dollar you have if Van Persie did not have that really good final year at Arsenal he’d still be at the club and kissing the crest. He’s just another opportunist, no different than Adebayor or Nasri. In fact worse, they didn’t get the same gold plated tolerance and forbearance for sooooo long.
Still, kudos to Ferguson for taking the measured gamble and making Wenger look an egg. Laughable that Wenger gets paid more than Wenger. I guess that’s down to the sustainable business model.
Kiwi. If a player wants to WIN or make big money… or both…
he can’t stay at Arsenal. Whether its RVP, Nasri, or Cesc.
The players owe the club NOTHING. They club gets RICH because the players bring in the fans, they sell the kits, they sell the advertising. WIthout great players, the club aren’t making big money.
RVP knew it was time to go, to make his money and get a chance to win.
He owed Wenger nothing. He owed Arsenal nothing.
Do you know what? If the club were actually trying to win trophies… he would still be at Arsenal. But I would say they told him that NOTHING was going to change in how they did business… so he had to leave in order to win.
Yes, you are 100% correct on United taking a shot on RVP’s fragile body.
But he is once again WORLD CLASS this season, and he is the reason they are on top of the league. He was THE REASON Arsenal stayed in the Top 4 last season.
It’s not even arguable. So, whatever the club make for getting into the CL this season, its owed to RVP. He made it possible. Put whatever number on it you like, and add the 24 Million we got for his sale… and the club PROFITED like they always do…
Really BIG game today… you know, the kind that we haven’t been involved in… in about 7 years?
Current Champions v Current League Leaders
Biggest match of the season.
The pitch is littered with EX-ARSENAL PLAYERS.
I am glad they all still have the chance to play in big matches, for titles and trophies.
Isn’t it wonderful.
Kolo, Clichy, Nasri… and the game winner, Van Persie.
That was really special… the way he scored the Winner, his 11th of the season….
and then went over to the United stands and celebrated with their fans.
Makes you SICK doesn’t it?
I hope Arsene Wenger and the Board enjoyed that today… enjoyed the match.
They were probably sipping on expensive wine, eating some caviar, and checking out their bank accounts.
It’s wrong. and it didn’t have to be this way.
Happy we got the 3 points. We desperately needed to stop the bleeding.
But EMBARRASSED by the dive by Cazorla.
Not only does he DIVE, when there was absolutely no contact at all, but he has the audacity to roll around and grab his leg.
Cazorla (and any divers) should face immediate suspension.
2 matches for the first incident. 4 for the second. 8 for the third… etc.
The only way to stop this shit from happening is a massive fine / suspension.
Without that dive, who knows what happens in the match.
It completely changed the match.
Agreed!!
An insightful document here – http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/law_12_fouls_misconduct_en_47379.pdf (read the Group of Six on page 4)
I think Cazorla fell down after losing balance when trying to evade, what could have been a horrible injury. His rolling over was a bit Barca-lical. But after reading the rules, I think the use of excessive force for the tackle merited a foul, and the online outburst against it seems a bit overdone and terribly biased.
Am I being delusional?
You are ABSOLUTELY DELUSIONAL.
It was a F*CKING DIVE.
Ridiculous. Embarrassing.
He should be SUSPENDED.
If they suspended divers for matches, they’d stop diving.
Delusional is spot-on. Cazorla deserves all the heat he gets for this. That’s not to compare with the likes of Shrek and Bale, who get off far too easily for their antics.
Let’s hope he cuts it out because he is much better than that 9even though a lot of his teammates might not be)
Games on Fox.
I will watch, like I do most of the time.
Hope we win, as we need the 3 points.
But I think we will draw or lose.
I think WBA are more hungry than we are, just like Swansea were.
It’s on Wenger to get the team to come out and play with the spirit and desire… and in this
case desperation, necessary.
I fully expect another luke-warm performance. A kick around in the park.
why would anything change.
Same midfield that’s not able to get it done… no Theo or Podolski…
I sure hope Arsene doesn’t get upset if we drop points and the crowd dare to boo again.
We don’t want to upset the delicate genius. I mean, he’s been a manager for 30 years.
What have we managed?
Toyed with the idea of taking my new GF to watch the game at the pub. After further contemplation, thought it would be unwise as I might be very surly if we lose and I am still in the “good impression” stage.
Oooh nice one CK.. Might put some dollars on your red undies winning the day..
Obviously my lucky red undies worked Ozi, we needed the luck.
Hehe. They did, and if not for Swansea (my ‘new’ team) messing up my accumulator I’d have had a decent payday.
I am going to wear my luck red undies which so far is batting 100% for the past few years. Only wear it when I think it’s absolutely required so as not to reduce the mojo. Wore it for the last 2 Tottenham derbies and our final game against WBA last season, among others :)
Would love to see Arsene change up the squad somewhat in an attempt to shake us out of the doldrums, rather than just doing the same thing week in, week out, with dismal results.
Move to a 4-4-1-1 with Giroud up front and Ox/Gervinho playing in a slightly withdrawn role.
Arteta, Wilshere, Rosicky and Cazorla in the middle with Carzola and Rosicky interchanging the CAM role to avoid MTM marking.
Just something to give us a different look against a team which has prepared for our usual 4-2-3-1 and will try to press us in the middle. We could condense the MF four at times to control the middle third when they are pressing and use the WB’s to provide the initial width on the flanks. Both Gibbs and Jenks have the motors to do so.
Oh well, it can’t hurt to dream, can it?
3-1 to the Arse
PS. will have my Appleton Rum in plain sight if I need to start cussing Wenger and the players.