First Of all, I would just like to reflect on yesterday’s performance against Everton. I thought the Arsenal team were very focused and you cannot ask more than a 4 – 1 win on an opening day match especially away. I thought three players stood out for me the most.
The first player was Bergkamp who looks like a different player, as he was playing some sublime through balls, and also looked very dangerous and scored a good goal.
The second player was Cesc, who I think is definitely one to look out for, although he is still very young. He does a lot of the simple things beautifully, and is not phased to play at the premiership level at all. I thought he played a brilliant pass to Henry when Henry just had to beat the defender, but he overdone it and the chance went in the second half. People were saying that Gravesen will eat Cesc, but Cesc even though Gravesen was being very aggressive on him won the battle easily, and robbed the Danish monster many times in the centre.
The third player was Reyes, who is starting to frighten me a lot. Before he came to the premiership, people who watch the La Liga were telling me that he is most dangerous when he runs at defenders as he has excellent close control, and very good skills, and it was their for everyone to look at yesterday, and wasn’t it nice for him to score a headed goal from a cross which is very rare at Arsenal.
I thought I should also give a special mention to Ljungberg who made so many runs, and I personally think he must be one of the top hardest working Arsenal players, and it was nice to see him on the score sheet once again.
I know it was a good result, but it was against a depleted Everton side although I must say I didn’t like their tactics at all, as they were going in very hard, especially in some circumstances where they were getting frustrated as were outplaying them.
Anyway, this Sunday we take on Middlesborough and this match is guaranteed to be difficult, but the performance from Arsenal will mainly depend on their condition from these stupid, useless midweek friendlies, which mainly makes the players tired, or they come back injured.
Boro played fairly good against Newcastle at home for their first game, and Parlour looked like he has fitted it perfectly with Boateng. They also looked very dangerous with Mendieta and Zenden on the wings. I personally think this battle will be won in midfield, and it will be a hard test for Cesc if Wenger decides to play him, but one that no doubt the youngster will be relishing.
They also have some dangerous strikers in Jimmy Floyd, Viduka and Job, and the whole back four will have to be on their top game. Another thing about boro is that Mclaren is their manager and he will want to do his mate Ferguson a favour by taking three points off us.
Below is a list of their key players in my view:
JFH + Viduka – key Men 1
Parlour + Boateng – Key Men 2
Zenden + Mendieta – Key Men 3
Southgate + Ehiougu – Key Men 4
Schwarzer – Key Man 5
Wenger has got a very hard scenario, as whether to play Reyes on the left wing who is looking very dangerous, or leave him out and put Pires on the left wing, or even replace Bergkamp who is playing brilliantly with Reyes up front, and Pires on the left wing. It’s a nice scenario in a way, but it also a difficult scenario, and one I would like to be in. Below is the best team line up I think Wenger should put out:
Lehmann
Lauren Cygan Toure Cole
Ljungberg Cesc/ Flamini Gilberto Reyes
Bergkamp Henry
The reason why I would play Reyes is because he just has to be in starting 11 in my choice, and I would take off either Reyes, Bergkamp or Henry depending on who is not having a good game and replace him for Pires at Half time or a little while into the second half.
I personally think this will a fairly tough match and McLaren will want to get one over the gunners, but hopefully the gunners will prevail with all three points.
The first player was Bergkamp who looks like a different player, as he was playing some sublime through balls, and also looked very dangerous and scored a good goal.
The second player was Cesc, who I think is definitely one to look out for, although he is still very young. He does a lot of the simple things beautifully, and is not phased to play at the premiership level at all. I thought he played a brilliant pass to Henry when Henry just had to beat the defender, but he overdone it and the chance went in the second half. People were saying that Gravesen will eat Cesc, but Cesc even though Gravesen was being very aggressive on him won the battle easily, and robbed the Danish monster many times in the centre.
The third player was Reyes, who is starting to frighten me a lot. Before he came to the premiership, people who watch the La Liga were telling me that he is most dangerous when he runs at defenders as he has excellent close control, and very good skills, and it was their for everyone to look at yesterday, and wasn’t it nice for him to score a headed goal from a cross which is very rare at Arsenal.
I thought I should also give a special mention to Ljungberg who made so many runs, and I personally think he must be one of the top hardest working Arsenal players, and it was nice to see him on the score sheet once again.
I know it was a good result, but it was against a depleted Everton side although I must say I didn’t like their tactics at all, as they were going in very hard, especially in some circumstances where they were getting frustrated as were outplaying them.
Anyway, this Sunday we take on Middlesborough and this match is guaranteed to be difficult, but the performance from Arsenal will mainly depend on their condition from these stupid, useless midweek friendlies, which mainly makes the players tired, or they come back injured.
Boro played fairly good against Newcastle at home for their first game, and Parlour looked like he has fitted it perfectly with Boateng. They also looked very dangerous with Mendieta and Zenden on the wings. I personally think this battle will be won in midfield, and it will be a hard test for Cesc if Wenger decides to play him, but one that no doubt the youngster will be relishing.
They also have some dangerous strikers in Jimmy Floyd, Viduka and Job, and the whole back four will have to be on their top game. Another thing about boro is that Mclaren is their manager and he will want to do his mate Ferguson a favour by taking three points off us.
Below is a list of their key players in my view:
JFH + Viduka – key Men 1
Parlour + Boateng – Key Men 2
Zenden + Mendieta – Key Men 3
Southgate + Ehiougu – Key Men 4
Schwarzer – Key Man 5
Wenger has got a very hard scenario, as whether to play Reyes on the left wing who is looking very dangerous, or leave him out and put Pires on the left wing, or even replace Bergkamp who is playing brilliantly with Reyes up front, and Pires on the left wing. It’s a nice scenario in a way, but it also a difficult scenario, and one I would like to be in. Below is the best team line up I think Wenger should put out:
Lehmann
Lauren Cygan Toure Cole
Ljungberg Cesc/ Flamini Gilberto Reyes
Bergkamp Henry
The reason why I would play Reyes is because he just has to be in starting 11 in my choice, and I would take off either Reyes, Bergkamp or Henry depending on who is not having a good game and replace him for Pires at Half time or a little while into the second half.
I personally think this will a fairly tough match and McLaren will want to get one over the gunners, but hopefully the gunners will prevail with all three points.