Bleacher Report - Cesc Fabregas

The Bottom Corner: Arsenal Needs To Grow Up

Salaar Shamsi — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:00:43 -0500

Arsenal suffered their second consecutive Premier League defeat last night, a 3-0 loss to Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium that left many of their supporters wondering if their team was heading towards yet another trophy-less season.

Silverware has eluded the Gunners since they won the FA Cup back in the 2004-2005 season. Needless to say, it's about time they bag a trophy or two.

A financial crunch, caused largely by stadium debt, has prevented Arsenal from making adequate replacements for the likes of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Mathieu Flamini, Patrick Viera, and recent departures such as Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor.

You might ask: "Why didn't they miss these lads in the beginning of the season?"

Well, here's the deal: every season after yet another trophy-less campaign, they come into the new season, all fired up, with a startling desire, commitment, and passion to win, which ultimately is bound to fade out as the season progresses.

While the hunger to win might not entirely die down, it appears as if the Arsenal squad is out of depth.

An injury to the likes of Robin Van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner forces Arsene Wenger to turn to somebody like Eduardo, who, when not injured or diving, might just net a goal once in a blue moon.

I'd play Theo Walcott over him any day.

Arsenal usually start their season competing for the title, but the Gunners appear to run out of gas by Christmas. This means they are left trying to ensure a Champions League spot till May.

To be fair, they have had their share of injuries, but then again, all clubs have to go through the same.

Arsenal are known for playing some rather beautiful football. In fact, they are arguably the most exciting team in the Premier League, but that in itself isn't enough to win a title.

I wouldn't suggest they don't have the quality, considering they have lads like Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Tomas Rosicky, Andrei Arshavin, and William Gallas amongst their ranks.

Still, they are a bit inconsistent when compared to title rivals Manchester United and Chelsea.

Perhaps, the lack of experience is beginning to tell for Arsene Wenger's men.

Yesterday, Wenger chose to start with both Denilson and Song, both defensive-minded players.

That's a bit like when Liverpool starts with both Mascherano and Lucas. It's completely insane, especially if you want to win a game. Why would you back down and try to hold off the opponent's attack instead of taking the attack to them?

I'm not going to be hypocritical here, so yes, even Chelsea started with both Essien and Obi Mikel, but Essien was given the liberty to attack and he made full use of it.

Didier Drogba could be seen as the difference between the two sides, as the home side just didn't have the finishing touch to bag a goal from one of their attacks.

Armand Traore was lackluster, which is probably because he's behind the likes of Gael Clichy and Kieran Gibbs in the pecking order.

The Gunners looked rather nervy in defense, which hasn't been the case for most of the season so far.

Thomas Vermaelen appeared as a shadow of himself, but let's not be too harsh on Arsenal's only summer signing, who has been nothing short of spectacular for most of this season.

Arsenal have a game in hand and currently lie in a rather familiar fourth place.

The Gunners host Stoke City next week. Any more slip-ups and Arsenal will find themselves playing catchup to Chelsea and Manchester United.

More than anything, it's about time for Arsenal's players to grow up, but that might not be too easy unless Wenger signs a couple of wise heads.

Boys will be boys.

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Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Chelsea

Callum D'Souza — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:02:48 -0500

Once again the absence of Robin van Persie was too hard for Arsenal as they slumped to their second consecutive League defeat at the hands of Chelsea. Arsenal were lively up and to the final third where they lacked finish and creativity. Two things Robin van Persie blesses the Arsenal score line.

Although 3-0 is a little harsh on Wenger and his men, the defence was the main culprit. Twice they failed to deal with crosses and they resulted in goals. It's plain and simple: Arsenal just aren't good enough to win trophies.

Player Ratings

Manuel Almunia:5.5: Cannot be blamed for the goals conceded and looked relatively solid. However, having conceded three, it does look poorly on his statistics.

Bacary Sagna:5: The Frenchman tried hard to defend the right flank but it felt as if it were too easy for the Chelsea attack. Plus both crosses that lead to goals came from Sagna's side. His crossing was also lackluster.

William Gallas:5.5: Failed to mark up when crosses came in and at times was shaky.

Thomas Vermaelen:5: Like his center half partner, poorly marked the likes of Anelka and Drogba. Also had the burden of scoring and own goal.

Armand Traore:5.5: It's evident he lacks the defensive abilities of Clichy and Gibbs as he failed to contain the Chelsea forwards. But he is a lively attribute in attack with his blistering pace.

Alexandre Song:6: Were you as bemused as I was when he was substituted at half time for Walcott? The only player capable of adding physicality and strength to the defensive side of the midfielder and the only one who tracks back to help his struggling defenders.

Denilson:5: Lacked fitness, strength and accurate passing. Was probably a little rushed back into the first squad, espeically as it was a big encounter.

Cesc Fabregas:6: Tried but failed to create anything. Moved and passed well but like most of the Arsenal attackers, failed when they came to the box.

Samir Nasri:6.5: Arsenal's most threatening player with his pace and movement. A few handy crosses but nothing came of them. Promising signs for the recovering Frenchman.

Andrei Arshavin:5: Is he really that good? Seemed uninterested and lacked any real threatening move. At times the Russian was a little lively but to me it was another disappointing performance.

Eduardo:4: Tried to walk the ball into the net on too many occasions when he really should have fired. Wasteful and gives very little compared to van Persie.

Substitues

Theo Walcott:5.5: His pace was threatening at times and maybe the Englishman should have started.

Carlos Vela:6: Tried hard but no chances really materialized.

Tomas Roiscky:6: A useful assest off the bench. Passes and moved fell and gets credit for annoying the awful John Obi Mikel.

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Chelsea's Win Over Arsenal Confirms Big Four Is Now Big Two

Barnaby de Hoedt — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:32:11 -0500

Arsenal's away form has been more than a touch patchy this season but they like their home comforts, winning every game at The Emirates before Chelsea arrived this afternoon.

But now it's time for some home truths.

Chelsea's victory has cut the so-called Big Four down to size.

OK, there's no doubt that Arsenal and Liverpool are still in the elite group of England's best clubs.

But on the pitch it is another story. Chelsea and Manchester United now make up the Big Two.

I was at the Emirates this afternoon and I was there when Chelsea won 4-1 towards the end of last season. It was like watching the same film back-to-back.

It cannot be a coincidence that the Blues have managed to wrack up a three-goal victory on both occasions.

This was worse though because on that first occasion Arsenal's centre-half pairing consisted of Mikael Silvestre and Johan Djourou.

The truth is, Arsenal cannot defend as a team; something that Chelsea taught Arsenal a very harsh lesson in—not that I expect the Gunners to learn anything from it.

It is no exaggeration to say that every Arsenal player was second best on the pitch today. This is not an intended criticism of any of their attitudes, because they all gave everything to the cause.

But at the level they aspire to, some are simply not good enough.

Andrei Arshavin and Cesc Fabregas really struggled to get into the game today but, quite simply, they could do with a little help.

Denilson was anonymous in the second half and there is too much tip-toeing around in the final third from the likes of Eduardo, Samir Nasri, and Theo Walcott. Arsenal played into Chelsea's hands; every time an Arsenal player ventured vaguely towards the Chelsea third, they were made to turn back, slow the play down and pass backwards.

A watched pot never boils and that's what it was like watching Arsenal trying to score today.

At the other end, Chelsea didn't exactly have to pull up any trees to score. Arshavin was caught ball watching for the first, allowing Cole the space to escape on the left.

Drogba was allowed to amble in unchallenged to score; he was hardly made to work to reach the ball, as Robin Van Persie had done for his first against Spurs earlier this season. Thomas Vermaelen's own goal was almost the doppelganger of the first.

After that, a contagious panic spread throughout the Arsenal team every time Chelsea broke forward.

The two sides are streets apart. How lucky Carlo Ancellotti must feel. He is like a step father inheriting a good family.

Arsenal are a good side and monopolise possession well in the middle third of the pitch. However they rarely manage to deliver a counterattack in the true essence of the word.

There is a distinct lack of variety in the type of players Arsene Wenger has at his disposal. Bringing Thomas Rosicky on for Nasri hardly changes the dynamic of the game.

Under the spell of Arsenal possession, the ball glides about the turf from side to side. But there was no weapon to hurt Chelsea where it counted.

Manuel Almunia was also at fault for the third goal, but goalkeepers have a propensity for trying to guess where the ball is going to go and most of them come similarly unstuck.

At the very top level, a team that wants to win trophies needs to be able to defend. Protection, patience, panache; that's what Chelsea have right now. They even pass and move better than Arsenal at times, certainly more effectively anyway.

It's a two horse race now. Arsenal, once again, could not even keep up until half-time, let alone beyond November.

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