The international week rolls on and so does the lack of Arsenal news. As I result I’m continuing the trend of using this time off as a sort of reflection of the season so far. Over the past couple of days I focused on the individual performances of the Arsenal players, grading their efforts and providing some comments for where they have done well and where they can improve. 

I thought for today I’d look at the major reasons why I feel the club are where they are right now, sitting first in the league as opposed to squabbling for the final Champions League spot as was predicted by many experts before the season kicked off. So with no further adieu, I present my five reasons why Arsenal are leading the Premiership.

1. Renewed energy in the midfield

There is little doubt that last season’s middle pairing of Cesc Fabregas and Gilberto Silva were two of the best Arsenal players in 2006/2007. But there’s absolutely no doubt that since the introduction of Mathieu Flamini in the Brazilian’s holding midfield role things the energy in the midfield has gone through the roof. The young Frenchman has shown his worth to the side with a series of energetic, aggressive and skillful performances this season. As a result, the more creative players like Alexander Hleb, Tomas Rosicky and especially his partner-in-crime Fabregas have blossomed.

The original strand of thought at the end of last season was that for Arsenal to get back their dominance of the midfield of years gone by a powerful Patrick Vieira-like player was necessary. But Flamini’s incessant running and hassling coupled with the fitness and energy of the other midfielders has shown Arsenal supporters that there are more effective ways to win the midfield battle than was previously thought.

2. Improved mental and physical fitness

Along a very similar line of thinking is the incredible mental and physical fitness that has been shown by the entire team so far this season. There was a statistic that surfaced soon after the draw with Manchester United that no less than 50% of all of Arsenal’s goals up until that point had been scored in the last quarter of their matches. And while this percentage has since dropped off a little since then the point remains the same; Arsene Wenger’s side have shown time and time again that they are not only one of the fittest sides going around physically, but they have also displayed a mental toughness that many people did not expect them to show this season. It is this toughness that has stolen wins and draws when perhaps more negative results looked more likely.

3. Unpredictability in attack

In recent seasons Arsenal’s attacking play has been dominated by the presence of one man; Thierry Henry. When he was on fire this was all well and good but in the times when the Frenchman was not on song or not in the side Arsenal would often look a little out of ideas in the final third. However, some excellent recruitment by Arsene Wenger has meant that Henry’s move to Barcelona has caused few problems at all this season.

Indeed, you would be hard-pressed to find a more unique group of attacking players going around in any club in Europe. Emmanuel Adebayor has height, pace and an amazing ability to stay involved in the game for 90 minutes; Eduardo da Silva brings guile and precise finishing to the side; Robin van Persie (when fit) is still arguably the club’s most talented player, exceptionally creative with the ball at his feet and possessing an amazing shot while Nicklas Bendtner has a huge frame and excellent foot skills to go with his endless confidence.

It is a combination that looks great on paper and has equated to success on the pitch. Adebayor has undoubtedly been the stand-out of the bunch but the constant rotation of the other three throughout the season has meant that Arsenal’s attack has never once become predictable. Supporters may lambaste van Persie’s consistent injuries but the great thing is that when the Dutchman does return he’s going to be something of a surprise to whoever the opposition may be. Indeed, most sides will have been researching tapes with Adebayor and Eduardo running around together up front.

4. Predictability in defence

Just as important has been Arsene Wenger’s ability to field the same back five on more occasions than not this season. A lot of football observers undervalue the importance of the same players playing together week-in, week-out, and there is no area on the pitch where this rings true than in defence. In Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Gael Clichy and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia Arsenal have a group of defenders that know each other’s games inside and out and it has really shown this season.

There’s little doubt that each member of the back five have done well individually – Sagna and Clichy in particular have been immense – but it is collectively that Arsenal defence has really shined. Gallas has shown himself to be a terrific leader and the communication in the backline looks to be at a very high level, something that could not be said last season. Add to that Flamini’s hassling in the midfield and it’s clear that if Arsenal can maintain their defensive line-up for the best part of the rest of the campaign then they will remain a very difficult side to break down.

5. Wenger’s faith in his players

Before the start of the season when many Arsenal supporters were fearing the impact of Henry’s exit and calling for big-name signings left, right and centre Arsene Wenger had the strength of mind to ignore the hype and put faith in the core components of his young but talented squad. While Liverpool splashed millions on Fernando Torres and Manchester United brought in Owen Hargreaves, Anderson, Nani and Carlos Tevez, Wenger stuck with his side and complimented it with two seemingly odd signings in Sagna and Eduardo.

It’s wonderful to see that he has been rewarded with the faith he has shown. Rather than replacing the areas of the side that looked a little undercooked the manager put trust in his young players to step up. They have done it in some style. Virtually every member of the first-team from last season has improved this time around with Flamini and Adebayor the exceptional examples. It’s still great to know that in a football world increasingly affected by money, a lack of loyalty and the need for quick-fix solutions, Wenger is being rewarded for showing faith in his players and the Arsenal Football Club are being rewarded for showing faith in the manager’s methods.

The Arsenal Opus competition is coming…

So there you have it. I have to say I really enjoyed writing this post and I’ve enjoyed taking some time out this week to reflect on the season so far. Before things kick off again with the Premiership clash against Blackburn I’d encourage all supporters of the club to really have a think about just how much this side has achieved so far this season. Silverware or no silverware I’m absolutely thrilled with the performance of Wenger’s side and exceptionally proud to call Arsenal my club.

Just before I go I want to let everybody know that there will be a competition starting very shortly on the blog where readers will have a chance to win a copy of the Arsenal Opus. If you don’t know what the Opus is then stay tuned for more and if you know all about how great it is then be sure to check back on the blog soon to see how you can enter. To keep in touch with the blog make sure you subscribe to my daily posts. Cheers.

What do you think?

Have your say on the five reasons why Arsenal are leading the Premiership by leaving a comment.

In yesterday’s post I ran through Part 1 of the Arsenal mid-term report card, focusing on the performances of the Arsenal defenders and midfielders so far this season. Today the midfielders and forwards go under the microscope as I wrap up Part 2 of the report. Enjoy.

Midfielders

Mathieu Flamini
In my opinion, the standout performer in the Arsenal team this season. Has put in the hard work to go from third or four-choice at the end of last season to becoming arguably the most important member of the midfield. Flamini’s energy and workrate has been phenomenal, his partnership with Fabregas vital, and he has not played poorly once thus far. Irreplaceable. (A+)

Cesc Fabregas
The little Spaniard’s form has dipped a little of late but his contribution in the first third of the season has been vital. When on song Fabregas has regularly been a match-winner, scoring goals at crucial times. His fitness, ball control and excellent passing has allowed him to dictate the play on many occasions. (A)

Alexander Hleb
Like Fabregas, has been a bit quiet lately, but Hleb’s sharp control and creativity has at times been unstoppable. Ended last season under pressure and performing poorly but has improved out of sight, becoming a dangerous weapon for Arsenal for the first time in his career. (A-)

Tomas Rosicky
Has looked great at times, average at others and gets injured a little too often. Does not have the ability to run the show like Fabregas or Flamini but when he is absent it often shows. There is certainly room for improvement though, Rosicky does not score enough important goals for a man with such an excellent shot. (B)

Abou Diaby
A bit up and down. When playing well he can dribble past anyone but his reluctance to use his left foot is frustrating. Wenger seems determined to continue using Diaby on the left and in all honesty he is doing well, establishing himself as an important first-team member. (B)

Emmanuel Eboue
Cops a lot of flak from a lot of supporters but on the whole this season Eboue has done OK. The histronics he displays are exceptionally frustrating for a lot of Arsenal fans but the Ivorian has been energetic and exciting as a right-winger. Unfortunately lacks polish when in the final third, resulting in an unacceptable tally of zero goals this season. (C+)

Gilberto Silva
Consistently seems off the pace, but this may be more down to a lack of first-team football than a lack of ability. If injury presents Gilberto with the chance to play some consistent football I wouldn’t bet against him doing well, but it seems his plodding sort of style has little place in an Arsenal midfield that relies heavily on energy and movement. (C-)

Denilson
In my eyes, the biggest disappointment of the season so far. Although Denilson has time on his side he is one of the few players who seems to have taken a step backwards this campaign. His control and distribution has been below par but more importantly he does not appear to think quickly enough in possession. Will improve in time, but this season has not gone how I imagine Wenger thought it might have for the Brazilian. (C-)

Lassana Diarra
A decent player for Arsenal but his character was badly shown up during the move to Portsmouth. (D)

Looking forward…
The first-choice midfield is unquestioned; Flamini and Fabregas in the middle, flanked by Rosicky and Hleb. The rise of Flamini has been the highlight of the season in my eyes and his partnership with Fabregas has been the major factor in Arsenal’s title charge. The only worry is that there seems to be a little divide forming between the first-team and reserves, with Eboue and Diaby lacking consistency and Gilberto and Denilson looking a little off the pace.

Forwards

Emmanuel Adebayor
Like most of the Arsenal first team, has improved out of sight this season. Adebayor’s energy and enthusiasm has always been present but the Togolese striker has found his finishing boots to devastating effect. There are not many strikers going around who get so involved in a football match and full credit has to go to Adebayor for the impact he is having in Henry’s absence this season. (A)

Eduardo da Silva
Understandably took a little while to get going as an Arsenal player, but in recent times has looked sharp. Has consistently looked dangerous when as one of front pair and displayed his precise finishing on a regular basis. Has had to step up in van Persie’s absence and done so admirably. (B+)

Nicklas Bendtner
Was a valuable substitute early, his intimidating presence often paving the way for others to score late goals. Has great confidence in his ability and will continue to have an impact as the season rolls on. (B)

Robin van Persie
Great when he’s been fit, which unfortunately has been a rare occurrence. Indeed, his consistent injuries have been one of the most diappointing aspects of this season for Arsenal fans. When he plays van Persie adds a certain quality to the attack that no other striker does. Fortunately there are enough big games still remaining in the season for the Dutchman to make more of a mark. (B)

Theo Walcott
His development has gone a little slower than many people expected this season and often looks a little lost out on the pitch. However he has still made progress, scoring his first goal for the club and doing well on a number of occasions as an impact substitute. Still looks an exciting prospect, despite what the media say. (C+)

Looking forward…
Most fans would suggest that when van Persie returns from injury he should slot straight back into the team, but I’m not so sure. Eduardo has done superbly alongside the exceptional Adebayor and there is nothing that suggests the Croatian-Togo front pairing does not have the quality to lead Arsenal to silverware this season. In my opinion Bendtner is the best fourth-choice striker going around and Walcott needs to be cut some slack, he’s still only 19 after all.

Well, that’s the end of that. I’m sure a couple of those ratings will cause a little bit of controversy and as with yesterday’s post I’d love to hear what you think.

Have your say on the midfielders and forwards by leaving a comment.

Another international week is upon us and that means little to no Arsenal news. As such, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take some time and reflect on the first half of the season. Today’s post will look at the goalkeepers and defenders in the Arsenal squad and their overall contribution to the club’s excellent performances thus far.

Goalkeepers

Manuel Almunia
Has taken the chance given to him by Lehmann’s early-season errors with open arms. Looks calm, mentally strong and has made very few errors. A great season so far from a personal perspective. (A-)

Jens Lehmann
The German’s season is likely to be remembered for two early gaffes against Fulham and Blackburn. Did not display the right attitude after being displaced by Almunia, bickering and complaining to anyone and everyone. Has shown admirable courage to remain with the club but is unlikely to feature much more this season. (D+)

Lukasz Fabianski
Has only played in the Carling Cup games, but nevertheless shown a lot of promise. Looks strong in the air and a confident shot-stopper. Will only improve with experience. (B)

Looking forward…
Almunia is the undisputed number one in my eyes and should remain in that position for the remainder of the season. With Fabianski showing good signs in the Carling Cup and Lehmann arguably the best number two in the Premiership there’s no real reason why Arsene Wenger needs to worry about reinforcing this position in the off-season, given the German remains with the club.

Defenders

Gael Clichy
In a word, exhilarating. The French left-back has built on a solid campaign last time around and become one of the most important players in the squad. Full of energy, loves to get forward and crucially has improved defensively. Has rightly been rewarded with a spot in the French national team and has been one of the players of the season. (A)

Bacary Sagna
Arguably the best buy in the Premiership this season. Slotted into right back like he’d been there for years and has impressed with his speed, tackling and all-round quality on the ball. Has been less spectacular than opposite full-back Clichy but equally as effective. (A-)

William Gallas
Since being named captain Gallas has lifted his game. Has been an intimidating presence at the back and has rarely put a foot wrong. The Frenchman has also contributed with big goals in crucial matches and already looks a more influential captain than Thierry Henry ever was. (A-)

Kolo Toure
Has maintained the consistent standard that he has set in previous seasons. Toure has been a little overshadowed by the emergence of Gallas’ strong performances but like his defensive partner, rarely makes mistakes. The only criticism that could be made is that he occasionally lets his emotions get the better of him in the heat of battle. (B+)

Alexandre Song
Suprisingly effective during the Carling Cup run as a central-defender. Remains composed with the ball at his feet and has improved since returning from his loan spell with Charlton to become a useful squad player. (B)

Justin Hoyte
Has not had many chances this season, but has done reasonably well primarily at right-back. Still lacks the confidence and pace to bomb forward like Clichy or Sagna but has improved since last season. (B-)

Philippe Senderos
Woeful early on, but has lifted in recent weeks. Senderos’ distribution and lack of pace are still his biggest weaknesses but the last few games have shown he may finally be moving in the right direction. (C+)

Armand Traore
A little disappointing so far. Still exceptionally young but has not improved on his promising showings in last season’s Carling Cup. Undoubtedly possesses the attributes to become a world-class left-back but still looks undercooked. (C+)

Johan Djourou
Has only played 45 minutes thus far and looked a little shabby after returning from his loan spell at Birmingham. In my opinion is still a better overall player than Senderos but looks unlikely to get another decent chance this season. (N/A)

Looking forward…
Once Toure returns from international duty he should regain his place alongside Gallas in the centre of the defence. If Clichy and Sagna continue their excellent form and the central pair pick up where they left of then the defence have the quality to take Arsenal to the title.

So there you have it. Tomorrow’s post will focus on the midfielders and forwards but in the meantime, I encourage you to let me know what you think.

Have your say on the goalkeepers and defenders ratings by leaving a comment.

The Arsenal Squad (Central Midfield)

Midfield is the position that will cause most debate amongst Arsenal supporters. On one hand the side has an abundance of talented central midfielders in Gilberto Silva, Cesc Fabregas, Abou Diaby, Mathieu Flamini and Denilson but on the other hand the side lacks genuine width with Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Eboue, Theo Walcott and Alexander Hleb the players likely to occupy the wings. It is a problem that has been spoken about numerous times on the blog but one that just won’t go away – Arsenal need another wide player if they want to challenge for the Premier League title this season. At this stage manager Arsene Wenger seems reluctant, but in my mind it is a necessity.

Granted that the side plays with two central midfielders then once Brazilian captain Gilberto returns from his extended pre-season break he should form a settled partnership with Spanish schemer Fabregas. I say ‘should’ because a couple of events have occurred recently that suggest this may not be the case. Firstly, William Gallas being named captain may suggest that Gilberto’s responsibilities in the team may be faded out and the likes of Diaby or Flamini will be playing a much more prominent role than expected. That may also explain Flamini’s decision to stay with Arsenal rather than pursuing opportunities with other clubs this season. Secondly, Johan Djourou has been loaned out to Birmingham until January, suggesting that Gilberto may be used as defensive cover this season. This is backed up by persistent rumours linking the club with Chelsea’s Lassana Diarra.

Regardless of Gilberto’s role this season, the fact is that he will be out until September and his absence will give an opportunity to a number of other midfielders to prove their value to the club. I personally think it will be Diaby who takes up the position next to Fabregas due to his more intimidating presence and some impressive performances during last season and in pre-season. There is a general buzz that Diaby is set for a big season with Arsenal and I feel this will be the case.

For matches where an extra midfielder is required or Fabregas is unavailable then Flamini or young Brazilian Denilson can be brought in. I feel that Flamini’s contribution is often underestimated by Arsenal supporters and I am personally delighted that he has stayed on with the club. He offers a good second option in midfield and has an excellent understanding about how the team functions. Denilson looks an exciting prospect, but I just feel that this season will be a quiet one for him. He is likely to star in the Carling Cup but I am not expecting him to make much impact on the starting team for big Premiership or Champions League matches.

The Arsenal Squad (Wide Midfield)

Out wide is where things get interesting for Arsenal. Although Hleb played most of last season on the right wing, all indications suggest he will be challenging Tomas Rosicky for a place on the left or Eduardo da Silva, Emmanuel Adebayor and Niklas Bendtner for a place up front behind Robin van Persie. The structure of the current Arsenal midfield means that whoever occupies the left side of midfield will look to cut in towards the penalty area to attack while Gael Clichy bombs forward to provide the width. It is a plan that I think will work – barring any injuries to Clichy – and will allow the likes of Rosicky and Hleb to play more centrally, something which suits both players. I also think it will allow Rosicky and Hleb to score more goals, something that was desperately lacking from their game last season.

Things will be slightly different on the right. Converted right-back Eboue will start the season as first-choice with young Englishman Theo Walcott providing competition for the position. There has been a lot of talk about whether Eboue is the answer to Arsenal’s lack of width and his exhilarating pre-season performances have given every indication that he might be. Unlike the role of the left-sided midfielders, Eboue and Walcott’s job will be to get outside the opposition left-back and provide good service into the area for the likes of van Persie and Adebayor. Eboue has shown in the past that he is capable of delivering a good ball into the area and it will be interesting to see how many assists he can provide from the right. Van Persie recently suggested that this will be a big year for Walcott but I think he is still a little bit too young to have the impact that everyone expects and I think it will be another season of transition for him. As such, I would still like another winger to join the club and provide back-up for the current wide players before the transfer window closes on August 31.

The Arsenal Squad (Attack)

There is little doubt that Arsenal’s strength in attack going into the new-season is brilliant. In the past two or three seasons Arsenal have relied so heavily on the performances of Thierry Henry that the players around him often suffered if the Frenchman had a poor game. With the options Arsenal now have up front I just cannot see that type of thing happening again. Robin van Persie will go into the season as first-choice striker and the likes of Adebayor, Eduardo, Hleb and Bendtner will be competing for the second attacking position. Van Persie had a wonderful 2006/07 season, scoring 11 Premiership goals before a broken foot against Manchester United ended his season. He has looked as sharp as anyone since his return and looks set to score over 20 goals this season. If he can do so, then Arsenal have every chance of challenging for the title.

Although he is doubtful for the opening game against Fulham I see Adebayor as van Persie’s first-choice strike partner. The Togolese forward has polarised opinions during his time at Arsenal but I have a feeling that his third season with the club is going to be a big one. He has the technical ability and fitness to lead the line on his own if van Persie becomes unavailable and just needs to improve his finishing to become a truly world-class player. He has shown his height is a threat from set-pieces and his ability to hold up the ball is second-to-none in the Arsenal squad. Eduardo or Hleb will provide fierce competition for Adebayor in games where Wenger favours a smaller, sharper option in and around the penalty area. Eduardo comes with a reputation as a master finisher from his time in Croatia and Hleb has looked revitalised in a central role during pre-season. I don’t think Wenger will want to rush Eduardo into the side too quickly this season and with Adebayor carrying a minor injury into the season I actually believe it will be Hleb who starts as support for van Persie in the opening fixture against Fulham.

And then there is Nicklas Bendtner. I have to say that of all the young players in the squad Bentdner looks perhaps the most promising. Wenger has been quick to play down the role that Bendtner may have this season – calling him a ‘raw’ prospect – but I just can’t help but think that Bendter will become more and more important as the season progresses. He is like nothing that Arsenal has ever possessed in a striker, tall and strong and bursting with such confidence that he could step in against a side like Chelsea and get a goal. I am predicting big things from Bendtner, although they may only come in the second half of the season.

Summary & Predictions

If I had to use a one word to describe how I feel about the current Arsenal side going into the new season it would be ‘excited’. I am confident that despite the spendings of Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool that Arsenal are going to challenge higher up on the ladder in 2007/2008. I see the keys to the clubs success being the partnership between new captain William Gallas and Kolo Toure in central defence, the width that Gael Clichy will provide on the left, and the variety of attackers the team possesses in support of the irreplaceable Robin van Persie.

Although Manchester United won the Premiership last season and have strengthened significantly, I feel that Chelsea will pose the biggest threat to Arsenal winning the league. Chelsea underperformed badly last season and if manager Jose Mourinho returns to a 4-3-3 with new signing Florent Malouda on the left then they will improve out of sight. I felt that Manchester United played at their absolute peak last season and the likes of Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo will struggle to have such phenomenal seasons second time around. As for Liverpool, I see Fernando Torres as an outstanding signing but there is just something about the rest of their squad that doesn’t worry me too much. Liverpool always drop points against smaller sides and there is nothing about their current side that suggests to me that they won’t do the same.

So when it’s all said and done I see Chelsea as champions next season with Arsenal and Manchester United running them very close behind. Liverpool will most likely finish fourth but will face tough competition from the likes of Tottenham, West Ham, Newcastle and even Sven Goran Eriksson’s new-look Manchester City team. I’m tipping Robin van Persie to be Arsenal’s Player of the Season and Alexander Hleb to surprise a lot of people and grab around 10 Premiership goals. I don’t think the side is ready to challenge for the Champions League at this stage and I think making the Quarter Finals could be classed as a success. All that’s left to say is – bring on the new season!

What do you think?

Have your say on the new season by leaving a comment.

Read Part One of the Arsenal 2007/2008 Season Preview here.

Arsenal FC Blog Fantasy Premier League update

Just a quick word to say thanks to everyone who has joined the Arsenal FC Blog Fantasy Premier League so far. There were some problems a couple of days ago but they have since been fixed and there are already over 30 readers who have joined the league. I still encourage any other readers of the blog who want to get involved to join the league – just follow the link I’ve included below. I thought it would also be a fun idea to do a weekly update on the Arsenal FC Blog Fantasy Premier League to keep tabs on who is dominating (hopefully me) and who is struggling (probably me). If I get around to it I can probably provide a prize for the winner at the end of the Premiership season, but I’ll see how it goes.

To join the Arsenal FC Blog Fantasy Premier League click here.

Out with the old, in with the new

It is no secret that off the field, Arsenal’s build-up to the 2007/2008 season has been far from perfect. There was the loss of a certain Arsenal legend, the resignation/sacking of one of its most influential board members as well as the constant speculation that the club was in crisis thanks to a media barrage from just about every newspaper from an English-speaking country. But I am a realistic supporter and an optimist at heart, so instead of harping on the problems the club may have at this point in time, I would much rather focus on what the club does have at its disposal to achieve some success this season.

The club has lost two truly great players of the modern era in Thierry Henry and Fredrik Ljungberg, as well as Jose Antonio Reyes, Julio Baptista and Jeremie Aliadiere, but it has also signed the likes of Croatian striker Eduardo da Silva, French defender Bacary Sagna and Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to compliment a young and talented first team squad. There was a little bit of an outcry from a select group of Arsenal supporters about the supposed lack of big names being brought in, but the fact is that manager Arsene Wenger has never had much success with bringing in big name players and has proved to be far more adept at purchasing unknown gems and integrating them into his preferred style of play.

The new players have already shown signs in pre-season that they are more than up to the task. Fabianski looks set to challenge Jens Lehmann and Manuel Almunia as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper, and will no doubt be given chances in the Carling Cup if not the Premiership. Sagna has slotted neatly into the starting team on the right side of defence and looks set to maintain that position throughout the course of the season. Eduardo has also fit in well with various attacking partners and looks an exciting prospect up front. If his scoring record in Croatia is anything to go by then once settled, he is likely to be a reliable source of goals for the club – especially in games where Arsenal’s champagne football is not reaping the rewards.

The Arsenal Squad (Goalkeepers & Defence)

As for the rest of the squad, they are a year older and wiser and should prosper with the more individualistic senior players like Henry and Ljungberg now plying their trade away from Emirates Stadium. William Gallas and Kolo Toure struggled at times last season – mainly due to persistent injuries to the Frenchman – but the signs are there that the two are beginning to form the defensive partnership that will be crucial to the club’s success in the new season. Both players are athletic and composed on the ball and natural leaders on the pitch. If the pair can click then the Arsenal defence will be a much tougher nut to crack than it has been for the past three seasons. In the case of any injury Swiss duo Phillipe Senderos and Johan Djourou will be first-choice cover. Senderos has looked sharper than I have ever seen him in pre-season and Djourou remains an outstanding prospect (Update: Djourou has signed to Birmingham on loan until January 2008). Both players will need guidance on the pitch from their more experienced teammates but can be relied upon to do the job when called upon.

The aforementioned Sagna will slot in on the right side of defence with Justin Hoyte and Emmanuel Eboue providing cover whilst the exciting Gael Clichy is a certain starter on the left. I have previously mentioned the importance of Clichy’s role to this side, but it is worth reemphasising. With a lack of width on the left wing the onus will be on the Frenchman to use his remarkable engine to motor up and down the left flank in a manner similar to ex-Real Madrid wing-back Roberto Carlos. Clichy has looked outstanding in pre-season and all the signs are there that this could be a very special year for a vastly underrated player. If the unthinkable does occur and Clichy takes a knock then fellow Frenchman Armand Traore will slot into his place. The 17-year-old is a raw prospect; strong, lighting quick and bursting with enthusiasm, and like Senderos and Djourou I have no doubt that he is a reliable enough defender to cover for Clichy when required.

What do you think?

Have your say on Part One of the Arsenal Season Preview by leaving a comment.

Arsenal FC Blog Fantasy Premier League update

Just a quick word to say thanks to everyone who has joined the Arsenal FC Blog Fantasy Premier League so far. There were some problems a couple of days ago but they have since been fixed and there are 20 readers who have joined the league. I still encourage any other readers of the blog who want to get involved to join the league – just follow the link I’ve included below. I thought it would also be a fun idea to do a weekly update on the Arsenal FC Blog Fantasy Premier League to keep tabs on who is dominating (hopefully me) and who is struggling (probably me). If I get around to it I can probably provide a prize for the winner at the end of the Premiership season, but I’ll see how it goes.

To join the Arsenal FC Blog Fantasy Premier League click here.

Arsenal ready for the new season

Another pre-season tournament, another trophy. But apart from the silverware, what can supporters take away from Arsenal’s Emirates Cup and Amsterdam Tournament successes? What clues has manager Arsene Wenger given us about how the team will play going into next season? I’ve highlighted some important points to take away from what has been a fascinating pre-season at the Arsenal Football Club.

Clichy holds the key to Arsenal’s structure

Make no mistake, Gael Clichy will be more important to Arsenal than any other left-back in the Premiership will be to their respective club. Manager Arsene Wenger seems to have settled on a virtual 4-5-1 formation for the side going into the new season but the roles of the left and right-sided midfielders could not be more contrasting. Whilst Emmanuel Eboue or Theo Walcott will play more like an out-and-out winger down the right, looking to push wide and receive defensive support from Bacary Sagna – the left side of midfield will function in an entirely different manner. With a lack of left-footed players in the squad, Wenger will look to deploy either Tomas Rosicky or Alexander Hleb on the left and it is because of this that Clichy is so important.

The Frenchman’s remarkable stamina and determination means that he is able to tear up and down the left side and act as a virtual winger when Arsenal goes into attack and a full-back when they are under the pump. Clichy allows players like Rosicky and Hleb to play where they are more dangerous – centrally – by providing the width on the left side of the park. Just as Daniel Alves has revolutionised the right-back position at Spanish club Sevilla, Clichy looks set to do the same with Arsenal. His assists for Niklas Bendtner and Robin van Persie against PSG and Ajax respectively gave a taste of what he can provide from this position. That, along with his improved defensive abilities underline his newfound importance to the team.

Wenger has a ‘Plan B’

There’s no question that in previous seasons Arsenal have been criticised for their one-dimensional attacking play. When things go well Wenger’s side look like world-beaters, tearing apart opposition teams with free-flowing, attacking football. When things don’t go so well, Arsenal’s attacking ability seems to hit a brick wall and so often their defensive opponents will snatch a draw or even sneak a win. It is a relief  that Wenger has finally come to grips with the fact that Arsenal have lacked variety in attack and has altered his squad to ensure they are capable of dealing with the differing styles of their opponents.

Van Persie is a player who will start every big game but it is the manner in which he can now be supported that is encouraging for Arsenal. Whereas previously the side relied on ex-captain Thierry Henry to get the goals in a very particular manner, Arsenal is now equipped with attackers who can get them in a variety of ways. Eduardo da Silva has been brought to the club with a reputation as a penalty area poacher and Niklas Bendtner provides a physical presence up front that Wenger’s side has always lacked. The fact that both of these players scored from corners during pre-season is even more encouraging. One mustn’t forget Emmanuel Adebayor either, a player who has an ability to lead the line on his own and really take games by the scruff of the neck. If he can improve his finishing ability then he has every chance of scoring over 15 goals next season.

Perhaps the most interesting change to Arsenal’s attacking shape has been Wenger’s choice to use of Alexander Hleb in a more central role. When Hleb arrived at Arsenal from German club Stuttgart he came with the reputation of being able to create space with his amazing dribbling when attacking through the middle of the pitch. In hindsight, it seems unfair that Hleb has received so much criticism for failing to do so when Wenger has consistently played in a restricted position on the right. Wenger seems to have realised his mistake and played the Belarussian as a support striker or a left-sided midfielder to devastating success during pre-season. In van Persie, Eduardo, Bendtner, Adebayor and now Hleb, Arsenal have a variety of ways to trouble their opponents next season. Wenger doesn’t just have a ‘Plan B’, he seems to have a ‘Plan C’ as well.

Gallas and Toure can play together

There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that individually, William Gallas and Kolo Toure are exceptional footballers. Both possess the attributes necessary to succeed as a modern-day defender; pace, a good ability to read the game and the ability to be comfortable with the ball at their feet. But when Toure and Gallas have played together at the centre of Arsenal’s defence the two have previously struggled to work as a partnership. Thankfully, this seems to have changed as the two have had time to get to work together.

It is no coincidence that the two games during pre-season where Gallas and Toure started as the central defence pairing – against Inter Milan in the Emirates Cup and Ajax in the Amsterdam Tournament – Arsenal looked at their most secure. Phillipe Senderos has looked sharper than ever before and Johan Djourou remains an exciting prospect, but if Arsenal are to challenge in England and the Champions League next season then Gallas and Toure need to form a partnership as effective as Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand-Nemanja Vidic and Chelsea’s John Terry-Ricardo Carvalho pairings. Gallas and Toure have shown in pre-season that they can work as a pair and with both players possessing the necessary experience the two can provide a basis of inspiration for the young players around them.

What do you think?

You can have your say on Arsenal’s pre-season by leaving a comment.

Arsenal confirm Eduardo da Silva signing 

It’s official – Eduardo da Silva is an Arsenal player. The Brazilian born Croatian has signed a four-year deal with the club after completing what is believed to be £7.5million transfer from Croatia Zagreb. Eduardo, who has been give the #9 shirt, gave his first interview as an Arsenal player and spoke of his joy at joining the club.

“Well for me it is a great honour. Not only for me but for any football player it is an honour to play for Arsenal. I was lucky it was me that they chose to sign. So I am ever so happy and I hope to fulfil their expectations.”

It is obvious he has great respect for the club and the fact that he believes he was fortunate to join Arsenal suggests he is a level-headed character. Additionally, Eduardo seems to be well aware of Arsenal’s style and believes that it will suit his game.

“Yes [their] style is my style. Arsenal play with the ball on the floor. It is all about passing the ball rather than playing long balls forward. That is why I should fit in well.”

Not just a goal poacher 

That should reassure the doubters who believe he might become the next Filippo Inzaghi or Roy Makaay - a goal-hungry poacher with little or no input to the team’s build-up play. In saying that, it is obvious when Eduardo mentions his footballing idol that the Brazilian’s game will mostly be about scoring goals.

“[My footballing hero is] Romario. He is the guy I look up to. To me he is an idol. There was no other like him.”

I doubt whether there has ever been a player to join the club whose football hero is such and out-and-out goalscorer. I admitted in yesterday’s post that I do not personally know a lot about Arsenal’s new signing but when you add his comments to the ones made by Croatian manager Slaven Bilic you start to get a firm idea about what Eduardo can bring to an Arsenal side that struggled last season to find the goals their dominant performances deserved.

Inventive and incisive

This is a suggestion that is backed up by Eastern European football expert Jonathan Wilson. Wilson provided some interesting opinions on the Croatian’s strengths and weaknesses and gave some indication of how Eduardo will fit into the Arsenal setup.

“He has that inventiveness and incisiveness to turn a game. A criticism levelled at Arsenal in recent seasons is that they don’t make the most of their possession, they don’t score as many goals as they should. Eduardo can provide that cutting edge.”

You really can’t argue with that. If Eduardo can provide the cutting edge that Arsenal so desperately require than he has every chance to be a success in England. And whilst a number of the Croatian readers of this blog have suggested that the step-up from the Croatian League to the English Premier League may be too much for da Silva, Wilson suggests this will not be the case.

“Slaven Bilic mentioned him to me three years ago now. He said he had someone in the Under-21s who could slot into the Manchester United side without any problems, and Bilic is a very honest bloke, he would not say something like that unless he really meant it.”

Da Silva will work well with Adebayor

Perhaps the most interesting comment that Wilson made with regards to da Silva’s ability to integrate with the team is his suggestion that the Croatian is perfectly suited to Arsenal’s Togolese forward Emmanuel Adebayor.

“Eduardo is certainly not like Henry, who likes to drop deep and collect the ball. He sees his role as a scorer of goals. Some of the profiles I have read today have described Eduardo as a poacher and nothing more, but he has other qualities. He can hold the ball up, he is quite strong and compact, he can bring the ball down on his chest, he directs his headers well, he is intelligent and quick, not lightning fast but quick enough. I think he and Adebayor will work well together.”

It is obvious that Wilson really knows his stuff and in saying that – I’m getting more and more excited about the signing of Eduardo. If he can prove to be the natural goalscorer that Arsenal have been looking for then it will give the side every chance of achieving success next season.

Flexibility in attack

There are a number of Arsenal supporters who believe that Adebayor is not good enough to play for the club and that da Silva will slot into his position to partner Robin van Persie but it doesn’t seem this will be the case. When I spoke previously about the possibility of Carlos Tevez joining Arsenal I suggested that it would give Wenger the flexibility to select his front two on a game-by-game basis dependant on the opposition and which pairing he believes would produce results for the team. Whilst it was not Tevez but Eduardo who has joined Arsenal I still believe this will be the case.

On a final note I’d just like to say that I wish Eduardo all the best in his career at Arsenal. Although I was initially a little sceptical about his signing that the consistent positive feedback I have heard and read about Eduardo has made me genuinely excited to see him join the club. Hopefully there are one or two more signings still to come.

What do you think?

Have your say on Eduardo da Silva by leaving a comment.

My thoughts on Henry’s transfer to Barcelona

When I was woken to news of Thierry Henry’s exit via phone call from a friend early on Saturday morning (in Australian time) I admitted in a previous post that my first reaction was one of absolute shock. I didn’t for a second believe any of the media speculation and whenever friends of mine or readers of the Arsenal FC Blog questioned me about the possibility of Henry leaving I would always reply that I was certain that the Frenchman would stay.

I am an Arsenal supporter through and through and whilst no player is ever more important than the club the fact is, being a supporter of the club for only ten years, I have never really known an Arsenal side without Henry. Additionally, after Henry’s proclamation that the contract he signed a season ago would be his last, I was not expecting to face life at Arsenal without Henry so soon.

It has taken me a full two days to comprehend the reasons for Henry’s departure and get my head around the possible ways that the club will account for his absence in the short- and long-term future. I apologised in my previous post for failing to write an article giving my opinions on Henry’s exit but the truth is that if I had not waited until now I would have come up with a disjointed article of little-to-no value to anyone. As a result, I am happy that I waited and I hope my regular readers can respect my choice in doing so. Enough said on that, I think.

Remember the good times, not the last two months 

One thing that I do not want to discuss in too much detail is the manner of Henry’s departure or the comments he made in an interview with Arsenal TV. There are no doubt people who will question the honesty of the man for overplaying the importance of David Dein and the uncertainty surrounding manager Arsene Wenger’s future. The truth, in my opinion, is that Henry left for footballing reasons and that a lot of what he is saying about the other two men is being used as cover for his real reasons for departure.

Having said that, I think it would have been incredibly difficult for Henry to come out and say that he left the club because of footballing reasons when he so confidently stated that he would never leave the club only twelve months earlier. Some people may call that disloyalty but it would be unfair to criticise a player who has been loyal to the club for eight years – a rare achievement in the modern game. I think the comments that should be remembered by all Arsenal fans are those aimed directly at them and their support for Henry.

“Well, I would to say you have been tremendous for me I really do appreciate it. I am shaking as I say this. I will always remember you. I will have you in my head and my heart. I wanted to reassure you that I always gave 100 per cent here. I know some people said some other stuff but I always gave 100 per cent. I hope you appreciate what I did here because I appreciate what you did for me. I grew as a man and became a better football player. I will always take that with me no matter what happens.”
 
“Arsenal will be in my blood as well as my heart. I will always, always, always remember you guys. I said I was going to be a Gunner for life and I did not lie because when you are a Gunner you will always be a Gunner. The Club is in my heart and will remain in my heart forever.”

I, for one, believe him and hope that any Arsenal supporters who are frustrated over the manner of Henry’s exit can put aside their negative thoughts and remember the great things that Henry has done for the club in his Arsenal career. I personally wish him all the best as he enjoys the final years of his career at Barcelona and hope he can help the club win back the Spanish League from Real Madrid next season. He has been a fantastic servant of the club and deserves anything he can achieve with the Spanish club.

Where to now for Arsenal?

The big question now for Henry’s old club is simple; where do Arsenal go from here? Despite Henry’s departure, there is no doubting the overall quality of Arsenal’s first team. Anyone who suggests that Arsenal lack world-class players only need to glimpse the likes of Jens Lehmann, William Gallas, Kolo Toure, Gilberto Silva, Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and Robin van Persie in full flight to be shown up.

While Arsene Wenger is unlikely to change his football philosophy in the near future I think there is a very real possibility that the general formation of his team may change. Wenger has always been an advocate of the 4-4-2 with a tendency to play a support striker in a role behind the more prolific Henry. The likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Ljungberg and van Persie have all been used in this support role in previous seasons. However, despite Emmanuel Adebayor’s consistent improvement over the past season I don’t believe that Wenger will want to place the burden on the Togolese international to be the club’s premier goalscorer. I also don’t think that van Persie can be as prolific as Henry ever was and as a result, I genuinely believe that Wenger might tweak Arsenal’s formation to accommodate for Henry’s exit.

A change of formation?

As a big fan of Adebayor I am thrilled at the opportunity he will now get to prove his worth as a result Henry’s departure. Quite often last season Adebayor was used as a lone striker in a 4-5-1 setup and whilst he did not always get the goals, Adebayor’s efforts combined with the support he received from midfield was effective enough to justify Wenger’s use of the formation. There is a chance that with the return of van Persie from injury Wenger may turn this 4-5-1 into a more attacking 4-3-3 formation with Adebayor in the middle supported by Alexander Hleb on the left and van Persie on the right.

Whilst Hleb has rarely been used on the left Wenger will be smart enough to realise that the current situation requires new solutions and that the Belarussian was absolutely devastating when attacking from the left-hand side for his previous club, Stuttgart. As for van Persie, he is accustomed to playing in this position having been regularly used on the right for the Dutch national team. This would then leave a midfield triangle of Gilberto, Fabregas and Rosicky. Admittedly, this does look a bit lightweight but when you consider that Manchester United won the league last season with Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes in the centre of the park it suggests that the midfield battle can be won by energy and dynamism over physical presence. Of course, in extreme circumstances - such as games against Bolton or Blackburn – Abou Diaby’s dominating presence could also be utilised.

Who should be brought in?

The quality is there – make no mistake – but there is also little question that Wenger must use the money from the sale of Henry (as well as Jose Antonio Reyes and Jeremie Aliadiere) to bring in two or three more exceptional footballers. There have been a multitude of names that have been linked with the club over the summer and this has only intensified as a result of Henry’s exit.

In terms of wide players I have said time and time again that Lyon’s Florent Malouda would be a wonderful signing for Arsenal. He has experience at the top level, is versatile enough to slot in on the left of either a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 formation and would score enough goals to support the likes of Adebayor and van Persie. His direct nature and composure in front of goal would be an asset to a team which struggled to put away chances on a consistent basis last season.

Another name that has popped up recently is Ajax attacker Ryan Babel. Babel was excellent in Holland’s UEFA U21 Championship tournament win and has previously stated that he would love to play under Wenger at Arsenal. Although his favoured is as the main striker Babel can also play on the left and his close friendship with fellow Dutchman van Persie would mean that Babel would have no trouble fitting in to the Arsenal set-up. He is a direct player with exhilarating pace and power but is still a number of years from fulfilling his potential.

Wenger should look forward when signing a new striker

Indeed, there are some strong reports that Babel may join Arsenal along with fellow Ajax forward Klaas Jan Huntelaar. Anyone who has watched Huntelaar will know that he is a player in the mould of Ruud van Nistelrooy and has a phenomenal scoring record in his relatively short career with Ajax and the Dutch national team. A number of people have stated that Huntelaar is too slow for the Premiership and does not fit into Wenger’s preferred style of attacking player but with the real possibility that the manager may move to a 4-3-3 formation Huntelaar would fit in perfectly.

One player who has been mentioned that I sincerely hope the club do not sign is former Arsenal player and Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka. Whilst I agree that Anelka has the potential to score 15-20 goals next season if he did sign for Arsenal I would see any move for the Frenchman as a step backwards for the club. The truth is that while Anelka may be virtually identical to Henry in terms of age and style of play he is not even on the same planet in terms of output and overall effectiveness. Wenger is in the process of building a new team and perfecting a new style and purchasing a player like Anelka is not the answer.

If Wenger does opt for a speedy, skilfull forward then I think Carlo Tevez is much more positive option. He is young, passionate and now has a season of Premiership football under his belt. If Wenger brings Tevez to the club then Arsenal may have a confident finisher to compliment the likes of Adebayor and van Persie’s creativity.

Henry should not be ‘replaced’

Whoever is brought in as Arsenal’s new striker, the truth is that they should not be brought in to try and replace Henry directly. Henry was a player who was so talented that he allowed Arsene Wenger to form the side around him. There is currently no player available to Arsenal who fits this description. As a result, the manager should be looking to bring in two or three players to accommodate for the loss of Henry and Reyes/Julio Baptista with the notion to provide Arsenal with a fresh approach to their attacking game.

Personally, I will be hoping that Malouda, Babel and Huntelaar are all brought in to bolster Arsenal’s attack. It may seem like a drastic change but such big departures require significant replacements. Thankfully, with the large amount of funds now at his disposal after Henry’s transfer to Barcelona and the inevitable sale of Reyes to Spain, Wenger will have the money available to make these signings.

The last of the fantastic four

There is no doubt going to be some tough times ahead for the Arsenal Football Club but there is also much to be positive about. As Arseblogger pointed out, with Dennis Bergkamp retired, Patrick Vieira defected to Inter Milan, Robert Pires at Villareal and now Thierry Henry off to Barcelona, the club’s supporters have had to say goodbye to the four main components of the last great Arsenal side. Now the likes of Rosicky, van Persie and Adebayor and perhaps a couple of new players will have the chance to step up and show the world what they are made of.

On a final note I would like to remind all the Arsenal supporters out there that there is absolutely no need to panic. There are going to be some big changes but the club is in a strong position to compete for honours and I honestly believe there is a lot to be excited about heading into next season.

What do you think?

Voice your opinions on Henry’s exit by leaving a comment.

By Spanish Fry

When Arsene Wenger took charge of the Arsenal Football Club in October 2006 he was relatively unknown in the English football community. Since his arrival, however, Wenger has transformed Arsenal into a successful, multi-national side with a strong emphasis on stylish, attacking football.

As a passionate supporter of Arsenal for the past ten years I have had the privilege to witness Wenger’s entire tenure as manager of the club. In that time I have watched the club win the Premier League title three times (1998, 2002 & 2004), the FA Cup four times (1998, 2002, 2003 & 2005) and reached both the UEFA Cup Final and Champions League Final once each (2000 & 2006 respectively). I have seen many great players come and go from the club from all over the world and been spoilt by some scintillating attacking football.

So without further ado I am happy to present, playing in Wenger’s favoured 4-4-2 formation, the Arsenal Team of the Decade.

Goalkeeper of the Decade: Jens Lehmann

German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann joined Arsenal in July 2003 as a replacement for long-serving Englishman David Seaman. Whilst many supporters will no doubt question Lehmann’s selection in this side over his predecessor I think it is hard to argue with Lehmann’s outstanding performances for Arsenal. In his first season with the club Lehmann went the entire Premiership season without losing a game – an astonishing tribute to his consistency and ability in goals.

His next season was less spectacular but he put in a significant man-of-the-match performance in Arsenal’s FA Cup Final win over bitter rivals Manchester United. Lehmann’s stepped up another level in the 2005/06 season when going unbeaten throughout his entire Champions League campaign with Arsenal until being unfortunately sent off in the final. He was subsequently awarded with the Champions League Goalkeeper of the Year.

An astonishing save from Real Madrid’s Raul in the quarter-final second-leg and an important late save from Juan Riquelme’s penalty-kick in the semi-final second-leg against Villareal were the highlights of his campaign. Lehmann has always been a fine shot-stopper and despite a tendency to be hot-headed deserves his place as Arsenal’s Goalkeeper of the Decade.

Best Moment: With Arsenal 1-0 ahead of Villareal on aggregate and on the brink of their first Champions League Final their opponents was awarded a late penalty to give Riquelme the opportunity to send the tie into extra-time. But up stepped Jens Lehmann who dived to his left and kept out Riquelme’s penalty to spark delirium in the Arsenal camp and put them through to their first Champions League final.

Right Back of the Decade: Lauren

Cameroonian midfielder Lauren joined Arsenal from Real Mallorca in 2000 and was converted to Arsenal’s first-choice right back for the 2001/02 season. He was an integral part of the Arsenal defence that won the double in that season, equally adept at defending and attacking and forming a vital partnership with Freddie Ljungberg down the right flank.

Lauren was an incredibly gifted player with exceptional technical ability. He combined this technique with great speed and aggression to make the ideal attacking right-back. He was a member of the Arsenal side that went through the Premiership season in 2003-2004 undefeated but was suspended for four matches for confronting Ruud van Nistelrooij after the Manchester United striker’s penalty miss against Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Despite leaving to the club and joining in January, 2007, Lauren will go down as one of Arsenal’s best wing-backs of all time and gets his place as Arsenal’s Right-Back of the Decade.

Best Moment: With six games to go in the 2001/02 season Arsenal were locked in a tight battle with Manchester United for the Premiership title. The Gunners met London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a crucial game which was poised at 1-1 late in the second half. When Thierry Henry won a penalty for Arsenal in the 85th minute it was – surpisingly – Lauren who took responsibility for the kick. With all the confidence in the world he poked his penalty down the middle of the goal to seal crucial win for the club and set them on their way to the Premiership title.

 Central Defender of the Decade: Tony Adams (Captain)

It is impossible to leave the man nicknamed “Mr Arsenal” out of this side. Although previously suffering from alcoholism during the 1990s Tony Adams was revitalised by the arrival of Arsene Wenger and the implementation of the club’s reformed dietary practices and went on to captain the club to two league-and-cup doubles, in 1997/98 & 2001/02.

Adams was the ultimate English central-defender; tall, strong and an excellent in the air. He excelled at organising the defence but was also a ferocious man-marker. Adams is the most successful captain in the club’s history and is the only English football player to captain a league-winning team in three separate decades.

As such, Adams not only makes it into the Arsenal Team of the Decade as one of the central defenders but is also handed the captain’s armband as a tribute to his leadership and loyalty to the Arsenal Football Club over his eighteen-year career.

Best Moment: Tony Adams capped his and Arsenal’s exceptional Premiership campaign in 1997/98 with the final goal of the season. When central defensive partner Steve Bould collected the ball on halfway Adams tore off towards the goal and Bould chipped the ball into his path. With only the goalkeeper to beat he smashed the ball past the Everton goalkeeper to round off Arsenal’s brilliant season.

Central Defender of the Decade: Kolo Toure

Arsene Wenger signed Kolo Toure from Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas for the tiny sum of £150,000 in 2002 and turned him into a superstar. Originally thought to be a midfield utility player, Toure was converted to central defence by Wenger and formed a strong partnership with Sol Campbell that saw the club go undefeated in the Premiership in the 2003/04 season.

Toure’s success at converting to central defence is made all the more remarkable by a style of play more attributed to a winger. His blinding speed, natural agility and strength on the ball have proved more than enough compensation for his modest height of 1.83m. Like Adams, Toure is a natural leader on the pitch and has become a fans’ favourite at Arsenal. He was part of the Arsenal defence that went 10 games without conceding a goal in the Champions League and continues to be touted as a future captain of the club.

While many supporters will believe that Sol Campbell should get the second centre-back position on this team I think Toure pips him due to his superior technique on the ball. As such, Toure partners Tony Adams as the second central defender in the Arsenal Team of the Decade.

Best Moment: Arsenal played Villareal off the park in the first half of the Champions League semi-final first-leg match at Highbury but were unable to find the goal their play deserved. But right at the death of the half Toure popped up to turn home Alexander Hleb’s cross and score his first ever Champions League goal. It would turn out to be the crucial goal in the tie which finished 1-0 to Arsenal after a 0-0 draw in the return leg made famous by Jens Lehmann’s penalty save.

Left Back of the Decade: Ashley Cole

It pains me to say it after his recent disloyalty to the club, but Ashley Cole gets the position of left-back in the Arsenal Team of the Decade ahead of Nigel Winterburn and Silvinho. While at the club Cole was an integral part of Arsenal’s attacking double-winning sides of 2001/02 and 2003/04.

Always willing to get forward and support with his exhilarating pace, Cole is blessed with excellent technical skills and is a solid crosser of the ball. He is an excellent tackler and has often dominated in games against Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, a credit to his man-marking ability.

It is a shame that Cole’s career at Arsenal ended the way it did and he will always be remembered for that rather than his fabulous performances that he gave in the seven years he spent with the club. For these consistent performances and Cole gets a spot in the team as the Left-Back of the Decade.

Best Moment: Cole’s performance against Manchester United when marking Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2005 FA Cup was one of the best in his Arsenal career. He nullified Ronaldo’s dribbling time and time again to enable Arsenal cling on to a 0-0 draw until the end of extra-time. Then, in the penalty shoot-out Cole calmly converted his spot-kick as Arsenal went on to win the trophy for the third time in four years.

Right Midfielder of the Decade: Fredrik Ljungberg

Fredrik Ljungberg joined Arsenal in 1998 for £3 million from Swedish side Halmstads BK following an outstanding performance for his national team against England in a World Cup Qualification match. Wenger took a considerable risk in signing the player without seeing him play live but his faith was rewarded in part when Ljungberg scored on debut as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Manchester United.

He ended the 2000/01 season in fine form with a run of goals before scoring in Arsenal’s FA Cup Final loss to Liverpool in Cardiff. Ljungberg hit his best run of form for the club a year later in the closing rounds of the 2001/02 season where he netted in five consecutive matches before providing the assist for Sylvain Wiltord to wrap up the title for Arsenal at Old Trafford. He scored a marvellous solo goal against Chelsea in the FA Cup Final to become the first player to score in two consecutive FA Cup Finals in 50 years.

Ljungberg’s defining characteristics have always been his speed, tenacity and ability to make late, surging runs into the box to create goalscoring chances. Few are able to do this as well as Ljungberg and as such, he gets the right midfield position in the Arsenal Team of the Decade.

Best Moment: In the final matches of the 2001/02 Premiership-winning year Ljungberg scored vital goals on an almost ridiculously consistent basis. But it was one of his goals, scored earlier in the season against Liverpool at Anfield that defined Arsenal’s title-winning side. With Arsenal down to ten men after Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s harsh dismissal the side were well and truly up against it. But Ljungberg proceeded to decide the game by first winning a penalty for Thierry Henry to open the scoring before firing in the sealer after a fine bit of Robert Pires trickery. That goal and Ljungberg’s celebration remain a personal favourite memory of mine and define the fighting characteristics of the 2001/02 Arsenal side.

Central Midfielder of the Decade: Patrick Vieira (Vice-Captain)

Arsene Wenger’s purchase of the Senegalese-born French international from AC Milan in September 1996 for £3.5 million is widely regarded as one of his best pieces of transfer business. After joining the club, Wenger developed Vieira into a composed and technically proficient midfielder to compliment his endless stamina and physical strength.

Vieira made a habit of scoring a number of long-range goals early in his time at Arsenal but became more and more defensive as his career progressed. His defensive nature provided stability for the defence and allowed the likes of Cole and Lauren to push forward and assist Ljungberg and Pires in forward attacks. Nevertheless, Vieira still had a knack of bobbing up in big matches and slotting home a goal or two.

He was captain of the Arsenal sides that won the double in 2001-2002 and went unbeaten in the Premiership in 2003-2004 before winning the 2005 FA Cup Final with his final kick for the club before joining Italian side Juventus. He will remain a true Arsenal legend and there can be no arguments about Vieira’s place in the Team of the Decade as the premier central midfielder.

Best Moment: It was a fitting end to his Arsenal career when Patrick Vieira lined up to take the fifth and final kick against Manchester United in 2005 and scored to win the FA Cup for the club. Vieira had many great moments as captain of Arsenal but to win the the trophy with his final kick for the club was a fairytale end to an outstanding career.

Central Midfielder of the Decade: Gilberto Silva

The Brazilian midfielder joined Arsenal for £4.5 million in August 2002 following outstanding performances for his country at the World Cup in Korea & Japan. He brought with him a reputation for simple, effective football – something not normally attributed to a Brazilian player – with his favoured position as a holding midfielder, sitting just in front of the defence.

Gilberto made an immediate mark in his first match for Arsenal, scoring the winning goal in the 2002 Community Shield against Liverpool. His first season with the club was looked on with mixed reviews and a tendency for him to appear invisible during games frustrated supporters. But in his second season, any frustrations vanished. He formed a skilful and physical central pairing with club captain Patrick Vieira and helped Arsenal go through the entire Premier League season unbeaten.

Gilberto has remained a vital member of the starting team and became vice-captain after Vieira’s departure from the club. He was widely regarded as the club’s best player in the 2006/07 season which brought out the best in Gilberto as both a leader and goalscorer. His versatility and quiet consistency over his time with Arsenal makes Gilberto the perfect central midfield partner for Patrick Vieira in the Team of the Decade.

Best Moment: Although he missed a penalty, the thrill of captaining Arsenal for the first time to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford will live long in the memory for Gilberto. He was a commanding, dominating presence in midfield and allowed the more skilful Cesc Fabregas the freedom to trouble the Manchester United defence. If ever there was a game that signalled Gilberto’s transition from team player to team leader then this was it.

Left Midfielder of the Decade: Robert Pires

The French dynamo joined Arsenal from Marseille in 2000 for £6 million and left the club for Spanish side Villareal six years later in the summer of 2006. The impact that Robert Pires had on the success of Arsenal between those two dates was remarkable. Pires scored 62 goals and provided 43 assists in 189 Premiership appearances to make his mark as a player of astonishing effectiveness.

Pires’ two peaks of form as an Arsenal player came in the 2001/02 season when he was voted PFA Player of the Season after dominating the midfield for Arsenal, and the 2003/04 season in which he scored 14 goals to help the club go unbeaten in the Premiership for an entire season. Pires’ biggest attributes were his flawless control, blistering pace and technical creativity. Importantly, he was equally adept at scoring beautiful or ugly goals at crucial moments for the club.

He formed a formidable attacking relationship with the likes of Fredrik Ljungberg, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry and is an obvious choice as the Left Midfielder of the Decade for Arsenal.

Best Moment: The pinnacle of Pires’ Arsenal career came in his second season at the club when he was voted PFA Player of the Year despite missing the last two months of the season with a knee injury. His finest moment of that season came in a match against Aston Villa where Pires scored an outrageous individual goal to seal a 2-0 victory. Receiving a long ball from Ljungberg, Pires flicked the ball over Aston Villa defender George Boateng’s head before chipping Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeicel. It was a moment of pure class from a class player.

Forward of the Decade: Thierry Henry

When Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger signed Thierry Henry from Juventus in August 1999 for £10.5 million it was seen by most observers to be a strange decision. At his spell in Italy, Henry was used mainly on the wing and scored just three goals in 16 appearances for Juventus – generally struggling with the defensive discipline in the Serie A. Upon arrival at Arsenal he was immediately converted into a striker by Wenger and since that day the club and Henry have never looked back. Although he failed to score in his first ten matches with Arsenal, Henry ended his first season with 26 and a star was born.

Henry is now the highest goalscorer in Arsenal history with 174 goals from 254 games. But his performances have always been about so much more than just scoring goals. He is an amazing athlete, one of the fastest players with the ball at his feet in the history of the game and has an inventiveness and imagination that has thrilled the football world. Highlights include his amazing self-made volley against Manchester United, his hat-trick away to Roma in the Champions League, a stunning individual running goal at home to London rivals Tottenham and a late header to win last season’s Premiership match at home against Manchester United.

There are no words that can accurately describe the impact that Thierry Henry has had on the success of Arsenal since he signed in 1999. His promotion to captain after Patrick Vieira’s departure was a reward for his loyalty and influence at the club and a sign of the great respect that his fellow teammates and the Arsenal community have for him. As such, Henry not only makes it into the Team of the Decade but is also named the Arsenal Player of the Decade.

Best Moment: In the middle of the historic 2003/04 season Arsenal faced Liverpool at Highbury after being knocked out of both the Champions League and the FA Cup in consecutive matches. The performance that Henry produced on that day was truly astonishing as he single-handedly turned a 2-1 half-time deficit into a stunning 4-2 victory. His second goal of the match – to grab the lead for Arsenal for the first time – was one of his best ever for the club. After dribbling halfway past three Liverpool defenders he coolly slotted past Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek to get Arsenal’s Premiership season back on track.

Forward of the Decade: Dennis Bergkamp

Dennis Bergkamp signed for Arsenal for in June 1995 for £7.5million after two disappointing seasons with Inter Milan in the Serie A. The Dutchman hit his best form after the arrival of Arsene Wenger in 1996 and was voted as the PFA Player of the Year for the 1997/98 season when Arsenal won the league and cup double. Bergkamp’s best attributes were always his impeccable control and intelligence when on the ball. He would rarely waste a touch and was just as able to set up a teammate for a goal with a brilliant pass or flick as he was to finish chances for himself.

The quality of the goals that Bergkamp scored is something to cherish as an Arsenal supporter. This is best illustrated in a 3-3 draw with Leicester City where Bergkamp scored a hat-trick of such brilliance that his three goals took up all three spots in the Premier League Goal of the Month award – the first and only time a single player has achieved this. There was also a monumental goal he scored against Newcastle where he bamboozled his marker to score the Goal of the Season in 2002. Goals became less frequent as his career progressed but until his retirement at the end of the 2005/06 season Bergkamp remained a valuable member of Wenger’s team.

Dennis Bergkamp will always be remembered as a great team player and one of the most influential Arsenal players in the club’s history. Thierry Henry has previously called him the “perfect” strike partner because of his unselfishness and ability to read the game. This unselfishness is illustrated by the fact that as well as scoring 121 goals for Arsenal he has also provided 166 assists for the club. This makes him the ideal partner for Henry in the Arsenal Team of the Decade.

Best Moment: The 2-0 victory that Arsenal recorded away to Newcastle in the 2001-2002 Premiership season will forever be remembered for Bergkamp’s amazing piece of skill in opening the scoring for the Gunners. There is conjecture over whether his touch was intentional but in flicking the ball past Newcastle defender Nicos Dabizas and slotting past Shay Given he is credited with scoring one of the best goals in the history of the game.

About the ”Arsenal Team of the Decade”

As the creator of the Arsenal FC Blog and proud supporter of the club I feel that I am in a creditable position to share my thoughts on who have been the best players to play for the club since Arsene Wenger took charge of Arsenal all those years ago. There will obviously be differing opinions over which players should make it into the Arsenal Team of the Decade and I am obviously very happy to hear your thoughts.

Voice your opinions about the Arsenal Team of the Decade by leaving a comment.

The best and worst of Arsenal’s 2006/2007 Season

It has been a little while coming and I decided to take slightly different slant on things than originally planned, but here is my review of Arsenal’s 2006/2007 season. The review will focus on some of the most memorable moments of Arsenal’s season with the intention of being a bit more entertaining than analytical. For a review more along those lines it is hard to go past the one provided by Arseblog and you can read that here. But in the meantime, enjoy some of the best (and worst) moments of the past season in this trip down memory lane.

Best Player: Gilberto Silva. The Brazilian has enjoyed one of his best seasons since joining the club. Took up the responsibility as captain as well as penalty taker in Thierry Henry’s absence and did not disappoint, scoring 10 goals altogether. Improved his passing and an increased presence in the middle gave Cesc Fabregas licence to roam.

Runner-Up: Cesc Fabregas.

Most Disappointing Player: Julio Baptista. Hard to go past the big Brazilian after such an up-and-down ride. Scored a hat-trick against Spurs and put four past Liverpool in consecutive FA Cup games but consistently missed chances in the Premiership. Add to this the fact that his touch and link-up play was almost non-existent in comparison to previous years at Sevilla and Real Madrid and he goes down as a big let-down.

Runner-Up: Emmanuel Eboue.

Best Team Performance: Reading 0-4 Arsenal. Evidence that when the side get it right, the results can be phenomenal. Henry scored a stunner in the first minute and from then on it was a virtuoso Arsenal performance with Robin van Persie and Alexander Hleb both scoring fine goals before Henry wrapped it up from the penalty spot. Three of the goals were due to fine team passing movements and the defence stood firm at the other end to keep a clean sheet.

Runner-Up: Arsenal 6-2 Blackburn.

Worst Team Performance: Sheffield United 1-0 Arsenal. The Gunners were outplayed by Sheffield in the first half and deservedly conceded in the 41st minute through a Christian Nade strike. Arsenal couldn’t even score against regular outfield player Phil Jagielka who was put into goals for the final 15 minutes after an injury to Paddy Kenny. An embarrassing performance that should never have occurred.

Runner-Up: Newcastle 0-0 Arsenal.

Best Individual Performance: Emmanuel Adebayor v Manchester United (1-0). This was the game and the performance that has convinced me that Adebayor has a big future at Arsenal. Arsenal went into the game without Henry or van Persie and Adebayor had a big job to play as a lone striker against the eventual champions. His movement and endeavour was absolutely superb and he was involved in most of Arsenal’s best chances, winning the penalty that Gilberto had saved before scoring a last minute winner to cap a brilliant game.

Runner-Up: Robin van Persie v Blackburn.

Best Team Goal: Robin van Persie v Wigan.

Runner-Up: Mathieu Flamini v Chelsea.

Best Individual Goal: Robin van Persie v Charlton.

Runner-Up: Tomas Rosicky v Hamburg.

Best Free-Kick: Robin van Persie v Fulham.

Runner-Up: Thierry Henry v Newcastle.

Best Moment: Thierry Henry’s late winner against Manchester United. After an even first half Arsenal fell behind to a Wayne Rooney goal before Robin van Persie levelled in the 83rd minute. The scene was set for a remarkable finish and Henry didn’t disappoint, spectacularly heading home a perfect Emmanuel Eboue cross three minutes into injury time to lift the roof off the Emirates and do the double over their bitter rivals.

Runner-Up: Theo Walcott’s opener against Chelsea in the Carling Cup Final. The young Arsenal side was absolutely superb against Chelsea and took the lead after 12 minutes through Walcott’s first goal for the club. It signals the start of a great career and the promise of much to come from not only Walcott, but the likes of Denilson and Abou Diaby as well.

Worst Penalty Kick: Gilberto Silva v Bolton.

Runner-Up: Julio Baptista v Bolton.

Worst Moment: PSV defender Alex’s late header to knock Arsenal out of the Champions League. Arsenal had peformed relatively well throughout the tie against PSV but were made to rue their missed opportunities when Alex’s header flew into the net late on at the Emirates past a slipping Jens Lehmann. It was a heartbreaking finish to a tense game.

Runner-Up: Michael Essien’s wonder-strike at Stamford Bridge to deny Arsenal their first win over Jose Mourinho. Although Arsenal were fortunate to be in front through Mathieu Flamini’s well worked opener, Chelsea were struggling to find the net until Essien’s improbable strike late on. It broke Arsenal’s resolve and strengthened Chelsea, and the Blues nearly went on to win the match.

Most Frustrating Game: Arsenal 0-1 West Ham. The club’s first loss at Emirates Stadium bordered on ridiculous after Arsenal had 30 shots on goal (15 on target) to West Ham’s six. Needless to say, West Ham scored with their only decent effort and supporters were left frustrated beyond explanation.

Runner-Up: Arsenal 0-0 CSKA Moscow 

Best Goalkeeping Save: Jens Lehmann v Manchester United. On first viewing it looks a routine stop but the replays showed that Lehmann’s fingertip save from Ole Gunner Solskjaer is one of the best you’ll ever see. It kept the score at 1-0 and secured the win at Old Trafford.

Best New Player: Tomas Rosicky. Although his first season at the club was spoiled somewhat by injury, Rosicky has shown enough touches of class to suggest that he is now irreplaceable at Arsenal when fit. Scored six goals in all competitions and is one of the only players at the club consistently willing to shoot from distance.

Runner-Up: Denilson. Was a surprise signing in August and has not started many games, but looks an exciting talent. Denilson’s determination and flair was on show during Arsenal’s excellent Carling Cup campaign and the signs are good that he will be part of the club’s midfield for years to come.

Best Cross: Emmanuel Eboue for Thierry Henry v Manchester United.

Runner-Up: Emmanuel Eboue for Thierry Henry v FC Porto. 

Worst Goal Celebration: Thierry Henry and Emmanuel Adebayor’s awful sideline dance. Let’s just hope they’re bored of it by next season.

Worst Miss: Tomas Rosicky v CSKA Moscow

Runner-Up: Abou Diaby & Julio Baptista v Bolton

So there you have it. If you don’t agree with what I’ve said feel free to leave your comments and if you think I’ve missed something out that just has to be included then contact me here and I’ll probably add it in.

Read previous columns by Spanish Fry here