Manchester City will feel the heat in Carabao Cup final against underdogs Arsenal

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22-02-2018

I think it was former American football player and coach Vince Lombardi who said ” winning is a habit, unfortunately so is losing”. It’s a quote that resonates more with Arsenal fans than those of Manchester City this season, but the FA Cup loss to Wigan has ended all talk of the quadrupole.

Not only that but City head to Wembley at the weekend to contest the Carabao cup with Arsenal, with doubts and jitters in their minds for the first time this season.

Football can sometimes be about luck and sometimes about momentum. The North London club at the time of the invincible’s were in a rich vein of form but even that run came to a natural end, perhaps because of complacency. That complacency then knocks confidence and it can lead to an inexplicable dip in form.

Will City follow this pattern?, probably not but they will be full of nerves now on the big occasion and Arsenal need to capitalise with a full-blooded first 45.

If all is equal at halftime, it will be worse for Guardiola’s team than Wenger’s. The Arsenal boss will still feel he can get something from the game and as it goes on, momentum may be in his favour. Many still believe that the blue side of Manchester will roll over the Gunners despite the blip but let’s not count chickens just yet.

The Psychology of football dictates that players are damaged at stages of a season, often by a single poor result, one that was unexpected and unnecessary. City, had no right to beat Wigan of course. On paper, they should have beaten them handsomely with something to spare but the beautiful game likes to spice things up and Wigan, for their part, rolled back the years and put in a fighting performance that baffled the runaway leaders.

Arsenal players will have watched that performance and rubbed their hands together at the prospect of taking on City so quickly. Guardiola will do his job to prepare a gifted squad and dispel any thoughts of another loss but he can’t take to the field and once the players cross over the white line it’s a different prospect.

Wenger will use the Wigan game as part of his preparation to inspire players that have suffered more downs than ups this season and it may have an influence on his final choice. Not in the way Big Sam tried to employ his copycat ‘Swansea’ tactics but it may just help define formation and personnel in his mind rather than on paper.

This is now an intriguing final, it’s possible that the Gunners could heap more misery on the Manchester club but to do that, they will have to defend solidly and harness the spirit they showed in the FA cup final against Chelsea last season. It’s up for grabs, let’s see which team will take the initiative.

Watford midfielder reveals interest in completing Arsenal transfer move

By

Sri Aswin

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20-02-2018

Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure has suggested that he would prefer a move to Arsenal over Tottenham Hotspur, if he were to move to north London during this summer’s transfer window.

The 25-year-old has been one of the standout performers for the Hornets during the current campaign, and his showing has attracted interest from several high-profile clubs including Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

In an exclusive interview with Telefoot, Doucoure was asked as to which of the north London rivals would he prefer to play for, and he replied: “Arsenal, because of Arsene Wenger.”

Arsenal have struggled in the central midfield department during the course of the season, with Wenger struggling to maintain a genuine partnership.

Aaron Ramsey has found himself injured in different stages of the campaign, and this has seen the likes of Granit Xhaka and Jack Wilshere feature in the centre of the park, though the former has come for plenty of criticism.

Xhaka has received stick for his lack of mobility while defending, and there have been calls to replace the Swiss international in the club’s ranks in the summer.

Doucoure has plyed his trade in both the holding midfield and central midfield roles this term, and his performances have been solid with an overall rating of 7.13 in comparison to Xhaka’s 6.92, as per whoscored.com.

The French footballer has also been in the goals with seven in 26 league games, and he has contributed a further two assists – both of which came in a 4-1 thumping of Chelsea earlier this month.

Doucoure’s preference is undoubtedly an advantage, but it will be interesting to see whether Wenger prefers a player of this mould, considering the midfielder is still relatively weak with the tackling attribute of his game.

Arsene Wenger makes key decision on his Arsenal future

By

Sri Aswin

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18-02-2018

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has dismissed the prospect of leaving the Gunners before the expiry of his existing contract.

The French tactician penned a two-year deal with the club, shortly after their FA Cup final triumph over Chelsea, and the 68-year-old has no plans of quitting the side, midway through his spell.

Wenger had hoped to build up a side capable of challenging for the title during the current campaign, but nothing much has gone as planned this term.

The north London side are presently struggling to qualify for the Champions League for the second season on the trot, whilst their FA Cup campaign ended in tatters after a third round exit at Nottingham Forest.

As a result, there has been the talk of Wenger probably evaluating his future in the summer with the club alleged to have a contingency plan in place for the Frenchman.

However, in an interview with BeiN SPORTS, Wenger highlighted that he will stay put for the remainder of his Gunners deal, whilst stressing he has snubbed interest from several elite clubs across the world.

He said: “I have always respected my contracts, I would like to remind you I said no to all the biggest clubs in the world to respect my contract so that’s always what I try to do.”

Despite the uncertainty which has been generated in recent weeks, Arsenal’s chances of Champions League football are still alive, if they are able to win this season’s Europa League amid the stiff competition.

Meanwhile, there is also the possibility of attaining further silverware via the League Cup final this month, though the challenge is likely to be steep against an in-form Manchester City side, who are cruising towards the Premier League crown.

Arsenal will have to bid in excess of £25m to sign Manchester United centre-back

By

Sri Aswin

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18-02-2018

Arsenal are reportedly said to be eyeing a fresh attempt to sign Manchester United defender Chris Smalling when the transfer window reopens in the summer.

The England international had been on the Gunners’ radar previously in 2010 and 2014, with the form being the time when he turned down Arsene Wenger’s side for a move to Old Trafford from Fulham.

According to The Star, the Gunners are still said to hold a keen interest in Jonny Evans, who could be available for a cut-price deal of just £3m, should West Bromwich Albion fail to beat the drop at the end of the season.

However, with competition from the likes of Manchester City and Leicester City, the club have a back-up option with Wenger potentially looking to revive their interest in Smalling, who has been up for criticism of late.

Smalling was panned by the United’s faithful for his reckless dive which played a part in the defeat to Newcastle United last weekend, but he has since put in a strong performance in the 2-0 triumph over Huddersfield in the FA Cup.

Arsenal are on the search for a centre-back with Premier League experience who can steady the ship at the back, and Smalling is surely not an option, given his inconsistency in games.

The Englishman can put in stellar performances which earn him praise from the fans, but he is equally disappointing in the backend of matches, where things do not go his way.

Like teammate Phil Jones, the 28-year-old has not quite lived up to his full potential regardless of his vast experience in Premier League football, and the £25m valuation talked about could be better spent on a different player, who is less experienced, but capable of handling pressure at crunch intervals.

Arsene Wenger orders Arsenal to complete signing of £45million French sensation

By

Sri Aswin

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17-02-2018

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has apparently set his sights on reinforcing his attack further with the signing of Lyon skipper Nabil Fekir in the summer.

The Frenchman has stood out for the Ligue 1 outfit this term following the departure of teammate Alexandre Lacazette, and his performances are likely to be rewarded with a spot in Didier Deschamps’ squad.

According to The Mail, Wenger is keen on wrapping up a summer agreement for the versatile attacker, and wants a deal to be sorted out before Les Bleus travel for the World Cup finals in Russia.

The Gunners have looked short in the attack front with the departures of Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain over the past six months, and Fekir could the ideal player to emphasise a squad rebuild in the summer.

Though Fekir has played most of his games in the attacking midfield or second striker position, the 24-year-old is more than capable of playing in a deeper central midfield role, where he put in one of his best performances of the season with Paris Saint-Germain.

Fekir had a serious knee injury between 2015 and 2016 which slowed down his development, but the Frenchman has since improved with his showing with 16 goals and six assists in Ligue 1 this term.

The Lyon star is presently rated at around £45m, and this could be considered as a potential bargain for the Gunners, given the inflation in the market, which has seen record fees in excess of £50m spent by individual clubs.

Arsenal fans would rather expect Wenger to reinforce the club’s backline as well as the goalkeeping position during the summer, but the speculation, for now, is surrounding attack-minded players with Leipzig’s Timo Werner reported to be another potential target for the summer.

Arsenal join hunt for £50m-rated Bundesliga striker, as Gunners scouts watch 16-goal star

By

Sri Aswin

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17-02-2018

Arsenal are reportedly among the clubs interested in signing highly-rated German striker Timo Werner from RB Leipzig at the end of the campaign.

The 21-year-old has lit up the Bundesliga stage over the past 18 months with a number of standout performances for Leipzig, and this has earned him international recognition with Germany for whom he has netted seven goals in just 10 appearances.

According to The Sun, manager Arsene Wenger had sent his talent-spotters to keep a close watch on Werner, who won the Golden Boot during Germany’s triumph at the Confederations Cup last summer.

Werner has since notched 16 goals in 29 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit in all competitions including a brace against Napoli in the Europa League in midweek.

Leipzig secured a 3-1 win on the road to Napoli in the first-leg of the Europa League round of 32, and this was closely watched by Gunners’ scouts, with a view to a summer transfer.

Arsenal have bolstered the striking department with the signings of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette in the last two transfer windows, but there is plenty of doubt regarding the future of the latter in particular.

Meanwhile, there may also be the need for a quality marksman behind the duo with Danny Welbeck having not done much over the past 12 months to prove his credentials with the north London side.

Aside from Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid are among the other high-profile sides credited with an interest in the £50m-rated forward, who can feature in the wider positions, but his medical condition could hamper any future transfer.

Werner was substituted off the field during a Champions League outing at Besiktas due to his vertigo, which caused circulation and breathing problems after being subject to the deafening noise from the supporters.

Don’t make Alexandre Lacazette the scapegoat for Tottenham defeat

By

The Long Shadow

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16-02-2018

The arrival of Alexandre Lacazette was greeted with huge excitement and in his first 13 games he managed to clock up 8 goals but then Wenger decided to rotate or substitute the Frenchman.

In his next 11 matches, his return plummeted to a single goal. He had done absolutely nothing wrong in that time and all the signs were promising that the North London club finally had a striker of substance.

Yet he was unable to complete a full 90 minutes regularly which many including myself found mystifying. The arrival of Aubameyang must have added to the anxiety and yet again Lacazette was suddenly reduced to the subs bench which no doubt dented his confidence.

So we come to Spurs VS Arsenal and Lacazette finally gets an opportunity but fluffs his lines. No surprise there.

What was surprising was the ignorant response of some fans who are now calling him a flop or waste of money.

He is far from that, he is a superb striker with pace and intelligence who needs to play regularly to get the best from him.

If a striker feels he doesn’t have the managers trust, confidence evaporates as quickly as someone opening a window in a room full of steam. The loss to Spurs was not Lacazette’s fault but was more a case of Arsenal not showing up for business.

Now, he could be out for 6-8 weeks due to injury and the Gunners now have a major issue in attack. Aubameyang is ineligible for the Europa cup and that leaves only Danny Welbeck in the role as a recognised striker.

As we all know, Danny Welbeck is a nice lad and on his day can cause defences problems but he is certainly not an out and out striker.

It’s yet another oversight on Arsenal’s behalf and the player probably overexerted himself trying to make a point.

One thing seems to lead to another at the Emirates and this season is rapidly becoming one where shortsightedness and short-term planning will prove extremely costly. If Welbeck gets injured, which, let’s be honest is highly likely, Arsenal may as well fold up the tent and pour water on the fire.

It’s the same old story but don’t start blaming Lacazette, it’s a team failure and it’s been a regular feature this season.

‘Leave Welbeck in Sweden’, Arsenal fans want Ostersund striker to replace England international

By

Sri Aswin

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16-02-2018

Arsenal supporters were pleased with the performance of Saman Ghoddos during the Gunners’ 3-0 triumph over Ostersund in the Europa League round of 32 first-leg.

The Iran international, who has been attracting interest from the Spanish La Liga, became a constant threat to the Gunners’ defence shortly after Arsene Wenger’s side went 2-0 ahead.

Ghoddos could not find the scoresheet over the course of the game, but he managed a couple of attempts at goal including a superlative effort from outside the box which required David Ospina to make a fingertip save.

The Swedish outfit had not played a competitive fixture in their division for more than two months, and the Gunners supporters were impressed with the workrate of Ghoddos upfront than Welbeck, who appeared to lack the cutting edge in front of goal.

The England international was the only fit centre-forward in the club’s ranks eligible to play in the Europa League after Alexandre Lacazette’s injury, but his latest performance does him no favours in earning a contract extension beyond June 2019.

“Leave Welbeck in Östersund and bring Ghoddos to London instead.”, said Arman.

“Swap Welbeck for Ghoddos, please”, said Eric.

“How about we leave Welbeck in Sweden and bring that Ghoddos fella from Östersunds on a plane back to London instead??”, said P.

“Arsenal should buy Ghoddos! He is a way better rotation player than Welbeck.”, said Petter.

“Ghoddos is already better than Welbeck”, said Lee.

Ostersund started the game defensively which played into the Gunners’ hands with Nacho Monreal opening the scoring before an own-goal double the lead.

However, shortly after, the home side exhibited their dominance in the attacking department, and they eventually ended the game with reasonable control with 44 per cent of the possession.

Mesut Ozil’s second-half strike in his maiden European appearance this term killed the game off, but Ospina made a key save off a penalty right at the end to preserve the three-goal margin.

Arsenal have endured a lean run in terms of keeping out non shoot-out, and Ospina’s save between the sticks was the club’s very first since 2014, where Lukasz Fabianski pulled out a block on Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller.

Can Arsenal pull off the great escape and qualify for the Champions League via the back door?

By

Kevin Parker

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15-02-2018

Can Arsenal qualify for the Champions League? Not through the Premiership that’s for sure. But through the Europa League? Maybe.

They face a tricky tie tonight away to Swedens’ up and coming success story, Ostersunds. Managed by an Englishman, Graham Potter, the one-time minnows of Sweden can produce an upset, let’s not kid ourselves here.

We are struggling for attackers; Lacazette injured, Aubameyany cup-tied, we are left pinning our hopes on Welbeck.

Knowing Arsenals’ injury record, playing on Ostersunds artificial pitch will be a nerve-racking experience. According to the official Arsenal website, Wenger is leaving behind Wilshere, Koscielny and Cech. Ramsey is missing with a groin injury so midfield and attack are compromised.

Arsenal haven’t played in Sweden for 20 years so weather conditions will play a part tonight, are the Gunners up for a fight?

Ostersunds ground has a 9165 capacity, a far cry from the Emirates 60,000, but you can guarantee it will still be intimidating. The last thing you want when it’s freezing cold is a partisan crowd on your back.

So many things going against the North London club already, plus the Swedes won the Swedish cup 18 months ago. It’s going to be a nail biting experience tonight, for sure.

But if ever we needed to get behind Arsenal, tonight is the night. The game has a one goal defeat for us written all over it. Yes, we will do the business back at the Emirates, but there is more at stake than a hiccup on the road for Arsenal.

This 2 legged tie will define our season, it can seal Wengers’ fate and also give the Tabloids a field day. I can already see the headlines, but tonight, I’m Mr.Optimistic with a capital O, we will win tonight, Welbeck, with help from Ozil, will grab a brace. It will be a routine victory and all will be well….. Until the West Ham game.

Life as a Gooner is a rollercoaster ride for sure, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Remember that annoying song from a few years back? Well, ”Things Can Only Get Better”.

Welbeck and Chambers start, 4-2-3-1: Strongest Predicted Arsenal XI vs Ostersund

By

Sri Aswin

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15-02-2018

Arsenal will seek to forget their recent away woes when they make the trip to Sweden to face-off against Ostersund on Thursday evening.

With a top-four finish looking highly difficult for the same season on the trot, Arsene Wenger’s side may have to win the Europa League altogether.

As a result, they will be desperate to make progress beyond round of 32 of the competition, and winning by a big margin over Ostersund is more of a must with the reverse leg scheduled just a few days before the League Cup final.

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Lineup:

Petr Cech has been left of the travelling squad, and this very much guarantees David Ospina another start between the sticks. The Colombian has been the Gunners’ regular in the Cup competitions with just one cameo appearance in the top-flight this term.

Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal are likely to take up the full-back positions for the game, but there is expected to be a change in the central defensive department with Laurent Koscielny left out.

Calum Chambers has been the Gunners’ third-choice centre-back ahead of Rob Holding and Per Mertesacker, and he could earn a rare start versus Shkodran Mustafi for the midweek outing.

In midfield, the Gunners have to contend with the absence of Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere and hence Mohamed Elneny is expected to start alongside Granit Xhaka in the centre of the park.

Further forward, Alex Iwobi and Mesut Ozil are expected to feature in the left and right wing positions respectively, whilst Henrikh Mkhitaryan should should earn his first European start for the season in the number 10 role.

Danny Welbeck is expected to start upfront for the Gunners with both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang unavailable for the outing.

Lacazette is sidelined for the best part of six weeks after a knee surgery whilst Aubameyang is Cup-tied with Borussia Dortmund having dropped to the Europa League for the second half of the campaign.