da winzada777： Prior to the start of this Premier League season many pundits opined that this could be Arsenal’s year. After all their young squad is maturing, are desperate for silverware and have a manager keen to seek vindication for his unwavering devotion to an attacking, fluid style of play. Yet with the new season barely two months old will their fans continue their five year wait for a trophy and be forced to recalibrate their aspirations? For some their failings have been all too familiar once more, succumbing to the efficiency of Chelsea, dropping points at home, being defensively naïve and exhibiting goalkeeping errors. Following Sunday’s London derby the Gunners are now seven points behind the reigning champions. Should their fans be despondent or optimistic that their hopes seem contingent of being more clinical offensively?
da esoccer bet： Part of Arsenal’s enigmatic appeal is their ability to mesmerise, as they did in the Champions League against Braga, and then flatter to deceive when Saturday comes. The club retained the services of their talismanic captain this summer and have integrated Jack Wilshere into the first team picture with consummate ease. Their early season form, with Theo Walcott shining, was exemplary and featured an away win at the perennially troublesome Ewood Park. It seemed that the Gunners were no longer merely footballing purists for others to admire and imitate. However the home loss to West Bromich Albion refocused attention on recurring deficiencies which have been well documented in previous seasons. The recasting of the defence is yet to pay dividends, the case for a new goalkeeper is stronger than ever and the team can be profligate in front of goal. Tomas Rosicky missed a penalty which would have given the team a 2-0 lead at Sunderland, a match that eventually finished in a draw.
Radio phone-ins have been a remarkably interesting forum for discussing their apparent predicament. A popular view is that the squad lacks some English steel and determination or that they require a Mark van Bommel figure to cynically disrupt opposition play. Alternatively it is said that Arsenal need more big game players who can reliably handle the pressure and expectation in the absence of Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie. The squad have been beset by injury this campaign, having recently been without the aforementioned duo in addition to Walcott and Thomas Vermaelen. An article on this site last week explored the argument that their defensive frailties, especially on the left-hand side had been exposed by the Belgian’s absence.
For all the conjecture Arsene Wenger knew that there would be no sterner early season test than a trip to Stamford Bridge. “It is vitally important to win the big games and the confrontation will certainly give an indication of the strengths of the two teams,” he said. Chelsea won 2-0 through Didier Drogba’s clever finish and Alex’s rocket free-kick. The final result may have been predictable but invariably with Arsenal it failed to capture the whole story. Wenger pledged to dominate possession and not be bullied by a team with a patent physical advantage. By using Abou Diaby high up the field the away side pressed Chelsea unremittingly, denying the supply chain to their forwards. But in conforming to stereotypes, their superior possession was not clinically despatched. The team created two excellent opportunities within the first few minutes, as Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny missed headers. Their new Moroccan striker additionally missed a chance to level the scores with ten minutes to play.
In his post-match press conference a downbeat Wenger commented, “We showed you can play well and lose a game. We missed too many chances and at this level, you have to be more clinical offensively and defensively.” He was correct to reply when asked of Chelsea’s physical stature that Barcelona and Spain have triumphed with diminutive, skilful players. This style is embodied by Arsenal but both of these teams are predicated on an unyielding defence and forward players who can be refreshingly direct and proficient when bearing down on goal. In the absence of van Persie and Fabregas, Arsenal may not have the personnel to make their imposing possession count.
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