Welcome back to the second installment of the inaugural Absolute Arsenal Season Review. Today’s subject will be the most improved player of the season, in which we will evaluate the strides members of the squad have made not only from prior seasons, but their progression over the course of the 2012-13 campaign. Without further ado, the candidates… 

Carl Jenkinson: When Jenkinson, a lifelong Arsenal supporter, was announced as Arsene Wenger’s latest signing in June 2011, the fans did not exactly take kindly to another typical Wenger youth signing. Jenko was signed from Charlton Athletic of League 1, despite only making his first appearance for the club only seven months prior. Fans were already in a sour mood with Barcelona’s tapping up of Cesc Fabregas, so some lower league defender was about the last signing anyone wanted to see. Not only that, but in Jenkinson’s limited appearances in an Arsenal shirt that season he looked like a child lost in the deep end of the pool without his floaties. It seemed as if it was another swing and a miss for Wenger, that was, until this season came around. It started with the pre-season friendlies, but my did that little League One player look a different beast upon return from the off-season. With Bacary Sagna sidelined by injury yet again, Jenkinson seized his opportunity with a number of impressive displays in the side. It even got to a point where fans, myself included, genuinely wanted him to stay on at right back despite Sagna’s return to fitness. We are talking about fans wanting a relatively untested 20-year-old over a man who many have considered the best right back in the Prem for a number of years. While Sagna was ultimately given his place back, that did not stop Jenkinson from pushing on. This culminated in a November call-up to the England squad, a feat that even he himself probably never could have predicted happening so fast, if at all. In December he was then rewarded with a long-term contract, joining the newfound “British Core” in doing so. While Carl may not have seen much action towards the latter parts of the season, one can only be dumbfounded at how a kid who essentially played 7 months of third division football now found himself as a legitimate player at a massive club like Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta: With Arteta, he may not have necessarily “improved”, but nobody made a bigger adjustment to his game than the Lego haired Spaniard. With the departure of Alex Song to Barcelona in late August, it left a hole at the defensive midfield position (despite Song’s reluctance to treat it as such). With the only natural defensive midfielders with any first team experience being Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong, it goes without saying that the club were in dire need of a more experienced signing, but lacked much time to do so. In stepped Mikel Arteta, a deadline day signing the previous season who had spent his entire career as an attacking midfielder. He had been an integral member of the team during the 2011-12 season, as he provided leadership and stability in keeping possession and building the attack. Without hesitation the Spaniard stepped into his new role and truly anchored the midfield. While he had always been seen as a competitor, there was a level of tenacity and grit that arose in his game, something the club had been lacking since the classic trophy winning sides of years past. While this upcoming summer will see Gooners call for a “legitimate” defensive minded midfielder, it would be difficult for anybody to say they were not impressed with Arteta’s performance this season. On top of that, many will be pushing for the Spaniard to officially receive the armband going forward, as he carried it extremely well during the latter parts of the campaign following Vermaelen being dropped from the side.

Aaron Ramsey: #BlameRamsey. The once promising Welshman had been deemed the ultimate scapegoat for anything going wrong with the Arsenal since his long layoff from the infamous Shawcross tackle. Pre-injury Rambo had been putting in performance after performance, looking all the more likely to take over the Cesc role one day. Then the leg break happened and Ramsey simply did not look the same player as before. Gooners worldwide were bashing the man left and right, deeming him nowhere near good enough to play for Arsenal again. To make matters worse, Ramsey lost his captaincy of the Welsh national team following a shift in managers. To, again, make matters in even worse than before Arsene Wenger spent much of the first half of the 2012-13 season playing Rambo up top as a winger, a position he was simply never meant to play. While the move was a means to an end, it was a torrid time for Ramsey, whose natural position undoubtedly lies in central midfield. It was January that Wenger finally moved Ramsey back into central midfield, and it was as if something just instantly clicked. All the Ramsey haters continued to hurl insults towards the player, but they very quickly simmered down, as his performances were simply outstanding. Some days your touch is on, some days it is off, but Ramsey found his role, one that would allow him to contribute to the team no matter what: A box-to-box midfielder. The last time the club had seen one was Alex Song’s breakout season with the club, where he prioritized his defensive duties and understood the effect his hustling up and down the pitch could have. Ramsey put himself in that position and undoubtedly succeeded.

Winner: Aaron Ramsey

While Carl Jenkinson was admittedly a very close second, it would be hard to argue that Ramsey’s burst of success seemed to perfectly coincide with the sides’ massive improvement and Wenger’s commitment to really go for Champions League football. Between his dropping of Thomas Vermaelen, Ramsey finding his role, and Mertesacker and Koscielny finding their partnership, it seemed the team figured out a way to grind out results. Ramsey’s commitment to his box-to-box role throughout the latter months of the season was about as valuable as any other player’s contribution to the side. In the end, Champions League football was attained and Rambo has been tied down to a long-term deal. The future looks extremely bright for Aaron Ramsey, as the once promising Welshman looks to have found his boots again and will no doubt be gunning for the future. 

Welcome Gooners to the inaugural “Absolute Arsenal Season Review”. This will be a seven-part series in which multiple facets of Arsenal’s 2012-13 season will be dissected and ultimately awards will be given out for the given subject that day. All of us alike are already dealing with some level of football withdrawal, some more than others, but nonetheless the goal here is to give everyone their fix of Red and White. Cheers and enjoy!

This first post will be covering the subject of Player of the Year (POY). While I have seen Arsenal.com run their own poll as well as numerous other blogs out there, there have been a number of intriguing inclusions and exclusions alike. The biggest issue seems to be a lack of focus over the entire season, rather than the very end. It is with this logic that I will make it clear that Laurent Koscielny was simply not in the running for our POY. This is not to say he was not the player of the final month or two, but it would be difficult to say his performances over a brief period of time merit the ultimate award. The candidates are as follows:

Theo Walcott: Theo easily took the most massive jump of his career this season. He spent much of the 2011-12 campaign as the Dutchman’s assist man, which was undoubtedly an improvement over the ‘helpless track star stuck on a football pitch’ he had looked previously. The high-profile departure of RvP to United left many questions to be answered, most importantly who was going to put the ball in the net? It would be difficult for anyone to argue Arsenal were, for the most part, a one-man-team last season, yet barely scrapped their way into the Champions League (Hi Fulop). Given Wenger’s lack of a proper signing to replace RvP this meant an existing squad member would have to make it happen. Despite Wenger sticking Theo in the doghouse for his refusal to sign the offered contract, Walcott still made things happen during his time on the pitch. It soon became very clear he was Arsenal’s biggest scoring threat due to Giroud and Podolski’s inability to adapt to the Prem right away. With much help from fan outcry of losing another valuable member of the squad and the fact that his performances and general run of form simply warranted it, the board finally rewarded Theo with the 100K/week contract he had asked. The young Englishman ‘signed da ting,’ becoming the latest member to join the ‘British Core’ of Wilshere, Jenkinson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, and Gibbs. Walcott would finish the season with 21 goals and 17 assists, which would be just enough to force Arsenal’s way into fourth place and Champions League football. Highlights of the season include his hat trick against Reading in the epic 7-5 extra time win as well as a fine goal at Newcastle, where despite being taken down in the box he scrambled to his feet to get the ball back and coolly chip the keeper. It would be fair to say that Theo Walcott really grew up this season and has proven to everyone he is indeed meant to be a footballer.

Santi Cazorla: Does anyone know if he is left or right footed yet? The Spanish magician represents one of the most low-key transfers for a superstar in recent memory. With many thanks to the financial situation in Spain, particularly with Malaga, Arsenal were able to land the creative midfielder they had craved so badly since the departure of Cesc Fabregas. Despite Giroud and Podolski’s struggles to adapt to English football, Santi was the shining star of Wenger’s summer signings, as his performances week in and week out were astonishing. The little guy’s ability to keep possession with three opposing players chomping at his feet was a welcoming sight to see, as Arsene had seemingly pulled off another installment of his classic transfer magic (little known fact that Cazorla turned down Real Madrid in favor of our project). Unfortunately the English season and Wenger’s reliance on the Spaniard began to take its toll, as Cazorla grew quieter and quieter as the season went on. There were undoubtedly moments of absolute magic, but his shots began to sail higher and higher and it was easy to see the lad was absolutely gassed. It will be no surprise to anyone that Santi was the most played player in the English Premier League this season, which, again, explains his dip in form. While he did rack up an undoubtedly impressive 12 goals and 16 assists, there is so much Cazorla did that is unseen on the stat sheet. It is easy to forget this was his first season in England, which did not seem to faze him. One could easily consider him the signing of the summer, as the Arsenal have a special player on their hands. A highlight of the season would be his spectacular rocket of a goal against West Ham as well as his goal and assist in the 5-2 home win over Sp*rs.  

Per Mertesacker: When RvP had officially gone to United there was not much of a fuss made over Vermaelen being awarded the captaincy. He had been a fan favorite since his signing from Ajax and clearly had the Arsenal in his heart. Despite this, he had a disaster of a season to say the least. While the turning point of the season may have been Wenger’s dropping of TV5 in favor of Laurent Koscielny, the mainstay of that CB combination was none other than the BFG. Standing at 1.98 m (6’6”) it is no surprise that his legs do not move too fast, but it is his ability to read the game that not only makes up for it, but also makes him a world -class defender. This was not always an accepted concept, as it was the Sp*rs match at White Hart Lane that saw him dropped in favor of the speedier partnership of Vermaelen and Koscielny. We all know how that turned out, what happened as a result and ultimately that Per Mertesacker was never dropped again. While the 2011-2012 season could be seen as a success for the German, he did not win over the entirety of the fan base. It was clear in Per’s second, and first full season, of English football that he had put in the proper work in the off-season, both physically and mentally, to better approach the rigors of the Prem. He constantly marked strikers out of the game, was in proper defensive positions, and rarely got beat due to his lack of speed. Many will reference the United match, but again, it was the exception to the rule. The highlight of his season was undoubtedly Mertesacker opening up his Arsenal account with a vital goal in the home fixture against Sp*rs. It was that goal that turned the match around (much like Sagna’s last season) and led the squad to another 5-2 victory (also like last season!). Mertesacker also captained the squad for the first time in the FA cup victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Winner: Santi Cazorla

When evaluating the award of “Player of the Year”, one must ask themselves if the intent here is to award the best player in the squad or the most valuable member of the squad. Thankfully, this year’s winner fits both categories. Many, myself included, did not know much about Cazorla until the usual twitter blowup prior to a potential signing, but boy did he make himself known right off the bat. The first two matches of the season may have been scoreless draws with the focus on our (then) impressive defense, but Cazorla’s presence was felt immediately through his tricky footwork and natural passing ability. It was the third match where his hard work finally came to fruition, providing the first assist of the season for fellow signing Lukas Podolski and then finding the net himself just over half an hour later. Comparisons have obviously made between the new Spaniard maestro and the former one, with the transfer window currently posing the possibility of a Fabregas comeback. One can only salivate at the thought of them playing together for the Arsenal. Here is to hoping Wenger can make that dream a reality. Congratulations to the Absolute Arsenal 2012-13 Player of the Year, Santi Cazorla. 

It only took until mid-March, but it is definitely nice to feel like the Arsenal are beginning to find a run of form, and with that comes a sense of momentum. Wenger’s boys in red look to have harnessed the humiliation of such an ugly North London Derby defeat, and in turn developed a sense of urgency. The calamitous defensive errors that have unfortunately been the trademark of this year’s squad were exactly the club’s undoing in a NLD that Gooners worldwide would prefer to forget, but at the same time may prove to be the delayed inciting incident this club has craved for many months since the campaign kicked off. One can go on for days about the mistakes the club and Arsene Wenger himself have made. Letting RvP and Song go without adequate replacements, making Vermaelen captain, relying on Diaby to stay fit, etc. Those stories are so old and nobody wants to hear them. Instead of focusing on the negatives, the club and its fans need to focus on what we do have, as opposed to what we do not have. Like the saying goes, “When god gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

The boys seem to have taken this to heart, as they followed up their derby misery with an inspired win over Champions League runners-up Bayern Munich, arguably a top three team in the world. It was not just about the victory itself, but rather how emphatic the performance was. They have since followed it up with what seemed a routine win over Swansea, a club who had twice made life very difficult for us this season. With nine matches remaining in this year’s Barclays Premier League season, the focus has clearly shifted to that of fourth place. The Gunners lie five points behind Chelsea and four behind Sp*rs (with a game in hand). If they can keep their form going with a win over Reading, those three points will close the gap back to a single point, with Sp*rs the recipients of a much tougher run of games. On top of that, following a 120 minute second leg with Inter, which saw the scum through on away goals, they are now forced to deal with yet another Europa League tie where they will face Basel. This means AVB will have to allow for some level of squad rotation. The biggest question here is how much he prioritizes an opportunity for (mediocre) silverware, which Gooners will be hoping is a lot. Bale’s run of form has been nothing short of magnificent, and admittedly reminiscent of a certain Dutchman’s run of form in the previous season. Similar questions will be asked as to whether he can continue to show the same quality over this final stretch, as well as his ability to play every single match without catching a knock at some point.

Going back to the two North London clubs’ schedules, one can only see a massive window of opportunity for the reds. Wigan, Southampton, and Sunderland represent the only matches where three points would be the undoubted expectation for Tottenham, as their other seven matches include Chelsea away, City, Everton, and Stoke away. On the other side of North London, Arsenal are looking at a final stretch where the only two matches where three points could possibly be doubted are United and Everton, both of which will be played at the Emirates. Other matches include the entire relegation zone, Norwich, West Brom, and the final match of the season against Newcastle at St. James Park.

What does this all mean? Most will remember Newcastle’s absurd run of form last season, which in turn got their manager rewarded with a preposterous eight-year contract. Nonetheless, it came to an end and they were forced to settle for the Europa League. Nobody could argue that their late season push for fourth was not impressive, but at the end of the day momentum will inevitably drain and order will be restored. For Tottenham, it looks like their fate will be decided by just how much gas they have left in the tank. Recent knocks to the in-form Aaron Lennon as well as another to Michael Dawson, their defensive rock, will definitely hamper their efforts depending on the severity of their injuries. Hopefully the momentum will continue to flow for the Gunners, whilst it looks to be running out for the scum. By no means is it time to call their recent form a collapse, but it could definitely be the beginning of one. Here’s to praying for a St. Totteringhams Day celebration. 

Happy New Year Gooners. 2013 has now arrived with the potential of an improved Arsenal side as compared to that of the first few months of the campaign. In came Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud, with the Dutchmen off to United as well as Alex Song to Barca. While van Persie did command a fee of £24 million, it would be foolish to claim Arsenal got the sweet end of the deal as the former captain has pushed United into a comfortable lead in the table. On the other hand Song was recently voted the “worst signing in La Liga” along with Luka Modric of Real. As the saying goes, “You win some, you lose some.” Arsenal will certainly need to be on the winning side of the equation if they want to ensure a 4th place finish along with qualification for the Champions League. 

Thus far the Arsenal side have proven to be a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-like story. The defense began the campaign atop the Premier League in goals allowed, but have since found themselves amongst the worst. Mental breakdowns, communication errors and individual mistakes have provided opponents with the opportunities they have needed to take points week after week. The midfield of Arteta-Wilshere-Cazorla, on paper, is one of the best in not only England, but also Europe. Despite this they have been unable to unlock opposing defenses and put goals on the board. The Cazorla of the first few weeks is often found missing, while Arteta, a creative midfielder, often finds himself sitting back doing his best to perform an unfamiliar job in front of the defense. Wilshere on the other hand has been one of the few bright points, but the depth issues (at times known as Arsene Wenger’s trust issues; see Rosicky, Tomas) have forced a man who missed nearly 2 years of football to play 90 minutes match after match. Up top Podolski is often found missing and taken off early, whilst the Ox has failed to jumpstart his career this season as so many predicted he would. Giroud has finally shown signs of adjustment to England, while the “Sign Da Ting” saga has brought Gooners back into very familiar territory with top players forcing moves away.

While there have been positive noises lately as to Walcott’s likelihood to sign the deal, they are largely due to the player’s standout performances seemingly forcing the board’s hand to up their offer. The club’s recent nature has been to sell the top assets in an effort to profit while sealing the holes left in the squad with cheap bargain buys. This mindset has worked well enough in the past to secure Champion’s League qualification, but this season has proven to be very different. The quick fixes have not been enough despite Wenger’s supposed eye for talent and ability to transform a squad. Not only have players left, but it seems other players and managers have  reached a point where they do not feel Arsenal pose the same threat they used to. Players like Jan Vertonghen and Lewis Holtby have spurned Arsenal’s interest and preferred to join Sp*rs as they see that club as more ambitious than the red and white of North London. The news of a name like David Villa showing interest in a move to Arsenal is huge and quite a change from the norm, but then one must realize the man is coming off a broken leg and wants the move because he is not good enough to get regular football at Barcelona. To compound this, Wenger looks to be behind both Sp*rs and United to sign Wilfried Zaha, the Crystal Palace winger who, a lifelong Gooner, once looked a lock to pick Arsenal had the offer been on the table. 

Simply put, times are changing in N5. Arsenal are not the same attractive option as they used to be. It is sad, but it is the club’s own doing. The idea of the Emirates Stadium project is brilliant, but at the same time the club’s motives have become clear, as paying off debts and maintaining financial stability have become priority over success on the pitch. Add in Stan Kroenke’s takeover with the project, a billionaire who refuses to put a penny of his own money into the club, and you have yourself a recipe for footballing disaster for the near future. It only takes one look at Kroenke’s other teams (Nuggets, Avalanche, etc.) to see that money trumps trophies. So the guy bought Arsenal because he saw it as a great investment. Why? Because it is! It is not Kroenke’s fault that Arsenal’s previous shareholders sold him their stake in the club. Yes, one can say Lady Nina and the others did not know he would be so financially motivated, but at the end of the day he is and we as a club are stuck with him until the profitability is gone and he sees no use for his investment. Hats off to him because he is an even richer man due to his eye for good investments. Again, it is not his fault he is a smart businessman. 

Does this mean there is no hope for Arsenal this season? Absolutely not, as they are still very much in the hunt for 4th place given that there does not seem to be another club good enough to solidify the position themselves (Ex: Tottenham, Everton, etc). Hopefully the club understands the potential financial losses if the team does not finish 4th and in turn addresses it with a signing or two. Moving forward the introduction of FFP will certainly aid the club’s cause along with the final payments on the Emirates Stadium. Once the project has been paid off, there should be an increase in available funds to be spent in the transfer market and an overall shift in focus towards footballing stability and success. At the end of the day, we are just massive fans of a massive club we care so much about. All we can do as Gooners is support the squad week in and week out regardless of who is on the team sheet…unless it’s Gervinho. Cheers.

Arsenal:

Szczesny: 7 - Not much to deal with for the Pole in Goal, answered the call when needed.

Sagna: 7 - Another fine performance from the right back who took care of opposing attackers and got forward as usual. Played like a right winger on top of his defensive duties, but crosses are still lacking.

Mertesacker: 7 - The German almost found himself on the scoresheet with a cheeky dribble move in the Montpellier box. Besides that performed his usual duties and continues to be Arsenal’s most consistent CB.

Koscielny: 8 - Starting to get back to the form he found last season when he was arguably Arsenal’s top CB. Almost opened the scoring with a bullet of a header, but was kept out by the crossbar. 

Vermaelen: 7 - As was the theme for the defense Captain Verm had a quiet night as well, but is clearly starting to become more comfortable at LB. Partnered well with Podolski going forward, which in turn prompted the German to come back and assist in defense more often than in previous matches with Andre Santos at the back. Solid performance.

Arteta: 7 - Put in a good shift protecting the back 4. As usual helped jump start the offense playing balls forward. He has clearly accepted and embraced his role this season with the absence of Alex Song. A true veteran and leader in the squad. 

Wilshere: 7.5 - The raw emotion and radiant smile on Wilshere’s face was beyond contagious as Arsenal’s #10 found the back of the net for the first time in nearly 2 years. Constantly involved in the attack and worked hard for the team. Rating would be higher, but his sharpness just is not fully there yet as he gave the ball away far too easily with some sloppy passing. Nonetheless a great showing.

Cazorla: 8 - Makes the team tick week in and week out. Has bags of ability, which he uses to gracefully coast past defenders with ease. Almost grabbed a third for the Arsenal, but was denied by a good save from the Montpellier keeper.

Oxlade-Chamberlain: 6 - Absent. Helped in the build up to Podolski’s wonder goal, but went missing for most of the match. Sagna was often isolated on the right having to beat defenders and put crosses in as if he was a right winger, when in reality he was doing the Ox’s job. Nobody doubts the kid’s ability, but he passed up a great opportunity to establish himself and warrant more time on the pitch.  

Podolski: 9 - What a goal. Poldi is a curious case as he has matches where he is a force, while others he performs his best invisibility act. Wednesday night he was the former as he was constantly involved in the attack, put in a number of crosses, and showcased some great movement and link up play. The German also completed his first full match for the club. 

Giroud: 9.5 - Man of the Match. 2 assists on the night from the Frenchman in the final match of the season against his former club. The first assist came when he beautifully knocked a ball down deep in the box for Wilshere to poke home, while the second on a textbook 1-2 where his perfectly lobbed pass was rocketed into the net by fellow signing Lukas Podolski. It was blatant how badly the Frenchman wanted to put one in the net, but his presence was felt nonetheless. Quite the flop right?

Subs:

Ramsey: 7 - Came on in the 69th minute. Surprisingly put in a good shift. Did his job, played smart, not much more to say.

Coquelin: N/A - Came on in the 84th, just killed the game off.

Gervinho: N/A - Also on in the 84th, forehead as big as ever, no frustrating moments thankfully. 

Arsenal must re-sign Theo Walcott.

This is a no-brainer. The man has been tearing it up all season long whether he has been a starter or came off the bench. He has finally matured from the 16-year-old who went to the World Cup in 2006 into a legitimate footballer. He takes people on, he delivers good crosses, he utilizes his frightening pace effectively, he puts balls in the back of the net. He finally gets it and he is only going to get better and better. And now Arsenal do not want him anymore???

The reports have gone on and on about Theo and his desire to play centrally, which it seems Arsene Wenger is beginning to give way to. The main issue looks to be the money, as Arsenal are offering 80K/week, while Theo is asking for 100K/week, with rumors that he would accept 90K/week. First off I simply do not trust Wenger to spend on an established player or adequately replace Theo in the first place. These rumors of us buying Wilfried Zaha from Crystal Palace are all fine and dandy, but the kid is just that, a kid! Now that he has a cap for England his club will demand an even heftier price despite the fact that he has just turned 20 years old, was a virtual unknown until recently, and has ZERO experience in a top league!

-Let’s do some math here: Theo wants 90K/week and Arsenal are only willing to offer 80K/week-a difference of 10K/week. Re-signing him means there is zero transfer fee, a Bosman essentially.

-Say Zaha costs 10M (he will cost more than that) plus whatever his wages are.

-Again, the difference between Arsenal and Theo is 10K/week, which over 1 calendar year (52 weeks) will cost £520,000 more than they are currently willing to pay. Is £520,000 more a year really worth having to shell out a large transfer fee?

-I do not claim to be any sort of accountant or expert in finance, but does common sense not say that it would be more financially prudent to re-sign a player rather than shell out a large transfer fee. Let’s find out…

If Theo is on 90K/week, he will make £4,680,000 over one season and £9,360,000 over two seasons, which is just short of the potential £10M (and likely too low) fee for Zaha. Zaha will likely be on wages of around 20K/week so then we have to factor that into the equation. 20K/week for one calendar year would cost £1,040,000 and over two seasons £2,080,000. Between his transfer fee and 20K/week wages Zaha will cost £12,080,000 over 2 seasons, whereas Theo, who only has wages, will cost £9,360,000 over 2 seasons. Below I have created a chart of the two players and the net cost of their potential transfer fees and wages over a three-year span.

Conclusion:

With the assumption of the options being Theo Walcott re-signing for wages of 90K/week or buying Wilfried Zaha for a fee of £10m plus wages of 20K/week the financial difference between the two players over 3 years would be a total cost of £920,000. It must be kept in mind that Zaha’s wages are almost guaranteed to increase before those three years are up in the same manner that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s wages were recently tripled following his first season with the club. For a difference of £920,000 over 3 years, or £306,666/season, it could not make more sense to sign Theo Walcott to a new deal. Keep in mind this piece has strictly been about the financials, as that seems to be all Stan Kroenke and Arsenal Football Club care about anymore. Theo Walcott has become a good footballer and his statistics back that up. He has come up huge this season for Arsenal when they lost their captain and the league’s leading scorer in RvP. Gooners worldwide have gone on about how much of a mess this season has been until Saturday’s NLD and god knows where we would be without Theo right now.

His footballing speaks enough as to why he merits the deal he is asking for, and here are the financials to further prove from Arsenal’s point of view why it is a good investment. Champions League football is £40m/year and selling Theo Walcott only further jeopardizes that happening for the 16^th straight season. For crying out loud Arsenal fans pay the highest ticket prices in the land! The people begging the club to re-sign Theo Walcott are the same people who pay the high prices for tickets, who buy the shirts, who make this club who it is. By no means does that mean the club should give in to every request of the fans. Of course they shouldn’t, but it doesn’t mean that there aren’t win-win situations sometimes. This is one of them. Please just give Theo the damn contract he has earned and deserves, everyone will ‘sign da ting’ and we can all move forward with our lives.

Follow Absolute Arsenal on twitter at @AbsoluteAFC. 

A wise man once said, 

Roses are Red.

Violets are Blue.

Arsenal 5.

Tottenham 2.

Happy Monday everybody. There are not many times in life where the phrase actually applies, but today I gladly greet you all with it as this Monday signifies the opportunity to ridicule all the sad, unfortunate Sp*rs fans who have been hiding in the darkness of their bedrooms since Saturdays massacre at the Emirates. This morning they have all had no choice, but to venture out into the light, which likely pierced their eyes fiercely upon first contact, and take everything us Gooners and the rest of the football world have to throw at them. A simple “What is the score Adebayor?” will suffice for now.

This season’s first installment of the North London Derby could be described in many ways, but for argument’s sake the match can be split up into before the red and after the red. Before the red Tottenham were not necessarily taking it to the Arsenal, but rather the Arsenal squad’s lack of experience together continued to show through a number of miscommunications and overall absence of congruity. It is hard to say if their lack of positioning is because the players are still getting used to the system and each other or if it comes down on the manager. The number of poor decisions, specifically in the passing department tend to lead one to believe the fault is that of the individual squad members, but blame does not always fall in one place. Both of Sp*rs goals seemed entirely too simple and preventable, but nonetheless their defensive issues were all too exposed as well. Adebayor’s red changed the game immediately as Arsenal went on to bang in five goals, but again Tottenham were not short on the defensive end of the pitch as the man sent off was a forward. What does that mean? It means Arsenal are not alone in having problems to solve at the back. At one point the camera cut to AVB flipping through a notebook of his, which seemed to harbor all of his game notes, formations, etc. For a manager who is hailed as a great tactician it seems he had zero clue how to adapt and adjust to the situation at hand. Comical. 5-2 Comical. 5pur2. Ha.

The day went on to get that much better as directly following our match Chelsea went down to West Brom courtersy of goals from Shane Long and Peter Odemwingie. If I am honest I would love to see Long at the Emirates. He’s been an outstanding #9 for WBA the past couple seasons and I could see him as an asset off the bench and as a rotation player when our first choice options need a rest for the lesser matches and competitions. He is 25 years old and has proven that he can produce in the Prem, something we often discount when looking who to purchase. Following that match though we saw United go down to Norwich off a textbook header from former Leeds United captain Robert Snodgrass. And for those who read this and think, “Who cares, we are not competing with those clubs for the title anyways,” we also saw Newcastle, Fulham and Everton go down (not that I see them as legitimate competition for 4th, but people complain about everything these days).

Overall it was a great weekend for the Arsenal, which they can hopefully carry over into this weeks Champions League encounter at home vs. Montpellier and at the weekend at Villa Park. I would also like to apologize for the lack of posts lately, but know that the updates will be much more frequent going forward. We are constantly at work on twitter where you can find us at https://twitter.com/AbsoluteAFC or @AbsoluteAFC.  A post will be coming shortly on Theo Walcott’s current contract situation with some actual monetary figures to justify offering him the contract he deserves. Again have an outstanding Monday knowing North London is red and we are 3 points closer to St Totteringham’s Day!

Jack Wilshere returned to full training with the squad today. Here is a full set of pictures for legitimate evidence that this in no fluke. Emmanuel Frimpong has taken his “Deeeeench” talents back to the training ground as well. Things are looking up Gooners, hopefully the energy of a hard earned away Champions League win and having two talented members nearly back in the squad is carried into the weekend clash with City. 

There seems to be a lot of mystery amongst Arsenal fans worldwide as the hottest topic is the apparent competition at keeper between Szczesny and Mannone. Many seem to back the young Italian to get his legitimate shot, while others are sticking by the Pole to maintain his post. The biggest sticking point in this argument though is the unknown injury status of Szczesny as reports have ranged from him being fit for the weekend to as much as 3 months out.

While Mannone has certainly done a satisfactory job for the club during Szczesny’s absence, satisfactory has indeed been all it is. There have been times the 6’2” shot stopper has struggled with 50-50 balls along with his defense’s outstanding play limiting the amount of action he has had to deal with. Yes Szczesny made a mess of the one ball he had in the Southampton game and his distribution leaves a lot to be desired, but at the same time does anybody honestly see Don Vito as the long term answer in goal for The Arsenal? Regardless, competition is good for the squad and something Szczesny could use given that focus has been an apparent issue throughout his Arsenal career to this point. Nonetheless Szczesny’s injury status could and will likely decide who plays in goal at the weekend. City is the first real test for this squad so we will see how every member, not just the keeper, reacts to the challenge.

Nonetheless let us all smile today as Arsenal’s #10 and great hope has returned and hopefully has left his injury problems behind him in the process. Have an extremely happy Thursday, let’s look forward to an intense match at the weekend, and don’t ever forget-North London is Red! 

Welcome Gooners. After a long summer spent worrying over the transfer market and the state of the club I think we can all agree how happy we are to have Arsenal football back. Some performances have been more enjoyable to watch than others, but nonetheless there have been some positives, negatives, surprises and overall a lot to talk about. We’ll start from the back and move forwards. 

The keeper situation has been one of major discussion lately given the absence of Szczesny and the emergence (for lack of a better word) of Vito Mannone. The young Italian keeper stepped in for the injured Pole and put in a couple clean sheet performances before being demoted back down as Chezzer came back into the squad for Southampton. Putting it nicely he looked terrible as Mannone could only watch his superior allow the first goal of the season on an inexcusable error as well as an overall lack of confidence and ability to distribute the ball. While it looks like much of this could be to blame on an ankle injury many feel there should be a competition for the spot as well as a necessity to bring in a more experienced backup option. While there is a lot to talk about here, Absolute Arsenal believes AW is right to stick with Szczesny as the lad is only 22 years old in a position where experience is what improves players as opposed to deteriorating them. Give him time, he is a much better option than anything else we have got. Mannone did the job against lesser competition, but I think all Gooners would agree his level of success would not be nearly as high against say City or Chelsea.

The defense has looked outstanding thus far as all would agree they essentially have not allowed a single goal. Steve Bould’s influence has clearly been felt by the squad thus far, but a lot remains to be seen until they play better competition. The promotion of TV5 to captain also shows a shift of focus, which is essential after the absurd number of goals conceded last term. With Sagna still out the biggest surprise thus far has been the play of Carl Jenkinson. Despite coming straight from League 1 into the Prem he has come back this term a much more assured, confident player. His play particularly against Liverpool really stuck out as he shut down Sterling, their number one attacker at the moment. On the other side of the pitch Gibbs has looked a more consistent defender while maintaining his strength in attack through a number of overlapping runs. The squad’s depth at CB is a real luxury as our arguably number one defender in LK6 has barely even seen the pitch. Despite what many say Djourou is an outstanding #4 CB as well. Per Mertesacker has also looked like he has made big strides in adapting to the speed of English Football specifically by using his top-notch ability to read the game. All in all the defense through a mix of maturity, ownership, and Stevie Bould have looked the biggest improvement this season. The true test of this lies in the coming weeks. 

The midfield is the real luxury Arsenal have. The depth here is superb specifically with the re-emergence of Abou Diaby as well as the (hopefully) soon return of Jack Wilshere. The biggest gain though is undoubtedly the signing of Spanish international Santi Cazorla, who has looked to be a top-2 signing of the summer (see Eden Hazard for the other). He has proven to be the Cesc replacement we have been waiting for, and if I may say so myself, an even better version. His motor is simply superior to the formal Arsenal captain as he reads the game as well as anybody in the world. Diaby’s play, specifically against Liverpool, has been a reminder as to why the manager has kept his faith during all these injury-ridden years. Mikel Arteta’s embracing of his new holding midfield role has shown exactly why AW did not buy a replacement for Alex Song (Francis Coquelin being the main reason, but regardless). He has brought the necessary discipline that Song lacked as he would constantly bomb forward leaving a huge gap open to the counter attack, further adding to the high tally of goals conceded last year. Wilshere has also resumed training and looks set to come back into the squad after over a full season out. A Wilshere, Arteta, Cazorla midfield would rank up there with the best of what is around. 

The strikers/wingers were undoubtedly the biggest question with the exit of a certain Dutchman who will not be named. It looks as if Lukas Podolski only needed a few games to settle into the squad as he looks quite the force to be reckoned with. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looks to have gotten the nod this term of Theo Walcott, largely as a result of the latter’s unresolved contract situation. AOC has yet to showcase the superstar level of play that many expect of him, but one must remember his age and lack of experience. Give the boy some time and he’ll start to shine sooner rather than later. Consistency comes with experience. The big talking point, as ridiculous as it is, has been Olivier Giroud’s lack of a goal this season. Anyone who has watched him can see his movement is outstanding. He has made a mess of two outstanding chances this term and if not for Theo’s lack of crossing ability he would already be on the score sheet. Simply put, give the man some time and he will score soon enough. His level of confidence looks to be more legitimate than that of say a Nicklas Bendtner so have no fear Gooners! Gervinho also looks to build on a sub-par debut season, as the boss will look for him to finish some of the magnificent chances he often creates. His 2-goal performance against Southampton as well as a potential new role at striker looks to build on his success as his movement with LP9 was outstanding at the weekend. The Ivorian will look to continue his run of form against better competition though. 

The theme of this entire post has been satisfaction with the squad thus far, but they will need to show some continuity of form when they take on clubs like City, Chelsea and United. There are a lot of positives to take from the start of the season and a lot of promise as Sagna and Wilshere come back into the squad in the coming weeks. This summer’s signings have proven yet again that Arsene Wenger has still got it despite potential monetary restraints from the board and the evil Stan Kroenke. Things are looking up Gooners and hopefully will continue on today with a Champions League win against Montpellier. Get Giroud on the score sheet, snatch those 3 points, and come on you Gunners! Cheers.

Follow Absolute Arsenal on twitter at @AbsoluteAFC. See you in the comments!

Welcome back Gooners. Yesterday was a good day for all of us. We finally saw the greatest club in the world look ready for their comeback to the top. Wow did the squad look good or what!? Cazorla looked like a more versatile Cesc, Giroud was 20 times what we had hoped Chamakh could ever be, and Podolski’s calm, veteran play earned the former Cologne man a brace. Not to mention RvP took no part in any of their play (the first half I mean). The Ox looked even more solid as he played in the middle hustling up and down in order to make things happen, which he did as he earned a penalty that Poldi converted with ease. Those Germans and their penalties, eh? 

The fact of the matter is that Arsene Wenger, and his youth policy, have grown up. Yes it is difficult to say an experienced manager like AW has grown up, but his failure to adapt to the times and give this squad what it has desperately needed has frustrated Gooners worldwide for years now. He finally added that veteran experience to a squad of promising youth and look what we have discovered! Having the new boys in the team even made Theo look like a true footballer as opposed to a track athlete! While the opponent was Cologne, a team that were recently relegated from the Bundesliga, the boys beat them extremely convincingly, which was not the case in previous encounters. They did not play to their opponents, but rather just played their own game and tempo and let Germans try their best to adapt (which they did not). 

It is very unfortunate that RvP took up many of the story lines on such a positive, promising day for the club. The Dutchman came on for the last 20 minutes where he was barely involved, but did wear the captain’s armband. I know many Gooners have not taken well to this, but boo-ing and jeering the man any further will not help the situation. Nobody can deny that Arsenal are a much better team with RvP in it than without him. Yes the three signings looked magnificent, but without the Prem’s best player last season our title chances inevitably decrease. Stop boo-ing him. Stop tweeting hate at him. Support the man and let him know how much we want him back. The club is bigger than any player, but people make mistakes. His advisor’s drastically misjudged the situation this summer as the long line of bidders they expected never came to fruition. He may still be seeking a move away, but it is very likely he will remain an Arsenal player. I cannot possibly see AW and the board putting in all this hard work and money to win the fans back and then selling our best player to Manchester United. Maybe they will get 25 million for him, but at the end of the day is that money worth it? That is the question the club is undoubtedly asking so hopefully we get a decision sooner rather than later. It would be shocking if this deal did not go down to deadline day, but we will see. 

Ryo Miyaichi has gone off to Wigan for the year as many suspected. This will be a great move for the Japanese starlet who looks to find a way into Wenger’s plans sooner rather than later. Gervinho finished a great move yesterday as opposed to the lack of end product we saw last season. Hopefully there is more of that to come. 

That is all for today folks. Check us out on twitter at @AbsoluteAFC and spread the word! Cheers.