Wenger brings back the good old days but is it enough?

By Avenell Dave

It's funny how much difference a year makes.

This time last autumn, the pain of a hammering at Old Trafford still fresh in the memory, a team cobbled together after two high profile departures, there were few who maintained belief in the FFP model that the club continued to follow.

Whether it was down to luck or judgement, we saw experienced players coming in, players who could hold their own in a new team and although we fell away towards the end of the season, it was a reminder that with youth, you must have experience.

It went unnoticed that we signed Thomas Eisfeld during the season but if you look at the three players we signed last summer, all were established first team players, internationals perhaps with something to prove but certainly not also-rans in terms of status.

Having players who know how to fight, who know how to win matches and who take the rough with the smooth has been such a refreshing change and while most of us would like to have seen one or two more signings, it's hard to see where they would have fitted in.

All three new signings contributed to our win on Saturday, a victory against an obdurate West Ham side where we could quite easily have lost.

It's so simple to reminisce about our great sides filled with Henry, Vieira, Pires, Keown et al but it's important to remember that we won the title three times, not 10 times.

Being competitive is one thnig but there were seasons where we finished second and were still 10-20 points behind M*nure.

Now more teams are competitive and it's even harder to win the title and we have to hope that the title contenders start having a wobble.

It was great to see Olivier Giroud get his first Premier League goal on Saturday, a rich reward for his overall contribution to the side - whenever he plays, and his pass for Theo Walcott's goal was equally sublime.

Santi Cazorla has got much of the praise this weekend and that's no surprise, but as we saw agaiinst Ch*vski, close him down and we lose much of our impetus.

That's why it's so important for players like Aaron Ramsey to be given a run. 

It's easy to forget how bad his injury was and the fact that he is still only 21.

Yes, sometimes he makes rash challenges and he was 'done' by Diame for West Ham's goal, but just watch him over the course of a game. He never hides, he keeps running and some of his passing and movement is worthy of a player with far more experience than he does.

You would imagine he and Jack Wilshere will compete for the third midfield position with Mikel Arteta and Cazorla taking two berths and Abou Diaby crocked.

Whether we will contest the title this season depends greatly on how consistent we are and whether we can beat some of our rivals as well as the smaller teams where we've also struggled unnecessarily in the past.

Will it be enough? Who knows?

But one thing for sure is that this season, we look like a superb unit capable of contesting the biggest prizes and Arsene Wenger needs to take a lot of credit for the way he has turned things around.

Time for Gooners to stop getting on Arsenal players' backs

By Avenell Dave

Forwards come in all shapes and sizes.

There are those with the gazelle-like speed of Thierry Henry or the touch of a craftsman such as Dennis Bergkamp.

Then there are those who nip at a defender's heels like a terrier or stick out their head or elongated legs like a giraffe on acid.

Where does Gervinho fit into these stereotypes?

The fact is, he doesn't.

In pre-season at Cologne he ran from his own half to score an impressive goal against Cologne and he twisted and turned superbly to fire past Petr Cech at the weekend.

But the Ivorian's problem is that he looks unconvincing. He has none of the grace and poise we have come to expect from Wenger signings, particularly big money buys.

Interestingly, those who sit around me tend to be supportive of him, seeing the value that he brings to the team, but what I read on social media and other Addicts I meet before the games tend to think differently.

The fact is, as I said last week, Gervinho is never going to be the most elegant of footballers, but that doesn't mean he is not to be valued.

Yes, his touch is sometimes off, his decision-making could do with some improvement and his goals to chances ratio leaves something to be desired, but let's get things in context.

His overall stats last season were better than $amir Na$ri's first season with us and he has already scored a number of goals as well as an assist for our second last night.

He never stops running, he draws players towards him because of his pace and willingness to take people on even if he doesn't have quite the genius of a Ronaldo, for instance.

The same goes for Olivier Giroud. People are talking about him as if he has already assumed Chamakh's mantle because he has missed a few chances.

Goodness knows how these spoilt fans with short memories and no shortage of impatience would have thought of Bergkamp or Henry who also took time to adjust to a new league.

Giroud offers us something different. He brings people into the game, is superb in the air and the chances he had last night were again gilt-edged. It will come for him. He doesn't look out of his depth.

It's clear for all to see that Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny are not playing well at present.

At 2-1, why is our captain bombing forward when hsi first job should be to protect our lead? As someone pointed out, he is possibly the weakest of our three centre backs and yet as captain it's impossible to drop him.

But when Koscielny went into an Olympiacos player with a crunching tackle, the groans from our own fans made it certain he was to get cautioned - at the very least - which hardly helps our cause.

Arsenal are nowhere near as bad as some fans often make out we are nor world beaters as we all wish to become.

But when anyone is wearing the shirt, we should be proud to have them representing us and get behind them.

Can Arsene Wenger afford to take any gambles this evening?

By Avenell Dave

There are no easy games in the Champions League.

As M*nure learned to thir cost last season, it's vital to finish top to avoid the strongest sides until the later stages of the competition.

But Arsenal are seven points behind the Premier League leaders right now and winning at Upton Park at the weekend is essential if we're to maintain our challenge for the title.

With Abou Diaby injured for almost a month now, the importance of Mikel Arteta grows significantly.

The Spaniard is carrying a knock, so shouldn't be risked despite the importance of winning Wednesday night's game.

With Francis Coquelin recovered from illness, I would start with him in midfield and give captain Thomas Vermaelen a rest, which would also help Laurent Koscielny get the games he is clearly lacking after Saturday's indifferent display. It's probably not a bad time to give Kieran Gibbs a rest as well.

Is this the game where Olivier Giroud takes centre stage? Lukas Podolski looked tired at the weekend - the pace and demands of the Premier League have been a shock to him, it seems.

So I would start with the Frenchman in attack and give Theo Walcott a run as well to dust off the substitute cobwebs with Gervinho moving back to the flank.

Speaking to a fellow Addict yesterday, he has already given up on Giroud as a potent striker, blaming him for costing us points after his succession of misses in the earlier games this season.

That is harsh, but a fair point. Sadly, football fans these days are impatient and expect instant results, something that rarely happens.

Giroud won everything in the air when he came on last Saturday and much of his link-up play has been impressive. He looks a totally different animal to Maroune Chamakh and yet the comparisons endure.

We need to give him time to get used to a new league. People were writing off Carl Jenkinson last season despite the fact he'd played non-league football a year before he arrived.

A year on and he's being talked about as the future England right back.

Of course, we cannot afford too much integration of players while competing for trophies, but there is a happy medium between impatience and realism.

I'm almost certain most of my suggested changes won't take place tonight, and I can fully understand why, given that six points will put us nicely in the driving seat and on our way to qualification.

But resting first choice players and giving their replacements a game that and get them ready should we suffer with more injuries would benefit everyone.

As long as we win. 

Addict XI

Mannone

Jenkinson Koscielny Mertesacker Santos

Ramsey Coquelin Cazorla

Walcott Giroud Gervinho