Articles

Ramsey adds a directness to that but also fits in well as a ball playing midfielder. Likewise, we sometimes play a fast counterattacking game. Ramsey’s pace and fitness seem very useful there and his recent improvements in his decision-making have benefited the team in those situations. Not only can Ramsey adapt to the style of play but the position too. Whilst Wenger gets slated for playing Ramsey on the wing in big games away from home earlier in the season he was my MOTM against City away and at home to Chelsea

So how about the rest of the defence? In Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker we have two of the best defenders individually in the league, but as a unit they are even more impressive. The way they complement each other is very good. Mertesacker is the leader, the cool head, who reads the game excellently and uses his height to good advantage on corners and his periscope legs to make impossible tackles. Koscielny has the pace, one of the best last-ditch tackles in the world, the ability to win the ball back off anyone and has man marked players like Aguero, Torres and Rooney into insignificance. Both of them have decent ballplaying skills, which puts a slight onus on getting the ball to the midfielders, rather than playing the long ball Vermaelen likes to do. This fits our system better, even if it at times does put the midfielders under pressure from harrying opponents. The two not only fit well together in the theory but also in the actual working of the game. In fact to me it seems almost like the combination of Campbell and

The conventional target man would be used to get the ball directly into either the most or just before the most attacking phase in football. A knock down to a team mate and a team could launch an attack from there, the typical target man was also generally a team’s top scorer and someone the team could rely upon to score goals. With this new style of a creative target man this element of football still exists for them in terms of knocking the ball down for team mates and making for an easy transition from defending to attacking. The burden of scoring much of the teams goals however has very much been lifted from them. They are required to contribute more to the actual attack of the team than just possession retention, usually done by utilising three skills that are very

Giroud also sometimes seems to lack the confidence to take on chances. Too often he plays the wall for players like Cazorla, bouncing balls back, where I feel he should take on chances himself. None the less, when he does try, he seems to do ok. 16 goals in a stop-start first season is very impressive, especially for a player who I think can develop a lot with the right coaching and environment. I myself am most certainly not one of those who consider him a weak part of the team, and whilst I am not convinced that having him as first choice centre forward would be enough to win us the league, as a second choice rotation striker

None of these things are allowed. You, Arsenal supporter, MUST choose sides and battle it out! There is no room for intelligent discussion on the subject. Even if you make a rational argument, the detractors on either side will take one fact from your argument that may be incorrect (opinion) and beat it to death to prove their “point”.

In terms of team selection, it looks as if the team pretty much picks itself. The likes of Tomas Rosicky, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Francis Coquelin are unlikely to start, while Nancho Monreal is tied up to a cup or something so it means that we have no natural left backs at the ready. Thomas

As Madrid outwardly deny all rumors of fights, rifts, arguments, etc.; they are internally preparing themselves for the inevitable. The team has assembled a list of possible replacements and targets. The name at the top of that list is none other than AW, Arsenal's main man. The information given to me is that Real are not so much concerned by FFP, but annoyed by it. If you recall it is Florentino Perez that began speaking out about a possible "Super League", were the best from each country would breakaway from UEFA's Champion's League format and face each other. Perez felt that UEFA had mishandled the CL and wanted to ensure the "best play the best". Now that plan has been all but forgotten and Real are bracing themselves for some sort of FFP implementation. Perez is

Other movements often associated with Gooners and representing the opinions of Gooners include the Black Scarf Movement. I myself have to admit that until recently I was not aware of exactly the role they fulfil, but I am now. And I must admit that personally, some of their ideas on football are excellent. However they do not fully conform to mine and as such I would not want to be associated with them. That is something personal but essentially part of my ability to choose my own opinion. If the BSM were to be considered representatives of Gooners (as they have been, by media, especially around the time of their marches or other protests) I would hate to be lumped in with them, no matter how valid some of their points are. In fact, they don’t represent Gooners any

The Emirates should be a fortress and yes, I understand that come largely from the players on the pitch. But it also comes from us. Go to a game and it’ll be silent when we’re winning, but the crowd will be on everyone’s backs if we go behind, or if we’re still level at half-time. Turn this around, and look at what it was like watching Chelsea fans boo Torres. When you see a home crowd get on their players back, you start believing. You feel like that home advantage has suddenly been eaten up. WE have to do our bit too.

You don't LOVE this club. You may respect it; you may like/love what it does for the bank account of your holding company, etc. But you don't love it, deep inside like most Gooners do. When the failures of a season or a loss to a rival or the lack of trophies keeps up awake at night or ruins a day or weekend. This is a major problem. When you only show up on certain matchdays and are silent and little involved the rest of the time, this makes us worry and rightfully so, about your true intentions and your true