Robin Van Persie looked full of magic in his first match back of his pre season. I like every Gooner out there prays that the injury curse is behind him. Great teams need that extra magic from one player usually and he is that player

That was more like it, I enjoyed last nights match immensely. The previous friendly matches where all about what the players that we do not know as much about can do, and they were also enjoyable. A different type of enjoyment though, a forward thinking enjoyment. Last night was all about next season, it was all about finally getting a glimpse at Arsene Wenger’s immediate plans.

I watched bits and pieces of the build up on Arsenal tv and missed Stewart Robson and Perry Groves talking about the line up so when I sat down on my sofa just before the kick off after assisting my kids getting ready for bed I looked at the team line up scroll by. Nasri, Eboue, Walcott, Van Persie and Adebayor all playing. What? How can they all play? Where is Walcott playing? Upfront? He can’t be because both Van Persie and Adebayor are playing there. Eboue is not at right back because Sagna is starting.

Then I saw Eboue make a sideways pass from the center of the pitch. EBOUE IN HOLDING MIDFIELD! I chuckled to myself, I remembered a comment recently on the site (apologies to who, as I cannot remember the name) someone suggested that he could play in that role which I dismissed. Eboue is a wide player, right back, right wing not a central player I said. The only fullback that I can remember being converted to a central player is Emmanuel (funnily enough) Petit.

Can he do it? It is an interesting question. What was his biggest problems last season? Not convincing enough in the final third. Technically he is as good as most in the squad. He was put the team to add defensive balance to an attacking team. I have some questions of him though. Obviously there is the big temperament question mark firmly above his head. We do not need him whacking the back of a West Brom midfielders calf and getting a straight red card, we all do not want him rolling around holding his forehead after going into a 50/50 tackle with Frank Lampard. Is he tactically aware? Will he fill Clichy’s space if we are being counter attacked? Is he good enough in the air to deal with high balls?

More games will give answers to these questions but there are many plus points in having Eboue in that role. Pace, something that every team is stronger for is pace. Chasing back a counter attack and reaching the player in possession before he makes the decisive pass. It will help his recovery as it does with Toure. No loss on technique. Whatever is said about him, he is a good player in possession and turns away from players very well.

I would not be overly upset with giving him the chance in that role compared to what we currently have in defensive midfield. It kind of reminds me of when I first saw Kolo Toure partner Sol Campbell when we were a center half short and nobody knew what Arsene would do to sort out the problem.

Losing Hleb and Flamini was a massive blow at the time, two of our first team players but I have the feeling that we could well be stronger for it. It is obviously not best to judge anything on a friendly against a good (not great) German side. I have said it before but I feel we will be more decisive now. We will become a slightly less ball possession team to a slightly more counter attacking team. Walcott gives us that whole new dimension. What most excited me about the match was when Van Persie dropped off into ‘the hole’ and Theo Walcott made a Ljungmars run from right to left (sorry, that is some weird cross between Ljungberg and Overmars) which Van Persie spotted and played a fantastic through ball. It reminded me a little of Gilberto’s pass to Theo against Sunderland away last season. It will tear teams apart, especially when we have arguably the most creative central midfield player in Europe right now missing from the squad.

We have more goals than last year. That will be key. Hleb has gone, Nasri has replaced him, he showed straight away that he is not afraid to shoot. In this side, anyone who has a decent shot and shoots will score goals. Nasri was not outstanding last night, but neither was any of the players who have just come back in. Gallas, Adebayor, Nasri and Djourou were all shaky as Bendtner was in his first match against Barnet so you cannot look into that. We got glimpses of what Nasri can do and it was enough to show that he will be a key player. I liked when he flew outside the fullback down the left, Hleb hardly ever did that.

If we paid £18 million for Carlos Vela then a lot of fans would be excited about the prospect of Carlos Vela. He is only young but already looks ready for the Premier League. He is another player who has come in and added to the goals bucket. He took his goal very well and linked up with the other players effortlessly. He already looks like he has settled in to the Arsenal squad as he high fived the substitutes with a big smile on his face when he was replaced late on. He looks a real natural finisher and had he had Adebayor’s chances last season at Old Trafford then we could have all been singing a different tune.

Robin Van Persie looked full of magic in his first match back of his pre season. I like every Gooner out there prays that the injury curse is behind him. Great teams need that extra magic from one player usually and he is that player. He is the player who locked on 1-1 with 10 minutes to go can receive the ball outside the box, turn two players and bend the ball into the top corner.

I am often optimistic but I have a very good feeling about the upcoming season, we have so much talent in the squad that it is quite scary. We are still missing Cesc, Rosicky, Eduardo, Diaby and Toure. 5 massive players. When you look at the squad now, it is very difficult to say that we have a squad lacking quality or even a small squad because we haven’t. A lot of the young players are ready for a part in the first team now as well as our first team squad.

Jack Wilshere showed his ability once again, there is not much more to say on him really, I have said enough. I am sure I will say more again but basically the sky is the limit for him. He knows that, Wenger knows that, Arsenal fans know that. We need to keep his name out of the headlines until he signs professional terms with us because to have him poached from us would be a disaster.

The one down side to the match was the defensive side. It looks like we haven’t worked on anything with our back four over pre season so far. It is difficult to say because both Gallas and Djourou are not match sharp and haven’t played many matches together as yet. Wenger has said that he wants to buy one more player, I sure hope he wants a center half.

“We’re not as short of strikers as people seem to think,” said Wenger following the win over Stuttgart. “Vela is integrating very well, but we still maybe need to make one signing.

“In all areas we are still maybe one player short.

“Bischoff is a new player that is young and promising with talent. He has had a long break due to surgeries on his groin injury and we may have to wait two to three months for him to reach full fitness, and it is a gamble on his talent.

“We now have a young side, but not necessarily without experience.”

Arsene hasn’t given away which position the signing could be but we have enough midfield players and strikers so it could well be a center half.

Then you have the obvious question. Who makes way? If Gallas is captain then he won’t be left out. How do you ignore Toure after all he has done for the club. Maybe Wenger will sign a back up player. Whatever happened to the alleged Zapata bid? Paper talk? Who knows.

So the signing of Amaury Bischoff was confirmed last night and he will wear the number 28 shirt. There seems to be a lot of negativity about the signing which I find quite strange as most have never seen him play. He is 21 and must have some sort of talent for Arsene to have tracked him. If he makes it great, if not then he can move on. I do not see the problem.

We have just received a big juicy pay cheque for the transfer of David Bentley from Blackburn to Spurs. It is estimated to be in the £5-7 million bracket which proves a fine bit of business from Arsenal. So the sell of Bentley to Blackburn has basically paid for Bacary Sagna! haha, funny when you think about it.

I am not that pleased about Arshavin looking to be heading to Spurs. He is a player I like but at least piss off abroad. I am not going to join the Spurs are great because they have spent stupid amounts of money this summer but they should be quite a good footballing side. Infact, it looks like the quality of football may improve this season with the likes of West Brom and Hull being promoted (good footballing teams) along with Chelsea converting to a more attacking team alongside Tottenham who have bought a few creative passers in their squad.

I look forward to the Emirates cup now, hopefully the Internationals will be a bit sharper and the youngsters can continue their good form.

Read Squid Boy’s Match Review here

Have a good day. Drop your view in the comments.

Until tomorrow.

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