Jegbie's Journal - Our forwards aren't mobile enough
These are exciting times for Arsenal.
Tasty Champions League fixtures await us as does a semi final with Ch*vski at Wembley.
Our best players are coming back when other teams are getting tired and we seem to have upped our game a bit.
What a gutter that Theo Walcott got injured today - he draws people to him and that creates space, which would have been vital tomorrow.
I praise the Lord that we signed Andrey Arshavin – he has been the catalyst for us playing Wengerball and is pure class. Our team will now be built around Arshavin and Fabregas.
We need to concentrate on the league now – 4th place is a must and whatever anyone says inside or outside of Arsenal, failure to qualify for Champs League would be an utter disaster.
A win over the Geordies will give us a great chance to put daylight between us and Villa with some hard games coming up for both teams.
But Newcastle is not an easy place to go. There's an intense atmosphere and Michael Owen can always cause problems, even when half-fit.
We are capable of the win but we need to work harder than we did against Hull.
I would not play RvP in this match because I think he slows our game up too much.
With Arsh in the side, he looks to move forward and play teammates in – Nik Bendtner compliments him more than RVP.
Wenger has a big decision to make over whether RVP or Ade fit into the team that is being built. They're not mobile enough but both are hugely talented.
RvP thiks about himself too much - he has a tendency to be too selfish, while Ade needs to get out of the comfort zone, if only to prove to suitors that he's worth signing.
Summer will tell what Wenger thinks.
I'm not alone in thinking Eduardo could be the man to displace, but he's going to have some more niggles as he recovers from his ankle snap, so we can't rely on him too much yet.
I still feel we need a hard as nails DM to help Song out as when Fab is fit .. who is his best partner? Not Diaby, not Denilson (although he has done very well recently) – when Fab is back there will be real competition for places to partner him.
At the moment Arsene Wenger doesn’t know who his best 11 is. When Fab, Ed and Ade are back he will have a much better idea.
DA
Reader Comments (4)
I think both rvp and adebayor are quick enough to fit into our system, its a question of ego
henry used to slow our play up sometimes while he gathered the ball, thinking he would spot a killer ball or beat a couple of players, but then he used to score a lot more goals then the 2 we're talking about
im not convinced anyone *needs* to leave the club, hopefully competition will sort out the problems you describe, van persie and adebayor will have to adapt and work harder (or leave i suppose)
I don't think it is lack of mobility up front. I feel it is more down to Eduardo being our only proper in the box lethal goal-scorer His clinical finishing is better than the others and he instinctively knows the spaces to attack in the box. With him out, as he has been for so long, we lack this which is why so many dangerous chances go begging. We have very good forwards but are not balanced by the type of forwards we have. RVP is a creative striker who should only be looked on as a 15-20 goal a season man, but I feel still gives us something unique. We need another finisher. For me I would look at Huntelaar. I think of all the strikers we have I would look at Adebayors last season as a one off. I like him but I don't see him being a lethal finisher season after season and our counter attacks often break down on him as he is always off-side. I would do a Huntelaar for Ade swap. I think his heart is either in Spain or Italy anyway and I think Huntelaar is more suited to the EPL. That would leave us with Arshavin and RVP as creative strikers. Huntelaar and Eduardo as in the box type strikers. Vela and Walcott as young developing options and Bendtner if we need the big lad up front.
This is barking mad stuff. RVP leads the team in both assists and goals in both the PL and all competitions. In January, he singlehandedly kept the team afloat by either scoring or assisting on every goal the team scored for nearly a month. He is 25 and still has not reached his potential. His transformation into a scoring playmaker -- a Bergkamp 2.0, if you will -- confirms his unselfishness. He has Bendtner beat for pace, skill and finishing hands down.
Which doesn't mean I would get rid of Nik. He offers something -- in size and ability to hold the ball up -- that we don't have. And getting rid of a malcontent like Ade is fine. But the blinkered suggestion that RVP should go? Absurd. And Wenger will never get rid of RVP. He will be with the Gunners, scoring and assisting, for the next seven years.
Thankfully.
Great article, I agree I think that the team seam to perform better with Eddy. I also like what Bendtner seams to bring. His missing is frustrating, however, when he is up front the others move around him.
I also agree about RVP. I really like him, however, we need to put the team first. I think one of our floors in DM is age, like a defender its very much experience that makes the players in this position stand out. 1 signing in that area and no-one out, and this squad could be very dangerous.
COME ON THE GUNNERS