Of the many players Arsenal have signed over the years, very few have experienced a debut season as impressive as the one Thomas Vermaelen had in 2009-10. The 6-foot Belgian defender exuded raw power and showcased a variety of technical skills, honed at the renowned Dutch club Ajax, as he breathed some much needed confidence into an Arsenal back four who had just lost a defensive stalwart in Kolo Toure to Manchester City. A versatile player comfortable with the ball at his feet and with the goal at his mercy, ‘The Verminator’ finished his first season with the Gunners with 8 goals and a spot in the PFA Team of the Season.

Fast forward to 2013 and he finds himself a shadow of his former self. Promoted to captain before the season began, which was largely due to the fact that he was one of the senior most members of the squad who had been at the club the longest, Vermaelen is now struggling to find a place in the first team. Dropped after a string of terrible performances, he has also lost the captaincy to Mikel Arteta.

A lot was expected of Vermaelen once he was handed the responsibility of leading the club this season. But it looks like the pressure of captaincy has brought about his downfall as a defender. Time and again, it has been his mistakes that have led to the opposition scoring goals; the most memorable ones being allowing Robin van Persie to open the scoring at Old Trafford, Spurs taking the lead in the North London Derby and Bayern’s goals at the Emirates.

His positioning in the back line has come under severe scrutiny after failing to maintain a high line and catch the opponents offside, a tactic instrumental in Arsenal’s defending. He has been guilty of stepping up too late as the number of times he has caught opponents offside is much lower than that of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.

Quite often, he bombards forward and leaves the defense vulnerable to counters. This was a tactic that worked last season as Arsenal had Alex Song to cover for him. But in the absence of a pure defensive midfielder, Arteta has been asked to do the dirty work and he isn’t quite adept at breaking up play and hence leaves the side prone to counter attacks.

We have seen Koscielny do the same but he puts a leash on himself and doesn’t bomb forward at the drop of a hat. Instead, he recognizes when the situation demands the extra player and uses it to the team’s advantage. And Koscielny is very quick to get back to his position when Arsenal loses possession. Last year, I’d talked about how Koscielny was Arsenal’s best centre back. I still maintain that stance. And although he made a couple of mistakes on his comeback from injury (the home game against Chelsea springs to mind), his recent performances are the main reason why Vermaelen finds himself on the bench.

After Vermaelen was dropped for the second leg of the Champions League game against Bayern Munich, Koscielny and Mertesacker have forged a superb partnership at the back. A clean sheet at the Allianz Arena meant that Arsenal were the first team to stop Bayern from scoring all season – a team that has scored 142 goals this season so far! Koscielny and Mertesacker complement each other very well. Mertesacker, after almost two seasons in the Premier League, has improved tremendously and has marshalled the defensive line surprisingly well. Both Koscielny and Mertesacker have scored some crucial goals in important matches as well. Vermalen, who scored some fantastic goals early in his Arsenal career, has managed just one in the League Cup against Bradford and also missed the crucial penalty kick resulting in Arsenal’s elimination.

So where does that leave Vermaelen in the scheme of things? Over the last couple of months, Arsenal have kept quite a few clean sheets and have been the in-form team in the League. They haven’t lost a game since the 2-1 loss to Tottenham in March and have collected 20 points from a possible 24 as they push for a Champions League spot. In this crucial period, it is highly unlikely that Wenger will break up a solid partnership at the back to include Vermaelen in the side. With Arsenal playing relegation battlers Wigan and Newcastle in the final two games of the season, and every point literally worth millions, this is definitely not the right time to experiment with a different combination.

For now, Vermaelen will have to be content with a place on the bench. He will have to work his way back into the first team, but only next season. Rumours of his exit are bound to crop up but let’s not read into that rubbish; it is a ridiculous notion. He’s still a capable defender who is currently experiencing a blip and Wenger wouldn’t sell a defender like Vermaelen at this stage of his career.

Both Vermaelen and Szczesny were dropped at the same time before the trip to Munich. Szczesny has come back stronger, partly due to Fabianski’s injury, and has put in some inspiring performances between the sticks. Whether Vermaelen can bounce back from this predicament remains to be seen. He’s a professional and it is obvious from his behaviour. He loves the club and if he puts his mind to it, it won’t be long before he finds himself in the first team, proudly wearing the captain’s armband on his sleeve again.

Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Monreal was already a recognized full-back back in Spain. His exploits at Osasuna had earned him a long term contract with Malaga, where he impressed the manager and fans with assured defending and sound technique. He made the left-back spot his own and contributed to a tactically sound defensive system that helped the Andalusian club qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history. The club had an astonishing debut in this season’s group stages as they topped the group over AC Milan, without losing a game and conceding only 5 goals in the process.

But by the end of January this year, just after scoring his first goal for the Spanish club, he found himself heading to North London and joining Arsenal for a fee in the region of £8.5million. After he signed, it came to light that there was a plan to bring him to Arsenal in summer, but his arrival was hastened by a long-term injury to Kieran Gibbs. Not trusting Andre Santos to fill in the spot, who was having a disaster of a season (both on and off the pitch), Wenger was left with only Thomas Vermaelen to play as a make shift left back. And so, a deal was brokered with Malaga who were not too keen to let him go but gave in eventually.

Monreal’s exit is a very sad moment for the team, it deprives us of a very important player who performed to the highest standards – it is a major loss to us in sporting terms. – Manuel Pellegrini, Malaga’s manager

Monreal is a player who is very composed on the ball and is fairly quick on the left flank. He has an ability to ghost past opponent full backs to make overlapping runs in attack. Even with little space on the wings, his one touch passing is calm and assured; all the qualities a club like Arsenal desire from a full-back who can attack. Defensively, he is not afraid to get into physical battles and has the necessary upper body strength to hold off wingers. He times his tackles well and isn’t too bad when it comes to aerial duels either.

For a defender from La Liga to come into the Premier League, perhaps no other game comes close to the metaphor of “being thrown into the lion’s den” than a debut against the League’s most physical side – Stoke City. Tony Pulis instructed his team to pile on the pressure on Arsenal’s left flank. 55% of Stoke’s attacks came on Monreal’s side of the pitch. But he came out unscathed (the same could not be said for Stoke’s Jonathan Walters, who required six stitches on his head after a clash with Monreal). Arsenal won the game 1-0, a well deserved clean sheet after a run of 6 League games without one.

Stoke’s heat map vs Arsenal shows how much they concentrated their attacks on Monreal’s left flank.

“We are quite lucky to have found Nacho because [Kieran] Gibbs got injured for four to six weeks and we found in 48 hours a player of that calibre… you have to give me at least that credit. I know that I don’t get a lot but that is true.” – Arsene Wenger

Monreal has gone from strength to strength since his debut. His quality was never questioned even though he is still learning to adapt to the League where the style of play is very different from that in Spain. And having played for Malaga in the Champions League earlier this season, he was cup-tied and sorely missed in Arsenal’s home game against Bayern Munich where 2 goals from the German side were created from that flank.

But in the League, it was a different story. There were games where he was spotted spending more time in the opponents’ half than in Arsenal’s. This proved useful when they played Swansea. Monreal scored his first goal for the club in a 0-2 win at the Liberty Stadium. Recently, he was even given a start for Spain when they beat France in a World Cup qualifier. Monreal was the only player in the team who didn’t represent either Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Monreal averages close to 50 passes a game with a pass success of 86%. Since Arsenal isn’t a crossing team, his crossing is practically non-existent. But he has a knack of finding the right passes when Cazorla (also his ex-team mate at Malaga) plays on the left, which has helped Arsenal create many opportunities in and around the box. He has already created 7 goal scoring opportunities in 7 games, a good number for a full back. He averages close to 2 tackles a game with a success rate of 92%! Those are fantastic figures for a defender in his first season.

Wenger had no qualms about starting Monreal while Gibbs recuperated. And even with Gibbs fully fit and back in the squad, Monreal has kept his place in the starting line-up. There is no doubt that the two can learn from each other and compete for places in the team. Gibbs, with his wealth of experience, still has a lot to learn. And he must also improve on his fitness if he is to be considered the first choice. And Monreal is yet to be tested by bigger sides in the League.

“Since I’ve been here the manager has given me a lot of confidence and he’s been starting me. This has been very important for me because it helps a lot to feel that the manager has faith in me, especially as I’ve just arrived. This in turn this leads to good performances.” – Nacho Monreal

What is assured is that in this season and seasons to come, Arsenal need not worry about the full-back position with these two in the side. More so with Monreal as he has proven that it isn’t easy to force him into making errors of judgement leading to goals. As he learns to adapt to the League, the culture and breaks the language barrier, it’s only a matter of time before he proves himself to be a quality signing. He may not be the big signing that the Arsenal fans craved back in January, but he has reassured fans that the defence is in good hands.

Stats from WhoScored and Squawka

Arsenal’s midfield maestro – Santi Cazorla

 “Oh, Santi Cazorla! Oh, Santi Cazorla!”

Whether it is a home game or an away game, not a match day goes by without the Arsenal faithful chanting the Spaniard’s name from the terraces before spilling out on to the streets and continuing to worship him in a manner reserved for the best of the best.

Simply put, he has been a terrific signing by Arsene Wenger. After having secured deals for Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud in the summer, Wenger bolstered the attack with the magical Spanish midfielder even before the other teams had a whiff of an opportunity. Arsenal had timed it just right. La Liga side Malaga was in a financial crisis and was in desperate need of money. Having lost out on Juan Mata last season in an almost similar deal with Valencia, Arsenal promptly stepped in, took advantage of the situation and snapped him up for a cut-price of less than £15M – which was less than what Malaga had paid for him when they bought him from Villarreal a season before! Before signing Cazorla, Wenger even cheekily remarked in a press conference, “Santi Cazorla? I don’t know this guy!”

“He is a versatile, attacking midfield player who can play comfortably on either side of the pitch or centrally. He has good pace, is technically gifted and will be a huge asset to Arsenal Football Club. We are delighted that he is joining us.” – Wenger in August, 2012.

Cazorla stands at just 5 feet and 6 inches. But it was obvious from the start that everybody in the squad looked up to him on the pitch. His footwork and his passing are unparalleled in the squad and he is easily one of the most technically gifted players in the Premier League today. The ones who would probably come close in comparison with his close quarter dribbling and eye for passing are his compatriots Mata and David Silva. It was no wonder then that these three players have been compared throughout the season to see who has made the biggest impact.

The Premier League fans got to see him when the season got underway and his class was laid bare for all to see. He picked up the Man of the Match award on his Arsenal debut against Sunderland in a 0-0 draw. Although it ended goalless, Cazorla had created umpteen chances for his team mates with some delicious movement, trickery and passing. The adulation was complete as he assisted Podolski and scored the second at Anfield as Arsenal got their first win of the season. A new hero was born, and he played the Arsenal way.

Since then, he has received 9 Man of the Match awards. Originally a player who could play either as the attacking midfielder or as a winger on both flanks, he seamlessly fit into the system as the central attacking midfielder the London club has craved since Cesc Fabregas’ exit. He was the focal point of the team as all the attacks were routed through him. He forged a superb understanding with Kieran Gibbs and Podolski on the left as they mesmerized fans with near-telepathic one touch passing and movement. He was able to play off Giroud and their combined movement flummoxed back lines and had Giroud been a little more clinical with his finishing, we’d have seen more goals and assists (also makes one wonder how he could have played alongside Robin van Persie).

“When Cazorla plays he makes everyone around him play better.” - Wenger

What makes Cazorla stand out is the fact that he is an ambidextrous player! He can cross and shoot well with both feet. Originally right footed, even Wenger was prompted to say that when one watches him play, they just don’t know. Having managed many gifted players, even he said he could only recollect Glenn Hoddle as being one of the best two-footed players. “I don’t remember anyone else I have worked with who was two-footed as much as those two (Hoddle and Cazorla).” This came to the forefront when Cazorla scored from outside the box with a sublime left footed volley that beat goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen at West Ham in a 1-3 win.

Cazorla pulled the strings in midfield alongside his best mate Mikel Arteta. Their passing was pleasing to the eye and their ability to get each other out of trouble and initiate attacks was impeccable. It wasn’t long before opponents caught on and stifled them in the midfield. Arsenal suffered a slump in these games, especially against the big teams in the top four. And it wasn’t until Jack Wilshere’s return that Cazorla got a little more freedom on the pitch as teams had two world class midfielders to contend with.

Not since Fabregas’ finest season in an Arsenal shirt in 2009/10 has a midfielder scored more than 10 goals in a season (Cesc scored 15 in the League and 19 overall). Cazorla has already scored 12 goals in the Premier League – the highest by any Arsenal player this season (Theo Walcott is second with 11). This included a hat-trick against Reading at the Madejski Stadium, making him the third Spaniard to get a hat-trick in the Premier League. What’s more, he has also accumulated 11 assists. That means he has been involved in 23 goals this season – his best ever season in his career in both Spain and England. And we still have 9 more games to go.

Santi Cazorla celebrates after scoring the second goal during the Barclays Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield on September 2, 2012 in Liverpool, England. (Getty Images)

Adding his exceptional ball holding skills, delightful through balls, and cutting in from the flank to his repertoire, Santi Cazorla is the complete midfield package. He has created 74 chances in the League so far, averaging 1 through ball per game. Combined with a pass success percentage of 88%, he is right up there amongst the best midfielders in Europe this season. He is pretty much assured of an automatic pick for the team of the season in the Premier League because of his versatility.

Not many players live up to the hype when they come to the Premier League. Santi Cazorla is not one of them. A World and European champion is a nice thing to have in any team as they are players used to winning things. It is certain to rub off on the rest of the squad sooner rather than later. His quality was obvious before he arrived. Known to be a very friendly and genuinely nice guy, both on and off the pitch, he is a delight in the dressing room. And at Arsenal, he has found the perfect platform to express himself in the best way possible – by having fun on the football pitch at the expense of his opponents, always playing with a happy smile on his face. 

Stats from squawka.com and whoscored.com

DISCLAIMER – This is a fake FB Wall, and should be taken in jest.

No matter how many times you watch Kobe Bryant pull off something magical on a basketball court, you just can’t get enough of his big plays. Time after time, season after season, we’ve seen him pull rabbits out of the hat and then some. And this season has been no different for the LA Lakers’ No. 24. In what has arguably been his toughest season in the NBA in a career that has spanned 17 years, Bryant is pulling out all his moves in an incredibly amazing attempt to get the Lakers into the playoffs.

As the regular season enters the home stretch, the Lakers find themselves in 9^th place in the Western Conference. With last night’s over-time win over the Toronto Raptors, the Lakers are now 32-31 (first time since November where they have more wins than losses) and half a game behind 8^th placed Utah Jazz, thanks to the Jazz’s 1-point loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Lakers began turning their season around after the All-Star break and have had an 8-3 run in their last 11 games.

And the main reason they’re on the rise? Kobe Bryant.

Ever since the All-Star break, Kobe has averaged 32.8 points with a 54% field goal percentage. Not only that, it rises to 59% in the second half! Combined with 6.3 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game, he has hit a purple (and gold) patch at just the right time for the final push.

Last night’s monster performance of 41 points and 12 assists will only improve that tally further. He scored 19 of those in the fourth quarter and over-time. It was his clutch 3-pointers under pressure and from tough angles that helped reduce an 11-point deficit to force the game into overtime. The performance was topped off by shrugging off a double team blitz and driving to the rim for a double handed slam! The performance made him the second oldest player to score more than 40 points in a game (after Larry Bird). And until 2 games ago, he’d never finished with 40 points and 12 assists. Ever!

All this, after he suffered an ulnar nerve contusion of his right arm two days ago. You could see that he was suffering a bit. The elbow sleeve restricted his movement as he was seen dribbling more with his left hand than with his right. But that didn’t stop him from scoring more than 40 points in the last two games (42 points against the Hornets). Steve Nash was as amazed as anyone else, “He has been unbelievable and milking him has been a beautiful thing.”

What an incredible game!! The team played great down the stretch. @kobebryant played out of this world, BIG SHOT after BIGGER SHOT!! #vino

— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) March 9, 2013

Kobe has always been competitive. He’s even reverted to a stricter diet to regain his athleticism and spent a lot of time with the team physiotherapist to be ready for games. His confidence and attitude in doing everything he can to get the team into the playoffs seems to have rubbed off on his teammates. Although the defence isn’t up to the mark yet, the Lakers have been re-energized into a fighting unit and are not willing to give up until the final buzzer.

Last night’s performance probably doesn’t even come close to his 81-point performance against the Raptors in 2006. But the timing of this effort is what counts here. Coach D’Antoni probably summed it up when he said of Kobe, “That’s why he’s an all time great!”

The nickname of ‘Mamba’ has recently given way to a new classier and more astute one – ‘Vino’. It translates to wine. And the best thing about wine is that it gets better with age. Just like Kobe Bryant has.

#VinoUncorked

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) March 9, 2013

-Stats from NBA.com and @Lakers

As the Premier League season enters the month of March, only ten more rounds of action remain. This period of the season is vital to clubs at opposite ends of the table. Clubs at the bottom of the table fight it out to avoid relegation and hold on to their players, and not to mention, their pride. While at the top, teams battle it out to claim a spot to play in the highly lucrative and prestigious competition that is the UEFA Champions League. And the Premier League’s undoubtedly healthy UEFA co-efficient allows them to field four teams in next season’s tournament – three who directly qualify and the 4th placed team having to play a qualifier.

As things stand, Manchester United looks to be well on their way to a landmark 20^th League title, barring an improbable collapse. They have a commanding lead of 12 points over their bitter rivals, Manchester City. Tottenham Hotspur lies in 3^rd spot with 54 points, followed by Chelsea (52 points) and Arsenal (47 points) in 4^th and 5^th respectively.

While some teams have a hectic schedule ahead of them, others have a lengthy gap between games. With the fixtures in mind, how hard is it going to be for the three London clubs, currently in 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th, to grab a Champions League spot?

Tottenham Hotspur

Last 5 games

Form: D-W-W-W-W (13 points)

Goals For: 9

Goals Against: 5

Spurs have again been a surprise package this season under the young Portuguese manager, Andre Villas-Boas. They took their time to get going this season, but once they broke into the top four, they haven’t looked back. They have been unbeaten in their last 12 matches, their last loss coming at Everton in the beginning of December. 8 wins and 4 draws make them firm favourites to retain a top four spot this season. And unlike last season when they imploded towards the end (and missed out on a Champions League spot due to Chelsea’s win over Bayern Munich), this time they’re the ones on an “upward spiral”, as Villas-Boas himself put it.

But Spurs will have to be wary if they are to continue in this rich vein of form. Compared to the other teams at the top of the table, Spurs have some heavyweight matches lined up. They have important fixtures against Liverpool and Everton (who are both fighting to get into the top four as well), Chelsea, Manchester City and the Capital One Cup winners, Swansea. Not to mention, a couple of tough trips to Stoke and Wigan (who have always been dynamite at the end of the season in the past few years).

Tottenham’s Remaining Fixtures

A win in the explosive North London derby will surely propel them forward, but how long will it be before the law of averages catches up with them? Judging by their current form, they look unstoppable, partly due to AVB’s system and partly due to their in-form player, Gareth Bale. But apart from that, the Spurs also take on Inter Milan in the Round of 16 in the Europa League. Villas-Boas has taken that competition pretty seriously, and if they advance to the quarter-finals and beyond, they will be inundated with fixtures coming thick and fast. Whether Villas-Boas will employ a trade-off and choose to focus on either the Premier League or the Europa League, or try and go all the way in both, remains to be seen.

Chelsea

Last 5 games

Form: D-L-W-L-W (7 points)

Goals For: 9

Goals Against: 8

After a blistering start to the season when they topped the table, Chelsea let their lead slip and eventually let go of their grip on 2^nd place as well. Roman Abramovich didn’t do the club and its fans any favours when he fired last season’s double winning manager, Roberto Di Matteo, and replaced him with the fans’ most hated manager in recent history – Rafa Benitez. It seems that nothing Benitez has done has made the fans happy, as they let their feelings be known at every home game with banners and taunts, leading to Benitez himself losing his cool at a recent press conference.

Chelsea fans making sure their opinions are well heard

Chelsea too have some important fixtures lined up. April will be the month that decides Chelsea’s fortunes when they play Spurs, Liverpool, Swansea (who beat them in the League Cup semi-finals) and Manchester United back-to-back. This includes trips to Anfield and Old Trafford. That makes consolidating a spot in the top four very critical for the Blues when they play in a relatively easier set of fixtures in March.

Chelsea’s Remaining Fixtures

But Chelsea is still alive in three different competitions. Their next three fixtures are a home and away game against Steaua Bucharest in the Europa League and the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United (again at Old Trafford). Should they advance in either or both competitions, they too will have a fixture crunch on their hands.

The difference here is that Chelsea has the squad to rotate their players to play in all competitions. But whether Benitez can get the players to trust him enough to take them through this period might be a worry. His recent outburst wouldn’t have won him any fans inside the dressing room. The fact that he has been officially named an ‘interim’ manager is reason enough to not put his heart into the job. For now though, their Champions League spot is secure. With key players like Juan Mata and new signing Demba Ba firing, they have a chance to qualify.

Arsenal

Last 5 games

Form: D-W-W-W-L (10 points)

Goals For: 7

Goals Against: 5

It’s that time of the year again for Arsenal. Ambitions of winning a trophy at the beginning of the season give way to hopes of finishing in the top four. Dumped out of the FA Cup in a 1-0 defeat to Blackburn, followed by a scathing loss to Bayern Munich (both games at the Emirates), Arsenal find themselves almost out of every competition. Unless they can miraculously turn it around in Munich, Arsenal will be knocked out of the Champions League in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie. This has been the story for the past couple of years, and the North London club only have a top four battle left to salvage what is left of Wenger’s worst ever season in the Premier League so far. This time too last year, they were 7 points behind Spurs. But they now find themselves at the opposite end of the spectrum and a comeback like last season (9 victories in 10 League games) would be required to get back into the top four.

Another frustrating evening for Arsène Wenger

But on paper, Arsenal have one advantage over the other clubs at the top of the table. They have already played the big sides this season. Only Manchester United remain as they travel to the Emirates at the end of April. Their other important games include Everton, Swansea and a new look Newcastle. If they are knocked out of the Champions League, they will have a week’s rest before games (except for the Everton game that has been rescheduled due to their progress in the FA Cup).

Arsenal’s Remaining Fixtures

This will be a defining moment in Arsene Wenger’s 16-year career as manager of Arsenal. Ever since he took over, they have qualified for the Champions League in every season. What’s more, they have always finished over their local rivals Tottenham in the last 17 seasons. The true test of character awaits this squad as they look to pick themselves up after a stinging defeat at White Hart Lane. Their morale has taken a severe beating. But if stats are anything to go by, March has been Wenger’s most successful month ever. And having won every League game in February, their League form seems to be taking them in the right direction, but even their best efforts may not be good enough unless Chelsea or Spurs crumble.

The dark horses in this race seem to be Liverpool and Everton (6^th and 7^th respectively). But they will depend on at least two of the London clubs mentioned above to have a bad run of form, allowing the Merseyside club(s) to leap frog them in the table. They too have big fixtures coming up. And a Merseyside derby in the midst of it doesn’t help their case either.

For now, it is up to the three London clubs to fight it out for the two spots. Like last season, this looks like a battle that may go down to the final round of fixtures. And come May 19^th, we may very well see a shift in the balance of power in the Premier League for seasons to come.

A professional footballer’s worst nightmare is being told that he will not be able to play football, for however long that might be. The primary reason such bad news is broken to them is injuries. And one player who is absolutely no stranger to injuries is Arsenal’s midfielder Abou Diaby.

Diaby is an absolute enigma. Ever since he joined Arsenal, no other player has suffered injury setbacks as many times as Diaby has. You could count the number of times using the fingers on both your hands, after which you’d need a few toes as well. The fact that most of them are recurring injuries is a big cause for concern.

Injury History

To be fair to him, some of his injuries have been due to malicious or mistimed tackles. For example, it was Sunderland’s Dan Smith whose tackle fractured and dislocated Diaby’s ankle back in May 2006. This was Diaby’s first major career-threatening injury and it ruled him out for eight months! He required three surgeries to set his ankle right and intense rehabilitation to ensure that he could set foot in a football field again. Even after his comeback, he was used cautiously and ended the 2006/07 season with only one goal and assist. An impressive start to the 2007/08 season was followed by a mediocre mid-season, after which he suffered a thigh injury towards the end. Another spell on the sidelines followed, and when they tried to reintegrate him back into the squad, his condition deteriorated, thereby ending his season once and for all.

Abou Diaby of Arsenal lies injured on the pitch before being stretchered off during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium on January 31, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Perhaps Diaby’s best period for the club was in between 2008 and 2010, where he played more than 30 games per season, either as a starter or a substitute. And for a while, it answered the question why Wenger’s belief in Diaby wasn’t misplaced. He provided a certain balance between attack and defence, and a bit of physicality in the centre. Diaby proved to be an integral part of the midfield playing alongside Fabregas and Song, netting goals and racking up assists. His stats at the end of the season were comforting at a time when he was considered a good squad player. But the injury cloud stuck to him like a bad rash, and various injuries to his legs (whether it was his calf, thigh or groin) meant that he missed many games at a stretch. In fact, last season, he only made 5 appearances in total – all as a substitute.

This season started well for Diaby, as he made a return to the midfield post Alex Song’s move to Barcelona. A ‘Man of the Match’ performance against Liverpool at Anfield had fans and pundits singing his praises. Although it was one of his best performances and reinforced Wenger’s trust in his abilities, everyone knew that it would all be for nothing if he wasn’t able to sustain himself at that level for many games at a stretch. Disagreements with the French national team manager Didier Deschamps followed as Diaby was used in a friendly game and subsequently got injured because he wasn’t quite ready to handle so many games in a row. And finally, a muscle tear against Chelsea at the Emirates saw him come off in the first half. He didn’t make his return to the squad until last month.

Cause for Concern

Diaby walking down the tunnel during a game has now become a familiar sight at Arsenal’s games. And what’s becoming increasingly alarming is that these injury niggles tend to come to the surface during important games, throwing Wenger’s tactics right out the window. So the question to be asked is: after seven years, why does Wenger still persist with a player who has averaged only 12 appearances per season over the last three seasons and who is perpetually “two to three weeks away from full fitness”? Being in his mid-twenties, Diaby is a player who is supposed to be at the peak of his career. Yet, the injury bug has ensured he is never 100% fit throughout a campaign.

To make matters worse, Diaby is supposedly on £50,000 to £60,000 per week at Arsenal (depending on which source you believe) thanks to Wenger’s ‘socialist wage policy’. Divide that by the number of minutes he has actually been on the pitch during that period and you’ll see that a ridiculous amount of money has been spent on a player who has barely got the club some decent returns. It is an investment that has failed miserably, and the Arsenal fans’ patience is running thin.

For the first time in a long time, Wenger has accepted that Diaby’s injuries are a major concern. Wenger explained why Abou Diaby is plagued with so many injuries in a press conference last November.

“The situation for Diaby is so frustrating and for us as well we started the season well with him in the team and since he has been out we have felt it… There is an explanation. He is quick, strong, has good stamina, good resistance to repeat, but his muscle strength is not good enough to deal with that. Sometimes little fibres go in his muscles, this is basically his problem.”

“When you play every three days, you cannot rebuild your strength as you need to recover. When you don’t rebuild your strength, through the games you burn your fibres a bit and become weaker and weaker, so that means he gets injured.”

“The second reason for his problems of course is his ankle. Since he was slaughtered at Sunderland, his mobility in his ankle has been affected.”

Now, that was a surprisingly honest and accurate account of Diaby’s injuries. In spite of knowing these facts, Wenger placed his faith in Diaby, who returned to the squad after another lay-off and passed up an opportunity to sign reinforcements in January. In spite of slots being available in the squad and ample money to spend, Wenger refused to sign a new player. At a time when the 5-year rebuilding plan post the Emirates move has failed, how much longer is Wenger going to wait before Diaby comes good?

Once dubbed ‘the next Patrick Vieira’, Diaby’s market value has more than halved since the time he extended his contract in 2010. And it isn’t as if clubs are lining up for his services. Whether Diaby will repay Wenger’s faith in him (again!) with a consistent run of games remains to be seen. But judging by his injury history, Arsenal fans will certainly not be getting their hopes up.

With Diaby, they will only be left thinking about what could have been.

I will sign every contract Arsenal put in front of me without reading it. - Tony Adams

One-club players in this age of football are very hard to come by. ‘Loyalty’ is a term that is now sparingly used by fans who reminisce of heroes who took to the field proudly wearing the club’s crest on their chest throughout their careers. Players who would, in a heartbeat, do what was necessary for their clubs. And when we talk of Arsenal, no other name tops the list but that of one of the greatest defenders and leaders they have ever produced – Tony Adams.

Born in Romford, Essex in 1966 and signing for Arsenal when he was a teenager in 1980, Adams became the heart and soul of the club that embodied the fighting spirit and desire that took the club to glorious heights in his 22 years of service. He made his first-team debut in 1983 as a 17-year-old boy. Nearly 670 games and 10 major trophies later, he retired as ‘Mr. Arsenal’ – a club legend in the eyes of the Highbury faithful. 

Early Years

Adams didn’t become a regular player for the club until the 1985-86 season. As a defender, Adams was nothing short of a resilient warrior. Well-timed tackles and a powerful presence in the air were just some of the highly polished skills in his repertoire. His reading of the game was unparalleled. Commitment was his middle name and he was never afraid of putting his body on the line. And in 1988, it was these qualities that made up George Graham’s mind in giving Adams the captain’s armband at the young age of 21.

I made Tony Adams one of the youngest captains in Arsenal’s history and I never had any doubts about him doing the job. The modern game is short of dominant personalities, so Tony stands out like a beacon. – George Graham

Tony Adams never looked back and he remained Arsenal’s captain until the day he retired. 14 years later.

In his first full season as captain (1988-89), Tony Adams led the side to the First Division title. A title that will long be remembered in Gunner folklore as they clinched it at Anfield on the final day of the season, thanks to a dramatic last minute goal by Michael Thomas. Arsenal won the title again under his leadership in 1990-91, which was much more impressive because they lost only one game and conceded only 18 goals (the next best was Liverpool who conceded 40)!

In 1992-93, he captained the first English side in history to win the League Cup and FA Cup double. It was his header against North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup semi-final that gave them victory. The very next season, they won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. Again, his goal against Torino saw them progress to the semi-final. Arsenal beat Parma 1-0 in the final thanks to an Alan Smith goal. Till date, that has been Arsenal’s last European triumph (apart from an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup victory in 1970 which became the UEFA cup in 1971).

One of Adams’ biggest claims to fame was that he was an integral part of George Graham’s ‘Famous Back Four’. Paired with fellow centre-back Steve Bould and full-backs Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, this efficient and near-impenetrable defence developed an almost telepathic understanding that allowed them to play the offside trap to perfection. Countless times, their movement and synchronized raising of the arm to signal a player offside would frustrate opponents to no end. And if they did somehow get through, they had the indomitable David Seaman to contend with.

When I first came to Arsenal, I realised the back four were all university graduates in the art of defending. As for Tony Adams, I consider him to be a doctor of defence. He is simply outstanding. – Arsène Wenger

Tony Adams of Arsenal chats with his partner in the back four, Steve Bould

International Career

Tony Adams was the first of a new generation of players to be born after England’s 1966 World Cup win. He made his debut against Spain in 1987 and represented England in his first major tournament at Euro ’88, scoring once. But he was controversially left out of the 1990 World Cup squad and an injury kept him out of Euro ’92. And England didn’t qualify for the 1994 World Cup. He made his comeback and was righteously appointed captain in 1996 when England hosted the Euro. England progressed until the quarter-final, where they were beaten by the eventual champions Germany on penalties. He didn’t play in his first (and last) World Cup until 1998, where they lost on penalties again to Argentina in the pre-quarters.

England’s disappointing Euro 2000 campaign, where they didn’t even qualify from their group, tuned out to be Adams’ last major international tournament. By the time the squad for the 2002 World Cup was picked, Tony Adams had already announced his retirement from international football (in 2000), with 5 goals to his name.

Adams holds the record for having appeared at Wembley 60 times and was also the last English player to score at the old Wembley, before it was rebuilt, in a friendly match against Ukraine in 2000.

To rock bottom and back

But Tony Adams’ career was not without controversy. Since the mid-‘80s, he had been fighting a losing battle with alcohol abuse. His involvement in brawls at night clubs often made headlines. In 1990, a drunken driving charge was levied on him when he crashed his car with blood alcohol levels way over the legal limit, which eventually led to a couple of months in prison.

Though people thought this would help him realize that he had a serious problem, it only got worse. It was found that he even played a match while being drunk. Other drunken episodes included more fights with fans and falling down a flight of stairs, which required him to get 29 stitches on his head. In fact, to get over England’s painful Euro exit at the hands of Germany in 1996, he went on a drinking spree that lasted six weeks!

In his autobiography Addicted, Adams recounts how he “was no longer concerned with the feelings of another human being…. There was no pleasure in anything.” It wasn’t until September 1996 that he publicly admitted that he was an alcoholic and sought rehabilitation. The timing couldn’t have been any better. For that was then that Arsenal appointed a new manager to take over from Bruce Rioch – a Frenchman by the name of Arsène Wenger.

Wenger revolutionized the club not just on the pitch but off it too. He sought to discourage alcohol, knowing very well that there was no way he could ban it with the well-known pub culture of English teams. Diets filled with meat and sugar were replaced with boiled vegetables, fish and rice; something he picked up during his time in Japan. He talked the Arsenal board into building a new complex with the best facilities available, apart from hiring masseurs and an osteopath.

The result? The new system added years to the well-worn defence. Careers received a new lease of life. Adams’ career in particular, as Wenger was reluctant to take away the captain’s armband from him. From a football point of view, Wenger transformed Adams from a direct, no-nonsense centre-back to one who was more composed in possession and could maraud forward when the situation demanded it. Perhaps no goal of his in the Wenger era is more iconic than the one he scored on the final day of the 1997-98 title winning season when Steve Bould put him through (“Would you believe it?! That sums it all up! - Martin Tyler) to shoot into the bottom corner. It truly marked the transformation of Arsenal from “Boring, boring Arsenal” to something that would go on to be its exact opposite.

Tony Adams! What a leader, what a player, what a man!  – Pat Rice

3 May 1998: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and club captain Tony Adams hold the championship trophy after the FA Carling Premiership match against Everton at Highbury in London. Arsenal won 4-0 to secure the title.

Wenger’s faith in Adams’ leadership and ability to inspire the team was duly rewarded as Arsenal won the Premier League – FA Cup ‘double’ not once, but twice – in 1997–98 and 2001–02. This gave Tony Adams the unique achievement of being the only player in English football history to have captained a title-winning team in three different decades! He made his last appearance for Arsenal, fittingly at Highbury, in May 2002 in the final league game of the season against Everton, signing off with a flourish.

“There’s only one Tony Adams”

There was obviously no surprise when he was selected in the top three of the 50 Greatest Gunners by the fans (alongside Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp). Adams was Arsenal through and through. And even though he left a big void at Arsenal upon his retirement, fans will always catch a glimpse of their hero as his bronze statue stands tall outside Emirates Stadium, arms aloft in celebration.

The Tony Adams statue  outside Emirates Stadium (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Over the years, there were many players who could lead and motivate the Gunners. But none more so than the battle hardened Tony Adams – the most successful captain in Arsenal’s rich history!

Fast forward to this season and D’Antoni found himself in a similar situation with the Los Angeles Lakers when they played the Denver Nuggets in January. Pau Gasol’s nose had an unfortunate run in with JaVale McGee’s elbow, which gave Gasol a concussion. At the same time, the Lakers also lost Dwight Howard to a shoulder injury (a torn labrum) and to make matters worse, Jordan Hill pulled his hip in the game which ultimately required surgery to fix. In the span of one game, the Lakers had lost their big men in one fell swoop.

Enter, Earl Clark.

Clark had been part of the trade move that saw Howard come to the Lakers and up until January, he had hardly played enough minutes to total one full game. But in a game against the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers turned to Earl Clark to grab boards and get some points in the paint. And he delivered! He injected energetic pace into an ageing Lakers offence and finished the night with his first double-double for the Lakers (22 points and 13 rebounds) in a loss that had plenty of positives. It was a “phenomenal performance” according to D’Antoni, who hoped he’d unearthed another talent from a supposedly weak bench.

Clark was rewarded with more game time in subsequent games. And since then, he hasn’t looked back. At a time when the Lakers’ season looked to be headed downhill, struggling to get victories under their belt, Clark inspired the purple-and-gold with a series of blistering performances that snapped what could have potentially become a prolonged losing streak. Ever since Clark’s performances began to improve, the Lakers have won 7 of the 10 games played.

In previous seasons, he had only started one game in five years. With the Lakers, he has now started 16 games in 6 weeks! He has completely shredded his averages and added more double-doubles to his tally. His Points Per Game (PPG) has doubled and his Rebounds Per Game has tripled! In fact, in the Lakers’ last game against the Miami Heat, Clark played more minutes than any other player on the court, and among the Lakers, looked the closest to getting a double-double with 18 points and 9 rebounds.

His hunger and ‘play hard’ attitude gave the Lakers a much needed presence in the front court and even after Gasol’s return to the team, Clark remains a starter. In February alone, he averages more than 13 points and a shade below 10 rebounds per game. And that’s not all. He has also impressed on the defensive end of the floor. When asked to guard opponent forwards, he’s restricted them to less than 13 PPG.

His numbers don’t exactly come close to those of Lin. But almost overnight, Earl Clark has become the hero the LA Lakers deserve, and he’s definitely the one they need right now. And what would he say to that?

“I think I’m just a basketball player. I’m just having fun, man, just playing basketball.”

The death knell for Arsenal was sounded at the beginning of the season as the third member of the then promising Theo van Nasregas partnership left for other pastures in search of glory. The acrimonious circumstances that led to Robin van Persie‘s ultimate departure left a bitter taste in the mouth of Arsenal fans throughout the world. Having scored a valuable chunk of the goals in the 2011/12 season for the Gunners (37 of Arsenal’s 95 goals in all competitions including 30 in the League; easily eclipsing his previous season highs with the North London club), replacing a striker of his calibre was always going to be an arduous task.

But Arsène Wenger was prepared this season and had bolstered the ranks with two proven goal scorers in Europe much before van Persie’s exit. Having initially bought them to complement van Persie, they’ve now become integral parts of a strike force that has mesmerized fans with breathtaking football. RvP chants were quickly replaced with songs for Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski. And though they understandably took a while to get going in a new team, they’ve finally begun to understand how to play with each other as the 2 left-footed strikers formed a lethal partnership up front.

And it didn’t stop there. Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla has pulled the strings from midfield with his delicious through balls and link up play. Unlike Podolski and Giroud, Cazorla needed no time to “acclimatize” to the Premier League and looked right at home from the first game of the season. And when opponents realized he was the main danger man, they tried marking him out of the game, which worked for a while until the return of a certain English midfielder called Jack Wilshere provided the impetus to drive the ball forward. Cazorla has also almost reached double figures for goals this season with 9.

But nothing has come as a bigger or more pleasant surprise than Theo Walcott coming into his own this season. Walcott has finally proved himself to be an important goal scorer, and not just a pacy winger who laid it on a plate for others to score. Last season, Walcott was directly involved in 21 goals (11 goals and 10 assists). This season, he has already played a part in 30 goals in 30 appearances, basically being involved in one goal every game! He leads the club in scoring 18 goals and has also provided 12 assists thus far. And we’re only in February.

Combined with Giroud’s 14 goals and Podolski’s 12 goals, Arsenal’s first choice strike force has scored 44 goals already this season. And if we add up Cazorla’s 9 goals, that’s 53 goals in all competitions (37 in the League). This table will give us a better idea of where the goals have come.

But a major concern is that Arsenal hasn’t been able to score against the top three teams. In 5 games against the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea, they have scored only 4 goals, conceding 9 in 1 draw and 4 losses. The inability to turn up at big games has cost them in the League. To be more specific, their ability to turn up in the first half has deserted them. This has been turned around to a certain extent in the last few games. Moreover, most of these goals have come in high scoring wins (6-1 against Southampton, 5-2 against Tottenham, 7-3 against Newcastle and 5-1 against West Ham).

This is where Arsenal have missed someone like van Persie who could convert even half chances into goals. A lot of his goals in the previous season had been decisive goals that turned the result in Arsenal’s favour. His positioning and movement made it easy for the team to play around him. And a penalty specialist with a high conversion rate under pressure is something that will be missed (remember Arteta vs Fulham at the Emirates?). He had the ability to drop deep and link up play as well, something Giroud has been working at.

The team is beginning to understand how to use Giroud as a hold up player instead of a target man, to move the ball quickly in and around the box to free space and create opportunities. His movement doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves, especially when he takes defenders out of the equation with quick, darting runs. He has an impeccable first touch to bring others into play and a keen sense of where his team-mates are. A high percentage of aerial duels won make him the ideal candidate to play as the centre forward, allowing others to latch on to his lay-offs.

Even Walcott and Giroud have forged an understanding and created goals for each other, but their decision making with the final ball (especially Walcott’s) could do with some fine tuning. This was also something van Persie was adept at. His adroit movement and ball control in the box ensured that chances didn’t always go abegging.

But over the course of the season, we have seen missed passes turned into completed passes which have slowly been converted into goals. The beautiful football that has been a mainstay of the club is back and results are slowly going their way. So have Arsenal missed van Persie? Yes and no. Obviously any team would love to have a player like him in their squad, but Arsenal are slowly but surely moving forward and away from the “one man team” nomenclature by building a team for the future with strikers who are ready to play for each other.

Last season, Arsenal scored 95 goals in all competitions. They already have 80 goals so far with a minimum of 15 games to play this season. It’s fair to say that Walcott, Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla have shared the goal scoring burden and will do so for seasons to come.

Reporter 1: Where is he?

Club official: He had a little trouble with his jacket, so he had to make a stop at the club store to get a replacement. In fact, here he comes now.

Arsène Wenger enters the media room accompanied by Ivan Gazidis (Chief Executive of Arsenal FC). Wenger is frowning as he zips up his jacket and double checks to make sure the zip is working properly. As he passes the press on his way to the stage, the reporters in the front row catch snippets of the conversation as Wenger whispers to Gazidis, “… thought there was an employee discount! I think £110 for a manager’s jacket is little bit of a rip-off…” Gazidis fails in his attempts to calm him down.

Wenger takes a seat behind the microphones with Gazidis seated alongside. Wenger, still frustrated, drinks some water and then proceeds to throw the water bottle on to the ground. He then stares like a vulture at the gathering of reporters, his brow furrowed, hands clasped and arms placed on the desk.

Wenger: Well, fire away…

Reporter 1: Hello, Mr. Wenger. I wanted to know…

Wenger: Professor.

Reporter 1: Sorry, what?

Wenger: Professor Wenger.

Reporter 1: Er, ok… You have Manchester City coming up this Sunday. Are all your players fit and ready for the game?

Wenger: Olivier Giroud may be little bit short for Sunday. He cut his knee when we played Swansea. He is currently 50:50. We will assess him again tomorrow to see if he is ready. How ready? Maybe 84:16.

Reporter 2: Did he get injured when Chico Flores stamped him?

Wenger: I don’t know. I did not see the incident.

Reporter 2: Any other injuries? Is Arshavin available?

Wenger: No, he is also, er, short. Everyone else from last weekend is available.

Reporter 3: What about Abou Diaby?

Wenger: He played in the U-21 game in midweek. I don’t want to rush him.

Reporter 1: So when can we expect to see him back in the first team squad?

Wenger: Maybe two to three weeks.

Reporter 2: That’s what you said three months ago!

Wenger: Well, yes. But there were slight complications we didn’t anticipate. But this time, we have ensured that he will have a long run of games once he is back.

Reporter 2: And how did you manage that?

Gazidis: The club has a fantastic medical team! They’ve been using ground breaking technologies to strengthen Diaby’s legs. They’ve made good use of the zero-gravity treadmill and also fused his bones with (checks his notes) Ad… Er, with Ada…

Wenger: Adamantium! We used Adamantium.

Reporter 3: What do you feel are the team’s chances against Manchester City, the defending champions, when they visit the Emirates this weekend?

Wenger: We are on a good run now. I believe that with the right attitude and mental strength, this team can get a positive result in a big game like this. Then we can use this result as a stepping stone to bounce back.

Reporter 1: How would you define a “positive result”?

Wenger: There are many ways to look at it. If I were to explain all the permutations, then we’d be here all day.

Reporter 1: Permutations? Wha…?

Reporter 2: So does a win or even a draw count as a positive result?

Wenger: Something like that. (The reporters scratch their heads)

Reporter 3: By “bouncing back”, do you mean in the title race? You are currently 18 points from the top! Can you hope to catch up with 17 games left?

Wenger: It is still mathematically possible. We even have a game in hand. So I say yes, why not? The Premier League is still very much open. Anybody can drop points. If we can consistently perform with consistency, then the consistent consistency coupled with self belief and mental strength will go a long way. The key word here is consistency.

Reporter 1: We’ve seen reports that Manchester City sent back almost 1000 tickets because they couldn’t get their fans to buy tickets which cost upward of £62! Do you want to comment on that?

Gazidis: The economic climate dictates the ticket prices. We’re sorry that Man City won’t have much of their travelling support at the Emirates (Gazidis nudges Wenger and whispers, “This is a positive result, no?” Wenger smiles for the first time).

Reporter 2: But aren’t you then blatantly turning your backs on the fans?

Wenger: I believe the Man City fans do that as well. What do they call it, the Poznan? I don’t know.

Reporter 1: What news on the transfer front? Are any players coming or going?

Wenger: At the moment, Djourou and Chamakh have been loaned out to get some matches under their belt. There won’t be any other departures for now.

Reporter 2: What about any new signings?

Wenger: At the moment, none. I believe we now have a balanced squad with two players for every position. If we have three, then someone must go and if we have one then someone comes in. We could do with buying some quality players in midfield and maybe another goalkeeper (Gazidis clears his throat audibly and places his hand on Wenger’s arm). But I am confident our current squad has enough quality and can go the distance.

Reporter 2: But if you find a good buy, what then?

Wenger: We have money to spend. But we will buy only if the player is exceptional and of top, top, TOP quality who can add to our squad. (watching the press conference live on television, Gervinho and Santos high-five each other. Squillaci’s chest swells with pride!)

Reporter 3: What is the status of Theo Walcott’s contract?

Wenger: I was optimistic that we will get to a happy conclusion. I am more optimistic now and I will surely be even more optimistic later.

Reporter 1: So when can we expect that he will sign?

Wenger: As we speak, Theo is in the next room signing… (Few photographers rush out of the room to get a picture) … footballs for the young Gunners. After this press conference, I will invite him to my place for a cup of tea to discuss his contract. That’s worked in the past… To some extent (Wenger frowns again).

Wenger’s phone beeps and he reads a text message from assistant manager Steve Bould: “CODE RED! It’s Diaby…”

Gazidis reads over Wenger’s shoulder and quickly speaks up, “Er… That’s all we have for today. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. See you all again on match day!”

Wenger and Gazidis exit the press room. Wenger is angrily trying to unzip his jacket while yelling into the phone as his voice trails off, “What do you mean he sprained his back while tying his shoe laces…”

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, and is not to be taken seriously.

A little over halfway through the season and Arsenal currently find themselves sixth in the Premier League table (with a game in hand). 34 points from 20 games makes this one of Arsene Wenger’s worst ever points tallies at this stage of the season, although 13 points from the last 5 games has seen them steadily moving in the right direction. A worrying factor prevalent in most of their matches is striking a balance between attack and defence. On one hand, they comfortably scored 7 goals against a weary Newcastle United side but also shipped in 3. On the other hand, they struggled to score goals against relegation candidates like Wigan and Southampton (against whom they scored 6 at home).

Wenger has always been a stubborn man when it comes to changing tactics or formations according to the opponents and would rather have his team play the unidirectional Arsenal way, albeit with some tactical switches during the game. But over the years, even the weaker teams have found ways to stop Arsenal from playing their possession game causing them to struggle with unlocking otherwise fragile defences. In some games, more than the formation, it’s the right tactics coupled with the wrong combination of players that is causing the system to fail. So how can Wenger tackle this problem?

The 4-2-3-1 Formation

This has been Arsenal’s standard formation ever since the 2008/09 season (a variation of the 4-3-3). It was built around Cesc Fabregas operating at the top of a midfield three, supported by two deep lying midfielders who worked in a double pivot role. The best midfield combination that suited this formation was Jack Wilshere and Alex Song behind Fabregas. This formation allowed either Song or Wilshere to join the attack while the other sat back to defend, with the two constantly switching positions during the game.

Arsenal’s 4-2-3-1 Formation

The current midfield has Santi Cazorla at the tip, operating between the opponents’ defence and midfield, with Mikel Arteta and Wilshere in the double pivot role (Arteta playing the deepest). Wilshere’s return revitalized a stagnant midfield and his ability to quickly change the direction of attack was the key behind transitioning from defence to attack. His marauding runs through the midfield allowed an unmarked Cazorla to move into space and be more involved in the build-up and the goals. But one key factor that has been overlooked is the lack of a physical holding midfielder at the back (like Vieira or Song) to break up play when Arsenal loses possession. Arteta, for all his exceptional passing skills and positioning, isn’t the ideal candidate.

The front three work best with Olivier Giroud playing as the centre forward. Although Walcott has been literally clamouring in the press about his insistence to play as the main striker (the “footballing reason” behind his contract negotiations stalemate), it is definitely not the ideal position for him. It only works for him when the opponents play a high line and when he can use his pace to beat the centre backs. It does NOT work against organized defences who sit deep. Walcott isn’t a physical force in the box, which takes crosses out of the equation. He cannot hold up play to bring midfielders into the picture. His selfishness (and at times his frustrating decision making) has seen Arsenal squander chances they should have scored from. Meanwhile, Giroud ticks all the boxes required of a central striker – wins aerial duels, can drop deep to hold up play and can also shoot with both feet.

The formation relies on the full backs to offer width on the flanks, stretching defences and allowing Podolski and Walcott to get into the box to provide a numerical advantage. It also asks a lot of Podolski and Walcott to help out Gibbs and Sagna on defence respectively. Gibbs isn’t one of the best defenders but offers a lot in attack which has helped Podolski rack up goals and assists playing out on the left. Another option on the flank is the young and pacy Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The 4-4-2 Formation

Wenger once said, “With a 4-4-2, 60% of your players are occupying 60% of the pitch. No other formation is as efficient at covering space.” The 4-4-2 hasn’t been used much by Wenger since the he switched to the 4-2-3-1 formation. This formation requires two midfielders who can aid Arsenal’s passing game and at the same time break up play on defence. Perhaps Arsenal’s best midfield duo post the ‘Invincibles’ era was that of Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini. The formation did not rely on traditional wingers. Rather, creative players were deployed on the wings; ones with good dribbling skills who could also dart into the box and share the goal scoring burden.

A Possible 4-4-2 Formation

With the current line-up, a 4-4-2 (or a 4-4-1-1) is possible. The sooner Walcott understands that he carries a much bigger threat when he comes in from the flank, ably supported by the full back or a midfielder, the better for him and Arsenal as a whole. His pace is deadlier on the flank than through the centre. Again, the fullbacks play an important role.

A 4-4-2 will see Cazorla playing in the “Bergkamp role” (comparisons with the ‘Invincibles’ obviously crop up because the formation was so successful), pressurizing midfielders when they lose the ball with Wilshere or Arteta playing the role of the attacking midfielder. This means that the other midfielder (CDM) will have to be the physical holding midfielder. If ever a time came to replace Alex Song, it is now – while the Januray transfer window is still open. Arteta has played every single Premier League game this season and Wilshere has just come back from a long lay-off. Looking at the number of fixtures to be played, they could do with the rotation.

An experimental 3-4-1-2?

A 3-4-1-2 formation would entail the use of three centre backs to form the back line and instead of two full backs; the team would have two wing backs. The wing backs would play almost alongside the two defensive midfielders. The presence of energetic, quick wing backs (with oodles of stamina) on the flanks provides a lot of width in attack and extra defenders when they lose the ball. This also negates the opponents’ wingers who are torn between attacking and providing support for their full back. And with two strikers playing up front, the entire defensive back line becomes stretched if the wingers don’t provide adequate defensive support.

An Experimental 3-4-1-2?

Cazorla would once again be the principal playmaker. Walcott would get his chance to play up front, in tandem with Giroud. Again, this formation requires a ‘beast’ of a player as a central midfielder to play alongside Wilshere or Arteta. Andre Santos, who is arguably unfit to play as a left back in the Premier League can actually flourish as a wing back as he’s pretty good going forward, can shoot if required and is at ease with Arsenal’s one touch passing game. It may come in handy when searching for important goals while shoring up at the back, but a drastic change of this magnitude in the formation is highly unlikely.

They say that every team reaches a nadir. A painful phase that a team goes through when they feel like they’re falling into a bottomless pit, where rock bottom only ends up being a checkpoint until the ground beneath their feet caves in and they fall deeper into the depths of despair. With a cup loss to a determined and well organized Bradford City side that’s more than 60 places below them in the English football hierarchy, Arsenal have reached one of those checkpoints this season, and what they do in the next couple of months will ultimately decide their future as they strive to remain a member of the elite ‘Big 4’ in the Premier League.

Optimism is one thing Arsenal fans are never short of. Not so much this season though. Despite losing their best players every season, Arsène Wenger has somehow managed to break into the top four come the end of the season, and hence, qualify for the Champions League. This time, however, the law of averages seems to be finally catching up with him.

It’s not so much that they haven’t added quality. There is a lot of quality in the team. I say ‘team’, and not ‘squad’. Arsenal do have a decent starting line-up (when everybody is fit). But a lack of quality options on the bench has always been a stumbling block to unlocking this team’s true potential. An over-reliance on injured players has unravelled their season time and again, especially in the midfield. I, for one, have stopped depending on Abou Diaby to make a comeback and strengthen the midfield. People raved about his Man of the Match performance at Anfield at the start of the season, but what we looked for was a consistent run of games from him. We never got it.

Secondly, Wenger still doesn’t seem to have found the right combination in attack. The back four practically picks itself, and they’re still among the top 3 defences in the league. It’s the forward line that is an issue now. It’s almost a role reversal of Arsenal’s problems of the past, when goal scoring was never a problem. New additions have had their time to settle in and goals have been shared by a number of players. But they’re simply not scoring enough goals. They are creating a number of chances in the final third but a lack of a quality finisher in the box is killing the team. Of late, the number of shots on target is alarmingly low for Arsenal.

Olivier Giroud has slowly settled in and has cemented his place as the club’s preferred striker. Theo Walcott’s contract impasse has led to him being benched on a couple of occasions, but he has flourished this season and has remarkably improved on his finishing over the past two seasons. But apart from these two, there is nobody else who is able to deliver consistently.

Gervinho has been the biggest disappointment this season. It’s hard to believe that a player of his standard is currently leading the line of a prestigious club like Arsenal, a club that once boasted Premier League Golden Boot winners like Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie. His skills are better suited to a wide position. In the absence of Giroud, Lukas Podolski could be tested as a viable option in the centre. In spite of his stature, he still has a physical presence in the box and is more at ease with Arsenal’s near-telepathic passing game than Gervinho is. But one mystery that needs looking into is his fitness. He’s yet to finish 90 minutes in a Premier League game, and it is a bizarre stat that is now associated with him.

Arsenal’s tactics have also been ‘found out’ by opponents. Mark Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta out of the game and they effectively stop the supply of balls into the final third. Jack Wilshere’s return has eased the burden off Cazorla and he is slowly becoming a driving force in the midfield. The return of Tomas Rosicky also heralds the return to playing the Arsenal way. His passing and movement has revitalized a static midfield and we are seeing more forward passes and triangles being formed to move the ball around.

Arteta’s new role as a midfield enforcer has been bittersweet. Although it ensures that the ball is quickly and safely transitioned from defence to attack, the lack of physical domination in the midfield has left the backline prone to attacks. Moreover, this role asks a lot of Arteta who has to cover a lot of ground. Starting every game has led to both the Spanish midfielders being fatigued. The need of the hour is a backup dominant defensive midfielder who can simultaneously play Arteta’s role of keeping the ball moving.

A change in tactics by Wenger seems improbable. Wenger has never been known to change his tactics according to the opposition, but deploying players out of position is something that has been hard to comprehend. Aaron Ramsey pulled the short straw and was played on the right on a number of occasions when he’s obviously suited to play in the centre of midfield. He’s received a lot of unwarranted stick for his below par performances as a result.

It’s not yet all doom and gloom for Arsenal. They’re still only 3 points away from the top four. At this point of the season, that should be their first target. There were some positives after the game against West Bromwich, and a relatively easy list of fixtures in December should be used to steadily climb up the table. A favourable draw in the Champions League will also help their case.

But come December, Wenger must splash some cash and get in quality replacements. The time for sentiment is over. Players like Chamakh and Arshavin (in his final year) who haven’t even started a Premier League game should be forced out, and their departure will free up slots and wages for new players. There are a lot of names being bandied about; including the re-return of a club legend. But ultimately, Arsène Wenger must get replacements with whom they can compete for silverware in the future.

Collective groans and jeers echoed around the Emirates stadium as Arsenal fell to their second defeat in as many games as the German side Schalke celebrated a historic win at what has, until now, been a fortress for six years. Schalke became the first foreign side to win a game at the Emirates and only the second team to beat Arsenal at home in European competition (Man Utd beat Arsenal in the 2009 semi-final). In fact, the last time a foreign team won at Arsenal was in 2003 when Inter Milan won at Highbury.

It was a proud record that was on the line on Wednesday night and Schalke’s ever dependable striker Klass-Jan Huntelaar lived up to his pre-match comments about wanting to cause an upset and going back with three points in the bag. It was a well deserved victory for Schalke as they went top of the table in Group B with 7 points to Arsenal’s 6 halfway through the group stages.

Arsenal fans are no strangers to frustration, but it was the manner in which they lost the game (and the Premier League game against Norwich) which has been agonizing to watch. The fact that Arsenal’s first real noteworthy shot on target came in injury time from 17-year old Champions League debutant, Serge Gnabry, tells you a lot about what was missing. The goals are drying up. Nobody buys the excuse that the players were tired after getting back from the international break. Arsenal weren’t the only team to have their players representing their nations in various qualifiers. So where did it all go wrong?

An insipid front line

To start with, playing Gervinho as a central forward to lead the attack will not win you matches. Just because it worked in a pre-season game, and against a newly promoted team like Southampton who have conceded the most goals thus far, does not warrant a spot up front. Sure, Wenger has converted many wingers into strikers (Thierry Henry comes to mind) but you can’t expect a player at his age to suddenly come good, and definitely not when you have an accomplished central striker on the bench in Olivier Giroud. The constant altering of the line-up has made it difficult for both Giroud and Gervinho to settle down. Gervinho’s strength is in his pace and dribbling skills. But he has a long way to go in terms of honing his finishing skills and, more importantly, his decision making in and around the box.

Lukas Podolski is known to be one of the best finishers in the world. In this Arsenal side, he has been played out on the left of the attacking trio and has formed a lethal, telepathic partnership with the left back Kieran Gibbs. Together, with Santi Cazorla running the midfield, they have terrorized some of the teams on the left flank. Podolski has also helped out in defence, helping Gibbs whenever required and initiating counter attacks as soon as they win back possession. But with Gibbs out injured, and Andre Santos replacing him, Podolski has become ineffective and almost invisible in the last game. There is almost no understanding between the two as this was Santos’ first start in this campaign. And if required, Podolski actually has the technique to thrive up front better than Gervinho.

Flanks firing blanks

Injuries to Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain meant that Arsenal had to make do with Aaron Ramsey on the right. It worked to a certain extent against Manchester City when they needed to dominate possession but he was totally out of sorts against Schalke and mistimed two runs into the box when Gervinho actually made himself useful by cutting the ball back from the goal line. Ramsey too hasn’t settled into this new side with many misplaced passes. He is yet to forge an understanding with Cazorla, who is always two steps ahead of the game.

Santos got a lot of stick from the fans and the media for his performance against Schalke. To be honest, he wasn’t really at fault. He did make 3 tackles and 5 interceptions in a game where Schalke relentlessly attacked from the right flank with Jefferson Farfan making it a forgettable night for Santos who was hardly allowed to get forward. It was the lack of support when he was taking on two players at once that proved to be his undoing. I am not saying that he didn’t make any errors, but to blame him entirely and call him ‘useless’ for 90 minutes is being very unfair to him. Podolski kept drifting to a central role, leaving the left side unguarded.

Missing Cogs

Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta are the two midfielders who keep this Arsenal side ticking. With passing success rates for both above 90% and creating chances galore, it is a treat to watch the two Spaniards weave their way through the midfield and into Arsenal folklore with their majestic passing abilities. Arteta’s new role as the ball playing defensive midfielder has worked wonders, averaging 4.3 tackles per game and 2.3 interceptions per game. He has anchored the Arsenal midfield and has consistently been the best player on the pitch by a mile! Francis Coquelin also provides an option for Arteta to play an advanced role, something we saw in the game against Schalke.

Cazorla has been an exciting new addition to the squad but he is still getting used to the pace of the Premier League. There have been times when he has “gone missing” in the middle of the park and it happened at Norwich and against Schalke. This led to Arteta trying to take up the mantle and he was squeezed for space as the rest of the team was too static with hardly any movement off the ball to create space. As the main playmaker, Cazorla needs to take up more responsibility and demand for the ball at his feet. But I have absolutely no complaints against him. And I hope he finds his scoring boots sooner rather than later. The lack of rotation due to injuries to Rosicky, Wilshere and Diaby means that he will have to play ninety minutes till they are back in the squad.

If Arsenal are to dip into the transfer market in January, one area they need to strengthen is the goal keeping department. Vito Mannone has been covering for the two injured Poles; Szczesny and Fabianski. But it is painfully obvious that he isn’t quite ready to take the number one jersey just yet. He has made some decent stops and has bravely put his body on the line but he isn’t an authoritative ‘keeper who can marshal the defensive back line. His distribution is also abysmal. He is, at best, a decent backup.

Way forward?

The underlying problem at Arsenal is the constant entry and exit of players which has turned the team from a well oiled machine to one that is constantly being fixed with spare parts. Last season, Arsenal won quite a few games on the trot due to a certain set of players starting all games. Experimentation was meant to be done in pre-season and it is something they should have learned after a disastrous start last season.

With major players coming back to strengthen various positions on the pitch, it is time for Wenger and Bould to go back to basics and play them according to their strengths before it backfires badly on their faces. Because 12 points from 8 games in the League is not the start the fans envisioned after conducting their transfer business early. Because this time, just making it to the top four and qualifying for the Champions League might just not be enough.

LOS ANGELES – 1988: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar listens to Magic Johnson during an NBA game at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, California in 1988.

But as the future Hall of Famers reached the end of their career and retired by the turn of the 1990s, the Lakers struggled to gain a foothold even in the Western Conference, let alone competing for the championship. A rebuilding process was set in motion and it wasn’t until the mid ‘90s when they added the mighty Shaquille O’Neal and a young Kobe Bryant to the line-up. They took their time to gel, their differences well known to the team and the public. But help arrived in the form of one of the NBA’s greatest coaches, Phil Jackson, who had led Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to six titles in the ‘90s.

What followed is history as the Lakers completed a ‘three-peat’, winning three consecutive titles in 2000, 2001 and 2002. After a couple of hiccups in the ’04 and ’08 finals, the team was back with a vengeance and added two more titles in ’09 and ’10 (where they defeated the Boston Celtics who were favourites to win). The Lakers have always been winning titles. But as with every team, there are highs and lows. Phil Jackson has now retired and Mike Brown has tried to step into some big shoes to try and lead the Lakers out of the Playoffs and into the Finals – where they truly belong.

Ex-Lakers Head coach Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers congratulating Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant

 

Here comes the… cavalry?

The Lakers were found wanting in the last season as they relied heavily on Kobe Bryant to get them out of trouble. Pau Gasol’s form in the Playoffs just wasn’t up to the mark. Andrew Bynum was a standout performer but he is now no longer a Laker. But two new additions to the squad have made the fans very optimistic about the new season – Steve Nash and Dwight Howard.

Dwight Howard poses with his new Los Angeles Lakers jersey after being introduced to the media as the newest member of the Lakers.

Nash could turn out to be the creative fulcrum the team has sorely missed with his favoured pick-and-roll to choose from, considering he has both Gasol and Howard on the floor. Howard’s rebounds, blocks and his post up moves would improve the Lakers’ offense and defence a few notches. Both the players have topped the assists and rebound charts respectively in the last season. And Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has done a tremendous job in bringing both the players to Staples Center.

But one worrying factor is their age and fitness. Nash is 38 and can no longer sustain the same intensity he had years ago. His defence is also not something you can write home about and the team would truly be tested when they face a young, quick team like the OKC Thunder. Also, both Nash and Howard have back problems. Howard is still in rehab, recovering from a surgery to fix a herniated disc, which means he will not be ready for the start of the pre-season. Whether he will make it to the squad when the regular season gets underway on October 30^thcan only be speculated at this point.

The need for a Plan B

Howard’s possible absence means that Gasol will have to step up like how he did when Bynum wasn’t available in the last two seasons. But Mike Brown will have to keep in mind that Gasol is just back from a very busy summer where he won the silver medal at the Olympics for Spain. Fatigue will play an important factor. He is also not getting any younger and at the age of 32, it would be risky to ask too much form him early in the season. And although 34-year old gold medallist Kobe didn’t play as much as was expected in the Olympics, he too would be subject to burnout.

This means that the Lakers will have to rely on their bench to contribute more this season. But if you look at their bench’s contribution for last season in terms of points, the Lakers are dead last! It shows how much the Lakers have been dependent on their starting five. It is something that must change for an ageing squad.

Metta World Peace will have to improve on his offensive skills but his reliable presence on the defensive court will be an added bonus. They have added Antawn Jamison whose career average is a shade below 20 points per game and he is a player who can keep the ball moving. He would be expected to start games in Howard’s absence and he is a worthy addition who could be their sixth man. Jordan Hill too should be seeing some more game time and he would look to impress. Both Hill and Jamison could be fighting it out for the fifth spot on the floor if Howard is not ready for the start of the season.

 A new era?

The squad is one with a lot of potential. But it is too early to make a call on whether this team can push for the title. For starters, they first need to get together and learn to play as a team. Kobe has never had a point guard dominate the ball on offense and it would be new territory for a player of his calibre. But he must understand that Nash is a proven playmaker and distributor of the ball. He’ll need all the help he can get. Both Howard and Nash are in a quest to get their first ring and Kobe would do well to co-exist with them to get his sixth.

The Big Five of Kobe, Nash, Howard, Gasol and World Peace have a job on their hands. No other team has reached the NBA Finals as many times as the Lakers have. As they go in search of a record equalling 17^th NBA title, it may not exactly be “Showtime”, but they could come mighty close.

(Note: We are not responsible if you lose money placing bets on the following events)

August

The Premier League season gets underway on Saturday, August 18^th 2012.

Howard Webb travels to Old Trafford to officiate the match, only to find out that his game is on Sunday – at the Etihad.

Victor Moses is informed by his agent at half-time that his move to Chelsea is complete. He packs his bags and takes a short walk to the visitors’ dressing room.

Joey Barton, banned for 6 months in the PL, completes a transfer to Fleetwood Town and tweets, “F*** this! The Premier League is for sissies. League 2 is a true test of character and strength.” (He gets a straight red card on debut for an altercation with the visiting captain. In the tunnel. Before the game.)

West Ham trigger a new release clause that is found in Demba Ba’s contract that allows a club to buy him from Newcastle for as little as £1M before the start of the season. Newcastle replaces him with the ‘Goal Machine’ Emile Heskey.

Robin van Persie scores a 90^th minute winner in a 3-2 victory at the Britannia. All is forgiven and he is a Gunner hero again!

September

Robin van Persie beats the clock on a transfer deadline day move to Manchester United for £20M. He is taken on a tour of the Old Trafford bench by Dimitar Berbatov.

In spite of fans’ protests, Liverpool sells the naming rights of their stadium and it is now called Standard Chartered Arena. When asked about the deal, the bank’s CEO remarked, “This deal represents a defining moment in our quest to make a breakthrough in Europe and… What? What’s so funny?”

Luka Modric, unsuccessful in his attempt to force a transfer, comes to practice in a white Real Madrid t-shirt. Nobody notices as it’s the same colour as their kit. Modric breaks down.

In London Derby #3 of 74 for the season, Diaby is sent off for kicking John Terry in the face when trying to challenge for a high ball. Arsenal appeal on the grounds of ‘Kicking Racism out of Football’. The red card is rescinded.

In a tense affair at Anfield the Standard Chartered Arena, Jamie Carragher scores 2 goals as Manchester United beat Liverpool 1-2. Kagawa scores his first goal for the club and the new United kits, that weren’t really a big hit, literally fly off the shelves in Japan. A new Pokemon character is unveiled – Shinji.

October

West Ham move to the new Olympic Stadium in London and their first game is against Arsenal. Despite playing at home, the Gunners receive more support as Arsenal fan and 5000m & 10000m gold medallist Mo Farah runs around the track whipping the fans into frenzy.

Andres Villas Boas’ job is under serious threat as they lose 1-3 to Chelsea with John Obi Mikel finally scoring in the League by grabbing a perfect hat-trick (right foot, left foot and header). As a kind gesture, Chelsea fans gift the website hasandrevillasboasbeensackedyet.com to the White Hart Lane faithful.

Peter Crouch scores against his old club… what’s that? No, not Spurs. No, not Southampton. Well, of course, it isn’t Portsmouth! Yes, Liverpool! *sigh* … in a losing cause as Borini steals the headlines. And his robot dance celebration.

In a press conference, Roberto Mancini assures fans that Manchester City will make it out of their Champions League group which has Barcelona, Juventus and PSG. Sir Alex Ferguson is taken to the hospital after he chokes on his wine while laughing.

The fastest to 10 goals award is won by… *drum roll* Emile Heskey! He is closely followed by Mr. Own Goal.

November

To mark another year in Sir Alex’s tenure at Old Trafford, a new digital clock is installed above the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. It is used exclusively on match days – to display how many minutes of Fergie Time will be played.

Andy Carroll gets his first start under Brendan Rodgers when they travel to Stamford Bridge. A powerful header from an accurate Steven Gerrard cross gives him his first goal of the season and equals Fernando Torres’ tally for the season.

Under immense pressure to perform, Andres Villas Boas makes his first trip to the Emirates stadium for the North London Derby. After a humiliating loss, the timer on the website is reversed and is automatically transformed into a countdown timer.

In the Oil Firm Derby, Chelsea host Manchester City in a game where the winner will take the lead in the title race. Roberto’s side wins 2-1.

December 

This time, Balotelli refuses to warm up in a tie against Barcelona and Manchester City are knocked out of the Champions League. When asked about his refusal to play, Balotelli replied, “I don’t play with girls!”

The Etihad is the setting for an exciting Manchester Derby as the Red Devils lose by a solitary goal thanks to a misplaced Kagawa back pass. 47 websites publish headlines with the word ‘Harakiri’.

Newcastle United, the last undefeated team in the League (but in 6^th place), lose their first game of the season at Old Trafford. David De Gea is adjudged Man of the Match – for denying a Heskey bicycle kick.

Nicklas Bendtner goes on strike and demands a transfer to the best club in the world. When asked which club that was, he drops his pants to reveal PSG boxers.

January 

The transfer window opens. The African Cup of Nations ensures that Wenger signs Thierry Henry on loan. Again. He scores against Leeds. Again.
Bored Barcelona players (on their winter break) talk to the press to try tapping up other players. Xavi can barely contain himself, “Nick [Powell] is a very exciting player! He’d fit into our system easily!” The Barcelona board misunderstand and table a bid for Nicklas Bendtner.

Super Sunday sees Chelsea take on Arsenal and Spurs take on Manchester United. The games are telecast to 2 billion people around the world to showcase the Premier League and pundits go overboard in describing it as the best League on the planet! Both matches end 0-0 with the highlight of the weekend being a race for the ball between Eden Hazard and Theo Walcott (Hazard tripped and Walcott ran past the ball).

Speculations of a big money move rise when Mario Balotelli is sighted in a helicopter heading to Stamford Bridge. But he was later seen dropping firecrackers on those training at the ground. Ashley Cole shoots the chopper down with his air rifle.

February 

Craig Bellamy officially completes a transfer to Liverpool in the wee hours of February 1^st, a move no one saw coming!

Ryan Giggs gets into trouble after a late night party where [content removed by court order]

Arsene Wenger criticizes the UEFA and FIFA for scheduling pointless international friendlies that mess up with the clubs’ preparations for the domestic cup games. Another touchline ban follows. But Wenger is not perturbed, stating he had the “mental strength, belief and character to bounce back”.

March

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United avoid each other in the quarter-final draw of the Champions League. UEFA President Platini is furious and is seen making some calls demanding an explanation.

Andres Villas Boas is sacked by Tottenham after a loss to Porto in the Europa League. At the press conference, he sits on his haunches and takes in the scene, wondering where it all went wrong.

Liverpool draws 1-1 with West Ham, thereby making it only a five-horse race for the title.

April

Arsenal are up against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final and Manchester United are up against Real Madrid. Both English teams suffer in the League as a result of fatigue. The Spanish teams also lose points, allowing 3^rd placed Valencia to cut the points gap to only 29 points.

Torres makes a forgetful return to the Standard Chartered Arena as he is stretchered off after the Anfield Cat severely scratches him whenever he enters the box.

Spurs appoint Rafa Benitez as their new manager. Modric hands in a transfer request.

Real Madrid and Barcelona qualify for the Champions League Final, thereby denying the opportunity to an English side to play in the final at Wembley. Platini is seen with a smug look on his face.

May

Sergio Aguero wins the Golden Boot. Emile Heskey comes in second in spite of not playing the last 3 months of the season.

After 38 games, Arsenal and Manchester United are tied on 95 points with the exact same goal difference, goals for, goals against and head-to-head stats. Manchester City wins the League with 96 points.

All 3 promoted clubs are relegated, bucking the recent trend. Pundits reiterate the unpredictability of the League and call it the best in the universe!

PSG buy Manchester City.

This summer has been different in terms of acquiring quality talent. Arsenal have learnt their lesson from last season and concluded some of their business very early. Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud were officially done deals by June and just last week, Santi Cazorla was bought from Malaga. But, at the same time, the captain and Arsenal’s best player last season, Robin van Persie dropped a bombshell when he questioned the “club’s direction” and refused to sign a new contract, thereby inviting other clubs to make offers.

Robin van Persie unhappy with how the club should move forward?

So what is it that makes Arsenal players leave the club, thus leaving the squad in a perpetual state of transition? Why isn’t Wenger able to convince these players that their futures lay at Ashburton Grove?

Dwindling faith in Wenger’s Project?

The move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium meant that Arsenal couldn’t pay the high wages most of their last title winning members were earning. It also meant they couldn’t sign experienced players who commanded high wages. They made way for the youth and Wenger’s new project kicked off in 2006. Fans knew that it would take time to regain the glory days and waited patiently, trusting Wenger to work his magic.

2009 represented Arsenal’s best hopes and they were title contenders until Eduardo’s horrific injury sideswiped their shot at a Premier League triumph. Then, in 2011 they had a chance at silverware again when they were the only team in all four competitions. It was their best shot at a title, if not two! Up until February end, it gave evidence to the fact that the squad was ready to challenge for titles and Wenger’s project was a success. But a Carling Cup final disaster and subsequent losses in the Champions League and the FA Cup meant that another campaign would go trophy less.

Perhaps these two instances were key factors in casting doubts into the players’ minds on whether Arsenal was ready. Players like Cesc Fabregas and van Persie were left to only wonder what could have been, had they had a better supporting cast around them. There were only a handful of players delivering every week, only to see their hard work undone by below par players on a consistent basis.

Fabregas, homesick at Arsenal in 2011, paving the way for a move back to Barcelona

Midfielders like Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb were the first to leave, believing that their future lay at AC Milan and Barcelona respectively. Fabregas was allowed to go back to his boyhood club, while Nasri made a decision to continue his career at Manchester City.

Maybe the players realized that they would rather be a part of the side that can win trophies than be guinea pigs in Wenger’s experiment and waste a few years of their career chasing dreams. Loyalty in football is nowadays an overhyped commodity and a player’s career can only go so far at a certain club, especially when he isn’t a youth product of the academy or a local player. But it is evident that only a very tiny percentage of the players who have left have been proved right so far.

Player Wages

Big money made an appearance in the football scene when the likes of Roman Abramovich took over Chelsea and more recently when Sheikh Mansour took over at Manchester City. As they spent millions to build a squad capable of fighting for honours, they spent lavishly on new recruits and it’s no secret that higher wages have lured players away from their clubs. One of the first to go was Arsenal’s left-back, Ashley Cole. Contract talks broke down when wages came into the picture. Chelsea was prepared to pay him almost twice of what Arsenal was paying him. The transfer saga was bitter and in the end, Chelsea finally got their man.

Manchester City became a force to reckon with in 2009 and over the past couple of years; the likes of Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri have joined their ranks. Although Toure and Clichy were not exactly indispensable, players like Nasri and Adebayor were never truly replaced. With Arsenal not ready to offer these players more than £100,000 per week, they’d packed their bags and moved on, with Arsenal making profits from these sales to reinvest in the squad – again.

Samir Nasri signs for Man City in 2011, a contract worth nearly £200,00 per week.

Due to Arsenal’s strict wage policy, it became a challenging task to sign top players. But the Board can’t be blamed entirely for their stance on the matter. The new Emirates Stadium proved to be the albatross around their neck. There was no way they could run the club by increasing the wage ceiling to accommodate these players’ demands, until the club was on steady ground regarding its finances. Even with two billionaire owners in Kroenke and Usmanov, they do not want a ‘sugar daddy’ to pump in money into the club to sign and retain players. That is not how Arsenal’s highly commended self-sustainability model works to comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules.

But to compete with the likes of such rich clubs, Arsenal should find a way to reduce the large financial gap that exists. Long term commercial and sponsorship deals signed in 2005 to finance the stadium now look pitiful when compared to the deals being made by other clubs now. To give an example, the Emirates kit sponsorship deal is an 8-year deal until 2014 worth £48 million. By contrast, Liverpool’s deal with Standard Chartered is worth £20 million a year! If Arsenal can renegotiate these deals or find new sponsors (which they are currently doing), they have a chance of competing in the market. And if the squad can win titles, the commercial value of the club would increase, thereby getting in more profits for reinvestment.

A New Era

With most of the Emirates stadium debts paid off and the current debt figures easily manageable, thanks to Arsenal’s self-sustaining model (see the reliable Swiss Ramble’s post on Arsenal Finances), Arsenal now have the money to fill the war chest and allow Arsene Wenger to spend on top quality and experienced players again.

Steve Bould and Arsene Wenger have a big task for the new season

This is a new era in Le Professeur’s 16-year reign, one that promises to deliver. Long time assistant Pat Rice has bee replaced by an equally capable Steve Bould. Long gone are the players who moped and sulked on and off the field, the new lot have rekindled the fighting spirit of the old. The new squad is a rich mixture of youth and experience with plenty of leaders on the pitch, and it’s only a matter of time before they deliver.

No laughing matter, this. Steve Nash joins the Lakers!

After the LA Lakers were denied the opportunity to bring in an equally eager Chris Paul in December 2011, this deal could have deep ramifications in the 2012-13 NBA regular season and playoffs. With big players moving to big teams, this might just be the icing on the cake – a sweet deal for both Nash and the Lakers (Phoenix fans may turn away at this point). A player who has been on top of the assists and free-throw average charts, combined with a lethal three-point shooting percentage; he’s also had a career filled with honours ranging from two MVP awards and 8 All-Star selections.

What more does a team starved of a reliable playmaker need?

Having carried the Phoenix Suns almost single-handedly since 2004, it was time for a change. The Lakers are no strangers to Nash. They’ve faced off against each other many times in the Western Conference. One of the more memorable moments was in 2006, when he helped the Suns overcome a 3-1 Lakers lead to win the series 4-3. Over the past few seasons, he has been, as Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak put it, “a thorn in the Lakers’ side”.

There is no doubt as to why Nash is considered one of the best point guards in NBA history. But to earn a place in the pantheon of basketball greats, his legend is incomplete. The Lakers have had a few legends themselves filling the point-guard position. Names that spring to mind are; Jerry West – the man fittingly known as “Mr. Clutch” (also known for the NBA logo you see on TV and merchandise) and Magic Johnson – one of the greatest players to have played basketball. More recently, they had Derek Fisher whose leadership on and off the court was a big miss for the Lakers after he was traded to OKC Thunder.

The one notable difference between Nash and these players? They have a ring.

The New Big Four?

So how is Coach Mike Brown going to make Nash fit into this now ‘potential title threat’ Lakers team? Well, he definitely has his offensive work cut out. For starters, his presence on the court will take a huge weight off Kobe Bryant’s shoulders. Let’s face it, Kobe isn’t getting any younger, he’s 33 now. He hasn’t had an ideal summer break since he’s taking part in the 2012 Olympics in London. Asking him to come back and play 40 minutes a game will punish his body, especially his knee.

Last season, they had Sessions filling in the PG role and his stats don’t even come close to Nash’s.  If Nash could rack up assists like it was nobody else’s business with a weak supporting cast in Phoenix, imagine what he can accomplish with a line-up that includes Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol playing in the pivot and high post positions. With his impeccable eye for a pass combined with terrific ball handling skills and his ability to use the pick and roll to his advantage, Nash could use the two to either create shots for the others or free himself to shoot. He always was a huge advocate of the pick and roll move. It worked to near perfection when he played with Dirk Nowitzki at Dallas and more recently with Amare Stoudemire at Phoenix.

Nash: “Young man, I am going to have to teach you some moves!”

He loves to unlock defences by spreading the game, freeing up other players and allow them to take simple shots rather than expecting them to worry about nailing jumpers from tough positions. Considering he’s more of a playmaker (he’s even chosen the #10 jersey – the playmaker’s role in football, another sport he holds close to his heart), we’re going to see more plays coming from him, giving Kobe a chance to free himself and take his shots without worrying about handling the ball in pressure situations.

The only factor I would be worried about is Nash’s fitness. He’s 38 (yes, I know Jason Kidd was 38 too when he won his first ring). But he has had problems with tightening of his back muscles, a condition known as spondylolisthesis. But if the Lakers can keep him fit for the next campaign, we can expect this team to go places; especially if Gasol and Bynum stay with the franchise.

For Nash, moving to a Lakers team with two 7-footers and one Kobe Bryant is “a dream come true for a point guard.” As the Lakers go in search of a record equalling 17^th NBA title, fans can only hope that his dream has a fairy tale ending!

Stats from NBA.com

Miami Heat’s Big Three – Wade, James and Bosh

Today, James has been vindicated. In his third NBA Finals, the prodigy who was the number one pick in the 2003 NBA Draft has finally been crowned an NBA champion. No King is complete without his crown and James received his in the form of an NBA Finals MVP trophy to go with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

It was third time lucky for LeBron James as he fell short on the two previous occasions he and his team had reached the Finals. The first time, he had carried the Cavaliers to their first ever Finals in 2007 but were swept 4-0 by Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs. The previous season, the big three of Miami – James, Wade and Bosh were humbled and schooled by Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in what was a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals where Miami clinched the title with a similar 4-2 series victory.

Life was never easy for James after he decided to “take his talents to South Beach”. The television special where he was interviewed after he’s made his choice did not sit well with the fans and the NBA. When quizzed about it later, James was apologetic and wished he’d gone about it differently but still stuck to his decision to leave Ohio.

Many accused him of taking a shortcut to the NBA crown. Even the Cavaliers’ owner led the mob in accusing him of being selfish and betraying the franchise by brandishing an open letter that put him in trouble with the NBA. Legends like Michael Jordan also did not sit quietly and criticized James for trying to team up with rivals saying that he would never have considered teaming up with Magic Johnson or Larry Bird. He wanted to defeat them! Not join them.

Cleveland hates LeBron James

Chris Bosh soon arrived and the trio of Wade, James and Bosh was unveiled in a grand show at Miami. While some saw them as heroes, others saw them as mercenaries. When the Heat traveled to Cleveland, James endured hostile crowd chants as they booed him whenever he got the ball. In a strange way, it seemed like his move was justified as the fans refused to accept the fact that it was because of James that their team was performing well all these years, in spite of not getting enough support on the court.

But as the fans soon found out, the pairing of LeBron and Dwayne was irresistible as they shattered NBA records by scoring over 4000 points together in the season. The Heat trounced opponents on their way to the Finals and destiny seemed to be in James’ own hands.

It wasn’t to be.

In what was a shocking series for LeBron, his performance dipped to alarming standards as MVP Dirk Nowitzki and co. ran riot (in spite of Dirk being unwell). While James had steamrolled opponents in the playoffs by averaging 23.6 points per game, in the Finals he only averaged 17.8. No other player in the history of the NBA had suffered such a dip in performance. His performance on the court in the fourth quarter (he averaged only 3 points in all 6 games) of all games was abysmal, questioning his lack of character and ability to make big plays.

After a prolonged offseason due to the NBA lockout, James focused on improving his game and even had Hakeem ‘The Dream’ Olajuwon coach him on his post-up plays. The hard work paid off as James exploded in the regular season by averaging almost 30 points a game as Wade and Bosh suffered with injuries. When the playoffs came about, he’d upped the tempo as the opponents literally faced the heat. With elimination looming in a game against the Boston Celtics, James recorded 45 points and 15 rebounds, keeping them on track and eventually closing out a thrilling Eastern Conference Finals series in Game 7.

The NBA Finals – A battle between Kevin Durant & LeBron James

The NBA Finals was slated as a battle of epic proportions between LeBron James and the winner of the scoring title; the young Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant. Although the Heat lost Game 1, they recovered and went on to win the next four games, culminating in a title win on home court. James had even fought leg cramps in game 4 and came back on the court to help win the game. He was the favourite to take the MVP trophy as he recorded more than 30 points and almost 10 rebounds a game – a stark contrast to last year’s post-season.

When asked about the win he said, “I’m happy now that eight years later, nine years later since I’ve been drafted, that I can finally say that I’m a champion, and I did it the right way. I didn’t shortcut anything. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done as a basketball player. You just put a lot of hard work into it and you hope that one day it will pay off for you.”

As the confetti rained down on the champions at the American Airline Arena, the fans rejoiced as the King had finally been crowned!

LeBron James answers questions from the media next to the Larry O’Brien trophy and MVP Trophy

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/06/23/the-decision-comes-to-fruition-as-lebron-james-is-crowned-king/feed/ 1 1397144 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/05/30/breaking-news-lionel-messi-hands-in-transfer-request/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/05/30/breaking-news-lionel-messi-hands-in-transfer-request/#comments Tue, 29 May 2012 19:33:10 +0000 Zeddy http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=296365

Messi headed for Barca exit?

The city of Barcelona and the football world as a whole was shocked to hear that FC Barcelona’s talisman and leading goal scorer, Lionel Messi, has apparently handed in a transfer request.

It is alleged that Messi wasn’t happy to hear that his mentor for the past few years, Pep Guardiola, was quitting his post as manager of the club’s first team. There was also talk that Messi was unhappy with this season’s trophy haul and is supposedly thinking of now moving to another club, possibly outside the La Liga as he doesn’t want to hurt the sentiments of the Catalan fans. Having won all available trophies at Barcelona, he is now looking for a new challenge. According to unnamed inside sources, he will choose a club that guarantees him Champions League football and one with a similar football philosophy.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been an admirer of Messi, is said to be keeping tabs on his contract situation. Arsenal is also considered to be a favourable destination but the financial clout of clubs like Manchester City and a new look Chelsea will be hard to resist for the young Argentine.

 If you didn’t believe a word of what you read in the last one minute, I congratulate you!

 It’s that time of the year again; when publications around the world (especially in Europe) come up with stories that range from the thoroughly bizarre to the absolutely outrageous. What else can guarantee a number of hits on their site during the off season other than a juicy transfer rumour that involves a world class player and a rival club (or league)?

It’s almost as if the editors send a memo out to their reporters stating, “Right, it’s going to be a slow news day. Come up with the best, probable transfer that could happen but eventually will not and give me a four hundred word story by the end of the day.”

To be frank, it’s an utterly pathetic cycle that occurs twice a year in January and in the summer at the end of a season. And we as the readers only feed the frenzy by actually visiting these sites to see if the story is authentic or downright bogus.

So how do we identify whether the story has any credibility or not? Well, take for example the first three paragraphs of this article where it talks about Messi leaving Barcelona. Almost every football fan knows that Messi owes Barcelona a debt of gratitude and that it will take much more than a season without a La Liga title or a Champions League win and the departure of Pep to convince Messi that he needs to look elsewhere to continue his career.

Now, take a second look. There are absolutely no quotes – by the player or a club official! Words like ‘apparently’, ‘unnamed sources’, ‘alleged’ is just a preface to hearsay. Yet, readers take one look at the article and ten minutes later Twitter is abuzz regarding the player’s ‘expected departure’ and the player’s name starts trending worldwide. Come back to the site a couple of weeks later, and you’ll find the same article with the paragraphs in a different order and a couple of new lines (like possible transfer fee) added to make it look like breaking news.

Transfer Deadline day is the worst day for a football fan. The amount of torture one goes through as various reporters are ‘witnesses’ to players arriving at an airport or helicopters ferrying the players to various clubs for a medical and agree on personal terms before the stipulated deadline.

At the end of it all, only a small percentage of the stories reported would be true. Most of the stories would be based on some half-baked rumours on social networks and the rest are based on reports in other websites. Isn’t that just unbelievable? To compete with their rivals, the website quotes lines from other websites that first reported the news… er, rumour. And soon the internet implodes with sites quoting other sources which never really existed in the first place! Even the clubs’ official websites have joined the party with a section dedicated to media reports related to the club. Just to get more hits.

As a football fan, I personally hate the off season! Sure, we could all use a small break from football now and then (I’m talking about a break till the Euros begin, relax!). But the media makes every fan’s life a living hell as they continue to report stories that make one set of fans bite their nails nervously at the prospect of a top player leaving their club as another set of fans rub their hands in glee in anticipation of said players joining their club.

And then there’s the football players who get the raw end of the deal and are at the receiving end of a torrent of abuse. Every player is obviously told by the club not to disclose any details and yet they are targeted by fans based on these same rumours. The player hasn’t said anything, the club has not even mentioned holding any talks let alone striking a deal, but in the fans’ eyes they are held responsible. It’s sad to see many professional players’ and managers’ loyalties questioned and having to defend themselves and come up with official statements when they are misquoted, lost in translation or just to prove a media rumour wrong.

Of all the sites, there is just a small handful that carries credible information pertaining to transfers and they have the moral responsibility to report it only if a club or player confirms it. A collective responsibility lies on the shoulders of the media and the fans to sift through rumours to find the truth.

Because, god forbid, the last thing we want to see now is a rumour linking Lionel Messi to a host of clubs based on this article!