5 More Things We've Learnt So Far

1. Sanchez still needs plenty of time to adjust

Some players just land with their feet running. Look at Torres for Liverpool, Ba for Newcastle, Tevez for West Ham. I don't think Sanchez is one of those players but strongly believe that when he adjusts to the league's brutal pace and improves his fitness he'll be devastating to the opposition.

2. Trophy success last season has already had an effect on the mentality of the players

The boys in red are winners, with two trophies in quick succession they now know how to get over the line. The way Arsenal fought back from a 2-0 deficit in the FA Cup final showed amazing resolve and I believe this same attitude is already carrying through to their league performances after Ramsey's last minute winner against Palace and the amazing comeback against Everton.

3. Carl Jenkinson looks likely to have another frustrating season on the periphery of the club

Poor Carl. A gunner through and through it looks as though this could be another season without the breakthrough he sorely craves. Loaned out to the Hammers, Carl suffered an injury setback meaning that he will struggle to get much playing time and make the improvements Wenger was looking to see. Debuchy's outstanding performances so far, combined with the promise of Chambers and Bellerin could spell the end of Jenkisnon's time at his boyhood club.

4. Jack Wilshere is in for another tough season from the press

The latest golden child of the England national team, Jack has always been billed as the next Gazza, Wazza, and every other 'azza' going. His bad luck with injury has kept Jack from fulfilling his potential and the media has jumped on every chance to picture the young man out with a cigarette or drinking a beer. If he doesn't put in some dazzling performances this season expect greater emphasis to be placed on his personal life.

5. Giroud has to start. 

Two games now Arsenal have struggled without the talismanic Frenchman leading the line. Not only does he bring goals but he also creates space for others to run in behind as he occupies two defenders at a time. It also looks as though he's added some more technique and close control to his game and after 2 seasons in the premier league this could be season where he shines.

Thanks to Giacomo Detomaso for help with this one! Italian Gunners and fans of Serie A, NBA & NFL follow Giacomo's brilliant blog

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Twitter: @gdetomaso

Wilshere's Defensive Role

Firstly can I just say how great it is that Arsenal have done business early in the transfer window.

For the first time in years Arsenal fans can sit back, relax and discuss the myriad of ways our team will shape up at the start of the season, rather than fretting as to whether the next signing will be an Henry or a Park.

It's nice to be on the other side of the glass for a change as we watch the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool flap limply at each other over the signature of players no body else is too bothered with.

Our own transfer rumours have died down somewhat, in particular our links with Real Madrid's Sami Khedira. This could be another example of Wenger's wileyness, he's got a taste for showmanship after last season's Özil bombshell (who can forget THAT look).

However the biggest indication that the deal to sign Real's central midfielder is unlikely has been the somewhat unexpected admission that Wenger might look to convert Jack Wilshere into a holding midfielder.

This wouldn't be the first time Wenger has transformed a player's career by radically changing their position and somewhat their playing style. Henry, famously, played as a winger before Wenger moved him upfront as did Robin Van Persie.

Going the other way, Kolo Toure started his Arsenal career as a holding midfielder, even playing at right-back for spells before Wenger formed the invincibles partnership with Sol Campbell at centre back.

Now while I personally favour the taller CDM, history shows that some of the best defensive players in the game needn't be particularly impressive in stature. 

Arguably the world cup's stand-out player, Javier Mascherano, stands at a meagre 5 ft 9, whilst Blaise Matuidi and Nigel De Jong 5 ft 9 and 5ft 8 respectively.

Consider also Ballon D'or and world cup winning captain and centre back Fabio Cannavaro who stands 5 ft 10 inches tall, when many argued his height would inhibit his ability to play at the heart of Italy's defense.

The three most important attributes required to play as a holding midfielder are: discipline, stamina and an ability to read the game one step ahead of anyone else on the pitch.

We have been blessed to have Mikel Arteta in the holding role, a player who despite his relative inadequacies truly understands his role in the side. His focus and ability to resist the temptation to push forward ensures that there is generally good cover should the opposition attempt to spring a counterattack.

Similarly Arteta's passing statistics are out of this world. Fair enough he never attempts a hollywood ball, so his assist stats are low, but pass accuracy over an entire season in excess of 90% last season tells you all you need to know about his reliability, playing as the metronome on our halfway line.

In terms of stamina, Jack will need to learn from our other CDM Mathieu Flamini who consistently runs more kilometres during a match than some other players combined. As an example take a look at these stats from after our match against Bayern Munich in the Champions League (ignore the scoreline).

I suppose this is partly due to genetic disposition but is also down to Flamini's desire to cover every blade of grass, leaving everything out on the pitch whenever he plays. That elusive spark of determination is something that Jack already possesses and will serve him well when he needs to find an extra gear.

But most importantly is Jack's ability to read the game in a way that Arteta and Flamini never can or never will. Having played as a number 10 the majority of his career or out-wide, as Wenger so often does with emerging talent, his brain has become honed to thinking that split second quicker.

As Wenger has said in the past, the further up the field you go the less time you have to think. Players operating in and around the opposition's penalty area have under half a second to decide how they will play the ball, they have to visualise their touch and pass before the ball has even left their teammates feet. This degree of quick thinking, if retuned to think like a CDM could enable Wilshere to play like Cannavaro and others who were able to snuff out danger before it developed.

It's an interesting proposition posed by the manager and one that could go some way to addressing an issue The Lovely Reds raised earlier this week in this article. By utilising Wilshere as a CDM and rotating him with the likes of Arteta he will gradually stake a claim as Arsenal's holding midfielder if competition higher up the pitch favours the likes of Özil and Cazorla.

This is not to say that we should settle and make accommodations for a player who might not be suited to playing such a pivotal role, but it could be worth experimenting during pre season. I suppose we'll see what happens in New York this afternoon and during The Emirates Cup in August.

Thanks for reading!

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Fazed Out

At the official announcement of Mathieu Debuchy's signing Arsene Wenger spent a good proportion of the afternoon defending Carl Jenkinson's position in the Arsenal squad. It seems as though there is concern, at least from outside the club, that Debuchy's signing and interest in Atletico's Javier Manquillo could mean that another season passes by without any decent first team action for the young Englishman. 

However it's not just Jenkinson that we should be concerned for.

I’m all for the fantastic signings Arsene Wenger has made already this transfer window. Alexis Sanchez and Mathieu Debuchy are exactly the types of players required, experienced, international players who have played at top sides throughout their careers. 

However it was little over a year ago when Arsene Wenger gave a press conference defending his decision to field a young side that featured a large proportion of players from the UK.

At one point our match day squad included Gibbs, Jenkinson, Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain. The promise at the time was that Arsenal would provide the England squad with its ‘spine’, inferring that the way these players were progressing and likely to regularly feature in Arsenal’s starting 11 they would become integral cogs in the national side.

Looking at the recent world cup it is painfully apparent that Wenger has been proved wrong in this prediction. Gibbs and Jenkinson weren’t even taken to Brazil, which in Gibbs’ case is a travesty and would have likely prevented the mauling England’s left flank received against Italy. Jenkinson perhaps isn’t quite there yet, but with the arrival of Debuchy and our links with Manquilla it would appear that Wenger doesn’t think the young Englishman is ready either.

Of the two players that did make the trip to South America, Wilshere played a bit part, whilst Oxlade-Chamberlain ... Hardly stalwarts of the England side. Hodgson chose to go with a lethal combination of Liverpool players who have absolutely no experience of choking on the big stage, absolutely none.. and Manchester United players who, with the exception of Wellbeck didn’t seem to want the pressure. Perhaps this was an apology to Liverpool for his time as manager and an early application to the Old Trafford job before Van Gaal’s appointment.

Either way Arsenal’s representation at the World’s biggest sporting event was poor from an English perspective. Thankfully we have a few Germans knocking around to make up the balance.

In my opinion this goes some way to explaining Wenger’s gushing appraisal of Jenkinson at the official announcement of Debuchy’s signing. The manager was full of positivity regarding Jenkinson’s prospects at making the first team, which could be a way of saying ‘someone make us an offer, he’s honestly not that bad’ or could be a way of defending his previous statement made a year ago.

Should Arsenal sign another central midfielder where will this leave Wilshere and Oxlade-Chamberlain? In my opinion the two have already been demoted to the bench with the arrival of Sanchez. As explained in this article Wenger cannot afford to leave either Ozil, Sanchez or Ramsey out of our starting line-up and once Arteta, Cazorla and Giroud are added I cannot see a way to bring in either of our two English stars. 

Podolski has been Wenger’s go to impact sub and is arguably the right man to bring on when we need a goal as he can score from range. Rosicky, too, despite his age proved invaluable last season even sparking interest from German giants Bayern Munich.

In Wenger's preferred 4-3-3 formation the starting midfield is likely to be: Arteta, Ramsey, Ozil with a forward three of Walcott, Sanchez and Giroud. 

In Walcott's absence for what is likely to be the first two months of the season, you would expect Wenger to go with Cazorla on the left flank where he has deployed the Spaniard countless times last season.

Let's hope that Wilshere, the Ox and co. can get used to playing a supporting role this season and that it doesn't come back to bite us when no doubt several clubs will be sniffing around our homegrown stars.

For more Arsenal news follow us: @thelovelyreds

Come On You Lovely Whites

England play Denmark at Wembley this evening. More interestingly, I googled Charlie Adam to see why he was left out of the squad. It turns out he's Scottish (not from The United States of My Mother Doesnt Love Me So I Step On People) and so does not qualify to be considered for the competitive England squad.

Anyway what do the the Arsenal players, whose Mothers adorn them with affection on a frequent basis, offer the England lineup tonight? Just Jack Wilshere and Ox make it into Hodgson's side.

Even though he looks 45, wikipedia has confirmed that Adam is merely 7 years old and incapable of mature conversation.

Super Jack offers a refreshing injection of attacking, advancing play. I look forward to seeing his interchange with Rooney, Lampard and Gerrard, should they play together. Perhaps Stevie G a bit deeper where he has been for Liverpool, with Jack just off him, offering one another the chance to attack the final third, even trading places with Lampard or Rooney in attacking plays, all of whom are very capable of scrapping and defending.

Jack has inspired a lot of creative play without Ramsey displacing him to the flanks, and I like to think he'd grab a dull fixture by the scruff of the neck. As I'm sure Bendtner will do for the Danes.

Despite being charged with violent conduct for stamping on Giroud, Stoke City chairman, Peter Coates says  "we have seen some of the things that have gone on in recent weeks and no one has been called to account", as if to suggest that because others have gone unpunished, it is unfair that his 7 year old midfielder should be repremanded. Excellent point.

Similarly, the Ox will inject attacking steroids into the England lineup. I'm not sure I'd like to see him start but he would be a good option when the tide of England's enthusiasm quickly ebbs when we go 1-0 up in the 64th minute and feel like we've won.

It really is unfair when a player is attacked in the media with very little context or empathy for that player's struggle and/ or life background or knowledge of their real achievements. Adam is ranked 27th in the EA Sports Player Performance Index, a premierleague.com index that intelligently sums stats such as minutes played, tackles made and shot attempts and subtracts stats such as shots off target. This wise algorithm places David Silva 33rd, when he should be at least 50 places below Adam, we calculate.

Looking forward to tonight's game, in a similar turn of events I discovered Serge Gnabry isn't English either but we will convert him shortly.

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