Monthly Archives: December 2014

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A peek at Morgan Schneiderlin's Diary…

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Dear Diary,

It has been a trial these last few months, bearing up under the strain of continuing to play for this club for who I have so long laboured without ever tasting the sweet fruits of my bitter labours. To date, all I have to hand down to my heirs is a Championship championship, an accursed alliteration that threatens to hang over me, lo, these many days like the Sword of Damocles. Shall I ever ascend to loftier heights? There was a time, barely a season ago, when it seemed as if I might arrive at a Promised Land of sorts, but it seems as if those days are but a will o’ the wisp, whispering to me but never whisking me away. I speak, of course, of being wooed unto London…

O, Olivier, that I may celebrate thusly more often…

These were heady days, dear diary, though I am loathe to admit it. There were many clubs that vied for my interests, but none so ardent or passionate in their pursuit as that one club from London, those lily-white lovers, who lavished upon me the praises that very nearly prised me from my prison. I even tried to fuel the flames on twitter, tweeting that “6 years of an amazing journey” were “DESTROYED in 1 hour.”

Of course, had I known more about the fate that might have befallen me at the time, I would have thanked any god who would receive me. Woe betide any who find themselves adrift on the shoals that is White Hart Lane. I almost pity Mauricio and his maudlin messages. Suffice it to say that I have blocked him, so insufferable are his bleatings.

Nay, instead, it is the siren-song of Arsène that summons me forth. He needs a defensive midfielder; I am such a player. It is almost too perfect. I am French. He is French. How many Frenchmen has he elevated? Where would Sagna or Giroud or Koscielny or Nasri be without Arsène? Well, maybe not so much Nasri, but the point still stands. If I could find my way to this Arsenal, how might my future unfold? It it almost too stressful to contemplate.

It is with these thoughts that I wonder about how I have played. Did I earn this red-card against Chelsea to prove that I am, how do they say, a Gooner? I know how much this club it is hated by Arsenal. On the other hand, did this red-card I earn to prove that I am a Saint? This is I think irony. On yet another level, did I earn this red-card so as to avoid the existential ennui of facing off against a club whom we so closely resemble? There was a time, after all, when Arsenal were known for developing young players, yet losing them in their prime. Am I therefore sabotaging, however subconsciously, my destiny as a French footballer?

We know how much it hurts to see a club with much money poach players from us. I owe much to Southampton. And yet, I worry that there is only so far the club can take me, and so far I can take it. I see how well Theo and Alex and Calum have done. Does this prove to me that I should follow their path? Where lies the greater glory? Is it in helping such a club as great as Arsenal, or is it in elevating a club as small as Southampton?

In truth, diary, I do not know where my future lies. The question is all the more pernicious when I consider how well my current club has fared of late, and how ambivalent my suitors have been. We shall meet in just a few days, though I shall have to watch from afar. Will my destiny hinge on the result, or will I twist in the wind for weeks on end?

Rivals' Rundown: where does Arsenal stand in the Prem?

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This is about a good a set of results as I think we’ve seen so far. In my opinion, it’s still a bit too hope for one rival over another, and the draws between Tottenham and Man U and between Southampton and Chelsea are very nearly ideal for now. It may be a pipe-dream to think we can still reel Chelsea in, but seeing them share a point with the Saints means both clubs drop two. It would be a bit churlish to look at Man City’s draw with Burnley as anything other than manna from heaven. Of course, none of this would matter had we dropped points, but we’re alone this week in claiming all three, and at the home of a top-four rival to boot. Let’s have a look at how it all shakes out.

Chelsea
● Position: 1st.
● Record: 14-4-1
● Points: 46 (80.7%)
● Form: WLWWWD
● Key matches: Everton 3-6 Chelsea, Man City 1-1 Chelsea, Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal, Man U 1-1 Chelsea, Liverpool 1-2 Chelsea, Chelsea 3-0 Tottenham, Chelsea 2-0 West Ham, Southampton 1-1 Chelsea (18 pts from 24).
● Last match: Southampton 1-1 Chelsea
A tough, tough match results in a hard-fought draw for Chelsea, who nonetheless continue their position atop the lead. Barring a significant slump, though, it’s hard to see anyone joining Man City in chasing Chelsea. Southampton put forth a strong, determined effort, playing out Koeman’s strategy to-near-perfection. Chelsea, however, might have something to complain about when it looked like Fabregas was fouled in the box but was cautioned for diving instead of earning a penalty. However, Chelsea will have questions to answer after dominating possession (61%) but only putting one shot on target. If not for Hazard’s moment of brilliance, Chelsea might have left St. Mary’s entirely empty-handed. If Southampton have shown a template for how to blunt Chelsea’s attack, others would do well to borrow from it.
● Next match: Thursday at Tottenham.

Manchester City
● Position: 2nd
● Record: 13-4-2
● Points: 43 (75.4%)
● Form: WWWWWD
● Key matches: Man City 3-1 Liverpool, Arsenal 2-2 Man City, Man City 1-1 Chelsea, Man City 4-1 Tottenham, Man City 1-0 Man U, Southampton 0-3 Man City, Man City 1-0 Everton (17 pts from 21)
● Last match: Man City 2-2 Burnley
Having gone into halftime up 2-0, Man City might be forgiven for applying a little bit handbrake against Burnley, who had only scored five goals in eight previous matches away from Turf Moor. Instead, a stirring second-half fightback saw the Clarets come away with two goals to earn an important draw. It’s a stinging setback for City, who squandered a chance to end the weekend just a point below Chelsea. That Burnley’s first goal should have been disallowed because Boyd was in an offside position is almost beside the point. City didn’t take care of its business and paid the price for an uncharacteristic lack of ruthlessness. They’re still very much on Chelsea’s heels but can’t afford many more banana peels like this one.
● Next match: Thursday vs. Sunderland

Manchester United
● Position: 3rd
● Record: 10-6-3
● Points: 36 (64.5%)
● Form: WWWDWD
● Key matches: Man U 2-1 Everton, Man U 1-1 Chelsea, Man City 1-0 Man U Arsenal 1-2 Man U, Soton 1-2 Man U, Man U 3-0 Liverpool, Tottenham 0-0 Man U (14 pts. from 19)
● Last match: Tottenham 0-0 Man U
Perhaps the most interesting stat from this one is that Man U named an unchanged lineup for the first time in 85 matches—since November 2012. It’s an apt symbol for the upheaval the club has gone through in the last few years. However, Van Gaal is trying to have it both ways by both lamenting the cluttered fixtures this week and naming a side unchanged from 48 hours before. It did start to look as if they were losing their legs in the second half as Tottenham looked a bit more incisive. However, they failed to test de Gea and a weary Man U side looked a bit fortunate to come away with the draw. There are a fair few players long in the tooth in this squad, and some of them look a bit jaded. Has the squad already peaked?
● Next match: Thursday at Stoke

Southampton
● Position: 4th
● Record: 10-3-6
● Points: 33 (57.9%)
● Form: LLLWWD
● Key matches: Liverpool 2-1 Southampton, Tottenham 1-0 Southampton, Southampton 0-3 Man City, Arsenal 1-0 Southampton, Southampton 1-2 Man U, Southampton 1-1 Chelsea (one points from 16).
● Last match: Southampton 1-1 Chelsea
Scoring six goals in to matches has helped Southampton stabilize a bit after losing four in a row, and a draw at home against Chelsea means the Saints have claimed their first point against a key rival all season. Whether they’ve weathered the storm and come out the other side is an open question, but there’s enough in this latest result to suggest that Koeman has enough tactical nous to keep this squad in the hunt. Deprived of Clyne from the start and having lost Schneiderlin for the last eight minutes of this one, Southampton still showed the kind of defensive stolidity that has been their calling-card. They’re sure to prove rude hosts for us on Thursday…
● Next match: Thursday vs. Arsenal

Arsenal
● Position: 5th
● Record: 9-6-4
● Points: 33 (57.9%)
● Form: WLWDWW
● Key matches: Everton 2-2 Arsenal, Arsenal 2-2 Man City, Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham, Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal, Arsenal 1-2 Man U, Arsenal 1-0 Southampton, Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal, West Ham 1-2 Arsenal (10 pts. from 22)
● Last match: West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
Alex Song very nearly ruined our trip to Upton Park with a well-struck volley five minutes in, but Sakho was in an offside position screening Szcesny, a harsh but accurate ruling. From there, we found enough chances to come away with the win, leapfrogging the Hammers and drawing level with Southampton. If nothing else, we’re finally in fourth place (okay, fine, fifth, thanks to Southampton’s superior goal-differential), which I believe is our birthright and destiny, is it not? Nothing more, nothing less, it sometimes seems. It does feel as though we’re gathering strength. The return of Koscielny provided an important boost to the defense, allowing both Mertesacker and Coquelin to turn in comfortable performances. After all, on offense, we’ve been capable if not quite commanding, but it’s at the other end that we’ve slipped. We’ve dropped more points from winning positions than anyone else and almost added to that against West Ham, a trend that simply can’t continue if we expect to sustain our tilt at the top.
● Next match: Thursday at Southampton

West Ham
● Position: 6th
● Record: 9-4-6
● Points: 31 (54.4%)
● Form: WWDWLL
● Key matches: West Ham 0-1 Tottenham, West Ham 1-3 Southampton, West Ham 3-1 Liverpool, Man U 2-1 West Ham, West Ham 2-1 Man City, Chelsea 2-0 West Ham, West Ham 2-1 Arsenal) (6 pts from 21).
● Last match: West Ham 2-1 Arsenal
There’s little shame in consecutive losses to Chelsea and Arsenal, although the Hammers will regret that second one. Song’s disallowed goal would have changed the game if not the outcome, but the Hammers come away empty-handed, losing at home for the first time in eight outings. Could this be the beginning of a longer slide, or is it just a temporary slump as a thin squad struggles through congested holiday fixtures? Allardyce did have his men well-prepared for us and will feel hard done-by for that disallowed goal. However, they’re still top five and for good reasons. If they can fight through this setback and slump, they can stay in the hunt. The poor form of Everton and Liverpool have offered the Hammers an opportunity; time will tell if they can seize it.
● Next match: Thursday vs. West Brom

Tottenham
● Position: 7th
● Record: 9-4-6
● Points: 31 (54.4%)
● Form: LDWWWD
● Key matches: Tottenham 0-3 Liverpool, Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham, Tottenham 1-0 Southampton, Man City 4-1 Tottenham, Tottenham 2-1 Everton, Chelsea 3-0 Tottenham, Tottenham 0-0 Man U (8 pts. from 19).
● Last match: Tottenham 0-0 Man U
Spurs continue a season-long trend of failing to score at White Hart Lane, netting just 11 times in nine matches. If not for their away-form, they’d be firmly mid-table, if not lower. It’s little surprise then that they couldn’t find a way to score against Man U. Were it not for Hugo Lloris’s fine performance on the day, Tottenham could very easily have ended the day on the wrong end of an 0-2 scoreline—or worse. If Spurs can’t find a way to start scoring more goals, they’ll again find themselves on the outside looking in. On current form, they might struggle to stave off Swansea, Newcastle, or Liverpool, nevermind overtaking West Ham, Arsenal, or Southampton.
● Next match: Thursday vs. Chelsea

It does look as if we’re entering a more-crystallized phase here, as Everton look to have gone full-Dortmund, dropping lower and lower in the league while focusing on European glories. Liverpool do merit continued monitoring, as might Newcastle and perhaps Swansea. Elsewhere, Chelsea and Man City continue to make it look like a two-team chase, with three or four others, including us, vie for Champions League spots. January might bring changes big or small as we and others look to bolster our squads in the transfer-window. However, there’s usually more said than done on that front (at least at Arsenal…); then again, we do have a raft of “new signings” due to strengthen us in coming weeks. We’re officially half-way through the season, with 19 played and 19 left to go. We might be the only club on this list whose first half has significantly fallen short of expectations. We’ll see if that comment amounts to anything or is just an idle wish…

Hammers 1-2 Gunners: A result that restores some semblance of order…

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Phew. That’s about as much as I can say about that. Five minutes in, it looked as if Alex Song had done us in with a well-struck volley that knifed through a thicket of players to beat Sczcesny. Once again, it seemed like we had conceded an early goal and would spend the remainder of the match seeking an equaliser. The goal was disallowed in a harsh but technically accurate decision as Sakho was ruled offside—he nutmegged himself. Again, technically, it’s the correct decision, but it’s more than bit harsh. From there, thank God, we found our footing and went into halftime up 0-2, courtesy of goals from Cazorla and Welbeck. The result may not be quite enough to sink the Hammers, but it does elevate us to fourth, with an eye to third as early as Thursday.

I’m not sure I have the correct West Ham 1-2 Arsenal picture here…

Whichever way you slice it, this was a fantastic result as it sees us overtake the Hammers and draw level with the Saints, and there’s a slim chance that we could reel in Man U on Thursday should they lose at Stoke and we find a way to win at St. Mary’s. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. There’s an old saying about counting eggs or chickens, I forget which, but we’d do well to mind the lesson either way. At our end, there’s enough in it to encourage some optimism; but for a late equaliser suffered at Anfield, we’d’ve won four in a row. At Upton Park, bigger questions now loom after two consecutive losses and eight points dropped from four matches. Are the Hammers reverting to form, or is this merely a short-term swoon?

At some level, Allardyce had to know that this one was a must-win, which might be why he rested Song and Sakho against Chelsea, perhaps conceding to the Blues while preparing for the Gunners, and the rotation nearly paid off as Song delivered that early volley, only for Sakho to negate it. The heretofore high-flyin’ Hammers now have to rally and reflect. West Brom will pay a visit on Thursday, and something tells me that the Hammers will find psychological succor from facing a squad that is entering the relegation-battle.

However, this result puts the Hammers behind us, not that we can safely watch them fade in the rearview mirror. With the struggles that Everton, Liverpool, and Newcastle have endured, it would be foolish to write them off. One more stumble at our end paired with a positive result or two at the Hammers’ end, and we’re right back to where we were.

I do sense, however, that we’re rising. Clubs like West Ham, Newcastle, Swansea, and Southampton may lack the depth or experience to sustain a tilt at a top-four position. Meanwhile, we’re weeks if not days away from seeing Walcott, Ramsey, Arteta, and Özil return to the fold. In other words, we’re gathering strength. Against West Ham, Koscielny’s return gave us a boost through his own performance as well as through Mertesacker’s. In front of them, Coquelin turned in a competent if not compelling spell, leading the squad in tackles and interceptions. He offered just enough to suggest to us that we may not need to sign a proper defensive midfielder. “Suggest” is a funny word, isn’t it? It falls into the same category as “interesting.”

We may not have rated the Hammers as rivals for a top-four spot back in August, but they’ve done more than enough to force our hand. Going into Upton Park and coming away with the win may not rate quite as high as a win at Stamford Bridge or the Etihad, but, on recent form, it merits a mention. We’ve earned a place at the table, shouldering aside West Ham in the process. Time will tell whether this a stepping-stone towards loftier goals or an end in and of itself. Fourth place. Is it our fate, or our destiny?