Does Danny's Debut matter?

It took Henry 9 games. It took Bergkamp 6 games. Anelka was also a slow settler. But despite these faltering starts, all three went on to become important sources of goals for Arsenal. What was it that made them great? It certainly wasn’t their debut performance.

By Matthew Hurlow (follow him on twitter: @ArsenalZA)

We have a new striker at Arsenal now, “dat guy” Danny Welbeck. Of course, everyone would love for him to kick-start his Arsenal career by banging one or two (or three or four) in against his old Manchester rival. Some fans might even be angry with anything less than a goal, feeling that Wenger’s gamble on Danny-boy is really the last straw, pointing out that we probably should have signed a solid defensive midfielder instead. In that respect, it’s debut goal or bust for Welbeck.

But in a broader, more rational view of things, Danny’s debut performance shouldn’t matter. I’m sure a large section of the Arsenal faithful started to think of Henry as a flop after his eighth game without a goal, and look how wrong they turned out to be. In a game of so many variables, a goal on debut doesn’t guarantee future success, and a poor debut does not guarantee failure in the future. Heck, nothing is guaranteed. But – does that logic still apply?

I mean, if we’re honest with ourselves, a good striker should score as often as possible. With a wealth of options to assist Welbz, he should have no excuse. He will no longer have the “I’m being played on the wing” excuse. When Sanchez sends a delicious cross in from the right wing on Saturday, and Welbeck rises above Kompany, everyone will be expecting to see his header hit the back of the net. And it will. Unless Danny’s not all he’s cracked up to be. This is the fear of sceptical and sanguine fans alike.

In the modern game, a goal on debut is often a mark of a striker set for success. Diego Costa proved that he was not a “one-club-wonder” by scoring in his first three league games for Chelsea. Prolific scorers with lower-table teams (both of whom have been linked to Arsenal countless times), Wilfried Bony and Christian Benteke, scored on debut. Recently, the legendary, proven goal scorer Samuel Eto’o scored on his Everton debut. It looks like scoring on debut does indeed bode well for the future.

Enter Demba Ba and Mario Ballotelli...

Demba Ba, a solid performer and regular goal scorer for Hoffenheim, West Ham United and Newcastle United, scored on his Chelsea debut. Not once, but TWICE. His first game was a 5-1 rout of Southampton in the FA Cup. His next few games also yielded good returns. And then, out of nowhere, the fairy dust ran out, the magic stopped flowing through his boot, the goals dried up. Mario Ballotelli began his Man City career by coming on as a substitute to score an important Europa League goal, making him a fan favourite. Unfortunately, his overall form from then on was not quite as explosive as the fireworks in his bathroom. Eventually sold to AC Milan, he looked to have regained his panache, but his form soon turned sour there too. Just how far his star has fallen was evident in his dismal performance for Liverpool two weeks ago. Aha, scoring on debut is not always an indication of future success.

In my opinion, Danny Welbeck possesses a quality lacking in both Ba and Ballotelli. Work rate. The only reason why he put up with playing on the wing for so long at United was his intense commitment and work ethic. He has proved his ability as a work-horse for both United and England, sometimes playing as a false-nine for his country. And, even so, he did get two goals for England the other night, and Switzerland are not a bad side. So even if Welbeck’s goals don’t come at first, or they dry up after an early burst, or he scores and then (touch wood) gets injured immediately afterwards, his hunger and desire should see him through.

Finally, I’d like to compare Welbeck to the man I’d most like for him to emulate: Daniel Sturridge. A few months ago, I wrote an article for Arsenal Corner in which I said that Daniel Sturridge is the player I’d most like us to sign. I hadn’t even thought of Welbeck. Arsenal signing a player from a big rival? Preposterous! But it’s happened and now I believe that Danny Welbeck is actually a better fit. For one thing, he has many of the same qualities as Sturridge: pace, power, skill and finishing ability. Yes, finishing ability. He hasn’t scored as many goals as Welbeck, but if you watch the way he has taken the ones he has scored you can’t help but be impressed with the calmness, precision, and crispness of those shots. And although Sturridge trumps Ba and Ballotelli in terms of work rate, Welbeck trumps him in that department.

At the beginning of this piece I asked what it was that turned Henry, Bergkamp and Anelka from stuttering starters to scintillating scorers. Now I have the answer: the ability, the pace and most importantly, the hunger. Welbeck is hungrier than a bunch of adolescent boys (and much better looking too).

Score or miss, embarrass or dazzle, Welbeck will be a success for Arsenal.

By Matthew Hurlow (@ArsenalZA)

Why Joel Campbell Should Start Up Front Against Everton

I drove 50km tonight to watch my beloved Arsenal play against Besiktas at my brother's house. It was an underwhelming performance to say the least. We didn't control the game and we didn't have a decent spell of possession in their half. I haven't checked any Arsenal news since the match, but I'm sure the blogosphere is insisting that Giroud's performance tonight is evidence that we need another striker. He did play poorly, but I believe his form will come right and he'll perform better than last season.






Before the game I was telling my brother that it's my belief that this is Giroud's year - that he's going to be superb up front; but my faith wavered during the 90 minutes. I believe that this is the opportunity to give Joel Campbell the chance that Wenger has been promising. Arsene Wenger was quoted last week as saying," He is a member of my squad at the moment, He had a good preparation and played well against Benfica. In training he is very focused and eager to do well. I would like to keep him.” 

I feel that it would be the perfect time to give Campbell a chance because Giroud is obviously not playing well and his confidence is low. Enough about Giroud, this piece is supposed to be more about Campbell than anybody else. The primary reason I think Campbell should start against Everton is because his biggest asset is a weakness for the Evertonian centre-backs: speed. Campbell is a lot faster than Jagielka and Distin, but still offers the height and strength that Sanchez can't offer. I also think that his confidence is relatively high and a starting spot against Everton will boost that. I believe that he's hungry to do well for Arsenal, something that most of the team were lacking tonight.

A slight hidden agenda on my part: I hope to see Akpom play in the League Cup matches because I believe that he could be world-class. If Campbell gets enough game-time in the league, Akpom could play in the domestic cups.

Regards

Arsenal Get More Points Without Ramsey

This morning I was following my usual wake-up routine:

1. Hear alarm

2. Press snooze twice (hoping I'll feel more awake in 5 minutes)

3. Finally get my head off the pillow

4. Check Instagram

5. Drop the kids off at the pool

And this is where I got a good idea for a blog post: see how Ramsey not playing has negatively affected Arsenal's title challenge. I believe that we play better when Ramsey plays, but the stats show otherwise.

Hopefully Wenger Puts it All on the Line Tonight

Arsenal go into the match trailing 2-0 after a series of unfortunate events 3 weeks ago. We started well in that fateful night at the Emirates, but everything went downhill after a certain failed set-piece. I'm sure everybody has read at least a dozen articles about that game so I won't bore you with the details again.

Losing 2-0 or 10-0 on aggregate means nothing to me. It might dent the player's confidence to lose by a big margin, but it's worth the risk if we have a chance of winning. I hope that Wenger sets up the team in a way that shows attacking intent. The primary thing I would like to see is only one CDM. I hope he instructs the players to press Bayern high up the field and put Guardiola's players under pressure. This might be tough task, especially because most of the team played 3 days ago; but I think it is our best option. My suggested 11:

Annoying Things Commentators Say - Especially During Arsenal Games

During this weekend's game with Sunderland the commentator waffled on about how disappointed he was in Sunderland for having a defensive game plan and that they really would have troubled us if they had put us under pressure and been physical. I could see his point, but he kept harping on about it the whole game. It got me thinking, what have I heard during football games that gets on my nerves.

Ugh, please stop saying the same things!

"That wouldn't even have been a foul 30 years ago" after a yellow-card tackle.

The game has totally changed from 30 years ago. Clubs pay millions of pounds for players and they need to be protected. I like that football is a physical game and I think that the current enforcement of fouls is at a good standard in the Premier League.

Learning From Liverpool

Saturday's humiliating defeat at Anfield was an unwelcome, irritating occurrence. The question rattling around my head was "Why?". It doesn't make sense that a team that has spent 130 days on top of the Premier League and has one of the best defensive records in the league, should find themselves 4-0 down after just 20 minutes.
After the match, Wenger stated, "Only our supporters were good." He was right. Holding no punches, Arteta was (and is) second rate, Özil was pathetic (by his own high standards) and Monreal has no place in the starting line-up. Gibbs is not injured and should be starting. I hate to criticise Giroud, but even the usually tireless Frenchman was idling for much of the match.
In short Arsenal weren't up for it, and Liverpool - spurred on by the home support - very much were.

Therein lies the lesson which we can take into our game versus Manchester United. The game at Anfield showed the power of home ground advantage to cancel out differences in history, and league standings. Win, lose or draw, Liverpool have always performed better against Arsenal when playing at home. Its usually been the same for Arsenal when playing United. Regardless of the result, our performances versus the Red Devils at the Emirates have been praiseworthy. When we've lost, its usually a lack of luck in the final third.

I have no doubt that despite being thrashed by Liverpool, Arsenal are the better footballing side. The difference on the day boiled down to commitment, focus and desire. Home support certainly played a role.

We're undoubtedly better than United this season, so the chances of us taking a page from Liverpool's book and thrashing United at the Emirates are high, IF we apply the same determination and belief that Liverpool did at Anfield.

Guest Post By Matthew Hurlow
Follow him on twitter

My Combined 5-man Midfield From Arsenal and Liverpool

The most eagerly anticipated match of the weekend is also the first game. Arsenal's strength is in their midfield and Liverpool's most dangerous weapon are their strikers. Both teams regularly adopt 5-man midfields; Liverpool to allow them to play with 2 up front and Arsenal because we have so much quality in the middle of the park. I have made a combined midfield made up of players from both sides. I will be playing two defensive midfielders and 3 attacking midfielders. Only players that are eligible to play this weekend were included.

Gerrard may not have been in the team if everybody was fit

Oxlade-Chamberlain
The first of my two defensive midfielders was the man of the match in the last game and scored two goals from a central-midfield position. I believe he would have played in a more defensive position if it was a tougher game.

You Think February is Going to be Difficult? Have a Look at March!

There has been a lot of talk in the papers recently about how crucial and difficult our run of fixture in February is, and I totally agree. Here’s what Szczesny had to say, “We’ve got a difficult run but we’re looking forward to it… I’m looking forward to the big games, every player looks forward to games against big opponents and world class players.”

The BFG recently stated, “It is that part of the season when you might feel tired or exhausted, but we have to keep our chins up and now the really important games are coming up.” Important games are coming up. Here's what we have to look forward to in February:

Liverpool Away

Manchester United Home

Liverpool Home (FA Cup)

Bayern Munich Home

Sunderland Home

What to do About Right-Back

As most Arsenal fans know: Bac is out of contract at the end of the season. There are reports that we are trying to tie him down with a new contract; but we all know how Wenger feels about players over 30, and how all players over 30 feel about 1 year contracts. He has recently had some injury problems and in an ideal world I would like Sagna to accept an extra year on his contract. Jenkinson can be brought in more and more and I would like to see him starting league matches by the end of next season. The exciting Hector Bellerin should be experienced enough to provide cover for Jenkinson by then and eventually compete for a starting position.

Sagna helping the youngsters

The problem is if the French fullback does not sign a new contract and Wenger has to start Jenkinson or buy somebody new. I don't believe that Jenkinson is good enough just yet, so who could Arsenal realistically buy?

My Top Arsenal Striker Targets and Poll

By Matthew Hurlow (@ArsenalZA)

We need a new, top-quality striker if we really want to push on and win the Premier League. Giroud is doing a good job, but an injury or dip in form would be a problem. My preferred transfer targets in reverse order are:

When is the Best Time to Buy a Beer and Scoring Earlier is Good

There is a common idea that the best teams always score late goals to save matches and get points (insert Fergie time joke here), and I agree that the best teams dig deep when it counts and find goals; but let's look at when Arsenal scored their goals over the past 5 seasons where we finished 4th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 4th (3rd, 4th for the 2 seasons before that too!). Statistics are from whoscored.com. If you want to know when the best time to buy a beer on matchday is, scroll to the bottom.

Poll: Who Are We Missing the Most?

It is well documented that Arsenal have a full waiting room outside the doctor's office. We currently have 7 injuries - namely: Walcott, Cazorla, Sanogo, Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Zelalem and Diaby. Arsenal are playing exceptionally well at the moment, so we aren't feeling the casualties too badly.

Cazorla, Podolski and Walcott are the players that I would like to see return sooner rather than later. Their respective, expected return dates are quite murky. Assuming that we had a magic genie who could allow any injured player to no longer have their current injury, who would you choose?

Both Walcott and Podolski also have good selling points, but If it were up to me, I would choose Cazorla to be the first to return. Saliva is pouring from my mouth at the thought of Özil and Cazorla playing together and providing a plethora of goal-scoring opportunities.

I Predict the Lineup After Wenger Shares His Thoughts

Arsenal have a challenging third-round tie against West Brom on Wednesday night away from home. If we want to have as many trophy-winning chances as possible, and if we want to see our youngsters getting more first-team opportunities; it's important that we win this match. Wenger spoke quite openly to Arsenal player. Here's what he said:

"I will try to find a good balance between experience and youth. At the back you will have players you know well. Up front, you have a bit more improvisation and young players.

You will see Gnabry again - everybody knows him already. Maybe the return of Bendtner as well, who will get a chance. That's the kind of team we will have.

Arsenal's Top Attacking 5 After 5 Games

We're 5 games into the Premier League and Arsenal are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League. Although we lost to Villa on opening day, at least we haven't had any of those frustrating draws we usually have so many of. The statistics are taken from whoscored.com. This article will be focusing on the attacking statistics. Not all the players have played 5 games but I still included them, I've decided to show Arsenal's top 5 players in a variety of areas:

Appearances Starting (Sub)

1. Szczesny     5
1. Ramsey        5
1. Gibbs            5
1. Giroud           5
5. Sagna           4(1)
5. Wilshere       4(1)

Do Arsenal Need a Better GK? Statistically Szczesny Performed Alright

The number one goalkeeper at Arsenal has been an issue ever since 2007, when whoever made fewer mistakes between Jens 857 minutes without conceding Lehmann and Manuel "If I didn't get injured I would still be starting for Arsenal" Almunia got to play.

Szczesny scored nicely!

Szczesny was under a lot of criticism last season after some poor performances. His rating on Fifa 14 is one less than it was on Fifa 13 (not a good thing for any player). He has played relatively well so far during this campaign.  I decided to cover last seasons statistics because there is information on 38 games, rather than the 4 of this season.

My original idea was to compare Szczesny and Lloris (who some believe we should have bought a year ago), but I decided to throw in the other three as well. Each team's defence will obviously affect their respective goalkeeper's statistics, and that's why I'll be comparing only the top 5 Premier League's teams' goalkeepers as the best teams should have similar quality in the backline. The information was gathered from whoscored.com and thescore.com. Most of the statistics will be presented in a percentage or per game because some players played fewer games than others. Wojciech Szczesny, David De Gea, Joe Hart, Petr Cech and Hugo Lloris will be compared.

Zelalem Gets Injured as Opportunity Raises His Hand to Knock On the Door

I cry out, "aaaaaaaaaa" at the news. Zelalem tweeted that he'll be injured for 6-8 weeks.

"Out for 6-8 weeks, will try to use that to my benefit and get stronger #Positives"

That's really annoying because I was hoping to see him playing in the Red and White in the coming weeks. He won't be able to play in the Capital One Cup on 28 September against West Brom and unlikely that he'll start (assuming we beat the Bagggies) in the 4th round tie at the end of October.

Also, with fixtures against out of form teams like Sunderland, Norwich, Swansea and Crystal Palace amongst an intense schedule he might have been allowed a few substitute appearances.

I don't want to hype this guy up too much, but it looks like he has that something special. Hopefully he'll get back to full fitness as soon as possible.



Regards

How Good is Özil? CAM Assist Leaders Compared

After the very exciting, deadline-day move of the German international from Real Madrid to Arsenal; I have been living in a feeling of euphoria: only chocolate, women in bikini's and trophies are here. Back to the headline: Özil is considered to be one of the best playmaking midfielders in the world. I will be comparing the best attacking midfielders in the top 5 leagues on their domestic league and 


Welcome, Özil!

Champions League performances. To qualify for the list, originally the player had to have a minimum of 17 assists in the Europa League, respective domestic league and Champions League in the 2012/2013 season, and be listed as an "attacking midfielder (central)" on whoscored.com. Those are still the requirements but I did not include statistics from the Europa League. We are left with a pretty impressive list containing Mesut Özil, Marek Hamsik, Andres Iniesta and Juan Mata. Özil is a world-class playmaker, but let's see how he fares against his fellow elite.

We're in a Better Position Than We Were Last Year

Last season, after two games we had only accumulated 2 points. 0-0 draws with Sunderland and Stoke meant we were sitting 12th in the league and everybody was applauding Steve Bould on being such a great defensive coach. This season some fans are unhappy, but we've got 3 points from 2 games and are sitting 9th.
We'll will stay there unless Cardiff and Swansea win by more than 3 and 4 goals respectively. Results like that would actually be a huge bonus, and I wouldn't mind moving to 11th if manchester city and tottenham lose (small letters intentional).

Our league position is not the only thing that has improved from last season at this stage. The important players in Arsenal's squad is better: we have the same players as last year; plus Monreal, Sanogo and Zelalem which I think will prove to be more effective than those players let go. Most of the players have improved, I can't think of anybody in the starting XI that has gotten worse since last season. Our squad is a bit thin, but Wenger has assured us that he'll bring in players.

Wenger:"I Am Confident We Will Make Signings"

This transfer window has been the most disenchanting in recent years. The summer started with hopes of great deals and superstars coming in, and slowly degraded to hopefully we actually sign somebody. I stumbled across this interview this morning. It was published today, but I can't seem to find where originally.

"You would be surprised how early we acted [to get players in]," Wenger said. "In our job sometimes, you can spend a lot of time, you don`t go on holiday, work on things, and it doesn`t come off.

This is part of the job. A question of patience, of continuing to be completely focused and sometimes nothing happens in five or six weeks. Then sometimes in 24 hours you can do two or three good deals, it`s not predictable.

Injuries are Getting Better

I'm a bit worried about our current injuries and lack of squad depth. Like every other Gooner I agree that we need to make a few signings. Our squad looked as thin as Kieran Gibbs' arm against Fenerbahce last night with quite a number of players out injured.

With these casualties available our group would look a lot better, nonetheless we still hunger for those signings.