Total: not just cereal anymore

Good morning, Arsenal supporters afar

On the eve of a massive test for the Arsenal I felt I needed to chime in; i’m also a bit crazy in the head with anticipation. I love big game days like this. I wish I was on the pitch. I wish I was getting stuck in. Since I’m not, I’ll wake up early, throw on my kit, and strap in for the ride.

Last term both Arsenal and Man Utd scored 68 goals but the main difference was in goals against - Arsenal conceded 37 to 24 goals for United. Arsenal had some very unlucky goals conceded paired with, at times, school boy defense but during a time of team building mistakes are inevitable. It’s not an excuse but a reality. In truth, even expensive, defensive pairings take time to settle. For Arsenal, the silly goals can be attributed to basic communication breakdown, and although very frustrating and annoying to the fan communication can always improve.

Vermaelen’s partnership with Gallas looks coherent and fluid; as always, Sagna and Clichy are battle hardened and have proven pedigree. The current back four are quick to push up their defense and compact the match play in the opposition's half of the field. Tomorrow, holding their back line is going to be key as well as pushing out on the counter attack. In retrospect, the Gallas and Toure pairing was patch work at best and could be largely to blame for some of the mentioned silly goals from last term. Losing Gallas to a knee injury freed Toure from their forced partnership but he was then paired with inexperienced Song and Djourou. It was never going to work. It was never going to win a championship.

Today, or rather on the eve of the battle in Manchester, I feel that the back four are solid. I feel they communicate well, read space as a single unit, and are not as susceptible to calamity as last year’s defense. It’s early but I feel a bit of confidence. But, admittedly, I am concerned with Almunia. This guy can make a fantastic save but in a blink of an eye he can make a complete ass of himself. As fans, you never know what Almunia is going to show up. Let’s hope that tomorrow he will be that Almunia who was a hero in Rome. Viva Rubio!

Our guns were firing last term, and so far in this campaign they are locked, loaded, and firing freely. This squad fires like a gatling gun. There are so many player combinations that could yield a goal. Arshavin on the left; RVP in the middle; Bendtner on the right. OR it could be AA23; B52; Dudu. OR, when fit, E9; TW14; RVP. The combinations of attack are immense and each adds something a bit different to the attack e.g. B52’s aerial presence on crosses/set pieces or Theo’s blistering pace. Great potential. Worth mention is the simple fact that our strikers actually work to win the ball back from the opposition. With the loss of the ball, you can see RVP or Bendtner tracking back to compress the space between the strikers and midfield. Shortening the space in the attacking third of the pitch is key in forcing the opposition into errored passes, poor touches. If only Ade would have worked as hard.

Down the spine, and in our new 4-3-3, Song, Denilson, and Diaby can run box-to-box. Matured like a fine wine, the three have learned how to move forward and support the strikers but also track back quickly and compress space in their defensive third.

Last year, Denilson’s pairing with Cesc worked to a degree. Denilson improved as a holding midfielder but his passes lacked creative vision, often moving side to side or backwards. This campaign he scored our first goal of the season and looks to be comfortable in his role - pass the ball to the creative midfielder, then defend. If Denilson can win a few balls and distribute to an Arsenal jersey he'll work wonders in the midfield of 3.

Song has a tremendous eye for a pass and can connect between the wings/strikers. Song, as the holding mid, runs a la Flamini (RIP) but adds some creative vision. I can recall a few of his delicate chips up front and they are of the highest quality. He's young but he's coming of age. And Song has yet to score but he may be ripe sooner than later. Perhaps tomorrow.

Diaby, he’s always the X factor. Diaby is believed to be Vieira: The Sequel but has yet to string together matches (injury) and realize this potential. A box-to-box midfielder who has the eye of Cesc Fabregas but is a bit light in the challenge. He's talk and lanky but has those long, spidery legs to intercept passes. In the appearances we have seen of him so far he has won quite a few balls, scored a few goals, and been a very influential character. Diaby's creative work will be key in unlocking the defense tomorrow.

Tomorrow, it’s likely that Diaby will slot into CF4’s center, distributive role and be supported by Song and Denilson. The three Arse-keteers will be able to cover lots of ground, and will most definitely run box-to-box. If the strikers continue to work hard and compress space within the midfield many balls will be won and quickly countered. With a fluid, well-oiled midfield; loaded firing, strikers; solid, machine-like defense I feel the team is very close to a total 90 of moving forward and defending collectively. If every individual is successful in playing both sides of the ball (in both body and mind) Arsenal will win tomorrow and will do so by displaying total football. Should be tasty, indeed.

ArsenaLOS

Ars-havin a laugh, or is he?

Good day to all,

I was going to write a harsh critique about our Russian renegade but instead I will not. It has come to my attention that Arshavin's recent comments may be the result of his cultural upbringing and nothing more. Apparently, Russians are very sharp in tongue and perhaps too honest for their own good. I didn't think about that until @SKAgooner brought it to my attention; kudos for that. But I am concerned that he is challenging Arsene Wenger's philosophy, and causing a rift between himself and the manager. I can only hope that AW is the wiser in the situation (likely) and dismisses his angst, frustration as nothing more than a culturally-specific sharing of perspective. I suppose time will tell, and his presence in the starting XI vs on the bench could be a good indicator of the consequence of his comments.

I always feel uneasy when players come out and talk to the press. Words are so easily mangled and twisted. I don't like it, and I wish AW would enforce a rule where the players cannot speak to the press unless he is present. I know that's not possible but I wish it was. Top players like the limelight as much as they may front that they don't.

I am uncomfortable with Arshavin because he is new and has not yet completed a full season at the Arsenal; I worry that he doesn't quite understand AW and the Club's business/football structure. The club is not like other clubs. Period. Arshavin's comment, "we should be looking at the top teams of Chelsea, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona", worries me because it shows that he doesn't understand the Club's business structure; in particular, the income/debt ratio that makes the Arsenal solvent while the others mentioned are digging themselves deeper into debt. Unfortunately, most of the big clubs are heavy in debt; I would like to think that with the purchase of the Emirates and the continuation of the board's structure Arsenal will emerge as the most profitable club in England...and in Europe. Of course, this will take some time and fans, including Arshavin want the fruition of success now.

As the transfer window approaches its conclusion Arsenal have bought one player, released a few fringe players and lost both Donkeybayor and Toure. The pressing question for Arsenal fans and pundits alike is: Will AW purchase another defender? midfield option? No. I don't think he will. September 1st will roll around and he will have let the purchase window close without adding to the squad. But does AW really need to add to the squad?

Personally, I believe AW is done purchasing because he looks at the squad in terms of stars-in-the-making and does not want to bring in ready-made stars. Perhaps this has to do with his legacy in the making. A bit of his ego mixed with the realities of a man who is an Economist and manager. Plus, let's be honest, AW may have the money to buy but won't spend just to spend, nor spend too much on any particular talent. Is Arshavin an exception to this view? Not really. Arshavin might have been a star in Russia but he had not been tested on a European stage. Sure, he had a good run at the Euros but for many there was a major question about how he would react in a top league with a top team. Arshavin has completed half a term of play with stellar qualities but more needs to be seen. For me, Arshavin falls into the stars-in-the-making mold, independent of his age. Like many in the current squad, he hasn't won anything (of worth) and is ripe for an honors challenge.

Upon review of the squad, you'll find that the team could and should make a push in all major competitions without an addition. The following list shows the Arsenal's depth, using the current 4-3-3. Players in bold can float between positions. Note: Eboue is a defender, not a midfielder and I hope we never see him there again. I did not add Senderos to the list because I feel he will move on to Everton right at the close of the transfer window.

GK: Almunia, Fabianski, Minnone, Szczesny
Defenders: Sagna, Eboue, Gallas, Vermaelen, Djourou, Gibbs, Clichy, Silvestre.
Midfielders: Denilson, Song, Fabregas, Wilshere, Rosicky, Ramsey, Nasri, Arshavin, Walcott, Diaby, Bendtner, Merida, Traore,
Strikers: Eduardo, Vela, Van Persie.

And a quick look at the reserves and we may see some of them make the jump up to the 1sts, if necessary. Note: I didn't add Randall because I don't rate him. He reminds me of Bentley, and would be better off sold. It remains to be seen if Barazite and Simpson will stay or go out on loan.

Midfielders: Coquelin, Frimpong, Watt, Barazite, Emmanual-Thomas.
Strikers: Sunu, Simpson.

It's a stretch but most of the listed reserves are between 18 and 19-years-old, although not in the same caliber of Jack Wilshere any one could be asked to make the step up to the 1st team. Now, it's not realistic to think they could put in a performance against a top 4 squad but these players are not without quality. These same reserves are current FA Youth Cup title holders and are available, if necessary.

In summary, I don't feel Arsene will buy another player of star caliber. I don't think there is anyone he is scouting that he feels is worth the money in the inflated transfer market. I feel he will rely on the depth of the current squad and rightly so. It's a delicate process to brood the youth into the 1st team but by doing so he allows the players the opportunity to become Gooners and become passionate about the squad, and about the Club itself. We want the players to become supporters of the Club, unwilling to be swayed by money and grandeur. We want them to honor the traditions of the club, and respect the badge. In order to promote this passion and nurture their belief in the Arsenal we must compete with what we have grown internally and not cast doubt upon their malleable minds by replacing their spot in the team with a star who doesn't know anything about the Club. For the sake of the badge, and for the sake of the Arsenal I feel we need to see this campaign through with our current squad. We no longer need to look elswhere. We are the Arsenal; we are ready.

ArsenaLOS

Merry Christmas To Me

Good morning, Arsenal-ites

It's Christmas Eve over here at the 505. I don't expect to awake to presents tomorrow nor will I be going to church service tonight but I do expect the day to be filled with anticipation. For the non-UK Arsenal fan the day before an Arsenal match is filled with much anticipation and nervousness, which I can only compare to that of the feeling of a small boy waiting for Santa to come down his chimney and fill the living room with presents.

For those who live in America, the day of a match is quite the trial. For instance, tomorrow we have Arsenal-Pompey at the Emirates which is a 3pm kickoff UK, which is 8am MST for @ArsenaLOS & @ArsenaLIND. I'll be half-awake with coffee in hand. By the time the football is kicked I may or may not have eaten, or be showered up; @ArsenaLIND will probably roll out of bed right at the kickoff. There is far more at stake than an Arsenal result. IF the Arsenal do not get a result we have to deal with our sour attitude for the rest of the day. A married, sour, cranky attitude. You can only imagine. The match will wrap up around 10am and IF we have done poorly it's really hard for us to get motivated and do something fun; now, if we get a good result our motivation is quite high and we're more likely to go out, have a good afternoon maybe drinks to follow. It's really that fragile. I know, 8am doesn't seem that bad but looking forward I am already dreading the Arsenal-Tottenham match October 31st. 12:45pm UK kick-off is like a death sentence. Not only is the match a 5:45am KO for us but it ruins our Saturday night out. It's not easy to be able to go out with friends the previous night and then be up for such an early kickoff. Shoot me in the face.

@ArsenaLIND is English so any match before 1pm is met with great angst, even depression. She has been here in America for awhile now but this adjustment to the KO times has been very hard. When I lived in the UK I enjoyed the build-up to KO throughout the day eg doing some wandering on the High street, bangers & mash for dinner, and getting to the pub early for a spot near the Tele. Drinks flowing, fan banter, and so forth. I miss it, too. I envy those who reside in North London, who have direct access to the atmosphere that we crave. I'd swap my coffee for a pint any day. I'm disappointed to have met people from the area, who call themselves Gooners, and have yet to splash the cash on the 30 quid membership. In my eyes, the denial to become a member and try to attend LIVE matches is unacceptable. Maybe it's ignorant to think that way but I'll tell you if we lived in England we would be at as many matches as possible. It may be as simple as the saying, "you never miss it till it's gone". And it's gone..and we miss it dearly.

Moving right along, it's the eve of another Arsenal match. Pompey is one of the pundits' picks to be relegated this season so I am hoping that we can put them to the sword early. 2-nil before half would definitely ease my mind. I don't feel like a match review because, well, you can find an Arsenal blog out there that has nothing else to write about and it will be covered. But I will take the time to say something about our boy, Vermaelen. I shall call him V.

V has been a breakthrough of immense potential for us. A debut goal and solid performance(s). I am shocked to read the surprise from other bloggers, too. Like he is some sort of kid off the street. V is not a boy, nor does he come to us without experience (former Ajax captain). V is a deceptive CB due to his size and when paired with Gallas they appear to the opposition as short in stature. In the Everton match, @ArsenaLIND and I noticed more than a few long balls attempted to be knocked over his head (to Jo, Fellaini) but instead V rose well above both and knodded the ball clear...to an Arsenal player. I am very impressed by his heading distribution. V can not only leap to win high balls but he can knock the ball to our players who can start a counter attack. In our 4-3-3 this is going to be key to getting out of defense, and pushing up to the half line. Power in numbers. Also, V reads time and space very well eg Clichy moves forward from his left back position and V provides direct support. If Clichy over commits V will slot over and defend the player who has beaten Clichy...but he will not do so if he does not have cover from Gallas. V actually sits in between the space, reading and anticipating the dribble and/or pass. V comes from a well-organized Ajax system, specializing in the 4-3-3. It would not be surprising to hear from other players that he is actually helping them adjust to this new formation, giving tips and providing defensive leadership. This is ineVitable. This is V.

So, that's all from Arse505 for today. Tomorrow, when you're rolling into the pub for the 3pm KO think of us other fans who are barely awake, trying to support the same team. And have a pint and some chips for us!

ArsenaLOS

Arsenal's Perfect Storm

Good day, Gooners!

Arsenal 6 Everton 1.

6-1? I know.

6-1?!? WTF.

6-1? Touchdown plus dance...okay, maybe we didn't get to see an Eboue dance but deep down you know he was thinking about jumping off the bench and breaking it down!

Moving right along I felt we started the match strong, and rabid . Not like little chihuahuas of the last few years but fierce Rottweilers. Hungry. Starved. In the first few minutes I witnessed more steel in the tackle than maybe I have seen in the last four years. Song billong billabong with a big ole schlong was wrecking Everton players...but fairly. Song was well impressive on challenging headers and bodying up Fellaini throughout the match. Song was everywhere. I had hoped he would have a good showing and he delivered. Also impressive was Vermaelen's debut. Many bloggers and fans alike were quick to dismiss him because of his size. The former Ajax captain was hard in the challenge and leaped well over both Fellaini and Jo on numerous occasions; he actually dented in Fellaini's fro on one of his high flying clearances! Throw in a goal and it was a complete debut. In short, the entire back four and even Almunia (rarely challenged really) looked solid and cohesively bound. Didn't you just think there was something in the air? It felt like a storm was a brewin'...

Not only did defensive-minded players deliver like they ought to...they added to our goal tally. Denilson scored our first goal of the season with a blinder of a shot. Both @Arsenalind and I sat on the couch with mouths gaping. Well delivered for a player who has been a constant doubt by our fans. I imagine this strike and start to his season will only boost his confidence and he'll emerge as one of our brightest, and surprising stars this term. And shortly thereafter Arsenal get a goal from V and then nicely put away by our very own Capi. 3 goals from the most unlikely of characters. It felt like all of the components, all of the elements were coming together...3-nil at half. Defenders getting stuck in, and then scoring goals. WTF.

And then the defender's offense, and their influence rolled over to our mids; in particular, Captain Cesc was swept up in the flurry. Our Capitan scores goal 4 and 5 with thunder claps of cheers from the stands and the route was clearly on. Notably, and personally pleasing for me (cuz I love the nutmeg) I saw the break for number 4 start with a nutmeg from the back by Arshavin, then meg to RVP, then meg to Cesc to finish. How incredible was that? And then late we had Dudu's return to the Premiership capped off with a tap-in.

Meteorologists say that for a Perfect Storm to occur all components of the weather event must occur simultaneously; even a slight change in any one event contributing to the perfect storm would lessen its overall impact.

In comparison to what we saw on Saturday I would say we witnessed an Arsenal Perfect Storm. The strong start by the Arsenal defense influenced the offense in a way that may have had them more relaxed, more free to create and move forward. Witnessing the defense winning balls, and tackling the opposition can only help the offense become more confident. This strong presence in the back may have helped Bendtner be more confident with the ball, skinning his defender, passing it off to Cesc who then setup Denilson. More confidence in the defense allows our creative, offensive players the opportunity to try new things because if they lose the ball they know that they have that support behind them to clean up the mistake(s). For the Storm to continue very rare but notable events must take place and no better example of this is by having three defensive players score and lead the offense, and the rest of the team into halftime up 3-nil.

The cushion of being up three allowed the offense to move freely and without restriction. Cesc took advantage of the Storm's overall impact, slotted through the spine of the Everton defense and scored two beauties! Finally, Arshavin tried to get in on the onslaught but his shot was deflected off of the post and Eduardo tapped in. I would say with some confidence that all of these happenings were a result of a collective series of influence by each individual player that contributed to the overall result.

It's not often that we are able to witness such an event; we may never see such a thing again. I think it's important to put the match and the result in perspective - first match of the season against an unsettled Everton team (due to Lescott rumors). I'll give credit to where credit is due: the entire Arsenal squad looked coherent in defense and offense. If they can consistently put performances together such as this (maybe not the same scoreline) we may see the makings of a rare event turned into regularity. And that, my Gooners, is the difference of being Champions and the first loser.

Good luck to the lads for Tuesday and beyond,

ArsenaLOS

Be Champions

Good morning, friends of the Arsenal!

I was going to write a formal Arsenal preview but can't be fucked to do so. Plus, you can find any number of these previews on the web starting with Champions down to relegation. I'll spare you the drama. As usual, I always pick Arsenal to finish top of the league; winning the Carling, FA Cup, and Champions League along the way. Admittedly, I can't see beyond this fog of optimistic success. But I feel this year may be different for a few, often unreported reasons.

One: Morale. Morale is an intangible term used for the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others. The main culprits for ruining this belief last term was the players themselves. Maybe we could call lack of maturity due to their collective age, or because there weren't enough senior players in the squad...who were leaders. But either way, I don't feel the majority had their head right. Example: Arsenal had Donkeybayor talking up a transfer that fell through, which can't be good for him and his relationship with the team. I know for a fact that if one of my teammates was want-away but then stayed it would be tense and unfriendly from then on out. Oh, and one of my favorites was Capi 'Gallas' and his televised pre-games talks...where you could see more than one player half-listening but mostly "stretching". It's hard to respect a guy who refers to himself as Capi and sports a balding mohawk. Sorry, but really? What a prime example of a poor decision! Then, of course, the series of injuries that could not be predicted, and that ultimately led to an inconsistent, mix-mash of selections every week. When players are coming in and out of it's really hard to get a sense of team, and really hard to have a coherent method to the Arsenal way. I think this phenomena, above all, was the main reason morale was so poor and we witnessed a very poor first 14 matches. There are many more to add...but, in short, the Arsenal lacked the coherent togetherness that a team needs to be champions. Once Capi was demoted, Cesc took over and there appeared to be a change in behavior for the positive. Notably, it's only after Capi lost the captaincy that the Arsenal went on that tidy unbeaten league run. Unfortunately, Cesc was injured...and we had some other terribly timed injuries that kept us from regaining some silverware. Injuries kill morale.

I know, I brought up the injuries. Sounds like an excuse. Well, it's a fact. I won't ignore or sugarcoat the fact that we had numerous key injuries throughout the season that came at inopportune times. I also know that other teams had injuries that affected their run but I dare you Gooners to find a Premiership team that struggled as much as we did in nearly every position of the field, week in, week out. Right.

So, moving forward I defer to Bobby McMahon's blog Some of you overseas fans may or may have not heard about this guy but he is a regular pundit in America who has, in the past, made some good comments/predictions. Bobby has Arsenal finishing 1st.
I agree because he mentioned our slow start to last year's season; since it is a new season we can now control and rectify those first, horrid 14 matches! I prefer to think that with the addition of Vermaelen and "new signings" Arshavin, Eduardo, Rosicky, and Jack Wilshere that each player could contribute to a better start. In truth, Arshavin is key. The mighty mite came into the squad late but adjusted quickly. In the new-look, 4-3-3 Arshavin could not only score a load of goals but he could also influence the play and distribute the ball. I really enjoy his off-the-ball movements. Defenders are so scared to lose him that they will actually stretch their defense in an attempt to locate the lil' fucker. Hilarious. Also, Arshavin's size...is an advantage in the penalty box as it is inevitable he will win a penalty because he is so small and hard to tackle off of the ball. If we can keep Arshavin fit, and safe I feel we can expect a healthy start to the season. Note: I just knocked on every piece of wood I could find. So, we're good. No jinx.

As Bobby points out, and something I had not paid much attention to is the fact that Arsenal was scoring loads of goals....Away. Bobby states, "[Arsenal] scored more away goals last season than any other Premier League team – 37". So up your Arse-nal, all of you doubters/pessimists who state that the lads lack experience and can't put up. What better example of getting stuck in than scoring away from home! If Arsenal can put up similar numbers away this term, and turn Draws into Wins they will close the gap on the traditional top teams. With the return of the striking force of a fit Robin Van Persie, Eduardo...and the do-or-die season for Bendtner I think we can get those goals. Throw Arshavin in with a possible attacking role from Theo Walcott and we could be celebrating in our living rooms every weekend; I'll even learn the Crouch robot :D

Lastly, the Arsenal put a long unbeaten run, and "over the remaining 24 games Arsenal and Liverpool only lost one game apiece although they did rack up 10 and 8 draws". Again, turn those Draws into Wins and we are well on our way to becoming champions. Even half of those Draws-into-Wins would mean 10 more points. If the lads can regain that consistency of play they showed at the end of the season and change those first 14 matches we could be sitting pretty by December. I think, with another season under their belt, the players will be ripe for a strong challenge.

I know that pundits, and fans alike (but really, what is the difference most of the time?) will be barking about the Arsenal's lack of defense, or rather lack of strength in the back four. I can see their point but I won't concede. Reason being that we have three experienced defenders (Sagna, Clichy, Gallas) coming straight back into the starting XI with the addition of Vermaelen AND the return of everyone's favorite, Eboue, into the back. Plus, add Gibbs, Djourou, and even Song to the mix and it's not as full of holes as reported/hypothesized. In the 4-3-3, we'll see Song and/or Diaby or Denilson sitting in front of Capi/Vermaelen and assisting with defense. It begins to look like four center backs when under pressure. Now, will Arsenal leak goals as regularly as they did last year? Hard to say...but at the end of the day a football match is won by how many more goals you score than the opposition and with our potent striking force I feel that for every goal conceded we have the quality to score more than the other team. Arsenal may concede...but we'll also score.

So, that's it from Arse505. I don't feel like breaking down the rest of the league because it doesn't matter. What matters is what Arsenal does and I could care less about how old Chelsea appear on paper; how United will struggle to replace Ronaldo's goals, influence; Scousers will be asking for Rafa's head my Christmas. It's up to the Arsenal players to perform. I'm behind them 100% and I believe we can do it. Be Champions.

ArsenaLOS

Arsenal Psychology 101

Good morning, Gooners

I was having what I thought was a normal tweet-by-tweet conversation with another fellow Gooner about the reality of the Arsenal's previous season. I didn't think much of it until this knob lick asked if I am satisfied with only a Top 4 finish and two, dropped me from his following which I can only assume is because of our disagreement. As a self-proclaimed expert of psychology (MS) I am realizing that many of our fans have been primed and conditioned to be pessimistic and short-visioned. In short, I don't think he is stupid or wrong but certainly his perspective is being influenced by forces he doesn't quite understand. I'll attempt to break down these forces and our typical responses to Arsenal happenings in this blog.

Priming occurs when an earlier stimulus influences response to a later stimulus. I feel our typical, opinionated Gooner has been primed (associative) in a way that we actually fear injuries more than we should. In explanation, Tomas Rosicky, Robin Van Persie, and Eduardo (traumatic stimulus) are our past stimuli that we recall when we talk about Arsenal injuries. TR7 and RVP11 have a history of injuries that have kept them out of the squad for long periods of time. Eduardo is my example for a traumatic event that may elicit a stronger response due to the nature of his injury (I can recall that entire morning from start to finish without skipping a beat, kinda like how we can all remember what we were doing on 9/11) Now, when we read an @Arseblog entry, Guardian article, or Sky Sports headline and there is a mention of an Arsenal injury we, those who follow Arsenal regularly i.e. daily, immediately have a negative response and think about the three mentioned. We say, "how bad?", "great, here we go again". In truth, it doesn't help that we have an information-access overload and can read about the same injury report on thirty different sites. All of this information only makes the association stronger. The gradient of thought varies as some of us think about a long term muscle issue while others think about Dudu's horrific ankle injury but all three consequences of the injury run through our heads. We simply make the Arsenal to injury association stronger. Even Cesc agrees. Of course, this response is going to be different for everyone but for those who support the Arsenal on the daily it is something that we can share; it's negative and affects our view of the approaching season.

Now, priming and conditioning are very similar and can be used in the same context. Our priming examples are TR7, RVP11 and EDS9 and we associate injuries upon the mention of their name or vice versa. The Arsenal is also amidst a four year trophy drought. The lack of a championship has put both players and fans on edge, which is not a surprise and likely warranted. I feel the best example of our learned conditioning and resulting negative behavior, towards not having a trophy, can best be explained by the classic psychological experiment of Little Albert.

Little Albert, we'll call him Little Arsene Wenger or Little AW is a French, curious boy who is presented with a new football. After a period of time and exposure, AW is quite happy with the football and its presence. Now, two experimenters, we'll call them the evil psychologist Jose and his lovely lady assistant, Alex, come into the experiment room and give Little AW the football but begin swearing at him with banshee-like voices, throwing money at him while calling the boy "voyeur", and talk about stealing his other toys (trophies) which of course makes young AW very uncomfortable and distressed. After some time and continuous abuse AW does not like the football when it is given to him and the mere presence of the object is enough to make him uneasy.

Some fans react to the decline of trophies in the way Little AW reacted to the abuse he received from the experimenters. Notably, recent or new Arsenal fans had been spoiled by a period of great success; old boys and girls of the club have experienced high and lows. This cohort of fans understand. The recent bunch is quick to panic and request/demand that AW bolster the squad and put an end to the four year drought. I get that. Nobody wants to be second best. Contrary to an isolated event (no pun intended) e.g. IsolatedGooner@ArsenaLOS are you satisfied Arsenal finishing top 4? I do not want to finish 4th, and would love to see the Arsenal lift a trophy yearly. Is @IsolatedGooner just that, isolated and confined to his little world of polka dot dresses and lollipops? Maybe. @IsolatedGooner is probably a new Gooner, and thinks that championships are easy to come by. But for the older, trial-enduring supporter he or she knows that these bouts of success come for a period of time and as quickly as they come and as glorious as they may be...they can dry up and be gone just as fast. Accept it, move on. Support and endure. If you don't like it, you can always jump ship like Donkeybayor and then blame fans like myself.

In a way, the modern Arsenal fan is a bit like Little AW. Arsenal experienced a great period of time winning the league 2001–02, 2003–04 as well as the FA Cup 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05 and intermingled in that we saw the emergence of the Invincibles (2003–04) The Invincibles is a time that we may never see again as football fans, of any club. That season is the pinnacle of Little AW's happiness with his football. Of course, Little AW was happy with his football; fans were happy with the titles. Then, it ended. Lil' AW's football was paired with evil Jose and his seemingly lovely bird, Alex and AW no longer felt that happiness he previously experienced; he felt scared, anxious, and uneasy. Jose and Alex ruined his football and even took his toys (trophies)! Little AW just wants to feel what he felt previously but it's hard to go back to those feeling of joy when the pairing is so negative, so strong. Over time negativity manifests. Presently, the Arsenal has been without a title and the fans are up in arms because of it. It's natural. Little AW has had his football meddled with; Arsenal fans are anxious and angry without a title. Each season without a trophy, without redemption Lady Alex wins another title and the response is even more hurtful, more uneasy. These responses pave the way for self-doubt. Fans begin to doubt our players and ignore their quality. The oppositions' success reinforces our angst and negativity, and some fall for it. Some give into it more than others and request Arsene's head, others demand more money from the board to purchase a holding center midfielder, but at the end of the day the negativity manifests and makes us, collectively, weaker in the end. Little AW just wants his football again. He wants that feeling of happiness to return. Unfortunately, he has been conditioned in a negative way and only by squaring up to his doubters will he get his football back. So, to all the Little AWs out there, face and buck up to the doubt, support our current crop of players and demand their excellence. Break the cycle of conditioned negativity and support AW. He wants his football back; fans want it back, too. We all want the same; we are not enemies of the same goal. Hopefully, by the end of the year we'll get our football back and all the toys a boy could want.

ArsenaLOS

Wilshere Wow

Good morning, Arses

I gotta make this quick due to some pending work commitments but I would like to take a moment to bring everyone back to earth regarding young Jack Wilshere. Jack's performance in the Emirates Cup, as both a super sub and right-off starter were impressive and encouraging, indeed. But to put his reemergence into perspective both @ArsenaLIND and I remember the same JW19 last year in the Emirates Cup read here and we all know now that he trained with the 1st team, and spent most of his time in the Reserves. I even remember the lad being dropped for a string of matches due to his lack of confidence and dip of form. There was also a report that JW19 had a bout of petulence and was removed from training...by his parents. Boys will be boys, I suppose. In short, in a year's time JW19 continues to hurt his previous followers' hearts with his genius and potential while teasing the newbies into thinking he'll be a regular this season.

This post isn't meant to point out his shortcomings and immaturity but to reiterate that he is only 17 and ought to be treated as such. Is he an emerging talent? of course. Does he read the match beyond his years? Genius-like. As I see it JW19 needs to be nurtured and brought along through the 1sts in a such a way that the UK media doesn't get a whiff of either fault or amazing potential. Theo Walcott was thrown into the spotlight at a very young age but comparisons between JW19 should be withheld. The lads are simply built differently with opposite football ability. As just today Third-Gen reports nearly the same perspective. I think it is quite amazing that the press has already thrown JW19 into the fold for a senior England call-up. Amazing how this ambitious reporting gains momentum. Is it because England's quest for silverware has gone on so long? Likely. It's okay to want to succeed and get at the coveted World Cup but not at the expense of a 17-year-old.

JW19 will come right under the watchful eye of Arsene Wenger and I would think he'll get a few more sub appearances this year with more experience in our Cup endeavors. The odd 1st team start is a possibility but I feel he is a way's off physically to take on quality left and right backs. So, let's all relax and marvel at what will be in due time. AW will release him into the fold when he is ripe but until then our future is optimistic.

ArsenaLOS

No More Adebayor, No more

Hello and welcome back to Arse505! It's been a long time, sorry I've been away so long...

Now that silly season is near over both ArsenaLOS & ArsenaLIND will make every attempt to write thoughtful and conversation-inspiring blogs. We can now be followed on twitter, too - ArsenaLOS & ArsenaLIND. Drop us a line to say hello or have a go at us, either way, we don't mind :D

Now, let's get to the the business on every Gooner's mind. Both Adebayor and Toure have been sold, and we have yet to add anyone to the 1st team beside Thomas Vermaelan. I think we all knew the summer transfer for the Arse would be quiet...but not this quiet. Now, the rumors have consisted of Arsene Wenger offloading additional players such as Eboue and Senderos but nothing has come to fruition. Arseblog is reporting today that Senderos is off to Everton. I'll await confirmation before being too worried about that...but let's be honest, was he missed last year? Not really. It really isn't worth conversing about why AW has offloaded so many without adding, and since the end of the transfer has not quite come upon us I would expect he will add one or maybe two players. Who? I have no idea nor does any other blog out there who links the Arsenal to Matuidi, Chamakh, Hangeland, et al. Relax, AW only spends when he feels it is necessary and usually he finds the diamond in the rough.

The call for the holding midfielder continues but without any Gooner or blog really stating who this elusive player ought to be. After a review of our current squad there are plenty of players who can fill that role. Ramsey, albeit young, could get a few matches versus some lesser opponents ie newly promoted teams; of course, Denilson and Song are the front runners to partner Cesc. Denilson got more playing time than he could have dreamed for last season but that is likely due to injuries to Diaby. In time, Denilson may develop into a Gilberto-like player but he's got to learn to unlock defenses right from the tackle. I have yet to see that quick decision from him, and instead of completing a pass through to the wing or forward...he'll pass lateral or back. Denilson will develop confidence in due time but we may not see as much of him as we did last year. And Song has developed hasn't he? Song's decision making has improved and he can now distribute the ball better than Denilson. A big, powerful player like Song will match up tit-for-tat against powerful mids like Obi Mikel, and Alonso. Versatile in the middle and can play center back. Song will fight for that starting, holding mid and may well be Cesc's partner at the start. Diaby? Well, he is our most consistently inconsistent player but if he can put together a few matches and avoid injury he could find himself next to Cesc. In truth, I don't think he'll play too much; he's more fragile than RVP and that says alot. And worth a mention is Merida. As ArsenaLIND said just this morning, "this will be an interesting year to see what happens with Merida - either he breaks into the 1sts or stays in the reserves". Simply said, and agreed.

I am not too worried about our holding mid options as stated above. There is plenty of opportunity for any player at the Arsenal to win that position. Competition betwixt midfielders is healthy, and the best will emerge from the pile. My bet: Song and Cesc. In a couple of the pre-season matches we saw three in the middle and if that is to be seen again I could see Denilson in there. Ramsey and Diaby to spectate.

Now, our center back position is a bit shaky, isn't it? Losing Toure is a massive blow contrary to AW stating we got his best years. Toure always fought for the shirt; he will fight for City just the same. Toure will be missed but let's hope that AW uses the money received to step into the market to get another CB. I can only assume that AW will deploy "Capi" Gallas and Vermaelan from the start. I can't imagine AW leaving his summer signing on the bench unless he is injured. Vermaelan, former club captain of Ajax, comes with plenty of technique and experience. Vermaelan ought to slot in from the start but his fitness and pace will be tested. Short in stature but having good leaps I feel he'll shine for us this season. Time will tell.

Now, if one or both get injured I suppose we could see Song move back to be paired with Djourou. I have complete confidence in Song but I am not certain about Johan. JD is a big, tall CB but I feel he goes down too quickly on his tackles ie sliding or stabbing at the ball; thus, his timing is often poor. JD would fair far better if he stood up the football, and contained the opposition until mids could track back. Djourou didn't get too many matches last year so these instances may be due to inexperience but I worry that if we lose TV or WG he won't be prepared to step in.

The money received from City ought to be immediately pumped into the CB position. I would prefer to see a tall CB come to the Emirates in the shape of Sahko from PSG. Club captain of PSG and only 19 he would be a great addition in terms of age, price, and size/height. Perhaps AW could construct a transfer to include Silvestre going the other way. The rumors have been quiet about him since early Spring but I wouldn't be surprised if we saw him arrive before the start of the season.

That's it from 505, looking forward to the start of the season and let's hope for a big bang of a start!

ArsenaLOS