Fabregas is the only realistic option for the captaincy

The press are running riot for the Arsenal captaincy story, delirious with happiness now that they can finally report on the collapse on the club that they love to hate for their continental football style that lacks “substance” whenever they fail to win, has a cry-baby for a captain and a French professor for a manager who they can always poke fun at.

And fankly, their sheer stupidity is annoying me just a bit now. They seem to think that there is a shortlist for the captaincy – but the fact of the matter is that there can’t be if Wenger is being serious about it. Tommorrow Almunia or Clichy will captain the Gunners, but there is only one option for the captaincy long term – Step forward Mr Cesc Fabregas.

Fabregas has lacked for form, almost certainly down to an awful combination of having to play in a midfield without balance and a hangover from the Euros. But he still makes us tick, he is one of only a few world class players that we can claim to have at the club, and shows a passion for the club no matter what form he is in. Yes, he is only 21, but so was Tony Adams and he did alright, while Fabregas has already won an international tournament, played over 200 games for the club and scored vital goals against the likes of Tottenham, Milan and co. I can see him being a Steven Gerrard for us given the chance – only if Wenger buys a few players to compliment him though. His interviewing technique is ever so slightly more impressive than Gallas’ too…..

But the real reason he’ll almost certainly be given the captaincy is that there is simply no one else capable. The press say maybe Kolo Toure can take the mantle, I say not a chance. Toure has not been the player he was for some time, last year Senderos should have kept his place in the team when Toure returned from the ANC, and even though Senderos has gone, even Silvestre is a better option in defence. Maybe he has the passion, and if I get my way and Gallas is sacked or sold Kolo will even be 1st team again at least until January, but he is not good enough to have to give him a guaranteed starting place every game, as the captaincy undoubtedly gives a player. That is the same reason that Almunia can never be long term captain either. Both players cannot be given their places on a permanent long term basis as they are not world class and can be replaced easily.

Clichy could be given it, that I would say, but I think that his position on the pitch lets him down badly here. Captain’s are supposedly the ones who should now approach refs over decisions rather, and at left back he’s not central enough to fulfill that role, nor to speak to all the players on the pitch. He does do the club proud, and is probably one of the few who can lead at Arsenal, but for the reasons I have mentioned I don’t think he is a long term solution either.

So Fabregas it is then.

Why Gallas should be sacked

And I’m being serious. As Arsenal fans it is rare that extra money will make an actual difference to our signings in January, if indeed Wenger decides we need them, so therefore for the so-called football club with principles, it is time to make a stand against footballers saying whatever they want, whenever they want while still picking up their £80K cheque each week.

Gallas is a disrespectful, complete moron of a man and simply doesn’t deserve to ever step into the Emirates again. This is not just about the latest ridiculous, morale murdering comments tat he has come out with in the last few days, it is merely the latest in a long line of concerted efforts to put pressure on his team mates, diverting the attention from a captain who has very rarely done the Arsenal shirt proud since his move to the Emirates in that infamous swap deal. The first thing he did was to complain and to criticise and instead of punishing him for his antics, he was given the captaincy following one injury hit and form-less season with Henry leaving the captaincy spot clear for someone else.

You could see that move as an atempt to appease Gallas and maybe channel his anger, but it has done the opposite. Despite an excellent team effort last season overall, the real leaders were Flamini, Fabregas and even Adebayor, Sagna and Clichy, certainly not the Frenchman with the perpetual chip on the shoulder. He criticised Theo, questioned the team’s average age before finally going all out to embarass the club with an unbelievable show of pathetic stropping at Birmingham which would signal the start of Arsenal’s problems in the run-in to May. A toddler would have seen himself on the naughty step for a good while for the same behaviour, yet Gallas was still captain.

He has become an old, senile and grumpy excuse for a man, whose best days were very much behind him and whose relatives are only praying for the day when he leaves them for good. Sure, he has the so called “will to win” and has the odd very good perfomance this season, but has still been some way short of being our best player or indeed leader, yet he felt the need to complain further and really stick the knife in with his latest gripes.

He picked upon Nasri in his autobiography for his lack of respect towards Gallas. Well, maybe Samir believs, as I do, that respect needs to be earned, and that a pathetic, mentally unstable 31 year old who cried over a penalty decision when we were clear at the top of the league deserves very little, if any, respect at all.

Then he turned his attentions to the Arsenal team and had a go at an unnamed 25 year old who also annoyed him recently, before revaling disputes and arguments at the Tottenham game, before moving on to complain about his treatment as captain, that he is blamed for everything and that he is overall just a good egg who is misunderstood. Boohoo.

 

Well, I for one have had enough. Stripping him of the cpataincy is the bare minimum that should happen. If he feels he is so mistreated then he should just walk out shouldn’t he? He doesn’t need the money, he’ll no doubt get a decent enough deal at another club anyway, so go on, Mr Gallas – LEAVE. It’s just about possible that it’ll be the first time that you actually do us a favour.

Football: When logic goes out the window

Being an Arsenal fan is rarely dull, and this season is no different to the rest I have experienced. However, it is probably the worst mix of emotions that I have encountered, and yesterday was no exception.

Arsenal, losers against Stoke City and Fulham already and missing Adebayor and van Persie,  versus Manchester United, European and domestic Champions. Even though it was at home, when I was telling the Man United fans I know that we would rip them apart, I was only really joking.

But such is the inconsistency of this team that even with the obvious weaknesses that we have throughout the side, give us a challenge that we must overcome just to avoid crisis talk, we will do it. And do it we did, with a fantastic performance that bewildered and stunned Arsenal fans in equal measure, defending well enough against some great United movement and offering a constant threat to the champions as well. Bendtner coul have scored twice, but so could United and even though we shaded it we could just as easily have lost if Arsenal hadn’t got the first goal, a good volley by Nasri that was deflected past van der Sar.

We got to half time still in the lead but I was still very nervous of the Ferguson team talk that would surely fire his team up enough to grab at least a share of the points. But surprisingly for me, Arsenal came out the traps second half with great confidence, and soon a second goal beckoned. A fantastic move ended with a fantastic pass to that man Nasri again, the Frenchamn scoring with a thumping finish to send Gunners fans around the world wild. 

Ronaldo should have scored immediately and it could still have been so different, but it wasn’t. Despite a hugely tense finale when Rafael scored a magnificient goal late on, we could have increased our lead even as United sought to end it, and the three points were well deserved. Maybe now we could find consistency… please?

Bischoff continues comeback in style

I have now seen two and a half games of his slow recovery from long term injury, and I am starting to like what I see in him. He was Man of the Match in my book yesterday as a solid reserves outfit beat Fulham 2-0, thanks to a wonderful Bischoff goal in the first half followed by an assist for Fonte to slot home to double the lead.

What you immediately notice about Bischoff is the simplicity with which he plays the game. He is not the biggest and will probably need to toughen up a bit if he is going to play in the Premiership, but he rarely makes contact with other players in any case, with a fluid and simplistic style not unlike Hleb’s in some ways, although Bischoff plays even more one touch football than Hleb did it seems. However, he is still very much finding his feet and it’s a long shot to suggest whether he will ever reach the heights of the former Arsenal winger, though last nights performance suggests if he stays injury free this year there may be a place for him at Arsenal yet..

But certainly with his patient link up play I can see him being a decent option for the bench, certainly he can be a far better option for the wings than Diaby and Eboue in time. And if there was any sign that Bischoff has the talent that is needed to succeed, then it lies in the goal he scored last night. A corner was headed clear by the Fulham defence, falling to Bischoff who controlled it well enough with the first touch and with his second produced a great flick over the onrushing defenders head before half volleying a cracking effort into the net.

He grew with confidence after that and several of his cross field passes and through balls could have resulted in good opportunities. And one of those passes paid off when Bischoff, in space on the right, saw Fonte in space inside the box and picked him out with a great ball, which Fonte chose to chest down before the Portuguese striker finished with aplomb.

Overrall the reserves played slightly within themselves, with some poor performances from the likes of Lansbury, Simpson and Merida not really complimenting the good displays from Rodgers, Bischoff and the Frenchman Coquelin who again proved he has what it takes to be a tough tackling defensive midfielder with the same crunching tackles followed by that loping run while driving forward with the ball that Vieira was famous for. And if the 17 year old can become just a fraction of what Paddy was he’ll be some player.

My Ratings:

Mannone – 7 – Made a couple of good saves, messed up when trying to punch a ball at one stage though. He’s a fantastic shot stopper and sweeper, but hasn’t completely managed to get rid of his nervousness with crosses.

Hoyte – 7 – Decent performance, obviously isn’t very good in the oppositions half but great pace for recovery tackles and intercepted a good few diagonal passes out wide as well. Definitely less of a liability at right back. 

Ayling – 7.5 – Excellent positioning and good interceptions, wouldn’t be very confident about him defending a high ball given his height but a very neat and tidy game.
Rodgers – 8 – We’re slowly pushing Rodgers out of the club it seems and I just don’t understand why. He is a proper defender, exactly the style of defender Arsenal don’t have enough of. No, he isn’t the best ball playing centre half but he does make brilliant tackles and positionally he’s not bad either.
Ogogo – 6 – Out of place at left back in the 1st half, and gives the ball away a bit too much as well.

Bischoff – 8 – Very clever, technically gifted and links up play excellently. Great goal and a good assist.
Coquelin – 8 – Gets stuck in and wins tackles better than I’ve seen any young player at the club do for some time, despite the fact he isn’t actually that big he is very strong for his size.
Merida – 6 – Off and on, as always with Merida for the reserves. Over complicates things sometimes and I am not quite sure whether the determination is really there for the reserves.Lansbury – 5 -  Struggled like he has done a lot this season. Massive talent, will he fulfill it?

Simpson – 6 – Always gets a 10 for effort, he is living the dream playing for Arsenal. Unfortunately doesn’t really seem to have the talent to match the passion.
Fonte – 7 – Great finish for the goal, needs to get involved in play more.

Substitutes:
Sunu – 7 – Strong running, sometimes keeps hold of the ball too long though.
E-Thomas – 6 - Unfortunately played at left back rather than centrally (midfield or defence) so wasn’t as involved as he is for the U18s. 

Frimpong – 6 – Could be a monster in the future when he bulks up more, decent passing range as well.