Thoughts On the 4-3-3

It was a fantastic result against Celtic Tuesday night, and now we approach the first home game of the season this weekend as we host Portsmouth. So before we start looking ahead to Pompey, I thought it might be appropriate to take a closer look at our new 4-3-3 formation and its effectiveness thus far.

Obviously we've gotten two fantastic results from the new formation, but it's worked for a bit longer than that. We first saw the formation in pre-season, and since its implementation we have only one result other than a win, and that was the 2-0 reverse in Valencia. Otherwise, it has overcome Hamburg & Celtic, won us the Emirates Cup, and swept aside a usually difficult Everton. One cannot honestly say it doesn't work. But what is making it work so well?

It seems to be that the reason behind its success is twofold. Firstly, it's the best fit for the players we have. We discovered last season that having only one defensive player and one creative player in centre midfield was no longer strong enough without Flamini. Denilson, as good as the stats showed he was, could not slot in next to Fabregas very effectively. Denilson tends to want to attack, and he doesn't quite have the same presence of body to shield the back four as much as is required.

But now with the 4-3-3 we have three players across the centre of midfield; usually Denilson, Song, and Fabregas. In this formation, Fabregas tends to be the farthest forward, joining the front three in attack and linking the play up. Denilson on the left side of the three can also venture forward, but not quite as much as Fabregas. He tends to move play along nicely, but also get back and defend when we're not in possession. When that happens, the formation then includes effectively two defensive midfielders.

With two players to assist the back four, there is naturally a much better shield in place against opposition attacks, but it wouldn't work without both defensive midfielders being accurate in their tackling and not giving away too many fouls. So far in this respect, Alex Song has been a revelation in the first two competitive matches of the season. He's been strong in the tackle, imposing himself physically, and really does look the part. And regular readers of the blog will know I predicted this one; I knew that Song had what it took to play the role of DM effectively, and with the new 4-3-3 he has been able to show his worth.

So then, the first key to the success of the new formation has been players in better and more effective positions on the pitch. The second reason behind it's success has been more effective defending. And there is nothing that I have seen that has added to our improved defending as much as the pressing game we are now employing.

Tony Mowbray pointed it out in his interviews before the game at Celtic Park, and when asked about it, Arsene Wenger slyly said he didn't want to talk about tactics. That pretty much confirmed that what Mowbray had noticed was true. Arsenal had been working on a new pressing defensive style and had slowly implemented it this pre-season.

And it was clear from the Celtic match what an effect this pressing has. Our players from strikers back were pressuring the player in possession of the ball, forcing him to make mistakes or pass it astray. And if he ventured close enough to the Arsenal man, he was likely to lose possession and be caught out of position as Arsenal broke.

It was remarkably effective at Celtic, who, unlike Everton, were playing with a very physical and aggressive style. Exactly the kind of style that has given us so many problems over the last few years. The way in which we fought back, pressured and won the ball, and dominated the game against such a physical style is hugely encouraging and shows that we may have finally learnt how to handle such teams.

Overall the 4-3-3 has thus far been a success. However, let's not get too carried away. It still has yet to be tested against the very top opposition, but in a week and a half we will have just that test as we visit Old Trafford. It is then that we will find out just how effective or ineffective this new formation really is. But for now, it's working wonders; and I'm hoping it will continue.

Well then, be sure to visit our Twitter and Facebook pages and please follow and fan us; we'd love the support. Also, feel free to leave your comments below; I welcome a good discussion. Till next time then,

Fab 4

We Will Drop Out of the Top 4? Ha!

Well, well, well; the media (and if I'm honest several Gooners as well) seemed to think we would be dropping out of the top 4 this season, doomed to struggle. But now after the 6-1 demolition of Everton on Saturday, they've been left eating their words.

Yes it's early, and nothing has been decided yet. In fact, we still could fall out of the top 4, but with a win and a performance like that you'd really have to be prejudiced against Arsenal to still be maintaining that prediction. A 6-1 win over the team directly below us in the league last season who also made it to the F.A. Cup final. Lucky fluke? I think not.

Of course, Everton were - let's be honest - dreadful. But that takes nothing away from the Arsenal performance. We dominated the midfield, passed the ball well, defended quite a bit better than most had predicted we would, and the speed of our counter-attacks was deadly. I was almost like watching the Invincibles at times on Saturday; especially during Fabregas's two goals. Overall it was a comprehensive performance from our side.

Individuals who stood out to me were obviously Cesc, with his two goals and two assists, but also Denilson, who didn't put a foot wrong that I saw, and Song, who's excellent game provided some reassurance that if we don't end up signing a new defensive midfielder in the next few weeks we just might still get along fine without one this season.

The win was the biggest opening day win in our long history, and surely that has to count for something. The last time we won so emphatically on the opening day was also against Everton, back in 2004; the height of the Invincibles' era. Now, I'm not suggesting we're going to go on to do anything like they did in the league and remain unbeaten this season, but I think it really does show promise that this season will be a good one; contrary to what the media may say.

So where then does this leave us for today's match against Celtic? Well, confidence will be high, and we know the team are currently at their best. I strongly believe that if we see a performance similar to the one displayed at Goodison Park then we will walk away victors tonight in Glasgow.

Sure, the crowd will be all over us, and the atmosphere hostile, but we've faced worse. Remember Istanbul last year when we ran out 5-2 winners? I think this team have proved that they can play well in hostile environments, and they'll need to do so again tonight to come away winners.

I'm predicting 2-1 to the Arsenal tonight, but I could be wrong. However, I strongly believe that if we keep the score close and score an away goal or two we'll win the tie. Because you've got to know that when we take it back to the Emirates, the match will be ours. All we have to do is not dig ourselves too deep a hole tonight and we'll be just fine.

Well, here's hoping for just that tonight. Remember to check out our Twitter and Facebook pages, and please feel free to comment below and share your thoughts on the matters at hand. Till next time,

Fab 4

Season Preview: 2009-10

Well, as regular readers might have noticed, I've taken a bit of a summer holiday this past month, so I didn't do any blog posts. However, I've been tweeting the entire time over at the Fab 4 Arsenal Twitter Page, so if you're not already following us, please go ahead and do so to get more regular updates and thoughts from myself and the blog. But anyway, that note aside, it's time to return to blogging with a season preview of the forthcoming campaign. I'll be looking first at each area of the squad, and then summing up our chances for the new season.

Defence

Defence was the area looked upon by many gooners at the close of last season as the part of our squad that we needed to reinforce. I did then and still do now disagree. Last season our defence was finally sorted out after the horrors of the first half of our season. We went so far in improving our defence in fact that we kept four 0-0 draws in a row. Is that bad defence? No; and it wasn't until 4 out of our 5 first-choice defenders were injured in April that our season fell apart. That signaled to me that, if we were not so terribly unlucky again, we'd be just fine with the players we had.

Over the summer we did lose Kolo Toure, but we gained three new defenders in Traore, Senderos, and Vermaelen. The first were returning players from loan who have subsequently had excellent pre-seasons, and the third player was, I believe, and improvement on Toure. Our ageing Ivorian had never been the same after the 2008 African Cup of Nations, and was looking to be in decline. We've replaced him with the captain of Ajax, a 22-year old centre-half who has a bright future ahead of him and looks hungry for success.

No, player-wise, defence is not a problem. And in fact I think if anything we've strengthened over the summer. So assuming we don't lose 4 or more of our "back 5" (counting the keeper), then I think we'll be just fine this season.

Midfield

Midfield is where, if we are to make a new signing, this is where it ought to be. Not in the attacking midfield - because with Fabregas, Rosicky, Nasri, Walcott, Wilshere, and even Arshavin we're just fine - but in defensive midfield. Denilson, Song, and Diaby (if he can be kept in a defensive role) can do the job adequately, but adequately may not be enough to win a trophy come the end of the season. I think we need a new player in DM to truly have the defensive balance Arsene Wenger seems to be looking for, but listening to the latest news surrounding the club, a signing looks unlikely.

So assuming we don't get a new one, then I believe it is Song who will have to do the job. See my last article for my argument in full concerning Alex Song, but I believe he can do the job if necessary. Perhaps with our new 4-3-3 formation we'll end up being just fine. Maybe, just maybe, we'll overwhelm our opponents with our attacking fluidity and not give them a chance to attack us. One can only hope.

Attack

Up in attack we're loaded with talent and ability. If there is one area of the team which is fully strong and capable of winning a Premier League title, it is our attack. Yes we lost Adebayor, but his height and aerial prowess can be matched by Bendtner should he fulfill his potential. Add to that we've got Van Persie to be our free-kick taker and highly creative striker, we've got Eduardo to do the Henry-type stuff, and Arshavin to do - well - the Arshavin-type stuff (there's no one quite like this man).

Scoring goals was not our problem last season, and I don't believe it'll be our problem this season. In fact, with the return of Eduardo and the acquisition of Arshavin, I believe we may just have the best strike force in the country this season.

Overall

So all in all I believe we will be the top-scoring team in the league this season. Combine that with an improved defense, and a midfield that can control a game, and I predict a great deal of success this season. Yes we will have our struggles, but our team has matured in the last year, they've grown and gotten better, and we have added to the team with some fantastic new and returning players.

There is great cause for optimism this season, and those gooners who are shouting doom and gloom should be ignored. Sure we're not perfect, but looking at the squad as a whole, how can one help but be anything except excited about our prospects next season. I look to the 2007-08 season as a model of how I believe this year will be. We had lost Henry & Ljungberg (this time it's Ade & Toure) and the press were writing us off, expecting the Spuds to take our place in 4th. And what did we do? We came out, took the league by storm, and with a bit more luck, would've won it. Let's shock them all again shall we? The season starts this Saturday, and I can't wait.

Leave your comments below should you wish, and feel free to follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook. Till next time,

Fab 4

We Don't Need a New Midfielder

Finally, after the long summer wait, this Saturday football will be back. Arsenal football that is, and it's an exciting time if you're a gooner. We've already made one big signing this summer, and it was in the position that many of us were crying for Arsene to improve: central defense. So with that transfer out of the way, I believe that we are one signing away from mounting a major challenge on all fronts next season.

The general consensus seems to be that we need a central midfielder to partner Cesc in the centre of the park. We need a dominating defensive-minded player who will do the dirty work in the centre of the pitch winning the ball back and launching our attacks forward. And if possible, perhaps this midfielder ought to be tall to give us an extra aerial threat and give us some added defensive solidity defending corners and set pieces.

But with pre-season about to be underway, and most of our players having already returned to training, we have yet to see that big arrival. So I pose the question, what if we don't sign a new midfielder?

Here's the answer: it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter because we already have the player described above. And although a new signing would undoubtedly be the best thing we could get, what if we don't? What then? Then it will be time to say hello to who I believe should partner Fabregas in CM next season: Alexandre Song.

Alex Song had a disastrous start to his Arsenal career, and for the few seasons after that it really didn't look like he would make it at this football club. But then came last season, the season where I believe our young players finally grew up and gained the experience they need to be top class footballers and true title contenders; and Song was one of them.

In the latter half of last season Song started partnering Denilson in central midfield. This was before Cesc returned from injury, and at the time perhaps few noticed the effect it was having. With Song next to him, Denilson was able to get forward more and attack as he has always been accustomed to doing. And with Arshavin, Walcott, and Eduardo also returning, it got us back in form.

Then Fabregas at last returned, and Arsene Wenger had to make a choice: should Denilson partner Fabregas in midfield has he had done earlier in the season, or, considering our newfound defensive-mindedness, should Song partner Cesc? The decision made by Le Boss was to have Song partner Fabregas, and Denilson was left to the bench for the final month or so of the season.

And when Fabregas returned, we all noted how his form had drastically improved. He was attacking more, racking up the assists, and looking like the Cesc of old. But it wasn't just the long layoff that improved his form. For the first time in the season, he had a strong, dominating defensive midfielder behind him who was doing the work of cleaning up and winning the ball back; this player was Alex Song.

One need only look at his performance against Manchester United in both the League and Champions League to see the improvement in the Cameroonian midfielder. He was doing all the work that Flamini used to do, he looked solid, and most importantly his passing when he won the ball back was excellent.

If we don't sign a new defensive midfielder during this transfer window, I don't believe it will be the end of the world or a major inhibitor to a title push. Because we already have just the man we need for the job, and that man is Alexandre Song. I believe he should partner Fabregas in midfield next season, because, in a manner epitomising Arsene Wenger's youth plan, he has grown into the long-term replacement for both Flamini and Viera.

Feel free to either agree or vehemently disagree with me in the comments section below; I won't bite. And while you're here, if you for some reason you find yourself liking the blog, be sure to check out our Twitter and Facebook pages, and maybe even follow or become a fan of ours. Thanks for stopping by...four more days till Arsenal football begins again.

Fab 4

Vermaelan In, Who's Next?

The following article was written by our guest writer, Jamie Wright, a professional sports writer.

Central Defence Strengthened, Now for the Central Midfield

During the Premier League last season it was obvious Arsenal were conceding far too many goals to challenge for the title. Scoring goals wasn’t an issue, but problems at the other end of the pitch meant it was a disappointing season finale. The Gunners scored the same amount as Chelsea and Manchester United but conceded 13 more than both their rivals.

The signing of centre back Thomas Vermaelen has come as no shock to Arsenal fans but is a great signal of intent from the Arsenal board and manager. They have recognised a problem and have hopefully rectified it by signing the full Belgium international.

At only £11million it seems to be another astute signing by Arsene Wenger. When you consider Glen Johnsons £18million move to Liverpool this week, it seems fair to suggest that Wenger is never going to pay over the odds for his players. Thus, he avoids putting the club in any financial difficulties.

Now the defence has been strengthened, it is time to add depth to another key area in the Arsenal first team - the central midfield role. With a long term injury to Cesc Fabregas last season, it was left to Alexander Song, Denilson and Samir Nasri to make this position their own.

Although they all had a reasonable season, it is fair to say the defence was exposed many times. Solid performers in past campaigns such as a Gilberto Silva, Mathieu Flamini or Patrick Vieira would have provided much more protection for the back four.

Denilson is shaping into a great defensive midfielder but when compared to Manchester United’s Michael Carrick, Chelsea’s Michael Essien and Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano he isn’t quite at their level. If Wenger is looking to spend more money this summer I believe it has to be in this area and finally replace the void left by Mathieu Flamini last summer.

A few names I’ve seen mentioned frequently on message boards are Marcos Senna, Yaya Toure and Jeremy Toulalan. Any one of these names would provide a platform for our creative and flair players such as Fabregas and Nasri to perform on and would add valuable experience to a young midfield.

If Arsenal are going to improve their chances in the Premier League next season, surely it’s the central midfield that needs some strengthening next? Give us some of your thoughts.

Vermaelen Signing A Signal of Intent

So it's finally been officially announced over at Arsenal.com that we've signed Thomas Vermaelen, the centre back from Ajax who was also last season's captain in Amsterdam. I have to say, I'm thrilled with this signing; he is just the type of player we gooners have been saying for months and months that we need: a big strong centre half with great leadership abilities who can dominate in the penalty area and lead the defensive line. And more importantly, this signing is a big signal of intent from Arsene Wenger.

It's signals our intention to challenge for silverware next season. We needed to strengthen our defense to challenge for honours next year, and now we have done just that. If we stop leaking the goals, and with new players like Arshavin we continue to score boatloads of them, then we will truly be genuine title challengers.

It signals to the Arsenal supporters that Arsene Wenger has identified the weaknesses in the team and is looking to rectify them. Le Boss said at the close of the season that he would analyse the team and see what more we needed to challenge next season, and it looks like he has now done that and is underway looking for new signings.

Finally, it signals that the next few months could actually be an exciting time for we gooners. The last few transfer windows have been admittedly depressing. We haven't signed too many exciting players, and when we have, their arrivals have been offset by the departures of several other major players.

This summer we have seen Sanga, Clichy, and Fabregas all publicly resisted the advances of foreign clubs, and the only players who I can see possibly leaving are Gallas, Adebayor, or perhaps Senderos on a permanent basis. And to be honest, I don't think too many of us would shed a tear if any of them were to leave us.

So we've got only players we wouldn't particularly hate to see leave looking like they may depart us, and now we've signed exactly the type of player we've all wanted, with more perhaps on the way. This is an exciting time to be an Arsenal supporter. I personally can't wait to see what's coming next! Until next time,

Fab 4

Jan/Feb Will Define Our Season

Hey all. The fixture list for next season has today been officially released; you can see the complete list over at the dot.com. It looks like the hardest parts of next season will be the beginning portion and then January and the beginning of February. So January and February could quite possibly make or break our season next year.

We open with a tough trip away to Everton, and that is followed up by a home game against Portsmouth that is sandwiched between the vital Champions League group stage qualifiers. Then, after the qualifiers comes an away fixture against Manchester United at Old Trafford. This reminds me of the 2006-07 season when we had the Old Trafford fixture in the beginning of September as our fourth match. We won 1-0 on the day thanks to an Adebayor goal; let's hope for a similar result on August the 29th.

After that is a series of fairly winnable games before we finally face Tottenham at home on the 31st of October. A Halloween night fixture at the Emirates, but hopefully this time we'll do better than last year's corresponding game, also in October.

We face Chelsea at the end of November at the Emirates, and then go to Liverpool on 12 December. The rest of the month features the regular fixture congestion, and it may serve to injure one or two of our best players, as this time so often does. But we will want them back quickly for the turn of the new year, as the vital month of January begins.

It's already packed with F.A. Cup and Carling Cup fixtures, but in the League we face Everton and Bolton before the potential difficulties really begin. A midweek trip to Villa Park on 27 January is followed by a weekend fixture against Man Utd. Then we face Chelsea and Liverpool in succession, after which the F.A. Cup and Champions League resume.

So this period of matches really will define our season. After that, the run-in is surprisingly easy, and if we can survive this potentially deadly string of matches, then we will be in the best position of anyone to win the league comfortably. So assuming that we can start the year well, stay in the title running until January, and then come through this difficult fixture lineup unscathed, we can quite possibly say hello to a Premiership trophy.

The easy league run-in will also be a boost in our Champions League and F.A. Cup challenges, assuming we're still in both by this time. We'll quite possibly have the chance to rest our best players for the relatively easy league matches, and save them for when we really need them. So who knows, next season could be a glorious one. With the right signings and a good beginning to the season, we should have no problem claiming our first pieces of silverware in five years.

So I think in order to be successful next season, we will really need to hit the ground running, and have a fantastic start to the season. Difficult league matches and the vital Champions League qualifiers must all be won, and if they are, and we are able to keep our title tilt going, then come the defining matches in January and February. It looks like either way, we're going to be in for an exciting time next season. Till next time,

Fab 4

Fab 4 Arsenal's Player of the Season

I know I said last week that we'd spend the week talking about the player of the season, but I think the time has come to stop dwelling on last season and look forward to next. But before we do so, we'll take one last look at least season by revealing our Fab 4 Arsenal Player of the Season. We'll count down the top five as chosen by our readers over the last few weeks in the poll over on the right. And of course, my own opinions will be factored in as well. So without further ado, here are the top five players of the season, in descending order.

5. Cesc Fabregas
This is perhaps the lowest ranking that Fab 4 himself has ever gotten in a season review of the best players. But to be honest, it's deserved; this wasn't the best of seasons for the young Spaniard. It started off with Cesc returning late in August after a lengthy break from his exploits in EURO 2008. But when he returned, he was not in top form. He looked like a shadow of the player from the year before, and just wasn't up to his best. Then came November and the Gallas-losing-his-captaincy fiasco. In the end, Fabregas was named our new club captain, and with the extra responsibility, he picked up his performances somewhat. But he would soon be injured against Liverpool, and it kept him out until March. When he returned, he looked like the Cesc of old; the layoff was exactly what he needed. He ended up notching 10 assists by year's end, and looks to be a major player for us once again next season.

4. Manuel Almunia
Almunia had an excellent season for us, and I look at it as, for me, the year he became a top keeper. He was remarkably consistent for us this past season, and fully deserved to be the number one. There were of course the weak moments, but they were few and far between, and definitely overshadowed by his great performances, such as against Fenerbache in the Champions League, or most especially against Man Utd at Old Trafford in the same competition. Our Spanish keeper this season was consistent, solid, and truly became a world-class goalkeeper.

3. Denilson
Denilson is a player that as a gooner you seem to have loved or hated this past season. Criticisms levelled against him were many, but the one most used is that he isn't a fighter like Flamini, and this isn't as effective. How wrong they are. Denilson is the type of player who works behind the scenes, doing a spectacular job without doing anything visually spectacular. The stats don't lie: Denilson completed more passes this season than anyone else in the Arsenal squad, and in fact more than 90% of the Premiership. He made more successful tackles and covered more ground than Flamini did last season, and even got more assists. He didn't just replace Flamini, he did better than the Frenchman. It isn't his lack of ability that makes him disliked among some supporters, it is his playing style. But I've said it once, and I'll say it again: if his less-aggressive playing style is getting better results, then who is to say it's not the superior one? Denilson was fantastic this past season.

2. Andrei Arshavin
It's quite the accomplishment for a player who only made his debut for the club in February to even be considered for player of the season. And for him to get second place in our poll (with 1 out of every 4 fans calling him the player of the season at the time of writing) is an even bigger accomplishment. But put simply, Arshavin was just what we needed. He was signed at a time when our attack was sterile. Our defense had been improved vastly, but at the cost of great, flowing attacking. Arshavin helped bring that back, and when he made his Premiership debut against Blackburn, scoring a spectacular goal as his first, we all knew he would be something special. His four goals against Liverpool at Old Trafford proved his class, and he was easily our most dangerous and inventive player of the last few months of the season. In this case, Arsene spent big, and it payed off brilliantly. He will be a key figure for us next season.

1. Robin van Persie
With almost 50% of the vote, RVP was by far the most popular choice, and it's one I agree with. Our best player of the season was clearly Van Persie. This season he completed his first full season in three years. No major injury layoffs, no delayed returns from those injuries: he was almost always fit, and he showed what all of us knew he could do should he ever have a full season fit. He was our top goalscorer, top assist leader, and in every sense, top player. He showed fantastic skill time and again, and he proved to be the most technically gifted member of the squad.

His goals against Liverpool and Chelsea in the first half of the season come to mind, as do his goals against Everton and Stoke in the latter half. And it wasn't just his goals; he was the top assist leader, and always seemed to be our most creative striker. He played almost like Dennis Bergkamp at times with his ability to either select the perfect pass, or take the shot and score himself. He truly has been a fantastic replacement for DB10, and should he stay with us next season we will have one of the most dangerous strikers in the Premiership at our disposal. When a player scores or assists every goal for the club for an entire month, as Robin did in January, then he is deserving of player of the season. And the fact that his was a mere highlight of a wholly outstanding season wins Robin van Persie the choice as our Fab 4 Arsenal Player of the Season.

So that wraps up our season review articles. This week we'll return to reporting the latest Arsenal news, and offer opinions and insights in a refined and polished way as always. Thanks to all those who read this article, and have also checked out our other season review articles. It's time to say goodbye to the 2008-09 season and look forward to next with optimism. So with disappointing, but also fond memories of last season and the progress and growth it brought to our team, see you next time;

Fab 4

Season Review: The Course of Our Season

Sorry for the big delay in getting this up, but computer issues prevented me from doing so. Today is the final Season Review article, looking at the season as a whole and the future of the Arsenal football club. We've looked at the players, good and bad; we've looked at the tactics and the manager himself; now it's time to review the season as a whole. How was it, where did it leave us, and how will it be remembered in the future?

The season began with some doubts. Sure, we had been major title challengers the year before, but over the summer we had lost some key players, and didn't look like we had replaced them adequately. Perhaps many fears were confirmed when we lost 1-0 to Fulham in only the second match of the season, but just a few weeks later, following a 4-0 thrashing of Blackburn, we were top of the table once again, and what was more, Tottenham were rock bottom. It was a great week to be a gooner.

But over the next two months it all fell apart. We suffered losses to Stoke, Aston Villa, Man City, and Hull, and a disappointing draw to Tottenham after being one minute and stoppage time away from victory. By mid-November we found ourselves fifth in the league, and the title was a no longer an option. This was rock-bottom, the point where it didn't look like things could get much worse. And so we started to rebuild.

Into January we went, and our defensive problems sorted themselves out to be replaced by offensive problems. Arsene Wenger broke the back to sign Arshavin on deadline day to cure our problems, but he couldn't play right away, and we continued to struggle to score goals, recording four successive 0-0 draws in the league.

But then it all came together. We started attacking again. Fabregas, Walcott, and Eduardo all returned. Arshavin began playing, and with big victories over West Brom and Blackburn, it looked like we were well and truly back. We made it to the semi-finals of both the F.A. Cup and Champions League, and we reclaimed fourth in the league comfortably.

But by then Villareal and Wigan had happened. We didn't lose either game, but what we did lose was our first-choice defense. Gallas, Clichy, Almunia, and Djourou were all lost, and as a consequence we leaked goals once again. And then our inexperience showed when we were dumped unceremoniously out of the F.A. Cup and Champions League.

So it ended on a low note, but your final analysis on the season will rest on whether you are a glass-half-full or half-empty supporter. I am the former, so here's how I see it:

It was a year of growth. We had lost some major players over the last summer, so we had to rebuild. And rebuild we did. After hitting rock-bottom in November, we turned it round in spectacular fashion, going over 20 games unbeaten in the league (our longest streak since the famous 49), and making the F.A. Cup and Champs League semi-finals. In the end it is lack of experience that cost us the silverware, but we gained so much this season.

Players like Denilson, Song, Gibbs, Walcott, and even Almunia, all made spectacular progress and development this past season. Arsene Wenger has said we will look to shape up the defense next season, so with all the young players gaining experience this season, the older ones returning (e.g. Rosicky, Eduardo, possibly Gallas), and the new ones fitting in (such as Arshavin and any new summer signings), I think we have fantastic potential next season.

We don't need major changes, just slight ones. One or two signings; that's how close we are to major silverware, and just think: when our players return from injury and our new signings come into place, we could have players such as V. Persie, Eduardo, Fabregas, Arshavin, Nasri, and Rosicky all on the same pitch together. How mouth watering is that?

So all in all 2008-09 was not a year to remember for trophies or any sort of silverware; but perhaps next year or the year after we will look back on it as the year that began our trek the the summit of English football once again. The year which turned around so dramatically, and matured the players we have so much, that in the years to come, it turned out to be invaluable. Next season, we'll find out just how influential this past season really was, and I have a feeling we'll find out it was a positive step in the right direction.

Please feel free to read the rest of our Season Review articles, all of which can be accessed from the Season Review main page. Next week our Season Review articles will be replaced by our Best Players series, revealing the top five players of our past season. You've no doubt seen the poll on the right, but if you vote now your vote will affect the final results, which will be factored into our choices for the Fab 4 Arsenal Player of the Season. So vote now and have your say; and watch this space next week for the Best Player articles. Till next time,

Fab 4

Season Review: The Manager

Note: Regular readers may notice that the site has undergone a redesign as of yesterday evening. Hopefully the design will seem a bit more streamlined, a bit more professional, and will appeal to readers as much as it appeals to we redesigners (yes there are a few)!

Today's article in our continued Season Review series focuses on our manager, Arsene Wenger. How did he perform this season? What decisions did he make right; and which were wrong? Did he make the right signings at the right times for the right amount of money? And did he correct our shortcomings in a timely and effective manner?

The place to begin the review is the summer signings. Many argue that Arsene Wenger did not do enough over the summer transfer window. I would argue that he tried to, but ultimately he came up just short, through no fault of his own. The signing of Samir Nasri was brilliant, and exactly what we needed to replace Hleb: a player with all his trickery but who could actually score a goal or two. Ramsey was always going to be one for the future, and Silvestre was a player who was supposed to add height and experience to the backline. In theory he was the perfect signing; in practise, he was far from.

Wenger also tried to sign a central midfielder during the transfer window; a fact that is often overlooked by Wenger-bashers. All verified reports said that he made a couple of bids on Liverpool's Xabi Alonso, but the asking price was just too high for us. We undoubtedly could have paid the transfer fee, but to spend what would have been required would not have been worth it in the long term.

So the transfer window slammed shut, and we made due with what we had. We discussed tactics in detail in the last Season Review article, so I won't go over it too much, but instead I'll skip ahead to the 3-0 loss to Manchester City. This was, as I said before, the turning point in our season. Arsene Wenger admitted later on that this point, more than any other, was when he looked long and hard at his entire plan and strategy to see what had gone wrong. He settled on the defense.

Now, anyone who has said that Arsene could not coach defense, was, I believe, proved wrong. Over the next month, he trained our defense and tweaked our tactics so well that we conceded next to no goals for months afterwards. Our problem however became scoring goals. So when January arrived, Wenger ignored all the incessant cries for a reinforced defense (he knew that it would now be good enough, provided our defenders remained fit), and he instead went after A. Arshavin. He knew that the Russian playmaker would be exactly what was needed to liven up our attacks and get us scoring goals again.

He broke the bank on Arshavin, and spent (according to some reports) more than the Arsenal football club had ever before spent in order to secure our new playmaker. And it paid off. Arshavin was brilliant, and before long we were scoring goals again.

Meanwhile, Le Boss changed our tactics to a more defensive 4-2-3-1, and it continued to pay dividends. When our backline, however, was decimated by injury, there was nothing Arsene could do. He brought in the best we had in reserve, but it just wasn't enough, and it ultimately may have cost us the chance at silverware.

Now, has Arsene Wenger noticed this fault in our side? And did he notice how we spectacularly collapsed against Chelsea and Man Utd at the critical junctures? Will he move to address this issue? Yes, it seems he did notice, and will fix the problem. In a strangely candid interview after the Man Utd loss at the Emirates, he said he would analyse the team, and any signings made in the summer would be experienced players, because, and I quote, when referring to young players, he said "we have enough of them."

Arsene does indeed know, and all those calling for his head are complete and utter idiots. He cares about the Arsenal football club deeply, and now I think he may have come to realise that the youth experiment of the last few seasons will either need to end or be readjusted in order to once again lift a trophy. I think we can look forward to a fantastic season next year as long as Arsene Wenger remains at the helm.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to check out past Season Review articles and see what's upcoming during our Season Review Week by checking out the Season Review main page. Also, don't forget to visit our Twitter and Facebook pages, and follow and become a fan of Fab 4 Arsenal! Till next time,

Fab 4

Which Ex-Gunners Have Done Better Since Leaving?

The following article was written by our guest writer, Jamie Wright, a professional sports writer.

Which players have improved their fortunes since departing Arsenal?

Arsene Wenger has always had to deal in the transfer market within his means. He has had to make shrewd signings where possible and try to return a profit on players who may have surpassed their peak.

It is interesting to look at some big names who have left Arsenal recently to see if they have re-discovered their form at their current employers.

Arguably, Arsenal’s greatest holding midfielder was Patrick Vieira. Signed for £3.5million way back in 1996 the French World Cup winner was superb in Arsenal’s double winning 1997/1998 and 2001/2002 seasons. He was sold in 2005 for £13.75million to Italian giants Juventus. He helped Juventus retain the Italian Championship in his first season but from then on he hasn’t rediscovered the form shown at Arsenal in any way shape or form.

Now playing for Inter Milan he is often a bench warmer and has only made 33 appearances in 2 seasons. Arsene Wenger made £10million profit through transfer fees for Vieira and with 9 years' service and playing his best years at the club it was good business by Wenger.

Some argue Vieira has never been replaced, until Mathieu Flamini stepped up to the mantle in the 2007/2008 season. However, Arsenal's ‘apparent reluctance’ to offer the Frenchman a reasonable salary pushed him out the door to sign for European rivals AC Milan. Flamini or ‘Fla-money’ as he is known in some Arsenal circles suffered a difficult start to life in Milan and was considered a utility player during the first half of the season. Luckily for Mathieu, the ageing Milan squad suffered some injuries and he managed to play a large part of the second half of the season as a tenacious right back.

Mathieu still has age on his side though and if he plays regular football in his central midfield role he could become a world class player. How much would Arsenal fans love to see Flamini of old back playing alongside Cesc Fabregas again next season?

One of the biggest disappointments in recent years to all Arsenal fans was the sale of Thierry Henry. Signed for £10million in 1999, Henry became Arsenal’s all time leading goal scorer. His pace, technique, arrogance and flair made him one of the best foreign imports the Premier League has ever seen.

His sheer determination to win the European Cup forced him to seek his dream elsewhere and Arsene finally decided to cash in on the French international for a reported £20million in 2007. Playing for Barcelona he also found it difficult to re-discover his goal scoring touch at the Nou Camp and was deployed on the wings for many of his appearances. However, this campaign he has been an influential part of Barcelona’s treble winning season assisting Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o to amass over 100 goals. Henry may actually be viewed as one of the few players who has gone on to more success since leaving Arsenal.

Other players who have upset the football odds by struggling to find form are Alexander Hleb and Robert Pires. Is it that Arsene Wenger can get the best out of his players or does he have the ability to know when his players have peaked? Please share your thoughts on this debate!

Feel free to add your comments below, and email us if you would be interested in guest blogging yourself! The email address can be found on the right side of the page.

Season Review: Tactics

For today's Season Review article, we'll look at the tactics of the 2008-09 season. Now, I'm not one to say that I know better than Arsene Wenger when in comes to tactics, but sometimes it was clear he got them just plain wrong, while other times, he was spot on. Specifically, this review will focus on our formations and team selections of the course of the year.

Perhaps one of the most odd tactical choices of the season came in the very first game against West Brom. Diaby had been injured, and either Denilson or Cesc was out, so Eboue was played at Defensive Midfield. And to be honest it looked like a stroke of genius. He had a great game, looked solid, and it left myself and many others thinking he may be the answer to the DM problem. But then against Fulham when he was played there again he utterly failed, and put in a performance bad enough never to be played there again. Shame really.

We started this past season much the same as we had finished the one before, tactics-wise. Still playing through the centre, working it round the edge of the penalty area, and still having fairly good effect. Our 4-4-2 was of course a given, and it looked certain to stay that way when we went top of the league after beating Blackburn. However when November approached it all fell apart. Injuries came to the fore, and our defensive weaknesses made any good attacking threat we had irrelevant.

The end of the first phase of our season was surely the 3-0 defeat to Man City. It was at this point that we hit rock bottom, and in an interview later in the season, Le Boss would admit this was a turning point, the point where they went home and looked long and hard at the squad to figure out what was wrong. They settled on our defense as the weak spot, and went about strengthening that.

Over the next few months we clearly worked long and hard on our defense, and our tactics became slightly more negative. We were back to the old days of winning 1-0, and this was the product of both more reserved attacking, shorter passes, a less-direct style through the centre, and the fullbacks staying back more than ever. No longer were they encouraged to constantly bomb forward on the wing, but only to do so as occasion required. The effect was to make our back four a back four again rather than a back two. And the result was our conceding less goals.

However our defensive problems now sorted meant we now had the opposite problem: we couldn't score any goals. Arshavin was brought in on deadline day in January, but before he was fit to play we recorded four 0-0 draws in a row. Our defense was great, but now try as me might, we couldn't score. And in addition to this, or perhaps the cause of this, our passing style had become sterile. We weren't playing with a flowing style, but rather the kind of passing style one puts on at the end of the game to close out the match. A kind of keep-ball that is frankly boring and frustrating to watch.

But then with the return of Eduardo in the F.A. Cup, and the subsequent debut of Arshavin in the league, our flowing football suddenly and miraculously returned. And to top it all off, our defense remained solid. Results turned around remarkably, and it was perhaps capped off with that excellent win over Blackburn in the league, 4-0. By this time, our tactics had changed from a 4-4-2, to more like a 4-2-3-1. This was to provide more defensive stability, and it was working. Combined with our now excellent attacks, the formation worked perfectly.

But then when injuries hit against Villareal and Wigan, and our backline was decimated, all the defensive formations in the world couldn't help us. We could still score goals, but our problem was once again our defense. And that is how it remained for the rest of the season. We scored goals without a problem (with the exception of the frustrating 4-1 loss to Chelsea), but except for the 0-0 draw with Man Utd in the league, our defense was once again weak. Perhaps only our now-defensive tactics saved us from conceding boatloads in the final few weeks.

The defensive tactics were the same, and the flowing attacking style had remained good, but what killed our defense in the final few weeks of the season was the injuries to our defense. All the major players who had improved so much defensively over the winter months were lost to injury, and our backup players, while good, were not good enough to maintain a defensive standard worthy of a big four club. However, the overreaction to the last few weeks from many a gooner has surprised me. Let me make it clear: our defense is fine, when fit. If anything needs to happen in the transfer window it is perhaps the signing of some good reserve defenders, adequate ones who can keep up our level of defense we should have become accustomed to.

So there we are, a tactical view of the season. We started out the year in a 4-4-2 which was weak in defense, and we ended it in a much more defensive 4-3-2-1 which maintained the ability to attack. It could well be how we line up next season, and if our players are fit and ready, we have seen enough evidence to prove that the tactics will work. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to check out our Season Review Main Page to see what's coming up and what has passed during our continued Season Review week on Fab 4 Arsenal.

Fab 4

Season Review: Most Improved Players

For today's part of the 2008-09 season review, we'll be taking a look at the four most improved players over the course of this past season. Who has proven themselves to be first-choice, and who can, on the basis of this season, look forward to next with confidence?

Perhaps the most improved player of all was Denilson. Opinions seem to be definitively split on our young Brazilian midfielder, but I personally believe he has come on in leaps and bounds this season. The stats show he has actually done better than Flamini did last season. In roughly the same number of appearances, he has made more tackles, more interceptions, completed more passes, and covered more of the pitch than Flamini did last year. The Premier League Actim Index lists him as our best player for this past season.

Now, Arsene Wenger has said in the past that he loves stats. He bases much of his signings on stats, he looks at players' potential through them, and he compares players with stats. I like to do much the same, and when the stats say Denilson is better, who am I to disagree? Denilson and Flamini are two very different players, clearly, both with differing playing styles. And because they are not the same, many gooners mistake this for Denilson being inferior. But if the stats say he has done better, than perhaps the Denilson style of play is better after all.

Next most improved is Alexandre Song. During the first half of the season he looked alright, but not really any better than last season. However, in the second half of the season, when his playing time became more and more common, he started to grow into a much better player. He often partnered Denilson in the centre, and he really took on the role of midfield enforcer. When Cesc returned and Denilson was dropped, Song kept his place alongside him, and I believe this is when he took off.

Song and Fabregas started to develop a real partnership. Song is seems to be bred for defense, so his tackling was always going to be good, but playing alongside Cesc seemed to bring out his passing attributes a lot more. He became a more rounded player, and ultimately I think he could well be Cesc's partner next year without any problems at all. And best of all, when Song was deployed at centre half, he looked comfortable and confident, as good or even better than Kolo Toure. So Song has proven this season to be an excellent defensive midfielder, perhaps even first choice, and a very adequate backup center-back.

So our centre of midfield, then, has greatly improved over the course of the past season. But who else has improved? I could mention any of the younger players, from Wilshere, to Ramsey, to Vela. But the young player closest to the first team this season became our young left back Gibbs.

K. Gibbs was really thrust into action when Clichy was injured. Silvestre could play there, but I think the boss wanted to keep good speed and attacks going on the left wing, so Gibbs was played there instead. He developed slowly, made a few mistakes, including the now infamous one against Man Utd, but otherwise he looked solid. In the first leg especially, he had Ronaldo in his pocket. The Portuguese winger was completely taken out of the game for long periods of time, and Gibbs has to be credited with at least some of that.

By the time the season was over, Gibbs looked quite as good as Clichy, and I believe he could really give our first-choice left back a run for his money next season. Clichy didn't have the best of years, and if Gibbs plays as well as he has been, then Gael will really have to pick up his game to keep his place.

The last on our list of most improved players was a tough one for me to decide. Ultimately it came down to Gallas and Almunia. Gallas of course had the really rough beginning of the season when he was still captain, but after he was stripped of skipper status, he played better than ever before. He looked like the Gallas of old, the one who had played so well at Chelsea before we signed him. But ultimately his antics before December lost him the place in my review to Manuel Almunia.

Our Spanish goalkeeper honestly had a good year last year, but this year he stepped it up again. There were of course the occasional mistakes (Tottenham in October comes to mind), but every major goalkeeper makes those; just look at Petr Cech this season. But if we are comparing Cech to Almunia, I believe the Spaniard was better. He was more consistent, played better, and pulled off more reflex saves than the Chelsea player.

I believe this season has seen Almunia change from a decent keeper to a world-class one. He's still susceptible at crosses and corners from time to time, but what keeper is without a weakness? Certainly no human ones. But the moment that I realised Almunia was world class was in his outstanding performance against Man Utd at Old Trafford. I think if we had gone on to win the tie, his performance would have gone down as legendary status to gooners. He was a one-man wall, and single-handedly kept us in the tie with a chance to turn it round at the Emirates. We may have failed to to take that chance, but I won't forget how much Almunia did for us, both in that particular tie, and the season as the whole.

So there you are, our four most improved players: Denilson, Song, Gibbs, and Almunia. Each has proven themselves able to raise their game, and each continue to prove that our current investment in youth development does have its rewards. Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment in our season review series, and be sure to check the Season Review Main Page for a look at what is still to come. Till next time,

Fab 4

Season Review: New Signings & Flops

So to kickoff Fab 4 Arsenal Season Review week, let's first take a look at our new signings and the biggest under-performers this season. Did Arsene Wenger's moves on the transfer market work, and who or why not? And just who deserves the title of this season's biggest flop (and do they deserve to go or stay next season)?
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But before we begin looking at our signings, let's look at who we let go over the summer, and see if they would've helped us to silverware. There was first Flamini, who had left us even before the end of last season. Would he have helped? Absolutely; and I think that letting him go must be one of Arsene Wenger's biggest regrets. He and Fabregas had what Arsene described as the best central midfield partnership in all his time at Arsenal. The two worked perfectly together, and we looked unstoppable when both were in form. We missed the Frenchman this season.

Next was Gilberto Silva. As much as I liked the guy, I don't think this loss was terrible for us. I'll admit, when Flamini officially left us I was hopeful that Gilberto would be able to step back into his old first-choice role and play great once again, so when he decided to leave I was terribly disappointed. But in hindsight, I see now that he had lost much of his old magic; not just because he wasn't first-choice anymore, but also because of his natural ageing. Ultimately I don't believe he would've helped us too much this season, and we gooners may well have been calling for his departure by the end of the season. At least this way he parted on a positive note, and can be remembered fondly.

Alex Hleb was the final major departure of the summer, and to me the least missed one. We immediately bought his replacement in Samir Nasri, and Hleb went on to have a terrible season with Barcelona, so bad he didn't even make the bench for the Champions League final. Hleb's trickery and excellent vision were surely missed, but ultimately he was adequately replaced, and I don't believe his staying around would've really done anything to help us this past season.

So that wraps up the departures; how about new signings? There was first of all Aaron Ramsey. I believe the jury's still out on our young Welsh midfielder. He's still only 18, and though he isn't progressing as fast as Cesc did, how can we expect him to? Fabregas was a one-off, a player who peaked very early in his career, and could still go onto becoming one of the best ever. Ramsey on the other hand shows great promise, but will, I believe, develop on a more normal growth-curve. We'll start to see the best of him in two or three years, and when we do, it could be great. He is quite possibly the long-term replacement for our Fab 4.

Bischoff was also signed, but I think we can safely say he too is one for the future. He played one first-team game in the Premiership this season, and didn't look bad, but also didn't look spectacular. He certainly didn't influence this season, but may in the future; only time will tell. However, our next major signing did influence our season, and he did so quite dramatically

Samir Nasri was for me our first "big" signing in years. Many gooners had never heard of him, but seeing as I had, I viewed this as a big a coup as was signing Arshavin in January. I had seen Nasri play in France before, and was blown away by his skills and potential. They called him the "next Zidane" and I could actually see it. Of course, being the sensation that he was, I assumed a club like Man Utd or Barcelona would come in and snatch him up before we could even dream of getting him. So imagine my delight when I heard we were on track to sign the Frenchman. Needless to say I was excited at the prospect.

And he has done wonders for us this season. Scoring on his debut, with the first goal of the Premiership season made him an instant favourite, and when that was followed by his continued excellent performances, the two goals against Man Utd in November, and his later revealed ability to run the show like Cesc, he was perhaps one of our most influential signings. He did have a bit of a burn out by the end of the year, but I think his first season can be looked at as nothing but a success.

Silvestre on the other hand was a complete failure by comparison. I understand why Arsene Wenger brought him in, and I agreed with his reasoning, especially considering the man cost less than a million quid; but he ultimately failed to deliver. I can see why Man U were willing to sell him, as he was hardly a spectacular signing. For the future, I'd love to see him stick around, but only as a second- or third-choice defender.

Arshavin doesn't even need elaboration by me. He was simply fantastic, and his both his four goals against Liverpool and that goal against Blackburn will love long in all Gooners' memories. He proved, I believe, once and for all that big signings can and do work; and if we make another one like Arshavin, we may be top dogs in the Premiership once again.
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Who then were our flops this season. I already mentioned Silvestre, so I won't go into more detail there, but I think we can agree he was one. The next was Abou Diaby. Yes, he had a good game or two (the one in Turkey comes to mind), and was not terrible, but ultimately we could've done without him this season. He was too indecisive on the ball, had a bad first touch more often than not, and never fulfilled his potential to be the next Patrick Viera. I had high hopes for him this season, and he failed to meet every expectation of mine. In my eyes, a flop.

Next was Nicklas Bendtner. No, contrary to most fans I don't hate the guy or wish him to be sold. I've seen great potential from him this season and at times he's been really good. So he should be kept here to develop, as I don't believe he will peak for another three or four years, but this season he did not peak, and was not one of our better players. If one match summed up his season it was the 4-0 win over Blackburn. He showed great potential and ability by putting himself into countless one-on-one situations and other opportunities to score, but he failed to put any away. This was Bendtner's season: great potential, and one to keep for future seasons, but ultimately a failure to deliver this season.

One could say that Toure and Eboue had less-than stellar seasons, and an argument could be made for Adebayor as a flop as well, but when compared to the three players above, I believe they did alright. But next season we'll need to see an improvement from all of the flops and almost-flops if we are to seriously compete for honours.

Look for the next part of our season review tomorrow, and remember to check out the main Season Review article to see what else is coming up this week. Till next time,

Fab 4

Season Review Week

Well, just as I was beginning to write up the season reviews, I noticed that Arsenal.com are also making this week their season review week. Maybe I'm in good company then, or maybe I was just too lazy to do it before the dot.com. Either way, let me preview what's coming up this week on Fab 4 Arsenal.

We'll start our season review by looking at the players. Two articles on them, one detailing both the most improved players of 2008-09, and also the standout players. But our first player review article will focus on how much of an impact (or not) our new signings made to the season, and also who flopped this season.

After the player reviews we'll look at first our tactics this past season, then the manager. Is Arsene Wenger still the right man for the job, and why or why not? Did our tactics work this past season, and did they change at all through the course of the year? All questions to be answered in this part of the review.

Finally, I'm planning a final review of 2008-09; a look at the season as a whole. Was it a successful one, what did we learn, and where do we go from here? All my final thoughts onthe season will be in this last article.

And then next week I'll do a countdown of my choice for the top 5 best players of last season. This will depend on my own opinions and those expressed in the poll on the left-hand side of this page.

So make sure you visit Fab 4 Arsenal daily this week, as we'll be having the next part of the season review up each day. Also, make sure you follow us on our Twitter page, and become a fan of Fab 4 Arsenal on our Facebook page. And of course, watch this space this week for all parts of our season review. Till next time,

Fab 4

What Did the Last 3 Weeks Teach Us?

Apologies for the lack of recent posts...I should have said beforehand that I would be out for three weeks, but I didn't, so apologies to regular readers. Anyway, I'm back now, and ready to review those last three weeks of the season. Specifically, what did we learn from them?

The game against Chelsea was first; I did do a full match report on it, but I feel I should point out once again what I think we should have learned from the match. We learned just how good this Arsenal team are, and at the same time how unlucky. I don't think there can be any doubt that we dominated the game against the Chavs, and yet we were battered 4-1. How can something like that happen and it not be bad luck?

Sure, blame the defense, but remember that we were missing three of our first choice back five. No team missing that many quality defenders is going to defend at a top level. I get so tired of hearing how bad our defense is, when if you actually look at it our defense is quite excellent. We hardly conceded at all in the months from January to March, and then when the injuries came we started defending badly again. How can one honestly expect a patched-up defense to play as well as a first choice one? It's unrealistic and ridiculous.

Chelsea, then, taught us that football is not always fair, and that anti-football can indeed win the day sometimes. It's unfortunate, but it's the reality of modern football. At least we can take comfort from the fact that we dominated the game and with some better finishing surely would've won.

Man Utd was next up, the game where the Mancs sealed their Premiership crown. Well, United were simply toothless, and for 90 minutes we were the better team, with more energy, more shots, better passing, and much better possession. We really did deserve to get something out of the game, but I was simply proud to watch the lads play so well against the team that is supposedly so much better than us. They weren't on the day.

The Stoke game to end the season restored some pride more than anything else. There was surely cause for concern before the game began that our makeshift defense might have problems with the Delap long-throw, but in the end it had little effect on the game. We went out and battered Stoke, completely destroying them within 45 minutes. The second half was always going to be a stroll in the park, and we didn't need to create any big chances to be impressive: we simply had to enjoy the last 45 minutes in the Emirates sunshine.

Ultimately I think what we learned in the last three weeks was that this team really are not far off the top in England. The league table may say otherwise, but we outplayed Man Utd and Chelsea and were very unlucky to get the results we did, and then we destroyed Stoke in surely one of the most comfortable games of the season. We learned that this Arsenal team is a good one, and if we can hold it together this summer and get a decent start to next season, we can once again be a top challenger for honours.

Thanks for reading; I'm planning a multi-part season review in the next few days, and to help it along, I hope you'll all vote on our new poll on the right-hand side of the page, asking you who was the best player of our season. I'll review my picks in part of the upcoming review, and look at yours as well. In the meantime, make sure you check out our new Twitter page, and watch this space for more.

Fab 4

Who Would Replace Adebayor?

The following article was written by our guest writer, Jamie Wright, a professional sports writer.

Adebayor to leave? Who would fill his boots?

With the slight possibility of Emmanuel Adebayor moving on this summer, who would you like to see as his replacement in Arsenal’s forward line next season?

Arsenal’s squad will be boosted with the return of Eduardo to full fitness in time for next season and it seems a safe football bet that the Croatian has been sorely missed throughout this Premiership campaign.

So, if you take Adebayor out of the equation, it would leave Eduardo, Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner, Carlos Vela, Theo Walcott and Andrei Arshavin spearheading the attack for Arsenal.

Personally, I believe that Eduardo and Bendtner are the only two out and out strikers in this list. Van Persie, Vela, Walcott and Arshavin would all prefer roles off the main striker. This would, of course, leave a gap up front for a target man.

Considering that the sale of Adebayor could generate a great deal of money for the club, I’ve short listed three candidates that would suit Arsenal’s style of play and sufficiently replace Adebayor.

Edin Dzeko
The Bosnia and Herzegovina full international has been a revelation for Wolfsburg since signing in 2007 with 33 goals in 59 appearances. His goals and presence up front have helped put Wolfsburg within touching distance of their first Bundesliga title. He possesses great aerial ability standing at 6’3” but still owns great technique and would suit Arsenal’s style of play.

Amr Zaki
Egyptian striker Amr Zaki is currently on loan at Wigan from El Zamalek. He started the Premiership season in fine form by terrorising defences with his sheer power and pace bagging 10 goals in 28 appearances. With his future in doubt at Wigan and no permanent transfer on the cards maybe an Arsenal bid might be in the offing?

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
’The Hunter’ as he is known in Holland, might be the person to fill the void up front. The 6’1” striker currently plays his football at Real Madrid where he signed in January for a reported €20million rising to €27million. He has great technique, athleticism and is lethal inside the penalty box, both on the ground and in the air. His future at Real Madrid seems to be in doubt as he has been unable to break up the partnership of Raul and Gonzalo Higuain this season.
Enter Arsenal?

These three players would all add more firepower to the Arsenal squad next season but would you prefer to see other areas of the team strengthened first?

Feel free to add your comments below, and email us if you would be interested in guest blogging yourself! The email address can be found on the left side of the page.

Want To See A Review of 2008/09?

Hey all; we all know that this season has been pretty dreadful. Once again we were left without silverware and we were denied it most painfully along the way. But there are always positives, and I can name a few off the top of my head right now, including Almunia developing into a wonderful keeper, Van Persie finally getting a full season, and many of our younger players maturing into decent footballers.

So if you'd like to see a review of this season, there's a really special opportunity I have been made aware of that I wanted to share with all you readers. Later this year a comprehensive insight into Arsenal's 08-09 season will be available on DVD, titled The Gooner Review.

The Gooner Review is a feature-length documentary on Arsenal's 2008 - 2009 season created by the fans, for the fans. Endorsed by Arsenal legend Bob Wilson, the film will feature interviews from members of supporter's associations, ex-players, Gooner celebrities and fans that travel thousands of miles just to see their beloved team play in the Emirates. Unlike any film made about Arsenal before, the Gooner Review will follow the ups and downs of an Arsenal fan's season, and give the definitive account of what it means to support Arsenal.

Sound good? It's probably the best professional DVD ever made to review a season, just because of how they go into what it's like for the supporters; and that's what got me into the idea, but there's also this little bit: anyone who joins The Gooner Review Club on http://www.thegoonerreview.com/ can vote on who should be in the film, what questions should be asked, and which interviews should be kept in. Members also get the chance to be in the film and to come to the gala premiere, as well as getting a free Gooner Review hat.

Not a bad deal, is it? By the way, they're also doing weekly Podcasts on the official Gooner Review site, with fans and former players' views and opinions on recent games and current Gunner activities. So you can listen to that if you're the sort who likes podcasts; I am.

So I thought I'd let you all know about it. It's a slow news week as we build up to Man Utd this weekend, so whilst your sitting around waiting for any substantial news anyway, why not head on over to thegoonerreview.com check out The Gooner Review DVD, and maybe even become a member so you can get a chance at that gala premier. Until next time,

Fab 4

Another Victory For Anti-Football

There is simply no other way to look at Sunday's match against Chelsea: it was a victory for anti-football; a defeat of flowing, beautiful football; the kind we all love to be treated to when we watch our team play week-after-week. And yesterday the lads delivered, but were humiliated in doing so. it was truly injustice at it's most supreme.

As harsh as the defeat may have been, you can't look at the match and say we played terribly; you honestly can't, not without lying to yourself. We started brightly, had our first chance inside 20 seconds, and had several more after that, and really should have been at least 2-0 ahead before they even had a shot on target. By all accounts, we were the preeminent team.

But then some bad defending from a free kick (which resulted from a Drogba dive, what else?) lead to us going behind. It was a shocker, and no one but the most biased of Chelsea supporters could say they deserved the lead. But I never felt too bad, I figured that with the way we were dominating and running the game we would be level in no time.

But Chelsea continued to defend resiliently, and we kept squandering our chances. And then before the break Chelsea went 2-0 up through an Anelka wonder goal. I could not believe our luck. And that luck continued in the second half when Toure put the ball into the back of our own net. He did nothing wrong: he had to try to tackle it away lest Drogba pounce, but it was just his luck that it swerved into the corner of our goal.

Still we ran the game, and when Bendtner came on we looked more dangerous than ever. We finally pulled one back through a headed cross (perhaps the way we should have tried to score all day) but then Chelsea got a solitary counter attack and scored perhaps their first and only deserved goal of the day. 4-1 was harsh, and it reflected nothing of the game.

From the scoreline you would believe that Arsenal were hapless and Chelsea brilliant (and so many of the papers are reporting it), but anyone who actually watched the game will know otherwise. We were the better team through and through, but we were far less clinical in the final third, and that, coupled with some bad defending (which in all honesty is to be expected when we're missing half our backline) led to our downfall Sunday.

It's hard to know where to look to find what went wrong Sunday. The attack was brilliant, if only they could finish, midfield was great attacking-wise, maybe not so good defending however, and our defense cannot I believe be blasted as being terrible in general: we were brilliant during January, February, and March.

But then it fell apart due to injuries, and that naturally leads to bad defensive performances; just look at Man Utd at the turn of the year when they lost much of their backline: they were dreadful. No team, no matter how much "depth" they have, will be the same defensively when half it's backline is missing. Full stop.

In the end I think the thing we missed most was lack of leadership on the pitch. I am and have always been very much in agreement with Arsene Wenger's apparent belief that players don't have to be old to be good or to win things. You can win things with kids, contrary to the popular statement, and last year proved that: we were brilliant until the psychologically devastating Eduardo injury, the effects of which I don't believe any team could withstand.

But this season something more was required. Kids are brilliant and can win trophies, but that has to be balanced by enough leadership to get the job done. Usually leadership and experience go hand-in-hand, and that's why older players are so often called a must for this team, but I don't think we require age as much as experience and leadership. Arsene Wenger said last week that he would try to bring in experienced players this summer to balance the youth in the team, and that is what is required. Not age, but experience and leadership. And with those qualities, I believe we have the potential to be as good or better than teams like Man Utd and Barcelona have been this season.

So what have we learned from the Chelsea game? Anti-football will continue to prevail as long as the teams playing beautiful football don't have the leadership and experience to overcome them. Man Utd and Barcelona did this season, and thus I'm thrilled that they've made up the Champions League final, but we this season did not. However all is not lost, and if we make the right purchases in the summer, I believe we will finally come of age next season and win something at last. Here's hoping for just that,

Fab 4

From Man Utd to Chelsea

Well, Tuesday night was just depressing, and seeing as you've surely read about 1,165,355 match reviews of it by now I won't bore you with another, but I will share a few thoughts and then talk about Chelsea on the weekend.

The game against Man U was supposed to be the big one; the game where the young guns finally showed their worth by returning to the Champions League final. And with the crowd fantastic as it's ever been and the players up for it, we started brightly, and were far and away the better team.

But then came the Gibbs slip which will undoubtedly live long in most gooners' memories, especially mine. You can't blame the lad for the slip up. Otherwise he was doing nothing wrong: his positioning was fine, he had Park covered, and until he misplaced his foot and it slipped on the always-wet Emirates pitch, he was doing a model job.

But when he did slip, when Park finished brilliantly, and when, two minutes or so later Ronaldo whizzed in an unstoppable free kick, the game was over before it had started. And it only went downhill from there. The spirit and confidence were gone, the goals were gone, and indeed many fans were gone. We conceded another on the counterattack and we scored a consolation penalty, but in the end we were knocked out in agonising fashion.

I was gutted, but just like the players must do, I and all the rest of us Arsenal supporters must move on. No silverware this year, but we can still finish the season with pride, and that begins with Chelsea on Sunday.

We host at the Emirates Sunday night a team who are, if it's possible, perhaps more deflated and dejected than we are. To be knocked out so cruelly (although seeing as I was hoping Barca would win, so wonderfully!) Wednesday night by the late winner from Iniesta killed their spirit and made players like Drogba go insane: cue his post-match antics.

So we have the home advantage, we've got Arshavin back, and we're not the only ones feeling miserable right now. All these things together makes me think that maybe, just maybe, we can snatch a win Sunday. We did it last year here and we did it at Stamford Bridge this season, so why can't we do it again?

And if we do, we'll only be three points behind them in the developing battle for third. Yes, it would be scant consolation, but I'd still like to finish third if we can and avoid next year's tricky Champs League qualifying round. If we win Sunday then all the pressure will be on Chelsea who can then not afford to slip up even once, or we'll pounce and steal their spot.

So come on lads, let's go out there Sunday and get some revenge for the F.A. Cup loss last month. We deserve it, and it can be done, so let's do it. Until next time,

Fab 4

Frustrating, But Deserved: Man U 1-0 Arsenal

It was a frustrating match at times, and in the end we never really deserved to get anything out of last night's Champions League encounter at Old Trafford. Shame really, but it happens in football, it did last night, and the important thing will be how we respond to the defeat.

But what a defeat it could have been. In the first 30 minutes, and even a few times in the second half, United could have scored at least five or six goals. The only reason we didn't go down in the same way Roma not long ago here was our fantastic goalkeeper, Manuel Almunia. Whoever doubted this man as the Arsenal goalkeeper ought to shut up right now, because he proved last night that he can be fantastic in goal.

His reflexes have always been good, and even when he was the No. 2 behind Lehmann he could pull off spectacular saves. But last night was something special, perhaps the best game to date in his career. He made saves from shots I thought were doomed to go in, and he is the real reason the score was only 1-0 last night. Thank you Almunia, and may your fine form continue.

Overall, the performance was not good last night. We were pounded in the first half hour, and Man Utd were making us look like a team fighting relegation. But then we slowly started to settle into our passing game, something I always knew would take us a good half hour at Old Trafford, and after that we slowed United right down. We took control of the match and rarely looked threatened after we started the keep-ball, but still we created no clear-cut chances.

I believe we most definitely will create several clear-cut chances at the Emirates in a week, but it's not so much the chances I'm worried about. It's the fact that we always need a good ten to twenty minutes (at home, away it's longer) to get going and get settled into our passing game. We saw tonight that we can be punished for a slow start, so at the Emirates we'll need to get going as fast as possible and not wait around, because if we do we might concede.

And therein lies the problem. Since we didn't score an away goal last night, we cannot afford to concede any goals next Tuesday. If United score just one, then we will have to reply with three of our own unanswered goals to win it. The only way to beat them is to win with a clean sheet. And unfortunately, that's about as likely as Sir Alex Ferguson admitting he agrees with referees and loves the Arsenal supporters.

Over the short history of the Emirates stadium we have won 2-1 twice and drawn 2-2. In short, we have never kept a clean sheet in any of our encounters. And though United haven't beaten us there, the fact that they've scored at least a goal every time means that next Tuesday we will have to set a new record against them. Either it will be the first time we have ever scored three goals against them at the Emirates, or it will be the first time we've ever kept a clean sheet there. Nothing else will get us through to the final.

I'm optimistic, and I believe we can definitely do it, but I would say that the odds are certainly not in our favour, and it's far more likely we will go out in the Champions League to yet another English team. Let's not let this happen, let's get behind the team next week and be the best 12th man we've ever been at the Emirates. The lads need us more than we know. Until next time,

Fab 4

Arshavin Proves Big Spending Can Work

This is an article from our guest writer Chris Rivers, a sports writer and Arsenal supporter.

Arshavin proving to Wenger that spending big can work

With everyone still focused on Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Manchester United perhaps now is a good time to take stock of what has been in my eyes Wenger’s acquisition of the season. Andrei Arshavin came to the Gunners with a big reputation after his performances for Russia in Euro 2008 and for Zenit St Petersburg in last season's Uefa Cup. 12 games and 6 goals later those who doubted the 27-year-old have been proved wrong in guessing that Arshavin wouldn’t be able to cut it in England. Hopefully though the main person that Arshavin has convinced that his price tag was worth it is Arsene Wenger.

The Arsenal boss hasn’t had the best track record when it comes to spending big; nobody will ever forget Francis Jeffers’ disastrous time with the club after his £8million transfer from Everton. We all know Wenger can take a youngster and turn them into a superstar but his ability to manage top talent has been called into question on occasions. The likes of Richard Wright, Sylvain Wiltord and Davor Suker all cost serious cash but flopped at Arsenal, despite Wiltord winning the league with the Gunners.

Those failures seemed to put Wenger off spending big and I know quite a few Arsenal fans were unhappy at the amount of star players the club was bringing in. Arshavin has proved that big name talents can change a side just with that touch of class. Look at Arsenal’s results since the Russian international has come to the club, they haven’t lost when Arshavin has started.

I support Wenger’s policy of bringing through the youngsters but believe you occasionally need to bring in the big names, if only to send out a message to the other members of the big four but also to give those players coming through the ranks something they can’t learn off their current peers. I hope that if given the cash Wenger will go out and bring in another big name during the summer of course to improve the quality on the pitch but also to give the club a lift as a whole and show that Arsenal aren’t a selling club. However, don't waste your next football bet backing this to happen!