Stike, strike...

I went on strike for the past few days. Today I will talk about the striking options of the club.
You have three types of strikers: the goal poachers, the chance makers and the hard workers.
In Arsenal we have Robin Van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner, Eduardo Dudu Da Silva and Carlos Tevez. We also have Arshavin, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Samir Nasri, Abou Diaby and Thomas Rosicky who all operate as second or wide strikers.
Whether in a 4-4-2 or in a 4-3-3 Van Persie has shown he can operate quite efficiently as a wide forward, a second striker or a main centre forward as he has done for Holland and Arsenal. Back from his best ever season judging by the stats, most of the expectations will be on him. He scored 20 goals last season and assisted a further 10 in the league but I believe like many he could and should do a lot better if not in stats wise in playing style wise. He did not use his dribbling capabilities as well as he could. Not scoring from free kicks was a let down. But to truly be the monster he can easily be, he needs to grow in stature and becomes harder to knock off balls. I have very high hopes on him as he can go on to be one of the very top best players out there. I hope this will be his year as our trophy hunt hangs a lot on his slim shoulder.
Bendtner frustrated more than one Emirates’ faithful in last campaign with his goal missing capabilities but he more than won amend with his key goals especially away from home. He finished with a very respectable goal return and for a third option he did better than anybody else in the league. But judging by his international status and his confidence level he needs to deliver and now! With Ade departing he has his opportunity to show how big he can be. I have a lot faith on him facing this season. If there’s one player to tip for a bright season he has my vote.
If many of our up front players are known for their wastefulness in front of goal, one who can never be found guilty of wasting chances is the Coazilian number 9. Eduardo Dud is the best finisher in the league and if he can be fit he will give another dimension to our attack as the only barometer for attack is goal and he sure knows how to get one.
Another one who is believed to be clinical is young Vela. He did show a lot of nerves and technical abilities in his carling an FA cup exploits. He scored delicious chips and showed glimpses of his great potential in some of his rather limited first team opportunities in the league. How much stature can he grow this upcoming season, I would not be able to answer but judging by what I have seen of him so far he could do a decent job for once a while for us.
Another young forward is Theo Walcott. In a 4-3-3 formation he will play a lot as a wide attacker but in a 4-4-2 I can’t see him playing a lot as a striker. Nevertheless with his pace and his rather good finishing he is a player who could do very well up front.
The second striker role the one that is supposed to link the midfielder with the goal getter and create chances is a position all Arsenal players believe they are born to play. Arshavin wants to play there, so do Diaby, Rosicky, Nasri, Wilshere, Van Persie, Bendtner and even Cesc has played there a couple of times.
I believe this a position which despite the departure of Ade seems well balanced with quality, profile diversity as well as in numbers. But as a team with an attacking style we need to score high goal numbers to be successful. We need to score far more than anybody else to stand a chance of being champion!

Wenger, what Winger?

Wenger, what Winger?

I want to talk like a wicked pundit. A winger wins you championship it’s as simple as that. If you look at the great championship winning team and you take off their best winger they become ordinary. Chelsea lost Robben and never won the league again and the only time they got a great run last year was when Malouda started to play like a true one. Manchester United lost Beckham while Giggs started to feel the years and they became casual until both Ronaldo and Rooney started to pour in some truly great wing performances. Liverpool challenged when they had Riera. AC Milan has never been the same since they lost that Serginho bloke. Barcelona sold Giuly and struggled until Dani Alves came alone as one of the best wing back of the game combining well with Messi. Without great Overmars or Pires seasons we have seemed hopeless.

It’s easy and quite simplistic to draw the picture like that but it can show us how important a winger is if you want to put your hands on the championship. I believe to be a great team you need one great winger at least. Of all the players Wenger put on the wings and they are a lot only Overmars was born to play the role. Pires did better than everybody else but only because he was a special player. Both Pires and Ljungberg were attacking central midfielders who were used from the wings. They both succeeded only because they had the attributes. A winger needs to precise, aggressive with the ball, to dribble, to assist and to score but more than anything to define the space in which the team plays. A winger needs to know when to narrow or to widen the attacking surface. They both excelled at that with great acceleration.

Of the current lads Arshavin looks like the safe bet for a truly great championship winning winger. Rosicky is as closed as you can get but Wilshere looks like a born winger and I hope he won’t be changed into a central midfielder or a half striker. Nasri can be a decent one while Walcott goes from sublime to mediocre between two actions. It’s not bad to help players learn their trade from the wings but only you always have to make sure you don’t have a mediocre player at each side of the field. Arshavin, Rosicky, Nasri, Walcott and Wilshere sould be the first choices wingers and bringing another would definitely not hurt our championship aspirations.

Now let’s compare our wing situation with those of our main rivals. Manchester United are left with Nani, Park Ji Sung, Rooney who’s gunning for a striking role and Giggs. Liverpool have Benayoun, Riera, Kuyt and Babel to call while Chelsea have Malouda, Joe Cole, Ballack or Belletti to use. Real Madrid may be able to use Ronaldo, Robben, Kaka, Sneijder or the likes of Van Der Vaart, Higuain and Drenthe. In Messi, Henry, Dani Alves, Seydou Keita and Iniesta Barcelona does not seem to lack options neither does Inter Milan with Mancini, Quaresma and the likes of Milito and Balotelli. I think Barcelona and Chelsea still look seem to have the best options if you consider their side backs. We may not be far but would need Arshavin to deliver and the rest to step up big time.