Wild American Gooner

When Sports Are More Than Just Sports


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Arsenal May Have Lost, But It’s Not a Big Deal – Player Ratings for the Second Preseason Game

Arsenal may have lost a preseason game to an MLS team, but it was a game that meant little in the grander scheme. There is no need to panic. With only one true center back and striker on his roster, Arsene Wenger played an experimental side against Thierry Henry’s Red Bulls that didn’t create a ton of chances, losing 1-0. It was more of a training exercise than anything else, as I can’t imagine Arsenal will ever play with a false nine again this year.

It was a rather dull game, one I am glad I didn’t waste time and money traveling many hours to get to, given the lack of firepower from Arsenal. The Red Bulls played a good game, and showed themselves well, but the win means as little for them as the loss does for Arsenal. It’s always wonderful to see The King, Mr. Henry, around his old club, and he gave a satisfying performance. He looks like he still has a lot left even as he approaches age 37. The highlight of the game probably was when Henry was withdrawn, as it gave everybody a few seconds to appreciate him.

For Arsenal, integrating the next wave of World Cup arrivals will be crucial going forward, as there was a serious lack of depth in certain areas against the Red Bulls. With only a couple weeks left before games begin to matter, time is running short, and Wenger’s men will need to focus doubly on preparing for the opener. Promotional trips to New York may be fun, but training for the new season is much more important. The training camp in the quiet of Austria this week should do a lot of good.

On another note, the ESPN commentary during the match was quite noticeable. It was supposed to be Jon Champion and Taylor Twellman in the booth, but Twellman’s sickness brought regular studio analyst Alexi Lalas into the booth. I fell in love with Champion’s play-by-play style during the World Cup and I was not disappointed with him in this game. However, Lalas may have been the worst color commentator of any sport I’ve heard since Bret Boone in the 2003 MLB playoffs. Lalas had no idea when to talk, and gave way too many one-word answers. The awkward silences when Champion needed Lalas to say something were rather entertaining at times. It goes to show that not everybody is cut out to be a color commentator, even former players.

Player Ratings (1-10)

Tomas Rosicky – 6/10 – In the unfamiliar role of false nine, Rosicky gave an honest effort. While he never looked likely to score, he made a few decent runs and was always dropping deep to receive the ball. I don’t think he’ll play the role again, but it was fun for a half. In the second half, he was much more effective in his normal position.

Gedion Zelalem – 6/10 – With many eyes on the 17 year old, Zelalem may have underwhelmed a bit. It wasn’t that he was bad, he just didn’t seem eager to take men on when he got on the ball. He looked much less comfortable on the wing than he did last week in the middle. He did do well to set up Jack Wilshere on a one-two though.

Santi Cazorla – 6.5/10 – In his return to action, Cazorla looked his usual self, popping up in every position along the frontline to receive the ball. He had one nice effort from distance, and in general, I felt he looked quite lively. But his set pieces were far from impressive. However, that Cazorla was fit enough to go seventy minutes is a good sign at this point in the summer.

Aaron Ramsey – 7/10 – Despite having two blades of grass stuck to his forehead for much of the first half, Ramsey looked as calm as collected as ever, making driving runs through the midfield and winding up in dangerous areas. His tackling was effective as well. He looks just about ready.

Jack Wilshere – 7.5/10 – I felt Wilshere did quite well. He started in a deeper role, and won a few balls with well-timed tackles, showing off the extra pace he can add beside Arteta. And as the first half went on, he ventured forward and had Arsenal’s two best chances. On another day, he might have finished them. But it’s a good sign that he was finding himself in such good positions.

Mikel Arteta – 5/10 – Arteta looked slow against some of the Red Bulls pacier players, and wasn’t at his best in the middle of the park. Most of the Red Bulls attacks came straight through the middle, and Arteta wasn’t dealing with them properly. While he completed a number of passes in the back, he did have one noticeably bad giveaway that any Premier League striker would have finished. He also was a step slow on the Red Bulls goal, failing to get to Wright-Phillips in front of the net.

Kieran Gibbs – 7/10 – Gibbs appears to be as ready for the season as anyone. Looking quite comfortable in his new number 3 shirt, Gibbs got to the byline a few times and wreaked havoc whenever he got forward. Defensively, his positioning was solid as well. And he played the entire game.

Nacho Monreal – 5.5/10 – Monreal played a foreign position at center back and it was pretty obvious he wasn’t at ease in the middle of the defense. I would imagine he and Hayden haven’t played together too often, but it was noticeable that the Red Bulls had little trouble passing the ball to a runner in between the two of them in the first half. He’ll have his work cut out if Wenger wants him to be an option in the middle. He also was in no-man’s land on the Red Bulls goal from the corner.

Isaac Hayden – 6/10 – Along with Monreal, Hayden looked a tad inexperienced. While he did make a couple of nice tackles, he wasn’t always aware of where the strikers were around him. As he matures as a defender, he’ll need to focus on the communication aspect of the defending, as he and Monreal looked like they were two individuals rather than a unit at times.

Carl Jenkinson – 6.5/10 – Jenkinson always is ready to play. Knowing his time at Arsenal could be limited, he was an eager runner, getting forward quite regularly. There wasn’t much for him to do defensively, but he had one or two timely headers. I hope this isn’t the last game he wears an Arsenal shirt.

Wojciech Szczesny – 6/10 – Szczesny was a little busier in his half than he would have liked, but he did well to deny Henry in the opening minutes. He was also quick to get down on a second occasion that went wide. But on the goal, he could have been more proactive in getting off his line. The fault should be on the marking, but the Polish keeper will feel he could have done better.

Substitutes

Chuba Akpom – 6.5/10 – The young striker continued to show confidence beyond his years. He looked dangerous every time he got near the ball, and nearly set up a goal for Diaby. He might have done better with the left-footed shot he got on the break midway through the second half, but overall, it was another performance that showed Akpom could be useful in the near future.

Kris Olsson – 5.5/10 – Having stolen the show a week ago, Olsson failed to make the same impact in New York. In a 20 minute cameo, Olsson couldn’t find the right passes. And his free kick in extra time was disappointing.

Jon Toral – 5.5/10 – Toral hardly had a kick in his 20 minutes on the field. He played one nice through ball to Gibbs down the left, but overall, he didn’t set the world on fire.

Abou Diaby – 6.5/10 – Diaby was relatively quiet, but it was another 45 minutes without injury. And his brilliant finish on a disallowed goal should give him some confidence as well. He looked composed on the ball as always.

Mathieu Flamini – 6/10 – Flamini played a few nice balls down the right for Bellerin, but he didn’t have a whole lot to do overall. Alongside Coquelin, he kept the Red Bulls relatively quiet in the second half. But he might have marked his man better on a cross late in the half.

Francis Coquelin – 5.5/10 – Coquelin seemed to be pressing, trying to do too much with his opportunity. While he showed a lot of desire to get forward, and put in a good shift defensively, he lost the ball carelessly a couple times. It’s admirable that he is trying so hard to get back on Wenger’s good side, but he’ll need to be more disciplined to earn the manager’s trust again.

Ignasi Miquel – 6.5/10 – Miquel wasn’t involved much in his half of football, but he made a few nice clearances. One tackle in particular, followed up by a wonderful ball over the top, nearly set up Akpom for a tying goal. It was a quiet performance, but he didn’t do anything wrong.

Hector Bellerin – 6/10 – The young right back was lively going forward as always, but his crossing wasn’t accurate enough to create any chances. He wasn’t called upon to defend often, but he let his man get in a cross too easily at one point. However, he does look dangerous when he’s running forward down the right.

Damian Martinez 6.5/10 – I have to admit I have very low expectations for Martinez, and his wild flail at a header that went well wide did little to settle my nerves when he touches the ball. But he ended up doing quite well, coming out with confidence to claim a few crosses. It was a good performance from the young keeper.


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Arsenal Visits The King’s Court- Previewing the Second Preseason Friendly

Arsenal is in the my home country right now for preseason, and every picture of the players I see out and about in New York City makes me question why I didn’t make the trip to New York for the weekend. I really should be at this game, but I decided it wasn’t worth the 5 hour trip and an expensive ticket. When the only real option for getting tickets was buying Red Bulls season tickets – something that didn’t seem worth it for someone living in Boston – I made the decision to watch on tv. Had I not seen Arsenal play at The Emirates last March, I probably would have done everything possible to get there, but this time, I decided it wasn’t worth all the effort for a preseason game lacking most of Arsenal’s stars.

However, I am excited to watch this game on tv, as it feels like it’s been a while since last Saturday’s friendly with Boreham Wood. We are getting ever closer to the FA Community Shield and the start of the season, so each preseason game should be a little crisper than the last. I hope we see a side closer to the one that will start the opener – with young players getting a chance in the final 30 minutes – but I expect another mixture of experience and youth from Arsene Wenger’s side.

The World Cup has really taken a toll on Arsenal’s preseason roster. There are very few options anywhere except for the midfield. It’s a little alarming that Ignasi Miquel is the most experienced central defender on the roster right now. With Thomas Vermaelen, Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny yet to return, Wenger will have to field two center backs who hopefully won’t play a minute of Premier League action. Those returning will only have the Emirates Cup to prepare for games that matter, so this preseason game does little in way of preparation for the season defensively. And up front, there isn’t a single experienced player in New York right now.

However, I am particularly intrigued about the lack of strikers included in Arsenal’s squad for this trip, with the young Chuba Akpom the lone player capable of playing up top. While I am always excited to see him play, I take this as a sign that one of two things might happen this afternoon. Either Wenger will try an experimental lineup at some point – potentially even employing somebody like Tomas Rosicky or Jon Toral as a false nine – or more likely, The King himself, Thierry Henry, will put on an Arsenal shirt today. Wenger’s hint that the latter could happen was seen as a joke by the British media, but I’m not so sure he was joking. I’m sure Henry would like nothing more than 45 more minutes playing for Wenger, and in a friendly like this, why would his Red Bulls stop him?

Whoever he suits up for, I’ll be excited to see Thierry Henry as a part of the festivities, either on the field or as a sort of ambassador between the clubs pre-game. His presence around Arsenal training this week should have done wonders for a lot of the young players, who should look up to Henry as the ultimate Gunner. I would absolutely love to see The King play for Arsenal this afternoon.

By my count, 11 of the squad’s 20 members are central midfielders, so more than a few players might have to play foreign positions today, especially with zero true wingers on the roster. Wenger might even have to change his tactics for this game because of his personnel. However, that might make a friendly like this one more interesting. The starting lineup I want to see for this game is Wojciech Szczesny, Carl Jenkinson, Isaac Hayden, Ignasi Miquel, Kieran Gibbs, Mikel Arteta, Abou Diaby, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Jon Toral and Chuba Akpom. I would imagine Cazorla and Wilshere won’t go more than a half, so there will be plenty of time for the likes of Kris Olsson and Gedion Zelalem to see the field later on.

I want to see Diaby starting ahead of Ramsey today because I think he needs as much game-action as he can get to feel more comfortable going into the season. Missing as much time as he has in the last few years, every touch he takes will go a long way towards restoring his comfort level on the field. Diaby will be the senior player I’ll be most eagerly watching, as I do think he has a lot to contribute should he stay healthy (knock on wood). And Ramsey looked quite comfortable last week, so an easier game from the bench could be all that is needed for him to build fitness.

As far as the youngsters, I think most will be watching Zelalem as he plays in his home country. While he isn’t technically a United States international, every fan there will be hoping this won’t be the last time he plays in the states. I also will be paying extra attention to Akpom and Olsson, as they are two who could be ready to take the leap into the first team this year. They looked good last week, but that was hardly a real game. Boreham Wood is definitely not Manchester United. But then again neither are the Red Bulls.

Overall though, this game should be entertaining on a few different levels. The team sheet alone will be interesting to look at given the strangely constructed roster, and any appearance for Thierry Henry will be magical. I might not be able to get player ratings up right after the match, but I should have them posted by midnight hopefully, so check back periodically if you’re interested. If they don’t get up today, I’ll have them for sure tomorrow morning. COYG!


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Should Jack Wilshere Play as a Defensive Midfielder?

This is the third in a series of posts outlining my expectation for certain Arsenal players in preparation for the new season. To see Lukas Podolski’s preview, click here. For Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s, click here.

Jack Wilshere is no longer a youngster. Even though he’s still 22, this will now be his fifth full season as an Arsenal regular (fourth if you take out the entire 2011/2012 campaign he missed due to injury). By now, he’s had plenty of time to refine his game on the highest level. But even accounting for the hardships he’s suffered through massive amounts of time on the bench due to injuries, Wilshere has not lived up to the expectations he set for himself as a teenager.

One of the problems with Wilshere has been a lack of a defined role on the field. When he was most successful in 2011, he was playing as a deep-lying midfielder, one who rarely ventured too far forward, but always picked the right passes in possession. But when he came back from his long injury layoff, somebody decided he needed to be a number 10. The problem with that was he was a terrible finisher, which led to a tentativeness in the final third that your playmaker can’t have. He’s also spent time on the wing without much success in recent time when there was no where else to play him. But everywhere he’s played since he’s come back from the injury, he hasn’t been who Arsenal fans want him to be.

Now there is word coming out of Arsenal preseason that Arsene Wenger wants to see if Wilshere can be converted into a defensive midfielder. On the surface, this idea might make a great deal of sense. It would give him a fresh start in a new role, and it would allow him the chance to see the field. As it is now, I would have him behind Mesut Özil, Tomas Rosicky and Santi Cazorla in the number 10 role, and behind Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamerlain and even Abou Diaby in the box-to-box role. Wenger probably would disagree, but I wouldn’t even have Wilshere making the bench in those roles right now. So a positional change might make sense.

Wilshere’s combative style also would seem to suggest he could be a decent defensive midfielder, as he has always been an eager tackler. It has been that eagerness to tackle however, that has seen him wind up hurt so many times. Arsenal consider him prized goods, and I doubt Wenger would want to put Wilshere in a position where he’d be more likely to injure himself. I don’t see the Englishman being willing to alter his style either.

My main problem with Wilshere as the lone defensive midfielder is his lack of positional discipline. When he’s played there before, or at least when he’s played in the box-to-box role next to Mikel Arteta or Mathieu Flamini, he has often gotten caught far out of position. He has a natural inclination to advance the ball, and as his goalscoring prowess has slowly increased in recent times, he has begun making more runs into the box. He is one to forgo his defensive duties for the slightest chance at an attack.

With Ramsey so inclined to get forward in the other midfield role, and doing so with unparalleled success, Arsenal need an especially disciplined defensive midfielder who can cover a lot of ground expertly if Ramsey can continue thriving. Wilshere certainly has the talent – as he always does – but it is a question of discipline that will tell whether the Arsenal number 10 is suited for the anchor role. Personally, I’d like to see him try the position in preseason, but the second he starts venturing out of position on the regular, any experiment must be abandoned.

Wilshere has all the talent in the world. But that might be his biggest problem, as he tries to be a hero on the field far too often. Arsenal don’t need Jack the hero right now. They need a Jack that will be committed to whatever Arsene Wenger wants him to do. They need one that won’t pick up cheap yellow cards out of frustration. They need one that will be rock-solid.

I don’t think him going out and smoking a cigarette over the summer is as big a deal as people are making it, but I think it speaks to Wilshere’s over-confidence that he got caught by the press doing such a thing a second time. He believes he is a special talent, and it has gone to his head. He seems to believe things will be given to him because of the skills he showed from such a young age. In England’s World Cup journey, it looked like Wilshere found things unfair. When the going got tough, he complained about his playing time. Minor things like that say a lot about his maturity level.

I genuinely like the guy. And I desperately want to see him succeed. But I think a lengthy spell on the bench might do Wilshere a world of good in the long run. Giving him a wake-up call that he won’t just be given a spot in the starting lineup when healthy would send a message to the young midfielder that he needs to continue to work hard every day to get better.

I think he’ll end up having a great second half of the season, but I predict the first few months will be especially difficult for Jack Wilshere. Buried on the bench behind players that have earned the time, he will have to force his way back into the side. It might seem convenient to give him an opportunity to be a defensive midfielder, but nothing should be given to Wilshere right now. He needs to earn playing time the hard way in order to improve.

Am I being overly harsh on Wilshere? Please comment


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10 Years Ago Today

Watching the Red Sox blow a lead against the Blue Jays last night in a momentum-swinging loss, one that could prove decisive in Red Sox GM’s Ben Cherington’s Trading Deadline decision making, I started thinking back to better times. For today, I remembered, was July 24, a day that every Red Sox fan should have implanted in their memory. Ten years ago today, the course of the Red Sox franchise was altered. And I don’t believe I am exaggerating one bit.

On July 24, 2004, the Red Sox and Yankees battled in another mid-summer top of the division clash. The Red Sox had been slumping, and the Yankees were surging. It was not unlike the previous 86 years. But in one game, everything changed. If you still don’t know what I’m referring to, maybe you should watch this video.

That will never get old. The instant that future Red Sox captain Jason Varitek smashed his glove into A-Rod’s face, the Red Sox were given a belief that they hadn’t experienced in years. They could fight back. And damn it, they would fight back. They were done with the bullying from the evil empire. Done with the losing. Done with A-Rod. So when Alex Rodriguez uttered that first expletive in Bronson Arroyo’s direction, he gave the Red Sox exactly what they needed. He ignited a fire that has burned ever since. Three World Series trophies later, we all owe him a big thank you.

Equally important in that game for belief going into the rest of the season was Bill Mueller’s walk-off home run off of Mariano Rivera that completed the comeback victory. Everybody knew Rivera was the best. But from this game on, Mueller and the Red Sox believed they had the legendary closer’s number. That would translate to a lot of postseason heroics. Here is that home run from the Red Sox third baseman who never gets the credit he deserves to this day.

Everybody remembers the ALCS comeback in 2004, but had they not come back against the Yankees on July 24, the Red Sox might not have truly believed. And as we all came to learn in October, belief is everything sometimes.

There aren’t many moments in my life that I can tell you exactly where I was when something important happened. But I can paint you the scene down to the smallest details in this one. For a nine-year-old die hard Red Sox fan, this game was just about the coolest thing I’d ever seen. I turn 20 years old next month, which means that this game happened over half my lifetime ago now. That’s a pretty scary thought, considering that I feel like this game happened yesterday. Everything is still so vivid.

In over a century of Red Sox baseball, many moments have stood out as ones that will be discussed as long as baseball is played. But the image of Varitek’s glove in A-Rod’s face should go down as one of the most iconic moments in sports history. May it never be forgotten.

Today, let’s all raise a glass of whatever we are drinking to Bill Mueller and Jason Varitek. Without their heroics ten years ago, life as a Boston sports fan would be drastically different today.


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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Positional Conundrum & Best Wishes to Thomas Eisfeld

Continuing my series outlining my expectations and hopes for Arsenal players heading into the 2014/2015 campaign, I will today discuss Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. See here for the first post about Lukas Podolski.

There’s no denying that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has serious talent. Having burst into the team with a few dazzling performances early in 2012, the Ox looked a real star, especially when he showed himself well at the European Championships as a teenager that summer. But he has failed to lock down a place in Arsenal’s starting 11 due to untimely injuries and a congestion of players in his positions.

He has had a couple standout performances in the middle of park, notably in a Champions League match with AC Milan in 2012, but Arsene Wenger hasn’t regularly deployed the Ox in the position in which the manager insists the young Englishman’s future lies. There seems to be a reluctance on Wenger’s part to use Oxlade-Chamberlain in the middle, and it’s a bit perplexing at times. As a midfielder, his desire to pick up the ball and bring it forward with a directness not seen in many Arsenal players can be rather effective. His positional sense is also decent and will only continue to develop if he plays in the middle.

On the wings, an area of the field where Oxlade-Chamberlain sees the majority of his time, his willingness to drive at defenders causes major headaches. His pace is impressive for sure, but it’s his desire to go one-on-one that sees him create chances. He is always the most likely player to earn a penalty as well. But even on the wing, he’s best when he drifts inside. When he plays out wide, he can’t utilize the vision that marks his game in the midfield. He isn’t the best crosser of the ball, so what he’s limited to almost exclusively is pace.

Last year, a story emerged that stated that Arsenal had a clause in the transfer with Southampton that gave Oxlade-Chamberlain’s former club a sum every time he played more than 20 minutes. It cited a number of substitute appearances of just under 20 minutes. I doubt the report was true, but the stats were notable in and of themselves, as they showed that Wenger might be afraid of having the Ox on the field for too long. Maybe he’s avoiding the overuse that Jack Wilshere suffered from, or maybe he just thinks the young Englishman plays better in short spurts, but it’s clear Wenger isn’t ready to fully unleash Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Had he not injured his knee in the opening match of last season, 2013/14 might have been a season when he took a few steps forward. However, that injury and the groin injury he sustained at the end of the year made it a season that saw Oxlade-Chamberlain’s career stall. This year, competition for places is even steeper. But Oxlade-Chamberlain should be right near the first XI at all times. A single injury could give the Ox a much needed run in the side that could help him reach his potential.

If Wenger truly believes that Oxlade-Chamberlain’s future lies in the midfield, I would like to see him playing there. With Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Serge Gnabry all capable of playing out wide, the Ox should focus on playing in the middle. He and Jack Wilshere will be competing for the backup spot to Aaron Ramsey I would imagine, but both could also be options in the number 10 role.

I don’t think the Ox is going to have a great season statistically because I don’t believe he’ll have enough opportunities to start in midfield, but I think he’ll take a step forward as a member of Arsenal’s squad with improved fitness and a steady stream of impactful substitute appearances on the wings. Ideally, he would get playing time elsewhere if he’ll be sitting on the bench in London, but I don’t think Wenger would ever loan him out at this stage of his career. It’s going to be a big year for Oxlade-Chamberlain, but we might all have to be patient to see him get his chance.

On a different Arsenal story, I was a little bit surprised to see the news about Arsenal youth academy player Thomas Eisfeld departing the club on a permanent transfer deal with recently-relegated Fulham. Eisfeld has been a favorite of mine since he joined the club from Borrusia Dortmund’s youth setup, so I am quite disappointed to see him go. He showed a knack for scoring goals from the midfield, both in preseason games with the first team and in under-21 games, and was tremendously exciting to watch

However, it was notable that despite Eisfeld’s goalscoring talent, Wenger didn’t seem inclined to give him a chance at Arsenal, rarely giving him a spot on the bench in first team matches despite his regular participation in training. Fellow German youngsters Serge Gnabry and Gedion Zelalem were offered chances ahead of the older Eisfeld. So with Eisfeld turning 21, thus forcing Arsenal to use a 25-man roster spot on him because of his foreign passport, Wenger rightly gave him his chance elsewhere.

I would have liked to have seen him go on loan for a year rather than signing a permanent deal, but there might be a buy-back clause we don’t know about. However, I think it’s pretty clear Wenger doesn’t believe Eisfeld possesses the quality necessary to star in Arsenal’s crowded midfield, and if there isn’t a place for him, selling him so he can continue developing at a young age is the right thing to do. I wish Eisfeld all the best at Fulham, and I will be eagerly watching his play over the coming years.