Arsenal Find Balance, Ozil Enjoys Himself

Arsene Wenger firmly defended record signing Mesut Ozil in his pre-match press conference yesterday.  The Arsenal manager, along with the always-loyal contingent of Ozil fanatics, stuck by the German through his extensive dip in form, a shred of loyalty which paid off today at Villa Park. 

The obvious and correct assumption to make about Ozil’s excellent performance today is that playing him centrally makes all the difference.  Starting underneath Danny Welbeck, Ozil’s license to roam the pitch was returned to him.  

In recent matches, Ozil would start on the wing and still drift into the middle of the park, but starting him here makes a huge difference.  

This way, Ozil was able to pick up the ball in the middle with 360 degrees of options with which to choose from as opposed to being bogged down on one of the touchlines.  His movement off the ball was fantastic as well, maintaining a certain level of fluidity with his playmaking mate Cazorla.  

Early on, it was evident Ozil was enjoying himself.  His first touch was astronomically more confident than it has been since the start of the season, and a side that lacked Arsenal's two best players from last weeks 2-2 draw benefited as a result.   

However, the positional shift is just part of the reason why Ozil enjoyed such a fruitful afternoon.  Without Alexis and Jack Wilshere in the side, more space was allocated in the middle for the German, and as a result there was much less congestion in the area of the pitch he is most dangerous in. 

Wilshere had been arguably the best Gunner in the past two fixtures, but he can’t play every game, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Aaron Ramsey on the bench next time out for Arsenal.  He needs a rest, and his dip in form has reached a boiling point.  

Similarly, Alexis’ exclusion was also necessary, as the Chilean has been tireless in his recent performances which have yielded three goals in four games.  Santi Cazorla deserved his start today, as did Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who has been a spark plug in each of his substitute appearances for Arsenal.    

Without a doubt though, the confidence Arsene Wenger instills in his players was on full display today.  Ozil, so often criticized both fairly and unfairly in his Arsenal tenure, has always had the support of his manager.  

Patrick Vieira, captain of the Invincibles side from 2003-2004, claims that the French manager’s biggest strength is the trust he has in his players.  Through thick and thin, Wenger has trusted Ozil and made sure he keeps the billing as Arsenal’s biggest and most important signing.  

Wenger could have subbed the German later on, but opted to leave Ozil on the field; he was simply enjoying himself too much to be taken off.  

Going into the match, Aston Villa were lauded for their early-season form, but Arsenal had other ideas.  Playing Ozil underneath the striker had a lot of to with it, but the balance that Arsene Wenger found in his side was phenomenal.  

Today Arsenal featured a side without one player playing out of position; something we’re not very accustomed to seeing.  It isn’t necessarily about getting all of the best players on the field at once, it’s about getting the right ones, something Arsene Wenger nailed in today’s statement win on the road.  

Round Four Story Lines

Who takes up Sturridge’s mantle?

Liverpool fans endured a roller coaster international break, seeing Raheem Sterling shine but Daniel Sturridge injured on duty with England.  Thus, Brendan Rodgers has some thinking to do prior to this weekends visit from Aston Villa.  

Rickie Lambert’s presence has changed games late on for Liverpool, but all eyes will be on Mario Balotelli if he is given the start at the weekend.  Balotelli, reportedly hauled off the pitch by Rodgers after stamping on a Wolves player last week, looked rusty in his return to the premier league, but should be ready to go on Saturday.  

It remains to be seen how Rodgers will line his team up.  Will he start Lambert, Balotelli, or both?  Raheem Sterling guarantees his inclusion after his performances with England, while Coutinho recently earned his first call up to the Selecao.  Lazar Markovic is gaining fitness, as is Adam Lallana.  Sturridge is one of the few Liverpool players with a guaranteed role in the side, so there’s no telling how Rodgers will alter his tactics in the absence of his talismanic striker.

Will Danny Welbeck make an impact?

I’ll beat this drum a little more.  Danny Welbeck looks set to feature as the main striker for Arsenal against Manchester City on saturday, his first test as a Gunner.  Barring some big risk-taking from Wenger, it looks like Welbeck will be the lone striker, so his impact could be limited against a team like City.  Unless Arsenal push numbers forward and give him support, I don’t see Welbeck making too much of an impact in such a big fixture.  

This will be Manchester City’s first big trip away from home, so I wouldn't be shocked to see Fernando and Fernandinho line up together in the middle, protecting Vincent Kompany and Martin Demichelis.  However, don’t count out a contribution from Englishman, who has the pace to get in behind the City defense, something Olivier Giroud will never have.

How will Chelsea deal with Swansea?

A home game to Swansea in round 4 of the league might not have been the most menacing prospect for Jose Mourinho several weeks ago.  Now, Swansea are second only to Chelsea in the league table and Gary Monk has his men firing on all cylinders.  

In retrospect, it’s not that surprising Swansea shocked Manchester United on the opening day of the season, but don’t expect the same at Stamford Bridge.  In the days following the instant-classic against Everton, Mourinho surely has been glued to his managerial duties in preparation for answering his three-goal critics.  

Swansea bring more attacking prowess to the table than Everton, but Chelsea are many peoples' title favorites for a reason.  At this point, it’s hard to see anyone outscoring Chelsea at home.

Will Louis Van Gaal earn his first win for United?

Yes.  Well, at least one would hope so when they host QPR on sunday.  Ander Herrera is fit after an opening day injury against Swansea, while Daley Blind, Radamel Falcao, and Marcos Rojo could all make their Manchester United debuts.  

On paper, United set the record for transfer window spending and now have a handful of top-class talents at the club.  The firepower Van Gaal brought in over the summer is unprecedented, but it remains to be seen if the players he has can produce results on the pitch.  

Angel Di Maria’s form for Argentina was spectacular in the rematch against Germany, and even Wayne Rooney performed well for England yesterday.  I reckon United win this one definitively, easing pressure on Van Gaal from all angles.  Falcao scoring off of a long-ball from Daley Blind would be dreamy for Red Devil fans.

Bounce back test for Spurs and Black Cats

Both Tottenham and Sunderland suffered poor defeats in round three.  Tottenham were thoroughly outclassed by Liverpool, while Sunderland granted QPR their first win of the season.  

Both squads are in need of a morale-boosting performance.  After their fast start fueled by the feel-good story of Eric Dier, Tottenham failed to solidify their identity as a top-four contender after a dismal home performance.  

Sunderland will be under more pressure at home, with new boy Jack Rodwell expected to make more of an impact the longer his tenure draws out with the Black Cats.  This early in the season, it is hard to call this game a must-win for either team, but the intensity of this contest should be nothing short of electrifying.

Welbeck 'That Guy?'

England put doubts to rest about the state of their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign with a satisfying 2-0 win over Switzerland tonight.  A nation still suffering the after effects of a horrendous performance in Brazil, England can rest easy that their Three Lions are headed in the right direction.  

Jack Wilshere, albeit not in his best performance, gave a glimpse of what life after Steven Gerrard could be like for England.  Jordan Henderson, tireless as ever, filled his usual quota of long runs and defensive cover.  Often the whip of English fans’ criticisms, Wayne Rooney also turned in a good shift.

The star of the show was Danny Welbeck though.  Arsenal’s latest addition spurned a glorious chance in the first half, but atoned for his lack of opportunism with two goals to secure a winning start in qualifying.  

When he returns to London Colney tomorrow, Welbeck will get his first chance to train with his new Arsenal teammates, culminating in a weekend showdown with holders Manchester City.  It’s almost a guarantee that Welbeck will start at the tip of the Arsenal attack on saturday, today’s performance indicative of what he is capable of.  

Like Olivier Giroud, he brings more to the game than scoring goals, as evident in his excellent passing numbers and ability to interchange with his teammates.  However unlike the Frenchman, Welbeck has the pace to make runs in behind the defense.  This will suit Arsenal’s midfield, which is adept at finding pacing runs in the final third.

What he showed today though, is that he can deliver when trusted in the middle.  Welbeck’s qualities are not that of an ruthless goalscorer like Diego Costa or Falcao, but his all-around game will compliment those who line up next to him.  

At Real Madrid, Mesut Ozil led Europe in assists, thanks in large-part to the pace of Angel Di Maria, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s runs.  In the absence of Theo Walcott and the inclusion of Alexis last season, Arsenal were stagnant, often playing a midfielder on the wing and the less-than-quick Giroud up top.  

Welbeck brings another dimension to the forward position; he has the pace that Giroud will never have, and the size that Alexis needs to be more consistent in the #9 role.  The biggest thing to take from today was his ability to take chances, and there will be plenty of chances at Arsenal.

It’s imperative that Welbeck integrates himself with the side in the days leading up to saturday.  If Arsene Wenger can see this transition through, Danny Welbeck’s impact at the Emirates will be very positive. 

Assessing Arsenal's Window

It is not uncommon for Arsenal to scramble for signings in the closing days of the transfer window.  In years past, Arsenal have left nearly all their business to the last day, the most recent window being a change from the ordinary.

With a war chest of riches to spend, Arsene Wenger had the tools to do almost anything in the realm of possibility.  Early in the summer, Arsenal were one of the star clubs of the transfer window.  Signing Alexis from Barcelona improves the team at multiple positions, not to mention he is nothing short of a world-class player, as he showed in the World Cup. 

Arsenal did an excellent job of replacing the departed players which needed to be replaced.  David Ospina is an upgrade over Lukasz Fabianski, and Mathieu Debuchy started over Bacary Sagna in Brazil.  Furthermore, after loaning Carl Jenkinson to West Ham, Hector Bellerin proved he could produce quality minutes after his performances against Benfica and Monaco in the Emirates Cup.  

Calum Chambers was a bit of a surprise, but it’s now confirmed that he will be the third-choice center back this season.  Under the tutelage of Steve Bould, Per Mertesacker, and Laurent Koscielny, Chambers could pan out to be a top, top defender.  Then again, Arsenal are one injury away from having just two first-team center backs, although that was the case last season as well.

Arsene Wenger did a wonderful job of replacing those who needed to be replaced.  However, he did not add to the squad as so many fans wanted him to.  Last term, Arsenal were in dire need of a center forward to supplement Olivier Giroud and a tough-tackling defensive midfielder.  

Both deficiencies were brutally exposed over the course of a long season; several routs against top teams showed the need for steel in front of the back line, while Giroud could not handle the burden of leading the line consistently.  

Many fans were calling for a world-class center forward, but what people might not understand is that those kind of players don’t grow on trees.  Diego Costa was the only world-class center forward to join the premier league, and Danny Welbeck is a better signing than most would think.

At Manchester United, Welbeck’s goal output was unimpressive to say the least, but this can be attributed to two things.  First off, Welbeck was more often than not featured on the wing; he has the pace to fill that position, but his natural position is through the middle.  

Secondly, with the presence of Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie, Welbeck was far from first-choice, let alone in his favored position.  At Arsenal, Welbeck will likely be played through the middle almost exclusively, and given the absence of Giroud, this could be his chance to shine.  

Wenger is a perennial risk-taker, but the biggest risk still lies in defensive midfield this season.  Between Alexis, Welback, and Joel Campbell, Arsenal have options up top.  In the defensive midfield, Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini will be tasked with much of the load, a scary thought for Arsenal fans.  

William Carvalho, Sami Khedira, and Morgan Schneiderlin were all seemingly available for the taking, but Wenger failed to pull the trigger on any of them.  In this area of concern, there is no excuse.  The funds were available, and even if Wenger overpaid for a player at the position, he would have been unanimously forgiven by fans.  

Arsenal were near perfect in the opening weeks of the window.  They replaced the players who needed to be replaced, and brought in a superstar attacker in Alexis.  However, I don’t see this squad as that much better than last year, and that is due to the lack of hard man in the middle.  

Offensively, Arsenal definitely improved, but Arteta and Flamini are both on the wrong side of 30 and aren’t getting any younger.  Between now and January, Wenger should make it a priority to negotiate some kind of deal to bring in a player who sits in front of the back four.

As I said before though, Arsene Wenger is a risk-taker; always has been and always will be.  However, the jury is still out on whether or not they can compete with the top teams, with their biggest deficiency still being a powerful midfielder, who they had two months to acquire.  

Same Old Wenger

A year ago, Arsenal fans were treated to one of the most memorable deadline days in history.  Arsene Wenger shattered the club transfer record and brought in Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid, but there was no repeat of last years drama this time around.  

Arsenal have become accustomed to being linked with big names recently, so the ‘breaking news’ that Danny Welbeck had joined the Emirates was underwhelming to say the least.  Welbeck is a good buy though, because at the moment Yaya Sanogoals is living up to his unfortunate nick name.  

At Manchester United, Welbeck was usually deployed on the left instead of his preferred position at center forward.  At Arsenal, his wish will be granted and could yet blossom under Arsene Wenger.  At just 23, Welbeck joins an already strong core of British players.

People were understandably upset after the transfer window closed.  Danny Welbeck was not what they wanted, but this is nothing new from Wenger.  While most fans prefer to live in the moment and focus on the most readily available sources of banter, Wenger is always thinking about the future.  

From Wenger’s point of view, he has a few reserve players who he’s willing to bet can challenge for the first team within a year or two.  Isaac Hayden is an excellent example of a young player Wenger rates very highly.  

Hayden possesses the exact skill set that Arsenal fans have been calling for; he’s a big and physical center back who can play defensive midfield too.  In the market, Wenger must weigh whether or not he wants to pay a transfer fee and dish out long-term contract for a player he reckons is already at the club.  

Serge Aurier looked Emirates-bound early on in the transfer window, but Debuchy’s signing proves Wenger knows what he’s doing.  With Bacary Sagna gone, the attractive option would have been to bring in the speedy Ivorian.  However, Wenger has Hector Bellerin coming through the ranks.

Bellerin impressed at the Emirates Cup and could make the right back spot his for the future.  Two years from now, Bellerin will be 21, Debuchy will be 31, and Carl Jenkinson will have picked up two years of premier league experience.  This is the best and most recent example of long-term plans being executed by Wenger.  

More immediately, Arsene Wenger is putting all the trust in the world in Calum Chambers.  Deemed ‘one for the future,’ Chambers is making his mark already at Arsenal.  His mistakes will become less and less frequent the more he plays.  Chambers offers cover in the defense and the midfield making his immediate value very high at Arsenal.  

Had Olivier Giroud not been injured, Arsenal could very well have not signed anyone on deadline day.  For who was available, and considering the business completed already, it isn’t too surprising that Arsenal ended up securing just Danny Welbeck.  

As a fan of the club myself, I was adamant that the boss needed at least one signing of a defensive player, whether it be in the midfield or back line.  The cruel nature of being an Arsenal fan however, is that Arsene Wenger doesn’t do it your way.  He does it his way, and this could be the best explanation for the lack of action in North London yesterday.