That's why I wonder if he's a winner at heart. Surely a winner does what needs to be done to succeed. A dreamer on the other hand...
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2010/11 Player Review: Manuel Almunia
Despite starting the campaign as the Club’s No. 1, Manuel Almunia slipped behind Lukasz Fabianski and Wojciech Szczesny in the pecking order after missing over four months of the season through injury.
He bore the brunt of the blame for Arsenal’s shock home defeat to West Brom and a shoulder problem picked up in that match saw the Spaniard ruled out until late January.
Arsène Wenger admitted the goalkeeper could have left the Club during the transfer window but, after returning to full fitness, Almunia was thrust back into the spotlight following an injury to Szczesny against Barcelona.
As he had done the previous season, the Spaniard kept the Catalan giants at bay with a string of fine saves before Arsenal eventually succumbed to consistent Barcelona pressure.
That performance was followed by another good display against Manchester United in the FA Cup but Manuel was criticised for his part in a 2-2 draw with West Brom a week later. Then he picked up an injury during the warm-up at Blackpool at the start of April and didn’t feature for the rest of the season.
FINEST MOMENT
Manuel replaced the injured Szczesny after just 18 minutes against Barcelona in the Nou Camp and performed admirably, saving from Lionel Messi, David Villa and twice from Ibrahim Afellay. Unfortunately it was not enough to deny Barcelona a 3-1 win on the night and a 4-3 aggregate triumph.
Finest moment in a game we lost. Bale would be proud
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2010/11 Player Review: Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey back in an Arsenal shirt was a welcome sight for everyone associated with the Club.
A goal against Manchester United in front of a packed Emirates Stadium, and the celebration that followed, seemingly let out 15 months of frustration and showed us all exactly what we had been missing while he recovered from a double leg fracture.
Aaron ended a nine-month wait to pull on the red and white jersey when he made his comeback for the Reserves in November and got 45 minutes under his belt.
Successful loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Cardiff aided his search for match sharpness before he returned to the Arsenal first team as a substitute against Man United in the FA Cup.
Twenty minutes at Old Trafford was followed by 56 minutes from the start against West Brom and Aaron went on to be a virtual ever-present in the ‘Cesc’ role in his captain’s absence through injury in the final weeks of the season.
The winner against Man United and a return to Britannia Stadium closed the book on his injury troubles and another boost came in the Spring when Aaron was named captain of Wales.
With a full pre-season under his belt, expect to see Aaron become a integral part of Arsène Wenger’s side next season.
SOUNDBITE
"I think I'm nearly back to where I was. The thought of the injury doesn't go through my mind at all in any game. The loan spell at Cardiff did me the world of good. Getting out there, playing and getting back into the swing of things helped me massively. Hopefully now I can just kick on at Arsenal."
FINEST MOMENT
Aaron scored the winner against Manchester United at Emirates Stadium in May to keep Arsenal’s slim Premier League title hopes alive. Robin van Persie’s well-timed cut-back allowed him to stroke home a shot into the far corner and give Arsenal a 1-0 victory. It was Aaron’s first goal since his equaliser at West Ham in an FA Cup Third-Round tie on January 3, 2010.
Other than the goal v Mancs, he did f all.
He needs to step up next season
Jack cos he went through the year, played in every competition and showed the kind of promise that we can only pray will continue to develop from here on in
RvP would have got it had he played all year or his goals helped us bag at least one trophy last season
Ramsey, still has to prove his worth, I am hoping for a the kind of year we saw from Jack, however his raw enthusiasm runs through a differnt kind of vein to Jack"s
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2010/11 Player Review: Laurent Koscielny
Arsenal fans voted Laurent Koscielny as Arsène Wenger’s most effective signing of 2010/11 following an impressive debut campaign.
After moving to Emirates Stadium from Lorient last summer, Laurent was thrust straight into the hustle and bustle of the English game and, despite a red card at Liverpool on his debut, he seemed take it all in his stride.
Arsène Wenger later admitted that he planned to ease his fellow Frenchman into the Arsenal side but it wasn’t long before Laurent was the Club’s first-choice centre back following Thomas Vermaelen’s long-term absence through injury. While Johan Djourou and Sebastien Squillaci alternated he was a mainstay, making 43 appearances, and his mature performances fully justified his manager’s decision.
A season of highs also included a few low points with two red cards and THAT moment in the Carling Cup Final all part of the learning process. But there aren’t many who have adapted as well as Laurent to the step up in class the Premier League demands and that can only bode well for next season and beyond.
SOUNDBITE
“I am more confident and I have realised that I have the ability to become a regular player here and do well for this club. It was not easy but I got a lot of games under my belt, learned from them, took a lot of experience and now I am feeling really good.”
FINEST MOMENT
Arsenal had been frustrated by Everton, who held a controversial lead for much of the game, until Andrey Arshavin’s volley levelled things up on 70 minutes. Just six minutes later, Laurent lifted the roof off Emirates Stadium when he thundered home a header from Robin van Persie’s corner to secure a crucial three points.
Impressive debut season? :lol:
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2010/11 Player Review: Emmanuel Frimpong
Emmanuel seemed destined to make his mark on the Arsenal side in 2010/11 before a serious knee injury cruelly ended his season before he got his chance.
He looked a shoo-in for first-team opportunities after a pre-season that saw him feature heavily but suffered knee ligament damage on the eve of the Premier League campaign.
The injury put Emmanuel’s rise on hold for another year.
After a gruelling rehabilitation that saw him miss virtually the whole of the season he returned for the Reserves in April after eight months on the sidelines.
Having seen fellow academy graduate Jack Wilshere emerge as one of the finest talents in the game during 2010/11 you wouldn’t bet against Emmanuel following in his footsteps next season.
SOUNDBITE
“It’s been hard over the last [eight] months because I was doing well. You want to be out on the pitch and showing what you can do. I was going to go on loan [last summer] but then the boss said he wanted me to stay and be part of the team. It was just unfortunate that I got injured. I think being injured for so long can only make me stronger.”
FINEST MOMENT
Coming off the bench to complete 22 minutes for the Reserves to mark his return from the serious knee injury he suffered towards the end of pre-season.
Why would you have a player review of someone who did f all during it?
Sagna by a mile
Cygans better imo. Made far less mistakes and he was never first choice for us
And Silvestre whilst shit for us was better at Kozzas age than Kozza was
I won't have a bad word said about Cygan. He was a professional that always worked hard in whatever position Wenger asked all the while knowing it didn't matter what he did because as soon as whoever he was providing cover for was fit or the match was deemed important enough for them, Cygan would either be on the bench or playing in a different position.
I had the privilege of being there when he scored his brace and experience the surreal nature of his hero's welcome from Villareal supporters as I was in Spain when he signed for them.
Pascal Cygan :bow:
^ :lol:
Got to be Wilshere...been consistently very good with some outstanding displays...but yeh Sir Jack for his consistency....and not that mentioned but he only got injured once (with England) and missed no games through injury....reckon its down to his stocky physique...:bow: :bow:
wilshere for me, young lad played like a seasoned pro. got bit jammy at the end of the season but so did everyone else. the second best was robin.
Kos done ok this season and cygan was toilet
I don't see much of a difference really between Cygan's first season and Koscielny's. Both made several fuck ups which fans tarred them with, both also had many decent games as well.
cygan only played 15 games in the Prem and Kos double that. cygan should've had the benefit of the experience around him but it rarely showed whilst Kos had to be the leader in his first season in the middle. only stepanovs made him look good.
pascal was another poor defensive signing and Kos will either make or break it next season. so far so ok.
Cygan's chances were severely limited in comparison.
January 2006
Arsenal v Man Utd
Cygan playing at left back up against Ronaldo.
Everyone on 606 expected a slaughter
And we sure saw one. Ronaldo didnt have a kick as the game ended 0-0 and Cygan was awesome.
What a man, what a player. Very disrespectful to compare Koscielny to him
Ehem - Koscielny against Barcelona, February 2011?
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2010/11 Player Review: Jay-Emmanuel-Thomas
For a second successive year, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was heavily involved in Arsène Wenger’s pre-season plans as the manager cast his eye over the highly-talented youngster.
A goal in Arsenal’s 6-5 victory over Legia Warsaw suggested he was ready to step up to the first team but it was to be the Reserves where his season began.
The midfielder turned heads with some spectacular goals, including an outrageous individual effort against Everton, and hit the net an impressive ten times in nine starts for Neil Banfield’s side.
Despite his superb form for the second-string, Emmanuel-Thomas found first-team opportunities limited with just four substitute appearances, including a late cameo against Chelsea in the Premier League, to his name.
He joined Championship side Cardiff in January with Dave Jones’ side pushing for automatic promotion and went on to make 16 appearances for the Bluebirds, scoring twice.
His talent is clear for all to see and 2011/12 could be the season that this gifted individual fulfils his huge promise.
SOUNDBITE
“I think I can offer the first team something different. There is no one that plays exactly my style.”
FINEST MOMENT
His self-confidence was summed up by a moment of magic against Everton reserves. In one graceful swooping motion, Emmanuel-Thomas beat two defenders with an outrageous piece of skill before finishing with aplomb.
Time we sold him. He never will get a chance here
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2010/11 Player Review: Henri Lansbury
Scoring a goal at White Hart Lane in your first North London derby isn’t a bad way to announce yourself to the Arsenal fans and that’s exactly what Henri Lansbury did on his full debut for the Club.
The young midfielder netted the opening goal against Tottenham and played a pivotal role in a 4-1 win the Carling Cup to endear himself to supporters on the big stage and show that he can cut it at the highest level.
Lansbury linked up with the first team on a more regular basis than in recent seasons but, despite his obvious hunger to force his way into Arsène Wenger’s plans, further opportunities were limited.
He joined Norwich on loan in November and went on to play a key role in helping them win automatic promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.
Initially joining on a short-term deal, the midfielder was an instant hit at Carrow Road and had the stint extended to January following some sparkling displays.
The loan was again extended, this time until the end of the season, at the end of January and he continued as an active member of Paul Lambert’s side, making 24 appearances, as the Canaries secured a return to the top flight.
SOUNDBITE
“To come in against our rivals and score is a dream. Coming here [and playing] is massive. I've had all my mates on the phone today saying ‘Are you starting? Are you starting?’. To come here and win is always a great time for the fans."
FINEST MOMENT
Lansbury opened his account for the Club with the first goal in a derby victory at Tottenham in September. He showed his delight by leaping high into the night sky at the home of the Gunners’ north London rivals.
No point in letting him out on loan again. Either sell him or play him
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2010/11 Player Review: Abou Diaby
Abou Diaby enjoyed an impressive start to the season and looked set to play an influential role in Arsenal’s push for honours - but as so often his contribution was restricted by injury.
The French midfielder was troubled by an ankle problem for much of the first half of the campaign and then hurt his calf in December.
He made his comeback against Huddersfield but saw red at St. James’ Park a week later after reacting to a strong challenge from Joey Barton by shoving the midfielder to the ground. Diaby’s dismissal precipitated a dismal second half for Arsenal as Newcastle fought back from a four-goal deficit to snatch a 4-4 draw.
He returned to the side after his suspension but struggled to hold down a starting spot following the emergence of Jack Wilshere and consistency of Alex Song. Diaby will want to re-stamp his authority on the Arsenal side in 2011/12.
SOUNDBITE
“I think that, every year, you learn from things that happened in the previous season. Each of us understands that if we want to progress and win trophies we have to work hard together all over the pitch - both when we attack and when we defend. It’s the only way.”
FINEST MOMENT
Diaby found the net twice in 2010/11 with both goals coming against Blackpool. His second, in the away fixture at Bloomfield Road, capped a fine breakaway to help Arsenal on their way to a 3-1 victory.
Time for him to go
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2010/11 Player Review: Robin van Persie
No one had a better 2011 than Robin van Persie.
No one has ever scored more Premier League goals from January 1 to the end of a season and no top-flight rival has come close to his record of scoring in nine consecutive away games.
Robin came back from an arduous World Cup summer with Holland to suffer a knock and a ten-week lay-off but he performed heroics in the half-season for which he was fit.
While others tailed off in the latter part of the campaign, Robin rose to the occasion to net 18 goals in 19 Premier League starts. He became Arsenal's go-to guy while injury hampered Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri lost some of his early-season sparkle.
There were braces against West Ham, Wolves and Newcastle, an audacious strike against Barcelona - winner of Arsenal’s Goal of the Season - and, to Robin's delight and relief, the first hat-trick of his career, against Wigan.
Who knows what Robin, and Arsenal, would have achieved if he had been fit for the whole season.
SOUNDBITE
“If I am really honest, I was starting to think: ‘Why can I not score a hat-trick?’. I had come so close so many times. I'd scored two goals and then I hit the bar or the post. I was unlucky. It means a lot because I've been here a long time. It was about time!”
FINEST MOMENT
Robin admitted he had just about accepted that he would never score a hat-trick in English football - and then he bagged a stunning treble against Wigan at Emirates Stadium in January. He fired home his first after 21 minutes, volleyed his second just short of the hour mark and even missed a penalty before wrapping up his hat-trick five minutes from time.
I was there for his hat trick :dance:
Arguably the last good match we had
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2010/11 Player Review: Ignasi Miquel
“Iggy has started the 20-yard walk between the Reserve and first-team changing room”.
That was the view of Neil Banfield after Ignasi Miquel began his pilgrimage with an assured senior debut at Leyton Orient in the FA Cup.
The highly-regarded central defender had already linked up with Arsène Wenger’s squad for cup games against both Leeds and Ipswich in January after injuries depleted Arsenal’s defensive options. After getting a taste of “where he wants to be”, Ignasi was handed his first-team bow in February and didn’t disappoint.
He made an excellent impression with a commanding display and earned high praise from Wenger. “He did enough to show that he will play in the Premier League and the Champions League,” said the Arsenal manager.
The Reserves captain was to get another chance to showcase his talent, this time at Emirates Stadium, in the replay against Orient. Again, Ignasi was faultless.
After emerging as one of the brightest prospects at the Club, the 2011/12 season promises to be another exciting one for this talented Spaniard.
SOUNDBITE
“I have to keep working and continue improving. Obviously [that’s what you’re working for], everyone here wants to be [in the first team]. Once you are there you can see how it works, I want to get there one day. It makes me want to keep working.”
FINEST MOMENT
With an assured performance alongside Sebastien Squillaci on his debut against Leyton Orient, Miquel made an excellent first impression on the Arsenal fans.
Assured performance? :lol:
Love the way the website spins everything in to a positive light. The guy was shit
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2010/11 Player Review: Bacary Sagna
Once again, Bacary showed just why he is regarded as one of the best right backs in the world with another consistent season in 2010/11. We were even treated to that rarest of things - a ‘Bac’ goal… twice.
For the fourth consecutive season since joining the Club, Bacary racked up 40-plus appearances and made telling contributions at both ends of the pitch.
His thunderous drive against Everton in November was the first time the defender had found the net since March 2008 but he wasn’t finished there. Another thumping effort, this time against Leeds in the FA Cup, doubled his tally for the season while a pin-point cross for Robin van Persie at Newcastle demonstrated his ever-improving delivery from the flank.
One of the first names on Arsène Wenger’s team sheet, expect nothing less than the same high standards Sagna has set himself next season.
SOUNDBITE
"I just wanted to give everything this season and play better than I did in the two previous seasons. I was not playing well and I think some people were disappointed. I was disappointed. I just wanted to bounce back and get to my best."
FINEST MOMENT
Sagna scored his second spectacular goal of the season to double Arsenal’s lead against Leeds in an FA Cup Third-Round replay at Elland Road. Andy O’Brien’s clearance fell straight to him on the right of the penalty area and he fired a unstoppable drive into the far corner of the net.
Was alright i guess. Needs to learn to cross though although it would help if we had some fuckers in the box
The official website is worse than Pravda. Notice how they only print the reactions from Twitter when we win, and when they do pluck up the courage to do it when we lose, they only reproduce the positive messages, like "we were unlucky to lose the match" even though it's obvious to everyone with half a brain that we lost because we played shit.
On a slightly related topic, did anyone bother adding up the old MOTM thread?
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2010/11 Player Review: James Shea
A surprise ‘call-up’ to train with Fabio Capello’s England squad, a regular spot in the Reserves, an eight-day loan spell at Southampton and a place on the bench at Old Trafford - it’s fair to say it has been a whirlwind season for James Shea.
The young goalkeeper had yet to represent the second string this term when he helped Capello and his players, who were training at London Colney, with their preparations for a Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria in August.
He quickly became first-choice for Neil Banfield’s Reserves and turned in some impressive displays, going on to make 11 appearances during the season. Shea provided valuable first-team back-up to Wojciech Szczesny in the New Year with Lukasz Fabianski and Manuel Almunia sidelined by injury.
His development was rewarded with a contract extension in February.
He joined Southampton on a temporary one-month deal soon after but spent just eight days on the south coast before being recalled by Arsenal due to an injury to Szczesny. The 19-year-old was quickly drafted in as Almunia’s deputy for a trip to Manchester United in the FA Cup and took his place on the bench.
Highly regarded within the Club, expect to see Shea continue his progress with a slightly longer loan stint next season.
SOUNDBITE
“I wasn’t nervous [at Old Trafford] to be honest. I just try to see it as playing a game of football with my mates. I felt quite cool, calm and collected but it was amazing. I remember watching Arsenal versus Manchester United games when I was younger and I always thought I would love to be there one day.”
FINEST MOMENT
Shea was the first player to run out for his warm-up at Old Trafford and received a magnificent reception from the travelling 9,000 Arsenal fans before taking his seat on the bench.
They are really clutching at straws with the finest moment comments on some of these players
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2010/11 Player Review: Andrey Arshavin
Andrey Arshavin will be the first to admit that he wasn’t at his sparkling best in 2010/11. But that’s not to say we didn’t seen glimpses of the diminutive Russian’s undoubted pedigree.
Who can forget his goal against Barcelona on that famous night at Emirates Stadium? How about the measured volley that was the catalyst for Arsenal’s fightback against Everton? Or his goal that emphatically killed off Tottenham in the Carling Cup?
While conceding that the forward at times struggled for form, Arsène Wenger was the first to defend Andrey who, pointing out that he “can always deliver something special”.
After starting the campaign well with five goals in nine appearances, Andrey suffered a mid-season dip and lost his first-team place at the turn of the year. But he still went on to rack up over 50 appearances and weighed in with ten goals from the left of Arsenal’s front three.
After a difficult winter, Andrey was back to his brilliant best in February with a crucial strike against Everton. Then against Barcelona in the Champions League he produced, as he described it, a “career-defining moment”.
If he can recapture that type of form next season, Andrey will no doubt be key to Arsenal’s challenge for honours.
SOUNDBITE
"To score against Barcelona for any player is a very crucial moment, maybe in your career. It doesn't happen a lot, especially [because] it brought a win.”
FINEST MOMENT
Never one to shy away on the big stage, Andrey curled home Samir Nasri's cut-back with seven minutes remaining to give Arsenal a 2-1 victory over Barcelona and spark pandemonium inside Emirates Stadium. That strike, and the celebration that followed, will live long in the memory.
Play him in his right position and hes the best player in the league by quite some distance.
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2010/11 Player Review: Conor Henderson
After missing the first month of the season through injury, Conor Henderson continued his development as a regular in the Reserves and was rewarded with his senior debut in an FA Cup replay against Leyton Orient in March.
Playing on the left of the Arsenal midfield, the teenager played the full 90 minutes at Emirates Stadium and excited fans with his obvious technical ability.
Although that was to be his only taste of first-team football, Conor continued as a mainstay in the Reserves, making 13 appearances.
His only goal of the campaign was a trademark free-kick against Wolves as Neil Banfield’s second-string battled back from two goals down to rescue a point.
SOUNDBITE
“It was nice to play the whole game and it was a really nice occasion. I was a little bit nervous before we were walking out but not as nervous as I thought I would be. The players encouraged me and that really helped.”
FINEST MOMENT
Conor impressed on his first-team debut against Leyton Orient, slotting seamlessly into the team on the left flank and showing off his cultured left foot.
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2010/11 Player Review: Marouane Chamakh
Before Christmas, Marouane Chamakh was being talked about as one of the best signings of the season.
Though he may have run out of steam during the second half of the campaign, his contribution in those opening few months ensured a solid start to the Moroccan’s Arsenal career.
The striker signed from Bordeaux early in the summer and took to the Premier League like the proverbial duck to water, scoring headers against Blackpool and Bolton as well as forcing a point-saving error from Pepe Reina at Liverpool on the opening weekend of the season.
Marouane led the line tirelessly in the absence of Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner in the notoriously demanding top flight and scored ten goals in his first 17 starts - a highly creditable return given he was still getting accustomed to life in England. And all this was in addition to his unselfish, energetic front-running.
If anything, Marouane was the victim of his own success after raising expectations with a flying start to his maiden season in English football. He struggled in the New Year and Van Persie’s superb form limited his opportunities.
But expect the Moroccan to be back stronger and back among the goals in 2011/12.
SOUNDBITE
"It's gone really well with the set-up here, I hardly knew anyone when I arrived but they all made me feel very welcome. It has been easy to settle in and this has allowed me to express myself and that's very important. Personally, I'm happy. I can do better but yes, I am happy."
FINEST MOMENT
Marouane scored a brace to give Arsenal a welcome 2-0 win away at Wolves in November. He opened the scoring with a header after just 38 seconds - Arsenal’s quickest goal of the season - and sealed the victory in injury time.
Think he'll be much better next season. Hoping his form before Xmas is shown next season throughout the season.
Yeah, I actually quite like him. He showed in patches what he can do. Unfortunately I think he's a confidence player, and that's what lets him down. Maybe Bender can teach him a few things about arrogance before he fucks off.
He did have a bit of a shocker after Xmas but people seem to be forgetting that he hardly played due to RVPs great form and Wengers retardness of only playing 1 up front.
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2010/11 Player Review: Craig Eastmond
Following his breakthrough season of 2009/10, Craig began the campaign with aspirations of cementing a place in Arsène Wenger’s squad.
His good form for the Reserves was rewarded with three first-team appearances before Christmas, including a first outing in the Champions League when he was named in the starting line-up for a Group Stage match against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Craig headed into his own net to give the hosts an early lead but recovered well and put in an assured display in the ‘holding role’ alongside Jack Wilshere at the heart of the Arsenal engine room.
But opportunities proved to be limited and, after making ten appearances for the Reserves, Craig joined Millwall on loan in January.
The midfielder made his debut in a 2-0 win against Barnsley the following week but struggled to break into Kenny Jackett’s side as they pushed for a play-off place. He made four starts and two substitute appearances before his season was ended in April when he sustained a small fracture to his fibula in training.
Though places in the Arsenal midfield may be hard to come by, don’t be surprised to see Craig force his way into the reckoning at the start of next season.
SOUNDBITE
“I hope I did what Arsène Wenger wanted me to do [against Shakhtar]. I tried to put the own goal to the back of my mind and play the way I play.”
FINEST MOMENT
Craig’s performance on his Champions League debut in the hostile atmosphere of the Donbass Arena showed maturity beyond his tender years.
One of our better young players. Hope he makes it