Euro Fantasy League Challenge – have you got what it takes?

Gooners unite and join me in a fantasy football mini league for Euro 2012

Prove your tactical knowledge in selecting a team that will carry you to victory.

It’s all in good fun but bragging rights are on offer here.

Will you keep it Arsenal and pick a team full of just Arsenal players? Will you be bold and add any Spurs players?

No team can be deemed rubbish as we have no idea who will come out on top. It is usually the cheap player you purchase who surprises all and wins it for you with those extra points.

Either way give it a try. You have nothing to lose and it is free to enter

Just log into the following website: http://fantasyfootballeuros.skysports.com/

Gambeanosnitch League and use Pin: 8031508

Good luck. Try your best though you won’t finish above me. I am the fantasy league king.

Euros start today, exciting times – AFC

It’s Friday 8^th June and the Euros are set to start today, the long wait is over and I’m feeling a little excited. Operation “cope without premiership” has moved into phase two if you are wondering phase one was the spluttering of pre-Euro friendlies we have witnessed recently but in my opinion international friendlies just don’t hit the spot. We as football fans need football that matters, games that have that life or death feeling. The friendlies are an excuse to iron out the mistakes and get sharp; the tournament is the time when the mistakes are unacceptable.

Our wives and girlfriends dread this time of year; the odd jobs we have promised to do are placed firmly at the back of the list of importance. They will have to wait a little longer for that shelf to be put up; they might as well buy a brand new washing machine because we are not taking a look at the current one now.

By the way no disrespect to the bona-fide football loving ladies, I know there are a lot of you and you will be enjoying the tournament as much as the next person.

Now the added interest to the tournament comes in the form of the Arsenal players that will be representing their countries. Many past and present stars will be on show in the majority of the games to give gunners fans plenty to mull over. We also have a category of potential former players which gunners fans will be divided over supporting through the competition. And a final category of potential signings, gooners across the land will turn into scouts and run the rule over the players linked with moves to Arsenal and give their assessment of those players and hope Wenger is taking note on Twitter.

I will give a brief summary of the players in question to look out for:

POLAND: Szczesny (current). Our current number one will be playing between the sticks for Poland. He has earned his plaudits whilst playing for his country and now on the grand stage hopefully he can show what he can do. Will be a major boost for his confidence to have a good tournament and will benefit Arsenal in the long run.

RUSSIA: Arshavin (could be going). Our Russian no.23 will be captaining his country and will hope to have a good competition. He seems likely to move on after the Euros so expect him to have extra incentive to impress potential suitors.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Rosicky (current). Super Tom will also be captaining his country at the Euros. Given his form towards the second half of the season for Arsenal it will be nice to see him carry that form into the Euros and have a good tournament.

NETHERLANDS: Van Persie (could be going) our skipper will be going into the tournament after a fantastic season for Arsenal. His confidence will be sky-high so his contribution in the tournament could be that final piece of the puzzle that can push Netherlands towards success. With his future put on hold until after the Euros many AFC fans will be backing Robin for success.

Ibrahim Afellay (Scout watch). Will be interesting to see what the Barcelona winger has in his locker

DENMARK: Bendtner (could be going) The big Dane looks to have one foot out the door, after spending the season out on loan and vowing not to return to Arsenal. Reception from Arsenal fans will be mixed.

GERMANY: Podolski (current) a great chance to have a good look at our acquisition on the big stage. We have all seen what Podolski can do in previous tournaments but this time as an Arsenal player there will be more interest in his actual play and how it can fit in at Arsenal.

Mertesacker (current) the tall German will be coming into the tournament on the back of a long-term injury. Hopefully he is back fully fit and has a good tournament.

SPAIN: Fabregas (former) Former skipper, some may wish him well, some don’t really care. I’ll still have an interest in him but not too bothered how he does.

CROATIA: Eduardo (former) Dudu is still liked by many Arsenal fans and it’s still quite sad it ended the way it did after his horrific leg break. What’s good is he got his career back on track and I would like to see him have a good tournament.

FRANCE: Koscielny (current) Our Kos is coming into the tournament on the back of a great season at Arsenal. He improves with each game he plays and has worked his way into Laurent Blanc’s plans.

Nasri (former) No comment

Clichy (former) nothing against Gael, hope he has a good tournament if he can dislodge Patrice Evra from left back slot.

Giroud (Scout watch). Let’s see what the striker can do, he has impressed in recent friendlies.

M’villa (Scout watch). Another we will anticipate to see on the big stage if he overcomes his ankle injury.

ENGLAND: Oxlade-Chamberlain (current) hopefully the Ox has a good tournament for an injury ravaged England squad. He has nothing to fear going into the tournament and if used right by Roy Hodgson should have a positive impact on the team.

Walcott (current) this will be Theo’s first proper tournament. After being swept into the England squad for the 2006 world cup and was unused, he was then left out of the 2010 world cup squad by Fabio Capello. Theo will need to use this tournament to make up for lost time.

Cole (former) No comment

SWEDEN: Larsson (former) Former player Sebastian should star for the Swedes this tournament. Never quite made it at Arsenal before deciding on taking his career elsewhere. Amazing dead ball skills, will be interesting to see if he scores any trademark free kicks at the Euros.

Well that’s the players with Arsenal links. Enjoy your Friday at work and then hurry home or to the pub for kick off. Roll on 17:00 (UK time of course)

Oguzhan Ozyakup: is Arsenal youth policy failing?

When the recent unconfirmed news that Oguzhan Ozyakup had signed for Besiktas broke this week it had me thinking of the many young players that have left arsenal over the years. Arsenal is a club famed for its development of young professionals and it’s rare to find a player who started at Arsenal who did not credit the academy for giving them a great grounding.

The thing about having a great youth set up is it is meant to transpire and develop into an integration of promising youngsters into the first team squad and carry on the traditions and foundations created.Barcelona despite their superstars still manages to successfully integrate youth players into their set up.

Given the way it has worked out at arsenal you could argue that is a flawed strategy as many players have worked their way through the ranks only to become frustrated at not becoming a first team player instantly. Wenger would champion them and talk up their unlimited potential but then their heads would be turned by the first chance of 1^st team football elsewhere.

Don’t get me wrong not every player that has come through the ranks has been the level of a jack Wilshere but many have had the potential to be as good. Some players develop to that next level of superstardom a little later in the process, not everyone can crack the first team at 17/18. That is one of the main problems, some youngsters choose Arsenal because they saw Fabregas getting his debut at 16 and think they will get the same opportunities. Their development can be different and the coaches in charge of the younger players and Wenger himself can spot those that have that something special that warrants fast tracking to the first team as well as those that may need a bit more time.

Footballers’ egos are one of the hardest things to manage; they go from running rings around opponents their age and being praised no end to then being told they’re not ready just yet for the first team which is something many young players just don’t seem to register with anything but negativity. This is the point to knuckle down, work even harder and earn the right to be a part of Arsenal first team squad. Some players are not prepared to just play reserve football and get the odd run out in the Carling cup, they want more sooner.

The opportunity to go on loan becomes available and most take it. I’m a big fan of young players going on loan; they get a chance to experience the real ins and outs of first team football. It can also be a measure of their potential if they excel at the club they go on loan to. I mean if a player goes out on loan (in this instance a striker) to a league 2 club and doesn’t score his fair share of goals there it can give an indication that maybe he may not ready to dislodge Robin Van Persie just yet. It can be a nice reality check as the goal a game ratio they had at u-18 level was just that.. u-18 level, the real world is not as easy unless your name is Messi.

The players that go out on loan and do have successful spells often return to Arsenal and find it hard to shift back into reserve football and out of the limelight. They taste that idolisation and when they return they struggle to accept being out of the picture again.

This is the stage where Arsenal has lost many a player they were not planning to let go of. If you look back names such as David Bentley, Sebatian Larsson and Steve Sidwell come to mind. I know, you see those names and probably think not good enough players but to me I honestly believe if they stayed at Arsenal and carried on their development they would have made it at Arsenal.

Ok, David Bentley turned out to be a complete sewer rat but he did have the ability to make something of his career. The main problem for David Bentley was David Bentley; he believed his own hype and thought he was a superstar before his time. Honestly with the right mindset and people around him he could have been a massive player for club and country instead he’s deemed a pompous joke that wasted a promising career. Larsson and Sidwell have carved out decent premiership careers for themselves and could have done a job at Arsenal without setting the world alight if they showed a bit more patience but the good times at Reading and Birmingham swayed their heads.

When Arsenal chooses to let a player go they often prove it was the right decision as we tend to hold on to the ones that have the superstar quality required for the top. I guess that must be part of our ‘business model’ to create marketable superstars with massive returns if ever sold.

A player that had the potential to follow in Cesc’s footsteps towards Arsenal 1^st XI was Fran Merida. He had amazing technical ability and was slowly integrating into the Arsenal squad before deciding he wanted a lot more a lot sooner. As is the risk you take from obtaining a player from abroad Merida seemed to miss Spain and it was inevitable he would go back, it was just how soon it happened that wasn’t expected.

His career has stagnated after a bright start at Atletico Madrid and is probably another reason that proves moving too soon isn’t always so prosperous. His situation when you look at it hasn’t changed much from his time at Arsenal as he has struggled to get into the team and spent half of last season out on loan to Braga. Was it worth it? He might say it was but deep down he knows the truth.

Ozyakup falls into a similar category as Merida in terms of ability and potential, if channelled correctly a very good player could emerge. The move to Besiktas still hasn’t been confirmed and I hope it is a made up story. There is some weight behind it since Ozyakup has recently swapped national representation from Holland to Turkey; so a move to a leading Turkish team wouldn’t seem so crazy. I actually think Ozyakup is in Wenger’s plans and should have a long hard think before jumping ship.

A loan move would be a more logical career move at this stage of his career, we will have to wait and see how this plays out but if Ozyakup does decide to move on then Arsenal will have to take a long hard look at whether their strategy to grooming youth is working. The time, money and effort put into these young players is not a guarantee but a gamble and its interesting to know how much money is lost when these players move before their time.

P.S Thank you to Oguzhan Ozyakup for breaking my spell checker.

Should He Stay Or Should He Go? (Part Two – Midfield)

Here’s part 2 of my look at the potential ins and outs of the squad, where I look at our midfield.

2. Abou Diaby: One of those players who divides fans; some say he is a decent player who has been unfortunate with injuries; others say that his injury record is such that it is about time we cut our losses. I have to say I’m in the latter camp and think we should cash in our chips. Quite how we do that though, I’m not sure. Has scored the odd decent goal but barring a Rosicky-esque rejuvenation, and given that trimming the wage bill would be a very good idea, I’d be happy to see him go. Go

7. Tomas Rosicky: He was about to come on against Swansea at the Liberty Stadium and I remember saying to my brother and cousin that we should just get rid, as for an attacking midfielder he offered no real threat up to that point. How wrong I was. What a second half of the season he had! First name on team sheet after RvP for me, and I was awestruck by his industry. Never stopped moving, like a typhoon in midfield. I felt with him on the pitch anything could happen. Cynics reckoned he was playing for a new contract, but what was even better was that he played like this even after it was signed. The best tribute I could pay to him is that I was more nervous about the Wolves game when he didn’t start, and I reckon his recent form is actually better than at any point in his Arsenal career. Stay

8. Mikel Arteta: I was annoyed when people dismissed this as a panic buy, as I’ve always rated him as a classy player. He turned out to be one of those quietly brilliant players, going about his business almost unnoticed…that is until he wasn’t there. It was no coincidence that Arsenal only won one match he didn’t play in last season, and it was not just due to his attacking element, but also his defensive-midfield work, which allowed Song to go forward. Without him, and with Song looking to play the ‘Hollywood Pass’ further upfield, the defence was horribly exposed at times. He’s no Fabregas (yawn), but still a very valuable signing. Stay

16. Aaron Ramsey: Thought he started well early on in the season, who could forget his last minute winner away to Marseille in the Champions League. With Nasri and Fabregas gone and the resulting added match time I feel he ran out of steam in the second half of the season. Despite this, I thought some of the vitriol he received from certain parts of the Emirates was frankly unacceptable. Admittedly he was making errors but he is an honest player trying his heart out for the shirt, and it seemed all the goodwill he had after his horrific injury appeared to have completely eroded from some. Hopefully he will come back stronger and confident after his Olympic experience and ram the boos right down the critics’ throats. Stay

17. Alex Song: A solid season from Song. His defensive game is well-documented, but he added a real attacking threat, along with the lethal Song-van Persie connection. Seems to have become a real box-to-box midfielder, although with Arteta out for the final straight of the season, his positioning sometimes exposed the defence. Feel he just needs to know when to play that ambitious pass, as too often he would try incisive through-balls rather than playing a simple and safe pass. Stay

19. Jack Wilshere: Such a shame we lost him for the whole season. And because of a pre-season match! We’ve really missed him at times this season, and I’m pretty sure Ramsey wouldn’t have had to play so much if he’d have been fit. Can’t wait to see him next season. Stay

26. Emmanuel Frimpong: A great prospect, just disappointed he seemed destined to get sent off at home to Liverpool early in the season, which during the match came as no surprise to anyone in the stadium. Saw glimpses of what he will offer though, especially against City in the Carling Cup (his battle with Nasri was funny to watch) and a productive loan spell at Wolves before his unfortunate injury. Stay

30. Yossi Benayoun: Another one who ended the season in fine form. He was frustrated he wasn’t playing more at the beginning of the season, and I must admit I was beginning to wonder what was the point in him being at the club. The upside was that he was fresh for the run-in. And he played brilliantly, full of endeavour and effort, a real threat. Rumour has it that he would rather go to a lower club and be in the first team every week – whilst guaranteed starts won’t happen at Arsenal, I still hope he will reconsider. He is a valuable player, too good to be wasted at Chelsea and deserves to be playing in the Champions League. Stay

Francis Coquelin seemed to cover in defence more than his actual midlfield position but has played well and has a fearlessness about him, so it will be interesting to see him push on next season.

That’s it for my take on our midfield, keep an eye out for the final part of my ins and outs, focusing on the attack.

CDrive77

Less pressure on Oxlade Chamberlain. Now kick on – AFC

So the sun has decided it doesn’t want to be part of the Queens diamond jubilee this weekend. The distinct lack of sun may just be the lasting memory of the weekend though credit to the British faithful many a street party continued through the rain. It is the British way I guess, what way to celebrate the queen’s special day than with the kind of weather we are known for in Britain. It seems the greedy sun managed to take any juicy Arsenal news with him, let’s hope when he returns he doesn’t come back empty-handed.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made his hotly anticipated full debut for England as he started against Belgium at Wembley on Saturday. I suppose there was very high expectation of what this kid could do and England fans observed with a fine toothed comb how Alex could be the answer to the underwhelming buzz emanating from the England camp.

In fairness I have seen Alex play a lot better, he frittered in and out of the game, did some good things, tried some things that didn’t come off but was always trying. Maybe trying a bit too hard but we have to take into account he was making his first start in front of a packed Wembley and live on national TV.

The more involved he is with the England camp the more he will grow and add more influence to the team. In a way I believe the more subdued performance is the best thing for Oxlade-Chamberlain at this stage. The fanfare that was building up around him based on a 15 minute cameo against Norway was gaining momentum. As much as an Arsenal fan I want the Ox to succeed what I don’t want is the customary unfair pressure heaped on him as the answer to the loss of more experienced members of the squad due to injuries. He is only 18 after all, he needs the patience any young player deserves.

England, going into tournaments usually has a core of players that the England fans deem essential to the chances of success of their team. Any injuries to that core of players and the nation are in complete disarray as to who will carry the team to victory. In the past Beckham’s metatarsal dominated front pages as much as the back pages of the red tops, Rooney’s fitness also carried similar interest.

This year, given the underwhelming response to the squad selected by Roy Hodgson England clearly seems to be lacking in the names with which our hopes are pinned on. Injuries have robbed England of some of those players, Jack Wilshere being one of the players which would have excited the fans.

At the same time the more experienced players who had to withdraw from the squad such as Lampard and Barry have been big blows to the England squad though it didn’t quite have that feel of it being the end of the world that they were missing. The quality of the replacements probably added more to the lukewarm expectations currently being felt. Rooney not being part of the first two games in the group stages just means he is at the back of England fans minds.

Usually England goes into these tournaments with many players prematurely dubbed as the stars of the team by the press; never quite works out that way. This time around England will start the Euros with no such stars and poster boys for their campaign. Rooney can’t be used as the poster boy as England potentially could well be out of the reckoning before he even gets on the pitch.

It is a chance for a name to be made, on par with David Platt making a name for himself at Italia 90. The important point is the opportunity is there for the name to be made through the performances in the tournament and not before a ball has been kicked. And that’s why after Saturday the buzz around Oxlade-Chamberlain will have cooled and the expectation lowered now hopefully he can kick on and have a good tournament.

The opportunity is there now to prove what us Arsenal fans have seen and know he is capable of without the fanfare.