Olivier Giroud : The Brave Frenchman

Olivier Giroud must be a very brave person...or not too intelligent but the former option seems more plausible.

Being a slow-starter in his career as a footballer, Giroud was finally recognized when he joined Montpellier. He went on to help the team win their first league title and was French League 1 top scorer for the season with 21 goals and the team top assist provider with 9 assists. The team put his worth at £50-£60 million to ward off any suitors. However, he would eventually move for a fee believed to be about £9.6 million.

He moved to Arsenal...of all other teams.. Arsenal. This was a brave move or as stated earlier stupid move...but again the former is more like it.

With the departure of Robin van Persie, it was obvious Giroud had been brought in to replace him. Podolski and Cazorla did come in with him would help but he is the central striker at Arsenal. He had mighty big shoes to fill and lots of broken hearts for him to mend. The fans started doubting him from day 1.

Aside from big boots to fill, he joined a team that is not known for its strength in delivering good crosses and corners which was a disadvantage for him as his greatest strength lies in his aerial ability. He is a great header of the ball. Here he was joining a team that knows not how to attack using aerial balls or defend them. He knew this and yet he still joined... Bravery?

The charming striker is not too pacy so when he joined a counter attacking team that plays 4-3-3 with the possibility of being flanked by Walcott or Chamberlain on the right and Podolski or Gervinho on the left he was asking for trouble. It is like a buffalo being flanked by a cheetah and an antelope and expected to work as a team. He still chose to join anyway.

OG is also known for his neat flick-ons and his quite fancy touches. However, he should have known there is no mind that can understand them. Walcott particularly has been accused of not having a 'footballing brain' cannot read Giroud's intentions to save his life. The only players who seem to read OG are the clinical German Podolski and Rosicky.. Thus Giroud's balls normally go to waste. Yet he still joined??

He also joined Arsenal at a time when Theo Walcott thought he should be the main striker. This means that even when Theo is supposed to play out wide he tends to drift out crowding Giroud out of his preferred central role and thus reducing his efficiency. Giroud may have known this would happen and yet he still joined...one wonders why.

His bravery is shown by his statistics though. 16 goals and 10 assists for the very disadvantaged striker is very impressive. Aside from that, his qualities in defending set pieces have been noted and accepted by many fans and pundits.

Arsenal was definitely not the right choice for Giroud but Giroud was the right choice for Arsenal.

With better support and when the team learns to play to his strengths he will be lethal and will prove his worth.

Next time instead of singing Na na na na Giroud maybe the fans should sing 'brave brave Giroud'.

Till next time...

ATID

Written by Fridah Kariuki

Magnetism... Like Poles Repel

When Jack Wilshere returned to full fitness most gunners were extremely excited at the prospect of him teaming up with Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta to form what is possibly the best midfield in the English premier league.

Jack's skills were evident from the start of his return despite the lengthy lay-off. His vision, fine touch, drive and most importantly his winner's attitude was clearly seen.

Santi Cazorla's performance on the other hand seemed to plummet. He seemed lost from the games and out of touch. Infact, he seemed lethargic with most people asking that he takes a break. He did indeed seem tired and out of form.

Wilshere then got injured and has not featured in the last two Arsenal matches. Cazorla's performance has gone back to normal. Those creative passes, the long range efforts, the holding on to the ball and the change of pace from the brilliant midfielder. He was key in the away wins against Bayern Munich and Swansea. Is this a coincidence? I think not.

Cazorla and Wilshere are both controlling forces in the midfield. Their presence is felt and seen. Before Wilshere's return, Cazorla pulled the strings in the midfield and thus had many assists and goals. On Wilshere's return, his performance went down. Wilshere seems to have overtaken him in that area with most balls to the midfield going via Young Jack. This made Cazorla seem redundant.

Unlike Arteta, whose influence on the game is hardly noticed, both Jack and Santi are dominant. If one is up, the other is down. Wilshere being the favourite of most gunners is almost always up which means Cazorla's performance is down.

This is a bad thing for Arsenal since Wilshere isn't the goalscoring midfielder or one that will get many assists....yet. This means he'll get there but now Cazorla is more important when it comes to that. Cazorla is more creative and being ambidextrous means he can play the free-role. Wilshere is great at driving forward and has great vision and distribution of the ball but sometimes that comes too late and possession is lost.

Like two North poles or two South poles on a magnet... They repel. Maybe squad rotation will help the team. Play them in different midfield sets... Santi Cazorla, Arteta and Ramsey.... Wilshere, Diaby (or a new signing) and Rosicky for example might work and be very beneficial to the teams and players individually as it allows them to grow.

Hopefully, they can strike a balance and learn to work together as that would be potent.


Till next time,
Fridah Kariuki

 

JACK Will..Share!

The Englishmen once said "Where there's a will, there's a way". How right they were especially when it comes to Arsenal.

Luckily though, the gooners do have a Wil.....shere. Jackie boy. Young Jack, Super Jack, Brave Jack or just Wil.

He plays with determination, strength, love, fire and passion. He puts the Wil in will. No matter what direction the game is taking, he has a winning mentality. He keeps the fight alive. He keeps the dwindling hope of Arsenal fans alive. He is Jack Wilshere. He shares the will not only with his team-mates but with the whole Arsenal family as well.

The man defends (remember that goal-line clearance), attacks, dictates play in the centre. He is just a JACK of all trades.

A natural leader too. He shows his team-mates where to pass the ball, He drives the team forward. He appreciates a great effort.  If Wilshere is in the lineup, fans get a relief. If Wilshere gets fouled, fans curse the opposition player. If Wilshere has a knock, fans panic and pray that he is alright.

He gets angry with sloppy play, he goes on tackling the players if are failing to make a positive impact and he gives a piece of mind to the defense when the opposition score.

The manager is all praise for Jack Wilshere.  He has high hopes on Jackie boy. This is what he said about the future Mr. Arsenal:
“He is a complete midfielder. He can defend and attack. He is a guy who can dribble and give a final ball, so the closer they are to the goal the better it is.”

If there is one player whom as supporters we can trust for the commitment, that is Jack. He is often compared to Tony Adams who once said "I'll sign any contract Arsenal put in front of me"

This is what Wilshere said sometime back:

 The present may look bad for the gunners but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and at the heart of the Arsenal for there is a Wil...shere.

Keep the faith gooners... Jack Will....share!

Till next time.. ATID.

Writeen by: Fridah Kariuki & Nishanth

The Ego Has Landed

Theo Walcott... He seems to have been enjoying being the center of attention the last couple of months. Demanding £100,000 a week and to play in the central forward position got Walcott refusing to 'sign da ting'. Well over time he did get to play in the center forward position and eventually the board has given in to his demands for a hefty pay rise.

I wonder though, does he deserve it or is the team and players worried about losing another big name? In my opinion, Walcott doesn't deserve to be the team's highest paid player.

He has scored important goals for the team but he has been so inconsistent as well. Against Swansea he kept drifting out of position and thus colliding with Giroud at the CF position. Giroud, being a team player, often moved to cover the right wing position causing an imbalance on the team. Against Manchester City, following Koscielny's red card and Oxlade's substitution, logic has it that Theo should have covered the right wing but he couldn't be bothered and he managed a measly 13 touches in 99 minutes of football, even Chamberlain had more touches in a tenth of the time. Time and again Walcott's selfishness has been seen but lately has become profound.

I will not deny it, the man can move fast as a racecar but his ego is fast overtaking him... He can't curve a ball so I don't see why he takes the free kicks. He seems to score only in those Arsenal made videos.  There are better kickers such as Arteta, Santi and Podolski. Walcott can't deliver corners also and in any case for someone who wants to play CF so much, shouldn't he be in the box trying to score.

Last I checked, a team attacks together and defends together. Walcott however looks at defending as a task for the poor and for players who aren't as massively talented as he is.

He has a first touch that resembles n infant's grasp. If he could lose the ego as fast as he loses possesion he would improve as a person and as a player.

Theo does score great goals but they are all inside the box. The man can't head the ball or score from outside the box. He does score some 'Henry-esque goals and that I appreciate but for £100,000 he should be scoring amazing volleys and 25-yard screamers.

Respect is earned. Walcott has got his money, I sure hope he can respect a team that has given him so much and prove his worth.

Victoria Concordia Crescit... Victory through Harmony. Walcott better know that and put in £100,000 performances for the team and with the team.

Till next time... ATID.


Written By:  Fridah Kariuki

A Gooner Wishlist To Santa

Dear Santa,

It is that time of the year that I tell you how great I have been (in this case, I have been a great fan) and how I deserve a visit from you to grant my wishes.

This year however I am transferring my gifts to the Arsenal.......you know, that top club in England that doesn't seem to be at the top any more.

As you know, this is my 14th Christmas as a gooner and by far the worst. If you follow football, you will know that Arsenal have had the
worst start to the season during Wenger's 16 year reign. This has left lots of gooners depressed and hopeless. Due to that, I have decided to forego my wishes so you can give them.

Santa, these are my wishes.

1. Please get Papa Wenger a new coat. He has one made from an old duvet and he gets really hot in it. This interferes with his thinking ability which causes him to make questionable substitutions.

2. Still on Wenger, please get him spectacles. He doesn't seem to see well and thus cannot tell how play is going. This has the same effect as the above said coat.

3. Dear Santa, please ensure during every matchday, the liquid in Papa Wenger's bottle is something expensive (preferably Bourbon Whiskey). This will help him relax especially when the team is losing and it will also save the ground and the waterbottle loads of pain.

4. Dear Santa, please find teams that can accomodate Chamakh, Arshavin, Squillaci, Djourou, Santos, and Fabianski. They are not deadwood (as lots of people say) but they will be if they stay on that bench, and also we need the money to pay other players and sign two or three more.

5. Santa, please buy Arteta and Wilshere new boots. I believe they have the ability to shoot but they hardly ever. I think it is the boots that they have. They are not shooting boots. Kindly get them multipurpose boots that can both pass and shoot. Also include Rosicky on that list for multipurpose shoes.

6. I don't know if this is possible but Santa please get rid of Gervinho's excess imagination. I believe the excess imagination makes him see several areas outside the post as possible goal posts and thus he hits the ball wide.

7. Dear Santa, please return Harry Potter's invisible cloak back. Because all gooners would like to see Podolski more on the pitch.
Danke!

8. Santa, please confirm whether the Arsenal medical team is qualified enough. Because we need Diaby back. Alternatively, make him strong as a mule.

9. Dear Santa, as the Arsenal DNA replicates and duplicates in warrior Wilshere and other young British young gunners, please enable horizontal transfer of Arsenal DNA to Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Sagna, Cazorla and Giroud.

10. Santa, please get the board a cheque book. This may help them invest. The money is there but I believe they don't know how to transfer it from their account to another account. A cheque book would come in handy.

11. Santa, please get Theo Walcott a pen so that he can 'sign da ting'. I think he lost his. Santa, you see this pen may also have another use...refer to wish 10. Maybe the board has no pen to 'sign da cheque'.

12. Santa as you know a trophy has been elusive for the last 7 years. I will take the FA Cup and Champions League, and yes I dare ask this, the Premier League... Okay, we'll take one this time.


That is it for my Arsenal wishes. However, in the holiday spiritplease let me request a few more things albeit for the enemy:

- Please provide a new gum for Alex Ferguson, he seems to be chewing the same one from 1986.

- On behalf of Chelsea, please get Ivanovic and Hazard bigger shorts. They have really tiny ones that make their behinds bubble.

- Please get Gareth Bale of Tottenham and a few others of Manchester United a swimming pool with a diving board.

- Lastly, Santa please get Robin van Persie a helmet...no scratch that..get him a helmet, faceguard, gloves..just get him American football gear in Manchester United colours. Santa, we wouldn't want him brutally murdered by a football.

That is all Santa. Thank you.

Merry Christmas all football fans.

Special Merry Christmas Gunners.


Wished by,
Fridah & Nishanth

An Open Letter to Arsenal Players

Dear Arsenal players,

I use the word 'dear' because I love Arsenal and also because you are an expensive lot to support.
Supporting you has not been easy. I will start by informing you of how hard it is for a female football fan in a third world country where the notion is not widely accepted labeling me 'weird'. It comes with insecurity as I can't watch the game in the house. It is harsh on my pocket (I am unemployed by the way) as I have to buy a drink at the sports bar. Don't forget the time difference and I do love my sleep. It is also not good for my heart because when you lose or draw, I get these mini heart attacks that I am afraid may become the big one that will be the end of me p.s. I am only in my 20s. Despite all these factors, I do my best to watch you, to support you, to defend you, to be proud of you and love you lose, draw or win.
You're playing worse every day and right now you're playing like the middle of next week.
I am hating this relationship as you do not give as you receive. So here is what I want from each you... and it's not much to ask:

Dear Wojo,
I appreciate the work you do. However, sometimes your positioning is so poor I am tempted to send you a compass. Your confidence is great but sometimes it borders on cockiness and at times it is not there. Balance that! Thank you.


Dear Sagna,
You have developed to one of the best right backs in the game,if not the best. Of late however,your game has been off. Please go back to the old you and send those crosses in. Stick to your name... Mr.Reliable.


Dear Jenko,
Your game has brilliantly improved it seems like a miracle. I trust you would do anything for your boyhood team so please improve your ball distribution skills and pass the ball quicker. Thank you.


Dear Per,
I love the way you play. You have saved the team lots. I would like to ask you to improve your pace but that needs a miracle. You can however use your great vision to organize the defence i.e. be more vocal. Also, use your good distribution skills to start attacking faster.
Danke.


Dear Koscielny,
You have been great since your arrival and you have improved. However, you get sloppy at times. Please be consistent.


Dear Vermaelen,
Captain,your confidence has been low and this has badly affected your performance. You were made a leader because you have the qualities. I need you to believe in yourself and your teammates and get out of the hole the team is in. Also, please go back to scoring. Thank you.

Dear Gibbs,
You have been great so far. You could improve on your crossing ability though. In the spirit of teamwork,please teach your teammates how to do sliding tackles. Thanks.

Dear Arteta,
I know you are playing a new role this season. This means you have to be more careful with your tackles (talk to Gibbs). Also, try to pass forward and less sideways and backwards. Lastly, SHOOT. You used to.
Why did you stop?

P.S. I love your hair.

Dear Jack,
Your vision,accuracy and strength amaze me. However, your temper is horrible. Nobody needs your temper,so don't lose it. Also shoot more often. Thank you.

Dear Aaron,
I am one of your few genuine fans. I believe you can prove your haters wrong if only you didn't hold the ball too long and just played simple touches. Also improve your crossing and defending. Thanks.


Dear Gervais,
You have the ability to get past defenders but your final touch...my oh my! Please pass or shoot quicker. Basically, think and make your decision faster. Thanks.

Dear Santi,
You have been amazing since your arrival. Amazing and just fun to watch. Lethargy has creeped into your performance crippling it. That
is EPL for you. Get a massage, relax and play. Thank you.


Dear Diaby,
Please stop getting injured. That is all. Thanks.


Dear Rosicky,
Glad to have you back. Please steer a come back. Thank you...
Oh and don't get injured.

Dear Podolski,
Thank you for the goals and assists so far. During matches please stop acting like a ghost and disappearing. Fight for the ball...look for
the ball hard. Also shoot more often. Thanks.


Dear Theo,
You have been sensational and deadly so far. Please improve your 1st touch and timing of runs. Thanks.

P. S. Sign da ting.

Dear Ox,
So far I can't complain much but please stop disappearing during matches and also track back when you lose possession. Thanks.

Dear Giroud,
I am glad that you started scoring. Now,please continue. Enoùgh said. Merci.

Yes I know our relationship is long distance but I am loyal to you so be loyal to me. Just make me happy.

COYG.

Yours truly,
Suffering fan.

Written By: Fridah Kariuki

Playing to the name

"Nicknames stick to people, and the most ridiculous are the most adhesive.  ~Thomas C. Haliburton"

Well William Shakespeare did say "What's in a name?  That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." 
Footballers have been named (by their parents at birth) and nicknamed by the fans and fellow players. The nickname comes from the player's name, from their style of play, from an anatomical attribute they possess thanks to genetics. 

Arsenal fans are keen at nicknaming the players in Arsenal and other teams. Are the nicknames fair or sensible. Do the players live up to it? After all words have meaning and names have power.

Wojciech Tomasz Szczęsny is just called Wojo or Sirchesny. To be honest he was born in a country whose people give names only they can pronounce. This led to the derivatives and the short form of his name. The trained ballroom dancer and excellent javelin thrower oozes of confidence and thus does deserve the Sir at the beginning of his name. He does boss his area.

Per Mertesacker has become a favorite to many this season with his timely tackles and intelligent reading of the ball proving himself a vital member of the team. While at Hannover 96 the slender Mertesacker was soon dubbed "the Defence Pole" (die Abwehrlatte) by German tabloids and gained a reputation for his good disciplinary record and went 31 Bundesliga games without being booked. He was 'Mr. Clean' of the Bundesliga. Over the course of his final two seasons at Bremen, the giant defender received just one yellow card in 63 league matches. Most people would expect that a central defender of Mertesacker's size would clumsily concede lots of fouls, but in fact, Mertesacker averaged less than one foul per game. His clean tackle reputation does continue even for the gunners. He has since earned the name "BFG" which means Big Fantastic German..... okay the F is not for fantastic but it might as well be.

Daddy long legs

Thomas Vermaelen  the current captain is best known as Verminator. This is an affectionate term that combines his name and that of terminator. This is because of his hard style of play and no-nonsense tackles. Verminator explained

Verminator

Verminated

Laurent Koscielny aka Bosscielny is  an aggressive, uncompromising and ball-playing defender. He is an efficient tackler and scores some important goals for the team too. He may have had the worst start to the season but he is still an important player for the team. He is also fondly known as Kozzer- a short variation of his name.

Tomáš Rosický was nicknamed "The Little Mozart" and "The Mozart of Football" for his ability to orchestrate play on the pitch. He has great vision, great passes and an amazing first touch. He conducts the mid field, creating chances and scoring a few as well. He is a key player in the Gunners symphony.

Olivier Giroud was dubbed le buteur de charme (the charm striker) during his time in France due to his goal scoring abilities and great looks and personality. He may have scored only three goals so far for the team but I know he will live up to his name.

Charming

Alexander Mark David "Alex" Oxlade-Chamberlain "the Ox".. So called as a short form of his name and also due to his obstinate nature when playing. Ox nearly chose rugby over football, he played rugby as a scrum half or full back.

Santiago "Santi" Cazorla González already known by his nickname "Santi". He is also commonly referred to as Saint. It is a play on the name Santi and also because he has been the savior for the team.

Lukas Josef Podolski aka Prinz Poldi as he was known by Koln fans due to FC Köln fans a spizname or nickname bestowed upon him by the Cologne press due to the title given to the head man of the Kölsch Prince Carnival. The name seems to have stuck at the Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta Amatriain the vice captain is some times referred to as the artist. He is so referred due to his ability to send killer passes, intercept opponent's passes and create chances from nothing. He plays an important pivotal role in Arsenal's midfield.

Theo James Walcott has been nick-named "Bolt" due to his speed. He is also known as "unlucky Theo" as he sometimes does not have much luck in front of goal. Where I come from he is known as "duthi duthi" which means motor bike. This reflects his speed and ability to get past defenders.

Aaron Ramsey aka Rambo....no  he is not called Rambo because when he scores someone dies. That is not the reason. He is so called due to his fighting ability. He doesn't give up at all. 

They do look alike too!

Gervais Lombe Yao Kouassi aka Gervinho aka Forehead. Gervinho is a Brazilian form of the name Gervais probably so named due to his dribbling skills. Forehead is a name in reference to his forehead which seems big.
 

Now, is this forehead big?

The rest of the Arsenal squad do have nick-names but the above are the most unique. Is there much to a name I ask? 

Until next time gunners/come back kings, it is I of the nickname Bobo.