Arsenal 2-0 Wigan – Carling Cup could bring further success
Posted on: December 1, 2010
After three days away from the blogging scene I have returned this morning for my usual post match review. I don’t usually take time away but I’ve just been so cooped up recently with work, time has evaded me. Anyway enough of me rambling on lets talk about what we all came here for. Not exactly fireworks in last night’s display but the job was done and with United being absolutely murdered away to West Ham it was a very important victory in regards to us taking a step to winning a trophy this term. Arsenal are now 4/6 favourites to take home the Carling Cup and a win in the Semi Final’s will send us to Wembley.
Historically we have done well in this competition before so its nothing new that we have reached the Semi Final’s, we just normally do it with a team full of youngsters. This season Wenger has used the competition to give first team players games and to help players regain their fitness and has taken it much more seriously. Wenger’s team selection this year has signalled his intent to win one Trophy at least and I’m pleased to see this, it should have happened far sooner in the teams 5 year run without a trophy.
The game itself was pretty dull, Wigan didn’t really look at the races and we didn’t shift out of first gear. An own goal from Alcaraz and a Bendtner finish from a Vela cross sealed the win for us. We had chances to really put the game to bed, but this was the first time in a long time where we have been 2-0 up and I have felt very comfortable. Good performances from Van Persie, Djourou and Gibbs were the highlights of the display and also RVP came away with 70 minutes under his belt and seemed to be unscathed (Touches wood).
Not too many negatives to take from last nights game other than only giving JET 10 minutes playing time once again. It’s great Jay is actually getting games but 10 minutes is hardly enough time to make an impact and impress. Maybe if we had been 3-0 up Wenger would have bought him on earlier, but I just feel like if your going to give the boy a chance then it has to be a real chance not just 10 minutes here or there. Who am I though to criticise Wenger’s skills in player development, I’m sure he knows what he is doing and just giving Jay a taster and something to work harder for in training and impress further in the reserves.
Overall though a fairly positive night, one step further to winning a trophy, RVP gaining some playing time, Gibbs playing very well and another clean sheet from Szczesny. Its imperative that we go all the way in this competition so this team knows what it feels like to win a Trophy together. For many players this will be their first trophy as a professional footballer and will be their first experience of actually winning something. If we do go all the way in the Carling Cup this could serve us well in the title race because for once the team will be full of winners and confidence.
Someone pointed out to me the other day that Arsenal are ‘a team full of losers’. Not loser’s in the fact that they ate their packed lunch alone in the canteen when they were 15 because they had no friends, but loser’s in respect to the fact that hardly any of our player’s have actually experienced winning a trophy, not just with Arsenal but any other team as well. This season we have bought in Chamakh who has won a French league title with Bordeaux and a few domestic trophies, as well as Squillaci who has won 5 league titles on his travels. Other than that however our best players don’t know what it feels like to win anything domestically. RVP, Sagna, Vermaelan, Nasri, Fabregas, Clichy and Song have never won a league title in their careers.
Now I’m not sure whether this has been a factor in recent years where we have failed to win a Trophy but it’s no coincidence that United’s and Chelsea’s squads are full of players that have won Trophies not only at their clubs now but with previous clubs also. Arshavin, Rosicky, Chamakh, Clichy and Squillaci are the only players at the club that have experienced Domestic League title success. Maybe this is why in recent years we have bottled it at the end of the season, because we don’t have enough players in the team that know what you have to do to win a league title. It’s just a thought but it explains to an extent of why we haven’t won anything since 2005.
Of course in order to gain experience of winning league title’s you have to actually win one first and I feel like winning the Carling Cup can give the team the belief and also the relief of winning something to push them on to do well in the League race. In recent year’s we have lacked belief and confidence when it has come to the final hurdle and in many of the last few season’s we have dropped out of all competitions pretty much within a few weeks or so. If we can win the Carling Cup and stick around in all competitions for as far as we can then maybe that could well prove to be the turning point in the title race.
Thanks for reading. Leave lots of comments please and answer my Question of The Day if your smart enough
Stat of The Day -Djourou has the highest win % at the club so far this season, having won 10/12 games he has played in.(83.3%)*
Question of The Day – Having featured in at least 7 games, Which Arsenal player has the lowest win % so far this season?
*featured in 7 games requirement
Szczesny – 7, Gibbs – 7, Djourou – 7, Koscielny – 6, Eboue – 6, Vela – 7, Wilshere – 7, Denilson – 6, Walcott – 6, Bendtner – 6, Van Persie – 7, Eastmond – 6, Nasri – 6, Emmanuel Thomas – 6
2 Responses to "Arsenal 2-0 Wigan – Carling Cup could bring further success"
December 1, 2010 at 6:11 pm
I would imagine that Koscielny is the answer to the question.
MrArsenal Blog 
December 1, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Your QotD is way too hard for little old me!
There is definitely something about a team not having a winning history/mentality – and equally, once a team is in the habit of winning, it breeds a virtuous circle because you KNOW you can do it, rather than just thinking it.
I think quite a few of our players do have a winning mentality – Cesc has won a World Cup, and Robin is fiercely competitive, for example. But there are a few who seem to think that there is little difference between giving 98% and 100%, when in fact it is that final 1% or 2% which makes the difference between the great and the merely good. Denilson always strikes me as that kind of player, with the lackadaisical way he tracks back once opponents have gotten got behind him. Vela too – why can’t he finish at 0-0 in November like he does at 4-0 in August? Personal experience of winning helps, but it’s not a matter of talent – you just need that bloody-minded attitude and determination to go the extra mile. The Invincibles had it. Then we lost it. This team has more of it than in recent years. I’m not sure it’s enough yet, but we’re certainly there or thereabouts!
http://thearmchairsportsfan.com/2010/12/01/on-a-cold-itz-night-arsenal-march-on-with-escape-from-alcaraz/