Where have all the good goalkeepers gone?

Chelsea's Petr Cech has failed to reproduce his amazing form since his head injury in 2006

The so-called traditional ‘big four’ teams in the Premiership – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United have all conceded more goals so far this season than at the same stage last year.

This statistic perhaps comes as no surprise when you consider those horror defensive moments from normally stalwart defences.

Take, for example, United’s Rio Ferdinand’s weak challenge on Liverpool striker Fernando Torres as he goes in on goal last Sunday or the freakish moment at the Stadium of Light with the much reported ‘beach ball incident’.

These incidents, along with Arsenal’s record Premiership goal tally for this stage in the season has made for an exciting watch but it begs the question,

What has happened to those top quality defenders and keepers that have made that top four so impenetrable in the past?

Let’s have a quick glance at the goalkeeping situation of the ‘Big Four’ so far this season:

• Arsenal’s goalkeeping situation, or lack thereof, is the most laughable. The Gunners have come to rely on a 21-year-old Italian, Vito Mannone, who after an impressive display at Craven Cottage in late September has kept the No 1 position despite some shaky performances thereafter.

Since Arsenal’s preferred No 1, Manuel Almunia was brought down with a rather convenient “chest infection” after a less than convincing start to the season he has been unable to wrestle back his first team place from the Italian rooky. Despite his horror moments, most notably at Old Trafford when he brought down Wayne Rooney in the penalty area, Almunia is the best experienced option the Gunners have and therefore the most reliable option in my opinion for the forthcoming game with old derby foes Tottenham Hotspur.

• Manchester United and Chelsea’s international goalkeepers, Edwin Van der Sar and Petr Cech respectively, are two very experienced goalkeepers and have a collection of European and home cups between them. But arguably neither of them have that invincibility that they once had.

Van der Sar was sidelined for two months at the start of the 2009/10 season with a broken finger and a flappable yet promising Ben Foster took his place.

Cech is yet to re-produce that form since his horrific head injury in 2006 that made him one of the contenders for best goalkeeper on the planet. A low point so far this season came with his sending off at Wigan Athletic after he brought down Wigan attacker Hugo Rodallega in the box - a game Chelsea went on to lose 3-1.

• Liverpool’s Pepe Reina is perhaps the only goalkeeper in the ‘Big Four’ so far immune from criticism. Apart from the beach ball incident, he continues to be reliable and alert and the way in which he ran the length of Anfield’s pitch last Sunday when the home side clinched their win against Manchester United, indicates his level of commitment to the team. If anything, the thirteen goals Liverpool have conceded so far would be in part down to the legendary, yet ageing legs of Jamie Carragher and the lack of a stable central defensive pairing.

Van Persie set to sign new contract?

Robin van Persie has revealed that there is a 'big chance' that he will sign an extension to his contract that expires at the end of next season.

Now that Arsenal have reached the semi-finals of two major competitions, both domestically and within Europe, van Persie recognises that Arsenal can fulfil his trophy ambitions.

But what happens if it all amounts to nothing? That Arsenal strive hard but fall short in experience and depth of squad, given their defensive injury list.

Will the dutchman retract his latest positive comments regarding a new deal and flee to an established European club like AC Milan that has failed to qualify for the Champions League this season?

Winning trophies

To be fair to the striker, another trophyless season is likely to unsettle other Arsenal's young stars. Captain Cesc Fabregas is a winner too and will continue to attract the greats in Europe.

To relieve the pressure from this young talented squad, a trophy is in order. But with the prospect of an ebullient Chelsea and resilient Manchester United in these knock-out competitions, Arsenal can not afford to show any weakness in age or fight to get through.

What is a rescuing strike?

Since when was a winning goal in the sixteenth minute of a game, a rescuing strike?  

Yes, a goal in injury time could rescue crucial points for a team, like let's say, Manchester United's Vidic's 92nd minute tap in against Sunderland at the weekend.

But surprise surprise, Times Online decided to use the word 'rescue' in an Arsenal headline, perhaps feeling it would be less credible for a Manchester United side to be needing saving. 

Lack of biting edge

Both Arsenal's home game against Wigan and Manchester United's against Sunderland finished 1-0 and showed signs of a lack of biting edge.  

And yet Times journalist, Brian Granville at the Emirates Stadium, selected the more derogatory of headlines in:  "Adebayor strikes to rescue sluggish Arsenal" compared to Jonathan Northcroft's more positive slant for Manchester United in "Nemanja Vidic keeps United on track".

Arsenal needed a win to follow-up on their victory at Chelsea last weekend and regain some consistency and confidence.  But United too looked until the dying minute, that they were to produce a third goalless draw in five games.  

Both sides were culpable for missing chances - Arsenal's Denilson and Adebayor both hit the post and van Persie shot wide on a few occasions.  United's Berbatov headed high from six yards out.  

Northcroft himself said that United "so nearly paid for a tired, uninspired performance" and yet it is Arsenal that is described as "sluggish" as they missed chances to cement their lead.

Surely both teams could be deemed a little sluggish, but now back on track. 

Have Arsenal resurrected their title hopes in their win over Chelsea?

Robin van Persie’s two strikes in three minutes in the second half certainly will have boosted the young Arsenal side’s morale.

But the reality is, a team’s winning mentality should not just be seen against the top sides in the Premiership but in every single game they face.

Wins against ‘la crème de la crème’ of the league – Manchester United and Chelsea, are impressive, but the North London side have lost to more predictably easier opposition, like Premiership newcomers Hull and Stoke.

Why has Arsenal lost those games?

• Wrong mentality.

Manager Arsene Wenger summed this up in his post-match interview this afternoon:

"It’s part of the learning process…that you need to understand that in every
game you need to be in that kind of state of mind”.

Whether they always perform to the best of their ability is another matter but Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool will always play to win and be the best irrespective of how lowly the opposition maybe.

And that’s what it takes to win consecutive matches in the Premiership, something Arsenal have struggled to do this season.

Any team will always want to beat a top four side, claim that victory and slice of history. It seems West Ham’s goalkeeper Robert Green consistently plays the ‘game of his life’ against Arsenal every season because he wants to beat them, but it is also down to Arsenal’s attack to make life difficult for him.

• Arsenal lost a winner in Mathieu Flamini – who sadly departed on a free transfer to AC Milan over the summer.

The way Flamini prepared himself on the pitch before a game was quite telling of his committed approach. He would jump up and down on the spot and do windmills with his arms, revving himself up to be ‘the running man’ in the side.

Flamini would run at players, not allowing them any time on the ball, and would put in a challenge and break up play.

No other Arsenal player can really do that, and subsequently opposing midfielders float around and run through the midfield unchecked and expose Arsenal’s already vulnerable defence.

Flamini’s replacements - Denilson and Alexandre Song rarely put in an effective challenge.

• The loss of Belarusian midfielder Alexander Hleb to Barcelona has also affected the Gunners’s ability to retain the ball and start attacks.

Granted Hleb never scored goals like his replacement – Samir Nasri – but he got stuck in, could keep the ball for hours through his skill and trickery, and was far more consistent in his performances compared to the one-hit wonder Nasri is proving to be.

Arsene Wenger is unlikely to bolster his team’s title credentials with any purchases in January, believing to the end, in his youthful side.

But by then, the title is likely to be all but out of sight.

Aston Villa need greater steel to secure fourth place

Aston Villa First 11 (Courtesy of Guðmundur Lúðvíksson)

Two successive defeats in a week for Aston Villa, see them miss out on the chance to go fourth in the table and overtake current premier league holders, Manchester United.

With all their youthful, promising attacking talent in Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Steve Sidwell and James Milner, Villa need to eliminate defensive slip-ups in order to progress and build on their top six finish last season.

A mark of a top club is often their ability to ground out results - to be resilient, even when they are not playing their best football.

Villa manager, Martin O’Neill, referred to this sentiment in his post-match interview with Sky Sports: "We didn't play well but we shouldn't have got beat. That really is the disappointment”.

This has frequently been the criticism levied at Arsenal – for example, in their away defeat to Stoke this season – and what both teams lack, are assured defences.

Good offensive play

In Villa’s away game at St James’ Park a week ago, they were unfortunate not to open the scoring on numerous occasions.

Laursen headed Gareth Barry’s 11th-minute corner against the post, ten minutes later Agbonlahor miscued his shot from close range and Newcastle keeper Shay Given expertly saved Ashley Young’s powerful attempt minutes before the break.

The away team needed to be patient, to keep their shape and continue to create chances.

Defensive inadequacies

Newcastle were re-invigorated, however, at the start of the second half, when Laursen all too easily allowed Obafemi Martins to cut inside twice, and score two well-taken goals.

Defensive midfielder, Nigel Reo-Coker, was also culpable for the second goal in failing to challenge the goal assister - Newcastle’s Argentinean winger, Gutierrez - in the centre of midfield.

Even more blinding defensive inadequacies were to blame for Middlesborough’s goals on Sunday.

Villa left-back Nicky Shorey misjudged Stewart Downing’s cross and Turkey striker Tuncay Sanli eagerly pounced.

Making his premier league home debut for Villa, midfielder Steve Sidwell equalised minutes later and then two minutes from time, made a wayward pass which was seized by Tuncay to score his second.

The premiership’s “top four” all have exciting offensive players to put their teams ahead, but equally important to their success are their gritty, powerful defenders, who fight to intercept that cross and make that last-ditch challenge that keeps their team in the game.

As illustrated in Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic's double tackle below:






Aston Villa’s defence needs to produce that form consistently if they are to viably compete for a Champions League place.

Arsenal remind us of their English heritage in their win over Manchester United

The distinctive poppy embroidered onto Arsenal players’s red and white home kit in their crunch game with Manchester United this weekend, not only served to commemorate Remembrance Sunday but also served to remind the viewers that the traditions of this football club remain quintessentially English.

Arsenal Football Club was the only club in the premier league to pay their respects in this way.

After the high profile game, the shirts were signed by the players and they are to be auctioned and raffled in aid of The Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes - two organisations that support servicemen and women and their families.

Arsenal Chairman, Peter Hill-Wood said: “The players are very proud to wear this shirt and remember those who’ve given their lives for our freedom. We hope these very special shirts can raise vital funds for those who have served and are currently serving in the Armed
Forces.”

Arsenal Football Club also lay a poppy wreath at Islington’s Green War Memorial after the game on Saturday.

The North London club also work extensively in the community. Their chosen charity for the 2007-08 campaign – Treehouse – raised £250,000 for a new sports facility at the autism charity’s new education centre three miles from the Emirates stadium.

English vision

As customary, only one Englishman, young Theo Walcott, made Arsenal’s starting 11 on Saturday, and the precocious talent of 16-year-old Jack Wilshire warmed the bench.

Manchester United, in contrast, began the game with four established English internationals – Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney.

Many have been vexed by the fact that a top four side in the English premier league can be so bereft of English players.

And indeed, it was a young Frenchman on display, Samir Nasri, whose skill and talent bagged him a winning brace.

But as Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, commented after the game it was a match of “fantasy football” and the pace, vision and passing of both sides was very much in the mould of some English greats.

Nasri’s industrious play and creative vision could well be likened to World Cup winner and ex-Arsenal legend, Alan Ball.

Compare below, Nasri's second goal against Manchester United on Saturday, with glimpses of the late Alan Ball's ability in his tribute video:





English ownership

Arsenal is the only top four premiership club to have not bowed to foreign ownership, despite mounting pressure.

According to a recent article in the Mail, the Hill-Wood and Bracewell-Smith families have been represented on Arsenal’s board for three generations, some 90 and 70 years respectively.

Chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, has insisted the club’s ownership will stay in the hands of those who have “Arsenal in their blood” and resist the increasing involvement of billionaire overseas investors Stan Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov, who between them control around 36 per cent of the club's shares.

Modest transfer dealings

The contentious departure of long-serving vice Chairman of Arsenal, David Dein, last year, has been widely linked to his contrary views concerning foreign ownership.

Dein has urged Arsenal’s board to rethink and sell-out to the Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov in order to geuinuely compete for titles.

In an interview with The Telegraph newspaper, Dein said: “He [Usmanov] would change the whole dynamic of the club. At Arsenal, something has to break".

But it is the board’s traditional outlook that continues to resist the big money market in football.
Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, too has a traditonal approach to spending. Samir Nasri has been the club’s most expensive purchase to date – a reported £12.6m from Marseille Football Club this summer.

Despite this relative modesty in transfer dealings – Manchester City’s foreign owners, Abu Dhabi, funded the signing of Brazilian Robinho for £32.5m – Arsenal appear to have the money to spend, declaring a pre-tax profit of £36.7m in September this year.

Arsenal’s vital win over Manchester United this weekend might re-invigorate hopes of a title winning campaign, but doubts linger as to whether their traditional English board and frugal French manager could still leave them without silverware for a fourth consecutive season.