Only One Arsenal Awards 2011

Let’s be honest 2011 hasn’t been the best if years for the Gunners, it’s been riddled with injuries, cock up’s and it could of been so different. However it hasn’t been all doom and gloom. So this the Only One Arsenal 2011 Awards were Ryan, Myles  and myself (Luke)  have voted on our lows and highs of this year.

Player of Year: Robin Van Persie

We couldn’t look beyond Robin for this award with 34 league goals in 42 appearances he is so close to breaking Alan Shearer’s record of 36 goals in a calendar year and he still might depending on his performance vs QPR.  He has also taken over as captain from Cesc Fabregas and proved people that were at first weary of leadership skills that he is more than up to it. Robin also wins Goal of the year for his stunning volley vs Everton.

Let’s hope Robin stays fit in 2012 and signs a new contract. You never know he may even get to lift a trophy as the Arsenal captain in the year ahead.

Here are some videos of Van Persie in 2011

Best Win: Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona (Other nominations include Arsenal 1-0 Man Utd, Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal and Udinese 1-2 Arsenal) 

This match had it all a good atmosphere, good football, world class players, a comeback and an upset but most importantly a Gunners win verves the best team in the world. A goal after 26 minutes by Barcelona could of been followed by more as the Spanish team all but dominated in till 12 minutes before time when Robin Van Persie scored from a acute angle this point in the game changed then just minutes later Arshavin scored a winner in the words of Arsene Wenger it was ‘a special night’

Worst Defeat:  Birmingham 2-1 Arsenal (Other nominations include Man Utd 8-2 Arsenal, Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal and Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool)

However bad is losing to the Spuds or getting trashed 8-2 by Europa League team Man Utd the Carling Cup final defeat to Birmingham started our slump, hangover, crisis or whatever you call it which went a good way into this season it also was a good chance to end out trophy less spell. I still think what if?

Breakthrough Player (not inc new signings): Wojciech Szczesny (Other nominations: Koscielny, Ramsey, Wilshere, Frimpong and Coquelin)

Two years ago Szczesny was on loan at League 1 side Brentford he won applauds from his manager there he then went on to make his Arsenal debut in late 2010. In 2011 he has made a few mistakes (but who hasn’t?) but has also made consistent performance something which Arsenal lacked in goal up in till his rise. For me his best save this year was vs Udinese to stop Di Natale penalty and stopping Udinese getting back into the game.

Flop of the year: Andrei Arshavin (Other nominations: Chamakh, Diaby, Almunia, Squillaci)

For me Arshavin saved himself from this award thanks to a goals vs Barcelona and Swansea. However for £15 million pounds he paid him you could expect him to at least be able to make simples passes and break into a sweat.  How long Arshavin career will go into 2012, we will have to wait and see.

Signing of the Season: Mikel Arteta (Other nominations: Gervinho, Santos, Mertesacker, Jenkinson and Chamberlain)

Arteta has fitted into our midfield like he has been playing with us for year this is no doubt due to his vast experience in the premier league with Everton. He has also not yet played with Wilshere so he looks a steal for the amount we paid.

Cock Up of the year: 2^nd Half vs Newcastle (4-4) (Other nominations: Squillaci and Almunia vs West Brom away, Carling Cup miss kick, Liverpool Home Eboue late Pen 1-1, Liverpool Home Miquel/Ramsey O.G. 0-2 and Olympiacos 2^nd goal away’

Well there have been quite a few Cock ups. However due to a red card, Phil Dowd having a mare of a game (So his usually self) we managed to let a four goal lead slip in the second half. Thanks to that afternoon I still can’t be 100% Arsenal will see a game out no matter how big the lead.

Best Sale: Nasri (Other nominations: Clichy, Eboue, Traore, Fabregas)

I going to be honest I liked Nasri in a Arsenal shirt however after some very average performance during the end of last season to get £24 million for a money grabbing player who we would of lost for nothing a year later is a good deal. Thanks City and Enjoy the bench and the Europa League Na$ri

Most Improved- Koscielny (Walcott, Song, Szczesny, Ramsey)

Also known as Mr Consistent Koscielny has become one of the best centre backs in the league he has handled the likes of Messi, Dzeko, Aguero and Mata sometimes with ease. He has made a couple of mistakes but this is to be expecting especially in his 1^st season at Arsenal and he has now earned a call up for the French national team and he himself has said he is surprised at his rapid rise.  I am sure he will become one of the Premier League best in 2012 and years to come.

Star of 2012- A.O. Chamberlain (Other nominations- Frimpong, Gervinho, Coquelin, Afobe, Ryo and Jenkinson)

When we first signed Chamberlain people were saying he is just yet enough young player when we needed something better however now I am sure these people will be the ones wanted him to be in the 1^st team more often. However much I want Chamberlain to be ripping up the Premier League I feel that he gets thrown in at the right time and I am sure this will come in 2012 when he can conquer the 1^st team and maybe even an England call up.

 So I wish you a very happy 2012 and let’s hope it’s a year to remember for the Gunners.

And I leave you with this.......

MATCH REPORT v Wolves [h]. 27/12/11

Let us start from the beginning: This was the first game I’d been to by myself. I left my dad’s house in south London, got on a train to Highbury & Islington (north London) and didn’t see or hear a single Wolves fan. I walked along the famous, brilliant and long Holloway Road; I still couldn’t see or hear any Wolves fans. I hung around outside for a bit when I got to the Emirates, went inside, found my seat in the lower tier of the Clock End, and there they were, Wolves fans!

The game kicked off. I still couldn’t hear any Wolves fans.

The game started as any home game does when Arsenal kick off, the fans started singing and our players each got a few touches of the ball before moving forward. Standard.  The chants roared on and The Gunners quickly got into their flow.

I still heard nothing from the Wolves fans.

Eight minutes in and Wolves were on the attack, only to be stopped in their tracks, the ball was worked to Yossi Benayoun who spotted Gervinho’s well-timed run and put him clean through. Here is when I panicked; I’ve always seen Gervinho as someone who does TOO MUCH when he has the ball. For instance: run, run, run, run, clean through, run, run, run, pass, attack over. So at this point when the big headed Ivorian was one-on-one with Iker Casillas Wayne Hennessey I thought to myself “shit, he’s going to pass or run backward, or something.” I was wrong; he gave me even more of a reason to panic when he decided to go take the ball away from Buffon Hennessey. That’s when I thought “He’s gonna mess it up.” But no, he scored! One nil to The Arsenal, we were all cheering, jumping around, chanting unnecessarily harsh taunts at the opposition fans such as “we pay your benefits!!!” etc.

Silence from the Wolves fans, still.

And that’s when The Emirates turned into complacency central. We created a few half-chances and Van Persie even proved that he didn’t need to pull his leg back cannon a shot towards goal from the edge of the box – which Peter Schmeichel Wayne Hennessey tipped past the post. Another half-chance came when Van Persie was brought down on the edge of the Wanderer’ box, but Arteta decided it would be a good idea to dink the ball into the arms of Hennessey. The Wolves fans were still silent, and that’s when me and the rest of the fans in my section started chanting “WE FORGOT, WE FORGOT, WE FORGOT THAT YOU WERE HERE! WE FORGOT THAT YOU WERE HEEEEEEERE!!!”

Ten seconds later we concede a corner and eventually, a goal (good header from Fletcher, though). 

Now I can hear the Wolves fans, and for the last six or seven minutes Wolves pushed and pushed, and their fans sang and sang. I wouldn’t say the game was turned on its head as the half drew to a close, but it had changed in Wolves’ favour, until about a minute towards the end we seemed to be hurrying the ball forwards, as if there were seconds of the second half. Half time, Wolves fans fell silent again.

The second half kicked off and we looked the stronger side throughout the half, apparently Tommy V got booked in the midst of all the havoc we were causing their defence – must have missed it. My excuse for missing the booking is as follows: There was a fat ginger Wolves fan looking at me, had to double check he wasn’t cursed or something. We had a couple of penalty shouts, both of which I participated in, neither of which I saw.

Throughout the game I noticed several things:

1)      Van Persie snatched at a lot of his chances, a bad day at the office is bound to occur, even to the best striker in Europe, but can we really allow that with cabbages like Chamakh and Park in reserve? No. Spend some money.

2)      Yossi Benayoun is a fighter, I like that. We need more players like him, just younger and more talented (not saying he lacks talent, but we can afford better). Spend some money, and buy Yossi before his loan runs out.

3)      Arshavin and Chamakh’s introduction had about as much effect on the game as I did singing (and swearing in frustration) from the other end of the stadium. Replace them, to do that, you need to spend some money.

4)      Wolves’ players and fans lack etiquette. Not as bad as Stoke Rugby Club, but still.

5)      Arsenal fans are hilarious but very cruel, singing “WE PAY YOUR BENEFITS” to the Wolves fans. I get EMA, so everyone contributes to my benefits. I’ll bare that in mind next time I chant that at a poor person.

6)      Djourou thinks he can take it past whoever he likes, when he really can’t. He is no adequate replacement for Sagna and to be fair, neither is Jenkinson. Spend some money.

7)      Vermaelen was brilliant at left-back, but he’s sensational at centre-back. We need cover for Santos. Spend some money, and sell injury-prone Gibbs whilst you’re at it, Arsene.

8)      Wayne Hennessey decided to emulate some of the greatest ever goalkeepers.

This is slowly becoming tedious so I’ll cut a long story short. We drew a game we needed to win, we waste more chances than we create, our fans are better than Wolves’ fans. Arshavin is shit. Chamakh is worse. Djourou is cocky and has silly hair. So what next for The Gunners, with Robin in need of a rest, but three goals away from breaking a record, what’s Arsene gonna do? But more importantly, how will the team perform against QPR on Saturday?

Oh and on the journey home I saw a man wearing boots with ski-socks poking out, his trousers were tucked into his ski-socks. He was not wearing an Arsenal shirt, thankfully.

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