Effortless simplicity the order of the day for Arsenal
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Arsenal v Stoke City fans view: Effortless simplicity the order of the day for Arsenal
The talking point of Arsenals game with Stoke was that there was no talking point. Effortless simplicity was the key takeaway. We sat in second gear for most of the 90 minutes and delivered a breezy 3-1 victory.
Arsenal have struggled over the past eight years to deliver results like this. Why Because we havent had a reliable back four. Weve struggled with midfield discipline as well. The idea of soaking up pressure to see out a result was the stuff of dreams.
At Emirates against Stoke, that dream was realised. Arsenal fans around me were asking why Stoke were afforded so much possession. My answer Because we allowed them to. We are now solid enough to do that.
2013 has seen an evolution at Arsenal. The defence has had some Steve Bould magic dust sprinkled over it and the midfield has been stripped back with defence at the forefront of the plan. Arteta and Ramsey offered us a stability we lacked last season.
But Matty Flamini has taken things to the next level.
Its too early to draw firm conclusions, but the Frenchman dominated the game with authority and passion. He is a natural leader in the middle of the park. He barks orders through the whole game and he offers up 100% commitment to the cause. He was everywhere against Stoke. He broke up play, he flew into challenges, he powered into players that were double his size. He was a beast.
So far, he looks like he could have been one of the shrewdest moves of the summer. Hes the £20m signing we all wanted. Hes picked up where he left off. We didnt replace him when he left but weve made amends this summer by bringing him back. I think most Arsenal fans have forgiven him
Say it quietly, but Arsenal arent far off having one of the most effective midfields in the league.
The talking point of Arsenals game with Stoke was that there was no talking point. Effortless simplicity was the key takeaway. We sat in second gear for most of the 90 minutes and delivered a breezy 3-1 victory.
Arsenal have struggled over the past eight years to deliver results like this. Why Because we havent had a reliable back four. Weve struggled with midfield discipline as well. The idea of soaking up pressure to see out a result was the stuff of dreams.
At Emirates against Stoke, that dream was realised. Arsenal fans around me were asking why Stoke were afforded so much possession. My answer Because we allowed them to. We are now solid enough to do that.
2013 has seen an evolution at Arsenal. The defence has had some Steve Bould magic dust sprinkled over it and the midfield has been stripped back with defence at the forefront of the plan. Arteta and Ramsey offered us a stability we lacked last season.
But Matty Flamini has taken things to the next level.
Its too early to draw firm conclusions, but the Frenchman dominated the game with authority and passion. He is a natural leader in the middle of the park. He barks orders through the whole game and he offers up 100% commitment to the cause. He was everywhere against Stoke. He broke up play, he flew into challenges, he powered into players that were double his size. He was a beast.
So far, he looks like he could have been one of the shrewdest moves of the summer. Hes the £20m signing we all wanted. Hes picked up where he left off. We didnt replace him when he left but weve made amends this summer by bringing him back. I think most Arsenal fans have forgiven him
Say it quietly, but Arsenal arent far off having one of the most effective midfields in the league.
