Man of Match

By Boris Mellor
February 21 2010

Arsenal created 16 chances to Sunderland's four but scored only one goal in open play. It was not until a penalty in the last minute of full-time that the points finally felt safe. Arsenal fans are particularly nervous in these situations but they have good reason to be.

They have endured quite a few games where the team has outplayed the opposition but not outscored them, and at the end of the day only the score counts. This brings me to the headline, for what this game proved is that Wenger was very wrong not to buy a striker and he may come to regret that decision.

Wrong on the stats

Wenger has argued that he can live with his dodgy defence, only four goals more dodgy than Man U's, because he expects to outscore the opposition, and he has quoted the fact that Arsenal were the league's leading scorer. At the moment Arsenal are now joint leading scorer with 63 goals for the top three.

However the goal scoring trajectory is now going the wrong way for Arsenal, that is downwards, for Wenger was living off a golden past.

The Real Stats

Arsenal's goal scoring decline started at Sunderland on November 21 when the team failed to score for the first time this season, it was also the first game that RvP did not play after his injury.

BRVPI*

In the 11 games that RvP played the team scored 36 goals, 3.3 goals a game. RvP only scored 7 goals, but his presence saw those around him score plentifully. Thus the importance of RvP was the shape of the team and the way it allowed the midfield to press and score. Over half of the team's goal tally was scored in a third of the games.

PRVPI*

In the 16 games since his absence Arsenal scored 27 in 16 games, that is 1.7 a game. That is a drop of almost 50%! Will Bendtner be able to make up for this? Possibly, as it is not just about scoring goals but enabling others to score. However, that would depend on two things, one that Bendtner plays well, and secondly he remains fit. In not buying a striker Wenger has taken a big gamble and possibly made a very false economy.

Why write this after the Sunderland match? Well the Black Cats conceded 3 goals per away game for the last five games so you might have expected a hatful, but Arsenal's wayward shooting never came close to that.

MOM

Thank goodness that MOM Eboue had a great game and kept Sunderland pinned back for long spells and provided Nik with a tap in.

Myth of Big Clubs and Penalties

Steve Bruce was a hoot afterwards claiming that Fabregas was outside the area for the penalty award, TV replays showed that Cesc was in the area. So his eyesight is worse than Wenger's, but I don't blame him for trying, but his theory that Arsenal are privileged by refs when it comes to penalties is ludicrous. It's only the second penalty Arsenal have had all season, but then we are not considered as big as Man U.

All credit to Fab for stepping up to the plate, he missed Arsenal's only other penalty this season, it was an invaluable goal that finally made the match secure.

*Before and after RVP injury.

Wenger wrong not to buy striker - The real goal stats

Discussion started by Arsenal Times , 21/02/2010 12:35

Arsenal Times
21/02/2010 12:35

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:02:26:21:40:51 by Padre Pio.

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BIGSNOOP
21/02/2010 14:45

I understand those stats but I just feel were unlucky in the sense If RVP had stayed fit and it was Rooney and Drogba MIA since November how much of a goal swing would that be 10, 20? So overall I would say yes we could do with another striker but overall we are easily good enough in terms of our attack to win the league.

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Padre Pio
21/02/2010 14:53

I think you will find that Chelsea are scoring more than 1.7 goals a game.

Our score rate has dropped considerably, since RvP departure we have had fpur blank sheets.

Its no use going on about what if Chavs lost Drogba, beacuse the answer is Anelka.

1.7 goals a game is not championship form

"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.

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mapleleafgooner
21/02/2010 15:07

Quote:

BIGSNOOP
I understand those stats but I just feel were unlucky in the sense If RVP had stayed fit and it was Rooney and Drogba MIA since November how much of a goal swing would that be 10, 20? ......

Since RvP came to Arsenal, he only had 1 season (last season) where he started in more than 20 games ie he has a track record of injuries. Wenger decided to gamble with what he has in the squad thinking they are good enough. He will have to live with that decision at the end of the season.

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Bergmars
21/02/2010 15:12

I agree we should have bought a striker,but it would not have gauranteed goals.
You could argue that buying a GK and a CM would have helped us concede less,we always look likely to concede and now goals are harder to come by its more noticable.

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Padre Pio
21/02/2010 15:17

its not whether the striker scores, RvP had only 7 goals but it suited the shape of the team. Arshavin has not coped without a striker

"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.

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Rockstaar
21/02/2010 15:52

and it doesnt help that our current striker has no idea how to play that position

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Padre Pio
21/02/2010 16:05

He had a good game yesterday

"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.

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Rockstaar
21/02/2010 16:17

Quote:

He had a good game yesterday

who bendnter? the bloke that constantly kept playing on the wings all the while watching Theo Walcott trying to get on the end of crosses...that bloke

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BIGSNOOP
21/02/2010 18:44

Quote:

Padre Pio
I think you will find that Chelsea are scoring more than 1.7 goals a game.
Our score rate has dropped considerably, since RvP departure we have had fpur blank sheets.

Its no use going on about what if Chavs lost Drogba, beacuse the answer is Anelka.

1.7 goals a game is not championship form

Sorry still don't agree. What ever the goal rate the fact is at this moment in time and for what ever the reason we have scored the same amount as the other 2 contenders. Also 1.7 to my mind is more than enough to win a league as that means more often than not the opposition would have to score 2 to either win or draw. I think you also have to factor in the fact we have had some really tough fixtures lately against some very good teams, teams that Chelsea still have to play and that's bound to bring their goal average down. Meanwhile we have Burnley, Hull, Wigan and Wolves still to play.

Overall the difference for me is still the defence. I think we are shocking at this momment in time and that will have a far greating baring on our title challenge than our attack. By the way if we keep to that 1.7 goal per game ratio that would mean our final total would be 82goals more than any premiership team for the last 3 years and more than any Arsenal team for 5.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:02:21:19:03:14 by BIGSNOOP.

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BIGSNOOP
21/02/2010 18:54

okay heres' some other stats to add to the debate;

Last team to win a premeirship title and conceed over 30 league goals?...Man united in 2003.

Last Arsenal side to conceed less than 30 league goals in a season - The Unbeatables in 2004.

Goals win matches but a kick-ass defence will win you the premiership.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:02:21:19:04:20 by BIGSNOOP.

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Padre Pio
21/02/2010 19:08

Agree Bigsnoop, but being as how Wenger's strategy is to outscore his opponent and not worry too much about his defence the team is not scoring enough, so those are the stats that count for now.

Of course a team that has a poor defence doesnt win the league

"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.

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AFC4life
21/02/2010 21:22

we need a number 1 striker at the club. It is not RVP as he has an injury record that makes Darren Anderton look like an ever present.

Such bullsh!t every1 gets so excited over a player who hardly ever plays. He's always injured but doesnt habe the committment to quit international football.

I guarantee u RVP will return before the end of the season, expect to start games AND go to the World Cup.

He is an arrogant, selfish pr!ck whose first love is Holland not Arsenal.

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mapleleafgooner
21/02/2010 22:45

Quote:

AFC4life
.....
He is an arrogant, selfish pr!ck whose first love is Holland not Arsenal.

Thats unfair. RvP extended with Arsenal despite interests from other clubs.

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Ares
21/02/2010 23:46

I agree Arsenal Require A full-time No1 Striker.


Since the end of the Old First Division no Team without a Recognised 20 goal a season Premiership Player has won the Premier League

It just doesn't happen.

Last Century, when it was 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw consistency in winning wasn't as critical as it is Today.

With the move to 3 pts for a win. There is a higher demand for consistency in scoring goals.

So far no team has won the Premier League without a player who scores goals week in. week out.

The alternative.. which doesn't work, is to rely on random individuals in your squad finding the back of the net consistently.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2010:02:22:04:27:15 by Ares.

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your mother
22/02/2010 00:43

Quote:

Ares
Since the end of the Old First Division no Team without a Recognised 20 goal a season Premiership Player has won the Premier League

It just doesn't happen.

Frank Lampard was chelsea's top scorer both years they won the league. He didn't score 20 league goals in either season

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Ares
22/02/2010 02:41

Chelsea signed Two Recognised 20league-goal a season Centre Forwards to Play as centre forwards

I take it you've heard of

2004 French Player of the Year Didier Drogba

and

FIFA100 Hernan Crespo.

who signed for choilsea in 2003
and Drogba who signed in 2004

chelseas titles came in

2005 and 2006


No matter which way you look at it, there is no team that has won the premier league without a recognised 20 goal a season player in the starting line up.

Herman Crespo had won Trophies and established himself as a genuine world class striker, not to mention, topped the goalscoring charts in Italy in his last full season before moving to England.

With Two recognised strikers who meant 'serious business' leading the line for them The Chavs scored matchwinning goals like clockwork.



It pays to have people who really know what they are doing up front.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:02:22:02:45:53 by Ares.

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Bergmars
22/02/2010 06:28

Nik must be playing where he is told surely,so thats down to the manager.

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Chapman's Ghost
22/02/2010 08:17

It was painfully obvious we needed a striker even
before RVP got injured, after all what are the
chances of all our strikers staying injury free
for a season? Slim, I'd say.

Wenger had to either concentrate on defence or strikers
and he did neither.

Did Wenger really imagine that we'd be winning games 6-4,
5-4 and 7-5 etc.? He forgets that to do that you need
world class strikers and we have one, who is now injured.
When Manu were at their best they had the duel threat
of Cole and Yorke. Ferguson even had the nous to get
Teddy Sheringham. If you're going to play with an open
defence like we do you need a good supply of strikers.

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karteta16
22/02/2010 09:09

Quote:

Ferguson even had the nous to get
Teddy Sheringham. If you're going to play with an open
defence like we do you need a good supply of strikers.

solskjaer also.

a good team needs 3-4 top quality strikers or 2 world class.

I currently don't even know how our strikers can be classed at the moment.

1 Part-time Worldclass
1 unestablished quality striker (without pace and height-not good for EPL)
2 kids in Bendtner and Vela

Theodore roosevelt - In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

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Gooner_Mike
22/02/2010 11:58

Again its just too late to change things. We were linked with a absolute ton of strikers in January, and what did we do? Possibly put in a deadline day bid for Saha, who were never going to sell in all honesty, Wenger sows the seeds of our own undoing saying "we will only buy better when we have". We didnt even have a bloody striker so what does that say?

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redanddread
22/02/2010 12:24

To be fair to AW, at the start of the season he was looking at an atacking line up that included

RVP
Eduardo
Bendter
Theo

and and array of attacking midfield talent

Nasri
AA
Cesc
Rosicky
Diaby
Ramsey

However, if you look at our strikers, all with the exception of Bendter have had serious injury problems recently. I guess he didn't expect all 4 to be injured simultaneously and it is credit to the team that we are where we are, 3rd, without a recognized strike force for 2 months of the season (a crucially crucial 2 months).

No arguments here if he had deceided to purchase a new striker in January, yet the signing of Sol may prove to be a master stroke. We are not as good as MANU or Chelsea at present but with some luck we could
still win the league - go figure.

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djarse
22/02/2010 16:30

The problem is that Wenger has decided to get Chamakh from Bordeaux this summer as our new No 1 or 2 striker (along with RvP). But he was not available in January as Bordeaux are still in the Champions League. Wenger didnt want to get in another striker in January with Chamakh signed and sealed for next year. Wenger than banked on Bendtner/ Eduardo / Vela / Walcott being good enough till RvP gets back. But Eduardo keeps getting injured and Vela has been a big disappointment this season. Walcott is just getting back to form,

So, yes Padre Wenger made a mistake, but you can see why he made it.

Maybe just maybe Bendtner and Walcott will see us through....

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Ares
22/02/2010 17:11

.... maybe... in what universe?

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Padre Pio
22/02/2010 19:22

I can see why Wenger made the mistake, but it wouldnt take a genius to buy a striker as insurance

"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.

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Chapman's Ghost
22/02/2010 19:55

And Wenger's definitely no genius.

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Bergmars
22/02/2010 20:34

Quote:

redanddread
To be fair to AW, at the start of the season he was looking at an atacking line up that included
RVP
Eduardo
Bendter
Theo

and and array of attacking midfield talent

Nasri
AA
Cesc
Rosicky
Diaby
Ramsey

However, if you look at our strikers, all with the exception of Bendter have had serious injury problems recently. I guess he didn't expect all 4 to be injured simultaneously and it is credit to the team that we are where we are, 3rd, without a recognized strike force for 2 months of the season (a crucially crucial 2 months).

No arguments here if he had deceided to purchase a new striker in January, yet the signing of Sol may prove to be a master stroke. We are not as good as MANU or Chelsea at present but with some luck we could
still win the league - go figure.

RVP injury prone
Eduardo-Trying to find form and injury prone
Nik-lot to prove
Theo-unproven and inury prone

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AJ The Gunner
23/02/2010 09:26

contrast between pre-RVP and Post-RVP is drastic.it was a stupid gamble to expect we will cope without signing a decent striker to cushion his absence.i think the fact other players weer scoring goals with rvp present sent a wrong impression that those players will keep scoring without him. this makes me wonder if wenger has become very myopic. i shudder these days with his attitude and his stubborn obsession. i just hope all his doubters including me cos right now i am finding it hard to believe in his ideologies and philosophies, will eat our words come may when all is won and lost.

Can We Now Trust The Process 🤔🤷��♀� or Should We Still Remain Cautious 🙇��♀�

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Optimistic Gunner
24/02/2010 17:50

Last season I had hopes that Eduardo would be back to his best, but its quite clear that his injury has definitely effected his game and it doesn't look like he will be a 20+ goalscorer for us.

Bendtner is the type of striker who will often help other people to score rather than score goals for himself.

Robin van Persie can be a 25+ goal striker, but can't be relied upon to stay fit for most of a season.

Vela and Theo is not the answer.

We need a strikeforce that strikes fear upon teams like how Man U's (Rooney), Chelsea's (Drogba, Anelka), Liverpool (when Torres is fit lol), Barca's (Ibrahimovic, Messi), Inter's (Eto'o), etc... strikeforce does.

We used have Wright, then Bergkamp and Henry and even Adebayor from 2008-2009.

Now we have none, no not even RvP as he gets injured before he could show if has what it takes to be in scoring from throught a season.

We need a clinical striker who has proven goal scoring record (20+ goals per season), preferably one with pace and Chamakh doesn't really fit that bill.

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Chapman's Ghost
25/02/2010 08:51

I have doubts about Chamakh being the answer. Still let's
not make rash judgements until we actually see what he
does.

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Ares
25/02/2010 14:15

Chamakh is the second coming of Teh Beast

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Bergmars
25/02/2010 19:31

I know little about him TBH but we seem to have a mould for our players,mobile and able to fit into our passing style,but we need someone who gets into the box and can consistently finish.

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zombiez
26/02/2010 00:25

Nik has just played a handful of games after injury but did better than some other striker that we have.

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Padre Pio
13/04/2010 19:14

Chelsea have now scored 13 more goals than Arsenal this season.
The key to winning the title this season was about scoring goals.
Arsenal went from leading goal scorers to third leading in a couple of months.
RvP is back too late, I hope I am wrong but it will take him three games to acclimatise. Things have got worse since I wrote article in February as Arsenal have lost leading scorer. It will be a limping over the line.

"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.

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