by The Pröfessör Fri May 23, 2008 11:42 am
Season Review: Robson - Diaby can fill Flamini void
By Chris Harris
Only the most diehard of Gunners fans will have seen more of Arsenal last season than Stewart Robson.
The former Gunner, now an analyst for Arsenal TV, is a familiar face and voice on the new club channel. Robson provides co-commentary at every home game and the majority of away games. He even steps up to the plate for the occasional reserve-team game, casting an eye over the next generation of Arsenal stars.
The campaign may have ended on a low note after a failed title challenge, a cruel Champions League exit and the departure of Mathieu Flamini, but Robson believes there are plenty of reasons for Arsenal fans to be cheerful.
Read on for Robson's take on 2007/08, his player of the season, the man he thinks could replace Flamini and the youngster he expects to break into the first-team fold next season.
OVERVIEW
The season finished off a disappointment but in the main I think there are many aspects you can take out of it that are very encouraging. Certainly the style in which Arsenal played, their ability to open up defences, the way Adebayor has taken over the mantle from Henry, the way midfielders like Fabregas have made sure their potential has been fulfilled. Look at Hleb, who was outstanding in the early part of the season and his form up to Christmas was as good as anyone in the League. So there were a lot of good things and they showed that they fear nobody. Even when they lost to Liverpool in the Champions League they totally outplayed them for long periods of the game, they outplayed Manchester United at Old Trafford, they destroyed Chelsea for 60 to 70 minutes. There are a lot of positives to be taken out of the season, and they kept their unbeaten record at Emirates Stadium.
GOALKEEPERS
I thought Almunia did well. I know he has his critics but I think in the main his decisions on when to come out, his athleticism and his dealing with the ball in the box made me think he was a very competent goalkeeper. He certainly was not to blame for Arsenal failing to win a trophy. Fabianski has got potential and again looks like a very good athlete. He is very springy in his movements but I think one problem goalkeepers have if they don’t play many games is adjusting to things they don’t do too much in training, like balls over the top and getting an understanding with his defenders. To find out his true potential he needs to play over a longer period.
DEFENCE
The back four played really well in the early part of the season and coped really well with the aerial pressure of other teams. They played a high line and I think Toure and Clichy used their pace to get out of trouble. I thought Sagna came in and did really well, not only in the defensive role but also in the air and when he attacked. It went slightly wrong when Toure went to the Africa Cup of Nations because he didn't look his best when he came back. Senderos had a few good games but obviously had a bad time of it at Anfield and we didn’t see him again after that point. As a cohesive unit I still think there is a little bit of work to do to make them champions.
MIDFIELD
Flamini got into the team because Gilberto wasn't ready at the start of the season and he played brilliantly. He got around the pitch, he didn’t just break up play, he created things too, switched the play and linked up brilliantly with Fabregas. Cesc got lots of goals early on which got his confidence up and although he had a dip in form just after Christmas, he still dictates play. He makes football look very easy with some of his sumptuous passing. He just knows where the next play is and has great awareness of where other players are. It is almost impossible to get the ball off him at times. My favourite player at the start of the season was Hleb. He did things no other player can do, he twisted and turned, changed the point of attack, got his way out of trouble. I actually think he played at his best behind Adebayor or Van Persie, he didn’t look so happy when he went back into wide areas. They missed Rosicky a lot. He bought invention to their play, is a good runner with the ball and is one wide player who can score goals. If you can get Rosicky fit he will be a wonderful addition to the squad next year.
STRIKERS
Adebayor gives Arsenal everything. He can run behind and that is key to Arsenal’s success. Every time Fabregas and Toure got the ball in that right-centre area, Ade would drift in between the centre-halves, pull off the last shoulder and was always looking to get in behind. Or he dropped a little bit deeper and allowed the midfield to play. He got right in the middle of the goal when crosses came in so he was in between the two defenders and got goal after goal with his head. Ade led the line brilliantly. Van Persie never really exploded as we thought he would, obviously due to injury, but you know with his quality, in that role behind Adebayor, he can turn it onto his left-foot and get shots away, he has good vision, good pace. Like Rosicky, if Van Persie is totally fit, he can give another dimension to the attacking play. As for the others, Eduardo was starting to show what he can do when he had that horrendous injury, while Walcott has so much pace and potential that he can’t be ignored. The goal he made at Liverpool, no-one in else in the Premier League probably could have created that goal. With that pace will come power, his game understanding will get better and so will his ball manipulation. I am sure if Theo works with Rosicky, over time he will be able to combine the attributes of Rosicky with his own ones.
THE NEW FLAMINI?
In my view it is Diaby. Some worry that he takes too much time on the ball and can get caught, but I remember him from last year in that role and I thought he was ideal. He breaks up attacks with his ability to get across the field and get tackles in, but he has also got good ability on the ball. His ball manipulation allows him to change the point of attack. Playing against Everton last year he was outstanding in the holding role, even though Arsenal lost 1-0 at Goodison Park.
PLAYER OF THE SEASON
I have seen a lot of football this season, nearly 200 games, but the top player for me, the player who performs week-in, week-out, is Gael Clichy. I don’t think I have seen a better one v one defender, a player who gets to an attacker so quickly and tries to get the ball back so quickly. He is a destructive defender. Yes he made two mistakes, one at Man City that didn’t cost Arsenal, and the one at Birmingham when he lost concentration, but Gael gave performances week-in week-out that he should be proud of. The fans should recognise him as the premier left-back in world football.
ONE TO WATCH
The player who has impressed me with his intelligence, his football understanding, is Barazite. I think he plays very much like Roy Wegerle - he wasn’t a great player but he was a US international, played at the top level and got a championship medal with Blackburn. Barazite, glides across the ground in a similar way and he has a combination of Dennis Bergkamp in his positional play and the athleticism and speed and ease of movement. I think he is the player who I am looking forward to seeing next year. I think he will get Carling Cup games, get goals and get into a position where he is challenging for the Pemier League games.
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=491738&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Season+Review:+Robson+-+Diaby+can+fill+Flamini+void
Home
wrote:
