Views From the Touch Line is a blog written by two collegiate soccer players: Billy Rodgers and Raul Escobar. Our goal is to dig deeper into the soccer world and observe and report on every aspect of the beautiful game. Included are views from the touch line, the stands, and even the view from a manager in which we analyze them all.
In a day where all the attention was geared towards Manchester United’s newest €75 million dollar man, another one of United’s new signings stole the spotlight but in a more subtle way. Without a doubt, Romelu Lukaku was magnificent, netting two goals in his debut. But Nemanja Matic, who completed a transfer from Chelsea this summer, shined in his United debut. Many critics were wary about how Matic would fit into United’s system and how he could coincide with mega superstar Paul Pogba. But contrary to what those critics said, Matic and Pogba flourished in the center of the park. For the past couple seasons, United lacked a true center defensive midfielder. While Pogba can play that position, he is more effective as a box-to-box midfielder, sparking the attack with his creativity and flare. Michael Carrick (who will go down as a United great) is showing signs of father time and is no longer as effective as he once was. Budding superstar Ander Herrera, (who similarly to Pogba) thrives pushing up the field and creating in the attack, can’t be given the monumental task to hold down the line in front of the back four by himself.
So what do Jose Mourinho and United do? Go out and sign Matic with the intent that he will release Pogba and allow him the become the creative genius that he displayed while at Juventus but also being assured that Matic will protect the back four. In their Premier League debuts with United, both Lukaku and Matic had spots in the starting XI and what they did was a sight to behold. From the opening whistle, it felt that United would dominate, but no one could predict how dominant they would be. Marcus Rashford and Henrikh Mkhitaryan looked dangerous on both wings while Pogba and Lukaku enjoyed the freedom in the middle of the park that they both took full advantage of. By the 33rd minute, Lukaku had opened the scoring and then added another shortly after the break. Anthony Martial entered the game as a substitute and joined the party as he netted his first of the season in the 87th minute. And to top things off, Pogba finished a beautiful sequence with Martial as he calmly finished a shot from about 20 yards out in the 90th minute. As you can see, Matic does not appear on the scoresheet and won’t get the attention that Lukaku or Pogba do, but his dirty-work and sacrifices for his teammates have just as much significance as any other contribution. I think it is safe to say that after week one in the Premier League, Manchester United looked better than they have in recent years and even with all of the money and attention spent on other players, it is Matic’s performance that stole the show this weekend.
Pre-Match – In the opening game of the Barclays Premier League season, Arsenal face Leicester City, the improbable winners of the BPL in the 2015-16 season. Arsenal have been known to come out slowly and play poorly on the opening day of the Premier League but they will look to change that today. Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac both make their Premier League debuts for the Gunners as Arsenal look to hit the ground running with an opening day victory over the Foxes of Leicester City. The wait is over and the Premier League is back!
KICKOFF – Arsenal get us underway as debutant Alexandre Lacazette passes back to center back, Rob Holding, to get us underway!
1’ – Danny Welbeck shows great pace and skill to break through the midfield but is brought down for an Arsenal free kick.
2’ – GOAL FOR ARSENAL! What a start for the home side as Alexandre Lacazette cleverly uses his head to re-direct a through ball, drilled in the air by Arsenal midfielder, Mohammed Elneny. Lacazette showed his goal scoring touch as his header flew past the outstretched arms of the Leicester City goalie, Kasper Schmeichel. Just 2 minutes into his first Premier League appearance, Alexandre Lacazette has his first Premier League goal for Arsenal FC.
1-0
4’ – Riyad Mahrez tries to equalize for Leicester immediately as he strikes a volley from the top of the 18 but it slices wide of Petr Cech’s goal. “1 nil to the Arsenal” chant the Arsenal fans, their voices echoing down from the rafters of Emirates Stadium, as the jubilant Arsenal fans voice their support after the opening goal for the home team.
5’ – Goal for Leicester City! Leicester’s Shinji Okazaki heads into the Arsenal net to cap off a frenetic opening 5 minutes of the 2017-18 Barclays Premier League season. Marc Albrighton sends a deep cross to the back post which is headed back into the danger area by defender, Harry Maguire, and Okazaki, the Japanese forward, powers his header past the helpless arms of Petr Cech.
1-1
7’ – Jaime Vardy breaks behind the Arsenal defense for the first time of the night and squares to Okazaki whose heavy touch is well defended by Nacho Monreal.
8’ – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain drives at the heart of the Leicester defense and blazes a left footed shot over the goal. It’s worth mentioning that Oxlade-Chamberlain is playing out of position, at left wing back. In past seasons, Arsene Wenger has deployed ‘The Ox’ as a right winger or a right midfielder. Throughout preseason and during the Community Shield, Oxlade-Chamberlain has played well in the left-wing back role. He has a less than a year left in his contract and his future with Arsenal has still yet to be determined.
10’ – A deep cross from Oxlade-Chamberlain is headed back into the 16-yard box by Hector Bellerin who seems to be fouled in the process as the Arsenal fans yell for a penalty to be called. Nothing given by the referee, Mike Dean.
12’ – Rob Holding is called for a hard foul on Shinji Okazaki.
13’ – Arsenal do well to defend 2 successive Leicester city forays. Hector Bellerin shows off his pace and technical ability to start an Arsenal counter attack which is slowed down by a lofted cross field ball by Mesut Özil.
15’ – Mesut Özil is put though on goal by Granit Xhaka but the flag goes up and he is just offside. If Xhaka had found his pass seconds earlier, Özil would’ve been clean through on goal.
17’ – The camera changes to a shot of Leicester City’s new signing, Kelechi Iheanacho. It’s surprising that the exciting young forward isn’t starting today as his high profile move from Manchester City has created headlines throughout the English media.
18’ – Oxlade-Chamberlain uses his pace and his power to get to the byline but his left-footed cross is unable to find an Arsenal attacker. Hector Bellerin then fouls Marc Albrighton in the penalty area to end the Arsenal attack.
19’ – Lacazette continues his bright start as he receives a pass and quickly turns in a single motion. The Leicester defender, Harry Maguire, is fooled and clips Lacazette from behind.
This is where Alexandre Lacazette can add a new dimension to the Arsenal attack, that fellow Frenchman, Olivier Giroud, hasn’t always been able to add. Giroud is known for his physical presence and his ability to hold the ball up, without turning and running at defenses. Lacazette can receive and turn with the ball at his feet from a central position, hopefully creating a more direct and dangerous attack at times. From here, hopefully he will be able to combine with fellow Arsenal attackers or even create a threat himself.
22’ – Özil and Welbeck combine for a give and go and Özil squares the ball back again for Welbeck whose goal-bound shot is blocked Harry Maguire in the 6-yard box. Arsenal come close to taking the lead again!
26’ – The ever-dangerous Danny Welbeck combines again with Mesut Özil as he stays on his feet and weaves his way to the by-line but his cross is cut out.
27’ – Another Arsenal debutant, Sead Kolasinac finds himself in the penalty area and sends a strong, deflected, left footed volley into the body of Kasper Schmeichel which then runs out for a corner kick.
29’ – Goal for Leicester City. The visitors take advantage of misplaced pass in the back by Arsenal midfielder, Granit Xhaka. Marc Albrighton sends in a picture-perfect ball from the left side which finds a lurking Jamie Vardy at the back post, who thrashes his side-footed shot into the Arsenal net.
Arsenal have now conceded goals through a corner kick and a giveaway of possession in the back. Dominant French center back, Laurent Koscielny misses today’s game through suspension. The tall figure of Per Mertesacker is also missing as a cut to his face in Arsenal’s Community Shield triumph over Chelsea keeps him out of the squad today. Starting center back, Skhodran Mustafi is also on the bench for Arsenal, as he is coming off a busy summer with the German National Team at the European Championships. Without 3 of their first-choice center backs, Arsenal’s defense has noticeably been weaker so far.
1-2
36’ – Hector Bellerin attempts to stretch his legs and push the ball past Harry Maguire but the defenders sliding tackle thwarts Bellerin.
40’ – The ball manages to bounce over the head of Nacho Monreal which seems to send Okazaki through on goal but Rob Holding is there to smother the danger.
41’ – Oxlade-Chamberlain sends in a dangerous cross to the back post which is deflected behind for an Arsenal corner kick. The home side are pressing for an equalizer before halftime.
42’ – Sead Kolasinac has an attempted cross blocked by Leicester defender, Ndidi. The ball appeared to strike the hand of the defender but Arsenal’s penalty claim is denied by Mike Dean as he points for a corner kick.
45’ + 1’ – Christian Fuchs’ long throw almost flies over the outstretched arms of Petr Cech but the danger is nullified by a Shinji Okazaki foul in the penalty area.
46’ + 2’ – GOAL FOR ARSENAL! The Gunners equalize just before halftime. Alexandre Lacazette scuffs a shot which falls kindly to Sead Kolasinac who squares to Danny Welbeck who taps into an open Leicester net to level the score seconds before the halftime whistle.
2-2
HALF-TIME – The referee blows his whistle, bringing an end to the first 45 minutes of the 2017-18 Barclays Premier League season. Arsenal scored within 2 minutes of the start of the game as Alexandre Lacazette opened his Arsenal account with a brilliant redirected header. Arsenal were then pegged back minutes later through a set piece finished off by Shinji Okazaki, who headed past Petr Cech. Leicester City then took the lead as Jamie Vardy fired Marc Albrighton’s sweet left-footed cross into the back of the Arsenal net. The Gunners managed to cancel out Leicester’s 2 first half goals, as a tap in from Danny Welbeck brought the hosts level just before the break.
2-2
46’ – Leicester City get the second half underway through Shinji Okazaki. Neither sides have made any halftime changes.
49’ – Mesut Özil takes a driven shot from just outside the 18 which he drags just wide of the Leicester goal.
51’ – An over hit cross finds Riyad Mahrez at the back post who turns and sends an errant cross far over the Arsenal defense which goes out of play for an Arsenal throw in, much to the delight of the home crowd.
52’ – Petr Cech does his best impression of a sweeper keeper as he rushes off his line to tackle the ball away from Jamie Vardy who thought he was clean through on goal.
55’ – Riyad Mahrez makes uses a quick fake and turn to make a yard of space for himself on top of the penalty area and takes a dangerous right footed shot which forces Petr Cech into a save as he palms the ball over the Arsenal goal for a Leicester corner kick.
56’ – Goal for Leicester City! Jamie Vardy scores his second goal of the night as he wins a free header from the resulting corner kick which finds its way, untouched, into the side netting of the Arsenal goal. For the second time tonight, Arsenal concede a goal resulting from a corner kick. Leicester City have regained control in the opening game of the Barclays Premier League season.
2-3
59’ – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sends Danny Welbeck clean down the left flank who squares his body and does well to find a breaking Oxlade-Chamberlain at the top of the penalty area. His low, driven shot is parried by Kasper Schmeichel and the ball falls perfectly for an offside Lacazette who is unable to convert the rebound, which would not have counted. Arsenal are again searching for an equalizer.
62’ – Welbeck threads a perfectly weighted ball in behind the Leicester defense to right wing back, Hector Bellerin, whose shot from 8 yards is inches from sneaking through the legs of the Leicester goalie, Kasper Schmeichel. Arsenal have done well to respond from going down 3-2.
67’ – Mohammed Elneny makes way for Aaron Ramsey who looks to slot right into Elneny’s position as the holding midfielder. Ramsey should offer more of an attacking midfield role with his dribbling and creative ability. Olivier Giroud replaces center back Rob Holding as Arsenal revert to their traditional 4-2-3-1 with Giroud making his way to the pinpoint of the Arsenal attack as the target forward.
68’ – A superb left-footed cross from Alexandre Lacazette finds the head of Aaron Ramsey in the 6-yard box who is just put off at the last second by the Leicester defender, Christian Fuchs, preventing Ramsey from getting a clean header on the ball. Another great chance for Arsenal to draw level.
70’ – Lacazette finds himself free in space down the left-hand side and sends a cross to the top of the box to Granit Xhaka who sends a bouncing volley into the waiting hands of Kasper Schmeichel.
71’ – Lacazette does brilliantly again to make a bit of space for himself down the left-hand side and he pulls a pass back for Mesut Özil who can’t make a clean connection on a first time shot as Leicester clear yet again.
74’ – A switch in play from Arsenal finds its way to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who fizzes a low and hard shot which looked to be finding its way into the side netting but it deflects out of play for an Arsenal corner.
74’ – Özil finds himself with space inside the penalty area as the Leicester defense seems to fall asleep but instead of easily squaring the ball to a waiting Olivier Giroud, he sends a first time, left-footed volley into the side netting ending more Arsenal danger.
75’ – Theo Walcott comes on to replace goal scorer Danny Welbeck. Walcott is appearing for Arsenal in his 13th season for the club.
81’ – Granit Xhaka sees his shot from distance take a deflection, almost wrong-footing Kasper Schmeichel but the ball goes out harmlessly for a corner kick.
82’ – Kelechi Iheanacho makes his Leicester debut as he replaces Matty James with 8 minutes remaining.
83’ – ARSENAL EQUALIZE! Granit Xhaka sends a lovely outside of the foot pass to the back post to a waiting Aaron Ramsey who takes a single touch and fires into the back of the net. Game on with 7 minutes plus stoppage time to play!
3-3
85’ – Inches from taking the lead! Aaron Ramsey chips a dangerous ball into the penalty area which finds a streaking Olivier Giroud who lays a beautifully weighted ball back to Alexandre Lacazette who dances and weaves his way past 2 Leicester defenders before sending a deflected shot at a flailing Kasper Schmeichel who tips just over the bar. Corner for Arsenal.
85’ – OLIVIER GIROUD SCORES FOR ARSENAL! Arsenal snatch the lead right back from Leicester City as the super substitute, Olivier Giroud, shows his brute strength to hold off the Leicester City captain, Wes Morgan, and head home Granit Xhaka’s in-swinging corner kick. Giroud’s header careened off the cross bar and landed just over the goal-line of Leicester City to give Arsenal their second and most crucial lead of the night.
4-3
88’ – Demarai Gray replaces Marc Albrighton with 2 minutes to play plus stoppage time. Leicester must now search for a goal to escape the Emirates with a point.
90’ + 1’ – Theo Walcott is played through on goal by Lacazette but is ruled just offside as his shot flies just over the goal. Walcott really should have stayed onside and finished Leicester off with a 5th Arsenal goal.
90’ + 3’ – Sead Kolasinac leaves Riyad Mahrez in the dust with a clever Maradona spin but his ball forward is to an offside Mesut Özil. 2 minutes to play with Arsenal holding on.
90’ + 5’ – Aaron Ramsey lets an ambitious shot fly from distance but he slices it well wide of the target.
FULL-TIME – The full-time whistle blows and Arsenal come from behind twice (2-1 down and 3-2 down) to beat Leicester City on the opening night of the much anticipated 2017-18 season of the Barclays Premier League Campaign.
FULL MATCH STATS –
Arsenal:
Leicester City:
27 (10) Shots (on Goal)
9 Fouls
9 Corner Kicks
5 Offsides
70% Total Possession
0 Yellow Cards
0 Red Cards
0 Goalkeeper Saves
6 (3) Shots (on Goal)
12 Fouls
4 Corner Kicks
3 Offsides
30% Total Possession
1 Yellow Card
0 Red Cards
6 Goalkeeper Saves
Stayed tuned to https://viewsfttl.wordpress.com for all the analysis from tonight’s match between Arsenal and Leicester City as well as more coverage of the Barclay’s Premier League this weekend. Lastly, click the link below to watch all of the highlights from a crazy opening to the season. As always, thank you for reading!
Well, I can’t say this is foreign ground to me but I can’t say it is familiar ground either. I have always been passionate about soccer and writing, but I never imagined I would combine the two. So here I am– a college athlete on the brink of beginning his senior year, not sure how my final season of competitive soccer will pan out but one thing is for sure: I never expected soccer and writing to describe the person I am today.
I was not a strong writer growing up. I focused mainly on perfecting my craft, which was soccer. Between the ages of 6-13, all I could think of was soccer and how I could become the next Wayne Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo of the time. Fast forward 6-7 years and I found myself finishing my freshman year of college unsure if the major I was studying was the right one. As a soccer player, I always figured that I wanted to pursue a career in sports, even after my playing days were over. But during the summer entering my sophomore year of college, I realized I had a newfound passion: writing. It was then and there that I decided to switch majors and pursue a degree in English Literature.
The combination of soccer and writing is something that culminated over time and has brought me to this blog. As an avid Manchester United fan, a good portion of my posts will be about the Red Devils but I am not afraid to step into unchartered territory and showcase the beautiful game from all kinds of angles and perspectives. This should be fun.
A tall, slender, well-built athlete, with eyes almost as wide as those of a chameleon, Mesut Özil is a lethal playmaker, a graceful dribbler, and a virtuoso in modern soccer. Özil plays for Arsenal Football Club, a team in the north of London in which he is the architect in chief of all attacking play in their starting lineup. He wears the Arsenal jersey with pride and gratification every game as he graces the green grass of soccer fields all over Europe.
Özil’s rise to success began in his hometown of Gelsenkirchen, Germany where he played soccer all throughout his childhood, especially in small soccer courts known as ‘Monkey Cages’. Playing in such tight spaces allowed Özil to become technical and crafty with a soccer ball from a young age. His first professional team was Schalke 04, a local club in Gelsenkirchen, who play in the German Bundesliga, the top league in the country. He went on to play for Werder Bremen, another Bundesliga team, in 2008 where he caught the attention of the German national team. He earned himself his first international playing time in 2009 in a friendly match against Norway. A year later, he made a high profile transfer to Spanish giants, Real Madrid, one of the most talented club teams in the world. Finally, he signed for Arsenal FC in 2013 for 42.5 million pounds and is currently in the best form of his life.
At times, Özil plays soccer with an expressionless and emotionless face, but at every moment he is tuned into every aspect of the game. In fact, the vision that he has shown with his passing is almost unprecedented in English soccer, amassing a whopping 20 assists for Arsenal during the 2015-2016 season. It is almost ironic that he has bulging, bug like eyes, given his impeccable ability to see and know where his teammates are all over the field.
He has made a pass in a televised game where I’ve had to go back and rewind in order to completely understand how exactly he did it. In fact, I’ve even had the privilege to watch Mesut Özil play in person, not once, but twice in my life. Watching a player on television is one thing, but watching Özil in person is bewildering. When I first saw him, he almost seemed larger than life. The slender figure I had watched for years on television almost transformed in front of me to a physical specimen. His chest, arms, and legs almost seemed to bulge out of his jersey. When he moved, it seemed as if he was gracefully gliding across the field without any wasted motion. The first time I saw him play, he calmly and effortlessly slotted a free kick past the opposing keeper in front of 60,000 spectators, almost as if he didn’t feel the pressure of every fan holding their breath.
Under difficult circumstances this season, Özil has taken center stage in creating the decisive moment in many games that has led to Arsenal scoring the winning goal or even putting it in himself. In Arsenal’s recent 3-2 win against Bulgarian team Ludogorets Razgrad, he scored in the 87th minute when he received a through ball that put him clear in on goal. In a move that has been re-watched several million times on YouTube, Özil single handedly chipped the ball to himself over the goal keeper, used a fake shot to completely avert two more recovering defenders whose momentum carried them stumbling past him, and then finally passed the ball into the empty net. Özil has never been known for singlehandedly scoring goals but rather for making key passes that lead to beautiful goals.
Even though Özil thrives under pressure and is a big game player, he still manages to remain humble and keep his feet on the ground through all the talk of being in the form of his life right now. On his birthday, this year, many of his past and current teammates joined together to make one special video to wish him a happy birthday. Many of them talked about how he takes great care of his family and friends and how big of a heart he has. At times, he will post the occasional video of him doing various things in his free time off the field, such as playing soccer with his dogs or hanging out with his infant niece, Mira. After every goal that Mesut Özil scores, he has adopted a popular celebration in which he sucks his thumb and makes the letter ‘M’ with his left hand. When asked about the celebration he says, “It’s for my brother’s daughter Mira … she’s the first child from my brother and my first niece so she brought a lot of happiness to the family; I love her so much and I want to show her how much I love her so when I score a goal, I do this ‘M’.” This fairly silly and less-than-fashionable celebration shows how much his family means to him. Even while he is scoring goals and earning millions of dollars, he still finds a way to dedicate all that he does to those he loves.
In the past Özil has been criticized for his languid and relaxed playstyle which seems almost too casual at times. But in the past few years, he has answered all his critics by putting together performances game in and game out that make him one of the most valuable players in the world. Mesut Özil’s game has also drastically changed this year, especially since the beginning of the season, he has added runs in behind the defense, he doesn’t only create chances, he also finishes them, with already eight goals so far this season, his biggest tally being 10 goals with Real Madrid. He rises to the occasion when called upon and his quality on the field is there to be seen by his toughest critics and biggest supporters. He remains a humble person who values his family, friends, and even his fans. In the prime of his career and the form of his life, Mesut Özil is poised to have greater seasons in the future.
Throughout the years, there have been many athletes, especially in the sport of soccer, who have faced incredible hardships at a young age but have then defy all odds and play professionally. Alexis Sanchez is a fantastic example of this. He has shown that it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, there’s always a chance to succeed.
Alexis Sanchez currently plays for English Premier League side, Arsenal FC. He now lives in London, far different than his surroundings as a kid.
Alexis Sanchez was born on December 19, 1988, in Tocopilla, Chile. This region is predominantly known for it’s miners and factory workers, not soccer players. Alexis said, “”If I had not become a football player I would probably have ended up working in the mine, or doing something else, something tough…”
Compared to the lifestyle Sanchez lives now, life for him is far away from tough, minus the challenges he faces on the soccer field. He has gone from barely making enough money to provide for him and his mom, to earning around $300,000 a week ($11.5 million a year). Such numbers aren’t uncommon for soccer players who have grown up in poverty, but who have turned their life around through hard work and commitment to the game. Alexis was given nothing. He had to fight for everything that he now has.
From a young age, Sanchez faced many hardships, ones that he would eventually solve through his dedication to the game of soccer.
He barely ever knew his father, Jose Delaigue, who left him and his mom at a young age.
His mother, Martina Sanchez, worked as a cleaning lady in Alexis’ school in Tocopilla. Sanchez said, “When she was cleaning in the school I hid because I didn’t like to see her there,” as he was embarrassed of her job. Alexis was forced to bear some of the brunt of supporting the small family. He had no choice but to work for money since the age of six, to help his Mom out financially.
Without a father to put food on the table, Alexis and his mom struggled to make ends meet, scraping by every day.
He knew that the only way to get him and his mom off the streets was through the game of soccer.
At the time, all of his friends loved to play soccer in the streets. Before fun, many children in Tocopilla had to work all kinds of odd jobs to contribute to their family income.
Some say that Alexis was gifted with blistering speed and mind boggling ball control. Others think that his fantastic ability could have come through hours and hours of hard work under the blistering Chilean sun. He was dubbed ‘El Nino Maravilla’ by many, which translates to ‘The Wonder Boy’. Alexis Sanchez has done nothing but live up to this nickname.
At the age of 12, Alexis played in a local under-14 (years old) tournament, playing with kids two years older than him. At the time, Alexis was unable to afford his own pair of cleats, so he had to borrow a pair of cleats from someone, for the tournament. Using these loaned cleats, he scored eight goals in one of the tournament games. As a reward, the mayor of Tocopilla gave Alexis his own pair of cleats.
By the time he was 15, he was already on the radar of many professional teams in Chile. He made his debut for the local professional club, named Cobreloa, at just 16 years old. An Italian team, Udinese, who were in Serie A, the top professional league in Italy, were very interested in the young Chilean. They recognized his potential and decided to take a chance and buy him when he turned 17. Alexis did not pass up the chance and moved out of Tocopilla, to Italy, at the ripe age of 17.
He spent his first two years at Udinese out on loan, first at Chilean club Colo Colo and then at Argentine powerhouse River Plate. Playing for both of these teams at the age of 18 and 19, gave Alexis extremely valuable experience for the future of his career.
After his two loan spells, it seemed that Alexis was finally ready for the big stage. He played for Udinese from 2008 to 2011, making 95 appearances and scoring 20 goals. He had a fantastic 2010-2011 season, which put him under the watchful eyes of European giants like Barcelona Football Club, Real Madrid Club de Football, Chelsea Football Club, and many more. Barcelona won the race for Alexis, paying 26 million euros for his services.
At Barcelona, the Chilean scored 39 goals in 88 appearances. He was eventually dubbed ‘Electric Sanchez’ by many because of his blistering pace, unprecedented work rate, and his ability to create something out of nothing.
He never really settled in with the fans at Barcelona and in 2014 he decided to move on from the Spanish giants. In an unexpected turn of events, Alexis signed for English Premier League side Arsenal, for an astounding, 32 million pounds.
He has lived up to his reputation so far in the 2014-2015 season. He has dazzled many Arsenal fans and scores the most important of goals. He is in the top 5 of goal scorers in the league, which isn’t a small feat in the English Premier League.
Coming from a poverty stricken family, Alexis Sanchez has grown into one of the most respected soccer players today. He runs his heart out on the field, no matter what team he is playing for or against. His hometown of Tocopilla will always remember him as ‘El Nino Maravilla’ or simply ‘The Wonder Boy’. He has since moved his mother out of Tocopilla and provides for many of his family members. Alexis Sanchez will always be remembered as a success story, not one who would succumb to poverty.
The illustrious career of Thierry Henry has finally come to a close. Henry is an icon in the sport of soccer and his passion was unmatched and unrivaled. Henry once said, “I eat football, I sleep football, I breathe football. I’m not mad, I’m just passionate.” His class was also apparent, whenever he stepped foot on the pitch. He created many timeless moments for clubs such as Arsenal, FC Barcelona, and The New York Red Bulls.
Henry officially announced his retirement from professional soccer in December, which sparked players, clubs, fans, whomever, to honor the man who is Thierry Henry. The sheer support and gratitude Henry received was unprecedented, showing the effect that he had on so many people world-wide. From young players like Chuba Akpom (19 year old Arsenal striker), who saw Henry as his idol and his inspiration. To former clubs, like Spanish giants, FC Barcelona, who thanked the striker for all his contributions to their club and to the game of soccer. Some players were even thankful that they were lucky enough to play on the same pitch as Thierry Henry. Henry will continue, and always be an icon, an ambassador of the game, in whatever he does in the future. Below are some of the reactions of players, fans, and clubs alike.
The amount of support Henry received was due to his consistency, brilliance, and loyalty, shown each season. Henry has had ups and downs in his career, but when he was at his peak, he was unstoppable. Let’s look back on a few of Henry’s most memorable moments, that allowed him to now be dubbed, King Henry (in no particular order).
Champions League Goal vs. Real Madrid: This strike has to be one of Henry’s and Arsenal’s most famous goals. This famous goal helped Arsenal beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Bernabeau (Real Madrid’s Stadium), and Arsenal became and still is the only English team to beat the Spanish giants on their own ground. This moment lives in the memory of almost every Arsenal fan.
Goal and celebration vs. Tottenham: Another one of Henry’s most defining goals, he scored a brilliant solo goal against bitter rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, and proceeded to run almost the entire length of the field to slide on his knees right in front of Tottenham fans. This moment is now cast in bronze outside of Emirates stadium for everyone to see.
Comeback goal vs. Leeds: After leaving Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007, Henry returned to Arsenal years later on loan and scored this winning goal in his first appearance back for the club.
Goals vs. Manchester United: Henry was always known to score some of the most top class goals against Manchester United. Here are some of the most famous. His volley from outside the box will always stand as one of the greatest goals ever.
Final Day at Highbury: Henry capped off Arsenal’s illustrious history at Highbury with a hat trick against Wigan Atheltic in Arsenal’s last ever game at the ground. He proceeded to kiss the pitch afterwards, a sign of respect to the field he had made so many memories on.
One thing is for certain, Thierry Henry will go down as one of the most formidable, passionate, and prolific goal scorers to play the game. No one should ever forget the sheer impact he has had on many people. Even with Henry now retired, his timeless goals will be forever remembered.
After another poor start under Arsene Wenger, Arsenal fans are quick to blame the manager. Currently sitting in sixth place, with only 17 points out of a possible 33 points, Arsenal need a big win to kick start a season that was said to have so much potential. As it has gone in the past years, when Arsenal start off poor, Arsene Wenger is targeted by the fans and media. Some say he has lost the plot, others say the game of soccer has changed too much for him. Arsene Wenger should leave Arsenal as a hero, on his own terms. For this to happen it is imperative that there are changes made this January when the transfer window opens as well as on the field.
It seems that every transfer window is crucial for Arsenal. This is one area where the game has passed by Arsene Wenger as he never seems to bring in everyone of Arsenal’s needs. This summer , two defenders were brought in, Calum Chambers and Mathieu Debuchy, two natural right backs who were to fill the shoes of departing Bacary Sagna. Even with these two signings, Arsenal are playing with a very weakened defensive line. Laurent Koscielny and Mathieu Debuchy are both missing due to injury, which greatly contributes to Arsenal’s current defensive struggle.
In the past week they went up 1-0 to Swansea City, only to throw the lead away, as Swansea scored twice in two minutes to win the game 2-1. Before Swansea, Arsenal had a Champions league home game against Belgian side Anderlecht. They took a 3-0 lead but ended up tying the game 3-3, something that should never happen, especially at home. The underlying problem continues to be defense. Without Debuchy and Koscielny, Wenger has been playing Calum Chambers at right back and Nacho Monreal at center back. Chambers has played right back before but has nowhere near enough pace to cover speedy wingers. Monreal has some experience from preseason playing center back, but not even close to enough.
Along with these two current crucial weaknesses, center back and right back, defensive midfield is also a big problem. Mikel Arteta, who usually plays in this role, is having a stop and go season. He usually seems to thrive as a more holding midfielder but with his age he cannot be depended on. When he is in, it seems that Arsenal dominate possession, defend counter attacks, and play as a team. It showed, when he came off with a hamstring injury against Anderlecht, Arsenal then fell apart. Arsenal need a large presence who can sit next to Arteta, like Nemanja Matić does for Chelsea. Below are two possible signings that Arsenal could make this January to cover their struggling defense.
Center Back: Mats Hummels
This summer, Arsenal sold skipper Thomas Vermaelen but they never really replaced him. It was assumed that Chambers and Debuchy came in to replace Sagna and Carl Jenkinson (On loan at West Ham United).
Mats Hummels
It clearly shows that Arsenal are one center back short, and Hummels would be a fantastic addition. Borussia Dortmund is currently sitting in 15th place in the German Bundesliga. With a large offer, Hummels may be willing to part with Dortmund, just as Mario Götze and Robert Lewandowski have done. This would be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, Hummels could pair with German counterpart, Per Mertesacker. He will not be an easy signing as he will most likely have a lofty price tag and there are other teams who are looking to secure his services. If Arsenal can pull of this signing, once Koscielny is back, they could have three of the most solid center backs in the Barclays Premier League. Below is a link to a video of Hummel’s best passes, goals, tackles, etc.
Defensive Midfielder: William Carvalho
Mathieu Flamini is currently Arsenal’s “enforcer” but he does not possess the right skill set to cover a back four and intimidate opponents. He is often irrational, very error prone, and loses his positioning at crucial moments. Arsenal need a large, intimidating presence who can help to hold a 1-0 lead. Carvalho fits this role perfectly. At 6 foot, 2 inches (187 cm) and 196 pounds (83 kg), Carvalho is a force to be reckoned with.
William Carvalho
He could slide right in next to someone like Jack Wilshere or Aaron Ramsey, which would allow them to venture further forward without worrying about potential counter attacks. Apparently Arsenal were in negotiations with Sporting this summer over Carvalho but a deal never materialized. Hopefully Arsene Wenger realizes that this is a signing that MUST happen. Below is another video of some of Carvalho’s skills, passes, tackles, etc.
These two signings, if made, would be perfect for Arsenal. They would easily slide in to Arsene Wenger’s tactics and they would help the team in every way. Thank you for reading this and look out for more!
Well its official, Mesut Özil has signed for the Arsenal for 42.5 million pounds from the prestigious club of Real Madrid. If you would have told a Real Madrid fan, or an Arsenal fan a week ago that Mesut Özil would sign for Arsenal FC, you would most likely be looked at like you had three eyes. The signing of Mesut Özil has to be one of Arsene Wenger’s biggest signing since Dennis Bergkamp. A fee of 42.5 million pounds absolutely smashes Arsenal’s previous transfer record of 15 million pounds for the Russian, Andrey Arshavin. Simply put, this a huge step into putting Arsenal back on top of the Premier League, and competing on all other fronts for trophies. It is a huge statement of intent from Arsene Wenger, Stan Kroneke, and Ivan Gazidis that has shaken up the football world.
Mesut Özil is German born but is the son of a Turkish immigrant, and can add instant quality to the midfield of any team on this planet. Özil’s magical left foot can open up defenses in an instant and his ability, vision, and quality, allow him to create more chances and get more assists than any other player. Özil started his career out at Schalke, and then moved to Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, and now the Arsenal! Last season for Real Madrid, Özil made a stunning 35 assists. He also completed a total of 26 assists in the 2011/2012 season. Below I will describe how Özil will fit into the Arsenal midfield and much more! Enjoy!
Özil wore #10 at Real Madrid and is one of the best central attacking midfielder’s in the world. He should easily be able to slot in right behind Olivier Giroud. Arsenal should have signed a top class striker this summer to go along with Özil but the club ran out of time. A combination of a top class striker and Özil behind him would be deadly and would make Arsenal a contender for the title for sure. Never less Özil will start off with Santi Cazorla on his left and Theo Walcott on his right. Things could change when Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski both return from long term injuries. The signing of Özil will also allow veteran Tomas Rosicky to get some much needed rest and he will not be relied upon as much to create chances. Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey will sit in behind Özil and should be great supporting players to him. Here is what the Arsenal team will most likely look like:
Having Özil in the midfield will also see Olivier Giroud have a fantastic season. Giroud already has 4 goals in 5 games with Rosicky, Wilshere, or Ramsey sitting behind him, but he will now get chance after chance with Mesut Özil creating in the center of the field. Theo Walcott will also be greatly improved by the addition of Mesut Özil. With the combination of Mesut Özil’s vision and passing and Walcott’s great movement and blazing speed, this could turn into a potentially lethal combination. The ideal play would be a counter attack with Özil bringing the ball down the center of the pitch, he then plays a through ball to a streaking Walcott, who crosses it anywhere near Giroud and he puts it away.
Özil doesn’t just greatly benefit Arsenal on the field but he also has a great effect financially as well. Today is Wednesday September 4, only two days after Özil was signed, and there has already been over 15,000 Özil jerseys bought. This creates a profit of about a million pounds which will only increase as the days go on. It is almost scary to see how great of an impact Özil is making in the football world. People are finally starting to see that Arsenal mean business and are very impressed with the club. Apart from jerseys Özil will also attract more big players to the Emirates. He won’t single handedly make Arsenal win Arsenal win the league, but he is the first step into Arsenal becoming a world class team again.
Özil Quotes on Arsenal:
On why he chose to move to Arsenal: “Firstly, I’m really looking forward to it because I have the faith of the coach. I had spoken to him at length on the telephone and he explained his plans and that he has faith in me and that is what I need as a player. I’m also looking forward to being on the same team as Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker. I’m looking forward to the new challenge there. I’ve already heard that they have super fans, the city is great and the team is fantastic and I’m really looking forward to that.”
On Arsenal moving forward: “From our negotiations it is clear the Club has huge ambition and I look forward to being part of an exciting future.”
On joining Arsenal: “I am thrilled to be joining a club of the stature of Arsenal and am looking forward to playing in the Premier League. It will be great for my own personal development as a player and I am particularly looking forward to working with Arsène Wenger”
As most Arsenal fans know, this year’s tour of Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan are a great way for young players to get some first team action and leave a lasting impression on the first team coaching staff. Players like Gedion Zelalem, Thomas Eisfeld, Serge Gnabry, and Chuba Akpom were included in the squad that traveled to Asia this summer. After all 4 games, these 4 youngsters have fit superbly into the squad and turned in great performances.
Preseason is always a way for youngsters to show off what they’ve got and prove they deserve a chance in the first team, come August 17th, Arsenal’s first match at home to Aston Villa. For other players the Asia Tour is their only chance to impress in the first team before going back down to play for the Arsenal Reserves or the Arsenal U18’s. These 4 players have all played considerable minutes so far and greatly influenced the 4 matches in preseason so far. Below is a breakdown of each player’s contributions on the Arsenal Asia Tour so far!
Chuba Akpom: One of the most promising British talents at Arsenal right now, Chuba Akpom has netted an impressive 4 goals in 4 matches. Chuba scored once against Indonesia from a cross provided by Serge Gnabry, which Akpom coolly dispatched home. He went on to score 2 goals in Arsenal’s match against Vietnam. His first came off a lovely chipped through ball from Aaron Ramsey, which he cut back with his left foot and then calmly tucked it into the far post past the goalkeeper’s out-stretched hands. His second was set up from a pass across goal by the Ox who had been given a delightful through ball from Zelalem. He almost scored a third when he had a curling effort that was going in, blocked on the 6 by an opposing defender. In the last preseason friendly against Urawa Red Diamonds, Chuba went on to score the winner off a goalkeeping mistake. Most impressive these 4 games have been his movement and his ability to create chances. His runs are explosive and he knows when to play simple or when to go for goal. At only 17 Chuba is definitely one for the future.
Gedion Zelalem: Take one look at the way this kid plays and you would never guess, German, Gedion Zelalem is only 16 years old. Before this preseason not many Arsenal fans knew who he was but this could be his breakthrough. Don’t expect to see Zelalem in many games at all this season as he is only 16 but he could have a breakout season in any of the next few years. Right now, Zelalem has to focus on his performance for the Arsenal Reserves so that he has a shot at maybe playing in the league cup or an early round match of the FA Cup. So far on the Asia Tour Zelalem’s passing has been the most impressive. His through balls, first to the Ox to set up a Chuba Akpom goal, and then a through ball to Theo Walcott to set up his goal. His vision is outstanding and he is also a very good dribbler.
Thomas Eisfeld: Another outstanding German talent in Arsenal’s youth system, Thomas Eisfeld is a crafty attacking midfielder, bought from Borussia Dortmund in 2012. Eisfeld his known for his technical ability, and is a great playmaker. Eisfeld made his professional debut in Arsenal’s dramatic 7-5 win over Reading. Eisfeld played a role in Arsenal’s Asia tour last year, so it is his second year on tour with the first team. Eisfeld has scored 1 goal on the tour and has played in both Arsenals friendlies against Indonesia and Vietnam. The goal he scored was a delightful goal which he smashed home off the crossbar. Thomas Rosicky played a lobbed ball to Giroud which was headed down to Eisfeld and he finished high off the crossbar. The Asia Tour is a big deal this year for Eisfeld, not just to try to break into the first team, but also because he is able to play alongside his hero, Thomas Rosicky himself. Eisfeld tweeted a picture of him and Rosicky together after his goal and captioned the picture “Dreams come true..!”
Serge Gnabry: The third, very promising young German talent at Arsenal, Serge Gnabry, has blazing pace and great skills to match that. At only 18, Serge Gnabry has already made his professional debut in the League Cup and the Champions League as well. Gnabry impressed in his short time on against Schalke, using a scoop turn to easily beat a defender. (Watch below) He also went on the Asia Tour in 2012 and got a small amount of playing time. This year on tour, Serge Gnabry has been exceptional as well. His blistering pace and quick movement of the ball has allowed him to succeed in these preseason games so far. On his birthday Gnabry assisted Chuba Akpom on a low cross that Akpom tapped home. This year could be an important year for Gnabry as he will most likely get even more first team chances than last year. He will feature in the early stages of the Capital One Cup, possibly the early rounds of the FA Cup, and could maybe play in the EPL if there is a first team injury.
After a long and hard season for Arsenal, the EPL finally ended this Sunday. It was nowhere near as exhilarating as the final day of the season last year, where first place, champions league spots, and other places were up for grabs. This year it was a battle between Arsenal and Tottenham to secure the final spot in the Champions League, with Chelsea already securing a champions spot. It came down to the wire with Arsenal beating Newcastle 1-0 on a brilliant, acrobatic attempt from Laurent Koscielny. Spurs won as well, a 1-0 victory over Sunderland but once again it wasn’t enough for the Spuds (so close but so far). Arsenal finished in 4th place with 73 points, and Spurs in 5th with 72 points. So dons another year of Europa League football for Spurs and another year of Champions League football for Arsenal under the one and only Arsene Wenger.
With the conclusion of the season begins the offseason where players are sold, bought, and called up. It could be one of the most important summers so far under Arsene Wenger, as Arsenal are just coming out of debt from building Emirates Stadium. Reports are that Wenger has available funds between £70 million and £100 million to spend on players. Improvement is a must this summer and Wenger must improve the squad to go on and challenge for major trophies in the coming seasons. Highlighted below are positions that must be strengthened and players who could possibly fit that bill.
Goalkeeper: It was far from a bad season for Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny but he had his ups and downs. People are quick to criticize Szczesny without realizing he is only 23 years old. Szczesny was dropped from the lineup late in the season to Lukas Fabianski but when he came back in the lineup he was better than ever. A second keeper, preferably with lots of experience, would do wonders for Szczesny potential. Arsenal has scouted a few keepers so far but there is one target I think they should sign for sure.
Julio Cesar (QPR) – After transferring to QPR this summer from Inter Milan, Cesar had a decent season. He kept a very shaky QPR in a lot of games and made some spectacular saves. At the age of 33, Cesar has great club experience, as well as International experience under his belt. I don’t know if he would be the first choice keeper but he would definitely provide some great competition for Wojciech Szczesny.
Center Back: Ever since Thomas Vermaelen was dropped from the squad in the late stages of the season Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker have formed a great partnership in the center of the field. There is a lot of speculation whether Vermaelen will stay of leave this summer but either way the injection of another center back would be valuable. Number one on my list of center backs is…
Ashley Williams (Swansea) – This could be a very difficult signing to pull off as Williams is the captain of Swansea and he seems happy there. He would provide valuable leadership and poise in the center of the park which Arsenal need. If Wenger is able to pry Williams away from Swansea I will be surprised but it would certainly be a great signing.
Defensive Midfielder: Abou Diaby was supposed to become the defensive and muscle of the midfield this year after Alex Song was sold to Barca. He played brilliantly the first couple games of the season but had more injury problems and is now sidelined long term. Mikel Arteta had to be converted into the defensive midfielder role this year which helped at times and wasn’t good at times. Arsenal has been linked with…
Maxime Gonalons (Lyon) and Etienne Capoue (Toulouse) – Both strong and commanding players who can hold in the middle of the park and support the midfield while staying back to defend. These will be tough transfers to make as well as both players have been linked with big teams and could go somewhere like PSG rather than Arsenal.
TOP CLASS Forward: I say top class only because former Arsenal captain, Robin van Persie, has yet to be replaced still. Olivier Giroud had a great debut season but he was no were close to producing some of the magic RvP produced at times. I think Giroud is a good second string forward and also a good physical impact off the bench. Arsenal really needs a proven and a top class forward to help them compete for the title. They have been linked with…
Stevan Jovetic (Fiorentina) and Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid): One of these players could be the missing puzzle piece to Arsenal. Jovetic, who is a very skillful player, can play as a forward or in an advanced midfield role, scored 13 goals this season. Higuain, a world class player who most know about would be an excellent signing and could stick right up front for Arsenal. Jovetic’s agent was believed to be in London but Fiorentina denies that any contact from Arsenal has been made. Real Madrid has already confirmed that Higuain will leave at the end of the season but it depends who can pay his wages and pay Madrid the price they want. If either of these transfers are completed it will show great ambition from Arsenal.
Youth Academy: This is the one wildcard in the whole equation but there could be a lot of the younger players on Arsenal on the move throughout the club. Players like Ryo Myiachi and Emmanuel Frimpong will return from loan spells with their respective clubs and compete for first team playing time. There will also be some youngsters from the U-21 side who may have a first team chance next season, or even be moved up and play with the first team full time. Watch out for the likes of Serge Gnabry, Chuba Akpom, Thomas Eisfeld, and a few more of the most skilled youngsters. Once again this is a wild card so you never know what could happen in the youth academy.
Now that you’ve hopefully read all of this, we as fans can only sit back and wait and see what the summers holds in store. Be sure to check the news everyday as there are new rumors and new developments every day. I hope you enjoyed and maybe one or two of these players will actually sign for Arsenal FC. Later!
Views From the Touch Line 