Topic: Arsenal

March 13, 2013

Why We Watch: Jack Wilshere, Force of Concord

Scott King

Leaving Arsenal, Gunner star Cesc Fabregas anointed the young Jack Wilshere, saying, “Jack will be the England captain inside the next two or three years, you don't have to be a magician to work that one out.” Wilshere’s talent was never questioned,  but did little to ease pain of Fabregas's departure. His play, on the other hand, has managed that.

December 10, 2012

Why We Watch: Per Mertesacker, Being There

Aaron Gordon

Arsenal isn't just a soccer team, it's an expression of a philosophy about the sport. But Per Mertesacker, the quiet, constant and deceptively remarkable defender who is the team's best player, embodies a different and more practical philosophy simply by playing the way he does.

November 27, 2012

No Alarm

Fredorrarci

The most exciting point in a football match comes when it dawns on you that neither team is in control of it, when both teams hit the sweet spot of incompetence: just about bad enough that every attack on them is potentially fatal; just about good enough that each can exploit the other's dozing immune system. When it's your own team, though, it's a lot more unsettling.

November 7, 2012

I Ain't Afraid of No Goals

Fredorrarci

Something strange happened to the English League Cup last week. You could even say it was spooked. No, this isn't just a bad attempt to make an otherwise matter-of-fact teaser appear more intriguing by making altogether too much of the chance simultaneity of the recently-played fourth round of the competition and Halloween. How dare you. No, there were odd things going on, alright: goals. Lots and lots of goals.

September 12, 2012

Consolation of van Persie

Fredorrarci

With his triumphs as a member of the Gunners behind him, incandescently brilliant striker Robin van Persie has begun a new life with a new team at Old Trafford. But that doesn't mean that the Gooners have forgotten about him or his silhouette. And that's not as weird as it sounds.

September 10, 2012

The Importance of Being Right

Aaron Gordon

Arsenal hasn't made a big impact in the English Premier League in some time, but it is one of the most financially responsible and intelligently run teams in big-time sports. Which is nice, but can the Gunners keep going like this and hope to win big, again?

July 24, 2012

Spirits of the Age

Fredorrarci

How did an act of love and dedication become a symbol of displaced cynicism and the futility of modern fandom? 

July 12, 2012

Robin Yourself Blind

Fredorrarci

The system that governs free agency in football came into being in 1995 and in the subsequent 17 years, we've seen the rise of "player power", superpowers and worst of all, Manchester City. Can Arsenal keep up?

April 24, 2012

All You Need is Hate

Fredorrarci

I tried to appreciate United. I tried to appreciate Chelsea. I tried to appreciate Tottenham. But it proved impossible to watch any of these sides without fizzing into a toxic puddle of weapons-grade hatred. 

March 6, 2012

The Heart of a Goof

Fredorrarci

The ranks of professional sportspeople are almost full of the young and stupid. Nicklas Bendtner just stands out because he's so open about it.