Arsenal Player of the Month: August
Posted by Young'un in Arsenal, Arsene Wenger | 1 September 2011
There’s never a dull month at Arsenal Football Club. The attractive style of football synonymous with The Gunners didn’t come to fruition on the pitch in August and instead the players, and Arsene Wenger, seemed to carry extra weight on their shoulders, following a tiresome summer that saw Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri amongst others depart Emirates Stadium and few established arrivals, until the deadline day madness of course. Poor performances and results against Liverpool and Manchester United dampened the mood further and it’s rare to struggle to pick one outstanding individual, particularly with a total of 22 players featuring as injuries, sales and suspensions took their toll on Arsenal’s paper thin squad.
Amongst the limited contenders this month is Theo Walcott who ended the first month of the campaign with a respectable three goals; crucial strikes in the Champions League tie with Udinese and a consolation against Manchester United at Old Trafford. His improving ability to pop up with important goals will be invaluable for the coming season but more consistency is still needed with his final balls into the box, and his finishing which still can be as wretched as it can exceptional.
Thomas Vermaelen also put in some commendable performances, demonstrating just how much Arsenal missed him last season. The fact eight goals were conceded without him at the back is no coincidence and his presence will be vital in the coming months. A reckless tackle ended Emmanuel Frimpong’s impressive league debut against Liverpool, a game in which he won rave reviews for his tenacity. The midfielder is perhaps a little too naïve and inexperienced for the present, but one for the future certainly.
There can only be one winner, however, and the man who gets my vote is the Pole between the sticks, Wojciech Szczesny. The 21-year-old emphatically answered his few critics with a series of excellent displays last month, as he fully established himself as Arsenal’s number one in everything but name. Clean sheets in the club’s two opening games away at Newcastle and at home to Udinese resulted in further praise for the confident keeper; his performance in the latter game was particularly impressive as he ensured the Gunners took their slender advantage to Italy with a series of important saves after the visitors had begun to dominate proceedings at The Emirates.
Another strong display at home to Liverpool was overshadowed by Frimpong’s red card and the subsequent goals conceded; an unfortunate own goal by Ramsey and Suarez’s tap-in; neither of which were Szczesny’s fault in any way, shape or form. But perhaps the defining moment came in Udine for the second leg of the Champions League play-off. With the score at 1-1, the hosts were awarded a soft penalty. The big Pole soared to his right and dramatically tipped Di Natale’s spot-kick over the crossbar in stupendous fashion. Its aesthetic beauty drew much debate amongst fans as to whether they had seen a better penalty save. Szczesny, if he wasn’t already, had become fully accepted by the Gooner community.
The final game of the month saw Manchester United put eight past a hapless Arsenal side. The less said of that the better, but once again, the finger of blame could hardly be pointed at the Polish International who was beaten by Rooney freekicks and Young curlers amongst others. There is only so much a man can do against quality opposition and with the painfully inexperienced Jenkinson and woefully bad Traore in front of him. If anything Szczesny saved Arsenal from the further humiliation of a double-figured scoreline.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call the keeper the only leading light in a disappointing month for the club, and fans will be hoping that Szczesny can replicate his form throughout the season.
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Comments
best player for august ... arteta
Jenkinson is the player of the month for august. No second thoughts
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