Managers Diary Part 2

Wow what a first half to the season! If im honest after a poor change report last season and being forced into panic buying during the pre-season, I think we haven't done too badly and probably far better placed than anyone expected. Although i wouldn't let on to the lads I felt that way, we need alot more going into the next three fixtures to even consider ourselves title contenders! It has been quite a roller coaster ride if I am totally honest, there have been occassions where we should have lost by some margin and came away with the three points. On the other hand, there are games we should have killed off or held on until the end, and instead made some basic school boy errors.

In the last round against Crimea for instance, we lacked any kind of form and playing away from home... I fully expected them to take us apart, but some how the lads managed to match them all the way and with a different ref may have come away with something. It justifies my decisions to atleast always give them the benefit of the doubt and set them up to go and win games, no matter how bad it looks, it seems there is always a player or two ready to step up and put in some kind of individual performance.

As for individuals... I wouldn't say I've been without concern this season, the core of the team has always performed above their level or has put in consistently strong performances. As such this is now what is expected from any player who dons the Gooners shirt. There are one or two players that didn't seem to fit that mould this season though and Pires was the first to get his marching orders. Pires could have been a very good player given the time and has in the past put in some decent performances, but seemed to struggle moving up a division and as such became more of a liability than anything. The other is Sol Campbell, again he has a great potential but given this seasons form and the fact he has never performed either consistently or above the norm... I'm afraid he is on his last chance! He has atleast recovered enough form to make the starting line up now but if he can not contribute atleast something to what is a very tough season then it will be his last! It won't get any easier as we progress and my decision to keep him and sell Lauren may prove to be something of a disaster.

It certainly has not been all doom and gloom though, Bergkamp when in form is single handedly taking teams apart! Whilst Lang has come on leaps and bounds since the change report, Wright although not the player he was last season is still putting them away on a regular basis. In defence I have been very impressed by Keown and whilst he is neither the highest skilled or biggest potential player... he always performs well above what I expect from him. Henry has continued his impressive stats although i might prefer it if he was more consistent in each game if im honest. Which just leaves Cesc, what a player and I think he will become the best purchase of my career eventually. The plan was to rest him for the second half of the season and only train the lad, had i done this i feel we may now be fighting over third place and he is now at the top of my list when picking the first eleven.

The real headache with players begins now though, Anelka, Lypscombe and Akinfeev must now get some first team action and with every passing game their form levels become increasingly important. The balancing act alone keeping everyone happy is tough... but to stay in contention aswell seems an impossible task. Against Charming would have been an ideal place to play all the young lads had we beaten Crimea, but instead it now looks like the Abu Dhabi game is where they will see their first action. Again though it will be a balancing act to get enough match experience for the young lads, whilst not risking too much at the same time.

The Charming game itself is interesting as we have 100% record against them plus the fact i have never lost two competetive games on the trot in charge, gives us a real belief. RDCM is a manager i have much respect and alot of time for and we will go into this game very well prepared, defeat is not an option though and if we can get to the Dhabi games intact we may be able to again open up a gap on Charming and Bullies. If successful i think the team will get back to the form levels needed to push hard in the second half of the season. Nothing looks certain though and still anything can happen to all of the top three, every fixture is beginning to look harder aswell as teams look to survive or claw back the points for promotion. Currently that is the plan, hopefully we wont need a plan B and I dare not look further any ahead!

Priorities have changed some what during the course of the season though, form which is not usually a problem for us is now our main concern, whilst promotion and the title are still targets to aim for, certain players form must take priority as perhaps they are running out of opportunties to progress given their ages.