This first post is about why I believe in the current Arsenal squad. Just to be clear, I wont be writing about the usual suspects like el-capitano Cesc Fabregas or the phenomenal Andrei Arshavin. It's not new boy Vermaelen either (the guy was criticized for his height and his aerial ability, and ended up being the best man in the air, what more is there to say?). My focus is on three young players who were the cause for some good laughs for many from the anti-Arenal camp last season round, who in my opinion are no longer the same 'children' (as Patrice Evra so accurately put it) the were last year. Numbers 15 and 17, the holders of which are now household names in any gooners home, but not for the right reasons.
First, the Brazilian samba boy Denilson, who bore the enormous weight of filling in for the departures of both Mathieu Flamini and Gilberto Silva. Denilson was not only last season's highest appearance make
r, but also last season's most under-appreciated player. Before you get me wrong, I too agree that the boy's lack of experience led to a forgetable season for Cesc Fabregas, however my dear gooners, what many have overlooked was the development of a formidable partnership between the former Sao Paolo youngster and a certain Alex Song, which I'll get to later. What few people realise is that Denilson was never an under-performer, he was just playing along with the small role assigned to him in an unfavourable formation, which once again I will come to later. The young Brazilian's role was simply to provide passes from the centre, and to act as the link between defence & attack. With that in mind, Denilson has more than played his part. Before I can speak more on the 5'11" man, I must first move on to the other under-appreciated gunner.
r, but also last season's most under-appreciated player. Before you get me wrong, I too agree that the boy's lack of experience led to a forgetable season for Cesc Fabregas, however my dear gooners, what many have overlooked was the development of a formidable partnership between the former Sao Paolo youngster and a certain Alex Song, which I'll get to later. What few people realise is that Denilson was never an under-performer, he was just playing along with the small role assigned to him in an unfavourable formation, which once again I will come to later. The young Brazilian's role was simply to provide passes from the centre, and to act as the link between defence & attack. With that in mind, Denilson has more than played his part. Before I can speak more on the 5'11" man, I must first move on to the other under-appreciated gunner.Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong, or Alex Song as we all know him, is an interesting case. We've all heard Wenger say time and time again that Song is a centre-back of the future,
and we all thought he'd simply be an occasional feature in the backline for the 08/09 season. This as we know was not the case, as the 21-year old Cameroonian went to be a regular feature in the absence of Cesc Fabregas alongside Denilson in midfield; too bad, we all thought he would follow in uncle Rigobert's footsteps. The pair weren't exactly the best central midfield partnership, and honestly as a duo they still probably won't be making any headlines. However, some things have changed since last season. The young lads have a whole season's worth of experience, add to that a successful pre-season and you get a new look midfield. Song has noticeably become stronger, and has improved in the air. Denilson on the other hand, has made great strides in both defence and attack, which we could all see in the fantastic 6-1 win over Everton.There is another change at the Arsenal that makes this team work, and thats the new formation built around el'Capitano. Since the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor, Arsene Wenger has favoured what resembles a 4-3-3 formation, similiar to the one used by Liverpool last season. The key for Liverpool was the balance in the 3-man central midfield, with Mascherano bringing in defensive cover, Alonso providing the passes from deep, and Gerrard playing that free attacking role in front of the two. With Song, Denilson, and Fabregas filling in those roles respectively, we have a recipe for success. We've already seen what wonders this new tactic does for the young skipper, who scored two great goals last weekend. This formation, along with an ever improving team, can go on to win Arsenal some long awaited silverware.
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