Arsenal endured yet another frustrating afternoon in the English Premier League, with the Gunners failing to find the back of the net for the second-straight English Premier League game.
Santi Cazorla was impressive yet again in an Arsenal shirt against Stoke City, but the end product seems to elude him and the rest of the team, for the moment at least. Wenger chose to start Olivier Giroud in the middle as the centre forward, with Lukas Podolski, Cazorla and Gervinho forming the three behind the lone striker.
That, in my opinion, should be the formation going forward. Podolski looked out of place against Sunderland, playing as the lone forward. When put in his preferred position, however, the German international was a man transformed.
How much ever Cazorla might be the man to unlock the stubborn Premier League defences, Podolski will be equally, if not more, important to the Arsenal cause. The experienced forward's directness is something that Arsenal fans have not come across for a long time, when he made those direct runs, the German reminded me of Jose Antonio Reyes during his Arsenal days. The willingness of Podolski, to put his body on the line and track back to help out the defence is another aspect that will immediately endear him to the fans.
Podolski is at his most dangerous, when he makes runs into the box from the outside, catching the defenders unawares. A couple of those forays almost came into fruition via a goal, but Arsenal were a little too static in the final third. With Cazorla, Gervinho and Podolski constantly switching places, Podolski also looked dangerous when made a few darting runs down the middle, defenders will have problems. The attacks need to be a little quicker, and the goals will come.
However, if Podolski is to continue at the left, which is where he is at his best, Wenger might need to consider signing another centre forward, to help decrease the burden on Giroud, because Chamakh is obviously not good enough to lead the line for the Gunners.
What was evident against Stoke, and also against Sunderland, was that Arsenal are now a team, a unit of 11 players playing for each other and fighting together; not a team of individuals looking to produce that moment of brilliance, but giving up once it loses its sheen.
There are players in this Arsenal squad capable of pulling off that moment of magic; you just have to look at Giroud's outrageous 40-yard effort towards the end of the game. It will come, eventually.
After each chance or each corner was missed, Arsenal players would come to his teammate and give him a pat on the back, a word of encouragement. That is something I haven't seen, or at least was not very evident in the Arsenal teams of previous seasons. There seems to be a conscious effort, but not forced, being made to imbibe that team spirit; i.e. team first, individual second. That can only bode well for the future, and Arsenal fans will be hoping, with it the results will follow.
There is also a togetherness in the defending which was very refreshing to see. Arsene Wenger has always said, you defend best, when you defend as a team. Podolski, whenever Stoke had the ball, was immediately pushing behind to help out his fullback, as was Giroud, working hard and tirelessly to regain possession.
Mikel Arteta looked comfortable playing in the deep-lying position, but more will be needed from Abou Diaby, who showed flashes of his old self, but was ineffective for the majority of the time.
A defensive midfielder, like a Yann M'Vila or a Victor Wanyama, to free-up Arteta to display his creative talents might not be a bad idea; however Diaby can only get better and hopefully the talented Frenchman will stay injury-free.
The backline for Arsenal looked solid, and it is obvious that Arsenal legend Steve Bould, who took-over from the retired Pat Rice as first-team coach, is having an influence.
Arsenal might not have scored in their first two games, but they haven't conceded either, in stark contrast to last season. Stoke have usually given Arsenal their toughest matches, especially at the Britannia; but Sunday Arsenal did not look flustered when a couple of robust challenges came in; the defence held firm rather comfortably.
The goals will come, Arsenal are too good a team going forward not to score, and Podolksi, with his purposeful runs might just be the main man that can turn the Gunners into serious title contenders.
