Say What?

Arsene Wenger and Olivier Giroud both discuss Arsenal’s rotation up front. Claudio Ranieri is keen to afford Leicester’s attackers the freedom to wreak havoc, Chris Smalling is determined to get amongst the goals, whilst Big Sam is looking for Adam Johnson to help the Black Cats build momentum after last week’s derby win over Newcastle….

Wenger Reckons Ozil is Approaching His Peak

In the last four Gameweeks, Mesut Ozil has notched five assists, boosting his tally to seven for the season – already more than his total of six over the entirety of 2014/15. Aside from leading the league in assists, no player crafted more key passes (42) or boasted a superior key-pass frequency (one every 18.5 minutes) through the opening 10 Gameweeks. Now in his third season at the Emirates, Arsene Wenger believes the German playmaker is edging towards the golden years of his career:

“He is 27 now. It is the golden age of a football player, 27-31, 32, the age when you know your job, you realise suddenly that it is not only important to play, it is important to win as well. You go into that period thinking: ‘Finally’. Under 25 you think you can last forever. Once you get to 27 you realise it’s time to capitalise on what you have learned and efficiency takes a little bit over the playing mood. Sometimes I think he sacrifices himself for the team. Sometimes he releases the ball when you want him to, sometimes he will do it when you don’t want him to. He plays in the link between the low midfield and the striker. He is the vital part in that. In that final part of the pitch he has the most assists. There he is vital.”

Wenger Discusses His Options Up Front

Having netted in three substitute appearances over a five match-stretch, Olivier Giroud reclaimed the lone striker berth – in turn displacing Theo Walcott – for Arsenal’s home tie against Everton and went on to bag his fifth goal of the domestic campaign. With Walcott chipping in with two goals and a pair of assists so far, the Gunners sit joint-top of the table on goal difference – vindicating their manager’s decision to tinker in accordance with opponent. Wenger admitted knowing when to alternate the duo is proving the difference to his team’s title tilt:

“I have confidence. He (Giroud) recently made the difference coming on and today he made the difference by starting. I have interesting options; I just have to be wise enough to use them at the right moment. We have to put our energy all together to do well for the team and the club so I do not make too much of an individual case for the players. Theo Walcott can also start which makes it easier. Let’s not forget they can play together…I think what makes us efficient is that we play like a real team. When you watch us play you see a team that plays football, not one player that makes the difference. Our results at the moment are of team effort rather than individuals.”

Giroud undeterred by rotation

Giroud also took time out to discuss his manager’s rotation. Having started the first three matches of the season, the Frenchman dropped out in Gameweek 4 to accommodate Walcott’s deployment as the lone frontman. Finally rewarded for his heroics off the bench with a start against Everton, the former Montpellier hitman admits that, despite being somewhat frustrated by a lack of minutes, he has no issues with Wenger’s recent teamsheets:

“I’m always open to the idea of rotation and I never hide from it. I knew Theo was doing well at the beginning of the season which is why I was not angry about not playing, even if it was something new for me. The main thing was that he was on good form and he brought something different compared to me. We have different profiles and when he is a bit tired, I try to take the baton. I’m pleased to score but the boss can play with my profile or Theo’s profile. It has been a few weeks of not starting and I was pleased to start. I feel better when I play. I missed not playing a bit more this week.”

Howe still searching to strike a balance

Bournemouth’s debut season in the top flight has been marred by early injuries to some of their key assets. Aside from losing top scorer Callum Wilson to a long-term knee problem, winger Max Gradel and centre-back Tommy Elphick are also set for lengthy spells on the sidelines, weakening the Cherries from front to back. After his side shipped ten goals in the last two matches, Bournemouth head coach Eddie Howe has conceded that he’s still looking to strike a balance to cope without his key men:

“The euphoria at the end of last season was well justified but, on the back of that, came an incredible challenge and one that will probably be the hardest of my management time here – to try to build a team that can be competitive at this level. The injuries have really rocked us. We have lost a bit of our identity and losing key personnel has changed a lot about the side and that is not ideal for us. It has been difficult at times to try to find the right balance as we look to take the team forward. My biggest challenge now is to try to rediscover the balance with different personnel.”

Martinez reckons Deulofeu needs to toughen up

Despite not enjoying a regular starting berth since his switch from Barcelona in the summer transfer window, Gerard Deulofeu has been a key player for Everton across the last five Gameweeks, setting up three goals in the process. Although he’s only clocked 327 minutes this term, the Spanish winger ranks second among the Toffees midfielders for key passes (nine), having chalked them up a much better rate than Ross Barkley (one every 36.3 minutes compared to 55.6). Roberto Martinez is delighted with the threat Deulofeu is posing but has challenged him to toughen up and ride challenges rather than resorting to hitting the deck:

“Sometimes as a player when they keep hitting you every chance they get, sometimes you are going to feel the challenge comes your way and maybe you are going to go to ground that little bit easier. And maybe he has to learn that but it’s difficult as a striker or an attacking player, sometimes it’s difficult to cope with the amount of bad treatment you get from defenders. He’s a winner. He is a young man who has come into a very different game and he needs to understand the culture of the British game. Gerard has incredible talent. He worries defenders and you could see at the end they had three players around him. He carries that threat. He is a young player and he has a lot to learn but he has the desire and that winning mentality and it’s only a matter of time before he puts that talent together.”

Ranieri talks tactics

After ten Gameweeks, Leicester have racked up 20 goals under Claudio Ranieri – only Man City and West Ham, with 24 and 22, have found the net more often. The Foxes’ Jamie Vardy has been the main beneficiary of the Italian’s arrival and has already scored on ten occasions – doubling his tally from 2014/15 and firing him to the top of the forwards rankings in FPL. Ranieri explained that although his tactical set-up demands rigidity from his back four and the two deep-lying midfielders, he’s keen to hand his attackers the freedom which allows their instincts to take over in the final third:

“I want good organisation in the defensive line and two midfielders. The players who are something more like a striker, I can suggest something, I can tell certain [opposition] defenders are better at this. I can suggest, but after I want them to be free. Of course when we lose the ball, concentration [is needed] in a tactical way. I don’t want to say to Jamie ‘hey, make this or make that’. When I watched some matches last season, I believed Jamie can do what I want him to do. For this reason in my first match [against Sunderland] I put Jamie in front and Okazaki behind because I believe both could be a very good link for the rest of the team. I want to make a very good blend from things I tell to them and their instinct, because goalscorers have a killer instinct. Okazaki has a killer instinct. I can give them good advice, but not to do this or that. Be free but around what I want.”

Smalling’s quest for goals

Despite sitting second in the FPL defender standings – just three points behind Aleksandar Kolarov – Chris Smalling has yet to get amongst the goals for United. In terms of attacking output, the Red Devils centre-half has must just three attempts on goal all season, though two of those arrived in last week’s Manchester derby. So far, Smalling has one assist, six clean sheets and seven bonus points to his name but the former Fulham man is determined to rediscover the form that saw him notch on four occasions in Louis van Gaal’s debut year at the helm last time around:

“I knew when I did get a consistent run that I could go from height to height. At the moment I am getting confident and I am just looking forward to the next game, to putting down a marker and keep building. I think every manager wants a player to chip in and as a centre half you should chip in with four or five goals a season because of the amount of set plays we get. That is a target of mine. I am getting a few chances now and hopefully I can keep popping up and help with the burden on the strikers.”

Allardyce wants more from Johnson

Adam Johnson netted his first goal of the campaign during the Tyne-Wear derby, slotting home a penalty after Steven Fletcher was adjudged to have been shoulder barged in the box. It marked just the second time this term the 5.8-priced winger has clocked 90 minutes in the league, with off-field matters conspiring to limit his availability. Newly installed Black Cats managers Sam Allardyce wants Johnson to rediscover the form that saw him rack up eight goals and six assists in the 2013/14 campaign, maintaining that the former Manchester City wide man is failing to harness his full potential:

“Adam Johnson is a match-winner for us. He’s got that much ability and we want him to shine and express himself that way on a regular basis. I’d say that about everyone who has Premier League experience here. If you lose your place, where has your form gone? Why are you not using that experience to your advantage? Generally, they’ll say it’s the manager’s fault! But if they’re not in the side, it’s because their performances are not what we know they can give.”

Fletcher hails Allardyce impact

Sunderland suffered a 1-0 road defeat at West Bromwich Albion in Allardyce’s first match at the helm but then secured a 3-0 home victory over Newcastle United last Gameweek. It was the first time this season that the Wearsiders have tasted victory, with four defeats arriving in the previous five Gameweeks, with the derby win also seeing them earn their maiden clean sheet of the campaign. Steven Fletcher – who bagged a goal and assist against the Magpies – spoke on the confidence Allardyce has instilled in the squad since his arrival, making note of the manager’s commanding presence and tactile approach to training:

“He is a big man, he is a big presence. When he walks in the room everyone shuts up and listens to him, so that’s a good start. He is probably the most organised manager I have worked with and he demands a lot from everyone. He works hard on the training pitch as well. He is very hands-on on the training pitch – the boys have got a lot of confidence now with the new manager coming in. We need to grow on this now and take it into the next few games. Football is a lot to do with confidence. A lot of the boys there can build from that”.

Ayew starting to settle

Only two midfielders have tallied more goals than Andre Ayew (five), who’s served up a couple of strikes in his last trio of starts. There’s certainly room for improvement, though, given that he’s mustered just seven attempts in the previous six Gameweeks. The Senegal international stresses that he’s still in the process of adapting to a new league and reckons he’ll start to hit top form over the next few matches:

“I believe if I continue working hard I can do much more. It’s about getting to know the league better and getting to know the other players better. They are helping me and giving me confidence. I think I can get better. It’s good because it’s not easy to go into the best league and score some goals. If I’m getting the opportunity to score goals it’s down to the whole squad. The manager has a lot of confidence in me and the players give me a lot of responsibility. They’ve helped me a lot in a difficult league. I’m still learning about the league but I feel that I’m getting better. I’m getting to know the league better. In a few games I will be at my peak.”

Flores on defensive reshuffle

Sebastian Prodl was a mainstay in central defence for Watford during the first nine Gameweeks of the season but lost his starting berth to Miguel Britos at Stoke last weekend, following a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in Gameweek 9. Pressed as to why he elected to drop the Austrian centre-back, Quique Sanchez Flores said that he’s keen to culture competition among his central defensive options:

“Prödl has played really well in the other games but we need to create competition between the central defenders. We have been waiting for Britos for a long time. He has a high performance to add to the team and now we have another central defender we can play. The way we can improve is to create competition in their positions. Now we have three centre-backs; Prödl, Cathcart and Britos. I see Britos every day and I know what he can do. I know he can put in a high performance like he did today.”

Bilic talks up Carroll

Andy Carroll emerged from the bench against Chelsea to nod home the match winner, having made just his third substitute appearance of the season. The ex-Newcastle striker has also accrued an assist in just over 80 minutes’ pitch time this term and with the goals drying up for Diafra Sakho, Carroll’s return seems timely as the Hammers look to cement a top four spot. Discussing the big Geordie’s performance, Slaven Bilic is confident that Carroll is set to play a significant role in his side’s season:

“Andy is a big player for us. He is special. He gives us a lot of options. It’s not just long balls, he is a great player, his quality has never been in doubt. We just needed to get him fit. Now we are in a really good situation regarding his fitness and he should be fit and ready for the long-term. We will have a lot of benefits from having him fit. It is not just his work inside the box but also his contribution outside the box. His pressing was amazing; his work-rate was excellent. He occupied Terry and Cahill very well.”