Arsenal strike late to beat QPR and Wilshere returns after 17 months out

A late Mikel Arteta goal ended some determined resistance from Queens Park Rangers as Arsenal beat the Premier League's bottom club 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium. For all the drama that unfolded at the Emirates it was painfully obvious Arsenal are a team struggling for confidence and inspiration. Jack Wilshere’s return from injury can only turn out positive for the Gunners as they set to enter a crucial stage of their campaign. The loss to Norwich and their win against QPR has heated matters up at the Emirates as Arsène Wenger looks for a steady rhythm in performance.

A difficult week on and off the field for Arsène Wenger ended with some grudging cold comfort as Arsenal left it late to score a scrappy winner against a well-drilled and energetic Queen Park Rangers, Mikel Arteta prodding home from what looked, with the benefit of a replay, an offside position. In the process Wenger's team avoided a third scoring blank of the week, but still delivered a performance of notable entropy until a surge in the last 10m minutes, sparked by the sending off of Stéphane Mbia.

Arsenal are a club in search of an identity and never look like a team in charge of their own destiny. Following two defeats and an angry annual general meeting, manager Arsene Wenger was grateful enough of the win. But the failings manifested against Norwich and Schalke were evident: little intensity, a dearth of creativity and a lack of clear-cut chances. With a midfield trio of Mikel Arteta, Santi Cazorla and Wilshere, this team form a much more serious proposition - if Wilshere can return to the form of 2010-11 - so this downturn in form is unlikely to be permanent.

Wenger gave Wilshere his first league start for 17 months and the England star’s touch and control were a breath of fresh air. Bacary Sagna was also back five months after his broken leg to give the Gunners a sense of purpose down the channels. Wilshere settled in straight away. After three minutes Lukas Podolski sent Arsenal’s No 10 on the overlap and he delivered a lethal cut-back but neither Olivier Giroud nor Santi Cazorla could get there.

Wilshere said he felt like he was returning to a new team, but it's one without the potency of the 2011 incarnation, and one where the burden of providing the flair is falling on the 20-year-old. "Last time I played it was with Fabregas and Nasri and now there's Arteta and (Santi) Cazorla so it's like a new team and a new me," Wilshere said. "It's been very tough for me, for any player who's been injured it's tough. ... You question yourself every day, 'Are you going to get back to that level?'"

There was a scare at the start of the second half when the midfielder went down after being fouled by Esteban Granero. But after going down with his left leg in pain, Wilshere was able to return to action and continue until Theo Walcott replaced him in the 67th. But the much-needed goal didn't look like coming. Per Mertesacker's header from Arteta's free kick had been pushed away by Cesar, and Cazorla squandered a fine opening in the 78th when he blasted the ball over when he was in space in the penalty area.

Arsenal’s next fixture positions them against Manchester United in an away game at Old Trafford, where both teams know the points will be hard earned. Arguably one of the most exciting English talents, Wilshere might be given a chance to impress in a fixture where expectations will be high. Judging by the Gunners position in the table and their recent win against QPR, this is a must win game. Knowing our usual play against Manchester United, tensions will be high, and stakes will be raised.

Arsenal: Mannone, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Andre Santos, Arteta, Wilshere (Walcott 67), Cazorla, Ramsey, Podolski (Gervinho 71), Giroud, Gervinho (Arshavin 81). Subs not used: Martinez, Koscielny, Coquelin, Jenkinson. Booked: Giroud.

Goals: Arteta 84.

QPR: Julio Cesar, Bosingwa, Mbia, Nelsen, Traore (Onuoha 73), Wright-Phillips (Mackie 79), Diakite, Granero, Hoilett,Taarabt, Zamora (Cisse 72). Subs not used: Green, Ferdinand, Ephraim, Faurlin. Sent off: Mbia (80). Booked: Granero,Taarabt.

credits to: www.guardian.co.uk

Arsenal: Mannone's mistake gives Norwich shock win!

Arsene Wenger accused his players of lacking what is required to make a top team as struggling Norwich outfought and outsmarted Arsenal to climb out of the bottom three. Grant Holt’s 19th-minute goal was enough to clinch the Canaries’ first win of the season and a first victory in 13 matches against the Gunners. For Arsene Wenger, this was his first blip of the season. Sadly, though, it appears any hopes Arsenal have of challenging for the title are already disappearing.

Wenger cannot afford his team to deliver too many performances like this. And goalkeeper Vito Mannone, only playing because of injuries to Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski, cannot make many more mistakes like the one which led to the winner Wenger refused to criticise his goalkeeper. ‘We don’t blame Mannone because other players made mistakes, too,’ said the Frenchman. ‘We had to put it behind us and come up with a better performance.’

Arsenal had one opportunity before the break following a fine pass from Mikel Arteta but Gervinho hopelessly wasted the chance as he failed to kick the ball properly. The Gunners’ best chance came fell to Olivier Giroud. But with his back to goal he collapsed on the ground in a heap.

Hughton had clearly worked hard on improving his defence and the team responded with a hard-working, disciplined display to deny Arsenal space and limited their celebrated visitors to a handful of chances. John Ruddy, in fact, had a quiet night, pulling off an important save near the end when, unlike Mannone, he safely gathered in Mikel Arteta’s fierce low drive. When Gervinho finally found space in the penalty area, Sebastien Bassong flung himself to make a crucial blocking tackle. Nothing would go right for Arsenal, for whom Lucas Podolski and Olivier Giroud looked sluggish, and their miserable night was compounded when England forward Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain limped off with a bruised hip nine minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Norwich: Ruddy, Russell Martin, Turner, Bassong, Garrido, Elliott Bennett (Snodgrass 79), Johnson, Hoolahan (Ryan Bennett 90), Tettey, Pilkington, Holt (Morison 90). Subs not used: Rudd, Howson, Jackson, Surman. Booked: Johnson, Hoolahan, Holt,Turner.

Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Andre Santos, Ramsey (Gnabry 83), Arteta, Cazorla, Gervinho,Giroud, Podolski (Oxlade-Chamberlain 65), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arshavin 74). Subs not used: Martinez, Wilshere, Djourou,Coquelin.

Goals: Holt 19.

credits to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2220554/Norwich-1-Arsenal-0--match-report.h

Wilshere and Ramsey: two young gunners

The Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, talks about likely return to the football of Jack Wilshere, young English midfielder. Wilshere is absent from football for 14 months, faraway from football for long time, and has often been thought that his career was over.

"I refused to give up, because he is a 19-year-old boy, so I always thought he would come back. I am not medically expert enough to know how big the damage was in his ankle. It never crossed my mind. Has it crossed his mind? Only he can answer that - I think, yes. Jack, though, has always been with a good level of confidence. I believe what he has gone through will make him even stronger."

The England international finally returned to full training on Thursday after a niggling ankle injury sidelined him for the whole of last season, also ruling him out of contention for Euro 2012.

Wenger, though, will take no chances with the 20-year-old, who is likely to have a few reserve outings before being considered for first-team action.

"When you are so young and out for 14 months that is a good test for your mental strength," said Wenger. "On that front he has been absolutely brilliant because he had not only ankle surgery, but when he thought that was over he had knee surgery. He handled that very well, I must say.

Wenger understands Wilshere has been through a testing spell of "highs and lows" during his 14-month rehabilitation, a spell which saw him need further surgery just when a recovery appeared on the horizon.

Aaron Ramsey seems to have an old head on his young shoulders sometimes. The 21-year old captain of Wales has had plenty of ups and downs already in his career, but is determined not to let things affect him too much, concentrating instead on doing his job, playing football.

“We have definitely learned from last season. We got off to a bad start and finished really strongly. But this time we have started off well so hopefully we can keep that going.”

“We are going about it quietly and hopefully we can continue this good run and see where it takes us.”