Arsenal - Title contenders?

It’s Saturday 17^th August. Arsenal are playing Aston Villa in the their first league game of the season, the score is incredibly two-one to Villa with five minutes left to play. Villa’s summer signing Antonio Luna picks the ball up in Arsenal’s half, rushes into the box un- marked, and slots the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the goal, past a helpless Wojciech Szczesny. Disaster, the Gunners have lost their first home game of the season. Outside the Emirates, fans call for the end of Wenger’s seventeen-year reign and wonder why he hasn’t bought any world-class players in the transfer window.

Twelve weeks on and Arsenal go five points clear at the top of the premier league table, and beat last years Champion’s League finalists Borussia Dortmund, in the space of a week. But how has this turn around happened, and why are Arsenal now tipped for their best season yet?

 

The star signing

Mesut Özil has undoubtedly been the best signing for Arsenal in a long time. He was brought to club for £42.5 million, smashing Arsenal’s previous transfer record by £29.5 million. By far Özil’s best trait is his ability to pick out a pass anywhere on the pitch and has showcased this talent with five assists in all competitions. He has also proved vital in Arsenal’s attack and has given Olivier Giroud the platform to score more goals.

 

The Welsh wizard

In previous seasons Aaron Ramsey’s ability to cut the mustard at Arsenal has been questioned, but the Welshman’s incredible start to the season is sure to silence the critics for now. He’s the leagues top goal scoring midfielder with six goals and is as vital to the Arsenal make up as Özil. A partnership with Flamini in central midfield has been key to Arsenal’s successes, with the perfect balance between attack and defense.

 

Big Per

Standing at 6' 6'', Per Mertesacker is hard to miss and certainly opposition attacks have found this out first hand. He may not be the quickest, but Mertesacker has been vital in the air and a partnership with Laurent Koscielney has defended well in big matches against Liverpool and Dortmund. However, Arsenal have been weak against set pieces with 56% of their goals conceded coming from set pieces, the highest in the top flight. If Arsenal are going to be true contenders they have to start focusing on this area of their defense.

Problems

Arsenal may have started the seasonal strongly but there is no certainty that they will run away with the title. Their depth of squad could be a big issue especially if Giroud picks up an injury. Bendtner has been woeful this season, so Arsenal fans will prey Giroud does not pick up an injury before Christmas. Their failure to capture Demba Ba in the summer could come back to haunt them. There is no doubt Arsenal need to strengthen the spine of their squad in the January transfer window to keep them in contention for the title and Europe. In previous years we have seen Arsenal drop out of title and cup races in the space of just a week so it is vital they keep this form up for as long as possible. Arsenal may have started the season well, but the cruel world of football can break a team at any moment.

 

Blue Monday Magazine Cover Contest

We are looking for a photo to use as the cover for the college magazine - Blue Monday

Brief:

- Needs to be a Black and White image

-We would prefer it be a portrait or to include figures

- Old work is fine

- We would like it to relate to college or student life

- Needs to be good quality as it will be blown up to A4 size

Deadline: Friday 15th November by 4.15pm

 

Please email me with your photo by the deadline. (Phoebe Davis - PD8778)

Some of the runners up will also be printed.

 

 - Phoebe Davis

 

Top Ten Horror Movies

TOP TEN HORROR MOVIES

 

1.  Psycho (1960)

A Phoenix secretary steals $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother. One of Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest (and creepiest) productions.

 

2. The Shining (1980)

A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence. Lots of blood and goddamn terrifying children. Watch out for the bathroom scene.

 

3. Repulsion (1965)

Left alone when her sister goes on vacation, a young beauty finds herself besieged on all sides by the demons of her past.

 

4. The Invisible Man (1933)

A scientist finds a way of becoming invisible, but in doing so, he becomes murderously insane. Has amazing graphics for a movie 70 years old and Claude Rains is a perfect mad scientist.

 

5. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

A young couple move into a new apartment, only to be surrounded by peculiar neighbours and occurrences. When the wife becomes mysteriously pregnant, paranoia over the safety of her unborn child begins controlling her life.

 

6. Let The Right One In (2008)

Oskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl who turns out to be a vampire. A haunting love story that takes creepy-children horror to a new level.

 

7. The Exorcist (1973)

When a teenage girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter. That movie no one wants to talk about because they get the shivers.

 

8. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

In the dreams of his victims, a spectral child murderer stalks the children of the members of the lynch mob that killed him. Helen Bonham Carters is perfectly cast for this classic horror.

 

9. Alien (1979)

In space no one can hear you scream. It needs no other explanation.

 

10.  Frankenstein (1931)

Horror classic in which an obsessed scientist assembles a living being from parts of exhumed corpses. This is seen as the best representation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel.

- Phoebe Davis

Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary 'The Day of the Doctor' - What to expect!

Whether you’re a science-fiction fan or not, it’s been difficult to avoid the fact that this year brings a very special event to all those who are. The 23^rd Of November 2013 marks 50 years of the world's longest running sci-fi show - Doctor Who, and on this day fans across the globe will unite and be treated to something that they have not seen the likes of since 1996...A full-length Doctor Who movie.
Prayers have been answered, and as a "love letter to the fans" the show’s head writer and producer, Steven Moffat was given the green light to begin production in late 2012.

The special - titled ‘The Day of the Doctor’ - features current Doctor Who stars, Matt Smith (The Eleventh Doctor) and Jenna-Louise Coleman, whilst former stars David Tennant (The Tenth Doctor) and Billie Piper will also be returning, much to the delight of fans. Moreover, the famed John Hurt will be joining the cast to portray a forgotten incarnation of The Doctor.


On November 4th 2013 the BBC revealed the first official – albeit short – clue as to what the film would be about. It was summed up in the following synopsis:


"The Doctors embark on their greatest adventure in this 50th anniversary special. In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London’s National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion. All of reality is at stake as the Doctor’s own dangerous past comes back to haunt him."

We can expect great things from ‘The Day of the Doctor’ as the characters join forces to combat the terrifying Daleks, the shape-shifting alien Zygons, and – perhaps worst of all - the Doctor’s darkest secret.

‘The Day of the Doctor’ is to be aired on TV and in selected cinemas worldwide on November 23rd, in both 2D and 3D.

　

By Harry Walton