Arsenal
Premier League Best XI 2012/2013 – Part 2 – The Midfield
Hopefully you have all already read the first part of this article, which gave my Goalkeeper and back four for my team of the season. In this part I will be detailing my midfield three, and who just missed out!
Firstly I just want to say that I am using a 4-2-3-1 formation, with this part of the article detailing the 2 and the central one of the 3. So here goes:
Central Midfield: Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
Ever since Carrick has joined Manchester United from Tottenham in 2006 as a replacement for the indomitable Roy Keane for a fee of £14 million (rising to £18.6), he has been seen as a bit of a disappointment, both for United and England. Despite this he has still picked up 4 Premier League medals and a Champions League winners medal. However, this season he has had by far his best season for United, and has been one of the most important players for them during their title challenge. His cover for the back four has been vital, as well as his composure on the ball and his distribution, which have been much improved this season. Clearly he has learnt a lot from his time with Scholes, and now, when Carrick plays well, inevitably United do to, and more often than not, they win. Underrated.
Honourable mentions go to Arteta, who makes the second most passes per game in Europe, and Morgan Schneiderlin, who comes inside the top 2 in the Premier League for both tackles made per game and interceptions made per game.
Central Midfield: Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
Everyone knows how outstanding Toure’s season was last season and just what a tough job he would have to replicate that this year. Admittedly he may not have reached the same heights as he did last year, but he has still been one of the best players in the league this year. Defensively, the giant Ivorian has great strength, reads the game well and is very strong in the tackle, whilst going forward his driving runs with pace and power have been a feature of City’s play this season, particularly late in the game when he gets pushed forward by Mancini. Toure also makes on average 80 passes per game, behind only Arteta in the Premier League, and Pirlo and Xavi in Europe. For a player who is apparently in ‘indifferent’ form according to some people, he still has a dominant effect on City’s games, and they don’t look the same without him. Vital.
Honourable mentions must go to Lucas Leiva and Sandro, who have both evolved rapidly this season, and despite injuries have looked very impressive at the heart of the team when they play.
Central Attacking Midfield: Juan Mata (Chelsea)
The diminutive Spaniard, signed from Valencia in 2011 has been seen as a revelation since joining Chelsea and is seen as the start of the revolution into their current style of play. At the start of this season it was almost expected that Hazard would be the golden boy for Chelsea this year, after his high-profile move to Stamford Bridge. However, despite playing fewer games this year than his Belgian colleague, Mata has more goals and more assists, in fact leading the assists table in the Premier League with 10 and averages 2.6 key passes per game, joint 5th in the league this season. The effect the Spaniard has on the Chelsea team is enormous, with a lot of their good play going through him, with his vision and passing ability often the key to unlocking opposing defences. Gifted.
Honourable mentions go to Fellaini who has developed into a player who is almost unplayable on his day, and Cazorla who is an immensely talented player in a similar mould to Mata.
There are my midfield three for this season, and as always I have had to leave out some extremely good performances from talented players, so feel free to leave comments, and come back next week when I reveal my front three and my manager of the season.
(Stats Courtesy of whoscored.com and correct as of 16/04)
Arsenal
Arsenal Extend Hotels.com Partnership as Premier League Champions Maintain Commercial Sponsorship Through 2026-27 Season
Arsenal have extended their commercial relationship with Hotels.com, maintaining the travel brand as Official Partner of the Premier League champions across both their men’s and women’s operations. The sponsorship renewal, which commenced in 2023, provides Hotels.com continued access to Emirates Stadium alongside meaningful engagement with Arsenal’s globally distributed supporter base, particularly those travelling domestically and across European competition fixtures.
Hotels.com recognises the commercial value of football’s unique capacity to mobilise supporter travel, with their data demonstrating significant accommodation search increases during Arsenal’s competitive campaigns. The partnership extension reflects genuine commercial alignment regarding supporter engagement and travel-focused experience creation extending beyond purely transactional sponsorship arrangements.
Commercial Partnership Enables Supporter Experience Development
Hotels.com’s sponsorship provides Arsenal direct pathway toward their globally engaged supporter base, particularly those following the club across domestic and European competitions. The brand’s investment in travel-focused content and curated supporter packages suggests genuine commitment toward meaningful fan engagement rather than purely passive logo placement.
That approach aligns with Arsenal’s stated objective regarding supporter community deepening, establishing commercial partnerships as integral to their competitive and cultural ambitions.
Data Validation Demonstrates Partnership Commercial Viability
Hotels.com’s reported metrics showing 1,300% accommodation search increases during Champions League final weekend combined with 30% domestic matchday increases validate the partnership’s genuine commercial effectiveness. Those figures establish measurable evidence of supporter travel patterns connected directly to Arsenal’s competitive success, suggesting authentic correlation between championship performance and travel engagement.
This extension feels strategically important for Arsenal’s commercial positioning. Rather than pursuing purely transactional sponsorship arrangements, they invest in partnerships enabling genuine supporter experience enhancement. Hotels.com’s continued investment suggests confidence in Arsenal’s continued competitive success throughout their partnership duration.
Also read: Manchester City Host Barcelona at Joie Stadium as Champions Prepare for Elite Pre-Season Test
Arsenal
Arsenal Under-21s Defeat London Bees in Encouraging Pre-Season Friendly as Academy Prospects Continue Development Trajectory
Arsenal Women’s Under-21s secured a 1-0 victory against London Bees in entertaining pre-season friendly, with England Under-17 international Cairo Antoine providing the decisive goal following excellent centre-back Millie Marriott diagonal pass.
The match demonstrated contrasting performance levels across both halves, with Arsenal controlling the opening period before London Bees emerged as genuine threat during the second half, providing balanced assessment of the young squad’s competitive readiness.
Arsenal’s academy prospects including Bella Cowley, Marriott and Antoine demonstrated genuine quality throughout the fixture, establishing themselves as emerging talent deserving continued senior investment. Amy Liddiard’s clean sheet performance as goalkeeper suggests meaningful first-team pathway potential despite currently occupying third-choice position behind established senior goalkeepers.
Young Prospects Display Genuine Elite Development Markers
Antoine, Cowley and Marriott all impressed throughout the fixture, demonstrating the technical quality and tactical intelligence required for elite-level competition. That performance level suggests these academy graduates continue progressing appropriately through development structures, though significant adaptation remains required before consistent senior contribution becomes realistic expectation.
The presence of England Under-19 manager John Solomon alongside first-team youngster Sophie Harwood suggests genuine institutional monitoring of these young talents’ developmental progression.
Academy Development Requires Sustained Patience Rather Than Immediate Promotion
The clear assessment emerges that these academy prospects, despite impressive showings, remain two to three years away from delivering consistent senior contribution within championship and Champions League competition. That developmental timeline reflects realistic expectations regarding the substantial gap between elite Under-21 football and genuine senior elite competition demanding sustained consistency.
This fixture feels strategically important for Arsenal’s institutional philosophy. Rather than forcing premature academy advancement, they maintain patient developmental approach recognising these young players’ genuine quality alongside realistic assessment of their competitive readiness limitations. Liddiard’s interesting case regarding goalkeeping hierarchy warrants first-team pre-season exposure, potentially accelerating her development pathway while maintaining squad depth security.
Arsenal
Charlton Athletic Women Confirm Arsenal Pre-Season Friendly as Final Preparation Before Liverpool League Opener
Charlton Athletic Women have confirmed their final pre-season fixture against Arsenal Women at Meadow Park on Wednesday, August 26, at 7 pm BST, providing elite opposition testing ahead of their inaugural Women’s Super League campaign.
The friendly represents crucial preparation opportunity enabling Charlton to assess their competitive readiness against established championship-level opposition immediately before their domestic campaign commences.
Charlton’s Women’s Super League debut begins the following week against Liverpool at The Valley on Sunday September 6, establishing their first competitive fixture as newly promoted club enters elite-level football. That compressed pre-season schedule provides limited preparation timeframe for Karen Hills’ squad to implement tactical philosophies whilst integrating their summer recruitment additions.
Arsenal Provide Elite Preparation Benchmark
Arsenal’s Meadow Park venue provides familiar Arsenal Women home environment, enabling the Gunners to utilise their established training and match-day infrastructure whilst testing Charlton’s competitive foundation. That fixture represents genuine championship-level testing opportunity essential for newly promoted teams requiring clear perception regarding their competitive standing against established elite performers.
The pre-season arrangement appears deliberately scheduled to provide maximum preparation value immediately preceding Charlton’s genuine league campaign commencement.
Season Ticket Availability Enables Fan Engagement
Charlton have confirmed fixed season ticket pricing at £80 for their inaugural Women’s Super League campaign, providing supporters accessible pricing structure supporting consistent matchday attendance throughout their championship journey. That affordable pricing suggests deliberate fan engagement strategy supporting community investment in their historic league elevation.
This fixture schedule feels strategically important for Charlton’s competitive foundation. Rather than purely ceremonial pre-season preparation, the Arsenal friendly provides elite testing enabling Hill’s assessment of her squad’s genuine competitive readiness.
That structured approach combined with accessible season ticket pricing suggests genuine commitment toward supporting their Women’s Super League establishment through comprehensive fan engagement and competitive preparation.
Also read: Wales Duo Olivia Francis and Ellen Jones Join Wolves Following Promotion to Women’s Super League 2
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