The Garrison

The Garrison is our page for our sporadic columnists and feature pieces on the Gunners first team.

Contributors include:

Will Benn

William Benn is an attractive and well-built Arsenal fanatic living within pie-throwing distance of the Emirates. Supporter 1995-2013. Football-ignoring idiot 1998-2005, so managed to dramatically escape enjoying the greatest moments of our recent history. Made it back just in time for the CL final, thank goodness. Still an optimist, if a touch more cynical as the years go by. Will, will be writing about Arsenal as only Will can. Did we mention attractive?

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Brian Fettner

Brian Fettner, known on Twitter as @GunnerFaithful.

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Martijn Stolze

Martijn Stolze is an unwavering Gooner since 1998. All the staggering highs and shattering lows have taken a toll on his health.

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Barnaby Merrill

Barnaby is a mere stripling in terms of life and footballing experience, but a lack of much resembling a social life has given him great insight into the world of football, from both a tactical and a fan's viewpoint. He's also fond of a nice soapbox, telling fans how best to get behind the team and respond to the mind-crushingly dull tide of transfer rumours that fill everyday Gooner life.

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Lewis Rowland

This boyhood Arsenal fan enjoys writing about the beautiful game and Arsenal in particular. Lewis writes match previews, statistical analyses and opinion pieces.

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Queen of Suburbia

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Christopher Flanagan

Christopher is a man so obsessed with football he started writing academic papers about it. Christopher has been an attendee of the Arsenal for 20 years and it's safe to say he has enjoyed several minutes of it. Writing for Goonersphere about the business of football, the law around it, and anything else that piques his interest.

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Andy Stern

Andy is an Arsenal fan who attends as many first team games as he can, as well as frequently going to youth games. He's a firm believer in Arsene Wenger, and despises people who have 'always loved watching Borussia Dortmund'! Achievements: Once nearly bought Marc Overmars' house...

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The Arteta Succession: Who Will Be Arsenal's Next Deep Midfielder?

Written by Barnaby Merrill on 26 February 2014. Posted in The Garrison

A common complaint among many Arsenal fans, especially after defeats, is that Mikel Arteta isn't good enough. He is either too slow, not defensively astute enough, too weak on the ball, or not adventurous enough with his passing, or all of these combined. Some feel Mathieu Flamini should replace him in the side, others believe he is better than the Frenchman. Some feel that neither are good enough. Whatever your view, the advancing age of Arteta, who is 32 at the end of the season, and the relative weakness of Flamini as a replacement means that Arsenal must surely be looking for successors for Arsenal's deepest midfield role.

Leave Olivier Giroud Alone

Written by Barnaby Merrill on 16 February 2014. Posted in The Garrison

I'm f**king bored of the current treatment Olivier Giroud is receiving from a number of Arsenal fans. For all their talk of him not being "good enough for Arsenal", their own behaviour is embarassing for a fan of the club as well.

I have absolutely no issue with people criticising the Frenchman. He's a fairly limited player, and should likely be replaced in the summer as first-choice. He's also a very hard worker, and his skillset, when utilised correctly, can bring the best out of our array of goalscoring options elsewhere. This is all well documented. He's currently suffering due to a mixture of tiredness, due to a lack of reliable backups (something I'm loathe to say could have been remedied in January, looking at the players who moved) in the squad. I personally feel Nicklas Bendtner could be used more, he's unfairly maligned, but I'm not Arsene.

Ox being fit is good for Gnabry

Written by Goonersphere on 10 February 2014. Posted in The Garrison

After a few impressive performances this season, especially during a period Arsenal were lacking some direct attacking threat and creativity, it is understandable that many were clamouring for Gnabry to start every week.

Losing Theo Walcott was a blow to Arsenal and a lack of natural width and goals from wide made it look increasingly difficult for Arsenal to maintain their title challenge. Young Serge Gnabry seems to be a viable answer to the "who can replace Theo" question and he has certainly proven he has the talent to play regularly for this Arsenal team.