I originally opined on this several posts back and made the point that from my favorite kids movie, Megamind, the only thing that differentiates villains and super-villains, is “Presentation!” For a reminder see the last bits of:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbkKVDVkFgY

One could almost re-quote the last bit as “Oh you’re a team alright but you’re not super. Oh Yeah! What’s the difference?!?” … Presence!

More specifically, there is quite a lot of grumpiness amongst Arsenal fans of late, and by late, I mean the last 2-3 years. While many bemoan a lack of cups that we all want anyway, it often moves on towards discussions of how we could be better if only we had the world’s greatest footballer: Cesc Cesar Isco Wanyama Jovetic-Higuain.

Despite his rather long name, this footballer has one thing going for them compared to lesser lights like Mr Andrey Ryo Manone Santos-Squillaci, and that is Presence!

Presence (noun) = The state or fact of existing, occurring, or being present in a place or thing.

Presence! (noun!) = The state or fact of existing, occurring, or being present in a place or thing that causes fear or anxiety amongst ones competitors.

Not to be confused with:

Presence (noun?) = A person or thing that exists or is present in a place but is not seen: “the monks became aware of a strange presence”. This is Andre Santos on defense!

So what is Presence! Well, and this will appeal to Glic I am sure, the definition of ‘Presence!’ is a lot like that attributed to pornography. I can’t define it but I know it when I see it.

So, let’s call Presence! that fear engendered in opponents when a player has the ball, or is even near the action sometimes. From there, let me say who I think has Presence! and who is, shall I say, merely present.

Presence!

Cesc – at Arsenal the added creativity he brought made everyone else, even Nasri, better, and when he had the ball other teams tended to over focus on him. To our benefit and their detriment. Presence! makes others better and perhaps made Cesc appear better than he is!

– at Arsenal the added creativity he brought made everyone else, even Nasri, better, and when he had the ball other teams tended to over focus on him. To our benefit and their detriment. RvJ – had no Presence! before last season really, but after that run, every time the ball heads towards him every other player on the opposing defense gets an immediate case of “pucker fever” … Presence! can be made or developed, you don’t have to be born with it .

– had no Presence! before last season really, but after that run, every time the ball heads towards him every other player on the opposing defense gets an immediate case of “pucker fever” Messi and Ronaldo – obviously! Keeping with our superhero format, with great talent comes great Presence!

– obviously! Keeping with our superhero format, Yaya and Kompany – the spine of Man City in recent years, and on form they make the middle of the field a place of fear, thus compressing the pitch to the obvious benefit of their entire team. To feel Yaya’s or Vincent’s presence (small “p”) while not even looking at them is to know that Presence! isn’t just about scoring it’s about influencing the entire pitch.

Negative Presence!

Santos – what teams don’t relish seeing him in our line-up.

– what teams don’t relish seeing him in our line-up. Gervinho – either dominates the world or gets confused and goes out to lunch. If he’s not on, he can be ignored, and he’s often note quite on.

Historical Presence! And we had it in spades!!

Adams – had Presence! and then some as a defender, as does Verm on his day!

– had Presence! and then some as a defender, as does Verm on his day! DB10 – perhaps a most obvious example.

– perhaps a most obvious example. Thierry – when he had the ball or was merely lurking around the left corner of the box, everyone knew where he was and was looking that way.

And many others we could all add, each of whose unique attributes and abilities, as well as consistency over time, made sure everyone knew they were about.

That leads to my next point that Presence! is a tangible but also transient thing. Rooney had it, and then bang this year with RvJ about, gone! One could almost define Presence! the consistency of the very best form that influences the entire game just by the players mere presence on the pitch.

For Glic, who is way more concise than I am, this is just Boing! when watching YouTube highlights… 🙂

Somehow, we lack that Presence! and to get to the next level need to find the people outside, or within our team, who can develop it.

So, who are the likely candidates! I would posit the following noting that these are merely my opinions and that anything free, like my opinion, comes with no guarantee…

At Arsenal:

Theo – if he can figure out how to be something more than just pace for goals, just like Thierry

Santi – may well get it this year with the right formation around him

Koz, Gibbs – with time

Vermaelen – has all the potential needs his head on square focus

Podolski – why isnt 100 caps and over 40 goals for Germany feared more …?

Jack – in spades and can do it already, needs to be healthy for a full season…

You will note there are many names missing and I may have missed a few.

And amongst our many targets and possibilities:

Jovetic – at the risk of TAs displeasure, not for me

Higuain – at the risk of HHs admiration, yes

Isco – only in Glic’s mind but he has the Boing! factor

Villa – yes, but only for 1-2 years

Arsenal have been blessed in past with many such players, who made all around them better while shrinking the pitch on defense and expanding it on offense. Just by their Presence! and the way teams were forced to consistently acknowledge them and hedge towards them…

I think we have several emerging talents with that potential, and that the right person in this TW will add to it. The real questions for you Gooners might be:

Presence! Fact or jgc professorial fiction?

Presence! Don’t need it, cuz we got it, or just don’t need it if we play this ___ esoteric formation and lineup

Presence! Who will bring it to us in this TW? Who won’t?

Presence! Do we need it on offence, defence or both, or will that one special DM solve it all?

I think we’ve discussed all the answers to all these really, already in past posts. So, let me ask one real question… What one change will give Arsenal the Presence! it’s quality players deserve. The Presence! to make other teams half give up on our arrival on the pitch.

I honestly think we are that close, it may not be players but simply time or formation, but we need Presence! Because…

Presence! (noun) = the small difference between fighting for 3-4th or 1st.

Written by: jgc.