Arsenal View from A Gooner

Nasri Puts Man Utd to the Sword

2009-08-20T12:37:00.001+08:00

Courtesy of Arsenal.com

Van Persie Double At Stamford Bridge

2009-08-15T17:29:00.000+08:00

Courtesy of Arsenal.com

Arshavin Quadruple at Anfield

2009-08-10T10:34:00.000+08:00

Courtesy of Arsenal.com

Arsene in KL

2009-06-09T16:07:00.006+08:00

Euro 2008 Review Part IV

2008-07-25T14:44:00.002+08:00

It was a semifinal for both the romantics and the realist. Powerhouses Germany and Spain are both there along with the surprise packages of the tournament, Turkey and Russia respectively. While the Turks have been more than lucky still to be in the hunt, the same cannot be said of the Russians who took over the ownership of total football from its previous master, Holland.

Having seen the German teams disintegrate in the continental cup competitions, few would put their house on seeing the German advancing far in the Euro2008. Yet, once again their mental strength has prevailed. A mediocre team bar Ballack and maybe Lehman, the team spirit and superior tactics have lifted the team to this stage. On the basis of Turkey’s difficulty to even name a team for this match without trying to include some of their technical staff on the substitute bench; this should be a stroller for the Germans. The onus was on Germany to knock the second team of Turkey out of the competition. Yet the match itself threw the formbook right out of the window. The understrength Turks actually took the lead on the base of several enterprising forays into the German penalty box and kept Lehman busy throughout. Their ability to come back and equalized after the German took the lead was even more impressive. Alas it was not meant to be. They were sucker-punched at the end with a well-taken winner from Phillip Lahm. Brave till the end, Turkey deserved every applause that is thrown their way.

Hamit Altintop was a thorn for the Germans. Providing extra protection to his back four and dangerous when going forward as well. He packs a punch with his long-range shots from outside the box but just did not get it right in this match. He will be the man that Turkeys looks to build a new around, for World Cup qualification.

After the heroics against the mighty Dutch, Russia fell flat against a fascinating Spanish side. One would think that 20 or 30 odd minutes into the semifinal of a European Championship and the tournament’s top scorer and star striker, David Villa, limping off injured; this is surely Hiddink’s best chance to claim a final spot. No such problem for Spain. On came Cesc Fabregas, and the Russian defenders just could not cope. Playing with 5 across the midfield, 3 players were suddenly granted the license to roam and support Torres. In the end, Russia had no answer to the cleverness of Silva, Iniesta and Fabregas. Further prove to show that Xavi and Fabregas can indeed play in the same team, in part due to the latter’s versatility to adjust to an unaccustomed role of a roaming attacking midfielder.

For all the excitement produce during the 2 weeks of this championship, the finale itself was less than spectacular. Both sides virtually cancelling out each other in the midfield area, though it serve to highlight the wonderful efforts of Senna and Frings in the defensive part of the game. On the rare occasion of the miscommunication between Lahm and an advancing Lehman, Torres capitalized to nick in what was the only goal of the game. Lahm may be a foraging wing-back, but his general defensive awareness left much to be desired. Perhaps this is a reason why he is not coveted by top European sides other than those within the Bundesliga ranks. The German captain, Michael Ballack deserves special mention. This is a man unlucky enough to finish as bridesmaid in the World Cup, Champions League (twice) and now the European Championships. Tried as he might, his determination failed to filter through to the rest of his teammates. His pre-match injury might have hampered his movements but he did more than most to get something out of the match.

In the end, Spain broke their mould and emerged as champions of Europe. Finally a trophy to savour for the long-suffering Spanish fans. In a complete turnaround from the previous victors, this tournament and Spain in particular showed that playing an attractive brand of football is still the way to victory.

Euro 2008 Review Part III

2008-07-02T11:55:00.000+08:00

The quarterfinals served up a few intriguing encounters. First up is the steel of the Germans against the flair of Scolari’s Portugal. With the German defense as vulnerable as it is, Ronaldo was looked upon to provide to finishing gloss to take Portugal into the semis. However, once again so-called best player in the world disintegrated when faced upon bigger opposition. With him frozen up, Deco had to take up the mantle and he also failed. Yet again, Germany showed the mettle and fortitude in big tournaments. They were tactically sound, cutting off the supply from the wings and taking advantage of Portugal’s soft spot in the middle of defense. For men of their size, Carvalho and Pepe failed to properly deal with crosses into the box and was left exposed with two superb headers off freekicks from outside the box.

Croatia versus Turkey was a tactical battle from the word go. Neither side manufactured enough chances to grab the lead. It was a case of Tuncay and Altintop nullifying the threat of Modric and Srna from midfield. With the supply cut, Nihat and Olic were running themselves to the ground trying to create openings on their own. Neither man completed the entire game. Neither man came off unscathed. The final 5 minutes provided the most entertainment. Turkey equalized from virtually the last kick of the game to send the matchup into a penalty shootout. One can already sensed the disappointing from the Croatian camp in the run-up to the penalties. It was no wonder that Turkey triumph in the end although at a price of missing several key players for the semis due to suspension and injuries.

The Dutch faced the Dutch, well almost anyway. Hiddink’s Russia taking on Holland was an encounter to savour. Both sides played with attacking flair and controlled football. Crisp one touch football dominated this tie. In the end, wily Hiddink won this battle and had to reserve most of his gratitude to Arshavin. Even though most of the Russian played extremely well and should be commended for their effort, their number 10 stood out like a beacon. Tireless with his running, his forays left, right and center of the Dutch defense ran them ragged. They had no answer to his wonderful performance. It was also a case of Holland never showing up. Sneijder tried to hard to justify his stake on the world player of the year award. Attempting to shoot from all angles and all areas of the pitch showed his lack of trust to his fellow teammates. Van Basten’s tactic to stick Robin Van Persie out on the right flank was debatable. Van Persie’s contribution from that part of the field left much to be desired.

If ever Spain had any chance of overcoming their psychological barrier on getting knockout in the quarterfinals, then it is now, for they were up against a weary looking Italian side. Shorn of the talismanic Cannavaro and having entrusted the inexperience Donadoni as head coach, Italy never looked like the side that lifted the World Cup in Germany. Suspension to Pirlo mainly highlighted the fact that there is a lack of depth in the Italy squad. Tried as Aquilani did, he did not have the touch or class of Pirlo. Spain was relentless in their attacks and were really unlucky not to win in normal time. With Senna manning the defense, Xavi and Fabregas orchestrated play from deep. And if the two of them are marked out, Spain still had two other playmakers who can create havoc in Silva and Iniesta. Italy simply had no answer to the movement of the Spanish armada. Though the match lasted till the penalty kicks, there was ever only going to be one winner. Cassilas might be the hero of the hour but the match was well won by the midfield maetros.

Euro 2008 Review Part II

2008-07-01T16:09:00.001+08:00

Turkey, Croatia and Russia led a trio of nations embracing the beautiful game with positive plays. Each team had a star player who controlled and orchestrates the play. Arda Turan who plays his club football for Galatasary showed immense promise with skilful forays down the Turkish flanks. Nihat reaped benefit from his industrious display to cap a few goals for himself. Luca Modric who recently signed for the wrong side of North London showed glimpses of talent without actually taking the tournament by storm. Always articulate with the ball, he showed no fear to take on defenders. The absence of Eduardo hindered the wonderful passing game that Slaven Bilic had introduced.

Guus Hiddink must be leading a charmed life. There will be no country in the world that wouldn’t want him in their side. For the 3rd consecutive nation that he has led into a major tournament, he has managed to take them past the group stages. But with this Russian side, he not only took them further but also portrayed a brand of total football that is otherwise alien to Russia. In Arshavin, they have a genuine star who is comparable to Zidane in the way he practically drag them through the quarters.

This was to be the tournament that Portugal announced themselves to the footballing world. Ronaldo off the back of an unbelievable season was looking to add the European Championship to his metal tally for the year. Properly supported by Deco and Simao, Portugal ease through the group stage, qualifying with a game left to play. Germany and Italy did not have such luck but got through nonetheless. These two have the winning mentality that England will never have. They always triumph in adversity. With Ballack looking fit after only half a season out with injury, the Germans might not be solid at the back but the class that they have won them games.

Italians fared no better in their group. Missing the likes of Nesta and Cannavaro, the Italian defense lacked authority and stability at the back. As always, Pirlo looked like a touch of class. Every time he’s on the ball, the Italians looked dangerous. He sprays glorious passes all over the field with consummate ease. Luca Toni will look back on this tournament to reflect a very disappointing proceeding. Without a goal, he looked a shadow of his form in the Bundesliga.

Holland and Spain were by far the most impressive during the group stages and the only teams to have a 100% win record in the tournament. Their wins were typified by the quality of players that mind the engine room of both teams. The likes of Sneijder, Van Der Vaart, De Jong, Xavi, Silva and Iniesta are names that just roll off the tongue. The Dutch steamrolled over the much fancied France and Italy displaying total football albeit minus the wingers. And every time that the opposition thought they had enough to contend with on came substitutes with different threat. Robben and Van Persie both came off the bench with great effect. The same can be said of the Spanish with Fabregas and Corzola coming off the bench. The thing that strikes me is that these players can interchanged their roles and positions on the field which confused opposition. A midfield that is mobile and quick on the ball. That is the story of their success.

Euro 2008 Review Part I

2008-07-01T14:51:00.001+08:00

The recently concluded European Championship has been hailed a successful one due to the attacking stand that most teams seemed to adopt. Many teams employed good tactics with far more technical players than before. This will be a 4 part review of the tournament. First off, the group stages.

This could be the first championship that I can remember where none of the host nation got through the group stage. Switzerland performed poorly in all their matches and their quality was apparent when their star man, Alexander Frei had to hobble off within 20 minutes of the opening match with a hamstring injury. The defensive solidarity that the Swiss showed during Germany’06 was nowhere to be seen. Austria performed slightly better but eventually got knocked out as exuberance and panache means nothing in a sport where quality stands tall. The Germans and Croats can count themselves lucky that the Austrian lack a finisher of real quality.

As the reigning champion going into this tournament, Greece was by far the most defensive of teams. That they were never a force going forward is a fact that was never going to be doubted. Without a point and only a goal to show in the entire group stage was embarrassing. Romania held the much fancied Italians and French to stalemates but was not enough to advance to the quarterfinals. Their dependence on Mutu and Chivu was much too obvious. It was easy for opposing teams to crowd these two players and thus nullified any threat the Romanians thought they have. But time is on the Eastern European country as many of their players are relatively young and if kept together, they will surely pose a bigger threat in the coming tournaments.

Age was the dominating factor in the dismissal of France, Czech Republic and Sweden. With more than half of the team on the wrong side of 30, these three teams found the going tough as the matches comes thick and fast. Injuries to Vieira and Henry put paid to France’s demise. Yet these were calculated risk that Domenech took when he announced the squad. Flamini would have provided the impetus needed in the middle of the park. Movement from back to front was to slow and this helped the opposing to easily regroup whenever there is a counter attack. Czech’s failure also reads from the same problem although their ultimate failure stems from one of the younger and better players. Petr Cech already had a forgettable season culminating in another error that the Turks profited. At 35, Henrik Larsson would surely have played in his last tournament. The future does not look too bright for the Swedish team as Ibrahimovic looks to be the only world class player in their side.

continue in part II

Relief At Emirates

2008-04-21T22:58:00.001+08:00

Finally, a home victory to savour.

In the end, it could’ve been a bigger margin of victory had it not been for the profligacy of the Arsenal forwards. But it was a must win match, not as much for the league campaign this season but more for the confidence and belief of the players ahead of the next season. It was a performance worth noting the superb control of the game from start to finish.

Wenger finally relented to give Theo Walcott another start in the Premiership albeit against a lesser team in Reading who have been struggling to live up to their over-achievements in their first season back in top flight. After a week of rest, the players looked refreshed and were ready to go. It was a spirited display from the team but the win came too late to change the destination of the league title.

Song again provided the much needed tenacity from a centerback. He put in a solid display and did not make any mistakes. He’s actually quite good in one on ones but needs more improvement in terms of heading. Against the likes of Drogba or Berbatov he might struggle. Pace wise in direct comparison with Gallas, he’s no slouch.

Hleb had another good game with several through passes which found his man and directing the change of pace in the game. There were even more than a few occasions which he tracked back to support Clichy in defense. Goals might not be his fortitude but one can always count on him to create openings for the team. However the match could’ve turned out very sour had the referee caught a glimpse of his face punch on the Reading captain. For all the tackles that he had endured all season, that piece of nastiness is still uncalled for.

There were signs that Van Persie is slowly coming back to his best. There were loud cheers each time he was tackled and managed to shrug off the pain without much fuss. Though there’s many a Gunner fan who winced every time he’s on ground for fear of more injuries. Slotting in just behind Adebayor, he provided the perfect foil to pick up the ball from deep and starting off attacks. Reading’s man-marking tactics meant that when he drops deep, there will be at least one defender who’s out of position. His well taken freekick was wonderful though it managed to stay out of the net. Twice during corners he dragged the ball pass Rosenior for some lovely piece of skill.

For all the industry and creativity that Arsenal showed during this game, it also highlights a flaw in the current squad. They are simply not clinical enough. Had the ratio of goals per chances created been about 1:3 even, Arsenal would surely have matched MU’s goals difference. Wenger must correct this to ensure that the winning margin is higher because even at 2-0, the game could change if the opponent came back or from a sending off.

Time For Others To Shine

2008-04-17T00:27:00.002+08:00

With 4 games left to go, it’s time for Wenger to rediscover his team. Arsenal need to win the remaining games to set the tone for next season. But considering the opponents the slightly weaker opponents, it is also a time for Wenger to rediscover his team. A chance to test certain players in new positions or in their original positions. Toure’s transformation from a bit part player to a full fledged center half comes to mind.

Diaby’ returns for league action after being suspended for the read card at Bolton. He was bought for his all round display in the center of midfield. It’s a good oppourtunity for him to show his prowess and provides Wenger with another option should Flamini really decides to leave. His ball control and attacking instincts should serve him well but tackling would be one area which he needs improvement.

Song surely deserves another shot at the center back option or if not could be asked to perform his duties as Flamini/Gilberto’s replacement. It would not be alien surroundings for him as it was in this position which he excelled for Cameroon during the African Nation’s Cup. Tackling would not be an issue for him and there’s already an improvement in his passing and ball control.

Giving Lehman the respect he deserves by slotting him in goal for the last few games would be nice given that he seemed to be dead set to be leaving this summer but Fabianski should be given a shot between the posts. The Polish stopper has been quiet since his arrival but on the few appearances for Arsenal, he looked solid enough and gives ample commands to the defenders in front of him.

It’s time for Adebayor to take a rest and let Bendtner play. The young Danish has shown at international level that he has goals in him and there’s no reason why he can’t score on a permanent basis for Arsenal. He is strong in headers and makes good runs. His first touch is actually pretty good but the lack of playing time reduces that effect. Given a chance, this one will grow into a very good player.

Last but not least, several players from the reserves also can be introduced with next season in mind. The likes of Mark Randall, Nacer Barazite, Rhys Murphy and even the 16-year-old Luke Freeman should get a taste of Premiership football.

That said, the changes should not be at the expense of a league win.

New Season Start Now

2008-04-15T15:00:00.001+08:00

So this is it. The preparation for the new season starts now. It doesn’t start in August, it starts now. Remember the last time Arsenal won the Premiership, it started with the thrashing of Southampton in the last league game the previous season. Winning the last 4 remaining league games would be the springboard for next season.

The white flag was finally waved by Arsene Wenger after yesterday’s defeat to Man Utd. In all honesty, it was a game that reflected the kind of season that Arsenal have had in a nutshell. Pretty and incisive for the best part of an hour, but slowly and surely fading away as the contest draws to a close. We were magnificent from August till February but come the turn of March, it went downhill from there.

Jens Lehman drew back the years with some wonderful saves but was probably out of place for the freekick. Almunia no longer looks edgy but he might not be the answer in terms of match winner. Fabianski perhaps? In spite of all the supposedly bad blood between Lehman and Wenger for his time on the bench, I think Jens will have a good European Championship.

Hleb again was instrumental in his role just behind the striker. The freedom that was given to him has removed the restriction on his game and he was allowed to express himself more. Always confident and comfortable on the ball, goals are one area which he needs to improve on. But so long as the assist improves and maintain, scoring should be the least of his concerns.

The selection of Song was another surprise. He had shown enough in the cup runs that he has improves a lot during his time at Arsenal. Starting Cameroon’s games during the recently concluded African Nation’s Cup did no harm to his confidence. He is strong in his tackles and always plays with his head up. Coupled with Djourou and Senderos and Toure, perhaps it time for whiny Gallas to step down or step away.

A striker will always be judged by the number of goals he scores a season. Not by the number of chances he has a season. In the spirit of fairness, Adebayor has done brilliantly in what was effectively his 2^nd full season at Arsenal. 25 goals is no mean return for a striker. Not yet the compete article but he’s on the right path.

The one player whom in my opinion should be a shoe-in for Arsenal’s player of the season would be Gael Clichy. Here is an underrated left-back who never complains and never wants to be in the limelight. Yet the work he has put out this season is unbelievable. The energy he possesses is mind-numbing. Game after game, he kept on bombing forward during the final minutes of every game. It will be an insult if he doesn’t get on a plane to Austria-Switzerland.

This will be the season to ponder upon for Wenger. The quality of his squad was obvious to be seen. Somehow the failure of the campaign could prompt him to reassess his squad and future purchases might be made. Or he could find another gem from his academy of reserves. Vela and Merida seems to fit the bill. Young or old, in Wenger, Arsenal will always trust.

In Defense Of A Swiss

2008-04-12T00:34:00.001+08:00

There seemed to be a lot of calls for Philippe Senderos’ head in the aftermath of the Champions League exit. Most are saying that it is Wenger’s persistence with the towering Swiss for Arsenal’s failure this season. Whereas the grumblings mostly lies with that Senderos is not Arsenal quality. Those that bemoan that Senderos should be let go should read this article first.

Please remember that Senderos was part of the central defensive pairing that broke the Champions League record of clean sheet. That is inclusive of matches against Real Madrid (Ronaldo & Zidane) and Juventus (Trezeguet & Nedved). That itself is some kind of a record. Who’s to doubt to when you have shut out the most prolific of strikers in the current era and 3 previous winners of the European’s Best Player.

He was there when Switzerland against all odds manage to secure a creditable 0-0 draw against France in the opening match of FIFA World Cup’06. If my memory serves me right, the Swiss did not concede any goal during their group games. Now that’s an achievement, even more so when you consider that his partners in defense are not Toure or Gallas or Clichy or Sagna or Campbell.

He was even there to stop Kaka and co from scoring in both legs of another Champions League encounter. Not even the Ferdinands or the Vidics have managed to do that, home or away. Credit is given where credit does. Of course, he’s bound go through a bad patch. Everyone remembers how clumsy and error-prone, Ferdinand was when he first joined Man Utd.

Senderos is confidence type of player. He needs his run of games to really show what he is capable of. He is also very easily ruffled when he makes mistakes. Take Drogba for example. The Charity Shield loss cause more harm to the Swiss international than to Arsenal as a club. Harassed by Drogba throughout the match culminating in the Ivorian scoring the winner, Senderos never really recover from that slump till the Champions League run.

Yes, from time to time, he still makes the odd mistakes here or there. But on the overall, potential wise, he can be a much better defender than current incumbent of Toure and Gallas. Let’s not make judgement over a couple of games. If he shall ever be given a chance with 20-30 games a season, then we can judge.

Till that happens, Senderos will always be made the fall guy for Arsenal’s failure.

Gutted (Trilogy Part III)

2008-04-10T23:14:00.003+08:00

Gutted, absolutely gutted. Ecstasy to agony in a matter of seconds. This was the ultimate disappointment. That sense of being robbed and at the same time self contributed. Arsenal are out of the Champion’s League after a pulsating contest with Liverpool.

Wenger paraded practically the same first eleven as the first leg with the exception of Van Persie out for Diaby. And what an inspired lineup it was. From the off, Arsenal were on wave and wave of attacks into the Liverpool goal looking to cancel out the away goal advantage that Liverpool held. A brisk interchange between Fabregas and Hleb saw Diaby being presented with a run at goal and he duly slammed the ball into the net. No more fear of the away goal’s rule. Game on.

The moment Flamini went off, the complexion of the game changed. Liverpool were winning the battles in the middle of park and Alonso and Gerrard were dictating the play. It was off an innocuous cross cum shot into the box which Almunia failed to deal with which resulted in a corner. Hyppia managed to evade the marking of Senderos and plants a firm header past a despairing Fabregas who was guarding the post.

For me Gilberto had another good game defensively but was yet again very slow to release the ball when in possession. Diaby who was initially bought as a central midfielder was not given a chance when Flamini went off. He was stuck out on the left side and eventually substituted by Van Persie. He should have been moved to the centre and allow Walcott to come on instead to give some speed and penetration on the wings.

Second half was a real cracker with 4 goals. Torres again paraded his quality by making space for himself inside the box and hits the top corner. The game then turned with Arsenal looking to equalize and haul back into the game. Adebayor had a glorious oppourtunity to level the score but muffed the chance when he directed the ball out. He could’ve shown more composure and controlling the ball before dispatching it in the net. He will be left to rue his missed chance.

From a Liverpool corner, Theo Walcott benefited from Gerrard’s mis-kick and went a rampaging 60 yards run evading first Aurelio, Mascherano and finally Hyppia before calmly cutting the ball back for Adebayor to score. Had Walcott been given the same gilt edge chance as Adebayor earlier, without doubt he would’ve showed more composure and finesse.

This is where the agony comes in. Celebrations have not died down when immediately Babel earned his team a spot kick from a clumsy Toure tackle. Within a minute, Arsenal have gone from a semifinal spot to a losing quarter finalist. Gerrard was never going to miss from 12 yards. Babel provided the icing on the cake for Scousers alike when he outpaced Fabregas to slot the ball past Almunia in the final minutes.

It begs the question that had the Hleb penalty incident in the first leg been given. There was no need for Arsenal to push forward even when going 3-2 down. There would still be an away goal advantage to defend. To say that Arsenal lost because of a wrong official’s decision would be harsh.

How Arsenal missed the masterclass defending of Tony Adams. Wenger would have plenty on his hands to rejuvenate the boys for Sunday’s clash with Man Utd.

Are We There Yet?

2008-04-08T21:51:00.000+08:00

Is the team stil in transition? How long does the boys need to grow up? Will Wenger really sleep well thinking that his players are still in a transition period and they are not expected to win anything jut yet? Or will he be thinking that the players have matured and it will be utterly disappointing not to pick up a trophy this season.

Tonight is the final chapter of the trilogy with Liverpool and the result will set the tone for the rest of the season and maybe some of the next. Qualification will give them the push for the remaining matches and hopefully bring about a second wind to Arsenal. Failure to qualify would be a devastating blow for the boys and will affect the team, what with the Premiership still to play for.

Fabregas must not let Mascherano intimidate him. The Argentinian is very good at keeping players under wraps but is also prone to commit fouls doing it. Should Fabregas be able to free himself from the midfield destroyer or even get him sent for for silly challenges, then Arsenal have a chance.

On the opposite side of the scale, Flamini would need to keep tabs on Stevie G. Allowed him the same freedom as the first leg, be prepared to be punish. To nulify Gerrard would mean that Liverpool would have to go for the long balls to Torres which should be easily dealt with by Toure, Senderos and Gallas.

Up front, where Walcott plays will be crucial to the Arsenal cause. Should Liverpool again decide to use Carragher on the right, then that is where Walcott should play. Granted, there will be times when Carragher would win the ball but with his pace, Walcott would definitely stand a chance against the aeging Liverpool ma. If Clichy can support and put even more pressure, the game will be won in that flank.

Right, all that's left right now is for Wenger and Gallas to rally the troops.

3 draws is enough, let's go for a win tonight.

Trilogy Part II

2008-04-05T22:43:00.000+08:00

If the European encounter was to be boring, the league tie was much worse. Both sides rang changes around, keeping an eye on the return leg fixture at Anfield. Bar the central defensive pairing, Benitez practically put on a totally different team. As for Wenger, with the Premiership title still up for grabs had to mix his selection with several regulars.

This match was Gilberto's best display in an Arsenal shit this season. But he still looked like shadow of his former self. Fabregas and Flamini pressed but it was obvious that tiredness has caught up with them.

Bendtner looked useful in the lone striker role. The Carling Cup run proves that and this match is further testament to the talent of this Danish lad. Come next season, he would surely be a force to be reckoned with. He fully deserves to score the equalizer, whether he celebrates with his teammates is another matter.

Hoyte has taken a step backwards in the arrival of Bacary Sagna. He's obviously talented enough to be on Wenger's team as the match against Sheff Utd showed but lack of play has put a dent in his confidence.

If Man Utd win at Riverside tomorrow, the fight for the league title may well and truly be over for Arsene and Arsenal. A season that promised so much, starts to look gloomy for Gunner's fan.

Trilogy Part I

2008-04-03T21:31:00.000+08:00

This was to be Arsenal's 2nd European encounter against English opponents. After the initial failure against Chelsea, this time it's Liverpool's turn in the match up. It's a test of Wenger's resolve against Liverpool's European pedigree. For every league disappointment, the Reds seems to turn up differently in the continental cup games. This is a big test for the young Gunners.

The match was cagey and was never going to be a spectacle. Both sides mostly traded blows in central midfield. Van Persie had a couple of shooting chances in and outside the box but he's still trying to recapture his pre-injury form. Flamini's range of passing has improved tremendously and was unlucky that Van Persie did not finish his exquisite lob over the defence.

When the goal finally arrived, it was off a good set piece from a corner. The Dutchman's cross was met beautifully by Adebayor who benefited from a very static Liverpool defence. But is did not last long as Gerrard cap a mazy run and cross with a deflected Kuyt goal. Liverpool had their away goal and practically shut up shop from then on.

The clearest chance for Arsenal to claim a victory was when Kuyt tugged Hleb inside the box. It was as clear a foul as any. Ironically the Dutch referee failed to see it that way. The officials should really watch videos of Hleb and realise that he never dives. It's true that the advantage could be with Arsenal's had it not been for the referee but they were also short of ideas and found it difficult to penetrate Liverpool's tight defence.

The scoreline reflects a tough second leg where the Scousers will try and defend their away goal advantage. Arsene Wenger better have something up his sleeves or face another European disappointment of what might have been.

A Win At Last

2008-03-30T20:06:00.001+08:00

Culminating the end of Arsenal's worst ever run in the Premiership was a great comeback victory against an ailing Bolton. Granted that this was against a Bolton fighting to stay in the Premiership rather than an Europe chasing Bolton, the victory was not all that awe inspiring.

However, the manner in which Arsenal did win would have been a tremendous boost ahead of the Champions League tie. A man down and two goals behind at half time, no on gave Arsenal a ghost of a chance. Well, not in the current Arsenal's form or past results at Reebok Stadium anyway.

It really shouldn't have been so hard, for Arsenal had far the better chances to score and was dictating the game. Sucker-punch against the run of play cause them to trail behind at the break. Again it was Gallas who was found wanting. How Matt Taylor could ghost in unnoticed for a glancing header was beyond me. Already lacking in leadership, now his positional strength is coming into question.

Looking back at the game, I'm baffled to remember what provided the impetus for an Arsenal comeback. There was no one who was particularly exceptional. They were still spraying the pass around and attacking in drove without being threatening. But still they managed to put 3 past Bolton's Asian keeper.

This means that when push comes to shove, Arsenal can provide the finish but in a more simplistic manner. No one could argue that on their day, Arsenal can play everyone off the park. But it is days like this which is crucial for the title cause. Not anywhere near as impressive but still able to conjure up 3 goals to seal a valuable win.

For once, the doggedness and determination must come to the fore and the flair and beauty needs to lie in the shadow.

Down & Most Probably Out

2008-03-24T19:52:00.000+08:00

Drawing 4 games on the trot is not championship winning material. Losing the 5th definitely puts you out of the title race. The strength and determination of earlier part of the season has faded away. Perhaps the boys are tired or perhaps it's the combination of injuries which have crippled their title aspirations.

It's easy to say that injuries played a part in the meltdown. However when you consider that it is injuries which have crippled Arsenal's attacking threat on the left side of midfield, then it is a problem. No one could've imagine that Rosicky, Van Persie and Eduardo are all injured at the same time. Had Ronaldo, Giggs and Nani been injured together, United themselves would have found it hard to play their normal game.

The tactics that Wenger employed since the problem only further highlight the pivotal roles that these 3 players held. Switching to a lone striker aided by Hleb, a plan that worked really well against continental sides but less so against English opponents.

Sides suddenly found it easier to contain Arsenal. The wide players are not as mobile and dangerous as when Hleb and Rosicky are on the wings. These 2 can switch flanks with consummate ease. Their ability to drift in-field also cause many problems to opposing sides. Walcott and Eboue does not present the same danger as the earlier two. Always trying to beat their markers and look for the cross into the box. Their quality of crossing and decision making leaves a lot to be desired.

Having said that, perhaps the biggest folly is dropping Senderos into the bench in favour of a returning Toure. Gallas sees to miss the big Swiss. The Gallas-Toure axis did not show the same solidarity of earlier. Hassled by Drogba and even out-jumped by Anelka shows the drop in confidence level. Or perhaps the desire to be there fist is no longer there.

This is a time for Gallas to show his leadership. If not, the baton should be passed on to someone more inspiring. Flamini, not a timid character himself, would certainly fit the bill. Energetic all season, he has been the real star of Arsenal's season. His performance has not dropped while most of his teammates has gone off the boil. Keeping him happy with a new contract is surely the first thing on Wenger's mind.

Slipping Out Of Grasp

2008-03-18T12:03:00.000+08:00

After the triumphant victory at San Siro, it was a return to the Premiership quest. Two games against teams undoubtedly much weaker than AC Milan. Two matches to maintain or even stretch the lead the top of the table. Somehow things turned out to be quite the other end of the spectrum. In the space of these two games, Arsenal have lost the lead to Man Utd. Shocking outcome, but not entirely unexpected.

On a less than desirable pitch, Arsenal struggled to produce the same quality of football that was so wonderful to watch in midweek. Passes were never going to be easy to make and quick one touch football is almost impossible as the football cum rugby pitch was never going to allow it. Perhaps it was from a tactical point of view that Wigan kept their pitch the way it was. It would certainly help their cause especially up against many a side that play passing football.

Yet despite the shortcomings in terms of facilities, Arsenal did manage to muster a few chances that would have been put away in another game. Adebayor has lost his scoring touch. Put through by Fabregas in the first minute, he muffed the chance by shooting straight at Kirkland. You may think it has something to do with the change in hairstyle but I’m sure that there’s more than that. The last month or so have highlighted the Togolese’s fallibility as a footballer. He doesn’t work as hard as used to. He has become more and more selfish in his game. Perhaps the praise and adulation showered by fans and pundits alike early in the season has finally got to his head.

Fabregas had the oppourtunity to clinch victory in the final minutes of the game but he too shot straight at the on-rushing Kirkland. Wigan rarely threatened and when they did, they were restricted to shots outside the box which Almunia comfortably dealt with. The bright side of this clash is the return of Robin Van Persie who played the last 30 odd minutes. He getting back to his full fitness would be vital in the run-in.

Aliadiere’s return to Emirates also brought about his first goal against his former employees. There are quite a number of those in the past few years; well most of them were from Anelka. Anyways it was another frustrating match for Arsenal fans. In spite of having the lion’s share of possession, the penetration or rather the lack of it was visible for everyone to see.

Hleb’s play looks lethargic and in need of rest. Fabregas was no longer marauding up to join in on attacks. Adebayor seems to playing only with himself and when he’s done, he passes the ball to Boro players. These players are tired from a very long campaign and a rest every other match wouldn’t hurt.

Boro got their opener from a quick freekick in their own half which should have been called offside as Aliadiere was chasing the initial ball but change direction once he saw Tuncay going for the same ball. Gallas was non-committal in defending and should have cut the cross instead of letting it run through.

From then on, it was a similar story to last season’s troubles. Trailing at home against a side who really only came to defend. Passages of play through the middle was easily dealt with my Wheater and Huth. When the equalizer finally came, it was in the dying minutes of the game. Toure headed the ball in off the corner. There was an oppourtunity to claim victory with another corner but the referee who was never taught to read time decided to blow the final whistle.

4 points lost and the title seemed to be getting further and further away. Perhaps the team still needs another player of two. Perhaps Wenger shouldn’t be too stubborn in terms of the style of play. Perhaps the referee could’ve played another 30 seconds. Perhaps Adebayor shouldn’t cut his hair.

The “what if’s” comes from pure and utter disappointment of a slipping title.

From Disappointing to Magnificent, My Emotions Confused

2008-03-06T17:25:00.000+08:00

Now that I’ve managed to find time, lets just summed out the balanced matches to keep this blog up to date. 6 points lost in between and now Man Utd have the upper-hand in the title charge.

The Villans came to Emirates and more than managed to steal a point. Agbonlahor proved to be a real menace to the Arsenal backline and it was his industrious run that set-up Aston Villa’s goal. The big Swiss defender that is Senderos helped the ball to the net but he was not at fault for Gallas failing to keep the young English striker under wraps.

As it was in last season’s fixture, Arsenal toil and toil for long periods of the game but found it hard to breach a disciplined Villa defense. And when the equalizer finally came, it was in the dying minutes of the injury time. Adebayor’s flick on to Bendtner who slots the ball home ensured the unbeaten record at Emirates for this season continues. The Eduardo hangover seems to last longer than it’s suppose to be.

The match against the defending champions of Europe was billed by most as a forgone conclusion with the holders, AC Milan going through easily. However that couldn’t be further from the truth. Except for the first 15 odd minutes where Milan played well, they were well and truly dominated by an excellent Arsenal side that night. Kaka’s threat was nullified by Flamini’s effort and the rest of the Milan midfield simply had no answer for the passing and movement of the younger and more exuberant side.

Fabregas and Hleb were particularly impressive in their respective roles. Fabregas was providing the impetus for every Arsenal attack and was unlucky not to have scored earlier when his shot rebounded off the crossbar. Not only that, he also tracked back on numerous occasion to help Flamini protect the backline. Hleb was just wonderful in the hole behind the striker. He was left, right and center. Always prepared to receive the ball and holding it till support arrived. It was also pleasing to see Walcott stayed on his feet after being clattered by Maldini, to put Adebayor through for his first Champions League goal. Not something you see very often in the modern game.

Get Well Eduardo

2008-02-26T16:45:00.000+08:00

It was meant to be another easy workout to maintain the 5 points gap. It was meant to be a match to erase the painful exit at last weekend’s cup competition. It was a match meant to regain the scoring touch that went missing during the Champion’s League. But this is a match where even the glory of a Premiership title winning run has to be put at the backburners.

Merely 3 minutes into the opening half when heartbreak happened. No sooner had the fans settled down when Eduardo’s leg snapped and he suffered a double compound fracture in his fibula and foot. First glance at the challenge made by Martin Taylor looked fairly innocuous and one would have half expected the Croat to be standing within the next minute or at least after some treatment at the sidelines. But that was not to be.

The early setback and the horror of the outcome shocked all Arsenal players. It must be said that some were more emotional than others. I guess it’s fair to say that most are more worried bout the health of Eduardo than the outcome of the match. No matter how bad the team played, you could easily understand what was going through their minds. Add in a McFadden goal from a freekick which profited from Almunia’s positioning or rather the lack of it.

Arsene Wenger must have felt hard done by during the interval. It is hard enough trailing in the actual football but he had to galvanize his side to come out firing in the second half when the players are more concerned and upset with the Eduardo incident.

It took a lot of guts to continue playing the way they did. To their credit, they did come out firing on all cylinders and laid siege into Birmingham’s goal. You could sense that they want to dedicate this win to the stricken striker. In a 10 minutes salvo, Arsenal have taken the lead with two well taken goals from the improving Theo Walcott. I pity this boy. It took him a while to get his first Premiership goal and in a match like this, it will always be overshadowed by what happened to his teammate.

After the goals, there wasn’t much attacking to be done by Arsenal. They simply slumped back to the mood they were in the first half. Not intending to do much and just wanted the final whistle to come. If they have kept going at Birmingham, the opposition wouldn’t be able to keep it with them. Somehow you knew that if the third goal did not come, the Blues would hit us back. And that they did. No matter how dodgy the penalty decision in the final minute of injury time was, the Arsenal boys only had themselves to be blame for their inadequacies to finish the job.

The antics of the captain, William Gallas when the penalty was awarded was shameful. That was not the behaviour of an Arsenal captain. Throwing a tantrum when there is still a penalty to defend was unacceptable. On the basis of this action alone, there should a new captain to take up the mantle as the leader of the club. In my years, I’ve never once seen Tony Adams acted as such throughout his distinguished career as Arsenal captain.

As disappointing as the result was, it was nothing compared with the loss of an individual to such a horrific injury. My heart and thoughts are with you, Eduardo. So is the rest of the world. Get well soon.

Pretenders To The Crown

2008-02-21T17:24:00.000+08:00

This match is one for the history books. It’s the first time that Arsenal have met AC Milan in a Champions League match-up. It’s the old boys against the young guns. It’s the beautiful game against the tactically perfect game. It’s the best defender of the decade against the best striker in the Premiership this season. It’s a second round game to savour.

The first half may have turned out to be a bit dour to most of the fans around the world but I would like to have looked at it from a different angle. Yes, the game was tight. Neither side carved up really good chance to open the scoring. However the way the game was tactically was a beauty to watch.

Ambrosini, Pirlo, Seedorf and Gattuso were perfect in their protection of their backline. So disciplined was their performance that it nullified Arsenal’s threat from midfield. Every time that Fabregas or Hleb tried to move forward, they are being tracked by at least one of those 4 players if not more. They did not try to do anything more than carrying the ball to safety and ensuring that their defense is not breached. The blank on the column shots on target for Milan will attest to that.

Meanwhile, the match itself provided ample justification as to why a 39 year old stalwart can be a wall to even the highest scoring attacker in the Premiership. Even at his age, Maldini proved time and again that he’s no slouch. He was able to match Adebayor stride for stride. This man has won everything there is to win in club competition and only missed winning the World Cup due to his international retirement. Young kids looking for someone to idolize should look no further than this great individual.

Tried as Arsenal did to move up the tempo in the second half, you can sense the astute awareness that the Milan players possess in being able to position their players to slow down the game. But midway in the second half, the age factor begins to reveal itself and even the mighty Gattuso was caught grasping for breath chasing after the Arsenal passes.

This is where I believe that Wenger could’ve used the service of Theo Walcott earlier instead of only the last 5 minutes. His pace would’ve cause trouble to the fast tiring Milan side. Although in fairness, given that short period of time, he still manages to conjure up an opening for Adebayor. Heading that cross against the crossbar was the last thing you would expect from him to do, given his scoring prowess this season. Facing an open goal, he should be calmer in dealing with the finish. In fact, a simple chest would’ve sent the fans celebrating a 1-0 lead in the knockout phase.

Arsenal have it all to do in the second leg. Senderos and Gallas would’ve have to maintain their performance to thwart the Milan players from scoring. 0-0 is not a bad advantage at this juncture. An away goal in the second leg would help settle the tie.

Looking At The Bigger Prize

2008-02-18T16:55:00.000+08:00

A man can’t be choosy. The choice was obvious. With two big games in the space of 5 days, Arsene knew he had to juggle his players and keep an eye on the Champions league encounter. Unfortunately for Arsenal it came at the expense of a thrashing at Old Trafford. FA Cup are and still one of the cups that Arsene Wenger really likes to win. Having featured in 3 of the last 5 finals will tell you of his desire to win the oldest cup competition in the world.

However given the context of this season, his team selection for this game was quite understandable. Leading the league table by a good margin and with an upcoming important 2nd round encounter against the reigning champions of Europe, you could almost sense Wenger’s reluctance in playing an under-strength side. Note that I used “under-strength” instead of second team. For on the field are still Lehman, Gallas, Toure, Fabregas and Hleb.

It’s always harder to play as a defense when two of the regulars are not around, especially when both are playing on the flanks. This match was lost in these positions. Traore and Hoyte were dominated throughout the match by Park and Nani respectively. The end result of them being run ragged was the central defenders had to be pulled away to cover and protect their flanks which leaves the center with miles of space for attackers to run into.

Gallas have not been the tower of strength that he was during the league encounter between the two teams. He even took the time to put some sense into Nani for showboating moments earlier. That said, when a captain shows no real desire to win the game, it’s a feeling that will transpire to the rest of the team. Toure was never in the game as well; perhaps it was because he was feeling slightly burnout from the recently concluded African’s Nation Cup.

For the same reason Eboue chose to take an early shower with a petulant kick at Evra that warranted a straight red. You really can’t escape the colour of the card once you stop looking at the ball when you jump for headers. Adding a high kick to boot, there’s not much to complain about is it? Stupid is what stupid is.

The thing that makes you smile about this game is the introduction of Flamini. In the 10-20 minutes that he was in, he gave it his all. He was running all over the pitch to cover for his teammates who have already given up the cause. This guy really deserved all the accolades that had showered him this season.

From this match, one would be pretty afraid to approach a Champions League encounter against the defending champion that is AC Milan but I feel that come Wednesday, it’s a different Arsenal that the champions will be facing.

Race To The End

2008-02-11T17:29:00.001+08:00

This was a game that Arsenal simply had to win. There’s just no two ways about it. Having seen their previous conquest, Man City conjured up a spectacular victory at Old Trafford to spoil the other Mancunians’ 50th year in memory of Busby’s era; Arsenal must now win at home against Utd’s old boy Mark Hughes’ Blackburn Rovers.

However all the talk leading up to the match was on David Bentley. He of course moved to Blackburn from Arsenal albeit after a short loan spell. This was a man touted as the next Dennis Bergkamp. On some occasions when he was given a chance, he rarely disappoints. So it was safe to say I was quite disgruntled to hear about his transfer to Blackburn 2 years ago. If only he had been a bit more patient, I’m sure he would have been the first name on Wenger team list this year.

The match was settled in the first and last five minutes of the game. Senderos and Adebayor combined to produce a comfortable score for an Arsenal victory to lead the table by 5 points. Yet the match itself reflected little to the final score. Blackburn tried and pushed Arsenal hard although they may not have that many efforts on goal to actually trouble a returning Jens Lehman.

To his credit, Bentley was probably the only real threat to the Arsenal defense. But his creativity and ingenuity was not match by the runnings and desires of his strikers. Arsenal weren’t at their efficient best and it showed with many stray passes that was easily intercepted in the middle of the park.

From here on then, it will be about the boys keeping cool and calm till the end of the fixtures. 5 points lead at this time of the season is as good and promising as they come. It will be interesting to see how these young lads respond to the extra pressure and burden to maintain the challenge and reach home first.

Robin Van Persie started the ball rolling with the equalizer in the opening match against Fulham, what I wouldn't give to have the man so besieged by injuries this year to complete a wonderful season by capping it with the goal to win the Premiership. From where we stand, it may not be such an impossible dream after all.

Thank You, Spurs???

2008-02-05T13:52:00.000+08:00

To win where others have fallen, or in this case where Man Utd had fallen. A trip to Manchester City would be a stern test for the Arsenal as earlier in the season, the blue half of Manchester had beaten their red half. This was a fortress protected by the immaculate duo of Dunne and Richards with by far the most promising of goalkeepers in Joe Hart right behind them. Yet, as the final whistle blew, they had been put to the sword by a fluent Arsenal side.

Arsenal got into their groove early on in the match as they seek to put pressure on Utd who played Spurs at a later time. Winning balls in the middle of the park and keeping possession well without threatening too much. A quick counter attack and good interchange between 2 of Arsenal’s most creative players saw Sagna being feed on the right and he delivered a good cut back for Adebayor to collect his 17th goal of the season.

Before the opponents were able to catch their breath, Arsenal stunned them with swift counter attacking again. Clichy did well to get to the byline and pump in a high cross for Adebayor to nod down to Eduardo. A chest and a half turn volley later, Arsenal were two up. The same left back committed an error to allow Ireland to rob him while attempting to win a goal kick and Fernandes scored as a result from it.

It was pretty much cruise control from then on. Arsenal this year is much better equipped in keeping their lead. There were a few scares for the City fans especially as Hleb and Fabregas tried to showcase their attacking talents.

At the death, Adebayor once again warm himself further into Gunners’ hearts with his second goal of the night. Fouled in the middle of the field, he got up and continued to join a free flowing attack that culminated in his goal. That showed character and the desire to ignore the pain was commendable.

Utd muffed the chance to reclaim the top position after only managing a draw against the lesser half of North London. It’s the final turn to the checkered flag and Arsenal have nudged their noses in front. It will be a race to savour.

How Did You Do That Flamini?

2008-02-01T14:58:00.000+08:00

To have the great Maradona visit you in the dressing room after a game must have been an unbelievable experience. But to see him face to face especially after succumbing to your second straight loss to the same team by identical scores of 3-0 must have be embarrassing. I’m sure that is how the Newcastle players felt when the legend himself walked into the room.

So for the second time in a matter of 4 days, the Magpies visited Emirates Stadium to play against Arsenal. And for the second time, they got beaten by the same scoreline, albeit this time without putting as much of a fight. This was a match where Newcastle tried all night to put Michael Owen through with balls over the defense. The passes were either called offside or managed to be cut by the duo of Senderos or Gallas. Safe to say there was no need for Almunia to even put on gloves.

Surely after this game, Matthieu Flamini has warrants himself a healthy pay rise almost equivalent to that of another star of the night, Emmanuel Adebayor. Both of them ran the show for Arsenal. Flamini has not put a foot wrong all season and certainly one of the frontrunners for Arsenal’s player of the season. Flourishing in his extended stint in the center of the park, Flamini has given the Arsenal’s rearguard a more reassuring look this season. Add to that his occasional forays upfront and late runs into the opposition box, Wenger may have finally found the perfect foil for Cecs Fabregas.

It seems like a formality for the past few postings that I’ve mentioned how good Phillipe Senderos has been. He continued in the same vein in the latest win. Owen does not have a sniff of a chance. Neither did Smith for that matter. Senderos has just been a rock in his return to the first team. He is tidier with his passing and not making any rash tackles or fouls. If this goes on, I could very well fancy Wenger to have a look at the idea of a 3-5-2 with Diaby or Gilberto sitting in the middle with Flamini while Fabregas and Hleb being given free roles.

Adebayor has really outdone himself this season. No one could’ve foreseen his current ranking in the top scorer’s chart. For the amount of sitters that he has missed early in the season, he is definitely making up for it in the post-Christmas matches. Headers, right foot, left foot and even from the most unimaginable of angles, he puts in the net. Somewhere in the Catalan city, Henry must have a rise smile and staking a claim in helping the Togonator to become the player he is right now.

When Fabregas scored the third, there was sign of togetherness that was very endearing to watch. He, Adebayor and Bendtner all huddled up for an extended period of time. Perhaps and hopefully exorcising the ghost of the clash between the latter two from the drubbing last week. Add to that the final whistle huddle and you can almost picture an Arsenal dressing room that is full of families and friends.

All for one and one for all.

Good, But What Happens When You Can't Run

2008-01-29T18:14:00.000+08:00

I promised a friend to write an unbiased article about this (so bear with me for this one). Let’s get it over quick so I can return to the real football that matters to me and millions more.

Christiano Ronaldo come through the youth system at Sporting Lisbon and graduated through the ranks with consummate ease. Very quickly he found himself in the first team at this Portuguese side. Blessed with speed that could rival most sprinters from lesser lights in the athletics world, he had another thing going for him, fantastic skills. The kind you normally see on training grounds and commercial clips.

His career really took off when Ferguson paid a large sum of money to get him to don the Man Utd’s colours. When he first played for them, only things that were going through everyone’s mind was that this boy has all the party tricks up his sleeve but would struggle in the rough and tumble of the Premiership. In fact, it did bind him a little at first. Things were slightly different in this league compared to Portuguese Liga. Easily skipping past the first tackle when the next one comes crunching in. But the bruises and knocks didn’t put the boy down.

Very soon, we got to see the reasons that Old Man Fergie bought this boy for. Tricks were only limited to certain parts of the field and when the game is already won. He contributed his part in terms of goals as well. Climbing well and possessing strong headers for someone his size was quite rare. He even got the odd 1 or 2 through freekicks.

Last season Ronaldo really came to the fore. It’s fair to say that without his contribution, United would have finish slightly below Everton and settling for a place in the UEFA Cup. One thing that he managed to improve tremendously was his effectiveness in dealing with freekicks. Ratio per chance has got better definitely. Perhaps the innovation of lighter balls has helped with this.

Good. Now done with the good parts, here comes the ugly side.

Ronaldo has a tendency to fall very, very, very easily. Although to be fair, this has lessened in the current season. He expects every time that he falls from a challenge it is a foul. Turning around and appealing like a spoilt brat would not help his case. Most referees are wiser from the numerous video replays that keep showing on television. Faking injuries and diving are things that we could do without from this guy.

Selfish is another point that can be seen happening with this boy. There are numerous times when his teammates are in far better position but he still chooses to dribble and run further. If he takes the time to think about his options rather than going for the glory himself, it would help his team much more. Sure, it’s all going well at the moment but the purple patch is bound to end someday when he alone cannot carry the whole team.

However I do suspect it’s going to be a short career if he doesn’t evolve himself. As the years come along, the pace will drop. This is when it gets interesting. Technically he could turn out to be another Luis Figo, mercurial wide man with two very good feet. He will need to find that extra edge to change the dimension of his game when his speed no longer takes him past oppositions. Stay the same and the star will not shine for too long.

That’s it. My tooth is sore from biting the bullet to complete this piece. I need to go to the dentist.

Left or Right No Difference To The Togonator

2008-01-28T18:13:00.000+08:00

This was an important match for all Gunners. Fans and supporters alike would like to see whether there’s a response to the thrashing (gulp!) that Arsenal received at White Hart Lane. Would Adebayor still be in the right frame of mind after the much debated incident? Would the incident affect the morale and togetherness of the team?

By any standards, the match was quite a breeze for Arsenal. Fans can breathe easy knowing that the heavy defeat did not cause much of a dent in the Arsenal confidence armour. There was a moment or two which the defense was tested but overall, it was a controlled game.

Senderos was once again in impeccable form. Thwarting anything that Newcastle threw at him. He’s staking a real claim for a first team spot. Perhaps he has finally overcome the confidence crisis inflicted by no less a certain Didier Drogba. Clichy did well to clear Butt’s goal bound shot off the line. Strong in tackles and disciplined enough not bombed forward at every opportunity with Milner as his opponent. If he’s not in the starting line-up at Switzerland 2008, then Domenech is as daft as they come.

Forced to come on early for the unlucky Rosicky, Eduardo proved once again that Wenger is very astute with his signing once again. Great shot from outside the box, curled to Given’s bottom right hand post, it rebounded straight to Adebayor, whom promptly rounded 2 defenders and hammered it into the top corner with his left leg.

The same player added to his burgeoning goal tally for this season by imitating Thierry Henry. Provided, Eduardo helped him by blocking a defender, Adebayor rounded everyone and shot with his right leg past Given and hitting Taylor’s leg on purpose before going into the empty net. In doing that last bit, he managed to deflect comparison with Henry. Smart man this Togolese.

Having been in the news for the past week, Walcott was given a chance again upfront. The aforementioned injury provided the chance for him to slot back into his more familiar surroundings in the wings. A few jinks and dribble did his confidence no harm at all.

Fingers crossed to someone drawing out Man Utd at Emirates Stadium for the next round.

Well, It Had To Happen One Day

2008-01-23T16:58:00.000+08:00

Coming into the 2nd leg of domestic cup tie semifinal against your fiercest rival having drawn the 1st leg, would you put in the first team knowing for sure they will take you to Wembley or stick with a younger bunch who got you there in the first place? It was a conundrum that any manager would like to have as it only means that you have a back-up squad that is capable of challenging for honours on their own.

If Wenger had chosen to start with his first team, it will probably lead to repercussions beyond this season. Young players abroad would not be so keen to move to Arsenal anymore because they know that their chances will be limited. But that was not to be. Traore, Fabianski, Bendtner, Denilson and co all started against the team who has not won anything since before Clinton’s administration.

The match had it all; goals, action, card, fighting and even fighting your own teammates. This was the first time that the young Gunners have frozen in the big occasion. Although the club captain, Gallas and Hleb was there to help out, it was a performance that was a far cry from the norm. Those early goals sunk the young team’s confidence and they never recovered from it.

As the frustration crept in, tempers began to flare even against friends who sit next to each other in the dressing room. Professionally, that kind of petulance and tempers are unforgivable. They should realize that they are being well-paid to play football at the highest level and it is required that they keep their head why doing it. Actions and reaction must be scrutinized before performing it.

It was a concern that Wenger took this issue lightly. If he had resolved it behind the attention of the media then it is a good thing. However, he should never have responded the way he did. It infuriates me that every time something happens with his players, he can’t see it. Yet he could always see where the players need to pass or which channel they should run into. A strict warning and promise of repercussions for the players involved, in front of camera monitors would sit down very well with me.

Disgusted with the result but we’ll live.

Look Out, it's a Header

2008-01-20T16:38:00.000+08:00

Fulham away was going to be either a tricky tie or an exhibition of class. Luckily for the Gunners, it was the latter. It’s true. Over the past few years, this was the ground which Arsenal loose points or stamped their excellence over it. Last year Arsenal lost in a 3-2 cracker. The year before Adebayor scored his first Arsenal goal and they strolled away to a comfortable 2-0 win.

However, the way the first two goals came about was rather unusual. I can’t recall the last time Arsenal scored 2 goals off crosses from the wings in open play. Up to this match I’ve never been convince of Adebayor’s heading capabilities, even after I’m not so sure.

Yes, granted those two were well taken goals. He had it all to do with 2 defenders crowding him both times. But the crosses were good enough to allow him to concentrate on the placement rather than the power of the headers. For someone of his height and strength, he doesn’t really win much off the punt up field or goal kicks. Another of his failings includes his inability to stay onside. Overcome those, he probably be our very own Drogba.

It was good to see the team kept going even after going two up. Wenger must have drummed that to the team during half time. Throw away this match now and forget about the Premiership.

Rosicky had the legs to charge into the box late in the 2nd half to claim a well deserved away victory. This was a match that was within Arsenal’s control from the off. Signs of Hleb and Fabregas regaining their form were very pleasing to watch.

Wenger needs them to be more than others.

That Sinking Feeling

2008-01-14T16:33:00.000+08:00

Top before the match, 2nd after the match. Points are dropped by championship winning teams every now and again. But somehow I feel that this particular match could have some bearing on the destination of the Premiership. Hope I’m wrong.

There was a numbing sense of complacency creeping into these young boys’ head after leading the rest of the pack for much of the season. After the lead was established through Adebayor’s penalty, you could almost sense that the players thought that it was enough for the win. Balls were being sprayed across the middle of the park rather than go looking for the killer second goal.

The lack of urgency paid its price as early as the 3rd minute after 2nd half kick-off. Lull into sitting back by the ever eager Birmingham side, they struck off the corner kick. No visible marking can be seen. It was the only error that the impressive Senderos committed all afternoon. When the central defender is the best player for your side on the pitch, it tells you volume of what’s happening to the game.

Tried as they might, they just couldn’t conjure up the winning goal that would’ve kept Arsenal top of the league. It’s moment like this when the Van Persie feeling starts to kick in. Games as tight as this and no players taking the challenge and responding, you’ll look to your most gifted player to produce a moment of magic. Whether or not it results in a goal is one thing, but it will surely pump up the other players to react to those magic.
With Fabregas not looking to shoot anymore this season, the midfield contribution starts to dry up. Eduardo and Bendtner will need to step up to the plate and make it count.

Spurs are Cursed

2008-01-11T18:35:00.000+08:00

Carling Cup time, and the boys faced their neighbours, Spurs. Despite starting their best 11, Spurs still did not manage to beat Arsenal. Mind you, if you take out Gilberto, the average age of the team would be about 20. So it was safe to say that Spurs' best could only draw with Arsenal's boys.

A draw is never any sort of advantage in any semifinal game. It brings about tension and also tends to slightly favour the home side for the return leg. However if this game is anything to go by, the white half of London will find it tough to break these incredible young individuals.

Seeing Van Persie start was a very good sign for Arsenal fans. However he may have been rushed back to soon. This lad should be treat with care and caution for him to fully recover from his injuries once and for all. I rather lose him for the rest of the season than to lose him every other 3 months or so.

Spurs have plenty of the share of possession, something that maybe Arsenal faithful are not quite used to. Which was maybe the reason alot of the players found it hard to get going. Traore showed that last match against Burnley was just an hiccup. Justin Hoyte really deserves a special mention. He has been fantastic, not only to the club but also to disgruntled players like Diarra. Moving from right-back to center-half, he was never fazed by the situation of marking Berbatov and Keane. He has been a real professional this season when he's not playing and has put his best foot forward when he has.

There's just so much positives that can be taken from this match. The future custodian in goal looks very assured. Add that to a very English bench, I'm sure Capello won't be complaining.

Eduardo Strikes Again

2008-01-10T21:35:00.000+08:00

Its FA Cup time of the year again. This time the draw has been kind to Arsenal with a 3rd round meeting at Turf Moor against a non-premier league side in Burnley. Being given such opportunity of playing against weaker opposition, again Wenger chose to put his trust in his fringe and up-and-coming players.

In came the likes of Senderos, Diaby, Traore, Denilson and Gilberto. All of them did reasonably well especially Senderos who knows that this is his chance to stake a claim for a longer run in the first team, now that Toure is away playing in the Ivory Coast colours. Wenger would surely like Senderos to step up and show the world his real qualities. Qualities which I believe were knocked down by another Ivorian in Didier Drogba. Maybe all this boy needs is another match up with the big Chelsea man and winning that battle. It will be like something from the movies. Overcome his fears and become the big hero everyone knew he was.

Eduardo was calmness personified when presented with the oppourtunity from a wonderful Toure clip forward. He drew the keeper out and placed the ball just past his finger tips into the bottom corner. Not back lift, no great power, no drag back, no dribble, just direct and precise placement of the ball. The was nothing the keeper could've done.

This match also provided Wenger with a pleasant headache. The pairing of Bendtner and Eduardo seemed to gel very well. In fact it they are better as a pair than they are with any other strike pairing. They did the job at Bramall Lane and completed this job with the same aplomb. Another quick interchange between the two, saw Bendtner with an opening. He rounded the keeper and finish with the same clinical technique of Eduardo.

The most suprising news of the evening was Diarra's absence from the bench, let alone the first 11. But then again, Wenger doesn't like grumbling personnel.

Freddie, We Thank You

2008-01-10T18:16:00.000+08:00

Welcome back Freddie. That was as much as the fans could give for his 15 minutes participation in this match. West Ham visited Emirates with the former favourite Freddie Ljungberg in their ranks in the first game of 2008. He came off early with a niggling hamstring injury but in his short stint, he managed to trouble a rusty looking Justin Hoyte.

Kick-off. You sipped your coffee and look at a fellow fan sitting right next to you. By then time your eyes got back on the pitch, Fabregas had been put through on the left flanks accompanied by 2 Hammers. He turned and crossed into the box. The in-form Eduardo took the ball on the chest and nestled the ball in Robert Green’s bottom left corner. Barely 2 minutes into a potentially banana skin of a match and Arsenal are already leading. Ghost of last year’s double was slowly floating away.

It’s always a concerned for Arsenal when they take a lead too early. They tend to sit back and allow the opposition time and space. When in fact, they should have thrusted the sword further into West Ham’s wounds. Memories of Sunderland still linger in my head. Curbishley’s boys did put up a fight although it was a toothless one. Clichy has to clear off the line but that was about it.

Arsenal had less possession than they would’ve wanted but in the end, another Adebayor stunner settled the issue. He out-sprint Green on Clichy’s through ball over the top and looks like headed the ball out the touchline. Somehow he managed to put his foot and strike the ball into the net. Quite how he did that required the trajectory of the ball to meet the power as well as needing the bounce of the ball to work in tandem. Probably can’t repeat it again, but who cares.

Arsenal saw out the second half without any further scares. This was an important test for these young Gunners. Matches like this are the ones which got away for Arsenal much of last season. Being total control of a match, but unable to convert the multiple chances into a victory.

Fine start to the year. History could definitely be in the making.

Arsene Said Foreigners Needs Six Months To Adapt

2008-01-08T00:36:00.000+08:00

It happened to him exactly how it happened to Robert Pires, Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, Kolo Toure and so many others. Time and again, Arsene has reiterated his reasoning of new imports to the team. They all need at least 6 months to adapt to the new team as well as the demands of the English game. Patrick Vieira apart, each one of the above mentioned have proved this theory correct. And on the third last day of the 2007, Wenger has got it right again.

Eduardo Da Silva has waited a long time for this to come. The time where he showed everyone why Wenger plumped a little more than 9 million for this Brazilian born Croat striker. His strike rate for his previous club Dinamo Zagreb and country Croatia are stats that every striker craves. This is a natural striker who knows the back of the net without having to look.

He's not exactly a like for like replacement for Henry but as the further games will show, this guy will bring just a many goals if given half a chance. Tried as Everton might, they were undone by 2 world class strikes with such precision and calmness. The second one had a touch of Bergkamp in it, just to put the icing on the cake. He may not be totally in sync in most of his playing teammates yet but this fella how continued his scoring streak just the same.

This was a game that the team needed to show their resilience and craving for the Premiership crown. Everton took the early goal lead and it could all be coming down hill from there. But as the boys strode out in the 2nd half, they showed just how much they wanted to win. Four goals may have be flattering but the defence deserves a special mention for thwarting numerous aerial bombing that Everton threw at em.

Having knew that their nearest rival had lost their game at Upton Park, Arsene and Arsenal knew that they needed to grab the chance to surge ahead. Took their chance they did. By 2008, Arsenal are back where they belong, ON TOP.

Nulified by Adams' Pompey

2008-01-07T17:36:00.000+08:00

There’s bound to be days like this. This is the first match that Arsenal has failed to score well, since the last Pompey match at the same venue anyway. The match was dour, uninventive and scrappy. Neither keeper was really tested on Boxing Day, a day Arsenal lost their lead to Manure for the first time this season.

The weekend match at in-form Everton must have been playing in the minds of the players. That would surely be a tougher test than a sorry looking Portsmouth who have not scored in the last 7 home games. If anything, it’s the resilience of the team that shone through this game. Not playing well doesn’t warrant losing a game. That is the mark of champions. They grind out result on their worst performance.

You surely need to question the effectiveness of Adebayor up on his own. Bendtner will make a better job out of the same position. There is no need to drift out wide when you’re playing 5 across the midfield. Doing that would leave the wide players no space to run into. It would also mean that once he had the ball out wide, there is no option in the box. That is unless he’s fast enough to cross the side and run into the center to score. No answer needed for that one.

Rosicky is another conundrum for me. As talented as he is, I honestly feel that Wenger is playing him out of position and not getting the most out of the Czech. He is by no mean a natural playmaker but I’ve seen him controlling a European Championship semifinal all on his own. What’s more incredible is that he played as a holding midfielder in that match. I guess that’s why he is quite good at tackling back from attacking positions. Perhaps his versatility is his greatest downfall. For me he should be in the center of the 5-man midfield alongside Fabregas.

Ramos or Jol, Still The Same Outcome

2007-12-31T16:37:00.000+08:00

Spurs fans must be wondering what does it take to beat Arsene Wenger's men. Even with a new coach in place and a penalty to boot, they still can't find a way to defeat their North London rival. This was also a match that Mad Jens will want to quickly forget. As this match confirms the final transition of Manuel Almunia as the top custodian.

Playing with a midfield four of Jamie O’Hara and Kevin Prince Boateng in the center of the park, Spurs were already looking out of the game even before it started. However, these two really gave the more famous duo, Flamini and Fabregas a run for their money. They chased and harried all over the pitch not allowing either one to have time on the ball. All credit to O’Hara whom I might say did not look out of place at all in the first half. First half just went flying without any memorable moments.

The start of the second half saw a change albeit only for a good 10 minutes. In those 10 minutes, Arsenal turned the tides against their poorer London rivals. Class is definitely permanent. From the kick-off, the class of 2007 kept the ball really well and when Rosicky went on one of his runs infield, you know something is bound to happen. A good reverse ball to Fabregas and another back-heel from the latter, all Adebayor had to do was just to curl the ball past the England No.1.

The simplicity is the move was wonderful, the execution was phenomenal. These kids have really grown. They don’t have to look where their teammates are. They just know and it is this kind of understanding and bond that will serve Arsenal well if they are to successfully reclaim the Premiership that they last won undefeated.

Although after that, Spurs did really well to wrest the initiative back from Arsenal after going one nil down. Keane muffed a really good oppourtunity to equalize right in front of goal. Then suddenly the threat became a reality. A disjointed and seemingly more moody by the minute, Berbatov managed to get on Keane’s flick and ram the ball home via Almunia’s near post. Not something keepers like to give away but in this instance the power of the shot really carried it through.

Matches like this define champions. Not having the best of games, Arsenal were looking out of sorts. Then the immaculate Toure made a decisive error. Tricked by Berbatov's quick feet, he clattered into the Bulgarian and gave away a penalty possibly to signal Spurs first win over Arsenal for centuries. But Almunia had other ideas and proceeded to stop Keane's last meaningful contribution to this game. From then on, there was only going to be one winner.

Up step Saint Nicklas Bendtner. What did I tell you from my previous post. This guy decided to score his first Premiership goal for Arsenal against their most bitter rival. Well done boy. That goal truly reminded me of the one Kluivert scored against Brazil in the World Cup semis.

This day sent out reminders to the Man U's and Chelseas that Arsenal are in the fight. They didn't play well by their own standards but still came away with a very good win against an improving Ramos' Tottenham. Words to summed this match up.

Brilliant. Poor. Class.

Bendtner To The Fore

2007-12-24T16:40:00.000+08:00

There has always been a feisty contest each time Blackburn play Arsenal. More so since the FA Cup semifinal at Cardiff when Arsenal crushed Blackburn 3-0 despite the rough treatment meted out by Mark Hughes’ men. More so since Van Persie was elbowed by Andy Todd immediately after he turned to reel in celebration of his second goal.

Arsene Wenger has been very critical of Blackburn’s style of play. His thoughts were echoed each time his players return from those matches with more bruises than points. Last year’s FA Cup defeat still rakes in my memory. Arsenal was total control of the match but unable to finish off the opponent. On came the former Porto striker, McCarthy and the rest was history.

Now was Wenger’s chance to put one over Hughes at Ewood Park. What’s more, this was a chance to put one over using his second best team. A team made out of Fabianski, Traore, Song, Hoyte, Randall, Denilson, Diarra, Diaby and Bendtner among others assured that Arsenal had a first team line-up averaging 20 years old. Up against them were the seasoned pros of Tugay, Nelsen, Santa Cruz, Dunn and Friedel.

The final result proved two things. First, there is a whole pack of hungry and talented youngster who can stand side by side with the best in the Premiership if not Europe. Secondly, this young bunch of players have the resolve and maturity to handle the pressure of losing a 2-0 lead at the away ground of one of the league’s toughest opponent.

Eduardo may have hog the limelight with his two well taken goals. This guy does not really need to be in the game. Just give him a chance or two and you can be sure that the ball will end up in the back of the net.

However the star of the show was really Nicklas Bendtner. This lad reminds me a lot of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Good touches on the ball for a big lad. Never panicking and can lead the line on his own and buy his team time. Twice I’ve seen him picked out his partner with a cross into the box of such accuracy that it would be a crime to not score. Mark him out, this boy’s going to be a star.

Next up, Carling Cup semifinal will be against the archrival Spurs. Funny things these draws. A movie could not have written the script any better. Chance for Spurs to gain revenge but as things are going at the moment, that seemed too far fetched even for Juande Ramos.

The Blues Cole-d Out At Emirates

2007-12-17T21:37:00.000+08:00

I won't know if Arsenal will win the Premiership this season. I don't know if Gallas can out-score Adebayor this season. I don't know if Rosicky can last a good 6 months without getting injured this season. Heck, I don't even know if Wenger really trust Almunia or that he's really fed up with Lehman. What I do know is, Ashley Cole with the display that he gave last night on his return to an Arsenal ground in a playing capacity, would've by now surely deleted off any remaining numbers on his cell of the current Arsenal players.

The blue half of London came to Emirates on Sunday and went away with their first defeat in the hands of Arsenal in 4 years. The same period also represent the last time Arsenal won the Premiership. With or without Mourinho, Wenger would cherish this long awaited victory.

The seemingly decimated squad was boosted by the return of the mercurial trio of Hleb, Flamini and Fabregas. Their return seemed to give the team an extra lift and believe. Their importance is such that there is more fluency and cohesion in the Arsenal play. Assured display that was not to be seen during the only defeat of the season to Boro.

Although this was not the most magnificent of matches in recent times, psychologically this match could have a bearing on Arsene’s players more than it would effect Avram’s. For there were many a battles that happen all over the field and most of it, if not all was won by Arsenal.

Cole (Joe) never got the better of Clichy who kept him really quiet. Shevchenko was never going to trouble Gallas and Toure on his own. What was most pleasing, was the way Flamini bullied Lampard and Mikel (2 very strong lads, mind you) off the park. Terry’s ugly lunge on the already grounded Fabregas was very distasteful. So there weren’t too many sympathies when the England captain went off after being injured by Eboue.

The loudest cheer of the whole night was reserved for the entry of Robin Van Persie. The Dutchman’s was sorely missed the team during his enforced absence due to injury. He gave the team more options going forward. Always pulling away, ensuring that central defenders follow him and this allows the like of Fabregas and Flamini to attack the open space. He was unlucky not to score himself after another flowing Arsenal counter-attack.

The result meant that after 3 games against the top 3 sides in the league, Arsenal have 5 points. Not at all a bad tally considering the criticism that was thrown at Wenger for supposedly habouring hope to win the Premiership with a bunch of kids.

The Malaise That Is Malaysian Football

2007-12-10T11:10:00.000+08:00

As a Malaysian, I have absolute disdain for the way that football is being run in this country. From striking fears into the hearts of Koreans and Japanese to being wary of the likes of Myanmar and Vietnam. Football in Malaysia is not only in the doldrums, it has reached the bottom of the darkest and coldest imaginable pit. From the top (Presidents and Vice-presidents) to the bottom (school coaches), everything is in shambles.

Over the last 2 decades, there is not a single noted achievement of which I can be proud of. Finishing runners-up in the 2003 Sea Games at home ground? You've gotta be kidding me. The merry-go-round of coaches together with the result embarrassment are the only consistent feature of our national squad. To be honest, the coaches whom were employed were with big reputations. Claude Le Roy? Didn't he took Cameroon to the World Cup. Alan Harris? Didn't he served Barcelona with distinction?

In terms of infrastructure, Malaysia will win the South East Asia (SEA) competition hands down. Yet still lacking in the quality on the pitch. The management of FAM have to take full responsibility for the constant failures. The problem goes deeper through to the grassroots of the game, the schooling years, be it primary or secondary. You can't take out racism in football, no matter where you are. I've suffered this first hand.

People with the right expertise and knowledge are not given the full control of the way things in a team are run. There are always discreet directions or orders being given by those in the upper position who think that they know something. Players who are "friends" or "pet" of those in power will have no fear for the position in the team (cue Ahmad Shahrul Azhar). If the fans can see it for years, it's a big wonder why the officials especially the coach can't see it. That is the surest sign of higher power at work.

For the standard and quality to rise back to the level that once made us proud to be a Malaysian supporter would need the following;

1. No more politics in football. Anyone and everyone who have are involved in country politics should not be allowed to handle footballing matters. It should be left to the real experts; ex-players, coaches with license.

2. Grassroots level should be better managed. Systems should be in place replacing currents formats of competition in school levels. Synchronizing of best development systems that all schools should abide by. No discrimination towards race or colour, only discrimination for the talent side.

I have a much more drastic approach in which I'm sure will succeed but harder in terms of implementation. Parents alike will disapprove of my measures. Scouts should be sent to all schools, villages and cities to search for potential children who have never played football but possess the brain and physique to be a success. These individuals should be plucked from obscurity and placed in boarding schools to study by morning and play football by night. The essence of football would then be able to be embedded into their young brains and allow them to mature with that thinking.

Sadly though, this method would not work in Malaysia due to the kind of pressure that young kids face nowadays when plying your trade as a footballer is no longer considered a success in life.

Foreigners Out?

2007-12-10T01:12:00.000+08:00

Why does the President of Uefa always try to court controversy with new ideas and comments. Funny how ol wily fox such as Ferguson gets embroiled in such ideas is really beyond me. Platini's wishes to limit the number of foreigners in club football in Europe is really a funny thing.

The French national squad has benefited the most from plying their trade abroad. Imagine the likes of Desailly, Vieira, Anelka, Henry and co all play in the French Ligue. They probably would not get past the group stages in the world cup let alone win it. Surely Platini, who bear in mind spent most of playing career in foreign land (Italy), has got it wrong.

No disrespect to the great man but this new idea is quite absurd. Sure, the younger players in the motherland would get more chances at big clubs. Sure, the national teams would have larger pool of players to choose from. But it really defeats the purpose ain't it. If one is really good enough then by right he would have come through the ranks.

The only thing that foreign players bring to the leagues is the extra class and technique which would benefit the young players in their upbringing. Imagine Fergie's team, no Saha, no Tevez, no Anderson, no Ronaldo. They'll be happy just to get into Europe, let alone the Champions League.

The game of football is there to be improved, but limiting the number of foreign players is not one of it. If this is the case, we would never have seen the many greats that were in action. Imagine never getting the chance to see Fabregas. If he had stayed at Barcelona, he would've been just another player and subsequently sold to lower rank teams where he would just played out the rest of his career without ever realising his full potential.

Very big if but one in which football purist would regret to see happen.

Defeated At Wet Wearside

2007-12-09T02:00:00.000+08:00

It finally happened. 16 games into the season, Arsenal was finally beaten not by the most challenging of teams, not by the most elegant of teams and definitely not by the most talented of teams. A defeat is still a defeat regardless who the team is.
Over the years, Arsenal have found it tough whenever they visit the North East of England. This week did not proved otherwise. Twice they visited this part of the country, and they only came away with a single solitary point. Rain or shine, good pitch or bad, bias referee or not; the team should shoulder the blame.
Arsenal was lacking cohesion. Inablitity to string together more than 10 passes together. This was a match that the leaders on the field did not stand up to be counted. Toure and Gallas, the towers at the back was both found wanting. Clichy looked jaded and so did Sagna. Perhaps the amount of matches was taking its toll.
Creativity was almost non-existent. Rosicky position on the left of midfield is wasted. He should be made the fulcrum of the team in the absence of Fabregas and Hleb. He will always find it tough on the wings without the extra burst of pace. Adebayor again was abit strong with his first touches which allows the excellent Wheater and Woodgate to get in and clear the danger. Time for Bendtner to be given a chance.
But the most startling of points was Gilberto's game. Out of sorts would be an understatement. He looks past his prime. Perhaps Wenger was right to bench him at the start of the campaign in place of Flamini. Who in turn looks very energetic and positive. How Arsenal missed his drive as well as others like Fabregas, Hleb and Van Persie.
It's time for the team to bite the defeat and move on. It's also good that the undefeated tag will no longer follow the team. That pressure being taken off is a very big relief. It should bring everyone down to earth and get the job done from now on.
Wenger would not be too displease. All credits to Boro who played out of their skin to limit Arsenal's shots on goal to just the Rosicky goal. It's time for the team to bounce back. Beginning with the midweek Carling Cup games against Blackburn. The senior players would get the rest needed before the crunch and hectic year-end schedule.
Time for the juniors to show the seniors the joy of playing football and proud of being associated with Arsenal Football Club.