That said, the result is not one any Arsenal fan should be getting over-excited about. For instance, that Arseblogger guy on Arseblog.com, after (rightly) moaning all summer about the need for signings, had this to say:
"A truly fantastic performance against a very good team. Don't let anyone tell you it just was down to Everton being bad. Everton were bad because we made them look bad. We harried, competed, won tackles and headers and the only little spell of pressure they had in the game, some time in the first half if I recall correctly, was when we stood off them. Once we snapped out of our doziness Everton were under the cosh again."
Of course, Arsenal's performance was impressive, you don't score six goals in any game without playing very well. And 6-1 is a truly eye-catching scoreline. But it would be remiss of me not to mention that Everton were hugely complicit in their own downfall. The Lescott situation has been talked of as a big factor, but judging from the highlights, the whole side was guilty. Especially on the two soft set-piece goals that ended the contest before half time. More ludicrous still was the sight of Fabregas' second goal, Arsenal's fifth, when he picked up the ball in his own half and strolled about fifty yards unchallenged to fire home from the edge of the box. I guess to sum up my reservations about getting too optimistic after this result, I'd say this. People will see that Arsenal heavily beat a physical, competitive side, the type they usually struggle against, and assume that this is a "new" Arsenal with a stronger spine. The problem with that is that this was not, to all intents and purposes, the real Everton, they didn't really get amongst Arsenal, or if they did, it stopped after one wonder goal and two soft ones. It's the games where the thirty-yarders don't find the top corner and goals aren't gift-wrapped that really tell the tale of the season, there'll be plenty to come, and to me, question marks remain over the quality and, moreover, character of this Arsenal team. Another worry then is that a result like this will encourage Wenger not to buy the central midfielder and centre half that this squad so desperately needs.
How's that for raining on a parade? Perhaps I should provide some balance then. The new boy, Vermaelen, looked impressive. Despite his relative lack of height, he competed well in the air. At moments he looked like the proactive defender we've been looking for, like he could be a Vidic to Gallas' Ferdinand, for want of a better analogy. And he scored. Not a bad debut, all in all? More important than all this though- as I was discussing with my brother before the game, Arsenal players generally look and often act like a bunch of petulant fanny merchants. Not just the fact that they often get bullied out of games, but you only need look at the goal celebrations- a bit of homoerotic posturing here, a ridiculous dance by that slobbering degenerate Eboue there- to see that this is a team in need of an injection of a bit of the "Roy Keanes". And here we have Vermaelen, a man with the cold eyes of a serial killer. If you take that blundering buffoon Big Philly Senderos- he always looks on the point of tears- not a good look for a centre half. And we've all seen Gallas blubber like a child in public over things not going his way, it was about time we added a scary looking prick to the backline. Maybe we've now finally found the answer to the problem that hideous cunt Didier Drogba (altogether now- "IT'S A FUCKING DEESGWACE!") yearly poses to our defenCe... it's a pity it had to happenc at the expense of my beloved Kolo though.
The new formation, some kind of 4-3-3, also worked well. Barcelona seems to be the reference point, although in fairness there's a world of difference between Leo Messi on the right wing and Nicklas Bendtner... Speaking of the Dane, who I'm always apologising for, he had a good game, so there's no need for me to apologise today. I really think the guy gets an unfairly rough ride. It's probably because he comes across as a bit of an asshole, whereas the perennially underwhelming (you know it Brehony!) Theo Walcott is mollycoddled and praised by fans, probably because he seems quite a nice lad. Anyway, if anyone wants to complain to me about Bendtner, I'm just gonna think back to that miserable run of games a few years ago when Julio craptista partnered Jeremie Alialialialiadieire upfront- two men who, at the time, couldn't find the net if you gave them a map. In summation, LEAVE BENDTNER ALONE!!!
From what I've read, Denilson had a decent game, gave the ball away a few times but was busy, sounds like typical Denilson to me, but with the added bonus of scoring an absolute belter. Cesc was Cesc at something approaching his best, two goals, two assists, can't ask for much more than that. Song was by all accounts outstanding and he's come a long way from the knuckle dragging chimp we knew less than a year back (if it seems like there's a racial undertone to any of my descriptions, I assure you it's just your imagination).
I'm focusing there on what I still think could be a problem area, the midfield. To me, this 4-3-3 looks despite the good start like something of an attempt to compensate for the inadequacy of our midfield players (excluding Fabregas of course). A bit like what United got bogged down with when Roy Keane was on his last legs and Paul Scholes was gone blind... If all you've got are a polished turd like Eric Djemba-fucking-Djemba and Kleberson and so on, you may as well play a few of them, seemed to be the thinking, so that they can cover for eachother, save on the potential costs of replacing Keano's hip, and surround superior opposition midfielders like flies around poo. Admittedly Denilson and Song are a bit better than polished turd, but evidently not so much so that either can partner Fabregas in a 4-4-2... Which I still think should be the preferred option. But until we sign a proper replacement for the Flamster, I guess this formation is worth a go. Arhavin looked a bit bored on the left wing though...
I'm tired. So having totally failed to deliver the promised season preview, I'll leave that til later in the week, after the celtic game.
Because I get tired of talking just about football, any more I'm going to recommend a song that I really think everyone in the world should then go and listen to, and they will of course not do so because they don't like my taste in music or just have better things to do. But in the words of my hero, R.P. McMurphy from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, at least I tried.
#1..... The Rolling Stones- "Moonlight Mile"
The new formation, some kind of 4-3-3, also worked well. Barcelona seems to be the reference point, although in fairness there's a world of difference between Leo Messi on the right wing and Nicklas Bendtner... Speaking of the Dane, who I'm always apologising for, he had a good game, so there's no need for me to apologise today. I really think the guy gets an unfairly rough ride. It's probably because he comes across as a bit of an asshole, whereas the perennially underwhelming (you know it Brehony!) Theo Walcott is mollycoddled and praised by fans, probably because he seems quite a nice lad. Anyway, if anyone wants to complain to me about Bendtner, I'm just gonna think back to that miserable run of games a few years ago when Julio craptista partnered Jeremie Alialialialiadieire upfront- two men who, at the time, couldn't find the net if you gave them a map. In summation, LEAVE BENDTNER ALONE!!!
From what I've read, Denilson had a decent game, gave the ball away a few times but was busy, sounds like typical Denilson to me, but with the added bonus of scoring an absolute belter. Cesc was Cesc at something approaching his best, two goals, two assists, can't ask for much more than that. Song was by all accounts outstanding and he's come a long way from the knuckle dragging chimp we knew less than a year back (if it seems like there's a racial undertone to any of my descriptions, I assure you it's just your imagination).
I'm focusing there on what I still think could be a problem area, the midfield. To me, this 4-3-3 looks despite the good start like something of an attempt to compensate for the inadequacy of our midfield players (excluding Fabregas of course). A bit like what United got bogged down with when Roy Keane was on his last legs and Paul Scholes was gone blind... If all you've got are a polished turd like Eric Djemba-fucking-Djemba and Kleberson and so on, you may as well play a few of them, seemed to be the thinking, so that they can cover for eachother, save on the potential costs of replacing Keano's hip, and surround superior opposition midfielders like flies around poo. Admittedly Denilson and Song are a bit better than polished turd, but evidently not so much so that either can partner Fabregas in a 4-4-2... Which I still think should be the preferred option. But until we sign a proper replacement for the Flamster, I guess this formation is worth a go. Arhavin looked a bit bored on the left wing though...
I'm tired. So having totally failed to deliver the promised season preview, I'll leave that til later in the week, after the celtic game.
Because I get tired of talking just about football, any more I'm going to recommend a song that I really think everyone in the world should then go and listen to, and they will of course not do so because they don't like my taste in music or just have better things to do. But in the words of my hero, R.P. McMurphy from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, at least I tried.
#1..... The Rolling Stones- "Moonlight Mile"
No comments:
Post a Comment