Time for some trademark pessimism
November has begun in traditionally rank fashion with a familiar Eastern European capitulation from the Arse. The one positive note was Walcott's goal, uncannily Henryesque. Wilshere knocked the ball into space for Theo after Arsenal had, shock horror, successfully defended a set play, and the rest was very impressive indeed. Walcott comfortably left the Shakhtar defenders puffing in his wake and placed an early shot low past the keeper.
As Arsenal's scorer admitted afterwards, however, Shakhtar could have been out of sight by half-time. They spurned a couple of glorious chances before Arsenal reverted to the all-too-familiar self-destructive mode. It is a sad hallmark of this side: they do not make the opposition work hard to score.
First, Eastmond headed into his own net from an admittedly vicious in-swinging free kick. This was followed, on the stroke of half-time, by yet another goal-costing gaffe by the liability that is Gael Clichy. He fannied about when he should have just been clearing the ball, was robbed, and Eduardo placed a nice first-time finish from the low cross.
On the face of it, the result is no disaster. Arsenal still top the group with nine points and one more win would secure qualification. Absentees included Fabregas, Denilson and Song. When you consider that Diaby and Ramsey were also unavailable, it's a wonder they were able to field any kind of midfield.
But poor results, even in relatively insignificant games, can sometimes dent momentum. Let's hope that's not the case. The next league game is a distinctly winnable one at home to Newcastle... but what happened last time Arsenal had a soft-looking fixture at home to a promoted team??? Yeah.
Newcastle have Andy Carroll and Shola Ameobi, two in-form bruisers. Carroll in particular strikes me as a man to cause the often feeble Arsenal defence all manner of problems. Obviously, it's a game Arsenal ought to win well, but only if they bring their best and don't succumb to their habitual nemesis- an unearned complacency.
Showing posts with label Eduardo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eduardo. Show all posts
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
I'm Going On Strike: Blackburn 2-1 Arsenal
Will we even finish third?
Let's look for some positives... Wenger still sounds, in public remarks at least, as if he doesn't think we need a new goalkeeper. Fabianski provided yet more concrete evidence to the contrary. He is amazingly prolific in his mistake-making. So maybe some good will come out of another defeat, in a perverse way.
With all the first-choice players we're missing, I see the season's end as an audition for the squad players. Almost to a man, they're failing. Abou Diaby is, for me, a nothing player. Flashes of mercurial brilliance are not what's required from a central midfielder, although in a league in which Steven Gerrard has been lionised, you'd be forgiven for thinking so. Theo Walcott, I've said all I have to say. Eduardo looks a spent force thanks to the neanderthal ethic of the English game. Vela is the new Aliadieire. Nasri, though talented, shirks responsibility too often. Yes, we are missing good players, but what is a squad for?
Third place, assuming we still finish there: some will say it's no disgrace. If they've bought into Sky Sports bullshit, they may peddle a line about it being the best league in the world. This year, the league's relative poorness has covered up Arsenal's myriad deficiencies somewhat but nine defeats cannot be ignored. Something is rotten in the state of Arsenal. You can fall for the rhetoric and the ideals if you so please but as far as I'm concerned, the right man for the job is the man who does the right things; Arsene Wenger hasn't for quite some time and thus I suggest that the Summer and the season that follows become his audition.
Let's look for some positives... Wenger still sounds, in public remarks at least, as if he doesn't think we need a new goalkeeper. Fabianski provided yet more concrete evidence to the contrary. He is amazingly prolific in his mistake-making. So maybe some good will come out of another defeat, in a perverse way.
With all the first-choice players we're missing, I see the season's end as an audition for the squad players. Almost to a man, they're failing. Abou Diaby is, for me, a nothing player. Flashes of mercurial brilliance are not what's required from a central midfielder, although in a league in which Steven Gerrard has been lionised, you'd be forgiven for thinking so. Theo Walcott, I've said all I have to say. Eduardo looks a spent force thanks to the neanderthal ethic of the English game. Vela is the new Aliadieire. Nasri, though talented, shirks responsibility too often. Yes, we are missing good players, but what is a squad for?
Third place, assuming we still finish there: some will say it's no disgrace. If they've bought into Sky Sports bullshit, they may peddle a line about it being the best league in the world. This year, the league's relative poorness has covered up Arsenal's myriad deficiencies somewhat but nine defeats cannot be ignored. Something is rotten in the state of Arsenal. You can fall for the rhetoric and the ideals if you so please but as far as I'm concerned, the right man for the job is the man who does the right things; Arsene Wenger hasn't for quite some time and thus I suggest that the Summer and the season that follows become his audition.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Arsenal 4-1 AZ Alkmaar
The Liverpool match held a bit more intrigue, so I didn't really watch this properly. But I was switching channels so frequently that I didn't miss one of Arsenal's four goals.
The first came when Fabregas, possibly the world's best midfielder on current form, beat their suspect keeper at the near post, after one of those familiar forays upfield by Big Willy Gallas. It was a clever effort but one that should really have been reached by Romero. I guess at the moment cesc is having one of those runs where everything he touches turns to goals, reminiscent of his start to 07/08. Back then, his form was a big part of the springboard for a title challenge. He's surely having his best run of form since that time, and all after I questioned him only a month or so ago. I've gotta stop making these snap judgements.
Anyway, the game was pretty much up for AZ before half time, when Nasri shimmied beyond the last defender from the impressive Arshavin's slide-rule pass, and placed the ball beyond the exposed keeper. Arhavin was again the architect for Fabregas' second, which really illustrated his confidence in front of goal at the moment. Released on the left side of the penalty area, he opened his body out as if to line up a shot across the goal (copyright Thierry Henry 2000) but instead swung his shot high into the net at the near post.
This allowed for a couple of handy changes. I think Wenger's doing well with taking Fabregas off when the opportunity presents itself, not overworking him. He missed out, then, on any chance for a hat-trick, but there was a hat-trick of sorts. Before being replaced himself, Arshavin set up Diaby at the end of a champagne breakaway, which involved Eduardo finding the Russian with a brilliant back-heel. Diaby, I read some fan say somewhere, had a great game. I recorded it so I might watch the whole thing, just so I can destroy that assertion. Or eat a slice of bitter humble pie. He took his goal well anyway.
I must add, for all the flowing football, I thought the midfield was again looking a little too open. Too often that area in front of our back four looked undermanned, and while the Dutch side never really opened Arsenal up, they had a fair few moments that they could have made more of.
Ok, I know, we were in control of the game, and I'm being contrary, but when we come up against the top sides these are the things that simply have to be right. Otherwise your pretty football will be no real comfort. And I'll be disappointed on those days, but I'm a very petty man so I'll also be clinging to the petty comfort of saying "I told you so".
A case in point was their consolation goal. You can say, "it doesn't matter, we're winning 4-0", but to the best, all the pieces matter (I love throwing in little quotes from The Wire). You could argue, maybe, that Almunia is a decent keeper who switches off at times, and what better time than at 4-0 up. But those who've endured his "reign" as number one will know that he does it a lot, at different moments, often very costly moments. So that, allied to his general lack of saves that make you go "Wow", well, it makes him.... shite, doesn't it?
Now, he did make a good save at 3-0, so a pat on his silly peroxide head for that. And I am glad he's back in the team (despite him being kinda shite- I reserve the right to contradict myself). I think it might be good for the team's stability not to be relying on the rookie Mannone. But I think we should buy an experienced keeper in January. Because to me, that seemingly insignificant goal on Wednesday night held the promise of future horror.
The first came when Fabregas, possibly the world's best midfielder on current form, beat their suspect keeper at the near post, after one of those familiar forays upfield by Big Willy Gallas. It was a clever effort but one that should really have been reached by Romero. I guess at the moment cesc is having one of those runs where everything he touches turns to goals, reminiscent of his start to 07/08. Back then, his form was a big part of the springboard for a title challenge. He's surely having his best run of form since that time, and all after I questioned him only a month or so ago. I've gotta stop making these snap judgements.
Anyway, the game was pretty much up for AZ before half time, when Nasri shimmied beyond the last defender from the impressive Arshavin's slide-rule pass, and placed the ball beyond the exposed keeper. Arhavin was again the architect for Fabregas' second, which really illustrated his confidence in front of goal at the moment. Released on the left side of the penalty area, he opened his body out as if to line up a shot across the goal (copyright Thierry Henry 2000) but instead swung his shot high into the net at the near post.
This allowed for a couple of handy changes. I think Wenger's doing well with taking Fabregas off when the opportunity presents itself, not overworking him. He missed out, then, on any chance for a hat-trick, but there was a hat-trick of sorts. Before being replaced himself, Arshavin set up Diaby at the end of a champagne breakaway, which involved Eduardo finding the Russian with a brilliant back-heel. Diaby, I read some fan say somewhere, had a great game. I recorded it so I might watch the whole thing, just so I can destroy that assertion. Or eat a slice of bitter humble pie. He took his goal well anyway.
I must add, for all the flowing football, I thought the midfield was again looking a little too open. Too often that area in front of our back four looked undermanned, and while the Dutch side never really opened Arsenal up, they had a fair few moments that they could have made more of.
Ok, I know, we were in control of the game, and I'm being contrary, but when we come up against the top sides these are the things that simply have to be right. Otherwise your pretty football will be no real comfort. And I'll be disappointed on those days, but I'm a very petty man so I'll also be clinging to the petty comfort of saying "I told you so".
A case in point was their consolation goal. You can say, "it doesn't matter, we're winning 4-0", but to the best, all the pieces matter (I love throwing in little quotes from The Wire). You could argue, maybe, that Almunia is a decent keeper who switches off at times, and what better time than at 4-0 up. But those who've endured his "reign" as number one will know that he does it a lot, at different moments, often very costly moments. So that, allied to his general lack of saves that make you go "Wow", well, it makes him.... shite, doesn't it?
Now, he did make a good save at 3-0, so a pat on his silly peroxide head for that. And I am glad he's back in the team (despite him being kinda shite- I reserve the right to contradict myself). I think it might be good for the team's stability not to be relying on the rookie Mannone. But I think we should buy an experienced keeper in January. Because to me, that seemingly insignificant goal on Wednesday night held the promise of future horror.
Friday, August 28, 2009
United Preview: Fabregas Out
Successful seasons are often born out of adversity, bitterness even, that fosters an "us against them" attitude. It happened, though I'm too young to remember it, in the title winning 90/91 season, when an almighty ruck involving pretty much every player on the pitch broke out at Old Trafford. Arsenal were docked points as a result, but proceeded to lose a single game on their way to winning the title. It happened, again at Old Trafford, in 03/04, when Ruud Van Nistelrooy paid for helping get Vieira sent off. After karma decreed he smash his last-gasp penalty against the bar, he was set upon by a bunch of rabid, vengeful, and most of all of delighted Arsenal players, most memorably Martin Keown. Hefty bans were handed out but battle lines had well and truly been drawn, and the censure from the powers that be only seemed to harden Arsenal's resolve. This time no games were lost on the way to the Premiership trophy.
Now, there is adversity and bitterness again, and what do we see looming on the horizon but another potentially definitive trip to Old Trafford. Pundits, even managers, will tell you that it's too early in the season for any game's outcome to be decisive, but I disagree when Arsenal are involved, and to an extent this United team aswell. Even the best Wenger sides have had a swaggering confidence that can, it seems, be easily undermined by one bad day. Again, an Old Trafford example is instructive. After the aforementioned unbeaten season, and with Arsenal, in my opinion, playing their best football in all of the Wenger era, the run went up in smoke on a fiery Sunday in Manchester. cold logic would have dictated that that game should not have shaped Arsenal's season- they were not outplayed but effectively cheated by a spineless performance from the habitually useless Mike Riley, and Rooney's dive in particular. But the bitterness was too much, and Arsenal embarked on a rotten run that saw the season fall apart. Mourinho's chelsea won the title that day.
This particular Arsenal team is playing with an undeniable swagger at the moment, but questions abound over their big-match character. Wenger likes to bang on about our unbeaten league run in the second half of last season, but it was ended by four chastening defeats, two each to chelsea and United, in which a chasm seemed to open up. There are demons to be exorcised this season, and if the process is to begin tomorrow, it will have to do so without Fabregas. It occurred to me the other day that while Henry was often said to carry Arsenal, a fair few impressive results were secured without him, most obviously against United at Old Trafford- in 2002 to win the title, the season after in the FA cup (though he did come on as a sub), early in 06/07 when Adebayor struck the winner. Fabregas seems to me a different story. It's not that he always stands out in big games- he was fairly anonymous in the FA cup semi against chelsea, for instance, as well as the poor showings against United in the champions league- but I worry about what his absence does, psychologically, to his teammates. For Song, Denilson and Diaby especially, this game is going to be a test of mettle.
But there is also a sense at the moment that there is not the fear factor regarding United that we usually take for granted. This is mostly due to Ronaldo's departure, and the attendant notion that with United's weaponry shorn of his cutting edge, their prosaic midfield is finally being shown up as incapable of really dominating games. If they lose to Arsenal, they will surely struggle with self-doubt, and Ferguson will have to call on all his semi-mythic resources to pick them up for another successful title tilt. Nani and Valencia, if selected, will be men to watch. Ferguson's return to 4-4-2 means that wingplay is paramount as it was to his dominant teams of the 90s. We've already seen this season that Rooney has added aerial prowess to his portfolio. Then again, I've a feeling that Arsenal's good performances, allied to memories of that champions league cakewalk last season, will convince Ferguson to shore up his midfield- carrick, Fletcher, Anderson- and play Rooney and probably Valencia, maybe Nani, either side of Berbatov. In the games mentioned United's midfield three destroyed Arsenal's; it was embarrassing.
As I said earlier, there is adversity and bitterness. No Fabregas means that Arsenal will be viewed as slight underdogs despite their more assured start to the season. And the talk of Eduardo receiving a two-match ban from UEFA for his dive has Wenger spitting venom. I know that I championed the cause of bans for divers but it is unfair to single out one man just because an outclassed and angry celtic got their knickers in a twist over something fairly inconsequential to the outcome of the tie. As Arseblog says, how can a yellow-card offence in a match become an automatic suspension afterwards? The rules have to be changed, and THEN enforced. And there have been so many more worthy scapegoats than Eduardo in the recent past. call me paranoid, but there are plenty of teams and individuals who you'd struggle to imagine receiving this kind of treatment. But if it brings the lads closer together and leads them to fight that little bit harder this season, a two match ban for Eduardo will be well worth it.
Now, there is adversity and bitterness again, and what do we see looming on the horizon but another potentially definitive trip to Old Trafford. Pundits, even managers, will tell you that it's too early in the season for any game's outcome to be decisive, but I disagree when Arsenal are involved, and to an extent this United team aswell. Even the best Wenger sides have had a swaggering confidence that can, it seems, be easily undermined by one bad day. Again, an Old Trafford example is instructive. After the aforementioned unbeaten season, and with Arsenal, in my opinion, playing their best football in all of the Wenger era, the run went up in smoke on a fiery Sunday in Manchester. cold logic would have dictated that that game should not have shaped Arsenal's season- they were not outplayed but effectively cheated by a spineless performance from the habitually useless Mike Riley, and Rooney's dive in particular. But the bitterness was too much, and Arsenal embarked on a rotten run that saw the season fall apart. Mourinho's chelsea won the title that day.
This particular Arsenal team is playing with an undeniable swagger at the moment, but questions abound over their big-match character. Wenger likes to bang on about our unbeaten league run in the second half of last season, but it was ended by four chastening defeats, two each to chelsea and United, in which a chasm seemed to open up. There are demons to be exorcised this season, and if the process is to begin tomorrow, it will have to do so without Fabregas. It occurred to me the other day that while Henry was often said to carry Arsenal, a fair few impressive results were secured without him, most obviously against United at Old Trafford- in 2002 to win the title, the season after in the FA cup (though he did come on as a sub), early in 06/07 when Adebayor struck the winner. Fabregas seems to me a different story. It's not that he always stands out in big games- he was fairly anonymous in the FA cup semi against chelsea, for instance, as well as the poor showings against United in the champions league- but I worry about what his absence does, psychologically, to his teammates. For Song, Denilson and Diaby especially, this game is going to be a test of mettle.
But there is also a sense at the moment that there is not the fear factor regarding United that we usually take for granted. This is mostly due to Ronaldo's departure, and the attendant notion that with United's weaponry shorn of his cutting edge, their prosaic midfield is finally being shown up as incapable of really dominating games. If they lose to Arsenal, they will surely struggle with self-doubt, and Ferguson will have to call on all his semi-mythic resources to pick them up for another successful title tilt. Nani and Valencia, if selected, will be men to watch. Ferguson's return to 4-4-2 means that wingplay is paramount as it was to his dominant teams of the 90s. We've already seen this season that Rooney has added aerial prowess to his portfolio. Then again, I've a feeling that Arsenal's good performances, allied to memories of that champions league cakewalk last season, will convince Ferguson to shore up his midfield- carrick, Fletcher, Anderson- and play Rooney and probably Valencia, maybe Nani, either side of Berbatov. In the games mentioned United's midfield three destroyed Arsenal's; it was embarrassing.
As I said earlier, there is adversity and bitterness. No Fabregas means that Arsenal will be viewed as slight underdogs despite their more assured start to the season. And the talk of Eduardo receiving a two-match ban from UEFA for his dive has Wenger spitting venom. I know that I championed the cause of bans for divers but it is unfair to single out one man just because an outclassed and angry celtic got their knickers in a twist over something fairly inconsequential to the outcome of the tie. As Arseblog says, how can a yellow-card offence in a match become an automatic suspension afterwards? The rules have to be changed, and THEN enforced. And there have been so many more worthy scapegoats than Eduardo in the recent past. call me paranoid, but there are plenty of teams and individuals who you'd struggle to imagine receiving this kind of treatment. But if it brings the lads closer together and leads them to fight that little bit harder this season, a two match ban for Eduardo will be well worth it.
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