Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Fabiaski Doesn't Fumble as Partizan Falls Plus...I've Decided I Don't Like Jamie Redknapp


I guess I can't call him Fumbling...at least not until next time. I'm not trying to be pessimistic. That's not my nature really - I just want to be realistic. Fabianski had an error free night last night laced with saving a penalty and a late attempt on goal by the opponent. There's a good chance for him to be in goal against Chelsea if Almunia is still out due to his elbow injury. If Fabianski handles that game without major errors then I will truly drop the Fumbling from my collection of nicknames for him. I will also drop Flapping, Flaptrapski, and some other not so nice ones. He'll become Lucky Lukasz. How's that?

Unfortunately we were not error less overall last night. We played a decent match, should have been up 3-1 in first half alone but their goalie was having a nice night. Our first big error came when Denilson was called for a handball in their penalty area. I have to agree with the call after seeing the replay. He had plenty of time to get his arm down before receiving the ball with his chest. I don't know what he was thinking but his lack of focus was evident (Denilson had a great passing night though as - according to Orbinho on Twitter - he had 94% completion rate of his 98 passes.)

Our other error came when Gibbsy got skinned and took down Ivan Stevanovic. Parkiztan were awarded the penalty which at that time would have put us 3-2 with at least six minutes left. Too close for comfort, right? That's when Lukasz saved the penalty, let out a roar of self satisfaction - and relief I think - before getting a thank you hug from Gibbs. Minutes late he made an even more acrobatic save from an attack from Ivica Iliev which I think was icing on the cake for him.

Overall, Fabianski's performance added to a good overall performance from the "offensive" end. Our midfield and front men worked hard as well. Whatever potion Andrey is taking I hope he ingests as well on Sunday as he was a working dynamo on the pitch. Tommy and Jack were creative (we all love Jack's back heel to Andrey for the first goal), and only a great save by Parkiztan's keeper kept out Tommy's first goal of the season. I feel for the guy, I do. He has become a great part of the midfield this year intricately creating and making beautiful passes. He really needs a goal. I think that will seal his confidence.

Song...Song scoring his goal against Bolton has possibly distracted him from his primary duties which are to protect the back four. Clog up the midfield and try to keep the opponents in our half of the field. Pass safely and don't commit forward in case of counterattacks. He seems off track to me. Especially his passing. Could he think he has no competition for his place? When Cesc gets back, Jack can take over those duties. Denilson can fill in. When Aaron gets back, he can take that spot as well. I truly hope that someone is giving him a talking to. He's been a bit of a liability the past few matches.

That's about it as far as the match goes. Onto Jamie Redknapp. I never heard of him (being a Yank) until I perused the Skysports site and read an article by him. I figured out he's Twitchy's boy (as he refernced "Dad" several times in the article), and I also figured out that he's not much of a writer. No big deal. But then I caught, through watching some one's YouTube highlights, his prematch commentary. There were a panel of three assessing why Arsene gets so much "stick" from the fans. Jamie responded by stating that he doesn't really have a problem with Arsene apart from him not having "enough English players". He did say he loves Jack Wilshere whom he recognized as having a great future for England. See, here one can tell Twitchy Jr. lacks intelligence and is quoting a party line. Arsene has stated that the EPL has great English players and would like to buy more...but they are too expensive. So he goes abroad, buys cheap, develops the players into world renown talent, and sells high. Jamie also neglected to reflect on the fact that Arsenal now has three times the amount of "Engish" players as last season. We only really had Theo last year. Now add Jack, Gibbs, Landsbury and Aaron (Welsh but a U.K. -er) can be counted when he returns in November. Our Academy is stock full of English talent that will be attempting to push for first team football. We will be turning out more technically gifted English players in the next decade than anyone else. Plus, I looked up Jamie's playing record and wasn't that impressed. Yes, he played EPL ball but only achieved one year of silverware and was out injured often. He doesn't seem to have the playing pedigree that many of the British pundits have. I think his pedigree is his last name. Anyway, he just rubbed me the wrong way and so I had to say something, that's all. Let me know your opinion of Jamie by leaving a comment.

Well - that's it for today . I'll be back after Wenger's pre-game interview to assess the possible starters (fingers crossed for Cesc) and our chances against Drogba and Company. Until then...

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Partizan Preview



That picture above is of Partizan's coach Aleksandar Stanojevic. Our boys are playing his team this afternoon in Serbia looking to gain another three points in this round. They look tough on paper. Up until their loss to Dudu's Shahktar, they've been cruising undefeated in Serbia since April. They also have won the Serbian league three years in a row. They have the home field advantage, which according to the preview on the official site, consists of one of the loudest, most loyal fans in Europe. Okay, bring 'em on.

Bring 'em on in time for Fabianski to dismiss worries or worsen them. Let's support him while he takes one more go at redeeming himself. We have Szczeny on the bench just in case he messes up, but after my half-rant last night, I decided to support the starting goalie. No, I did not put any laxative in the water bottle. I'm in the States, remember?

Our team has some changes to it. Diaby, due to perhaps a poor performance as he was not listed as injured - is being left behind and did not make the plane. Denilson, Jack, Tommy, Gibbs, Djourou, Squillaci, Sanga, Song, Chamakh and Arshavin round out the starting squad. Koz, Clichy, Eboue, SAM, Vela, and Lansbury are on the bench. Hopefully this batch can provide solid defense and cover for each other better than at West Brom where no one seemed up to the task. It seems a strong squad to me, with players who have European experience starting as well as subbing.

The Belgrade team seem to be tough and likes taking things on the break, so it will be important for us to take care of the ball and to win our duels. No more of this 46%-54% crap from the West Brom game. We need to show up for the fight. Song needs to be more disciplined and not worry so much about upping his scoring percentage. Stay back and mop up like you're suppose to. We have plenty of offensive power starting up front.

I guess that's all for now. I noticed my entries have gotten somewhat shorter lately. Maybe my thoughts have become more streamlined with less tangents running off here and there. Maybe the disappointment from the last two EPL matches have made me more cautious and less loquacious. I bet some of the disappointment also has to do with not seeing my Vermie play for so very long. I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that performances build on each other. We need a solid foundation to build on. West Brom's disaster is out of the way - early in the season to be learned from and corrected. Let's hope that new wisdom is shown against our Champions League opponent this afternoon. I'll be back tomorrow with a brief - or not so brief - report.

Until then...GO YOU GUNNERS!!!

By the way, if you miss the Verminator as much as I do, here's a great pic that came right off the official site's ad for their winter gear. The little hint of stubble on the chin makes the shot - don't you think? Yumm...

Monday, September 27, 2010

Just When Things Calm Down...Fabianski is Starting in Goal Against Partizan. Opportunity for Szczeny?

I wake up this morning after a weekend of all my sports teams tanking in the most head - in - hands fashion all weekend (Arsenal being the most devastating) and I find that, somehow, I attained inexplicably - some calm...some peace. And then I proceed to check the Arsenal official site. What? Fabianksi in goal tomorrow night? Almunia out hurt with elbow injury (from his penalty save)? But then I stop thrashing around my kitchen uttering oaths and start to think. Hmmmm...I wonder who our Number Two is going to be? Is this Chezzer's opportunity?

So, my next step is to..go to work of course. My job comes before anything Arsenal, right? Erm. Well, I'm taking an early lunch break to discover if Chezzers has a chance. See, our reserves are also playing Blackpool tonight which means whoever starts in goal there cannot be going to Belgrade...unless Arsene has discovered Start Trek-like transporter technology. I wouldn't put that past him actually. Now, mind you, this theory only holds water if Chezz is ever used for reserve matches anymore as they have goalies of their own. I'm going with my optimistic nature and say it does.

Putting the 20 year old as back up for the Partizan match would be a clever way for Wenger to appease the impatient youngster while saving face. He has an injury and two games for which goalies are needed. Arsene did note that Szczeny would also have to get past Mannone, but an opportunity is an opportunity. Arsene would be foolish not to take it. Le Boss is stubborn at times (too many too count), but foolish? Arguably, no.

I looked briefly again at the official website and was excited to see pictures of Wojo training with the first team...along with Fumbling and Vito. Sigh. Wenger hedging his bets again.

Here's another positive of playing Chezzers in goal. If he screws up then he knows he's not as good as his mouth has proclaimed him to be. Which means he'll be ruined for the rest of his career, or he'll go back to playing without whining and work even harder. 'Course he could turn out to be a revelation. That bit really makes me googly-eyed with anticipation.

But let's get realistic. Szczeny is just second or even third choice right now. How could he ever hope to gain Number One? Here's some options I've thought up. 1) Fumbling is so horrible tomorrow night that Wenger has no choice but to play his back-up after halftime. 2) Fumbling injures himself in a spectacular (heroic, even) fashion while flapping at a cross - hence the need for Chesney to step in or 3) crazy fans drug Fumbling's water bottle ( you know - the one kept at the side of the net for him to drink when he is able) with a powerful laxative that forces him to the bathroom at an inconvenient time. Nothing life or career threatening, mind you. Just something to get him temporarily out of the way. Yes, I'm desperate. Don't try and pretend you're not. You have to admit - aren't you excited that he even made the sub bench?

It should be interesting. I'll be back tomorrow with more team news and, hopefully, news of who is our Number Two. Until then...

P.S. (Since posting, the official website has declared Wojo as Number Two. That is progress people!)

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Complacency Strikes Again as Arsenal Fall 2-3 to West Brom


What can I say? I'm so upset I'm sure my writing will be borderline incoherent and broken. On a day when Chelsea was kind enough to drop points, we lose - at home - to West Brom. Horrible memories resurfaced of our loss to Hull City two years ago. Phil Brown grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Ugh. Of course, they beat us on their turf at least - West Brom beat us on ours.

Before I go on though I would like to tip my hat - if I was wearing one - to the Baggies. Di Matteo stated they would play us hard but fair. And they did. They also didn't give us space. They played the ball mostly on the ground instead of long balling it for the most part. For whatever reason , we just couldn't cope. I have to say West Brom also surprised me with their fitness. They continually pressed us but did not seem to tire.

We went into halftime lucky to be tied 0-0. I thought - Hey, they'll come out motivated and tight in the back. They didn't. Sagna got schooled by Thomas who crossed to his teammate Odemwingie and we were down 1-0. A few minutes later it was 2-0 as this time Clichy got schooled and Almunia saw Jara's shot bounce off his knee into the back of the net.

Wenger then did something nearly unheard of. He subbed in the 56th and 65th minutes. Le Boss broke his 70th minute rule (is he taking a harder line with players who are not performing this season?). Eboue and Diaby gave way for Jack and Tommy in the 56th. Would the subs do it? Could we come back from a two point deficit? Ummm...nope.

Yes, the energy went up with those subs, but our defense still gave way as the Baggies then scored in the 72nd minute. Now I know Wenger took off Koz in the 65th for Vela which means we were defensibly vulnerable for 20 minutes, but what excuse is there for the first two West Brom goals?


Nasri then decided to go on a scoring spree. We had a 10 minute last gasp for air and Sami scored twice. And I love that he took charge of the last 10 minutes, but where was that desire during the rest of the game? Tommy had a chance in the 93rd but blew it.

The result was what we deserved. Our opponent got what they deserved. Now we travel to Serbia on Tuesday for Champions League and then come back to face Chelsea on their turf. I hope we work out whatever hangover- alcohol related or other - that could face us. It's time to take the team that lost to Hull, drew to Sunderland, and let a newly promoted team win - and leave it behind. Otherwise, I really do fear for the rest of the season.

That's all for now Gooners. I'll leave you with my nonsensical ramblings. Maybe things will seem clearer tomorrow. Until then.

P.S. (Here's a telling stat: Duels won Arsenal 46%-54% West Brom. See? We didn't battle today. 'Nuff said.)

Friday, September 24, 2010

Week in Review/West Brom Preview/and Chesney....Bold or Bratty?

Well, a lot has transpired since our draw against Sunderland last week. Most of it good. Since I'm a bit in a hurry and having trouble focusing due to a horrific chest cold, I think I'll write this bullet style:

* We beat, beat, beat the Spudheads 4-1 in 120 minute match for a lovely Carling Cup victory on Tuesday. Beat, beat, beat them - in their house. Some say that Wenger has realized how important any silverware is and played a more experienced side. I say he knew the fans wanted vengeance for our painful defeat at White Hart Lane at the end of last season. And...Jack Wilshere was a revelation.

* Cesc may be back for Chelsea - healing quicker than anticipated. As Jack's been in good form, as well as Nasri - our creative midfield can wait until we have to go to Stamford Bridge.

*On an injury note, Gibbsy's metatarsal was not broken...just badly bruised in the CC match which is great 'cause Gael needs some competition, and Gibbs is up to the task.

*Fabianski let in the only goal of the CC match after seemingly stopping it with both hands and yet...Wenger is still defending him which leads to my next item...

Chesney came out to the the Polish press complaining, ummm, stating he is unhappy with his current position at Arsenal (which is fourth in line) and wants playing time. This came out, of course after the Carling Cup. I think Chez expected to play (as did many of us?) and was shocked to see Wenger giving Flappy another go. He also informed us - and this was a shock to me - that he only has one year left on his contract and insinuated he could look for a club who wouldn't be afraid of playing a 20 year-old in goal. How did we not extend his contract? It seems like we hear about every other tweener getting their contracts extended but some how Arsenal's future Number One slipped through the cracks? And what do we think about him going to the press complaining? Does that show mature professionalism or the poor judgement of a 20 year old? I think the latter and now worry that by trying to force Wenger's hand, he has actually tied them. If Wenger decides to give Chezzers a chance in goal, it could be construed that he was giving in to pressure from a player which would not be a great message. When asked in his press conference about Chezz's remarks, Wenger stated:

"He is right, he deserves a chance but the keeper is in front of him, Vito Mannone, deserves a chance as well," said Wenger.

"You can only play one goalkeeper. It's part of their job as a football player to live with competition and decisions.

"Impatience is a characteristic of youth. What they forget when they are 20 is that they can play until they are 40, whereas a normal player can only go to 32 or 34 if it all goes well. What they lose at the start they gain at the end of their career."

That said, Wenger is keen to keep Szczesny at Emirates Stadium.

"We will talk to him about a new deal. We rate him and we want to keep him," said the Frenchman.

"When you have educated a player like we have with Szczesny, who arrives at the age of 16, it is a long-term investment which costs a lot of money, so you want to keep the players."


It all seems a bit messy to me. The goalkeeping position seems to be the one area that Wenger seems to waffle on. Not letting Fabianski or Chesney go out on loan means four goalies to rotate between first team and reserves. Chezz got to play out on loan last season at Brentford and another season out would have shown confidence and investment in his development. Is Wenger giving Fabianski enough rope to hang himself so he feels justified in cutting him loose? I'm hoping we see some movement in January - which I think will be one of them going out on loan. A 20 year old talented player just sitting around is going to make unwise decisions. We need to be careful here.

*This morning we drew Newcastle in the next round of the Carling Cup competition at Tyneside. Why do we draw the Premier League teams? Newcastle threw out Chelsea Wednesday and will be brimming with confidence. Of course, that game is not until the week of October 25th which means - fingers crossed - players currently occupying the physio room will be on the pitch.

Other than that, the other news of course is our game today against West Brom who have been up and down between the two tiers for several years. They do have a lot of Premier League experience, and while they got gutted by Chelsea on opening day, they seemed to have found their pitch-legs and have settled down. We can beat them - no question. But we need to not be overconfident. We desperately need the three points and we need to obtain them while rotating keeping in mind our trip to Serbia on Tuesday. Diaby is back but will most likely just sit on the bench today.

I'll be back with a post match post (too much "post-ing" there. So with that I say...Go You Gunners!!!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Play Above the Refereeing, Boys!


That's what I used to tell my players when I was a high school basketball coach. Play above the referee's calls. It's hard to find good highs chool referees - especially for girls' athletics. I have very little patience for whining about referees.

So the ref let the game play on 15 seconds after stoppage time. So what? If Rozicky had converted the penalty, if Song had not mouthed off after obstructing Sunderland (or had watched his fouls after his first yellow like Wilshere did), if Jack had a better first half at keeping the ball and not passing it away, If Clichy could actually focus the whole match, we could have handled the late game equalizer. Don't blame the ref.

We started with the same 11 as the Champions League match on Tuesday. That surprised me. I thought he'd rest some midfielders (Arshavin, Nasri, Jack) and let Tricky Tommy or Eboue, Vela, and Denilson have a go. I was worried about tired legs. And we had those in the first half. Sunderland pressed, we gave away passes and could not find a rhythm. Cesc scored a goal that many are deeming a "fluke". That goal came from the hard work of closing some one down up field as they tried to clear a ball. Hard work is not a fluke. It's an excellent example.

I wanted three points this week as I knew Chelsea would get theirs playing Blackpool. But, I'd rather drop points now than at the end of the season. We're still unbeaten. The good news is that our new boys all look great. The center halves did a nice job yesterday and Chamakh continued to work his tail off trying to produce opportunities. Last year - playing away at the Stadium of Light cost us three points. This trip only cost us two. And at the end of the season, when we play Sunderland again at home, we'll be ready and take those three when we need them the most.

I think the most serious thing to be concerned about is 1) Cesc's injury and 2) the rumor that Wenger could be brought up on FA charges for laying his hands on the referee.

So we play West Brom at home next Saturday after our young 'uns take on Spuds in the Carling Cup on Tuesday. Between now and then, I'm sure the moral of the squad will be lifted as we look to take advance in the Cup and take another three points. Keep your heads up Gooners!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Fun, Fun, Fun as Cesc and Company Cruise 6-0 Against Braga


Don't you love it when, after watching a particularly excellent Arsenal match, the win makes the rest of your day go so much easier? The sun shines brighter, people seem nicer, the job not so tedious. That's how my day went after watching (here across the pond) Cesc and Company dismantle Braga this afternoon. Here I am hours later, sipping an excellent Sauvignon Blanc in ongoing celebration, and I am still basking in the inspired and inventive play of our boys. How could you love them more after that performance? I know there have been times (too numerous to count) when I have wanted to throttle some of them - but that has all faded away now.

I suppose that's enough waxing lyrical so we can get down to brass tacks as it were. But first, a sincere thank you to Braga who played their game and did not try and just sit 10 men behind the ball or kick us to death. Thank you for that.

Well, the match started and in the fourth minute, Cesc got fouled on the edge of the box, but our Luxembourg-ien (?) friend waved play on...so we did. And then minutes later, Cesc go fouled again...on the edge of the box. No call. Now, these fouls were not reckless or brutal in nature - just panicky I think. Finally, we got on the score board in the ninth minute when our Captain Fantastic found Chamak-attack with a superb pass and as the Moroccan feinted to play the ball beyond the keeper when the goalie took out his legs. Penalty this time. Cesc executed it. 1-0.

We didn't score again until the 30th minutes when Cesc (again) played in Shavy who finished beautifully with a bullet to the near post under the keeper. After his misses at Bolton, it was nice to see him score. Has anyone else noticed how Arshavin seems to always be in a good mood before the game (walking out) and when he is fouled? I don't know if it's strategy, but he is usually grinning instead of looking serious (or focused). It cracks me up.

Okay, our supremacy continued as we scored our third goal before halftime. And I have to say, this piece of passing that led up to the goal was exquisite. I had to re-read all the match reports to make sure I got all the intricacy accurate. Jack (who started instead of Denilson) crossed to our Russian and then cut to the box. Shavy took the ball, passed it to Chamakh who chested it down to...Jack who then displayed some crazy athleticism involving shifting his weight off of one leg whilst back heeling the ball back to Chamakh! Maroune then slid it to the back of the net. I almost wanted to cry when I saw the beauty of the movement. I suppose people who have also seen beauty - whether in nature or art - have wept as well. Sniff.

Side note on Jack Wilshere...this boy has come to play and can pick out a pass -long or short - and deliver with such accuracy that it looks as if he has been under the tutelage of Cesc all his career. Please don't get injured Jack!

Okay, back to the match. Halftime came and went. I could not wait for the game to start up again! Who would score next? Nasri was working like a demon all over the pitch. He deserved a goal. Koz and the Squid were working well together (Koz even bailed out Clichy a few time) what if they scored? We commenced the second half with no subs (no surprise) and at about the 53rd minute, Shavy got an assist as he put a cross through and it was headed home...by Cesc. His second goal of the match. He was entirely unmarked. At first I thought Chamakh had headed it. How cool and unexpected that it was our much shorter leader.

What about a hat trick? Cesc has yet to obtain one as a professional footballer. He had his chance. Vela and Denilson came on for Song and Chamakh in the 61st minute. Vela got on the scoreboard with a chip over the goalie and with Arshavin providing the assist. Then came Cesc's chance. On a long, lovely pass from Jack, Cesc had the opportunity to shoot or pass to Vela. Unselfishness being a theme of Arsenal play, Cesc slid a pass to Vela who then shot it home. 6-0. Arshavin had two assists and one goal. Cesc had two goals and three assists...but no hat trick. Cesc admitted he was disappointed at not getting three and stated:

"I am a bit disappointed because I wanted to do it, it's the thing I haven't done as a professional,"

Cesc- you're only 23 years old! You'll get that hat trick, and I'll eat my hat if that doesn't happen this year.

On (another) side note, Cesc was asked by ITV if he was happy to be a Gunner after the Barcelona saga this summer. He responded:

"I've always felt fantastic here. I'm very happy to be here.'' Sniff...again.

So we have some great momentum going into Saturday's game against Sunderland. We can rotate players and rest some which is great as we will be playing a game very three days until after the Chelsea match on October 3rd. After that win (grin), we have another Interlull and don't play proper soccer until October 16th when we take on the Blues of Birmingham City.

That's all for now. One more glass of the vino and I'm off to bed...sweet dreams will be in abundance tonight I think. Savor this one Gooners. Wasn't it fun!

P.S. (Highlights below)

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/video?vid=63d9b142-9361-4b6b-ae5c-93054763e021" target="_new" title="">CL Highlights: Arsenal/Braga</a>

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Diaby's Down But Out for How Long? And a Bit about Braga and Denilson


So Bolton came and went with scandalous calls by the ref and even more scandalous No Calls. The worst no-call being the foul on Diaby by Paul "The Caveman" Robinson (above photo possible thanks to Arseblogger). And now we have no Diaby for our games against Braga and Sunderland. Other than missing those two games, Wenger is "vague" on how long Abou will be out because he's waiting for the inflammation goes down. Apparently Diaby's history of scans has always brought bad news as Wenger explained:

“I was very anxious because he had a scan yesterday [Monday] and with Diaby there are always bad surprises on the scan. But the scan looks quite promising."

I don't know why that statement made me chuckle as it's a reminder of how many scans Diaby has had to have, but still...it's a bit Eeyore-ish of Arsene. And to make it funnier, don't we all know what he means? Funny in an exasperated "I suppose..." Eeyore kind of way. Anyway, enough with remnants of my childhood. Onto to more important things. Like...

Taking on Braga with the following players out of contention: Van Persie, Bendtner, Theo, Diaby, Ramsey, Vermie, and Ping-Pong. Other than that we have no worries. We're only facing a team that is making their Champions League debut against us. Might they have something to prove at the Emirates? May they be looking for a "historic result"? Perhaps. There is probably a mix of being in awe of Arsenal and partaking in the tournament alongside not wanting to make fools of themselves. In their own league, Braga have not lost a game yet but have won two and tied two. They reportedly like to play on the counter attack so if we are disciplined, don't commit everyone forward on every charge and every player tracks back to help on defense, we should be okay.

Since we've discussed who's out, let's discuss who's in. Almunia will be in goal, and I'm pretty sure Sagna and Clichy will be starting after getting some rest last Saturday. With Vermie out for another game (I am missing that growling intensity of his), Koz and Squillaci will probably round out the back four. I really doubt that Wenger will have Djourou play as he hasn't had anything but Reserves games to practice on. This means of course that the Learning Kurve de Koz must be set on Super Sonic so as not to screw up tomorrow night. I really like this kid and hope for an error free game from him. Well, he doesn't have to be perfect, I just don't want him to make such a gaffe that would allow the opponents to score.

Song will be placed in front of the four mopping up and shutting down as usual. Tricky Tommy, Nasri or Eboue will be on the wing (I vote for Tommy as I think he's on a roll) and our Captain will be feeding the Little Russian and our Moroccan which leaves...Denilson or Jack to help out Song. Hmmm...Jack has had a good run so far but got a clattering of his own against Bolton as well (thanks to Dunderhead Davies). If you had asked me at the beginning of the season who I would want playing more, I'd have said Jack. I was tired of Denilson - not because of his passing - we all know his stats outdo almost every player with pass completion rates (just look here thanks to LadyArse and Gingers for Limpar. My problem was his complacency at tracking back on defense and revving his butt out of third into fifth gear. I remember so many times watching him seemingly jog back down the pitch as our opponents rushed on counter attack. We do all remember him getting outpaced by a referee, right (if someone remembers what game that was, please let me know. I've looked all over the web for a clue, but haven't found one.)? Anyway, the Denilson that I saw come on last Saturday as a sub was different. He sprinted all over the place! Now I know he hasn't' played since April so he probably has loads of reserve energy stored up, but I think his zest was due to something else. Competition for a starting spot.

When Denilson first became a Starter, he played almost every game and was almost a shoe-in just because there was no one vying for his position. During the 2008-2009 season, he played a total of 38 games. Diaby was trying to make it back from his broken ankle and subsequent nigglies, and Song was still trying to improve. Flamini had left so Denilson had an opening. I think he got complacent. Whether that was due to his young age or personality, I have no idea. What I do know is that last season as Aaron Ramsey fought his way into the starting XI, both Diaby and Denilson got less playing time. Denilson only played 20 matches in the 2009-2010 season (some absences were due to injury). Aaron showed a hunger every game and that warranted more playing time for him. If Aaron had stayed healthy, I'd bet that Denilson would have had to up his game or been relegated to the bench. Now Rambo is out until November and Diaby until who knows when? But Denilson still has to compete with Jack. And that can only bode well for the team as Jack doesn't seem the type to go quietly.

Back to which player should start against Braga? I say Denilson as his style of play seems better suited against the European teams and he does have Champions League experience. Jack could come on as a substitute since I'm sure Denilson will get tired due to not being totally match fit. Who knows? Perhaps Denilson will get to show off those Brazialin ankles and zing one in from 30 yards out.

Either way, I think we are still suited to win if we are smart and continue our run of form which seems to be a combination of toughness and beautiful passing. Here's to our first Champions League win of the 2010-2011 season. Go You Reds!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Cesc is Back in 4-1 Bolton Win - and Koz is Tuff!


This post is going to be short as I just lost 75% of what I wrote and am not in the mood to reproduce. Ugh!
Okay - where to start after not blogging for 10 days? The Interlull did induce a Rumpelstiltskin-like affect on me. Luckily I awoke in time to see our team win against a 10-man Bolton squad who did everything to kick and apparently head butt us off the pitch. They were, at times, aided by the referee who had a good first 20 minutes and then decided that Kevin Davies would be allowed to do whatever he wanted without getting kicked off. But I digress...

The lineup was a little of a surprise with Eboue playing right back and Gibbsy in for Clichy in an attempt - I'm assuming - to save the other two starters for our champions League match on Wednesday. Jack started in place of Diaby and Tommy, Cesc, Chamakh, Shavy, and Almunia rounded out the squad.

I thought our back four were tested right off the bat but stood firm overall. We had plenty of chances from the start with Arshavin having a one-one-one thanks to Tommy, but this shot was saved. And then Koz got his first Arsenal goal. Jack executed a beautiful pass and floated it to Cesc at the far post who then tapped the ball to the penalty area right to Koz who poked it home. After 24, minutes we were up 1-0. We should have been up 2-0 with Cesc giving another gift to Shavy, who promptly put it into the side of the net. He looked frustrated at his lack of completion and his incredible number of offside’s calls. Was he trying to break Cashebayor's record? Ugh. But once again, I digress.

Koz again was the center of attention but not in a good way. He made another rookie mistake by heading a long ball from Bolton so softly that all Almunia could do was scramble to defend his post as Lee then chipped the ball that had landed at his feet to the Salamander who then scored. Remember I said last game that I was alright with Koz making mistakes as long as his learning curve was fast and our offense could outscore the opponent? Well, I still stand by that with the mid-table teams. But when it comes to the title contenders, he better shape up. I like him overall. He has great attributes which I'll discuss later.

The match saw our Captain with three assists. One to Chamakh (great header), one to the aforementioned Koz, and the other to Vela who calmly slotted the ball home sans chip. Song also got into the act with Arsenal's 1,000 goal scored under the reign of Wenger thanks to an assist from Arshavin.

Back to Koz. We left him aiding the Bolton squad with their equalizer and headed to halftime. He could have come out disheartened and put on a shameful showing, but he didn't. He continued to help mark Davies and out jump him in headers. He very nearly died beating him to one. I am not exaggerating. Koz got to a header before Davies and after the ball was away, Davies continued his jump and thumped Koz in the side of his temple with his skull. They both went down after the collision but Koz definitely got the worst of it. Everyone knows that a blow to the temple can result in serious brain injury except the elbow throwing idiot I guess. In his pre-match interview, Wenger called Davies "committed" rather than dirty. He certainly was reckless. Forget it, he was dirty. He had a horrible foul on Tommy with no card given and then promptly received a card for fouling - was it Jack? Anyway, he may not be dirty but he is 33 and while I commend him for playing with the vigor of a younger man, its clear his reactions are late so he needs to either quit the game before he seriously hurts someone, or temper his challenges.

What else? The ref was a total and complete crock. Perhaps the red card on Cahill was a bit tough, but if I were a teammate, I'd be mad at him for making such a stupid decision. Chamakh going out of bounds means you want to attack from behind with both feet cleats up? He wasn't a threat. And the crock of a ref, instead of allowing us to play on, stopped the play which meant Arshavin - who was on his way to a break away to the goal, was stopped short. Bleck.

Not so Bleck was Diaby's reaction to Robinson's challenge on him (high above the ball with studs up and no card). Diaby, when he was upright and had recovered from the blow went after Robinson and had to be held back. I don't think our boys are intimidated anymore. They have grit. Me likey.

All in all that's six points from two very physical teams. It allows one to garnish some hope. And it sends out a message to the other teams whose strategy is to foul us into submission...kick us (if you can catch us) but beware...for we are The Arsenal!

Highlights of the game are below. Have a good one Gooners