Wenger Talking to Potential Buys? and Goalies Galore

Can you believe it? Wenger says he is talking to potential targets. He wants to get his buying done before the World Cup for various reasons. Having the team together as soon as possible allows for everyone to start bonding and playing together sooner rather than later. Plus, I hear World Cup performances can inflate a player's price. In honor of that news, I decided to take a look at players in different positions we have been linked with via rumor. The first position up is...Goalie. I don't think anyone would deny that we need to address that area the most. Listed with each goal are his season stats and "rating" via Skysports. I wish I had a source for rating players that did not involve this big a conglomerate, but I'm still learning what's out there. Here's the explanation of the ratings:

We must stress that these ratings are judged independently by the skysports.com journalist reporting on the game and have nothing to do with the Sky Sports television coverage. Hence, the official Sky Sports TV Man of the Match may sometimes differ from the top mark awarded on the site.These are the standard rules we will be using:

10: Out of this world - very rare, exceptional performances only.

9: Excellent - Top-class display, probably the matchwinner.

8: Very Good - Outstanding, very influential.

7: Good - Impressive, eye-catching.

6: Average - No major faults, nothing overly impressive.

5: Below Average - Some faults, out-of-touch.

4: Poor - Many faults, easy to criticise.

To be fair to our incumbent Arsenal keepers, I have included their stats as well. Therefore, Almunia and Fumbling are up first.

Manual Almunia:

Full Name Manuel Almunia
Birth Date May 19, 1977
Birth Place Pamplona, Spain
Height 6' 4'' (1.93m)
Weight 190 lbs (86 kg)
Age 32
Position Goalkeeper
Squad No 1

29 Games
10 Clean Sheets
68 Saves
Rating: 6.2

Fumbling:

Full Name Lukasz Fabianski
Birth Date April 18, 1985
Birth Place Kostrzyn nad Odra, Poland
Height 6' 3'' (1.91m)
Weight 183 lbs (83 kg)
Age 25
Position Goalkeeper
Squad No 21

Games 2
Clean Sheets 1
Saves 5
Rating 4.5

Hugh Lloris:

Age 23
Club Lyon
Position Goalkeeper
Squad No 1
Born Nice, France
Height 6'2"

Games 31
Clean Sheets 13
Saves 107
Rating: 5.0




Joe Hart
Full Name Joe Hart
Birth Date April 19, 1987
Birth Place Shrewsbury
Height 6' 3'' (1.91m)
Weight 181 lbs (81.9 kg)
Age 23
Position Goalkeeper
Squad No 25

Games 34
Clean Sheets 10
Saves 126
Rating: 6.9



Igor Akinfeev

Full Name Igor Akinfeev
Birth Date April 8, 1986
Birth Place Russia
Height 6' 0" (1.84m)
Weight 157 lbs (71 kg)
Age 24
Position Goalkeeper
Squad No 35

Games 10 (CL)
Clean Sheets ?
Saves 49
Rating 5.0


Craig Gordon
Full Name Craig Gordon
Birth Date May 3, 1983
Birth Place Hungary
Height 6' 6'' (1.98m)
Weight 207 lbs (94 kg)
Age 26
Position Goalkeeper
Squad No 13
Games 24
Clean sheets 5
Saves 84
Rating 6.9

Well, there you go. I like the dimensions of Gordon and Hart. Akinfeev seems too short to me and Lloris seems like he could get pushed around quite easily with his lanky frame. Hart and Gordon both have EPL experience. Overall, I'm going for Hart as he is the cutest. One must have one's standards. Let me know what goalie you hope we are talking to? Have a good one!

Anyone Want a Nap? A Day of Legends and Legendary Idiots

Wow. That was a very boring match. And there was so much anticipation and build up to it. Man City was vying for fourth spot against Spuds. We were coming off a three match losing streak (counting Champion League Matches). We were playing at home and welcoming back former greats Viera and Toure and former big-headed and great-at-creating-controversy Adebayor. Spuds got beat by Man United earlier in the morning which I guess made a difference as City looked the whole game to be happy coming away with a draw. They parked their players behind the ball and we just could not penetrate. Cashebayor did not start. The reason for his not starting was given as a "thigh strain". I wonder if Mancini was using some psychological strategy hoping to deflate the crowd who was anticipating boo-ing him to no end (even though Le Boss had asked for respect and restraint). It seemed to have an affect as the crowd just could not give enough energy to the game. The same could be said of our players. Sol and Silvestre had the most energy on the pitch. That's right. I said Silvestre. Song was back at his holding midfielder role so old Mikael was in at centre back...and had his best game in Gunner Red. This could be a high note for him to go out on. And he should be going out. I hope. But hats off to him for his performance as many players in his position could have just given into resentment at the lack of playing time. But if nothing else, Silvestre has been immensely professional while with Arsenal knowing he is not a fan favorite.

Kolo had a good game against us (darn it) and did a decent job of bothering RVP who played all 100 minutes! Good for him. Viera and Diaby had a battle in the midfield with the older using small fouls to make up for his slowness in scuffling with the younger player. Diaby looked better then in his previous matches, but still did not look as sharp as he had pre-Barcelona. He and Nasri (and Theo and Rosicky and everyone) kept passing up shots! We only had three shots on goal? I think we were happy to walk away with a point and not another crushing defeat. At least Fumbling did not cause catastrophe. He was not challenged much and had little to do. This might be a small foundation on which to re-build some confidence.

Energy finally permeated the match when Viera was replaced by ADB who sauntered on with crazy pigtails and grinning through all the boos. He played okay. Actually, if I was a Man City fan, I would have been incensed at that grin. He made it whenever a play didn't come off or when he made a mistake. I don't know if he was trying to stay calm during the taunts from the crowd or was using it to taunt the crowd. Perhaps, as I've discussed in previous blogs, his near-death experience in Angola had an affect? His lack of angry reaction to the crowd could mean he's found inner peace, or his pigtails were pulled too tight. Hmmm. Either way, he did not make a real impact on the game.

One more point should secure our position in third place. Which is an improvement on last season, by the way. I think the way the season ended last year was more positive, but we could end up with more points this year at the end. We finished last season with 72 points and we have that now. We have a potential of earning six more which will put us at 78. A mathematical improvement of two wins this season. The question is, is that improvement enough? Don't forget the crazy serious injuries this season. With RVP out for nearly six months, Aaron and Cesc having broken bones, perhaps that improvement belies what could have been a vast improvement. We always seem to have a ton of injuries, but the serious ones could not have been foreseen, so I am taking a lot of hope away for next season. What do you think? Feel free to post a comment people!

That's all for now. We don't play Blackburn until Monday 12:00 EST (I double checked the time, Jeane). I have also inserted a new poll so feel free to play with that as well. Until tomorrow when I will discuss the results from the weekend MLS matches and how the battle for the top spot in La Liga is proceeding...enjoy the improved weather!

Man City Preview - We need a Hemi under the Hood and...I Don't Think We're Going to Sign a Keeper!

Okay - the good news first. Song is in the squad. Yes! And that's about all or the good news. Shavy thought he might be back, but Wenger confirmed that he is not fully recovered yet. Eduardo is also in the squad and is recovering from a broken toe? I totally missed that news last week before and after the Wigan game. Of course, I was petulant and pouty for about four days and didn't pay much attention to the football news world, so I might have missed it. How effective can someone be if they are playing with a broken toe? Hmmm.

Of course, many are talking about Adebayor coming to the Emirates. Wenger is calling for the crowd to behave, um, be respectful. Actually, I'm surprised at all the bad feelings that still remain about Cashebayor. Yes, he is an egotistical, lying, manipulating idiot - but he did suffer a trauma en route to the ANC, so maybe he is not all those things anymore. Someone even suggested the club put inflatable machine guns onto the seats. What? Get serious. His attitude is his problem. Let's not make it ours. Ade has scored five goals in three games, so I think that's where our focus should be. Not on his potential or previous antics. He and Tevez plus Bellamy are a force our slapped-together defense is going to have to deal with. Speaking of defense, is Le Boss going to start Silvestre at centre back or put Song there and have Eastman play holding midfielder role? Eastman looks hungry to make an impression and I'll take that over someone with an anemic attitude. We need someone to add energy and drive on the field (hence the Hemi reference) and I think Craig, along with a few others, has that. Plus, Song is able to deal with winning headers better than Silvetre.

Also, guess who is in at goal? That's right. Our very own Fumbling Fabianski. I thought Wenger might give Mannone a try. But he still has belief in this dude. Click on the above link to read his opinion on the Pole. Speaking of Poles...Wenger also spoke about our 20 year old keeper out on loan - Szczesny:

"I believe one day he will be the No 1 at Arsenal certainly. But we will see next season. It is down to his performances. But you want as well some experience at our level. You cannot only go with young goalkeepers."

So what does that mean? We're stuck with Almunia for another year? Wenger was coy when asked about looking at Joe Hart as a possible buy this summer-

"Let's finish the season first," said the manager. "We do not want to go on the transfer market before a big game which we have tomorrow."

If you have been reading my blog diligently, you know that I am an optimist. Let me just say...I have a bad feeling about the outcome of the rest of our matches. Sigh. And that change in my attitude should scare all (five) of you.

I may or may not be able to watch the game live as I have picture day for my nieces' softball team that I'm helping coach. Course, they are predicting a downpour for the whole weekend, so that may be rescheduled and I can speed to Jeane's to watch. I'll have to see. Here's hoping for three points tomorrow. I know all of us are doubtful and anxious, but they're still our boys. Let's Go You Gunners!!! Now, I'm off to learn how to do a proper rain dance.

Are You Kidding Me? Where's the Heart?

Embarrassed, incensed, humiliated, utterly amazed and not in a good way. Losing to Wigan the way we did was one of my worst moments as an Arsenal fan. I’m not a part of the “Arsene knows” club, but I have given him the benefit of the doubt this year. I think today’s loss pushed me over the edge into the "Let’s criticize the manager" bandwagon. My number one complaint is that he hasn’t shored up our weak spots enough.

Let’s start with the goalkeeper. Almunia was out with a hurt wrist so trusty Fabianski was in goal and cost us today. He couldn’t even hang onto a catch! He lacks confidence because of his various debacles (his most recent being Porto) and has not regained any form. Mannone was on the bench. Better to go with him today at least. I think the players trust him more. Of course, even had Almunia played, there’s no guarantee he would not have pulled a Birmingham-type error and cost us as well. Considering how leaky our goalkeeping is, why didn’t Wenger buy in January?

And let’s talk about our back four. Our centre backs today had a combined age of almost 70 years (thanks for pointing that out Doc). I love Sol. He was a warrior against Spurs. I saw him run forward three different times today and make it back in time to help with a counter attack. But you can’t pair him with another 30-something year-old. Especially Silvestre who operates extra slow. Yes, he did score our second goal today, but I was nervous beforehand about the coupling. Wenger spoke earlier in the week about the grittiness of Vermaelan and how he had played through a lot of pain through the season. Yes, that is something to admire about him. We don’t want our defense to be occupied by a bunch of sissies. But my point is why did he have to play through the pain? He did not get rested one single game this season except for his suspension. Maybe if we had more depth in the back, he would have gotten rested and not suffered the calf strain which resulted in him being out for the rest of the season. Maybe if we had depth, Gallas would have been rested and maybe would not have been out the rest of the season with...a calf strain. Yes, Djourou would have been that back up option, but he got hurt in August. We knew he was going to be out the rest of the season. Why didn’t Wenger buy in January?

That really is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to questioning Wenger’s buying policy. Now onto the youth policy. I have backed him up on that. It has been enjoyable watching players develop and grow. And it makes sense being conservative with spending in these current economic conditions. However, even I have to admit this policy needs some serious tweaking. These youth have received big paychecks without having to perform for them (there are some exceptions). I don't think some of them have developed the work ethic required of that paycheck. Diaby was strolling around again yesterday. I was really hoping after his not taking the summer off last year choosing to focus on his conditioning instead, meant that his lackadaisical approach had been addressed. He has regressed since Barcelona. Maybe it's because there is no one vying for his position. Maybe he needs that competition for playing time to keep hungry. It's certainly not there naturally. Experienced players like Sol Campbell play hard because they know that is what required to win. The younger ones don't seem to know that. I think they need more teammates like Sol not only to model for them but to slap them upside the back of the head when they are casual with passing and running.

Speaking of casual, after the second goal, we coasted. We didn't look like we wanted to finish off the opposition - and neither did Wenger. He didn't put in Van Persie until the 88th minute? Why not give him 20-25 minutes to help sharpen him for Manchester City? Our players took the win for granted, and so did our manager. So now, instead of trying to catch the two teams above us, we have to worry about the two teams below us. And we take on one of those two next weekend. I am not looking forward to hosting Manchester City. I'm sure they can smell the blood in the water.

Anyway, it's now time to start the work week and attempt to shake off the desolation I feel. Here's hoping...

P.S. Apparently, it is customary for the team to approach our away fans and thank them via clapping for coming. I read today at LeGrove that Theo was the only player to approach the fans after the match yesterday. Way to go Theo and shame on the rest of you. See you tomorrow in the not-so-funny-papers.

Tough, Must Win Today and No Song

Boy, am I on a roll with the blogging this week. Must be the sunshine, the birds singing, spring in the air here in the heart of the Midwest. And with that surge of energy and optimism comes a great feeling about the game today. Yes, we are down Song, Gallas, Cesc, Arshavin but have RVP back and the solid Sol in backfield ordering our young troops around. I love the fact that Sol is not intimidated by going back to White Hart Lane where he is hated. That's how it is in football (I'm noticing as a relative newcomer). If you play (and Sol was their captain) for a team and then leave them for across town rivals, you are going to - as the Brits say-get a bit of stick about that. I think Sol revels in it. He's a tough dude and has mentally matured from the last time he played for us. Wenger notes this change is the interview he gave yesterday.
And we are going to need every bit of maturity and grit we have left to squash these buggers. A draw does nothing for either team. Both have to have three points. Tottenham is still fighting Manchester City for the Champions League seat at the fourth spot and we mathematically need the three to stay in the title race. This season is the best yet out of these last four or five "rebuilding" years. Love it!
Now, being American, I have not grown up with this cross town rivalry. Apparently, even families are divided between the two teams as they are so close to each other geographically in London. But I swear to you, I look down very bit on them over here across the pond as if I was living in the Highbury apartments (I wish). A loss to these guys will be more devastating than the Barca game.
Okay,that's about it. Spuds are without Lennon today, so Theo and Eboue will be a nice attacking, speedy threat to them. Of course, we have to watch the long balls to the gankly Crouch. Hopefully Almunia's decision making will be full of confidence today. Time to start biting the nails. Go. You. Reeedddsss!

RVP is back! "Live" coverage of Chelsea vs Bolton and other updates

Our left-footed wonder is back! He is making the trip 'cross London to the Lane as a member of the bench, although Wenger stated he was shocked at how fit Robin is after his injury. He will not start, though, as we know that Arsene prefers to bring back players from long-term injuries slowly. Which is good. Robin will be itching to play, but he needs to work the rust off. He should get 20 minutes for the first match back anyway. How awesome would it be if he made a goal tomorrow coming off the bench? Maybe one of his classic back-to-the-net-pivot-and-shoot goals? Here are some great pix from the official site of Robin training
As I am writing this, Chelsea is playing their game in hand against Bolton. I'm following the commentary live on the Internet and will give you the half-time report. This game is very important of course, because Chelsea dropping any sort of points is good news for us. Plus, our on-loan Jackie boy has started, and I'm hoping he has us in the back of his mind as he uses all his wily moves on Chelsea's back four.
Ooh...looks like Mr. Terry received a bit of an injury. That's gotta be some serious karma working. But not serious enough as he's back on the pitch and continues playing. Sounds like Bolton is being their usual "robust" selves with their challenges and it's nice that I don't mind that since they're not playing us. I just hope they don't give away too many free kicks or a penalty or have a man sent off. Okay update here in the 43rd minute and it's not good...Anelka scores a header for Chelsea assisted by Drogba's cross. Sigh. Five minutes have been added so maybe Bolton will answer back. Come on Kevin Davies - use those famous elbows, give someone a bloody nose, and score something already! Alas, nothing doing. It's halftime with Chelski in the lead 1-0. Back in a few...and here we go. I like following the commentary because 1) I can't follow any other way, and 2) I can still do "paperwork" at the same time so tracking the game is relatively guilt-free. I have to giggle because Bolton is being very much themselves as they have, in the 70th minute, 18 fouls to Chelsea's 9. Jacky boy has given quite a few to those the Chelski's all by himself. He may end up getting a yellow by the end of the game if he isn't careful. Well, that's it then. Chelsea hangs on for a 1-0 win. That means if we win on Wednesday, we'll leapfrog over Man U but stay in second behind Chelsea. Still, moving up is moving up.

I also wanted to give some more updates on the MLS and La Liga that I neglected to mention in my post from yesterday. the Chicago Fire played against San Jose last Saturday and lost 1-2 at home. So far, we have two home losses and one away draw. Some of the articles I have read note that the Fire had a poor home record last season as well. We should be in for good luck then this next weekend as they play DC United away (6:30 CST on Comcast Sportsnet). I'm hoping this match will have a little more flair and movement than the past ones.


Also, there was a major match last weekend in La Liga as Barcelona lept to first place in the table as they beat Real Madrid 2-0 at Real Madrid. Of course, The Messi scored (his 40th for the season) as well as Pedro. The more Barca win (I don't care against whom) the less bad I feel about losing to them.

That's all for now. Get ready you Gooners for this last stretch of games...see you after we beat the Spuds!

Manure drops points, Terry proves his (lack of ) character again, and which way will the Lady go?

I can't believe how long it's been since my last posting...five days maybe? I think I've suffered from post-Barcelona Bluesitis. I looked it up. It's a definable illness found on Web-why-are-you-looking-for -a- diagnosis-on-the Internet-MD.com. Anyway, I'm wondering if our team is having as hard a time at finding motivation for Wednesday as I am in writing this blog? No football this weekend did not help this lack of focus, but on the bright side (and I am a silver-lining type of gal), the boys will have had ten days rest before playing our across town rivals.
Tottenham just got themselves knocked out of the FA Cup by (snigger) Portsmouth. Coming off that loss can mean a multitude of different things. They will most likely be tired and either be hanging their heads about the loss, or be motivated by it and the chance to overttake Manchester City for that coveted fourth spot in the EPL table. I really don't care which of these is true. What I care about is that we grind them down with whatever team we have available. Arsene hasn't released anything regarding injuries or players back from injuries (Song, VP????) but he will at tomorrow's press conference. We'll just have to wait, won't we?

Other news...Manure drew with Blackburn (way to go you-obscene-walrus you) and now stand in real danger of losing the title...now if only Chelsea would cooperate. They made it past Aston Villa to the final of the FA Cup (where they will be playing against the Pompey). I am hoping for tired legs again for them as they take on Bolton this Tuesday. By the way, did any of you see John Terry get away with that "tackle" against Milner in the FA Cup game against Aston Villa? His studs were above the knee! A yellow card is a joke. This is the man who captains the England's national team? On no, that's right...he had the captaincy stripped away from him for (ahem) having an affair with his best friend and teammate's girlfriend. This tackle is almost as shameful. Milner, apparently, is going to be okay. But still, have a look...red card anyone? Apparently referee Webb was in a good position but made a bad call. How many people have to come close to being maimed before something is done? If that had been one of our players, multiple fractures would have ensued. I'm sure the video has been posted all over the Web, but just in case you didn't see it, check it out below.
What else? Oh yes, Adebayor has announced his retirement from international football because of the terrorist raid on his team's bus on the way to the African Nation's Cup. Now, I am not an Ade fan. He really disappointed me his last season with Arsenal and incensed me with his display when we played ManC earlier this season(celebrating in front of our fans, stamping on Van Perise's face and Cesc's shin) but I do think he suffered from that raid. He may be an egotistical, money hungry, lazy guy, but holding your dying friend in your arms as bullets richocet all around you? That could change a person...maybe. Of course, he had trouble getting along with Togo coaches anyhow, but still. Let's hope he has his head out of the clouds and feet planted firmly on the ground just because he once played for us and gave us a few moments of joy. You know?
Other news in the world of Arsenal is the fact that Lady Nina is finally selling her shares. The big question is...Who's buying? American Stan Kroenke who has a 29.98% stake in the club, or the big (I mean FAT, by the way) crooked Russian Usmanov who has 26.29% stake. I'd say it's up for grabs. I'm not all that educated in the world of finance and stocks/shares. But I do hope the Lady takes into account Usi's background and alleged criminal affiliations.
I guess that's all for now. I feel as if I have come through my cloud of bluesiness and am looking forward to the trip to White Hart Lane where those football impostors will be met by the only true team in London: The Mighty Arsenal!! Until tomorrow!

The Lionel Messi Show - Schooling at Camp Nou

What can I say? With the odds against us, these boys still gave us hope. Even at 3-1 I did not give up that hope. There was time for us to score two more. We'd done it before, right? And then...the fourth goal. Game over. Maybe expecting them to outshine one of the best teams in the world while dragging these injuries along with them was just a bit too much to ask. I didn't get to watch the match. I had to satisfy myself with following live commentary on the Internet, and I only got to do that for the last 30 minutes. By all accounts, in everything I have read over the last 12 hours, we were just purely outclassed. My understanding is that Clichy had his best match yet, Theo was hot/cold as was Bendtner. Other than Clichy, it doesn't sound like anyone played especially well which was needed for us to stay in it. Plus, I was, of course, worried about Messi as he was just too quiet when he came to the Emirates. That was partially due to Song in the first half who worked hard to keep him covered. I am not at all surprised that he came alive in front of his home crowd. Not that I expected a hat trick from him ( or four goals as bad luck would have it). But I did expect him to feel more comfortable. Plus, he had Sylvestre to deal with. It was like taking candy from a baby I expect. There's nothing like a team of Barca's quality to highlight one's weak spots...defense...depth...strikers. I'm not a negative fan by any stretch of the imagination (heck...been a Cubs fan all my life), but even I must admit we need to shore up in some very obvious spots. Maybe the upside to this is that Wenger has acknowledgted that he needs some additions to the squad.

Well, I highly expect Barcelona will go on to win another Champions League crown barring some horrendous piece of luck for them. and I will be rooting for them. How can you not when they play so beautifully? And of course, they play Inter next and we all know how Arsenal fans get a warm and fuzzy feeling for that coach...Ewwww. Here's hoping the "Special One" goes down in flames in spectacular fashion.

Just to follow up on the Karl Henry situation from yesterday - Wolves are not appealing his red card. Mick is saying he does not want to risk an extension of Henry's suspension - which is probable as both of his tackles show violence and poor sportsmanship. Really, I'm hoping the meathead saw both replays and went - hat in hand- to his manager and said,"Mick - don't risk the appeal. I admit I'm nothing more than a talentless, cheating, used snot rag and promise to mend my ways". Or something like that. Right.

A brief mention of the Chicago Fire game I watched over the weekend against the Colorado Rapids...UGH! The score ended up 2-2 and I have never seen so much walking around during a soccer match in my seven years as a fan! The playing better improve or it's going to be a long summer without proper football to watch (World Cup doesn't count as that kind of play can be slow too).

Okay...it's a weekend off for our team as they brush aside the loss and begin focusing on the derby next week against...our hated rivals the Spudheads. Thank goodness for some time off as Song needs to heal up and maybe Van Persie can show up for the game? Fingers crossed. Cheers everyone and keep your heads up!

P.S. Here are the highlights of the game if 1) you missed the game, 2) you are a Barca fan (why would you be reading my blog, or 3) you are a masochistic Arsenal fan. Sigh.

No Easy Road for Us and Karl Henry is an Idiot...

Here we go...limping our way to Camp Nou which houses 97,000 fans. I hear it's not especially intimidating as the fans are not quite as in-your-face as the British fans, but still...97,000? We're playing without major players - Cesc, Arshavin, Gallas, Song - and our hopes ride on the fact(s) that 1) this team has shown consistent grit and desire to win, and 2) Barcelona are without their two center backs and Ibrahimovich who scored for them last week.
Much also has been made about the decision to start - or not- Theo Walcott. Theo was important coming off the bench last week as his pace gave the tired legs of Barcelona a problem. Some say he struggles for consistency and that he has not totally earned his spot as a starter. I say - what the heck? Put him in right away so he can give their defensive subs a scare. At this point, we definitely have nothing to lose.
The other question today is Sol's fitness. He is in the squad, but Wenger is waiting until after warmups to hear from Sol himself whether he is fit. I hope he plays. Yes, he is 35 and can be slow, but he has such experience! And he organizes the back! And our other option is...Silvestre! Ugh!

Okay, that's all for the preview as I'm a nervous Nelly. On top of it all, I can't watch the game Live! I'm going to have to decide whether to track it over the Internet or wait and watch it taped at Jeane's place. Decisions, decisions.

Okay, onto Karl Henry who has lambasted Arsenal for his red card. Henry seems to have forgotten his previous stamp on Theo Walcott, his tugging of any red shirt that tried to get past him, and the gash that was left in the back of Tommy's calf. The video below shows both the incident with Theo and then with Tommy. If he had only run into Rozicky, he may have gotten off with just a yellow, but look closely at the video. His tackle on Theo looks malicious to me. Not only do his studs go into Theo's calf...they stay there...he doesn't try and remove his foot. It looks to me like he was intentionally grinding his studs into the calf making sure to give Theo a message. The message he gave to us watching is that he is a first class moron and thug and should be ashamed of himself. Take a look and tell me what you think.
Okay, that's it as I'm a bundle of nerves and having trouble typing. Let's get behind the boys we love so much. Go You GOOOOOOOners!!

LATE Bendtner Header Wins it - And Will Someone Call the Shirt-pulling?

Nerve racking, cardiac arrest-inducing, definite stroke possibilities. These guys are going to kill me somehow before the season ends. Still not able to finish teams off - even those who go down to ten men - we did not score until the 94th minute. Of course, this tells us something else: these boys do not give up. We started with a lot of changes in the side from the team that played Tuesday due to injuries, possible injuries, and the need to rotate. Silvestre started at left back with Sol at center back teaming up with my Vermie. Sagna was at right back. Eboue played on the left wing with Tommy in the creative mid-fielder role. Eduardo got the nod at striker. Denilson and Song had the defensive middle and Theo started on the right wing. Loads of possession and chances were given - especially in the first half. Theo was running, beating all to the ball and crossing nicely. Tommy played Cesc's role well and had excellent passing, and Du-Du...well...poor Du-du had outright chances and did not finish. I really wanted Eduardo to score today, and odds were on his side as we were taking on a mid-table but-only-five-points-from-relegation team. Of course, it's hard to score or win a header when you have loads of shirt-pulling going on (see photo). Eduardo seemed to be the victim of this - and other types of holding the most - which hampered him. I was sad to see him substituted only because I wanted him to score so badly. I do think the playing time can only help him of course. Anyway, the Wolves started off playing us tight not giving us much space. They did not commit many players forward either so counter attacking against them was tougher. Whenever we went toward the box with the ball, it seemed as though there were at least five Wolves there waiting for us. We ended with nine shots on target compared to their two. Six of those nine were blocked. I will say their keeper, Hahnemann, was up to the task making some fine saves. To give them credit, the Wolves had been on a roll not losing for their last five games. Still, I expected us to pass circles around them but they were organized and disciplined (except for the shirt -pulling. When is that going to start getting called?). Basically we looked stymied and out of ideas. Enter Bendtner for Eboue, Nasri for Song, and Vela for Eduardo. Bendtner and Nasri made a difference but still, Wolves hunkered down in the box. But then, just as Jeane left to put her coffee cup in the kitchen, inexplicably, Sagna, one our worst crossers, kicked in a beauty for Bendtner to head in - sheer chaos ensued at the Emirates as the crowd went nuts. So, here we are, sitting in third place one point behind Manure and two behind Cheslki. The one thing the top three have in common is that we all still have to play the Spurs. Spurs could be the team to influence the title race the most. They have the capability and desire to upset any of us and will surely enjoy the role thay have to play. Okay Gooners...it's Barcelona on Tuesday and then we have the weekend off due to FA Cup activity. Unfortunately, I'm going to miss the MLS Fire game this afternoon as duty (work) calls but will update you on the match result. Cheers!

P.S. For those of you who missed the game or couldn't stand watching us possibly tie so our face was buried in your hands, here is Bendy's header:

Casualties of War

We ended up even with Barcelona last night. But it came with a price. The injury update from Wenger today was disheartening and sad as we head into the climatic end of our EPL season and hope to extend play by prolonging our existence in the Champions League. Here is how things stand as of today with our walking wounded: Gallas - out for at least three weeks with re-injured calf Arshavin - out for at least three weeks with an injured calf Clichy - a "maybe" for the Wolves game Saturday as his back problem has flared up again. Denilson - a "maybe" for the Wolves game Saturday because of a groin injury . And Captain Cesc - out for at least six weeks with a small crack in his right fibula which means he's out for the rest of the EPL season. If we can go farther in the Champions League, Cesc may have a shot at still playing this season. Sounds like if all goes well with his rehab, he should also make the World Cup. There has been a lot of chatter today on blogs and sports shows about our match yesterday. Barcelona was described as "first class". Our description has been varied. Some have described us "lucky", "out of our depth" and "gutsy". I think gutsy applies. I also think that Barcelona were the better team...they are world class. No one can deny that. But they also have their flaws. They let us back in the game. They weren't smart with some of their fouls. And, I think they were tired at the end. Now don't get me wrong, playing at Camp Nou will be formidable as Barcelona will have their home crowd behind them. But they also will have some players missing due to suspension, namely Puyol and Pique. By the way, can tell I am tired of reading how Puyol's red card was "soft". Cesc fractured his leg in that foul!! How soft can that be? This is demonstrated in the highlights below. Take a peek, especially if you did not get to see the game. These highlights are extended. I am still shocked at going into halftime 0-0. Also, I love this clip because you can hear the announcer say each starter's first name and the fans complete by chanting the last name. So cool!! Okay, that's it for now. I wanted to give a brief "shout out" to the "Whits" family who are leaving our little town to return to their Chicago roots. Hope you enjoyed your Hoosier stay. You definitely brought something to us, and you will be missed. See you Gooners later!