February 22nd, 2009 12:36am
GilbertoSilver
But I’m at work, and will be getting up horribly early. For that reason, I’m writing a little midnight note to you all.
The underlying sentiment is: don’t panic. We will qualify for the Champions League, Robin will sign his new deal, Cesc will convince half of his national team to come and join us, and we’ll all live happily after. Keep repeating that, and it should guarantee you a restful end to your weekend.
If, however, you wish to hear The Truth, come back on Monday. I warn you: it won’t be pretty.
February 21st, 2009 02:06am
GilbertoSilver
I think we’re all used to Arsene Wenger being somewhat conservative about his new signings, insisting that they will require six months to adapt and urging fans to show patience. Patience, after all, seems to be the defining feature of the latest incarnation of Wenger’s management philosophy – so much so that he’s calling 25-year old Emmanuel Eboue “a young player”.
It is a little surprising, therefore, to see him comparing Andrey Arshavin (if only in terms of height) to none other than Diego Maradona and Pele. But then, we oughn’t be surprised about the level of hype surrounding this player. In my time as an Arsenal fan, I’ve never witnessed (or been part of, I suppose I ought to say) such hysteria around a transfer. As the Russian finally prepares for his maiden voyage out onto the Emirates turf today, I find myself trying to recall the last debut that was so hotly anticipated. I suppose it was that of Theo Walcott, but he was so young at that time that the expectations were nothing compared to what Arshavin will face.
Arsene, however, seems confident that he will handle the pressure:
“He has personality and a strong character. The handicap he has at the moment is that he is not completely fit physically, but all the rest should be quite quick. I have not yet decided if he will start, I will decide that tomorrow morning. But he is in the squad for tomorrow and we will see. You have to give everybody who comes in time to adapt, to adjust. However, I know his vision, his passing ability, his quick brain and they are very important things in the modern game.”
My gut feeling is that he will start, and I think that comes from the fact that of late, Arsene has been a little more cavalier in his selections: Arshavin and Eduardo were on the bench against Spurs, and then Eduardo played from the start against Cardiff. If the Russian does play, it’ll be wide in midfield, with Samir Nasri on the flank. If he doesn’t, I pray that it’s Carlos Vela who gets the nod ahead of the aforementioned Eboue. It would be a travesty for the Ivorian to walk back into the side after the comparison between his capitulation at Spurs and Vela’s vibrancy against Cardiff.
Upfront Nicklas Bendtner will partner Robin van Persie, whilst Johan Djourou ought to be available again to challenge Kolo Toure and William Gallas. I’d pick Djourou to counter the aerial power of Kenwyne Jones – probably alongside the in-form Gallas.
Sunderland aren’t doing too badly, but (as I seem to have said a million times this season), this is the sort of game we simply must be winning if we’re to peg back the top four.
Good luck, Andrey. You deserve time to adapt. Unfortunately, time is something we are very short of.
Come on you Reds.
February 20th, 2009 12:28am
GilbertoSilver
Yesterday brought the news that Eduardo da Silva will be out for two weeks after tweaking his hamstring during his comeback match against Cardiff. Arsene Wenger said:
“Eduardo is out for two weeks. He picked up a hamstring injury two minutes before I took him off. What a nightmare. Nobody knows how it happened but I knew straight away after the game it would be a two-week job. It is nothing like he had before but I do know that little set-backs like this are part of being nine months out. After that long out, nobody plays six months on the trot. It is impossible. But at the same time it is a blow because, of course, he can score goals. He had shown that on Monday night.”
Arsene calls it a “nightmare”, but I wouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow’s ArsenalTV footage reveals that being said with a smile, or even a gallic chuckle. Eduardo’s return was closer to a dream – a goal within twenty minutes, and another from the spot before departing to a standing ovation and high-fives from elated team-mates. It was a fairy tale.
But fairy tales, as Robbie Keane found out to his cost after joining his boyhood club, just don’t happen. There’s no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow; a house made out of gingerbead would never withstand the elements; three bears will maim and eat you whether or not you happen to have sampled their porridge – and footballers, as Arsene points out, don’t just walk immediately back into form and fitness after suffering a leg with more breaks in it than ITV’s FA Cup coverage.
No matter though, as Arsene will be wheeling out our next auditionee for the role of Messiah: Andrey Arshavin. I don’t expect the Russian to start – Arsene is more likely to drop a suggestive one-liner to Geoff Shreeves in his post-match interview than he is to drop Eboue. That said, he may feel inclined to give Carlos Vela his first league start after the Mexican’s electric display on Monday.
Whilst Arshavin might not yet be entirely ready, his missus, Yulia, is making every preparation possible. The latest reports suggest she is prepared to fly in a stylist from St. Petersburg to manage Andrey’s moppish hairdo. The Russian press reports:
“Yulia superstitiously distrusts hairdressers in London and insisted that her husband paid for his personal stylist’s trips to London for his hair cuts.”
The suspicion of English hairdressers is a fundamental part of Russian culture, and one of their many anti-anglo superstitions. They also consider Yorkshire pudding to be deeply unlucky, whilst many believe Stephen Fry to be The Anti-Christ. One only hopes that Yulia has similar disregard for the skills of Catalan hairdressers.
Enough of this joyful nonsense. Sunderland preview tomorrow, complete with predictions so dreadful they will make Mark Lawrenson look like Nostradamus (which, frankly, is far less plausible now he’s lost the ‘tache).
February 18th, 2009 02:44am
GilbertoSilver
Until about twenty-four hours ago, I doubt that many Arsenal fans knew who Tony Colbert was. However, since Eduardo commemorated the second goal of his comeback by running over to the touchline to embrace him, Colbert has assumed cult status.
I don’t think it’ll be long until The Armoury is stocking commemorative plates depicting the hug, with the shelves lined with the brand new ‘Tony Colbert Action Figure – with neat hugging action!’ And frankly, I’m all for it. The man deserves almost as much praise as Eduardo for seeing the Crozilian through the rehabilitation process. The striker himself has been quick to offer his thanks in a less physically intimate manner, saying:
“The first goal was for me, my family, but for the second one, I went to Tony Colbert. We worked hard and he was like my second father. We spent a lot of time together every day and I think this goal was special for him and for all the staff.”
Eduardo hobbled down the tunnel with a slight hamstring injury, and may not be available for the weekend. Such niggles are to be expected in the early stages of his comeback, but the signs are nonetheless extremely good.
Arsene Wenger, however, does not expect the striker to be part of a late push for the title:
“We’re very consistent and on a very strong run. We missed scoring the goals that we’re capable of recently, but are very consistent and promised ourselves that we’ll give everything until the end of the season. Manchester United look untouchable because they’re 12 points ahead and have a game tomorrow against Fulham they’ll certainly win. Their results are very consistent.
They win 1–0 and you think during the game that they may drop a point or maybe more, but they always manage to find somewhere the resources to win the game. If they win their game in hand they’re 15 points in front, which means they need to lose five games. Say they lose one against us, then they still need to lose another four games. They haven’t lost four games all season yet, but we’ll try. I believe our basic target is to get into the Champions League.”
It’s high praise for United from the manager, and as close as you’ll come to an admition that the title is well and truly beyond us. I think what has changed his public stance is the inescapable fact that our place in the Champions League in serious jeapardy. As long as he felt that was fairly secure, it was fine to talk about the title. Now, however, our focus must remain defined and absolute: anything less than fourth place simply won’t do.
In the past couple of days, Alisher Usmanov’s investment vehicle ‘Red & White’ have increased their stake in Arsenal to 25%. It’s a tiny increase from their previous shareholding, but a significant one as apparently it enables them to block board decisions. Football consultant Alex Fynn has astutely pointed out the precarious nature of the club’s ownership structure, and it’s clearer than ever now that what happens to Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith’s shares will have a major impact on the club’s future.Â
I shouldn’t need to state how much I am opposed to the prospect of Usmanov assuming control of Arsenal. I would imagine the global financial crisis will prevent anyone mounting a takeover bid for some time, but the spectre of Red & White looms ever more menacingly on the horizon. I do, however, have faith in the current board’s determination not to relinquish their hold on the club. In April the lockdown agreement expires, and I really hope it will be renewed. If not, whilst a takeover might remain unrealistic, the speculation will become extremely unsettling.
For your information, The Arsenal Supporters Trust released the following statement on the matter:
 “This announcement (of 25%) is merely a confirmation of their stated policy. We welcome Red and White reiterating that they will not make a hostile bid for the club, something the Trust is opposed to. The interesting part of the announcement is Red and White’s claim that they are ‘committed long term investors and supporters’ of the club.
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“Now that Red and White have reached 25%, the time has come for them to turn their attention to setting out in more detail what this position means and if they have any practical ways that this support can be expressed. The AST seeks a dialogue with all major shareholders in the club. If Red and White have constructive proposals that fit with our rigorous demands for on-going custodianship at Arsenal, and the need to work with the current Board, we will give them a hearing.
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“The Trust also welcomes the recent statement by Arsenal’s new chief executive Ivan Gazidis that he intends to forge a relationship with Red and White. The AST has consistently called on all of the major shareholders to work together for the benefit of Arsenal”.
As much as the board may be loathe to work with Red & White, perhaps it may soon be their safest move. Thanks as ever to The Trust for communicating so directly with the fans.  It is always appreciated.
Interesting times ahead, it seems. Till tomorrow.
February 17th, 2009 01:58am
GilbertoSilver
He broke his leg but now he’s back and Darren Bent is still about as much use as an ejector seat in a helicopter. You know who I’m referring to:
Eduardo da Silva; Arsenal’s Number Nine
Arsenal 4 – 0 Cardiff City (Eduardo 20, 60 (pen), Bendtner 34, Van Persie 89)
Highlights here; Arsene’s reaction here
There are matches one knows will stay in the memory. Some because they are landmarks in the clubs history – bookends, say, in the life of a stadium. The last day at Highbury and the christening of the Emirates with Dennis Bergkamp’s tesimonial will be remembered for obvious reasons.
There are other games that linger in the consciousness because they have exceptional sentimental value, and last night was one of those. Ordinarily there’d be little reason to recall a comfortable FA Cup fourth round victory over a Championship side like Cardiff.  But last night, one Brazilian/Croatian hybrid with an eye for goal and an extraordinary capacity for recovery etched this fixture firmly into my mind.
I hadn’t expected Eduardo to start, but as soon as I heard he was going to ‘the goal’ seemed inevitable. As it was, it arrived after only twenty minutes: an emphatic header to meet the impressive Vela’s flighted cross. After the ball hit the net, the striker knelt on the ground, fists clenched, silently celebrating having ascended the final step in his monumental climb back to first-team football.
The catharsis of that moment seemed to liberate the team, and the chances flowed. Nicklas Bendtner, who on another night might have had more than just the one goal, nodded home expertly, and only an excellent performance from Tom Heaton in the Cardiff goal kept the score to 2-0 at half-time.
Before Eduardo departed to a standing ovation with an hour or so gone, he had time to add another goal from the penalty spot, before running to embrace Tony Colbert – the man who has overseen the number nine’s year-long recuperation. Eduardo’s replacement, Robin van Persie, was just as effective, finishing Cardiff off with his ever-solidifying ‘chocolate leg’ after being slid through by Nicklas Bendtner.
Four nil was probably an accurate reflection of the dominance we displayed, and having scored just one goal in our last four games, it was a welcome return for exciting, attacking football. Cardiff were poor, but hopefully this will give us confidence going into the weekend’s game with Sunderland. And now we know our draw for the next couple of rounds will be bereft of big teams, we have a really good chance of going some way in the FA Cup.
More on Usmanov and all that nonsense tomorrow. In spite of an excellent team performance, today’s blog only really ought about one man. Welcome back, Eddy.
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