City Slickers no match for Arsenal’s Greased Lightning
8 comments September 24th, 2004
Just one week ago, Kevin Keegan looked set to become the next victim of the ever-turbulent managerial merry-go-round.
However, following a Nicolas Anelka-inspired victory over Crystal Palace, and the midweek 7-1 drubbing of Barnsley, Keegan now fancies his chances against Arsenal.
â??We will go into the game thinking we have a chance because we have players who can hurt them.â?Â
Fair does Kevin, butâ?¦ well, you say it best yourself:
â??In fairness, they have 11 who can hurt us.â?Â
Thatâ??s the difference between a decent mid-table side, and one of Europeâ??s best.
Manchester City are doubtless blessed with some extremely talented players. Anelka has matured since his Arsenal days into a fine all-round forward; David James is as good a shot-stopper as any in the division; and in Shaun Wright-Phillips (pictured) they have one of the most electrifying players in all of the Premiership.
However, a glance at Arsenalâ??s side tomorrow will show the immense disparity between the two sides.
â??City Slickersâ? they may be, but every cog in the Arsenal engine is perfectly oiled and exquisitely proficient.
I often hear players such as Jens Lehmann described as â??The Weak Linkâ?Â. It is impossible to have a truly â??weak linkâ? in a side that did not lose last season (especially, I might add, in a position as fundamental as that of goalkeeper).
Every man in this Arsenal side â?? in fact, in the first 16 â?? is an integral part of an elite footballing machine. From 17 year old Cesc Fabregas to 35 year old Dennis Bergkamp, through the diminutive Ashley Cole to the towering Patrick Vieira, each player is blessed with speed, strength, invention, and bags of talent.
In a league where the gap between the top sides and the rest is ever-increasing, Arsenal are breaking yet further away.
Tomorrowâ??s result is, in my humble opinion, in little doubt.
Kevin Keegan might just be one of Britain’s great motivational managers. He certainly talks a great game. His sides attack with pace and panache, and will cause anybody problems on their day.
In fact, there can be no denying that Manchester City are a decent side.
But theyâ??re no Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger’s red and white tsunami will sweep City away just as it has countless other opposition.
For all their guts and guile, Keegan’s side will fall short of Arsenal simply because they’re not as good.
There’s no disgrace in that.
Ask every Inter Milan fan who witnessed their team being dismantled on their own pitch last year. Ask the Liverpool fans who saw their side lead 2-1 at Highbury, only for Thierry Henry to turn the game on it’s head with a performance of Herculean proportions. Ask every single Portsmouth supporter who could do nothing but sit back and applaud as our boys delivered a five star performance to ensure our progression in the FA Cup.
For the rest of us, there’s plenty to learn from the Pompey fans’ example.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
Arsenal are moving through the gears of English football, and we’re sitting comfortably in the passenger seat.
