Archive for October, 2006
October 19th, 2006
Cesc Fabregas has finally put pen to paper on the record-breaking eight-year contract that he and Arsenal negotiated last month. The young Spaniard, who is the subject of persistent interest from Real Madrid, seems as pleased as we all are:Â
“I am so happy here and I am delighted to have signed this new contract that will keep me at the Club for years to come. I wanted to pay back the Club, especially Arsène Wenger for the support and faith he has shown in me. What is important now is for the team to realise its potential and win trophies. That is our main aim, that is my aim as well.”
I’d love to stay and chat, but no time. Look out for the first Arseblog Arsecast tomorrow, I’m sure it’ll be a cracking listen.
October 18th, 2006
After four consecutive Premiership wins, and two in the Champions League to boot, it was inevitable that we’d return to Earth with a bump eventually. Yesterday, Arsenal’s usually slick pass-and-move game was disjointed and disorganised. Yes, the pitch wasn’t great, but at times we looked like we were playing on some kind of huge, Russian bouncy castle. And that’s not just because the side lacked balance.
Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott were left out, with Alex Hleb and Robin van Persie coming in to play on the wings of a 4-5-1. Despite being rested on Saturday, neither particularly distinguished himself last night, van Persie in particular failing to make the most of a couple of promising opportunities. On one occasion he failed to either play in William Gallas or successfully go it alone, and indecision was again his enemy when he broke into the area with Kolo Toure in support.
Toure, on the other hand was outstanding. When Arsenal conceded thanks to a 24th-minute bullet free-kick from Daniel Carvalho, it was the Ivorian who took the game to the Russians, with several bursts forwards reminiscent of Patrick Vieira in his prime. He needed to be at his best, with Johan Djourou having one of his shakiest games for the club, and Justin Hoyte showing just why I’ve lovingly nicknamed him “the bastard love-child of Pascal Cygan and Alex Song”.
In midfield, Gilberto defended admirably but passed appallingly, whilst Cesc Fabregas didn’t really turn up until the last half-hour: a criticism which could be attached to pretty much the entire Arsenal side. The late introduction of Gael Clichy and Emmanuel Adebayor helped bring about a more direct, attacking approach. Indeed, we even managed to get the ball in the back of the net, with Thierry Henry calmly slotting home before being penalised for a handball that wasn’t.
However, I’m not one to complain. I don’t think we deserved too much from a game in which we failed to perform. There aren’t any specific reasons that we failed to win: we just didn’t play very well, Toure excepted.
Still, Reading on Sunday, and a chance to put things right. Which leads me on to a question that’s been bothering me: why have Sky as yet failed to show a live Premiership game at the Emirates Stadium? Is it simply because there hasn’t been a suitable game, or is it a technical issue to do with the new environment? Do they like to get used to the camera rigs etc before transmitting live?
Just something that’s been bothering me. Answers below, please.
October 17th, 2006
This is the thought, suggests Arsene, that will destroy the career of any goalkeeper. Presumably the reason Jens Lehmann was dropped in early 2005 was because for just one second he realised that the two small people in his house were in fact his children, and briefly glanced at both his wedding ring and birth certificate. Family, it seems, is like kryptonite for goalkeepers.
Fortunately, Jens usually spares no time for contemplation, throwing himself into the firing line with unerring regularity. But after the injuries to Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini, even he is concerned:
“When it happened I really felt sorry for both keepers. It made me really, really angry too. We’re here two days later and I’m still upset because it happened to Schwarzer and Shay Given. Now it’s happened to Peter Cech and Carlo Cudicini. All of them are great keepers, very brave, they never went to challenge or harm the striker but all four of them got knocked out due to ‘clumsy’ challenges.”
Clumsiness is a crime. I’m sure it won’t be long until the “Kick Clumsiness out of football“ campaign gets into gear. In seriousness, I wish the injured players, Cech in particular, well. He’s in hospital near my brother in Oxford, and apparently was visited yesterday by John Terry and Jose Mourinho, amongst others. I have told him to hide behind a bush and throw things: I will report back with the progress.
Our goalkeeper is likely to be protected by the same defence that faced Watford, in spite of the return of Gael Clichy. Arsene says:
“Clichy is coming back, so is Senderos, but I’m not tempted to change the defence for tomorrow.”
Justin Hoyte hasn’t done anything terrible for a few games now, which really worries me. CSKA will be a real test, with a couple of talented Brazilians up-front, so the likes of Djourou and Hoyte will have to be on top form. Theo Walcott will probably be left out for Alex Hleb, but I for one hope Emmanuel Adebayor keeps his place upfront.
Whilst a new link emerges with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Arsene has denied making a bid for Franck Ribery, saying that he already has Tomas Rosicky. I still think Ribery would seem the more likely to happen, especially when you consider that we still have Bendtner to come back.
Finally, the answer to the question that everyones been asking: What happens when you cross Rosicky and Gilberto?
Answer: Denilson.
October 16th, 2006
Some might say it’s ludicrous to write a report of a match that happened two days ago. However, I beg to differ. As, bizarrely, do all of Monday’s papers. Has it ever struck you as odd that they insist on re-reporting all the matches that have already been written up in Sunday’s papers? It’s as if Sunday never happens in some areas of Fleet Street.
If any match is worth raking up, it’s probably this one: an end-to-end encounter with both signs showing a willingness to attack. In Watford’s case, this was commendable but ultimately naieve. Trying to take on the best attacking side in the league at their own game is a risky move, and that gamble didn’t pay off for Aidy Boothroyd & Co.
The big news of the day was Theo Walcott’s first start on the left-hand side of midfield, with Tomas Rosicky switching to the right. The teenager was excellent, particularly in the first half, when his pace and passing gave Watford’s leaky defence real problems.
Rosicky himself was superb throughout the match, as he has been all season. It has to be said that really looks like one of the best buys of the summer.
Both sides had chances to take the lead before Watford put the ball in the net. Unfortunately for them, it was their own: a lofted Cesc Fabregas freekick was flicked on by Emmanuel Adebayor before Jordan Stewart diverted the ball into his own net. It looked for all the world like Kolo Toure had got the final touch, but he held his hands up and admitted the own-goal.
Before long, it was 2-0. A goal-kick from Lehmann was contested by Adebayor, and the ball bounced through for Thierry Henry to race in on goal and finish left-footed. The goal forced Watford to flood forward, leading acres of space for Arsenal’s incisive counter-attacks.
A third was only a matter of time. The imperious Fabregas slipped a ball through to Thierry Henry, who unselfishly squared for Emmanuel Adebayor to grab a deserved tap-in: his first goal at The Emirates Stadium.
Although Watford weren’t the sternest test, this was a promising performance. When you consider the youth of players like Johan Djourou, Justin Hoyte, Fabregas, and of course Walcott then the result becomes all the more impressive. Another boost came with the return of Gael Clichy, who clocked up ten minutes as a substitute.
Fabregas was dominant, Rosicky bristling, and Henry outstanding. A word though for Emmanuel Adebayor. I’ve always supported the Togolese totem-pole, and with good cause. Our first two goals against Watford were real route-one stuff, and neither would’ve been possible without him challenging for those high balls. Needless to say, he added the third himself. Robin van Persie is immensely skillful, no doubt, but against the more physical sides, Adebayor is vital.
There’s added competition up-front now, with the emergence of Walcott. Wenger said of the teenager’s first start:
“I gave Thierry exactly the same start as Theo had today. In October when he was seventeen and a half, exactly the same. Nobody expected him and he played. He is comparable because at that stage Thierry was also dangerous in some situations and you feel Theo needs to be more involved in the game, but that comes with practise.”
I’d imagine he’ll be back on the bench in Moscow, where he will be joined by Denilson, but it must give the boy a real lift to know the manager has such faith in him. The comparison with Thierry can only mean good things…
October 14th, 2006
No, not the wait for the return of the glamorous Watford fixture. No, not the breathless excitement at the possibility of Gael Clichy’s third appearance in a year. The wait for some proper football, some club football, some Premiership football, is over. Sweet relief.
In spite of a nigh-calamitous collapse against Fulham and a failure to pick up a single league win this season, Watford are no pushovers. Just as Sheffield United proved a sterner test than many expected, Watford’s combination of strength and industry will provide a tough test for an Arsenal side missing several key players.
With Eboué out for the forseeable future, Justin Hoyte will step in at right-back. Toure and Djourou will continue in the centre, with William Gallas on the left. Clichy, the left-back-in-waiting, is expected to be on the bench.
The midfield of Hleb-Fabregas-Gilberto-Rosicky picks itself, especially in the absence of Ljungberg and Baptista. Upfront, Thierry Henry is a certainty, alongside one of Robin van Persie or Emmanuel Adebayor. Van Persie is in fantastic form, but Adebayor has freshness and physicality on his side. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Togolese beanpole installed on the front-line.
Whatever the first eleven, I firmly expect to see another cameo from an ever-improving Theo Walcott. His goals in midweek really were of the highest order, and for that reason alone, it can’t hurt to watch them again.
However much I talked about Watford earlier in the article, we really should be beating them. 11-0. Anything less, and I’m tearing up my season ticket going to be mildly annoyed.
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