Archive for December, 2006
December 21st, 2006
With Jens Lehmann heading towards the end of his contract and possibly his career, it’s not surprising that we’re already being linked with a sucession of goalkeepers. After Gigi Buffon and Craig Gordon in the summer, we now have Artur Boruc and Igor Akinfeev.
Boruc is the 25-year old Celtic goalkeeper, and a Polish international. He had a very impressive World Cup, keeping the likes of Jerzy Dudek and Man Utd’s Tomasz Kuszcack (I have guessed a) the spelling of his name, and b) that he is Polish) out the side. Although there doesn’t seem to be much in his agent’s quote, I’m a big fan of the stopper, and between he and Gordon, would be delighted for us to pluck a goalie from Scottish football.
Igor Akinfeev is “delighted to have a club of such calibre” interested in him, and we should be as delighted about him saying that. At only 20-years old, he is firmly established as CSKA Moscow’s goalkeeper. After playing in the first-team since the age of 17, he is widely regarded as the next Iker Casillas: a hugely experienced veteran in spite of his tender years.
Whether or not Lehmann signs a new contract, we’ll still be looking for a new ‘keeper come the summer. Let’s just hope we don’t have to deal with being linke with every Tom, Dick, and Igor like we were when Seaman left.
The Carling Cup Quarter-final has been arranged for January 9th. That’s two cup-ties at Anfield in the space as three days. Scousealicious.
Let’s end on a positive note: Arsene Wenger still thinks we can win the title, and Emmanuel Adebayor believes we are “the future of English football”. The latter being somewhat more credible.
December 20th, 2006
Well, I never. After the disappointing draw at home to Portsmouth, every Arsenal fan was looking excitedly at this fixture, knowing that only a convincing win would suffice. But nobody was expecting the events of last night.
37-0. An outrageous performance from a brilliant young Arsenal side. When you’ve got a scoreline like that, you know that every player was outstanding, but one stood head and shoulders above the rest. This man was a Cameroonian Colossus, a marauding midfielder who claimed six goals so spectacular that they’d make Matthew Taylor jealous. That man, of course, was Alex “Get him his own” Song.
It was good to see Julio Baptista on the scoresheet (in the 17th, 29th, 60th, 65th, 71st, and 93rd minute), and his confidence will no doubt be lifted by the win. Lauren’s return was also a heartwarming moment, as were the five penalties he rolled down the middle of the goal. The man himself said:
“I was delighted with the goals. By this point I felt sorry for Liverpool, so I just did that thing where I roll it down the middle again and again. But every time I did, that Reina would throw himself to the side. The slower I trickled the ball, the further he’d dive. What a muppet.”
After the game, Arsene said:
“Tonight we were a little sharper in the final third, and once again the team showed that they are special, not in the Jose Reyes sense, but footballistically.”
Rafael Benitez, meanwhile, gave a clue as to who might leave Arsenal in the January transfer window. Having missed out on Diaby, Denilson, and Walcott, the Spaniard hinted he may make a £30m double swoop for Alex Song and Jeremie Aliadiere, with Steven Gerrard coming the other way. With Arsenal unable to convince the ambitious pair to stay, the only thing holding up the move is Jeremie’s recovery from the injury he picked up last night.
ps. In truth, the match was postponed. I haven’t the foggiest when they intend to replay it.
pps. I’m sorry for the various levels of awfulness in this entry. I blame my disappointment at the postponement.
December 19th, 2006
The 16-man squad for tonight’s Carling Cup Quarter-Final tie with Liverpool has been announced, and the team picks itself. Manuel Almunia will play in goal, with a back four of Justin Hoyte, Kolo Toure, Philippe Senderos, and Armand Traore.
There will probably be five across midfield, with the returning. Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott flanking Alex Song, Julio Baptista, and Denilson. If, however, Baptista is pushed upfront, he will play alongside Jeremie Aliadiere, who will get a second consecutive start.
It’s not our strongest side, but it’s certainly not our weakest. The likes of Baptista, Rosicky, and Toure could prove the difference, and the side is packed with youngsters with something to prove.
I can’t be the only person hoping that Denilson and Walcott do the business, especially after Benitez whinging about missing out on those two as well as Abou Diaby. Firstly, I have to agree with arseblogger, who points out that whist El Penguino claims that we spent “big money” on those kids, he was off wasting money on the likes of Jermaine Pennant and Jan Kromkamp. Frankly, it’s problem. Secondly, it just shows what a coup we pulled off with all three – some of the biggest prospects from some of the world’s most significant football nations. Add in Bendtner, Vela, Djourou, Fran Merida, and the list becomes very impressive indeed. However crap we play on Saturday, we have the vain hope that we’ll be brilliant come 2010.
Tonight we welcome back Lauren, an “exceptional human being“ and, according to the man himself, the “happiest man at Arsenal”. Arsene describes him as a “winner”, and I have to agree. The way in which he has fought back from the brink of retirement is hugely admirable, and I have to say that I hugely excited about his return. He’ll be on the bench, but all things going well, could play up to twenty minutes. The sooner he is ready for the first-team, the better.
Finally, let’s keep an eye on Arsene tonight. Although he is rightly furious at being charged for doing very very little on Saturday, he does seem to be tetchier than previous seasons, due in no small part, I’m sure, to our poor form. A win tonight would help him relax – incentive if it was ever needed.
December 18th, 2006
He must be. Otherwise he wouldn’t hate Ashley Cole with such vehemence. To be honest, I can understand the Spaniard’s point of view. Not only did Cole attempt to shift a few more copies of his book by hinting that Fabregas was the infamous pizza-thrower, but he also plainly suggested that he was not a sufficient replacement for Patrick Vieira. Whether that is true or not, it was an unneccessary and spiteful slight on a player who has given everything for the club in his short time here. Cesc certainly feels feisty about the issue, stating:
“For me, Ashley Cole is a closed subject. He is not a friend because after leaving Arsenal he said many unjust things about us. n the world of football, respect between companions is the key – and he broke this rule. On the pitch I appear to be fragile but week by week I am ripening and will never be intimidated by anyone. Never.”
There isn’t a huge amount of other stuff to say, other than some tripe about how it’s more “inclusive” to ban all national flags. Eh?
Oh, and we’re not buying anyone. Because are team is so good. Hadn’t you noticed?
December 17th, 2006
Yesterday’s game against Portsmouth contained one of the worst 45 minutes of football I’ve ever seen from an Arsenal side. It was dire. We ducked out of tackles, we didn’t move the ball… a good number of the team just didn’t move. The defending was dreadful, the passing worse, and the attacking threat posed by Robin van Persie and Jeremie Aliadiere minimal. Not even the introduction of Theo Walcott for the injured Freddie Ljungberg could lift the tempo. I had just texted a mate saying it couldn’t get any worse, when it did. A set piece was defended appallingly, and Noe Pamarot headed in – a former Spurs player with an incomplete first-name had scored against us: it was suddenly much, much worse.
At half-time, things didn’t improve. Arsene Wenger was banned from the touchline for questioning the referee, but not before switching to a bizarre 4-5-1 formation with Jeremie Aliadiere on the left-wing: he soon got his comeuppance, with Matthew Taylor knocking home a trademark screamer within five minutes. Two nil now, and the boos were ever more audible.
And so were the calls for Emmanuel Adebayor. Rested in spite of some dazzling recent form, his introduction was badly needed to add some pace and verve to a side who looked like their legs were full of lead and their heads were full of, frankly, shit. Within three mintues of coming on, Adebayor sidefooted home a Theo Walcott cross. Two minutes later, an Adebayor cross helped set up skipper Gilberto for an equaliser. Both players were grabbing their sixth goals of the season. Despite incessant pressure, the scoreline remained 2-2.
Arsene has given the usual spiel about being a “special team” with “special character”, but I’m not going to allow him to gloss over the atrocities of a truly woeful first half. Every single player on the pitch was culpable, and he was too: his team selection was so very strange – rest Adebayor, perhaps, but why not start with Baptista? Or Walcott?
At the back Eboue was again very poor defensively, and in midfield Cesc lacked urgency and accuracy in his passing. The whole team suffered from a lack of movement: Adebayor’s energy and intelligent running was hugely missed. Without wanting eulogise, the Togolese was absolutely superb in the 34 mintues he played, and without him the shape of the game would not have changed.
I feel there’ll be more fall-out from this performance, and I might have more to say about it tomorrow. For today, that’s your lot.
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