Gunnerblog

Translation of Cesc Interview with AS

45 comments November 16th, 2007

Thanks to Sasha for his help with the translation. Enjoy all:

Interview removed for now.  It will return in good time.

Apologies + Some other things

Add comment November 15th, 2007

Apologies.  I am ill.

Gah etc.

In the meantime, read this: The first part of ‘The Soul of Arsenal in 50 moments’.

Next week on Gunnerblog, we’ll be breaking the soul of Alex Ferguson down into 50 pieces and then destroying them.

Adieu.

Video: Arsenal Target Mputu Loves Kicking Balls

Add comment November 14th, 2007

It’s a breathtakingly literal headline, and one for a video that is also painfully to the point:

Ouch. Perhaps it’s worth signing him just to bring him on against Blackburn and watch him do that to Robbie Savage.

Spurs fan Dave Kitson has committed “blasphemy” and fallen in love with Arsenal:

“It is unbelievably difficult playing against them and, to be honest, there wasn’t a lot we could have done. They are without doubt the best footballing team on the planet right now. It’s absolutely phenomenal stuff. Trying to get near (Cesc) Fábregas, (Aleksandr) Hleb, (Tomas) Rosicky, it’s a tough ask. The thing that amazes you most is they are not just passing to each other. They are passing so that the next person can run on to the ball and, by then, his mind is already made up with what he is going to do next. It is unbelievable.”

He’s just saying what most Spurs fans are afraid to admit. Kitson reserves special love for Emmanuel Adebayor and Cesc Fabregas:

“Emmanuel Adebayor plays up front on his own and he is almost like two strikers up there. When Barcelona came in for Henry, Wenger must have seen the fee, looked at Adebayor and thought it was Christmas. He had a player waiting there for his chance and the unbelievable thing is that he probably wouldn’t even have to spend the money.

Just looking at Adebayor as a technician and as a football player, that is what every striker should aspire to. He is very right footed but, when you are that good, you don’t need your left foot. He is 6ft 5in and you look at him and think: ‘How is he doing this?’ For his goal, the ball came at him at 100mph and he just cushioned it into the far corner.

Then there’s Fabregas. It is not even fair that a kid that young can have so much talent. He is world-class already: definitely among the top five players in the league, definitely one of the top players in the world. It’s frightening. Wenger must be licking his lips because there is just silverware here on in for Arsenal.”

Nice to read.

Finally, David Beckham could be practising his passing with Cesc & Co during the winter. The way we’re playing at the moment, he’ll struggle to keep up.

Reading 1 – 3 Arsenal: Arsenal Reprise Majestic Madejski Performance

Add comment November 13th, 2007

Last year Arsenal romped to a delightful 4-0 win over Reading with Thierry Henry at the heart of a stunning attacking display.  Just over a year on, and last night Emmanuel Adebayor & Co led Arsenal to an equally impressive victory.

The warning signs were there just three minutes in when a misplaced Reading pass allowed Cesc to slide Adebayor in.  Bearing down on goal, the African bent the ball round the goalkeeper but struck the outside of the post.

After that lucky escape, the Royals dug in and defended with their lives.  It felt like we were the home side, sometimes having up to 85% of possession for long periods of the game.  However, it took us until the 43rd minute to break through Reading’s entrenched defence.  A move that began with a crunching Mathieu Flamini tackle ended with Adebayor cleverly playing in Hleb who squared for the onrushing Flamini to net his first goal of the season.  An excellent goal, and a well deserved one for a player who was again outstanding.

This forced Reading to come out and play in the second half, and within six minutes they were suitably punished.  Adebayor burst down the left and played in Hleb, who squared to find Fabregas in the box.  The spaniard laid it back to Adebayor, who, with his first touch, curled an Henry-esque finish into the far corner to end his personal goal drought and claim his seventh goal this season.  It was a goal of genuine class.

Within three minutes, he should have had another.  A Reading corner was claimed by Almunia, and with seconds, via Hleb and Rosicky, Adebayor rounded Hanhemann and stroked home.  Sadly, the linesman had wrongly flagged for offside.

No matter – the again excellent Alex Hleb made it three with 78 minutes played when he skipped into the area, jinked left and right, then showed just why he’s “The White Ronaldinho” with a George Best-like dragback to bewitch the keeper before firing into an empty net.  Hleb scored a belter on this ground last season, and this wonderful finish was yet another link between two quite brilliant performances.

Nicky Shorey grabbed a scrappy consolation late on, but the game was won.  Crucially, we had won by the two goal margin that took us back to the top of the table.  And it could have been more: Theo Walcott and Emmanuel Eboue both missed good chances, and that’s without counting Adebayor’s strike against the post and his disallowed goal.

As my brief skimming over of the goals will illustrate, Adebayor and Hleb were both instrumental.  Flamini was also excellent in a screening role in front of the back four, whilst Cesc was his usual remarkable self.  If Eboue and Rosicky could provide a little more end product from the flanks, we’d be an even more terrifying attacking prospect.

The only conceivable negative from the game was that Cesc picked up the fifth yellow card that will earn him a suspension, though one wonders if perhaps he knew that the game he’d miss would be the home tie with Wigan – hardly the greatest loss.

Of course, having said that, I fully expect us to now lose to Wigan. When we do, you can blame me.

Last night was great to watch.  Adebayor’s confidence was back and it gave our entire attacking game a new edge.  And with Hleb and Fabregas in this kind of form, one wonders what it’ll take to stop us.

Hurry up and get the International break over with.  I want to be watching Arsenal again.

Family Feud Must Yield Three Points

Add comment November 12th, 2007

Arsenal have failed to win three of their last four games.  Granted, two of those games were against Manchester United and Liverpool, whilst in the other our second string earned qualification for the knockout phase of the Champions League, but nevertheless a return to winning ways is of vital importance tonight.

Manchester United’s victory over Blackburn gives us an added impetus: we need to win by two clear goals to be top entering the International break.  That said, I expect Arsene to go with a 4-4-2 with Theo Walcott or more likely Eduardo partnering Emmanuel Adebayor (who badly needs a goal).  The rest should pick itself, with Manuel Almunia continuing in goal ahead of the deposed Jens Lehmann.

One Reading player thinks we’re “scary” and another wants us to win the title.  Ah, bless.  I hope our boys don’t fall for their flattery – as soon as the whistle goes it’ll be a real battle out there – cousin will lock horns with cousin as newly-discovered relatives Ibrahima Sonko and Bac Sagna face off for the first time.

In transfer news, we’ve been linked with moves for Sevilla’s impressive left-winger Diego Capel and Congo International Tresor Mputu.  I’d be surprised to see Arsene strengthen in January, but left-wing and striker are two positions that could benefit from some added depth.

Here’s to three points tonight.