Archive for December, 2007
December 21st, 2007
When Arsenal built the Emirates Stadium, it was for occasions such as these. On the 20th February 2008, Arsenal will host AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League. And on that night, there will not be an ounce of trepidation in my body. Not because of Milan’s shaky domestic form, nor our own impressive record at over-turning European giants.
But because this is exactly the kind of match that makes European football great. Only a coward wanted us to draw Porto today. The match with Milan is an opportunity for heroes to be made and for ninety minutes of football to become mythology.
I can’t wait.
December 20th, 2007
Abou Diaby and Lassana Diarra grew up together playing football in the streets of Paris. Â At Ewood Park on Tuesday night, they looked as if they’d never left.
Their performances were typical of the attitude of our players who took to the field against Blackburn. Â They were determined to go out there and ignore any intimidation Mark Hughes’ side might resort to. Â Instead, they simply played the game they love to the best of their capabilities, with occasionally spectacular results.
All three goals were works of art.  The first saw a fabulous through-ball from English debutant Mark Randall play in Nicklas Bendtner, whose cross was looped home by the left foot of Abou Diaby.
Both of our other goals were scored by the most experienced outfield player on show, Eduardo da Silva.  The Croatian international has looked out of sorts in recent weeks, but on this occasion showed how deadly he can be with two superb finishes.
 Winning the game was one thing, but winning the game after being pegged back by an aggressive Blackburn side who were probably playing for their only real chance of silverware is something else entirely.  These players no longer warrant the somewhat pejorative tag of ‘Carling Cup Team’.  These are fully capable first-team players who are simply yet to find their place in the regular side.
There were outstanding performers all over the field. Â In goal, Lukasz Fabianski gave a display that was assured and confident, despite the co-commentator on the game’s constant insistence that he “looked nervous”. Â When he was plucking crosses from the air with his 6’3″ frame he didn’t look particularly nervous to me.
 At full-back, Armand Traore showed off some fearsome runs forward and an ability to cross that probably exceeds that of his compatriot Gael Clichy.  When he sorts out his positioning, he’ll no longer be an awesome prospect, but an excellent left-back.Â
On the other flank, Justin Hoyte showed that whilst no Cafu going forward, he is a becoming a very solid defender. Â One double block in extra-time almost defied belief. Â God forbid Bacary Sagna should be injured, I’d rather see Hoyte in defence than Eboue.
Philippe Senderos captained the side from centre-back, and remains more solid than dependable. Â Indeed, the Swiss international was outshone by my hero of the night, Alex Song.
A lot of people didn’t think Song was capable of the kind of performance he put in on Tuesday. Â He was everywhere. Â Playing at centre-back, he saved Senderos’ skin on a couple of occasions, with one clearance when the goal gaped for Roque Santa Cruz particularly impressive. Â However, he married this defensive sturdiness with his attacking instincts from his midfield days. Â He made a couple of storming runs through the midfield which left Blackburn’s defence in tatters, and it was one of these, followed by a delicious left-footed through-ball, that played Eduardo in for what turned out to be the winner.
On every occasion he’s played this season, Song has been nothing less than excellent.  I’m of the opinion that this has less to do with his transformative loan spell and Charlton, and more to do with Arsene switching him to a position which suits him far better than central midfield.  Song began his career as a left-back, and whilst he doesn’t necessarily have the unerring ability to keep the ball under pressure that our midfielders require, his strength makes him a promising centre-half.  Even with Johan Djourou returning from Birmingham, Song has a claim to a starting spot when Kolo Toure goes off to the African Nations.
I’ve already talked about Diaby and Diarra, and the two pals were brilliant.  It’s clear they still enjoy playing with each other as much as ever, and the likes of Savage and Reid simply could not get near them.  Of all the players we saw on Tuesday, these two are arguably the closest to a regular starting spot.  If they don’t get it soon, we may struggle to keep them.
Denilson put in an excellent performance until a rather silly sending off, and Mark Randall showed that there is genuine English talent coming through at Arsenal.  His technique and vision was reminiscent of a certain David Bentley’s early appearances.
Upfront, we’ve already discussed Eduardo’s brilliance at the business end of things, and he ably assisted by Nicklas Bendtner, who is now showing the work ethic to support his rather extraordinary talent. Â The future, needless to say, is very very bright.
The semi-final draw sees us going up once more against Spurs, with the possibility of a rematch of last year’s final at Wembley. Â Mouth-watering.Â
December 19th, 2007
Watching from my retreat out in the mountains of France, I was incredibly proud of the performances of our younger players in overcoming Blackburn. So proud that ideally I would write about it at great length.
And yet, I can’t.
Tomorrow, I shall. Until then, au revoir.
December 18th, 2007
Ahead of tonight’s League Cup quarter-final tie with Blackburn, Arsene Wenger has reiterated his selection policy for this competition, declaring that the squad members who did not play against Chelsea will be heavily involved tonight.
That means we’re likely to see Lukasz Fabianski behind a back four of Justin Hoyte, Alex Song, Philippe Senderos, and Armand Traore. Â However, it is possible that Gilberto Silva, who was only a substitute against Chelsea, could be drafted in to add some experience to that youthful back-line.
In midfield, Lassanna Diarra (who Wenger has moved to reassure over his first-team prospects) will probably be partnered by Denilson, with Theo Walcott and Abou Diaby taking up roles on the flanks.
In attack, the impressive Nicklas Bendtner will play alongside Eduardo da Silva, who is experiencing a sticky patch after a promising start. Â A goal tonight would do his confidence the world of good.
Blackburn are a more-than-decent side who will have designs on winning a competition like the League Cup. Â However, that pressure could turn to our advantage. Â Yet again our youngsters are the underdogs, and that might allow them to express themselves on the pitch with a freedom that could prove beyond the home side.
Mathieu Flamini has reportedly turned down our opening offer of £40,000-a-week.  Whilst I sincerely doubt The Times could have any certainty about the figures involved, it nonetheless gives cause for concern.  Flamini’s contract expires in just over six months, which means that from January 1st he’s free to sign a pre-contract agreement with another European club (Juventus are rumoured to be interested).
Losing Flamini at this point would be a disaster.  Arsene has spent the last three or four years moulding his compatriot into a complete midfield player.  The improvement in his technique and positional play has been immeasurable.  Having finally turned Flamini into the midfielder he always had the potential to be, it would be a tremendous blow for Arsene to have to let him go just as his star begins to rise.  And that’s without mentioning the cost of replacing him – this summer Manchester United spent £20m on Owen Hargreaves, who has performed no better than Flamini this season.
Hopefully the situation can be amended soon and Flamini can concentrate on cementing his status as one of the league’s most combative midfielders.
Returning our gaze to tonight: I don’t like to discuss the ramifications of defeat before the match has been played, but it is worth saying that of the four competitions we are currently in, the League Cup is the most expendable. Try telling that to the Young Guns though.Â
December 17th, 2007
A good performance; a magnificent victory. On a day when the result was the crucial thing, a player who knows all about winning proved the difference: William Gallas. A man who was an unpopular choice as Arsenal captain has come to embody the fight in this Arsenal side, and Arsene Wenger must be congratulated for his faith in a player whose first season at the club raised more doubts than cheers. Wenger said yesterday of his skipper:
“I feel he pops up when you need it, when you want it, and he’s the leader – that’s the best definition of a leader, when you need it you show the example and he did that. I believe as well that Arsenal is a special club where it takes sometimes a few months to be penetrated by the spirit of the Club. I think William this season has taken that completely on board, and he’s completely the leader because he represents how we want to behave.”
Yesterday, it was in stoppage time at the end of the first half that he ‘popped up’ to nod home what would somehow prove to be the only goal in the game – a Cesc Fabregas corner was uncharacteristically flapped at by Petr Cech, and Gallas nudged Ben Haim out the way before planting a header into the far post for his third goal of the season. Arsene was moved to compliment Gallas’ goal-scoring instinct:
“I’m not sure if I would have jumped behind Cech because I would have thought he takes the ball, you know? And that’s a real striker, they believe if a mistake happens they are there.”
The first forty-five had been a tense affair, with the teams very evenly matched, and I personally felt we were a little lucky to go in ahead. The second half, however, was entirely different. With Chelsea forced to switch to a 4-4-2 and throw men forward, we had plenty of room on the counter-attack, which we exploited to full effect.
Substitute Robin van Persie lifted one shot over the bar when scoring seemed more likely, before finding the net just a few minutes later, only to be flagged offside. Emmanuel Adebayor also tore past Ben Haim and slotted beyond Cech, only to be pulled up for a very dubious foul.
But as long as we didn’t get a second, Chelsea had a chance, and Manuel Almunia made a string of vital saves (this one from Mikel probably the pick of the bunch) to put in a performance that Avram Grant labelled the Spaniard’s best since joining Arsenal. I would be inclined to agree.
On a day when Manchester United won at Liverpool, it was vital that we took the three points and bounced back from defeat at Middlesbrough. And we did, in style. The whole team gave their all, though the lion-hearted Mathieu Flamini deserves particular praise. The sooner his new contract is ironed out the better. The “Gattuso” nickname is becoming more apt by the day.
Aswell as Flamini, Aleksandr Hleb again showed he truly does possess The Fastest Feet In The West, and Emmanuel Adebayor gave the Chelsea backline a day they’ll want to forget as soon as possible.
Chelsea had a little hoodoo over us under Mourinho, and yesterday was the first time we’d beaten the West-Londoners since February 2004. About time too.
Oh, and Ashley: this was from all of us.
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