View from the Beach
January 29, 2008
Top tip for busy bloggers: Make sure that when you go on holiday and fancy doing some blogging, that the hotel has broadband. If it does, make sure ‘broadband’ doesn’t equate to the 2,400 baud supergeeks used to get from those modem things that actually hooked onto the phone handset. Otherwise you’ll end up like me in Thailand last week… Posh hotel, nice beach, no blogging.
Watched the Newcastle game in some seedy bar fending off various females (I think) who suddenly took an interest in the mighty Arsenal, which is nice. I thought we did pretty well, at least better than we got credit for in the press. Cesc is getting back into his stride and Eduardo could have had a couple, which bodes well. Even Senderos had a good game, which I guess makes two in a row.
But I guess the main event during the week was Spurs…
If Havant and Waterlooville had beaten Liverpool on Saturday they would have produced a commemorative mug and DVD to celebrate their giant killing act. It wouldn’t have made Havant the better team, but the lesser team would have had its day in the sun and the teams would then just go back to playing ‘proper’ football and worrying about the teams they should really be worrying about.
Well Spurs have produced the mug and the DVD, so let them enjoy their giant killing day in the sun, whilst we go off and worry about the Premier League title, the FA Cup and AC Milan. Spurs won’t being seeing any of that. Our team that played them can regret the loss, and then dream of getting into the Gunner’s first team one day.
Having said that, Adebayor and Nik Bendtner’s bust up was all a bit odd, and if Ade was really out of order I hope he was dealt with harshly. Despite becoming a very good player, we can’t have senior members of the squad goading and winding up junior prospects who may end up being just as good if not better in years to come. Let’s hope they really can put it behind them, although God knows how if they’re competing for a single slot in the starting eleven.
As an aside, this (via Arseblog ) is worth a read. All Gooners need to make sure we don’t lower ourselves to the horrendous levels of our friends from Shite Hart Lane when it comes to offensive chanting.
Newcastle again tonight, let’s see more of Eddie and Ade up front and get a strong team out to go back to the top. Who knows, Portsmouth might just do us a favour on Wednesday.
Spurs are Shit
January 20, 2008
Our friends from N17 have a great chance of reaching the Carling Cup final on Tuesday night, and I think they may well manage it after our second string’s poor outing in the first leg. Hopefully our boys can turn it around, but Spurs have to be favourites.
However just case you needed any reminder of the gulf in class (and priorities) between the two clubs, get a load of this from Gus Poyet after their relegation clash with Sunderland:
We now have a massive game against Arsenal on Tuesday and, if we could get to the final, it might prove a turning point for this club in terms of winning things and getting into Europe again.
Yes, Spurs fans, it would be a major achievement for you to reach the Carling Cup final. Good luck.
Diarra = Cock
January 17, 2008
What a wanker Diarra is. He’d been at Arsenal only three months when he started demanding a move, and despite having the chance to develop into a great player at a great club under one of the world’s greatest coaches, he’s now buggered off to Portsmouth.
I did think Diarra had great potential, but with an attitude like that he’s probably the last person you want in your team when the going gets tough, as it inevitably will over the next few months. And let’s not forget that in August we had no clue why Arsene had signed another central midfielder anyway, so we shouldn’t care too much now he’s gone. But he’s a cock, none the less.
Well, Lassana, enjoy watching your ex-team mates in the Champions’ League, especially Flamini who will hopefully use it as a stage to displace you from the French national team.
Plenty more entertaining name calling at Arseblog (”short sighted little fool”).
Update: Clearly, Monsieur Diarra is either not very bright, badly advised, or more likely both. He hasn’t even kicked a ball for Pompey yet, and we’ve already got our first hint that he’s looking to leave them! “One day I want to play for a big club” says the Daily Mail. Have you already forgotten that you’ve played for two and failed at both!
If We Can’t Beat Birmingham..
January 13, 2008
Well, wasn’t that a load of crap? Clearly what was a good strength team thought they’d just waltz past the Blues with little effort, which reminds me of so many games last season. Even when Birmingham scored just after the break, we should have easily been able to score again in the following 40 minutes, but until the last 10 there was just no sense of urgency… The goal would come so why worry? Dropping two points at home against a team that has been really struggling is poor, and once again we find ourselves knocked off top spot.
Despite the lack of urgency, we looked good in the first half and were totally in control. The pre-game worry, Senderos, had a couple of shaky moments but overall had a pretty good game, especially in the second half. Hopefully that will give him the confidence he needs to do well in Kolo’s absence. Fabregas lost the ball far to regularly and really needs to recapture his early season form. Hleb was excellent, Eduardo did OK and should have scored a couple, whilst Ade was pretty average. Clichy was superb, as usual, (thank the heavens that Cole left us) and Almunia did well in goal.
The one standout…? Theo Walcott, who was absolutely crap. I know he’s young, but we’ve seen younger players come in and do much better, and to be frank I’m starting to think he’s never going to make it at Arsenal’s level. He has pace, the occasional nice touch, but his passing was dire yesterday and his first touch often let him down too. No point having all that pace if you can’t give or receive the ball properly. He should be dropped until he can really deliver… He even had me wishing Eboue was back, which is really saying something.
As David Platt kept saying on the commentary I was receiving, we completely lacked width in the last 20 mins and where trying to break through the blue wall on the edge of their penalty area, which wasn’t going to happen. With Theo being so crap, I do hope we end up with a new wide player during January. Perhaps Dimitrov? Arsene is denying he’ll be bringing anyone in, but things can change fast.
Let’s hope Rosicky and RvP are back soon to add some more drive to the attack and that somehow Theo learns the skills he needs to even make the first team squad.
Nice Little Run Out
January 3, 2008
Well, that was a nice stroll for the lads, a comfortable training game feel and 2-0 win against a team, West Ham, who shouldn’t have been quite that easy. All bodes well. Sadly no individual I can really have a go at as everyone seemed to do well, even Eboue who I was watching like a hawk. Still some minor drama at times but overall he behaved himself and played well.
Eduardo is, me thinks, starting to come good, which might sound weird seeing as he’s scored three in the last couple of games. The noticable thing is that he’s making more of a contribution to the team, chasing back more, getting more involved. Still some way to go, but the signs are positive, and the finishing, of course, is world class. His goal involved fantastic technique, and while a number of reports have focussed on the amount of time that he was given in the box, I would tend to agree with Luka here who suggests that he just has the knack of finding the best position. Hopefully Arsene will continue with Eduardo partnering Adebayor in a 4-4-2, at least until Van Persie returns. Adebayor was also top class against the Hammers.
Well the next few league games should see us taking all the points, so lets see if Man U, who it seems have been a bit, how should I put this, shit in their last couple of games can stay the pace.
The Usual Silence
January 1, 2008
As the January transfer window opens, Arsenal are as usual the one team with very little in the way of speculation, gossip, or indeed actual need. Some suggest that Arsenal need a new keeper, or a new centre back, or a new winger, or indeed a new striker, but I can’t help thinking that we don’t need any of them. I really don’t think we’ll be able to find, or be willing to pay, for anything better than what we’ve already got, both in the first 11 and the squad.
However if a good, and cheap, opportunity arrives, then why not, and I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that Nikolai Dimitrov (above) might be one of those.
More Eduardo Action, Please
January 1, 2008
Still no Robin van Persie and no Nicklas Bendtner after his red card at Everton, so suddenly the striking options look a bit limited, especially if the world’s longest bout of flu means Theo Walcott is still not available. Regardless of this, Monsieur Wenger needs to persists with 4-4-2 and partner Eduardo with Adebayor up front today, a combination that might just produce the goods. I’m one of those who has never been the biggest Adebayor fan, finding him all a bit mysterious, although recently he’s starting to win me and plenty of other fans over with some hard-working displays, and a fair few goals of course. Eduardo is the opposite, and really needs to start contributing to the team a bit more in addition to his obvious skills in front of goal. Strangely, he seems to be liked by nearly everyone, and I’ve got a funny feeling that he’ll come good in the next couple of months.
So, two up front and I reckon we could see a 3-1 scoreline, with the Hammers fading rapidly after their fantastic win last week.
