Sunday’s game against Manchester United worked out very well for one manager, very badly for the other.
The developmental manager produced a preview of next season and a 1-0 win that will allow him to rewrite the narrative of 2010-11. Which he always does anyway.
Clearly, Sir Alex got it all wrong.
Sir came to sit back and get a draw or maybe nick it.
At the Emirates, Manchester United need to do one of two things : press fiercely or play keep-ball. They did neither, so they lost.
Dropping Valencia was risky, playing Park on the wrong side was crazy. Anderson and Carrick are always an odd couple, so the balance of the United midfield was destroyed. They really miss Darren Fletcher, who is out with a “virus”, or so we’re told.
Arsenal dominated the first half – and scored in the second.
Both sides had valid penalty claims refused but the best team won.
Patrice Evra didn’t whinge or make excuses. He admitted : It wasn’t the ref’s fault we lost, it was our players.
The goal came in the 56th minute and it was a good one. Van Persie held the ball cunningly on the right, Walcott was in the centre forward position, Nasri sprinted into the box after Arshavin raced in there, and the covering Carrick ran back almost into his six-yard box to help defend the cross against those three attackers.
But Van Persie cut the ball back to Ramsey, who had started the move. Carrick was awake to that threat and as he tried to tackle Ramsey, the kid hit a shot that went through Carrick’s legs and rolled into the far corner, beyond the dive of Edwin van der Sar.
It was a cool effort from 14 yards and Ramsey’s first goal since that horrific injury at Stoke 14 months ago.
Mainly, the game was a preview of next season.
That’s how I saw it : next season started last Sunday without Fabregas.And with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United.
Crowd loved it, some greeting the goal with amazement and disbelief, they loved the fiery commitment of Szczesny in goal, plus some good strong tackles by Koscielny, Song and Clichy.
The left back lost the ball sloppily in 75 and was very dodgy after that, as he often is at the end of games.
Because Ramsey scores goals, he’s the obvious successor to Fabregas,
Was this a pivotal defeat for the title favourites? Too soon to say.
It’s not important if United beat Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.
But Chelsea are not playing a semi-final this week.
Sunday’s clash will probably be tense, tight and fractious.
I’m convinced that if Carlo starts Drogba and Torres, Chelsea won’t score in the first hour.
Looks like Sir Alex is much more interested in winning his third Champions League Final than winning the title.
For United, it’s a shame that Anderson is a headless chicken whose passing and shooting will never be good enough.
The player that Sir Alex needed to replaced Paul Scholes was David Silva.
As we know, the Champions League distorts domestic league matches hugely. It has done that for years, all across Europe. More so, I think, as the years roll on.
Last weekend : Schalke lost, Barcelona and Real Madrid lost, and ManU lost as well.
Looks like Rooney versus 52-goal Messi at Wembley.
On Sunday night I was watching the Villarreal and Lazio games at gambling Tony’s house. He follows Spanish football very closely. He reckons Barcelona will hammer Real Madrid 4-0 tonight.
Bottom line on last Sunday: Fabregas was not really missed.
Better without him, really. Never thought I’d say that about such a special talent, a guy who has been fantastic for Arsenal.
But there again, I’m not surprised. If your best player wants to go, you should have the balls to sell him and move on. If you don’t sell him, it’s a slow poison.
Will Fabregas play at Stoke, where a bad injury could cost Wenger £35m euros? I don’t think so.
He’s a great guy and I wish him well and hope he finds silver happiness.
If Fabregas won the Copa del Rey and held it up on an open-top bus, he wouldn’t drop the trophy like that clown Sergio Ramos did two weeks ago.