By Myles Palmer
This morning I read The Guardian in the gym cafe.
Well, I read three articles.
The first piece was WENGER DENIES “COOKED” VIEIRA EXTRA TIME OFF.
I’m not interested in that subject.
Because I can’t write about it briefly. If I started I would be here all day.
The second piece was NO STOPPING WENGER’S JUGGERNAUT by Jon Brodkin.
The subhead was: HAVE ARSENAL GOT THE TITLE SEWN UP ALREADY?
Brodkin noted that William Hill now have Arsenal at 10-11 for the title and that their self-belief is second to none.
But he said Seaman has looked vulnerable .
He also said that a prolonged absence by Vieira, Henry or Campbell would be damaging.
A fine feature, but maybe it’s been written too soon.
Arsenal still have FIVE more games in September.
They play Charlton away, Borussia Dortmund and Bolton at home, PSV Eindhoven away and Leeds away.
My view is: A lot could happen in September. A helluva lot could happen in those five matches.
We will see what their self-belief is like in Eindhoven and Leeds.
Is the back five good enough to win the Champions League?
Nobody knows – not you, not me, not Arsene Wenger.
And that might be the wrong question to ask, anyway.
A more pertinent question might be: Is the SQUAD good enough to win the Champions League ?
The Man City match showed that Arsenal, while unbeaten,are not unbeatable.
Wiltord scored against the run of play. And Anelka equalised within three minutes.
Then Henry scored the winner before half-time.
The goals came in 26 minutes, 29 and 42.
It was lucky that Keegan’s 3-5-2 system left City weak in exactly the areas where Arsenal are strong .
WILTORD and COLE got beyond their wingbacks again and again.
That was where the match was won and lost.
When Bergkamp slipped Wiltord through we knew it was 1-0.
We knew he would score.
In 2001 and 2000 we didn’t know that. We waited for him to hit the keeper, knock it over, guide it wide.
Wiltord has found a new role and grown into it and become super-confident.
He has scored six in six and we now expect him to score with every chance.
THAT IS A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT!
Benarbia placed his cross in a space that makes goalkeepers unsure of whether they should come or not – and ANELKA headed down and into the net from eight yards.
Seaman should have come out to punch.
Even if he hadn’t got there he would have put Anelka off.
The third piece was a review of Damien Rice at The Borderline.
Sharon O’Connell gave the gig four asterisks. I love asterisks, don’t you?
If an album gets less than **** I don’t read the review.
And if I can’t give an album **** I don’t review it.
Life is too short to listen to *** albums.
The gig review is a long one which says that Damien is “thirtysomething”.
If he is 34, rather than 24, as I thought, maybe I should interview this Irishman.
My first question would be: What have you been doing for the last ten years?
After I read those three articles I asked the young receptionist if Darren was in today.
She said he was upstairs, so I went back up and found him training a slim brunette.
Gave him a paperback of The Professor, as promised.
Then I walked home. Wondering about Damien Rice and his career.
Maybe he is looking to create a big buzz and score a big record deal.
Or maybe he doesn’t need a deal right now. Maybe he will work his own-label debut CD for a while.
The album was sent to me yesterday, so I’m wondering if it has arrived while I have been at the gym.
Before The Guardian told me that the gig was better than the album, I could not wait to hear the album. Now I’m not so keen.
It’s all about songs. But also about format, focus.
If Damien Rice has a Sultans of Swing, a Babylon, a Moondance, an Alison, an Oliver’s Army, he will be a household name soon enough.
Back home, a CD has been delivered. But it’s Idlewild.
Friday 13th September 2002.
You’re not superstitious – but take care!