Excitement in football crowds comes from thousands of fans not knowing what a player will do next.
So Robin van Persie is exciting.
The Inter Milan game was level at 1-1 in the 88th minute and a goal looked unlikely when Eboue’s short pass found van Persie on the right side.
There were two defenders between him and the goal but he took four touches to make a shooting position and…BANG!
Robin is a bang ! bang! striker.
Like Batistuta, like Shearer.
Give him the ball and let him shoot.
It didn’t look as if RVP could score but he smashed a right foot shot between the near post and Toldo and that was 2-1 and the Emirates Cup.
He’s that kind of player. As long as Robin van Persie is on the pitch, that kind of thing can happen. He can bang it with his left foot and bang it with this right foot. Disguise and power are a good combination. He’s deceptive, resourceful and explosive. He tried a free-kick from a ridiculous angle that was parried by Cesar. He had a stab saved later. He did some good things and the team did some good things.
First goal went to Inter after 62, a fantastic header by David Suazo which went in off the post. The Hleb, playing behind RVP in a 4-4-1-1 formation, equalised in 67 after Toldo saved his first shot.
So Arsenal got the goal back in five minutes.
Overall, an illuminating two days for Arsene. One match is worth 20 training sessions and two matches are priceless. And two wins are priceless. He played three narrow midfielders in the second half against Paris St Germain and won 2-1.Against Inter, he used Hleb in a new position and Eboue in the right midfield, in front of new right back Sagna.
The 60,000 crowd were happy enough, as Arsenal won both games and claimed the tournament.All the players were laughing as captain Gallas lifted the silver cup, so they’re happy enough.
Rosicky was looking at Hleb and thinking, “I wanna play in that position.”
And Arsene has a few days in which to ask himself two key questions.
Do I like Hleb in that half-striker position?
Do I like Eboue in that right wing position?
Van Persie said, “This team wants to run for each other. That’s why it was a big joy to play today.”
Arsene said, “We have a hungry spirit.”
In each game, one goal was scored by a striker and one by a midfielder. Four goals : Flamini, Bendtner, Hleb, van Persie.
On Saturday, Bendtner got on the end two balls. He chested down a diagonal Clichy cross for Flamini to volley into the corner. And he outjumped the keeper to reach Denilson’s corner, and when his header rebounded off a defender, he poked it into the back of the net.
You don’t expect Hleb to score. Mainly, Hleb is there to play people in. That is his main talent. He is tenacious and a clever passer. He made a difference when he came on in Saturday’s game against PSG
Next step is an Eboue goal against Lazio in Amsterdam.
VERDICT ? Two training games, two wins, no injuries, as far as we know.
Two more training games coming up.
Personally, I’m very disappointed that Eduardo didn’t play in the Emirates Cup. But I’ll get over it.
Bottom line? The season hasn’t started yet. Nothing has happened yet. Except training.
As I say, pre-season is for managers. They love it. Here we saw Arsene start Kieran Gibbs, a 17-year old left winger who can play the manager’s type of fluid, quick, tidy football.
Inter Milan play Man United at Old Trafford on Wednesday. England’s champions against Italy’s champions. If that doesn’t sharpen up Roberto Mancini’s men, I don’t know what will.
Before Valencia beat Inter on Saturday, George Graham was talking on Sky about the departures of Henry and Ljungberg.
He said, ” I don’t think they’re great losses. He’s had the best out of them.”
George is not a bad judge.
The next two weeks could be exciting. Arsene might sign a phenomenal winger. Let’s wait and see. As I said three weeks ago, transfer speculation is a discredited art form. It’s best not to indulge in a discredited art form. Facts are more nourishing than fantasies.
Sir Alex is absolutely right to say that Arsenal will be better without Henry. You can already see that. And Sir Arsene is right to emphasise that it’s a team sport.
This team will have a good August and a good September. After that, who knows? Right now, I’m up for it. Fulham, bring ’em on ! Man City, please bring ’em on! Blackburn away? Could be interesting. Portsmouth, interesting too.
ARSENAL (4-4-1-1): Lehmann; Sagna, Touré, Gallas, Hoyte (Traore 69); Eboué, Flamini, Fabregas (Denilson 83), Gibbs (Bendtner 79); Hleb, Van Persie. Subs: Fabianski, Diaby, Senderos, Barazite, Lansbury, Randall, Murphy.
INTER MILAN (4-4-2): Julio Cesar; Cesar, Materazzi, Samuel, Jimenez; Solari, Dacourt, Chivu, Filkor; Suazo, Barwuah. Subs: Toldo, Cordoba, Pedrelliez, Maxwell, Figo, Cruz, Adriano, Cambiasso, Fatic.