From Joe Kelly : Normal service is resumed
Dear Myles,
Tonight’s result was predictable as Monday’s was unexpected.
Djourou plays a decent game on Monday night, we look more solid than usual, perhaps, so he drops him. Marvellous, he must be exhausted after his long hard season. I bet Djourou was delighted with that decision. What happens? Laurel gives away the penalty and Hardy scores an own goal. Are those two to defence what Rankin and Hawley were to attack? Answers on a postcard please.
From Jason Gooi : Memo to Cesc
Total lack of commitment, desire and character against Wigan.
Losing the championship in ANY other way would have been acceptable. Not this way. Not out of a total disrespect for an opponent. Where was the pressing? Where was the shape and compactness in play? What is up with all that lackadaisical movement and wayward passing?
Cesc, give a kick up their arses and lead the apologies for this farce of a team tonight. The fans 110% deserve one for a wretched show of a non-team. I’m sorry to say this, but you can kiss your title dreams goodbye because your team does not want it enough. If you truly want it with fire in your bellies, with enough passion, you would have played like you wanted it.
Unfortunately, for us, passion is measured according to the quality of the opposition, and not a given every time the team plays. Send my regards to Sagna for a good job, he is the only player deserving of any praise tonight.
From Pal : Wigan 2 Arsenal 2
Dear Myles,
Have you ever seen a worse referee than the one who first gave Wigan a penalty for a foul that was clearly committed just outside the penalty area? But the Wigan player was smart enough to first take a couple of steps after the foul to make it look like it was inside. Then this idiotic referee later failed to give a penalty for the clearest handball I have ever seen when a Wigan player raised both arms high up in the air to stop Nasri`s freekick late in the game.
This referee is the best reason I have seen for wanting to introduce a video referee. This stupid referee should be relegated to referee junior players aged
8-10 for at least a year. Yes, nothing spoils a match as much a very bad referee.
Not that Arsenal played so well, and Wenger did the mistake of not starting with the same 11 players who beat Chelsea. We know some of Arsenal`s second strings are simply not good enough.
The only good thing that might come out of this game is if Wenger buys a central defender that can dominate the air like Mertesacker. If Bendtner had been smart enough to position himself at the center
just outside his goalkeeper instead of “Mr Own-Goal-Sc.R.******”, Wigan would probably not have got a second goal.
I wonder if Arsenal`s young and tall central defender Ignasi Miguel is now mature enough to step and rule the air for Arsenal?
Well, a lot more could be said about this game, and the result would no doubt please Alex Ferguson. This year`s Man United is not among the best Ferguson has had, but they should win the title.
Manchester City would probably be the only real threat if they can manage to buy some of the players they need.
Chelsea did manage to win today, but I wonder if the Russian boss could get tired of spending his billions on Chelsea and still not win the Champion League trophy he wants. A Chelsea supporter expressed that worry to me after Arsenal beat Chelsea. That thought have struck me before too, and perhaps some journalist have the nerve to ask the Russian billionaire a cheeky question about his future loyalty to Chelsea.
I wish you and your family a Happy NewYear, Myles.
PS Imagine watching Alex Ferguson if it had been his team who had not been given a penalty for the handball the Wigan player did on purpose. Only Maradona`s handball should be more famous for cheating. I hate cheating.
From Andrew Rymer : Mertesacker
Hi Myles,
Another predictable Arsenal result?
Will this seal the deal for Per Mertesacker? 6ft 6 and good in the air. Young, just 26.
Can’t stand Squillaci myself. He’s as bad as Silvestre.
I read RVP is wanted by Juventus for £24m plus Felipe Melo.That is the deal of the year if on offer.
If he buys the German It could be the best signing for a while. Unfortunately, we will likely all be left pondering why Wenger didn’t buy him in the summer. Either way I fear it could well be too late for this season.