By Myles Palmer
__________________________________
ARSENAL v Newcastle is the first Premiership game in seven weeks time.
Everton play Man United that weekend, August 13, so Rooney will be back at Goodison.
Promoted Wigan host Chelsea.
What will Chelsea do to destabilise Wigan ? Steal their Director of Football ?
AUGUST looks like an appetising month for the boys to think about while they sweat through Arsene’s pre-season fitness training.
After Newcastle it is Chelsea (A) on 20th, Fulham at Highbury on Tuesday 23rd, then Liverpool at Anfield on 27th.
A lovely programme of games !
I STILL THINK Ashley and Pires will stay, still think Arsene will sign Hleb, and I love Emre, a Turk who reminds me of Stefan Schwarz : tough, fiery, technical.
Emre is not as good as Schwarz, of course. If he was that good he would be a regular at Inter.
But I reckon Emre is better than Edu. Newcastle seem favourites to sign him.
SILENCE is the only comment Arsenal can make on the Robin van Persie situation.
There is nothing the club can say and nothing they should say.
THE FARIA ALAM industrial tribunal is a bit embarrassing for the FA’s David Davies.
He is the only executive who didn’t get off with her.
IN THE CONFEDERATIONS CUP, Mexico beat a tired-looking Brazil 1-0.
The goal, a terrific header by striker Borgetti, came in 59 minutes.
Kaka should be in a hammock in Barbados right now, not playing football.
Ronaldinho, ditto.
I had a few thoughts about Mexico – Brazil, a game in which Gilberto Silva and Edu were unused subs.
One, I wondered whether Carlos Alberto Parreira, now in his third spell, has the authority that Scolari had in 2002.
Two, Ze Roberto is by far Brazil’s best player at the moment.
Ze Roberto is quick and hard and ruthless and busy and tidy and very reliable.
With eight players as focussed as Ze Roberto, Brazil might retain the World Cup.
Three, have Ronaldo, Cafu and Roberto Carlos got another World Cup in them?
Four, ROBINHO makes Brazil’s passing more intricate.
More specifically, he makes their style more intricate and narrow.
He is NOT a poacher who hangs around the box.
Robinho is a slim kid who comes back and gets involved in the build-up, joining in moves in midfield as well as play round the box.
He is in the game a lot. His energy has helped to hold Brazil together in this tournament
AGAINST JAPAN last night, his running power was fantastic.
The team was Marcos – Cicinho, Lucio, Juan, Leo – Kaka, Gilberto Silva, Ze Roberto, Ronaldinho (capt) -Robinho, Adriano.
Adriano had one of those games where he looks like a lumbering ox.
He is like Big Bertha.
A huge howitzer who takes a while to trundle himself into shooting positions.
You can’t play Adriano with Ronaldo. You need one striker who runs around a lot.
Robinho scored the first goal and made the second in a 2-2 draw last night.
RONALDINO wore cycling shorts, which signalled a lack of fitness.
First goal came in 10.
Lucio headed out a corner and Ronaldinho dribbled from inside his own half to create a two v two situation and Robinho raced 30 yards across him to collect a three-yard pass.
Then he slotted his shot through the keeper’s legs for 1-0.
Kaka hit the post and Ronaldinho’s stab at the rebound was tipped onto the crossbar.
Then Nakamura hit back with a 25-yard thunderbolt which beat Marcos all ends up for 1-1.
Ronaldinho started the move for 2-1 and finished it. He found Kaka, whose crossfield pass released Robinho on the left and he zoomed past the last man and cut the ball back early and low to the penalty spot, where Ronaldinho stabbed in for 2-1.
Ogura levelled at 2-2 in the 88th minute.
Brazil play Germany in the semi on Saturday. Argentina meet Mexico on Sunday.
KLINSMANN came out with a good quote after Germany 2 Argentina 2.
“We added two young players to our line-up in the second half in Mike Hanke and Marco Engelhardt, so that they could see what it’s like to play against someone like Riquelme,” he said.
“Riquelme was perfect, faultless, and our players have to learn from that.”
Generous, huh ?And realistic.
Klinsmann was a great striker who played with great players against great players.
It’s a heavy responsibility, coaching Germany in the World Cup when the tournament is in Germany.
A lot of pressure.
It will be interesting to watch Klinsmann and Ballack under pressure next summer.
June 23rd 2005