By Myles Palmer
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SHEVCHENKO could not have scored Thierry’s goal.
It was one of the five best goals he has ever scored for Arsenal and it’s hard to think of anybody else who could have scored it.
A double one-two with Vieira, killing a powerpass with his right foot and shooting instantly with his left.
THAT WAS AWESOME.
Thierry Henry has amazing feet and we have become accustomed to his high-speed skills, but this was special.
I’m Shevchenko’s biggest fan, have been since He played for Kiev at Wembley, but I really don’t think he could have scored that goal from Vieira’s pass.
That’s how good that goal was.
Maybe the example of Reyes has given Henry’s game a bit more bite.
TH14 was superb in the first half, peripheral in the second.
Reyes was below his best.
PEDERSEN’S goal for 2-2 was a Thierry Henry goal, oddly enough.
Ferdinand flicks on, he kills it with one foot and shoots with the other, Thierry-style.
A slick, classy goal to level an exciting Premiership game.
APPARENTLY, George Graham said on PPV that Arsenal’s problem when defending those set -pieces is that they watch the ball, not the defenders.
That’s the oposite of the continental way, where they ignore the ball and wrestle with those trying to meet the corner or free-kick.
They are experts in barging, pulling, blocking, holding opponents down.
I hope Arsenal don’t have to descend to Serie A delinquency to keep goals out.
Lehman’s starting position was all wrong for the Okacha corner that led to the equaliser by Jidai, who had a free run and a free header from six yards.
Don’t think he bottled the punch, just that Okacha’s flat, fast corner kicks into that area will often catch a keeper out.
And Gary Speed smacked Gilberto in the face at the crucial moment, as the Brazilian was about to jump.
The Pires goal for 2-1 was super play by Freddie, but a jammy finish that trickled in off Robbie’s left shin.
VIEIRA was excellent for an hour, looking like the powerhouse of old.
Pat will take a while to recover his 90-minute legs.
Cygan had a good first half, again, but Campbell will add power and experience to the defence when he comes back next week.
DROGBA had a feeble game today against a tight Spurs team.
He looked like a £24,000 striker, not a £24 million striker.
Spurs ground out a 0-0 at the Bridge, leaving Arsenal two points clear with Everton (yes, Everton !)in third place.
MIDNIGHT : just home from brother’s flat in Ladbroke Grove.
Find unfinished ANR piece on computer.
What to do?
Leave it till morning?
Submit as is?
Write more pars about football?
Dinner party just before daughters start at uni.
I reckon English teenagers migrate twice every summer.
One Friday in August, the 16-year olds get their GCSE’s and zoom off to Reading that day, the first festival their Mums have allowed them to attend.
September, older brothers and sisters start at Manchester/Nottingham/Sheffield this weekend, Sussex next weekend, Oxford the week after that.
Motorways packed with cars which have duvets in the back seat
Brother returns my Time Out Guide to Prague.
They had apartment, went to a jazz club twice, enjoyed architecture, but not the food.
Lovely dinner, white wine, port, seven of us (nine if you count Van Morrison, Nora Jones), lots of memories, anecdotes, party talk.
His daughter describes posh girls raiding the school’s chocolate vending machine.
“The girls with the skinniest arms could reach up and steal the bottom three bars of chocolate.And they took off their Gucci watches to do it.”
20th September 2004.
CORRECTION : Henry’s first goal was NOT a double one-two with Vieira, whose first pass came back to him off Jidai, the centreback who is proving a revelation for Big Sam.
Still a superb pass from a six foot four inch gladiator who was able to adjust his body shape very quickly and play the ball back to his deadly pal.