By Myles Palmer
Franny and Freddie and Thierry – it sounds like a short story by J.D.Salinger.
Those three have never started a game together, as far as I can remember, but they looked good in the 2-0 win over Charlton on Sunday.
If that trio had played against Ajax, Arsenal might have won one of the games.
The Jeffers goal was poached from Henry’s low cross into the six yard box in 26 minutes.
The Pires goal in 45 was another Henry cross which hit Chris Powell and was headed onto the post by Ljungberg.
The ball rebounded sweetly for Pires to nod in from one yard.
Arsenal had three players attacking the near post!
For me, having TWO players who are good off the ball is a conceptual leap. It’s exciting. It opens up many possibilities.
When Jeffers signed I thought he would score 12 goals like Sunday’s in his first season, plus other goals from headers,rebounds and through passes.
So that goal has been a long time coming.It is 22 months since Henry first said that “We need a fox in the box.”
This is what I was moaning about when I said that there was NOT ENOUGH END-PRODUCT FROM TURBO-CHARGED THIERRY.
That was back on January 30th,when I wrote : If the right player existed, and could score goals as easily as Henry wrecks defences, then the two of them together would be worth three players and Arsenal would be alarmingly penetrative, close to omnipotent.
The right poacher might be Jeffers, Aliadiere, Defoe. Who knows?
Freddie coming back is big news.
Even if he was blowing after 25 minutes. He played 64 before Wiltord replaced him.
The manager would like him to be be fitter.He needs a couple of injury-free weeks to get back to his match-winning best.
Freddie plays on guts, not fitness – but guts can only take you so far.
He could not repeat his FA Cup Final goal against Chelsea right now.
What Freddie did last May, in Cardiff, was bordering on the preposterous, bursting through from deep on his own, holding off John Terry, almost going down, recovering to curl a perfect shot round Cudicini for 2-0.
That was his seventh goal in seven games.He was the difference between winning the Double and just missing it.
But I don’t think Freddie can run that far that fast yet.
He could score a goal against Chelsea on Saturday.But he couldn’t score THAT goal again.Not in his second game back.
But having Freddie out there again is a tonic for the team and the fans. He scored 17 goals last season. Any team would miss him.
So the Swede’s return is the big story of the week.
He is a great jack-in-the-box, a great competitor, a great winner, a great pop idol, a big favourite among teenage girls as well as regular Gooners.
The second story was that Arsenal made six changes.
The lineup was :Seaman; Touré, Van Bronckhorst, Keown,Campbell;Ljungberg, Parlour, Edu, Pires; Jeffers,Henry.
The subs not used were Warmuz , Cygan and Pennant.
Even with six changes Arsenal’s passing was still crisp and fluent for 25 minutes.They really pinged it about.
Which says a lot for Arsene’s training methods.
Only a classy team can make six changes and still play such slick, modern football.
Gio is a super squad man who can really pass the ball.A very accurate, technical player who never whinges when he is not inthe side.
Edu ran the show with Pires.
Toure had a solid game at right back.Defended well and got a couple of crosses in. Not as sure-footed as Lauren, but he was disciplined.
Roma coach Fabio Capello will have noted that Freddie is back.
Because Freddie is the man who killed Lazio and Juventus.
So Arsenal are eight points clear at the top.But it’s really only five because United will beat Leeds tonight.
Or will they?
I reckoned United would beat Liverpool in the Worthington Cup Final.
But they didn’t turn up.They weren’t up for it. Beckham did not close down Gerrard and, when Stevie G shot, Becks just turned his back and waved his leg as an afterthought. And the ball deflected past Barthez.
Then Silvestre chested the ball to Rio when he should have headed it, Hamann intercepted and released Owen to make it 2-0.
Amazingly, Silvestre did not chase back. He must have been injured.
Roy Keane did pursue Owen, who scored as Barthez backed off almost into his own net.Bizarre stuff.
Keane has started being nice to the press because he will need them when he is a manager.
Funny old game, isn’t it?
March 5th 2003.