Last weekend I didn’t watch the Football First highlights.
But I Sky+d them and watched them last night.
It’s a different game on TV.
Van Persie and Arshavin were a bit better than I thought. But Portsmouth were a shambles and the middle-aged Kanu didn’t do any more running in the highlights than he did when I was there
FABREGAS opened up the game by creating the first two goals.
His pass to Eduardo opened up the left side for Eduardo to set up Diaby. And his pass to Eboue opened up the right flank to allow Diaby to make it 2-0.
The weight of pass by Eduardo was sublime, the weight of pass by Eboue was good
So Diaby, the Usain Bolt of the EPL, powered forward for two goals in two minutes in a new Arsenal system which seems to create spaces which did not exist so often when they were playing 4-5-1.
It’s important that Diaby keeps scoring goals.
If he can keep scoring, then the 4-3-3 is as radical as dropping Brazil’s captain, Gilberto, and having Flamini tackle 20 yards further up the field. That radical change, why created a new Three Musketeers (Hleb-Fab-Flam) propelled Arsenal to the top of the table for six months.
At 2-0 against Portsmouth, Fabregas went to take a corner on the left and held the back of his right thigh. He went off at half-time but he WILL play at Old Trafford. (UPDATE 3 hours later :Wenger says he WON’T play)
VAN PERSIE had 2 shots and a free-kick saved by David James in the first half and he got the flick-on for the third goal.
Arshavin free-kick on the left, RVP flick-on, Vermaelen’s volley across the six yard box and hit Gallas in the face and went in for 3-1.
So RVP was a bit better than I thought. But he struggles with that central striker role and always will. It’s a big decision by Wenger to use him in that role. And we do not know the components of that decision. And we don’t know whether Wenger will make a bid of £7m euros for Chamakh on deadline day. My guess is that Chamakh’s off-the-ball play is brighter than RVP’s and his first touch is better. But why buy a Moroccan who will go off to the African Nations in January?
Arsenal traditions : I now understand that at Highbury the lunches for visiting directors were ALWAYS held in separate rooms and it was ALWAYS a buffet.
On special occasions certain chairmen were invited to lunch with the Arsenal directors. Others were always kept at arm’s length. As far as I’m aware, that tradition has continued at the Emirates since 2006