By Myles Palmer
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RADDY ANTIC inherited a mediocre side.
I watched one of Celta Vigo’s games four weeks ago.
They are a poor outfit.
If the Arsenal performance is even 90% of what it should be,Vigo have no chance.
Indeed, Celta Vigo can make history by being the first Spanish club to lose to Arsenal in Spain.
They play a 4-2-3-1 system with Savo Milosevic up front.
The side I watched was: Cavallero/Vellasco, Caceres, Sergio, Silvinho/Giovanella, Jose Ignacio/ Jesuli, Mostovoi, Gustavo Lopez/ Milosevic.
CACERES was the best centreback in USA 94.
A supercool veteran stopper who can read the game and intercept and play deft short passes.
It takes a lot of pressing to rattle Caceres out of cruise-mode.
GUSTAVO LOPEZ is a crumbler. He dribbles slowly and if you go near him he just crumbles, collapses.
He can shoot from 25 yards, but not lethally.
MOSTOVOI is 35 and past it.
Celta Vigo’s most dynamic player is Silvinho, who is still very fast, bouncy and sharp.
Overall, Celta Vigo are one-paced and constipated.
They are the Primera Liga’s s cure for insomnia.
If you can’t sleep, put on a video of one of their games.
BEFORE SATURDAY, I was thinking that Stamford Bridge was the title.
And that was before Man United drew 1-1 with Leeds.
AFTER 26 GAMES, Arsenal are seven points ahead of United and nine ahead of Chelsea.
And I don’t think Arsene fears Man United. He only fears injuries to his players.
DENNIS BERGKAMP was superb in the first half.
Arsenal kicked off and Clichy was being hounded by three players on the touchline and he passed infield to Pires, who found Edu, who passed square to Vieira, who miscontrolled it.
Nothing wrong with the pass from Edu, Pat just lost the ball in the centre circle.
Lauren was stranded on the flank, Geremi sprinted down the left and hit a marvellous cross, Mutu produced a flick-on with his head which bisected Lehmann and Clichy, and Gudjohnsen buried the chance on the second bounce.
1-0 after 27 seconds.
Cue for Bergkamp to turn on the style and get Arsenal back in the game.
He hit a stunning 40-yard crossfield ball which gave Henry a volley across the goal, a difficult chance.
Two minutes later, Pires pressed Makelele on the halfway line and the ball broke to Vieira, who played it short to Bergkamp,who took three touches to give his captain time to sprint forward as Pires made a diagonal run to take Gallas out of the game.
Bergkamp delivered a slide-rule pass which slowed down so perfectly that Vieira was able to place his shot inside Sullivan’s near post without breaking stride.
It was Vieira’s first goal of the season – and what a goal!
A beautiful move, a great team goal, maybe my favourite narrow football goal since the Pires-Ljungberg classic in the Michael Owen FA Cup Final.
Who needs crosses if you can open up defences like this?
GUDJOHNSEN had a dream start but his game soon turned into a nighgtmare.
Henry’s inswinging corner beat Sullivan, hit the Icelander and broke for Edu, who buried it from six yards.
2-1 to Arsenal after 21 minutes.
Gudjohnsen turned the ball past Toure in the box, and threw himself on the ground, appealing for a penalty.No contact at all!
An idiotic dive which cost him a yellow card.
Then on 56, as Cliche spurted away from him, Gudjohnsen carelessly clattered into the ankle of the 18-year old and Mike Riley sent him off.
That was it, really.
Chelski had no chance after that.
So Arsenal are 26 unbeaten in the Premiership, and making good teams look mediocre.
They have huge athleticism, colossal team spirit, vast experience, and some fresh young legs.
ARSENAL know they are the best team in England – and they WILL be champions because they know how to concentrate and they know how to take it one game at a time.
GAEL CLICHE has been superb.
It’s a scary test for an 18-year old, an away game at Chelsea when everyone says it’s a six-pointer.
And conceding a goal after 27 seconds is a big blow to any player and any team.
But this lad is a marvellous footballer.
No real worries about Vigo on Tuesday night.
But Arsenal will miss Bergkamp because he is spinal. Along with Edu, DB10 did the most to get Arsenal back into the game on Saturday.
Pires and Henry were taking it easy, saving themselves for the Champions League
Bergkamp’s experience, power and vision will be invaluable in the coming weeks.
He will add a lot to the second leg, if he plays.
A shame that Ray Parlour is not available for a game like this.
Unfortunately, the more Arsenal hold a high line, the more they compress the midfield, the more knocks Vieira will take.
That is the main disdvantage of a pressing game, as opposed to stretching the game out and counter-attacking at pace from the last third.
Vieira has today been declared fit.
Will Reyes and Ljungberg start together for the first time?
Freddie is a loose cannon, but he plays well with Kanu, so Kanu could start, with Reyes a sub.
Celta Vigo are utterly mediocre and they will be under huge pressure on Tuesday night.
I fancy Pires and Henry to keep Arsenal flying.
23rd February 2004.
PS
A phone call tells me that Arsenal have made AN
ANNOUNCEMENT while I’ve been typing this.
The £260 million loan from six banks is in place.The loan will be repaid over 14 years.
McAlpines will build the stadium for a fixed price of £220 million.
And Arsene says he will stay and take the team into Ashburton Grove
So, thanks to our network of informed Gooners, another ANR prediction is bullseye.
No wonder we get 200,000 hits a month.
And, yes, the sun is shining in London today.