By Ian Grant
Andrew Amos
Henry v Reyes;
After Henry’s goal last weekend after he rounded the corner of his victory swoop, he literally bounced off Reyes before hugging and slapping his other team mates. Do you know of any tension there?
Steve Phillips
The run-in could turn out to be really interesting…
Is it always darkest before the dawn?
This weekend has turned out to be very interesting. The run-in to the end of the season could be really interesting. Chelsea is held – goalless. Not so invincible. Other teams will start examing ways to have a go at them the same way they’ve been doing it for their fixtures against us. Could Robben really be so influential? It seems that Chelsea’s rise has corresponded with Robben’s rising star, and now an injury. Could it be Chelsea’s moment to lose their way?
So much for them. What did we see at Villa? We saw PV4 playing like the gladiator of old – it really feels as if he’s rising to the challenge and leading the team as a captain should. We came out and overran them in the way we used to during “the 49”. It was good to see. TH14 with a huge grin on his face. It felt good to score again – indeed to have so many chances fall to him.
We saw the Jens Lehmann we need. He was coming out and taking crosses! Will wonders never… He looked in control, and aside from some finger-waggling he left out the flaky stuff and tended to his job. I was sorry he didn’t get a clean sheet for that outing. Perhaps he’s getting himself up for a go at his countrymen at Bayern. I could understand that Lehmann desperately wants to be there.
We also saw young Senderos looking quite authoritative at the back. This is a very good sign for Gooners because it’s Senderos who’s starting to look like part of the solution. He screwed up once or twice, but he physically looks like what we need back there, and I would rather see Wenger season him alongside Sol than reverting to Neddy Seagoon, who consistently looks beleaguered. That way, if Sol takes a knock and misses, we have cover. Furthermore, it might give AW the option of actually resting Sol from time to time.
A very interesting (and entertaining) week. It ain’t over ’til it’s over. As an aside, I hope we draw both Man U. and Chelsea in the FA Cup. If we’re going to assert anything for this season, let’s have ’em both head on.
Oh, one more thing while I’m at it. I’d just a soon see AW take a “no comment” policy and do our talking on the field, rather than any whinging in the media about the “tapping up” incident or whatever old Meatnose is carrying on about. That seems to me a far better way to play high stakes poker than the managerial equivalent of “Ref, he’s kicking me!” Let the suits on the board chase up the league about the Ashley Cole thing, and keep a poker face and spend our time figuring out how to overrun our next opponent – we’re coming into crunch time, and it’s all up for grabs.
All the best
Steve in Vancouver
____________________________________________________________
Arne Gjesdal
What is wrong, if anything – Silva – Lauren – Edu and Robben
Arsenal has lost some vital games this season which they didn’t do all PL last year. Lots of people have wondered what has gone wrong, and the beutiful thing about democracy is that everybody might have their say. With the internet you also get a chance to publicise what’s on your mind. To believe that one might out-think AW is plain stupid, but again everybody might have a go for it.
My views are;
1. Gilberto is in many ways the key. HE is to most people (including myself for a very long time) quite inviseble. The most apparant thing about him last year was some unbeliveble missed goal oppertunities. He is doing his work in an unfashinoble, but extremly efficiant and important way. He is the only real glue between the midfield and the defence These thoughts are not actually at the level of inventing the wheel as many pundits have pointed to the same fact. My contribution to this discussion is more on how to solve the problem with his absence, which lead to the other player in mind; Lauren – As much as I like him(and have always liked him) his display against MU almost made me list him for the Grethe Waits run (which is a jogging thing for women in Oslo). Lauren is a terrific defensive player when one to one, but that is almost only when he is established in defence. When Ronaldo started his run in midfield Lauren was 10
meters ahead – when Ronaldo taped in the 3-2 goal Lauren was stranded by a solid 20 meter ! – which leads to my point;
WHEN GILBERTO IS OUT LAUREN SHOULD BE RELEAVED OF HIS OFFENSIVE DUTIES. Far to often Lauren is not chasing back eagerly enough, which leaves the defence vunereble. This is OK against lesser opponents but it is not OK against the likes of MU Chelsea and Bayern M for that sake.
It was good to see Edu back as he had a solid game considdering his long absence. Is AW using these months to persuede him to stay? With the financial situation at Arsenal it is strange that they didnt cash in what they could get, especially as the parties were not that far from each other. His (AW) comments about the strong bonds between EDU (and Lehmann) and the team, made me think that AW has not given up on keeping him.
What can possible stop Chelsea. I said a couple of weeks ago that injury to Lampard and Robben would hurt them hard. Tonight this proved somewhat right as they only managed a draw against our friends from Manchester. Chelsea’s goal-orgy fist started when Robben was in place – before that they never won with more than one goal.
IS it to late ? No I dont think so – A lot of Arsenal’s misfortune this season is perhaps paying for all the good fortune last season. If the luck-bill has been settled by now, Arsenal could go on a new unbeaten run, as they play some wonderful football.
As I won’t lower myself to wish injuries to players, (Robben) it must be alowed to hope for a suspension or two!
____________________________________________________________
Kevin Reed
Edu versus Villa
Just wondered what your thoughts were about Edu’s perfomance against Villa?
Now, i know we’re talking about a very poor Villa team, plus an Arsenal that simply had to put in a performance following the trials and tribs of the last few weeks, however Edu’s own performance stood above all else in a game where all the reds played well.
How obvious was it that Edu controlled the game from the first minute to last? Vieira had the freedom to roam and destroy, while Edu’s touch and passing range bordered on near perfection.
The team’s balance was perfect – you always talk about spinal players, and Edu was outstanding while the team looked so much more composed (relatively speaking) with Lehmann in goal iunstead of Almunia. This also leads onto the brilliant positioning of senderos, who had his best game in an Arsenal shirt.
So – what does Wenger do? Play Gilberto next season when Edu toddles off? I’m a great fan of Gilberto, but does he provide the pasing in the middle of the park that Edu does? No. And Fabregas is still too young to rely on game in and game out.
Therefore, it could be strongly argued that – if Senderos has an outstanding end of season – that a central midfielder and goalie are the main targets for the professor….
____________________________________________________________
Arjun Datta
Good job
I’d like to thank you for maintaining a very well written informed blog. It’s true I don’t agree with ceration things you say but you are quite possibly the most thought provoking commentary on the events in the football centering on Arsenal.
A few random thoughts:
Arsenal have had a good season so far – even thought I am disappointed over all I must admit the season has been alroght. We can’t win every year and just like the guy from Autralia said in your “best blogs part 1” we need to have perspective. We cannot compete with the financial muscle of Chelsea and Man U. Money does count. And we can’t win every year – but at the same time – we’re gonna try hard as hell to!
Arsenal are not a machine. We’re an ensemble of artists who play the most sophisticated version of the beautiful game on the planet. Our players are actors in a five act play. They’re not drill bits in a boring machine.
Many teams (Chelsea, Man U, Juventus) are well oiled machines who win by doing the simple things consistently well but leaving one feeling strangely empty. They are the Walmarts, the Time Warners and Microsofts. We’re not them and as such cannot and will not play like them. And for me that difference is everything. Perhaps in a few years, feted by the burgeoning profits from Ashburton Grove, we might strive to be the all conquering unemotional boring machine that dominates football nowadays – but I suspect that it will be a long time coming.
As a consequence, there are often many aspects of the game where we ome short. We’re poor at defending and attacking set pieces the bread and butter of modern machine football. We can’t head and our marking and tackling are often not wholistic enough. But tell me this – for sheer joy of the game (which often is the basic point anyway) is there any sweeter sight than seeing the red and white surge forward and ballet the ball into the net?
Perhaps one day when “empires have fallen away” and organised competitive football is gone – we will look back and reminisce – but what will we reminisce? United’s faceless title runs or Arsenal’s unbeaten trek? Ruud and Cantona’s 5 yard stab ins or Bergkamp and Henry’s magical strikes?
Arsenal, fans and players and management alike need to be more inidfferent and take losses less personally. Ignore the media, take the odd loss on the chin and move onto the next act. More people would rather watch us lose than watch most teams win. Possibly cause in that loss we give more glimpses of what football could be like rather than what it is. And in the end that is enough for me.
One last point.
Tuesday’s game against United had one point where Rooney and Cole were racing onto a through pass. Rooney was ahead of Cole. Rooney shoved his right arm towards Cole and subtlely pushed him back. Cole backed off a bit as he took his foot off the gas and raised his arms in innocence. Shades of Campbell versus Solsjkaer. Interesting message sent there.
We’re bloody scared of being booked for the slightest preceived slight. United know they can get awway with murder. And that’s not a correct atmosphere to have a competition in.
Have a great year Myles.
I hope we have a fun end to the season.
Regards
Arjun
(from Toronto, Canada where everyone says AC MILAN FC and not Milan – grrrrrr)
____________________________________________________________
Paul Alerte
Hi Myles,
We need a cool head as a fan today. I must confess that I decide to have some self-control and not to read everything about Arsenal. But it’s really difficult to achieve peacefully.
Patience and tolerance are qualities which may help dealt with the current situation but I fear it can even get worse.
Paul
____________________________________________________________
Chris Cotton
Sven, England
I can’t believe you even bother watching England frendlies any more. Should have watched the cricket on SKY – far more exciting.
____________________________________________________________
julian allen
Jose Reyes
Please give us the scoop on Jose –
I have been a big fan and was thrilled when he joined us – from the start i was dissapointed by Henry’s attitude with Jose. I see the games from Sky and i’m no expert on the game but it seemed like Henry has an attitude with Jose – blanking him after goals in celebrations – and also during play. Is that something you see?
Henry was a winger turned striker – is he insecure?, threatened?
I always felt Arsenal were a team of educated musketters – but I’m saddened to see were no different from Man Utd and are maybe infected with premadonnas. I wish the team would have made a beautiful talent like Reyes welcome – it seems they have acted like spoilt kids. I would be saddened to see such a talent go and and leave behind this spirit of pettiness – i wish Reyes well – just as he said in his supposed call the Real i wish he joins a team who is happy and welcoming and allow him to enjoy his football. He seems a sincere guy.
____________________________________________________________
jack woan
Rivals trying to unsettling Arsenal
Chelsea trying to lure Ashley Cole away from Highbury.Jose Reyes is reported to be keen to join Real Madrid. It looks like Real Madrid supporters or Chelsea are worried about Arsenal and such reports are meant to unsettle their great rival-Arsenal.Even Man U are reported to be keen on Edu……again trying to unsettle Arsenal.One tactics to unsettle your rival is to buy their best players or create stories to unsettle their team spirit (A Chinese ancient strategy (strategy no 7) -creating something out of nothing.)
Chelsea looked good to win the title, leading by 9 points with 12 games left (a total of possible 36 points).Man U knows they cannot catch up Chelsea so ALex makes noise to say that Chelsea will fumble.He forgot that Man U will also fumble tonight with their derby clash at Man City!Arsenal should do their job quitely to catch up Chelsea and Man U!
____________________________________________________________
kinfe hagos
henry is always the best
Henry is always the best in england. i think he should be always play with arsenal until he ends up his carreer along side with vieira. if arsen wenger buys a one best mid fielder and one defender and sells one of the wingers ( lujingberg or pires) and help to grow pennant with him arsenal are always going to be the best not in england only but also in europe.
arsenal supporter from eritrea
kinfe
____________________________________________________________