By Myles Palmer
WEST HAM have will not be as dogged as Middlesbrough or as defensive as Ipswich.
So Arsenal should break them down before the 68th minute.
However, the Hammers have better players than Ipswich and are more likely to score.
Still, I’m very impressed by Arsenal’s recent solidity.
Five games ago I tipped Freddie to score four goals in the remaining games.
That now seems a very dour, conservative forecast.
He has scored four in four games.
Can he keep it going? Yes!
He has bottle. He is a big game striker. Lazio 2, Juve 2, Ipswich 2, Cardiff, first goal.
Time and time again he gets in there for vital strikes – 14 this season already.
Freddie is a bright jack-in-the-box with those sharp runs and brave finishes. If only he can stay fit for the next five games.
Tony Adams is once again giving Arsenal shape, organisation, confidence, leadership.
He looked powerful against Ipswich, full of running, able to do whatever the situation required. Even if it meant charging past Vieira into the attack.
We don’t know what Patrick thinks of that gambit.He would rather have Tony behind him, I think.
I noticed Tony holding his back twice on Sunday. Can he play again three days later?
Expect : a quick start, a fast rhythm, an early goal scored or made by Bergkamp, a few roaring overlaps from Ashley Cole.
Nigel Winterburn’s farewell to Highbury?
What a player!
What a magnificent left back !
I’ve said it before, in his testimonial programme,and I will say it again : Winterburn , match for match, is the best player George Graham signed in his entire career.
Winterburn against Ray Parlour? Don’t expect Ray to get past Nigel very often, even if he is ten years younger than the brilliant Brummie.
People keep asking: Do you still think we will sign Joe Cole?
I’m not sure on that one any more.
But Arsene said today that Vieira would be staying.
He also said, “For next season, I think we won’t buy any midfielders.”
An Arsenal win will take them four points clear of Liverpool and five points above Manchester United.
On the Eriksson/Ulrika story, Arsene said, “It’s Sven’s private life, he can do what he wants. I mean, he hasn’t killed anybody.”
On Sol Campbell, I did wonder whether Arsene would stick him in an oxygen chamber to speed a hamstring recovery.
Man United spend millions on the medical side, although that never appears in their accounts, and I now hear that Roy Keane has been in one of those chambers.
Fergie has revealed,”He spent three days in an oxidisation cylinder, four and half hours a day, and that certainly helped his recovery.He had treatment on Sunday, came in the next day and felt great and wanted to train with us.”
Keane WILL NOT play against Leverkusen on Wednesday. But Veron will.
Arsenal thrashed Leverkusen 4-1 and United should do the same.
But Ze Roberto and Lucio didn’t half play well against Liverpool, didn’t they?
An interestingly balanced contest. Maybe.
23rd April 2002.