Eduardo’s EPL baptism was a rough one in a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park.
He suffered culture shock. Like Petit, Henry and Pires years before, the striker was thinking : If this is football, what have I been playing for the last ten years ?
For a physical game like that Arsene Wenger really needed the power of Eboue and Adebayor, who are injured. He should have sent Eduardo off for a weekend of SAS training on Brecon Beacons. That might have given him an idea of what to expect.
Losing skipper William Gallas to a groin injury is a big blow. He’ll be out for three weeks
Overall, Arsenal coped well with the bruisers of Blackburn but a Jens Lehman blunder gave David Dunn an equaliser in 72 minutes, after Robin van Persie had slammed in a loose ball in 18. The first goal was from a good attack, Eduardo almost scored, Fabregas almost scored, RVP banged it in from six yards.
For Lehmann, it’s two games, two blunders. The miskick against Fulham didn’t cost Arsenal because they came back to win that game 2-1.This howler wasn’t even a miskick. He let Dunn’s 22-yard shot go through his hands. Will Arsene drop him ? If he doesn’t drop him, will he boob again on Saturday ?
Chelsea are second after Rob Styles gave them an outrageous penalty at Anfield, where they drew 1-1.
Fernando Torres answered my question.
How long will it take new boy Torres to settle into English football ?
Answer : 16 minutes.
He made a great run onto a through ball from Stevie G on the halfway line, after spinning round Ben Haim, took a tiny touch into the box and a bigger touch that took him past the centreback and then jabbed his right foot shot low across Cech for 1-0. It was fast, fluid, deadly and perfect.You could not improve on it.
A world class goal by a centre forward making his Anfield debut, executed with the supreme confidence of a goalscorer who knows exactly how to measure his acceleration and his shot.
Torres is raw power with subtle moments of disguise.
Torres can be very direct when he wants to be.
Torres is a cool Spaniard who is worth a cool £23 million
Torres is the blond Anelka.
Liverpool were organised, aggressive and organised. Did I mention that they were organised?
When SWP crossed low from the right, Malouda ran into Agger, and the ball went behind both of them towards Drogba. It was a foul by Malouda but Rob Styles, four yards away, gave a penalty.
Sky’s Andy Gray went ballistic. “Just get big decisions right ! That’s all people ask from referees. It wasn’t even a decision, to be fair.”
That was true : it was hardly a decision. It was either a foul by Malouda or let play continue. It was never a penalty in a million years and it’s beyond belief that Styles could give a penalty when he was standing four yards away. If it had been a penalty Drogba would have thrown up his arms and shouted, “Ref !” Drogba didn’t do that. He just put his head down and went after the ball and then he was stopped by the whistle.
I’ve seen it 12 times now and I don’t think Malouda cheated. He didn’t appeal for a penalty or expect a penalty. He wanted to dummy that ball but the ball was behind him, so he jumped into Finnan.
Lampard sent Reina the wrong way and it finished 1-1 and Chelsea didn’t create much in a dull second half.
Manchester United were Arsenal at Eastlands and they lost 1-0.
Nani and Tevez have turned them into a flicky Latin team which doesn’t score. United attacked, City defended, Nani and Tevez missed chances. Nani and Tevez need to be playing with a Crespo, a Torres, a Berbatov, a Drogba. The champions have played three games but haven’t won. It’s their worst start since 1992.
Man City are top with three wins in three games and no goals conceded. They play defensive football and the goal that beat United was a 30 yard shot by Geovanni which deflected off Vidic and curved just inside the post. City were nervy and dismal before that goal and quite good after it, with centreback Micah Richards absolutely phenomenal.
The England team for Wednesday’s friendly against Germany should be SWP, Richards, Hargreaves and eight A.N. Others.