Now, I know this is relatively similar to a previous post but based on recent results we are lacking something - so I ask the question: What are the missing ingrediens? Well, first of all we need a fully fit squad, the main reason behind our downfall is the loss of Henry, Van Persie etc to injury. So let's start planning for next season.
Ok, let's start by shipping out the 'dead wood'. Unfortunately, Freddie is well past his best and to be fair is of no use to us anymore. Plus if we get rid of him now we may get a fair bit for him (around £3m perhaps). Next, Aliadiere. We all know that he has potential but he hasn't lived up to it. He has had his run in the side and has proved nothing - he simply has to go. Mad Jens' contract runs out in the summer and it doesn't look like he is going to sign a new one, so he will go as well. Also, I think we should not buy Baptista. In my opinion he would be a waste of £10m+ due to his bad touch, bad finishing, bad passing etc. And obviously we should get rid of Reyes, we should get a fair price as well for him (£7-10m)
Ok, now let's look at bringing in some fresh faces. Well, let's not forget about Bendtner coming back from his loan spell. That takes our striker tally up to 5 (Henry, Van Persie, Adebayor, Walcott, Bendtner). Now in my opinion, we need one more. A young striker who is established but fairly cheap. One that I have in mind is Arouna Kone of PSV. Young, hard-working, a good goalscorer and Ivorian, meaning he will fit in well with Toure and Eboue. One problem though is Chelsea's link with PSV. They own some rights to the players meaning that it will be hard to lure any of them to The Emirates. If not Kone, I suggest Huntelaar of Ajax, the problem being the price (estimate of £15m). Or if not, perhaps Leroy Lita. A great little goal poacher who wouldn't mind being back up to Henry and Van Persie. Plus he is English and would be available at a reasonable price (estimate of £5m). Now we need a goalscoring winger as we have none at the club - Hleb and Rosicky are both more central and cut inside. Ribery springs to mind but I would prefer either Robinho or this Malouda of Lyon. I have seen very little of him but are hearing good things. And finally a goalkeeper. Again I have seen little of this guy, but Igor Akinfeev of CSKA Moscow sounds like a real prospect and apparently we are close to agreeing a deal for the Russian. My number one target would be Buffon but obviously the transfer fee comes in and will put Mr Wenger off the World Cup winner. People are saying we need another defender. I don't think so. We have 2 RB: Hoyte and Eboue - 4 CB: Toure, Gallas, Djourou and Senderos - 2 LB: Clichy and Traore. I think we are covered in all areas of the back line. Plus, we have Kerrea Gilbert coming back from his loan spell.
With a little tactic tweaking we could end up with a dream line-up that will dominate England and Europe. Here is a possible second string team in the future:
-----------------------------------Almunia-----------------------------------
Hoyte-------------------Djourou-----------Senderos------------------Traore
-------------------------Gilberto-----------Denilson-------------------------
Walcott------------------------------------------------------------------Hleb
------------------------Bendtner----------Adebayor-------------------------
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Match Review: Liverpool 4-1 Arsenal
Well, what can I say? Another poor performance from Arsene Wenger's red and white army. They played us off the park and we looked like we couldn't care less about the result. This dire performance means we drop down to 4th, but don't worry we still have a game in hand (if you didn't know, I am being sarcastic)!
Le Boss decided to play 4-4-2, with Baptista partnering Adebayor up front. Ljungberg and Rosicky dropped to the bench with Denilson and Hleb starting alongside Cesc and Diaby in midfield. Ever since the kick off, The Gunners looked sloppy, tired, unfit and just generally bad. And we got off to the worst possible start. Arbeloa's low cross was turned in at the near post by the long legs of Peter Crouch, after just 4 minutes at Anfield. We were poor. The likes of Fabregas and Denilson were not at their best and Hleb was diabolical down the right, losing the ball whenever he received it. Baptista was slow up front and even the back 4, arguably our strongest possible, were sloppy and mistake-prone. The only positive thing was that the Arsenal supporters were in full voice, and despite being the visitors drowned out the little support from Liverpool (who have arguably the best fans in the world). The first chance from the visitors was quite a good one. A corner flew in and Adebayor, back from suspension, leaped well and headed just over, onto the roof of the net. This was followed by an impressive acrobatic effort from Crouch, with Lehmann saved superbly. On the half hour mark, Adebayor played a neat ball in for Baptista, but the Brazilian completely miscued his shot, and saw it fly miles wide of the target. Five minutes later, a sublime cross from the left from Aurelio, was met by Crouch, who thumped a perfect header past the helpless Lehmann, for his second of the afternoon. It was simply stunning and it had pretty much knocked the stuffing out of Arsenal and it showed as they miserably trudged inside at the break.
Despite an improvement in The Gunners' performance, the home side were still on top in the second period. And they could have put the game to bed. Gonzalez's cross found Gerrard, but he hacked the volley straight at Lehmann. But then seconds later, Arsenal were on the counter attack. Adebayor cut inside brilliantly and fired a shot towards the bottom corner. Reina was beaten. But the post saved Liverpool. It was Arsenal's best chance and the Togo striker was incredibly unlikely, it deserved to be a goal. However, on the hour, the match looked beyond doubt. Aurelio's freekick was launched into the box, for Agger to flick his header past Lehmann. 3-0. It was painful to watch. But minutes later, Arsenal had another opportunity and again it was Adebayor. Baptista's cross was met brilliantly by Adebayor, who powered a super header on goal. But Reina, at full stretch, managed to get his fingertips to it, and tip the ball onto the post. It was a quite remarkable save and if anyone deserved a goal today, it was Adebayor. Finally, The Gunners had a breakthrough. On 74 minutes, a Fabregas corner was flicked on by Toure and William Gallas bundled the ball over the line from close range. You would have thought it was just consolation, but it had Liverpool worried - for 8 minutes at least. It was inevitable that Crouch would complete his hat-trick and he did it in style. He cut inside two defenders before firing a sweet strike into the top corner. 4-1. Humiliation for Arsenal. And despite Adebayor's brilliance it was one of the worst Arsenal performances I have witnessed.
Match Ratings:
Lehmann: Despite conceding 4, they were all unstoppable. Made a few good saves (6)
Eboue: Lacks match practice. Looked stiff and sloppy. Should have played Hoyte (4)
Toure: Completely different player to the Mr Reliable we are used to. Poor (5)
Gallas: Made a few brilliant tackles. One of the better players, with a goal to boot (8)
Clichy: Anonymous. Poor going forward too (5)
Hleb: Absolutely crap. Worst performance I've seen in ages. Needs to up his game (2)
Fabregas: Very very poor. Not like him. Passing was awful (4)
Denilson: I know he's 19 but he was poor. Like Cesc his passing was bad (4)
Diaby: Quite impressive. Skillful and strong. Plus, he was out of position (7)
Baptista: Has a lot of work to do if he wants to stay. My patience is running thin (3)
Adebayor: Worked his socks off, could have got a hat-trick. Sensational. Boy, we've missed him! (9)
Ljungberg: Didn't make an impact (5)
Rosicky: Didn't make an impact (5)
Hoyte: Not enough time (5)
MAN OF THE MATCH: Peter Crouch
Le Boss decided to play 4-4-2, with Baptista partnering Adebayor up front. Ljungberg and Rosicky dropped to the bench with Denilson and Hleb starting alongside Cesc and Diaby in midfield. Ever since the kick off, The Gunners looked sloppy, tired, unfit and just generally bad. And we got off to the worst possible start. Arbeloa's low cross was turned in at the near post by the long legs of Peter Crouch, after just 4 minutes at Anfield. We were poor. The likes of Fabregas and Denilson were not at their best and Hleb was diabolical down the right, losing the ball whenever he received it. Baptista was slow up front and even the back 4, arguably our strongest possible, were sloppy and mistake-prone. The only positive thing was that the Arsenal supporters were in full voice, and despite being the visitors drowned out the little support from Liverpool (who have arguably the best fans in the world). The first chance from the visitors was quite a good one. A corner flew in and Adebayor, back from suspension, leaped well and headed just over, onto the roof of the net. This was followed by an impressive acrobatic effort from Crouch, with Lehmann saved superbly. On the half hour mark, Adebayor played a neat ball in for Baptista, but the Brazilian completely miscued his shot, and saw it fly miles wide of the target. Five minutes later, a sublime cross from the left from Aurelio, was met by Crouch, who thumped a perfect header past the helpless Lehmann, for his second of the afternoon. It was simply stunning and it had pretty much knocked the stuffing out of Arsenal and it showed as they miserably trudged inside at the break.
Despite an improvement in The Gunners' performance, the home side were still on top in the second period. And they could have put the game to bed. Gonzalez's cross found Gerrard, but he hacked the volley straight at Lehmann. But then seconds later, Arsenal were on the counter attack. Adebayor cut inside brilliantly and fired a shot towards the bottom corner. Reina was beaten. But the post saved Liverpool. It was Arsenal's best chance and the Togo striker was incredibly unlikely, it deserved to be a goal. However, on the hour, the match looked beyond doubt. Aurelio's freekick was launched into the box, for Agger to flick his header past Lehmann. 3-0. It was painful to watch. But minutes later, Arsenal had another opportunity and again it was Adebayor. Baptista's cross was met brilliantly by Adebayor, who powered a super header on goal. But Reina, at full stretch, managed to get his fingertips to it, and tip the ball onto the post. It was a quite remarkable save and if anyone deserved a goal today, it was Adebayor. Finally, The Gunners had a breakthrough. On 74 minutes, a Fabregas corner was flicked on by Toure and William Gallas bundled the ball over the line from close range. You would have thought it was just consolation, but it had Liverpool worried - for 8 minutes at least. It was inevitable that Crouch would complete his hat-trick and he did it in style. He cut inside two defenders before firing a sweet strike into the top corner. 4-1. Humiliation for Arsenal. And despite Adebayor's brilliance it was one of the worst Arsenal performances I have witnessed.
Match Ratings:
Lehmann: Despite conceding 4, they were all unstoppable. Made a few good saves (6)
Eboue: Lacks match practice. Looked stiff and sloppy. Should have played Hoyte (4)
Toure: Completely different player to the Mr Reliable we are used to. Poor (5)
Gallas: Made a few brilliant tackles. One of the better players, with a goal to boot (8)
Clichy: Anonymous. Poor going forward too (5)
Hleb: Absolutely crap. Worst performance I've seen in ages. Needs to up his game (2)
Fabregas: Very very poor. Not like him. Passing was awful (4)
Denilson: I know he's 19 but he was poor. Like Cesc his passing was bad (4)
Diaby: Quite impressive. Skillful and strong. Plus, he was out of position (7)
Baptista: Has a lot of work to do if he wants to stay. My patience is running thin (3)
Adebayor: Worked his socks off, could have got a hat-trick. Sensational. Boy, we've missed him! (9)
Ljungberg: Didn't make an impact (5)
Rosicky: Didn't make an impact (5)
Hoyte: Not enough time (5)
MAN OF THE MATCH: Peter Crouch
Friday, March 30, 2007
Are we in a goalscoring crisis?
I was just wondering if my fellow gooners feel that we are in a mini-crisis. I mean, where are the goals going to come from? Aliadiere is very poor, Baptista is inconsistent, a goal from the midfield comes around about once a month and we have out top two scorers injured! Just look at these stats for the Premiership - our top 5 goal scorers:
Robin Van Persie: 11 goals
Thierry Henry: 10 goals
Gilberto: 8 goals
Manu Adebayor: 6 goals
Mathieu Flamini: 3 goals
That is not good enough, remembering that Van Persie and Henry are injured. Because you look at Fabregas (0 goals), Rosicky (1 goal), Hleb (2 goals), Ljungberg (0 goals), Baptista (1 goal), Diaby (1 goal) etc. Where will the goals come from? Fabregas, Hleb and Rosicky have played brilliantly and have created chances for teammates as well as themselves but have found the Premiership net only 3 times between them. When we were expecting 5 goals+ from each at the start of the season. But then again, all of them could have 5 goals each, as they have been relatively unlucky. Then we look at Baptista. He took the Carling Cup by storm, netting 6 goals in that competition. But The Beast has only scored once in the Premiership this season, not enough when we were expecting 10+ goals from the Brazilian. But to be fair, he has had to settle in to England and very rarely do players shine in their first season (Henry, Adebayor, Drogba, Ronaldo, Hleb and Essien are all examples). But the majority of his performances have been below par, his touch is awful, his passing is not very accurate and most importantly he can't seem to score. But one positive is his workrate and attitude. He will work hard for the team and as well as being determined to play as many games as possible, he is patient and will not complain.
The problem being that Toure and Gallas have scored the same amount of league goals as Hleb, Rosicky, Fabregas, Baptista and Ljungberg put together! But this lack of goals will not be permenant as next season we will have Henry and Van Persie back from injury, Bendtner back from his loan spell and possibly another striker as well. But lets hope that the midfield can start bangining in some goals to keep us in 3rd for the remainder of the season.
Robin Van Persie: 11 goals
Thierry Henry: 10 goals
Gilberto: 8 goals
Manu Adebayor: 6 goals
Mathieu Flamini: 3 goals
That is not good enough, remembering that Van Persie and Henry are injured. Because you look at Fabregas (0 goals), Rosicky (1 goal), Hleb (2 goals), Ljungberg (0 goals), Baptista (1 goal), Diaby (1 goal) etc. Where will the goals come from? Fabregas, Hleb and Rosicky have played brilliantly and have created chances for teammates as well as themselves but have found the Premiership net only 3 times between them. When we were expecting 5 goals+ from each at the start of the season. But then again, all of them could have 5 goals each, as they have been relatively unlucky. Then we look at Baptista. He took the Carling Cup by storm, netting 6 goals in that competition. But The Beast has only scored once in the Premiership this season, not enough when we were expecting 10+ goals from the Brazilian. But to be fair, he has had to settle in to England and very rarely do players shine in their first season (Henry, Adebayor, Drogba, Ronaldo, Hleb and Essien are all examples). But the majority of his performances have been below par, his touch is awful, his passing is not very accurate and most importantly he can't seem to score. But one positive is his workrate and attitude. He will work hard for the team and as well as being determined to play as many games as possible, he is patient and will not complain.
The problem being that Toure and Gallas have scored the same amount of league goals as Hleb, Rosicky, Fabregas, Baptista and Ljungberg put together! But this lack of goals will not be permenant as next season we will have Henry and Van Persie back from injury, Bendtner back from his loan spell and possibly another striker as well. But lets hope that the midfield can start bangining in some goals to keep us in 3rd for the remainder of the season.
Match Preview: Liverpool v Arsenal
Finally the Internationals are over for a few months and we are back to business in the Premiership. A huge match for The Gunners waits at lunchtime on Saturday, as Arsene Wenger's young guns travel to Anfield to face Liverpool. This is a big game in the race for 3rd spot with Arsenal having the upper hand going into the game.
The Gunners lie in 3rd, one point clear of Liverpool with a game in hand. So should we win, it would all but secure are spot. Anfield has been Arsenal's second home this season, as they cruised to two victories in Cup competitions. A 3-1 win in the FA Cup and an extraordinary 6-3 win in the Carling Cup. This is on top of the reverse Premiership game this season, where the mighty reds hammered Liverpool 3-0 at The Emirates. This is the Merseyside giants' first game under new owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks. And the return of Peter Crouch will give The Reds even more to shout about.
Arsenal have mixed injury news. Henry, Van Persie and Walcott are all likely to miss the rest of the season but Arsene Wenger welcomes back Manu Eboue and and Gael Clichy from injury and Manu Adebayor from suspension. But Eboue is unlikely to be risked, with Justin Hoyte slotting into the right back spot. Also, Gilberto has a late fitness test after suffering a hip injury while playing for Brazil.
Team Prediction:
-----------------------------Lehmann------------------------------
Hoyte----------------Toure-----------Gallas-----------------Clichy
Hleb-----------Fabregas------Diaby--------Denilson-------Rosicky
-----------------------------Adebayor------------------------------
Score Prediction:
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
Scorers: Mascherano and Hleb
The Gunners lie in 3rd, one point clear of Liverpool with a game in hand. So should we win, it would all but secure are spot. Anfield has been Arsenal's second home this season, as they cruised to two victories in Cup competitions. A 3-1 win in the FA Cup and an extraordinary 6-3 win in the Carling Cup. This is on top of the reverse Premiership game this season, where the mighty reds hammered Liverpool 3-0 at The Emirates. This is the Merseyside giants' first game under new owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks. And the return of Peter Crouch will give The Reds even more to shout about.
Arsenal have mixed injury news. Henry, Van Persie and Walcott are all likely to miss the rest of the season but Arsene Wenger welcomes back Manu Eboue and and Gael Clichy from injury and Manu Adebayor from suspension. But Eboue is unlikely to be risked, with Justin Hoyte slotting into the right back spot. Also, Gilberto has a late fitness test after suffering a hip injury while playing for Brazil.
Team Prediction:
-----------------------------Lehmann------------------------------
Hoyte----------------Toure-----------Gallas-----------------Clichy
Hleb-----------Fabregas------Diaby--------Denilson-------Rosicky
-----------------------------Adebayor------------------------------
Score Prediction:
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
Scorers: Mascherano and Hleb
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Silly Billy?
Internationals. Yawn. England. Yawn. Sack Crap Mac. Yawn. Everybody hates International football. It's boring and painful to watch our overrated, overpaid pathetic nation being embarrassed. This week and half seems like six months and I can't wait until Saturday, to watch some decent footy on the box. The slim piece of news coming out of Arsenal regards Kolo Toure's new partner in crime, William Gallas.
It is believed that the French defender has been criticising his new team. Now if this is true then perhaps it is something to worry about. Billy left Chelsea with a reputation after reportedly threatening to score an own goal. But the press (unreliable thankfully) report that he has been disappointed with his new surroundings. He criticised the medical staff for not dealing with his injuries well, but this story is unlikely to be true as there are few, if any, better staff than at Arsenal. It is also believed he has been slating his teammates for their sloppiness in recent games. One victim that has been highlighted is Alex Hleb, who gave away the cheap freekick against PSV which led to a goal, knocking us out of Europe. But perhaps this is a good thing. Maybe this young team need a wake-up call judging by our recent results. I believe this is a sign of a determined leader and it is good to have three experienced players with different attitudes. Gallas with his aggression and determination, Gilberto with his quiet, gentle leadership and Henry with a bit of both. I credit Billy and hope he willl stick around to play in the future Arsenal team that will dominate the world.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Bad Season? I don't think so...
Many gooners and neutrals are constantly moaning at the minute at how 'rubbish' we are. 'Arsenal have had such a bad season,' and 'pretty football doesn't win matches' are some phrases being brought up. Perhaps these are half-true, but if you are smart you will realise we have had far from a bad season.
It was a frustrating start with 2 points from a possible 9, as we settled into our new home. But we turned this early start around didn't we? At a place called Old Trafford? The home of 'the best team in the country?' Yep, if you do need reminding we were and still are the only team to beat United in their back yard this season. Considering we had Henry, Ljungberg, Diaby and Senderos all injured, it's not exactly a bad result. And it was the first time we started to realise the real player in Manu Adebayor. Since then, the Togo striker hasn't looked back and has won over the fans (if you don't believe me, listen to 60,000 gooners bellowing A-DE-BAY-OR! A-DE-BAY-OR! at every home game). In Europe, the gunners qualified from a very underrated group. Porto, winners of the competition three years ago, Hamburg, a strong German side with some top notch players (Van Der Vaart) and CSKA Moscow, they must be good if Arsenal couldn't beat them!
Now we all know that the last two or three weeks have been poor. We lost the Carling Cup Final and went out early in both the FA Cup and Champions League. Hang on, rewind. We got to the Carling Cup Final. With teenagers. We knocked out West Brom, Everton and the scum down the lane with little kids. Oh and we also absolutely hammered Liverpool 6-3, at Anfield! Just look at the youngsters that have impressed this season: Justin Hoyte has improved immensely and is growing in confidence due to his long run in the team. Johan Djourou, dubbed Toure II. Surprisingly perhaps, this is the guy I am most excited about. He is an almost complete defender despite being 19! Just imagine him in 10 years! Armand Traore is another promising teenager. His electric pace from left back is scary. Cesc Fabregas has also improved. He is now stronger and is willing to control the game. Denilson is one of THE most exciting as well. He shined against Spurs with his strength, precise passing and long range shooting. Abou Diaby is also one of my favourites. His immense strength makes him remind you of Vieira as well as the long legs. He also has a few tricks up his sleeve and can hit a thunderbolt shot from distance. Theo Walcott has got his fair share of games this season and despite getting a hatful of assists, couldn't find the net himself... until the Final itself when he cooly slotted past Petr Cech, arguably the best keeper in the world.
Now, you must also consider the injury problems we have suffered. Thierry Henry has been out for 80% of the season while Robin Van Persie has been out since January. William Gallas seems to be injury cursed as well, meaning that he has only played a handful of games. Freddie Ljungberg, Alex Hleb, Manu Eboue, Gael Clichy, Abou Diaby, Phillipe Senderos, Tomas Rosicky, Julio Baptista, Johan Djourou and Theo Walcott have all suffered as well, it's quite an unbelievable list, considering Manchester United have had none, bar one or two.
Don't forget, we drew at Stamford Bridge with half the team injured and beat United again as well as that stunning 4-0 win at Reading. So despite a few early exits it hasn't been an atrocious season at all.
It was a frustrating start with 2 points from a possible 9, as we settled into our new home. But we turned this early start around didn't we? At a place called Old Trafford? The home of 'the best team in the country?' Yep, if you do need reminding we were and still are the only team to beat United in their back yard this season. Considering we had Henry, Ljungberg, Diaby and Senderos all injured, it's not exactly a bad result. And it was the first time we started to realise the real player in Manu Adebayor. Since then, the Togo striker hasn't looked back and has won over the fans (if you don't believe me, listen to 60,000 gooners bellowing A-DE-BAY-OR! A-DE-BAY-OR! at every home game). In Europe, the gunners qualified from a very underrated group. Porto, winners of the competition three years ago, Hamburg, a strong German side with some top notch players (Van Der Vaart) and CSKA Moscow, they must be good if Arsenal couldn't beat them!
Now we all know that the last two or three weeks have been poor. We lost the Carling Cup Final and went out early in both the FA Cup and Champions League. Hang on, rewind. We got to the Carling Cup Final. With teenagers. We knocked out West Brom, Everton and the scum down the lane with little kids. Oh and we also absolutely hammered Liverpool 6-3, at Anfield! Just look at the youngsters that have impressed this season: Justin Hoyte has improved immensely and is growing in confidence due to his long run in the team. Johan Djourou, dubbed Toure II. Surprisingly perhaps, this is the guy I am most excited about. He is an almost complete defender despite being 19! Just imagine him in 10 years! Armand Traore is another promising teenager. His electric pace from left back is scary. Cesc Fabregas has also improved. He is now stronger and is willing to control the game. Denilson is one of THE most exciting as well. He shined against Spurs with his strength, precise passing and long range shooting. Abou Diaby is also one of my favourites. His immense strength makes him remind you of Vieira as well as the long legs. He also has a few tricks up his sleeve and can hit a thunderbolt shot from distance. Theo Walcott has got his fair share of games this season and despite getting a hatful of assists, couldn't find the net himself... until the Final itself when he cooly slotted past Petr Cech, arguably the best keeper in the world.
Now, you must also consider the injury problems we have suffered. Thierry Henry has been out for 80% of the season while Robin Van Persie has been out since January. William Gallas seems to be injury cursed as well, meaning that he has only played a handful of games. Freddie Ljungberg, Alex Hleb, Manu Eboue, Gael Clichy, Abou Diaby, Phillipe Senderos, Tomas Rosicky, Julio Baptista, Johan Djourou and Theo Walcott have all suffered as well, it's quite an unbelievable list, considering Manchester United have had none, bar one or two.
Don't forget, we drew at Stamford Bridge with half the team injured and beat United again as well as that stunning 4-0 win at Reading. So despite a few early exits it hasn't been an atrocious season at all.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Match Review: Everton 1-0 Arsenal
Another frustrating defeat for The Gunners, as they failed to take advantage of Liverpool's 0-0 draw at Villa Park. A win for Arsenal would have all but secured the 3rd place spot, but a late winner from Andy Johnson has left the race wide open. However, Arsenal's slim chances of 2nd place have disappeared after a Chelsea win on Saturday.
The first half-chance of the game was a penalty appeal for Everton. Gilberto flicked the ball away from Johnson, before he chased the ball, only for Lehmann to magnificently palm the ball to safety. On the first view, it looked a penalty, but replays showed that it was just great goalkeeping from the German. And besides, the only protests were from the Evertonian fans. Then on 25 minutes, Lee Carsley rattled the post from 30 yards, giving the sloppy Arsenal defence a wake-up call. Arsenal's only decent chances of the half came right at the end, Cesc Fabregas fired a shot on goal, following a typical, flowing Arsenal move, only for Howard to save well. Then Julio Baptista was unmarked at the back post, but headed over when he should have hit the target.
Arsenal dominated the first half and just before the hour mark, Jeremie Aliadiere fired over after Rosicky's cutback. Ljungberg and Toure also had half-chances before Fabregas fired another powerful, swerving shot, that landed comfortably in Howard's arms. The game was still very dull and then the sucker punch came. A corner was only half-cleared and Johnson steered home impressively from six yards. Despite Arsenal's domination, it was on the cards. This was the sixth Premiership defeat of the campaign for Arsene Wenger's side, and it summed up the entire season.
Match Ratings:
Lehmann: Dealt with the Everton threats well (7)
Toure: Looked off the pace, lacking match practice? (5)
Gilberto: Please Arsene, don't play him in defence!!! (4)
Gallas: Without him, the defence would have crumbled. A rock (7)
Hoyte: Remarkably quiet and did nothing to impress (5)
Ljungberg: Way past it, I'm afraid (5)
Fabregas: Diabolical in the first half, the best player on the pitch in the second (7)
Diaby: Sloppy for the majority but showed glimpses of his class (6)
Rosicky: Off the pace (5)
Aliadiere: Has to go. Awful display. Lazy and useless (3)
Baptista: Average. Like Diaby, sloppy but showed potential (6)
Hleb: Quiet (5)
Walcott: Quiet (5)
Denilson: Not enough time (5)
The first half-chance of the game was a penalty appeal for Everton. Gilberto flicked the ball away from Johnson, before he chased the ball, only for Lehmann to magnificently palm the ball to safety. On the first view, it looked a penalty, but replays showed that it was just great goalkeeping from the German. And besides, the only protests were from the Evertonian fans. Then on 25 minutes, Lee Carsley rattled the post from 30 yards, giving the sloppy Arsenal defence a wake-up call. Arsenal's only decent chances of the half came right at the end, Cesc Fabregas fired a shot on goal, following a typical, flowing Arsenal move, only for Howard to save well. Then Julio Baptista was unmarked at the back post, but headed over when he should have hit the target.
Arsenal dominated the first half and just before the hour mark, Jeremie Aliadiere fired over after Rosicky's cutback. Ljungberg and Toure also had half-chances before Fabregas fired another powerful, swerving shot, that landed comfortably in Howard's arms. The game was still very dull and then the sucker punch came. A corner was only half-cleared and Johnson steered home impressively from six yards. Despite Arsenal's domination, it was on the cards. This was the sixth Premiership defeat of the campaign for Arsene Wenger's side, and it summed up the entire season.
Match Ratings:
Lehmann: Dealt with the Everton threats well (7)
Toure: Looked off the pace, lacking match practice? (5)
Gilberto: Please Arsene, don't play him in defence!!! (4)
Gallas: Without him, the defence would have crumbled. A rock (7)
Hoyte: Remarkably quiet and did nothing to impress (5)
Ljungberg: Way past it, I'm afraid (5)
Fabregas: Diabolical in the first half, the best player on the pitch in the second (7)
Diaby: Sloppy for the majority but showed glimpses of his class (6)
Rosicky: Off the pace (5)
Aliadiere: Has to go. Awful display. Lazy and useless (3)
Baptista: Average. Like Diaby, sloppy but showed potential (6)
Hleb: Quiet (5)
Walcott: Quiet (5)
Denilson: Not enough time (5)
"One or Two Super Class Players"
This week, Arsene Wenger has announced that he intends to sign 'One or two super class players'. This is almost a treat for Arsenal fans (no disrespect to the kids), as Mr Wenger is renowned for buying young players for the future, so a couple of class, established players is a pleasant surprise.A few players spring to mind, due to lots of speculation from the press. One big target seems to be Real Madrid's Brazilian winger, Robinho (above). The former Santos star hasn't settled in Spain but has shown what he is capable of, and impressed in England, in the friendly between Brazil and Argentina. His quick, magic feet rivals that of Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo, and is blessed with tremendous speed. He also has an eye for goal, so, should he join The Gunners he would greatly benefit Arsene Wenger's side. Other targets include Julio Baptista, who is currently on loan at Arsenal, Franck Ribery, the French winger who has been heavily linked with The Gunners, due to his friendship with skipper, Thierry Henry, Igor Akinfeev, a young Russian goalkeeper who impressed against The Gunners in the Champions League for CSKA Moscow and finally highly-rated Spanish striker, Fernando Torres. But the latter is very unlikely to join, as Arsenal can not compete with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid due to his estimated value of £30m.
As for me, I would like to see us bring in a goalkeeper, Akinfeev perhaps, as well as a goalscoring winger, either Ribery or Robinho. Maybe a 'goal poacher' as well, someone to finish off great moves the simple way, like a younger Ruud Van Nistelrooy, for example. Players in this mould include Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the scorer of the first ever goal at Emirates Stadium, Miroslav Klose, the lethal German striker and maybe even Reading's Leroy Lita, a young, promising, English striker who can score all types of goals. Plus, he would be available for a reasonable price. But this is my view, not Le Boss' and we'll just have to wait but don't forget, Arsene knows...
My dream, realistic team for 07/08:
--------------------------------Akinfeev---------------------------------
Eboue-------------------Toure----------Gallas--------------------Clichy
------------------Fabregas------Diaby--------Rosicky------------------
V. Persie---------------------------------------------------------Robinho
---------------------------------Henry-----------------------------------
Subs: Almunia, Djourou, Hleb, Gilberto, Adebayor
I don't know about you, but I'm drooling!
Match Preview: Everton v Arsenal
On Wednesday night, gooners were very pleased with the win at Villa Park, despite it not being pretty. It has come to the stage of the season where it doesn't matter how you get results, as long as you get them. And Arsenal proved that, by beating Aston Villa 1-0 courtesy of Abou Diaby's 'fluke' goal. A Julio Baptista shot was heading wide, until Diaby stuck out a foot to divert it home. But The Gunners deserved their bit of luck. Today, they travel to Goodison Park, the home of Everton, which is sure to be another tough encounter.
Despite having a few players back in the squad, Arsene Wenger is still missing key players, especially on the attacking front. Thierry Henry, Robin Van Persie and Theo Walcott are all out for the majority of the season, as well as Emmanuel Adebayor who is suspended for today's clash. Emmanuel Eboue is also suspended but Kolo Toure and Alex Hleb return from suspension and injury respectively. Tomas Rosicky will be pushing for a start after coming on as a sub against Villa, following his injury. So leading the attack, again for Arsenal, are two men with a point to prove. Jeremie Aliadiere, who is likely to be sold in the summer due to his below-par performances, is out to show why Mr Wenger has kept faith in him. His partner in crime is Julio Baptista. 'The Beast' has not yet lived up to his potential, but has shown glimpses of things to come. A four goal haul at Anfield, a brace at White Hart Lane and some impressive dribbling, his mazing run and shot at Old Trafford springs to mind. The Brazilian is on loan at The Emirates and has expressed his desire to stay permanently, but still needs to prove that he is worth the potential £13m price tag on his shoulders, and a goal today might just secure his place at Arsenal next season.
Everton are without key midfielder, Tim Cahill for the rest of the campaign, but still have Mikel Arteta and Andy Johnson who pose great threats. The latter nearly joined the Gunners in the summer, but the price put Arsene Wenger off. Le Boss believes he will be a leading striker for England in the future: "I think Andy is a player who can help England, he is a good striker because of the timing and quality of his runs, his fantastic team ethic and the fact he never gives up. He can be one of the players who can compliment Wayne Rooney because Rooney is more of a second striker who can make the runs and you need another striker who can stretch the defence. Andy Johnson is one of those along with Michael Owen."
Team Prediction:
----------------------------------Lehmann----------------------------------
Hoyte---------------------Toure-----------Gallas---------------------Clichy
Ljungberg----------------Gilberto---------Fabregas-----------------Rosicky
--------------------------Baptista---------Aliadiere-------------------------
Score Prediction:
Everton 1-1 Arsenal
Scorers: Johnson and Ljungberg
Despite having a few players back in the squad, Arsene Wenger is still missing key players, especially on the attacking front. Thierry Henry, Robin Van Persie and Theo Walcott are all out for the majority of the season, as well as Emmanuel Adebayor who is suspended for today's clash. Emmanuel Eboue is also suspended but Kolo Toure and Alex Hleb return from suspension and injury respectively. Tomas Rosicky will be pushing for a start after coming on as a sub against Villa, following his injury. So leading the attack, again for Arsenal, are two men with a point to prove. Jeremie Aliadiere, who is likely to be sold in the summer due to his below-par performances, is out to show why Mr Wenger has kept faith in him. His partner in crime is Julio Baptista. 'The Beast' has not yet lived up to his potential, but has shown glimpses of things to come. A four goal haul at Anfield, a brace at White Hart Lane and some impressive dribbling, his mazing run and shot at Old Trafford springs to mind. The Brazilian is on loan at The Emirates and has expressed his desire to stay permanently, but still needs to prove that he is worth the potential £13m price tag on his shoulders, and a goal today might just secure his place at Arsenal next season.
Everton are without key midfielder, Tim Cahill for the rest of the campaign, but still have Mikel Arteta and Andy Johnson who pose great threats. The latter nearly joined the Gunners in the summer, but the price put Arsene Wenger off. Le Boss believes he will be a leading striker for England in the future: "I think Andy is a player who can help England, he is a good striker because of the timing and quality of his runs, his fantastic team ethic and the fact he never gives up. He can be one of the players who can compliment Wayne Rooney because Rooney is more of a second striker who can make the runs and you need another striker who can stretch the defence. Andy Johnson is one of those along with Michael Owen."
Team Prediction:
----------------------------------Lehmann----------------------------------
Hoyte---------------------Toure-----------Gallas---------------------Clichy
Ljungberg----------------Gilberto---------Fabregas-----------------Rosicky
--------------------------Baptista---------Aliadiere-------------------------
Score Prediction:
Everton 1-1 Arsenal
Scorers: Johnson and Ljungberg
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Match Review: Arsenal 1-1 PSV (1-2 agg.)
Ok, sorry that this is EXTREMELY late, I've been very busy lately, but hey, better late than never! Looks like The Gunners' season is over. Out of the FA Cup, Champions League and have no chance of winning the Premiership title. I hate being negative but I'm afraid it's true.
Like it has been for the entire season, Arsenal dominated. The first chance coming from Kolo Toure, who lashed his shot into the sidenetting. There were not many opportunities, some half chances, like when Fabregas sent Adebayor through, only for Gomes to collect fairly easily, but you could tell Arsenal were in the driving seat. An acrobatic effort from Baptista flew just over the bar, before another overhead kick from the Brazilian went inches wide, even closer than the first one.
In the second half, the breakthrough came. Denilson's corner flashed across the face of goal, for Alex, the rock in the PSV defence, to turn into his own net. The Emirates was rocking. And the fantastic away support was silenced by the brilliant Arsenal atmosphere. The Gunners were flying. Just minutes later, Salcido misjudged a long ball from the back, letting Arsenal's main threat, Emmanuel Adebayor burst through. You would have put your house on him scoring, but the Togo striker fired his volley straight at Gomes. Then, Julio Baptista left the pitch, recieving an ovation in the process. But it was nothing compared to his replacement, Henry's. The crowd showed their appreciation to the skipper by erupting into noise, silencing the few stupid people that doubt the Frenchman's ability. And King Henry proved it. He curled a sensational free kick towards the top corner, only for Gomes to tip over in style. It looked like extra time was coming, until Hleb gave away a cheap free kick out wide. It swung in, past the helpless Arsenal defence for, ironically, Alex to power home a header. He had scored at both ends but that wouldn't bother him, he had secured PSV a place in the Quarter-Finals. The travelling Dutch fans went mental. Thierry and co as well as the fans were simply shell-shocked.
So now, The Gunners have just one thing to fight for, a very unlikely 2nd place spot in the Premiership. It was one of the worst nights I have experienced.
Like it has been for the entire season, Arsenal dominated. The first chance coming from Kolo Toure, who lashed his shot into the sidenetting. There were not many opportunities, some half chances, like when Fabregas sent Adebayor through, only for Gomes to collect fairly easily, but you could tell Arsenal were in the driving seat. An acrobatic effort from Baptista flew just over the bar, before another overhead kick from the Brazilian went inches wide, even closer than the first one.
In the second half, the breakthrough came. Denilson's corner flashed across the face of goal, for Alex, the rock in the PSV defence, to turn into his own net. The Emirates was rocking. And the fantastic away support was silenced by the brilliant Arsenal atmosphere. The Gunners were flying. Just minutes later, Salcido misjudged a long ball from the back, letting Arsenal's main threat, Emmanuel Adebayor burst through. You would have put your house on him scoring, but the Togo striker fired his volley straight at Gomes. Then, Julio Baptista left the pitch, recieving an ovation in the process. But it was nothing compared to his replacement, Henry's. The crowd showed their appreciation to the skipper by erupting into noise, silencing the few stupid people that doubt the Frenchman's ability. And King Henry proved it. He curled a sensational free kick towards the top corner, only for Gomes to tip over in style. It looked like extra time was coming, until Hleb gave away a cheap free kick out wide. It swung in, past the helpless Arsenal defence for, ironically, Alex to power home a header. He had scored at both ends but that wouldn't bother him, he had secured PSV a place in the Quarter-Finals. The travelling Dutch fans went mental. Thierry and co as well as the fans were simply shell-shocked.
So now, The Gunners have just one thing to fight for, a very unlikely 2nd place spot in the Premiership. It was one of the worst nights I have experienced.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Match Preview: Arsenal v PSV
The crunch match. Round II... fight! PSV Eindhoven travel to The Emirates in a huge Champions League clash that will decide Arsenal's season. The Dutch Champions have a 1-0 advantage from the first leg so The Gunners need to win by two clear goals to qualify for the Quarter-Finals.
Arsenal are aided with a huge boost, inspirational captain Thierry Henry is fit to start against PSV this evening. Manu Adebayor and Kolo Toure are also avaliable, as their suspensions only apply to domestic competitions. However, Tomas Rosicky, Justin Hoyte, Phillipe Senderos, Manu Eboue, Mathieu Flamini and Robin Van Persie are all still injured. As for PSV, dangerous striker Jefferson Farfan returns from injury. But they also have injury problems. The hero of the first leg, Manuel da Costa is out as well as former Liverpool flop Jan Kromkamp. Gomes, Cocu, Salcido and Alex all face late fitness tests but are expected to play.
Team Prediction:
--------------------------------Lehmann----------------------------------
Djourou----------------Toure-------------Gallas--------------------Clichy
Hleb------------------Gilberto-----------Fabregas--------------Ljungberg
---------------------------------Baptista----------------------------------
----------------------------------Henry----------------------------------
Score Prediction:
Arsenal 2-0 PSV
Scorers: Hleb and Henry
Arsenal are aided with a huge boost, inspirational captain Thierry Henry is fit to start against PSV this evening. Manu Adebayor and Kolo Toure are also avaliable, as their suspensions only apply to domestic competitions. However, Tomas Rosicky, Justin Hoyte, Phillipe Senderos, Manu Eboue, Mathieu Flamini and Robin Van Persie are all still injured. As for PSV, dangerous striker Jefferson Farfan returns from injury. But they also have injury problems. The hero of the first leg, Manuel da Costa is out as well as former Liverpool flop Jan Kromkamp. Gomes, Cocu, Salcido and Alex all face late fitness tests but are expected to play.
Team Prediction:
--------------------------------Lehmann----------------------------------
Djourou----------------Toure-------------Gallas--------------------Clichy
Hleb------------------Gilberto-----------Fabregas--------------Ljungberg
---------------------------------Baptista----------------------------------
----------------------------------Henry----------------------------------
Score Prediction:
Arsenal 2-0 PSV
Scorers: Hleb and Henry
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Lupoli is off while Bendtner stays put
Two of Arsenal's most promising youngsters have announced where they hope their future will lie. Italian striker Arturo Lupoli (left) will return to his home country to join Fiorentina, as his current contract at Arsenal runs out in the summer. Lupoli has been on loan at Derby this season and has helped them climb up to 2nd in the Championship. It is a shame to lose him as in the reserves and Carling Cup games which fans may have seen, the Italian has looked good. In 2004 he netted two against Everton in the Carling Cup, showing the huge potential that he possesses. Defrby's promotion rivals, Birmingham also have an Arsenal loanee on their books. Danish striker, Nicklas Bendtner has revealed that he intends to stay with The Gunners when he returns from his loan. This is good news as Bendtner is as good if not better than Lupoli, so Arsene Wenger will have an army of strikers next season, including: Henry, Van Persie, Adebayor, Bendtner, Walcott, Aliadiere and Baptista as well if his move becomes permanent. Bendtner quoted: "This is a fantastic experience for me, but I'm an Arsenal player, it is still my ambition to break into the Arsenal team and I hope to do that next season. "I believe I could play in this Arsenal team, otherwise I wouldn't be going back. It's going to be tough, because there are some great strikers at the club, but I can compete for a place."
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Match Review: Arsenal 2-1 Reading
Arsene Wenger's side are back to winning ways, but it was a tough encounter at The Emirates. Reading put up a real fight and it was a pleasant surprise to see a team play 'real football' or the free-flowing attacking style, whatever you want to call it. This win was just what Arsenal needed, three points and a big boost for Wednesday's Champions League showdown with PSV.
The Gunners started brightly. Theo Walcott had an effort saved within a minute and looked really lively, partnering Julio Baptista up front. Then on 13 minutes, Baptista swiveled and fired a low shot just wide of Marcus Hahnemann's post. Arsenal clearly had the upper hand and showed it with lots of quick, neat passing through midfield. However, just before half time, a huge chance went begging. Baptista surged into the box, shrugging off defenders in the process, and had only the keeper to beat. The Brazilian unselfishly passed to Fabregas who, unbelievably, miscued his shot and wasted a golden opportunity. The goal was gaping. A simple tap-in, but the young Spaniard had made a hash of it. However, this had overshadowed another stunning performance by the midfielder.
And he proved it early on in the second period. He had a magnificent, curling shot saved brilliantly by the Reading keeper, Hahnemann. Just minutes later, Gael Clichy galloped forward from left back and was clipped by Andre Bikey in the area. Penalty! At last a decision had gone Arsenal's way! Stand-in skipper, Gilberto stepped up and cooly slotted the spot kick into the bottom corner. Then, 10 minutes later, Denilson sprinted from inside his own half before finding Baptista. He outmuscled Murty before poking his shot home to make it 2-0. You could tell by the Brazilian's recent performances that he was going to score. Finally, The Gunners had time to relax.
Until the 86th minute. A corner was flicked on by Ingimarsson for Cesc Fabregas to turn into his own net. The pressure was on. And in stoppage time, former gooner, Steve Sidwell nearly equalised. His shot was saved remarkably by Lehmann to ensure that Arsene Wenger's men would go home happy, with three points in the bag.
Match Ratings:
Lehmann: Not tested until the end. Super save to deny Sidwell (7)
Djourou: Looked comfortable despite being out of position. Solid at the back (7)
Gallas: Brings vital experience to the defence. A rock at the back (7)
Gilberto: Placed his penalty perfectly but was rather quiet during the game (7)
Clichy: Made some brilliant runs from the back, such an attacking threat (8)
Hleb: Excellent first half, faded in the second (7)
Denilson: Showed glimpses of his class but was very quiet (6)
Fabregas: Despite two major errors he was superb. Pulled all the strings from midfield (8)
Ljungberg: Worked his socks off. Fantastic display (8) MAN OF THE MATCH
Baptista: So pleased for him. Turning into a very good player (7)
Walcott: Was brilliant early on but eventually faded (7)
Diaby: Showed some sensational footwork when he came on. A huge prospect (6)
Aliadiere: Struggled to get into the game, but then again, had little time (5)
Senderos: Not enough time. Perhaps at fault for the goal? (5)
The Gunners started brightly. Theo Walcott had an effort saved within a minute and looked really lively, partnering Julio Baptista up front. Then on 13 minutes, Baptista swiveled and fired a low shot just wide of Marcus Hahnemann's post. Arsenal clearly had the upper hand and showed it with lots of quick, neat passing through midfield. However, just before half time, a huge chance went begging. Baptista surged into the box, shrugging off defenders in the process, and had only the keeper to beat. The Brazilian unselfishly passed to Fabregas who, unbelievably, miscued his shot and wasted a golden opportunity. The goal was gaping. A simple tap-in, but the young Spaniard had made a hash of it. However, this had overshadowed another stunning performance by the midfielder.
And he proved it early on in the second period. He had a magnificent, curling shot saved brilliantly by the Reading keeper, Hahnemann. Just minutes later, Gael Clichy galloped forward from left back and was clipped by Andre Bikey in the area. Penalty! At last a decision had gone Arsenal's way! Stand-in skipper, Gilberto stepped up and cooly slotted the spot kick into the bottom corner. Then, 10 minutes later, Denilson sprinted from inside his own half before finding Baptista. He outmuscled Murty before poking his shot home to make it 2-0. You could tell by the Brazilian's recent performances that he was going to score. Finally, The Gunners had time to relax.
Until the 86th minute. A corner was flicked on by Ingimarsson for Cesc Fabregas to turn into his own net. The pressure was on. And in stoppage time, former gooner, Steve Sidwell nearly equalised. His shot was saved remarkably by Lehmann to ensure that Arsene Wenger's men would go home happy, with three points in the bag.
Match Ratings:
Lehmann: Not tested until the end. Super save to deny Sidwell (7)
Djourou: Looked comfortable despite being out of position. Solid at the back (7)
Gallas: Brings vital experience to the defence. A rock at the back (7)
Gilberto: Placed his penalty perfectly but was rather quiet during the game (7)
Clichy: Made some brilliant runs from the back, such an attacking threat (8)
Hleb: Excellent first half, faded in the second (7)
Denilson: Showed glimpses of his class but was very quiet (6)
Fabregas: Despite two major errors he was superb. Pulled all the strings from midfield (8)
Ljungberg: Worked his socks off. Fantastic display (8) MAN OF THE MATCH
Baptista: So pleased for him. Turning into a very good player (7)
Walcott: Was brilliant early on but eventually faded (7)
Diaby: Showed some sensational footwork when he came on. A huge prospect (6)
Aliadiere: Struggled to get into the game, but then again, had little time (5)
Senderos: Not enough time. Perhaps at fault for the goal? (5)
Match Preview: Arsenal v Reading
Another game, another big game in a roller coaster ride of a season. The Gunners really need a win to get their season back on track. It was all going so well until three defeats on he bounce left Arsene Wenger's side in big, big trouble. Today is a real test of the kids' confidence. Are they mentally strong enough to put the previous games behind them? Can they maintain the unbeaten record at The Emirates? So many questions, so little time to think.
You would have thought being unbeaten at home, against Reading, the team we thrashed 4-0 at The Madejski Stadium, would be an easy win, but you would be stupid to write The Royals off. They nearly came back from 3-0 down in midweek against Manchester United, showing that they have character. Plus there is the small problem that half the squad are unavaliable for the game due to injuries and suspensions. The only good news being that Abou Diaby and Johan Djourou are back.
3rd place Liverpool entertain league leaders Manchester United this lunchtime, a game in which Arsenal will be paying close attention to. The Gunners are 4 points behind Liverpool with 2 games in hand, so should both United and Arsenal win, it would boost Arsenal's chances of finishing 3rd or even second dramatically.
Team Prediction:
---------------------------------Lehmann--------------------------------
Gallas----------------Senderos-------------Djourou----------------Clichy
Hleb-----------------Fabregas-------------Gilberto------------Ljungberg
----------------------Aliadiere-------------Baptista----------------------
Score Prediction:
Arsenal 2-1 Reading
Scorers: Baptista, Hleb and Lita
You would have thought being unbeaten at home, against Reading, the team we thrashed 4-0 at The Madejski Stadium, would be an easy win, but you would be stupid to write The Royals off. They nearly came back from 3-0 down in midweek against Manchester United, showing that they have character. Plus there is the small problem that half the squad are unavaliable for the game due to injuries and suspensions. The only good news being that Abou Diaby and Johan Djourou are back.
3rd place Liverpool entertain league leaders Manchester United this lunchtime, a game in which Arsenal will be paying close attention to. The Gunners are 4 points behind Liverpool with 2 games in hand, so should both United and Arsenal win, it would boost Arsenal's chances of finishing 3rd or even second dramatically.
Team Prediction:
---------------------------------Lehmann--------------------------------
Gallas----------------Senderos-------------Djourou----------------Clichy
Hleb-----------------Fabregas-------------Gilberto------------Ljungberg
----------------------Aliadiere-------------Baptista----------------------
Score Prediction:
Arsenal 2-1 Reading
Scorers: Baptista, Hleb and Lita
Match Review: Blackburn 1-0 Arsenal
Well, it left us shell shocked. It was the third consecutive match which The Gunners dominated but lost. So what are we left with now? 4th in the league, we lost the Carling Cup Final, we're 1-0 in the Champions League and have just been dumped out of the FA Cup. It's amazing how a season can change in a week, isn't it?
It was another frustrating game, but the same old story for the unlucky gunners - dominating the match only to be beaten by constantly fantastic goalkeeping and a late winner. Yep, not surprisingly Brad Friedel was on form and The Young Guns couldn't beat the American keeper. The first chance came after 26 minutes, when Ljungberg sent in a deep cross from the right. The Blackburn defence misjudged it and Baptista opted to chest the ball down instead of planting a firm header on goal. The Brazilian made a hash of it, and it proved to be costly. Then Arsenal had two big penalty shouts turned down. Jeremie Aliadiere rounded Friedel before being brought down by the keeper. But Graham Poll gave a goal kick. That was followed by Freddie Ljungberg being bundled over by Brett Emerton. The Australian was pulling Ljungberg down as well as having a kick at his legs. Any other decent ref with a brain would have agreed that this was a penalty. But no, this was the fat, hopeless, brainless idiot we call Graham Poll so we might as well have not complained. If you could not tell by my anger, this was not Mr Poll's first mistake in his refereeing career. To be perfectly honest, I don't know why this guy still has his job!
Julio Baptista was again at the heart of another Arsenal chance. A free-kick was swung in but The Beast headed over when he should have scored. It was not going to be his night. This was followed by another half-chance. Denilson slid a great ball through only for Ljungberg's touch to let him down and the ball rolled into Friedel's arms.
Despite Baptista not being at his goalscoring best, it was clear to see that he is adapting to the English game brilliantly. His awful first touch has improved and his ability to drop deep and dictate the play has made him become a crucial part of the side. This has all come down to Arsene Wenger's faith to give him a long run in the side. And he proved that he, like any Brazilian, is a showboating king. A lovely 'roulette turn' left the Blackburn defence for dead. He then fired a serving shot from 40 yards but Friedel matched this piece of excellence by tipping it past the post. Both managers made changes. Wenger brought on Theo Walcott for Eboue and reshuffled his pack with Gilberto moving to centre back, Senderos filling in at right back and Hleb slotting into central midfield. Blackburn boss, Mark Hughes replaced Nonda with McCarthy and Tugay with David Dunn. This was the turning point.
Arsene Wenger seemed to have made one of his extremely rare tactical mistakes. Phillipe Senderos had looked shaky all night, so switching him to right-back wasn't wise. With less than five minutes left, Blackburn went on the attack. Subsitute Benni McCarthy cut inside Senderos too easily as the Swiss defender slipped over. Then the South African striker fired a stunning strike past the helpless Almunia, into the top corner. That was it, the FA Cup dream was over. And now The Gunners need a miracle to turn their season around. A huge game against Reading is next followed by probably our biggest game of the season - the Champions League return leg at The Emirates. So let's hope and pray our season doesn't end in tears come May.
It was another frustrating game, but the same old story for the unlucky gunners - dominating the match only to be beaten by constantly fantastic goalkeeping and a late winner. Yep, not surprisingly Brad Friedel was on form and The Young Guns couldn't beat the American keeper. The first chance came after 26 minutes, when Ljungberg sent in a deep cross from the right. The Blackburn defence misjudged it and Baptista opted to chest the ball down instead of planting a firm header on goal. The Brazilian made a hash of it, and it proved to be costly. Then Arsenal had two big penalty shouts turned down. Jeremie Aliadiere rounded Friedel before being brought down by the keeper. But Graham Poll gave a goal kick. That was followed by Freddie Ljungberg being bundled over by Brett Emerton. The Australian was pulling Ljungberg down as well as having a kick at his legs. Any other decent ref with a brain would have agreed that this was a penalty. But no, this was the fat, hopeless, brainless idiot we call Graham Poll so we might as well have not complained. If you could not tell by my anger, this was not Mr Poll's first mistake in his refereeing career. To be perfectly honest, I don't know why this guy still has his job!
Julio Baptista was again at the heart of another Arsenal chance. A free-kick was swung in but The Beast headed over when he should have scored. It was not going to be his night. This was followed by another half-chance. Denilson slid a great ball through only for Ljungberg's touch to let him down and the ball rolled into Friedel's arms.
Despite Baptista not being at his goalscoring best, it was clear to see that he is adapting to the English game brilliantly. His awful first touch has improved and his ability to drop deep and dictate the play has made him become a crucial part of the side. This has all come down to Arsene Wenger's faith to give him a long run in the side. And he proved that he, like any Brazilian, is a showboating king. A lovely 'roulette turn' left the Blackburn defence for dead. He then fired a serving shot from 40 yards but Friedel matched this piece of excellence by tipping it past the post. Both managers made changes. Wenger brought on Theo Walcott for Eboue and reshuffled his pack with Gilberto moving to centre back, Senderos filling in at right back and Hleb slotting into central midfield. Blackburn boss, Mark Hughes replaced Nonda with McCarthy and Tugay with David Dunn. This was the turning point.
Arsene Wenger seemed to have made one of his extremely rare tactical mistakes. Phillipe Senderos had looked shaky all night, so switching him to right-back wasn't wise. With less than five minutes left, Blackburn went on the attack. Subsitute Benni McCarthy cut inside Senderos too easily as the Swiss defender slipped over. Then the South African striker fired a stunning strike past the helpless Almunia, into the top corner. That was it, the FA Cup dream was over. And now The Gunners need a miracle to turn their season around. A huge game against Reading is next followed by probably our biggest game of the season - the Champions League return leg at The Emirates. So let's hope and pray our season doesn't end in tears come May.
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