Monday, February 25, 2008

Birmingham v. Arsenal 2-2 23/Feb/08

Saturday's game relevance on title race was overwhelmed by one of the worst injuries I have ever seen in my fifteen year 'career' as a football watcher. Eduardo da Silva suffered a double fracture in both bones of the lower left leg, An exposed fracture that kept silent the whole city of Birmingham for more than six minutes. This is no new news for the reader, but as a homage I will not post these horrible and tragic incident. Many players have suffered terrible and awful injuries; Totti near the 2006 WC, the latest Ronaldo injury, Cruz Azul crack Edgar Andrade and your own server and writer. A long term injury that has to do with surgery is no joke at all. The recovery time and worst, the sideline of the pitches and even normal life can shake one's emotional life to the point of depression.
The team was really shocked, to the extent of, all the first half, playing in 'another world'. One of the most shocked players was Cesc. Indeed this talented Spaniard had friends at all club levels but he has acquainted very well with the Croatian striker.
I am 100% sure he will be back, maybe not for the EURO 2008 but for the next season. Early reports indicate that at least ten months for full recovery. My estimate, although I am not a profesional is 12 to 14 months. There are many doctors that have mentioned that even he could have been amputated. It will be a spell that will haunt his career and he is for certain that all support needed throughout his recovery will be given by the club and fans. Regarding the post-injury comments on Arsene, I think they are not exaggerated. Taylor is receiving many death threats from both English and Croatian supporters. I know that any player would not like to do such harm. I am not sure Taylor would liked to but he should be making a public statement regarding his position towards the Croatian. Nothing more to say than a full and on-time recovery. Best wishes for you Eduardo, I know the pain of an injury, be strong fellow.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Arsenal v. AC Milan 0-0 20/Feb/08

A goalless match settle the most interesting game in the Knock out stage of UCL, into an almost Arsenal victory against the northern Italy team this evening at the Grove. Arsenal, as in season 05/06, created chances but really did not put the ball back in the net against a shadowed Milan, that will have to come from behind in home, in two weeks time.
In, what appear to be a gigantic struggle for the Londoners seemed a pleasant but reluctant match. In the second half the Londoners took advantage and created at least ten obvious chances of goal, against a struggling away team, relying on its forward strength. I thought the North London side will nor recover for the weekend's clash against arch-rivals Man Utd at the FA Cup, but as Cesc Fábregas mentioned it: "Winners recover faster than losers". Not much anything to add really. The fears of pre-match were occupied by Pato and Kaká as well as the midfield apparatus by AC Milan. The line up were as expected on both teams. One parenthesis I have to make is the inclusion of Mexican TV in UCL matches. TV Azteca commentators seemed to know nothing about either English football or Arsenal FC (with the exception of Antonio Rosique who did his Masters degree at Liverpool). So I turned to the more allusive style of ESPN Latin American commentators such as Fernando Palomo and Mario "Matador" Kempes, highly experienced in every football aspect.
The game, stated with an initiative home side, trying to put both pace and game play functioning. It seemed that the change of Kolo Touré for Philippe Senderos, very early in the game was a major setback but the home side managed to suppress this, and the number 6 did enjoy a good match. My 'Pato' guess was that he will not hold physically on the strength of the Arsenal center back. He eventually did but with a price of diminishing his play. One thing is to face struggling Regina and Palermo center backs and the other facing top flight teams such as the one discussed. Regarding center back the one by AC Milan, lacked substance. There were throughout the game serious flaws in organizing and covering positions, this also of a lack of presence of Gattuso who was by instructions of Mr. Ancelotti, chasing Cesc Fábregas. The home side was totally focused, they played as a whole, not relying on personal appearances although some of them were undeniable, like Cesc, Flamini and Clichy. These three players were perfect, above all, Mathieu Flamini. He was relentlessly helping both the forward and defensive nest. He covered Kaká when available and helped liberate Cesc in what is a two man functioning. He was completely in charge for the different aspects of the midfield, he ruled completely, as the media speculated over the 'ferocious' Italian midfield. The London side created all the game chances from the sides and with counter strikes that lead to the previously mentioned Center back form. Mario "Matador" Kempes said, around the 24', the Italian side kept waiting. This untranscendental speech is highly remarkable, although he meant a cliché. The Arsenal entered in a few minutes in the Italian game, slow paced, and contemplative in a passive rhytm, that lead to nothing. The Gunners quickly realized through Hleb the great mistake and began to roll the ball. Arsenal showed good form, an improvement on Saturday's game. Clichy covered Pato and went forward, a pretty difficult thing. A pretty unusual, but totally true thing was the adventurous comment by Fernando Palomo on Paolo Maldini. The Milan eternal skipper made his debut on 1985; still existed the USSR. I was not born yet, and now I nearly reach the twenties, he has made a lifetime achievement.
Second half was a completely on Arsenal. The approaches made by Eboué, Cesc and Manu Adebayor were not nearly enough to score. The first 15' were an overwhelming attempt to make a goal. It was the right time to kill the game, to take the advantage and the upper hand to Italy in two weeks. Nearly 7 chances were created and defectuously finished. Maldini was very good at covering showing a class of attitude and experience. The two final substitutions by the London side were carefully elected, giving time to the youngsters Bendtner and Walcott. The latter proved to be very efficient cutting into the wing and creating a chance that could have ended in the back of the net.
Obviously everything will be decided in two weeks time. We will see how both teams cope with many absents now recovered and fully playing.
Today I have found a very interesting article in which is pictured the FLAW of many Board Directors and Executives. It is not, an Italian team struggling in mid table or a Mexican team. It is the home of the revolution of football: Ajax.My footballistical father has taken over the charge of Manager, in one of the wisest moves ever. I will see much more often Ajax playing in the Eredivise than I did (twice per month or so).

Manchester United v. Arsenal 4-0 16/Feb/08

Apparently, it does not seem enough to loose against Tottenham horribly, but against the other arch-rival Man Utd proportioned the London side a beat that will live strong in the memory of the 'Red Devils'. It was almost a 'revenge' from the loss of points against Man City, and Man Utd did a warning on the EPL title race. They are still one and more alive than ever. It will be a tough campaign from now on and the tie later in the year will be decisive.
Regarding the game the Manchester side destroyed completely the Arsenal FC. There are no other adjectives that can qualify the perfect way the Manchester side played, and the way the London side was diminished. It was a single way traffic of the ball, and could even be more than four goals.
In the formal analysis of the match, it was a game to forget. Even against the Spurs at the Carling Cup showdown in the semifinal, the team struggled and fought against the powerful nemesis, but here it was a relentless massacre. The first minutes were contemplative, a measuring by both sides, in which strengths were paired, it was the nerve of the game, that took the slow pace of the Arsenal. It appeared that he center back that has raised hails in this blog, was strong and did not loss the pace that characterized it since previous seasons. Lehmann had a few savings until the goal arrived. Man Utd players, specially Anderson, begun the generation of the game with a good solid flow of un-marking. Anderson played excellent, making the necessary support to the forwards and organizing as well as creating game, providing chances and finishing with shots on goal. All plays passed on his feet. The goal, another set piece creation was a good header by Rooney, which had a very good game, showed the reluctance of the game play by Justin Hoyte. I will comment on his game later, which has been one of the worst performance of an Arsenal FC player through my entire life. Immediately, at 20', Nani made a play on the wing which drove nuts Hoyte (all the game actually) and Fletcher took advantage on the terrible mark by Gallas which also had an awful match. Nani has proved a very good prospect on Mr. Ferguson. His role in the wing, similar to Cristiano, has been a delight the 'Theater of Dreams' this season. There are many similarities but we must not mix these players. He played a terrific match and in my opinion he diserved Jav's Player of the Match, with a very respectable double-shared honorific mention to Wayne Rooney and Jens Lehmann. The midfield of the London side was invisible, Eboué was imperceptible although Hleb tried to be the link that has been missing when Arsene lines up Edoardo and Bendtner together. The Londoners were dimished physically. Exhaust took its toll among players like Cesc or the recently returned Touré. The position of Man Utd against the fewest of the chances that Arsenal produced was strong, as Juande Ramos planning in the Carling Cup semifinal. Gallas failed, in this game and the previous mentioned game, to be a leader that is supposed to be. Flamini's leadership lacked and was until he came out of the bench that looked a bit more manageable. The inexistent defense by the London side was clearly pictured in the set pieces, and specially in the memorable offside trap.
The sent off of Manu Eboué was completely correct. He forgot about the ball. He was violent and totally lacked fair play. That play affected emotionally the team, it was a catharsis of the frustration. In seventy minutes the Arsenal was not capable of making a good goal occasion. It would have been more goals if it was not fo Lehmann. Arsene did the three changes in order to reserve his best players to the game on Wednesday. One of the three matches to forget this season, all againsty direct rivals, and not that direct: Seville, Middlesbrough, Tottenham and Man Utd.
Justin Hoyte is different theme. Nani drove him mad all the game, all the game plays came from that side and he lacked everything. He played not awfully, but horrible, a performance not worth of a "first division player". He is in danger although Arsene will keep him, the people at the Grove will certainly not look him the same.
Finally some rumors about Arsene Wenger moving to the city of Barcelona next summer as well as the return of their privileged child Fábregas, popped out greatly among Spanish media reaching unendeavored heights to the extent of both members of the club reassuring that they are going nowhere for a long time.
Both teams manage to make the right replacements due to the UCL matchs against AC Milan (Arsenal) and Olympique Lyonais (Man Utd). Those matches are very important and though the FA Cup was a very high stake in the schedule of Mr. Wenger, the focus of the Frenchman and the team is evidently put in the EPL and UCL respectively. It would be a tough campaign for both English sides facing top teams at their leagues. The case of the AC Milan is a very special one. Throughout the first part of the season they did not won a single home game, until 'Pato Maravila' arrived and made a perfect debut; as posted in this blog earlier and also in Miles'. A bad news for the Gunners is that both Kaká and the Brazilian youngster will be ready for the clash at the Grove. The London team as barely coped with the injury season that stroke the team this season. This injury crisis is even worst than the one faced in 2005/2006. Nearly elven players were not available for this game and presumably the figure will not narrow in frequent days. This though injury setback leaves Arsene limited to a pick of 14 to 16 players. This will be a major setback in the final part due to the same 14 to 16 players playing at a regular two-competence games (if Arsenal advances in UCL), this will cause exhaustion and more injuries. It will be a very hard time for the club, and is the reflexion time when one thinks that in the winter transfer window could have brought a high quality player (such as Samir Nasri) would be a good selection. My bet on the national cups win is broken and I see very though with the 'hospital' that the Arsenal is, to win more than one silverware this seaon. If Arsenal wins one and in case wins both, next season will be even tougher one, due to recovery of injury setbacks.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

"I heard the sound from..."


After the dark dove with the flickering tongue/

Had passed below the horizon homing/


While the dead leaves still rattled on like tin
Over the asphalt where no other sound was(...)

-T. S. Eliot. From Four Quartets, "Little Gidding." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed Stephen Greenblatt. W.W. Norton: New York. 2006. p.2315.

Can you imagine what it would be being in a bombardment? Can you imagine the sounds, the horror, the desperation of being the next? Mr. Eliot achieved that in many of his poems specially in the ones quoted.

Although a previous variant was used for the Battle of Britain, and as T. S. Eliot pictures, it was the predominant Ju-87B-2 that was seen in the airs of southern and central England. The ubiquity of the sound of the siren on the wheel spats was its trademark. It is funny how Eliot's perspective is achieved. Like a normal citizen hearing the sounds of death.
There is a good account on modeling issues, that due to their historical concerns to make a good reenactment use a lot of excellent bibliography. Search for this issue of FineScale Modeler, it has a good bibliography and further reading:

-"Junkers Ju-87B-2Stuka. A legend in its time". Warbird Modeling: Battle of Britain. Kalmbach: Wisconsin. May 2005.

Murder in the Cathedral

There are two main topics, I presume, in the soliloquy of Thomas Beckett, the Archbishop of Canterbury in Murder in the Cathedral. The Evidentia figure; the underdog respond of the Knights, and the helplesness of his justification. Read this wonderful play if you haven't, and if you have: discuss it and POST!

"Now is my way clear, now is the meaning plain:
Temptation shall not come in this kind again.
The last temptation is the greatest treason:
To do the right deed for the wrong reason.
The natural vogour in the veninal sin
Is the way in which our lives begin".(44)

"All my life they have been coming, these feet. All my life
I have waited. Death will come only when I am worthy,
And if I am worthy , there is no danger.
I have therefore only to make perfect my will".(69)

Eliot, Thomas Sterns. Murder in the Cathedral. Hartcourt: New York. 1963.

In love again (or when love meets Romanticism)

When certain feeling such as the one today, I fell the impotence to write. Keats would probably done it better and in ten minutes. Ten to eleven and she is at Latin I. "Ya ven, cómo los de Letras Inglesas no son pendejos!". The teacher was fine but that girl sitting two seats at my right could not even let me think. It has been a long time since the day I first feel the beating of the heart in the chest like the stroke of a ball. It was the time I read Mr. Flores. The Mexican Romantic. Her name was Awful. Now the little girl whose name fills the title of a book that I like but actually hate the writer. Mr. Fuentes, thanks for the second person. Today while I relentlessly fought against Mr. Grammar, with my mate next to me mocking, and Subordinate Adverb Clause of Reason stabbing me, I could not even think properly. I thought about that poem by Poe. "Thou wouldst be loved...".
Yes I have felt it again. Like the mate next to me said one day: "The kind of woman that does not let you think(or feed Wes Frankenstein)". Today I have felt the same when I wrote stupid and worthless letters to Wendy Candas. But anyway, even if she is or if she is not there, even the Newest one, I would return to Keats in the night, to "Echoes" by Peón y Contreras in the night. The starry night.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Alexandre Pato and Miles

It has been a long time since I wanted to write about Pato Maravila, as called in Brazil, but I did not had encouragement or time. I recently read in a blog of a school friend (which actually I admire but I have not got the time to meet him as I would like) about the tremendous hype that Alexandre Pato, U-20 for Brazil, have summoned in the previous month. On contrary of my friend I have seen him since his debut in U-17, which Mr. Wenger quoted as "new paradigm in football". I think is an exaggeration, but 'Arsene knows'. I really like the kid but my hopes reside on the development of the youth as Ronaldo, not as Gilardino. Italian football tends to make players "slow". Sheva, Gillardino, Pirlo and the latest Toni and Ribéry. Pato, like this players, has everything I ask for a striker; speed, technique and vision. He has something even more interesting that is will. He moves relentlessly to and fro, he goes down to the midfield, and has one of the most impressive and polished techniques in the the young player's universe, ie. Samir Nasri. His debut in Italy is what I will call 9.9 because throwing him out the ninety minutes will have a negative impact: The people will recognize him and ask as if he were a cemented player like Kaká. Maybe 60 minutes would have been suitable. I hope he do not get well to be ready for the clash at the Grove but we will know. As Miles have quoted "a very talented prospect" indeed has arose from the never ending football promise land that is Brazil. I will recommend the reading of Roberto Gotta's article in Soccernet for more on the initial 'Pato Hype'.
Regarding International friendlies I was very pleased with England and México games. A shame that ESPN and Fox Sports do not want to spend money on rights because of the EURO 2008.
One thing to take into account is the 7-0 victory of Real Madrid in the last game. Robben seems to be in the shape of his EURO debut two years ago. I hope he is not passing through a good time because he is a must considering his potential.
I promise to write the review of USA v. México, I do not have much of a time now with MRS. Dalloway as my top priority. Private Mexican TV did not replayed Arsenal v. Blackburn, so I will not post a review about the game till the game against Man City. An excellent news: 6 point advantage on United. HAHAHA.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Identity


Through my entire life (19 years, haha!) I have fought against identity. Usually a person finds it maturely enough to make a retrospective and find pillars and key moments in life. One of my key moments was when I heard of Maj. Richard Winters. I heard of him when I was 12 years old. I read the three fiction books commonly seen and later watch the HBO's series Band of Brothers. This series portrayed him more vividly than the books, a case in which Seymor Chatman and Paul Ricoeur would not agree. My fanatism for military history was developed when he arrived. I considered joining the army to be like him. I just very close from going to the States with my cousin and both joining the legendary 101st Airborne division. But something kept me here. It was a message that I should stay here and become who now I am.
He was and still is my role model in life. Not my Dad, nor my Uncle, or any football player or writer has influenced me the most. I always wish that I could be a little just like him; his solidarity, care for the next one, amability and above all, his humble being. I know that in this definition I could be the antithesis of him, but in him I see reflected all my flaws, all the failure, that I wished to achieve. All the days I think of him as a mentor, An I want to be like him, little by little.
I found this two quotes the cameo of this living hero:

"I cherish the memory of something my grandson said to me the other day. He asked me, 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' Grandpa said, 'No, but I served in a company of heroes.'"

"Captain Sobel, you salute the rank, not the man"

Fot futher info:here

Monday, February 4, 2008

England starting 11 v. Switzerland

Fabio Capello's first list of players really shocked me. While I miss some key players due to uncare like Micky Shorey and Ashley Cole, I did hit with Agbonlahor (now injured ) and Carson as good surprises. Talking about surprises Heskey and Defoe were obviously one while regular Gerrard was named again. I thought he really would name Mr. Beckham for his 100th cap, but his reason is undeniable; lack of regular play. I really was very confident in my different choices but Capello obviously is more intelligent than me and named the right squad. One thing that did not even pass my thought was the U-21 friendly against Ireland. Many of my main picks were called up by 'Psycho' Pearce.
Here is the comparison I hit 12 of 23 Capello's presumptive list by me:

Capello's List
-David James
-Scott Carson
-Chris Kirkland
-Wayne Bridge
-Ashley Cole
-Rio Ferdinand
-Wes Brown
-Joleon Lescott
-Micah Richards
-Matthew Upson
-Jonathan Woodgate
-Steven Gerrard
-Gareth Barry
-Jermaine Jenas
-Owen Hargreaves
-Joe Cole
-Ashley Young
-Shaun Wright-Phillips
-David Bentley
-Gabriel Agbonlahor
-Michael Owen
-Wayne Rooney
-Peter Crouch


Jav's List

-Robert Green
-Scott Carson
-Joe Hart
-Steven Taylor
-Phill Neville
-Rio Ferdinand
-Mathew Upson
-Joleon Lescott
-Micah Richards
-James Milner
-Michael Carrick
-Steven Gerrard
--David Beckham
-Jermaine Jenas
-Owen Hargreaves
-Joe Cole
-Ashley Young (Mistake on me putting "Luke" Young)
-Theo Walcott
-David Bentley
-Gabriel Agbonlahor
-Aaron Lennon
-Andrew Johnson
-Peter Crouch