declarations are the last touch of irony to the match: Liverpool were afraid but Arsenal reluctant.
The previous season's UCL encounters were still in the mind of many Arsenal followers while the match was about to began. The win narrowed Red's advantage to five points. With these precedents the match started with both sides being speculative. Liverpool players were clearly nervous. From the first fifteen minutes Liverpool's weakness was shown: the unfold of several players in one-touch plays. This effect caused the first arrival of Arsenal on an Adebayor header by a Sagna cross in the fouteenth minute. Arsenal's midfield gained confidence with a focused Cesc, who as usual, was ubicuous. Due to the pressure that Livepool made in the first minutes several Arsenal players had to rely on their tricks such as the ones shown by Adebayor reaching the 20'. With the offside trap led by William Gallas the Arsenal was entering into a difficult area, in which the slightest error could bring woe for the home side. Keane saw the yellow card after a terrible sliding tackle on Clichy.
The lead came for Arsenal in the 24', in the best moment of the match for the Reds. A stunning long ball of Nasri found a lone van Persie who, after chest-control dribbled the two centerbacks and scored on a thunderous shot. This is the type of definitions that we are used to by the fine Dutchman. Gerrard was nulified by Song's close marking by the 30' Arsenal had reached their perfect state: solid defending with ball possession and attacking opportunities with one-touch football. But perfect dreamy football ended when Robbie Keane cancelled Arsenal lead with another stunning strike between the two centerbacks. The Irish international was delighted to score again in front of rival crowd and his face was full of enjoy, instantly ignoring many months of speculation and gossip. Unfortunately, in the last play before the whistle, Cesc Fabregas injured on a clash. He limped out with the help of physios. The match was over.
Diaby's substitution of Spanish EURO winner brought doubts and long faces among Arsenal fans. Possession was key for Arsenal, but they vaguely seem to establish a solid replacement in the center. With the substitution Wenger could have opted for a three-men midfield and Nasri as link. Instead Nasri was redeployed on the right midfield, with Diaby lost. It was as if Diaby did not have any team mates. In many balls he was frequently dispossessed. Diego Latorre's comment on Gallas summed up his stay at the Grove: "No ha aprendido la lección (refiriéndose a la trampa de Fuera de lugar)," [He has not learned the lesson (referring to offside trap)]. Arsenal's problem was the midfield: dispossessed and dissapeared. Nasri too dissapeared. by the 60' Arsenal had 34% of possesion. Adebayor's second yellow showed Mr. Webb's burglary on important matches. As you may remember, in EURO match of Austria v. Poland, Mr. Webb robbed the organizer by giving the Polish a last gasp inexistant penalty kick. With this precedent the sent-off was clearly a MAJOR RUBBERY. Everyone who knows Adebayor technique knows that he always puts his body behind the ball, this time with no intention of hurting. By 70' the hopes of a doomed Arsenal to at least get a second lead were null. Diaby's tricks were effortless, and the beginning of Nasri's reappearing was on the move. Samir is far more dangerous in the center of the field, and the current circumstance forced him to do it, and when he managed to get out form the right wing four chances were created in the remaining fifteen minutes of game, including one shot, two corners and an assist on van Persie. The match ended with a taste like three points in a very peculiar draw.
Regarding UCL draw, all four English drawed such terrible teams against. Platini and friends may be conjuring despite the English dominance in the last years. It is incredible that FCB draw Lyon; is it fixed? Well, mmm, of course not! (haha).
And for Fuck's sake Wenger, this time you have crossed the line. This time I will have to put aside my "objective" analytical aspect for the passional one; in no place in the future, anytime in the world even with a different development the current player is following could JACK WILSHERE BECOME DENNIS BERGKAMP. First because they play in two entirle different positions. I do see the poinst he is trying to make since as I have stated earlier, Wilshere is a major force in the pitch even with his nearly seventeen years.
Wenger states that "[Wenger] thinks he has the attributes to succeed [Bergkamp]."
"I believe he will end up a central midfielder, just off the striker in the Bergkamp role," For any case Wenger does not seem to play him in that position. The change of positions between a player is a deadly two-sharped weapon, as I have stated in Dissapearing in the Pitch. Bergkamp could switch positions since he was overtalented, although we will have to wait untill this happens.
Meanwhile I am preparing another essay-post on young cracks; that will have to do with these topic.
Finally, be careful on what you say to Joppie young Messi, be careful.
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