Arsenal v. Roma 1-0 (24/Feb/09)

Finally with all the fog of war dissipated and the waters still, the second round of the unofficial war between England and Italy for European glory took place today when Arsenal edged Roma at the Grove. Certainly the performance of English teams surpassed the expectations, with a tough game, while the Italinas featured at least three world cup champions on the pitch.

Even with this result the travel to the City of Light has become far more difficult. Arsenal tends to manage very well visiting matches on European soil, as with the likes of Real Madrid. We will see what the North Londoners can achieve in Europe after the failure to compete for a Champions League position on the English League.

Now after twenty days of no away game, the Gunners look at the prospects of beating Fulham in what will be another tough match considering the current state of affairs at the Emirates.

If Arsenal look forward to visit the Olympic Stadium at Roma, not once but twice this year, the confidence and determination of Wenger's men have to come to float in this, the toughest and most difficult part of the season. In the other side the return of Totti from injury in previous clashes and Brazilian Baptista, whose stay at London two seasons ago came unnoticed apart from the four-goal tally at Liverpool, were the main features for yesternight's match.







Finally Diaby's spell brought him to the pitch, and with his inclussion, the starting XI was the same. And it was the home team who provided many plays for Roma to worry; Bendtner's poor control at 6', Nasri 9' header and van Persie at 16th. With the match controlled by the strong and possessive grip of the North Londoners, Roma tried several times to bring a counter effectively. The curious thing was that Nasri played a very effective role on the loose central attacking midfielder position, the favorite one here at Deviations. With Bendtner wide and Diaby providing the strength in the midfield, Arsenal looked strong enough to seek the lead at 20'. All the possession and management was provided ny the physically overwhelming Abou Diaby, with a wide shot from him at 26'. If there was a way towards a lead was Arsenal's: Mexès clipped van Persie in the box, and eventually the Dutchman gave the lead to Arsenal at 35th. With the splendid show by the two French midfielders Arsenal kept the edge on possession. At 40' Arsenal's overwhelming presence proved their posibilities towards goal, with Nasri and Bendtner showing excellent pace. The first half finished with certain discontent on Emirates' stands; that is to say that if Arsenal could have capitalized their chances, the home side could have got a decent ad fairly adequate advantage, which eventually did not arrive.







Idiotically enough the second half was supposed to start without both Arsenal's centerhalf. Arsenal's efforts came until the 49th minute when van Persie shot went wide. Roma pressure went on for nearly ten minutes. By the 55' Bendtner had at least three opportunities to spread the lead but his untalented ball control betrayed him. If it had not been for Doni, Arsenal could have been three or four nil up, again with a shot by Diaby in the 56'. Arsenal had the momentum and with Roma all over the place the math began to sway towards the London side affections. Motta nullified Clichy's attempts to go forwards and while Nasri and Diaby managed to keep possession, again Bendtner dismal technique gave a lot to talk of. Again with the minutes passing Arsenal wasted so many chances that the cost of a goal in Roma should be deadly. Reaching the eighty minute mark Arsenal found no way to pass Roma, now more calmer than ever. The edge that Arsenal had in the first ten minutes of the second half vanished, as Aaron Ramsey entered at 82'.
Ramsey's efforts were not enough to call the keeper's attention. In the final minutes the home side appear to rise their efforts, but it did lead to anything. The match ended this way and with no further comment or news from other fronts.


In other results Chelsea gain a one-goal home lead against Juventus while Bayern München gave Sporting a thunderous shakeoff of five-nil. Nine-times winners Real Madrid lost in an exciting match against Liverpool and Porto draw with Atlético two goals. Utd graved a nil equalizing match at Milan, Villareal draw with Panathinaikos as FCB with Lyon, one goal both.


As Cesc Fábregas has pointed out, it might be even tougher to get into top four, as in 2005/2006 season, when fortunately enough the Hammers won over Spurs to give Arsenal the edge on the table. Although this scenario is not likely to repeat the tension of that season-finale and the European final are tantrums to mirror in late May.

Some things are casual and some causal

In the last week I have had a strange run of "casualties." First a story which I rather no to tell due to the level of boringness in my life. The second is the interesting one. Today as I arrived to my Literay Theory class and I bumped into a little piece of paper that had this:


"nunc admirentur quod tam mihi pulchra puella
serviat et tota dicar in urbe potens!
non, si iam Gygae redeant et munera Croesi,
dicat 'de nostro surge, poeta, toro.'
nam mea cum recitat, dicit se odisse beatos:
carmina tam sancte nulla puella colit.
multum in amore fides, multum constantia prodest:
qui dare multa potest, multa et amare potest."


I took it rather funnny due to my ignorance in advanced Latin and kept on with it. But with my curiosity I looked the words down today and it appeared to be one of Sexti Properti Elegies to be more precise XXVIB from the Second book. Here another version:

"Let them admire the fact, now, that so lovely a girl serves me, and that they talk of my power throughout the city! Though Cambyses, and the golden rivers of Croesus, should return, she’ll not say: ‘Poet, depart my bed.’ While she reads to me, she says she hates rich men: no girl cherishes poetry with such reverence. Loyalty is great in love: constancy greatly serves it: he who can give many gifts let him have his many lovers."

Here, the full text.

Now the funny thing is that yesterday I began a paper on Yeats's "A Thought from Propertius" for the Sixth Classic Literature Students Colloquium. I began my research just yesterday and today came upp with several interesting facts. I will not give you any details until it is finished, but it looks rather good right now. The point is to make an analysis based on the paratextual reference on the title and mention the little criticism that has been provided with poems as short as "A Thought...". Now while I was planning it ealier today I thought that I could use a Latin version of Propertius, since mine is actually in Spanish.
Besides I have been reading from the past two weeks De Fato, and strangely enough I do agree with several statements that Cicero argues against destiny.

So was it the Fate that drove this piece of paper to me? I rather think it not since the adivination as Cicero puts it, is one of the elemnets that does not appear in this strange case, and according to Stoic philosophers it should be mandatory.

I will keep you updated with this paper.

I am doing my Service at UNAM's Poetry Journal. Take a look at it and comment, there are a wide array of reviews, news, calendar and so forth.

Brazil v. Italy 2-0 10/Feb/09

The "long unbeaten run," as Dominic Raynor put it, took place today at the Emirates when a dazzling performance by the South American side outclassed the Europeans in what was called the "World's Derby."
The truth is that I have been expecting this match for some time and what better ground to make it happen than the Emirates. The four times World Cup winners against the most successful squad in the world. A match highly expected and bloated in controversy with Amaury switching sides, Lippi's starting XI, Goal.com's initiative to bring Maldini back and finally Robinho, Kaká and friends.

Last match for Brazil took place in the most disastrous of fashions with Dunga's side getting beat off 6-2 against rivals Portugal. Italy instead, by the new rule of World Cup Winner Marcello Lippi has kept their pace as top leaders in their qualification group enjoying a good advantage from their closest persecutor.





And it was Andrea Pirlo who pulled the strings for the Italian team most of the mach, having made a goal pass to Grosso which was dissallowed as early as 4'. As Davie Provan put it, in the Sky Sports broadcast, "[it was] a delightful finish." And indeed it appeared to be onside but the diference was too narrow that the benefit of the doubt ahould be given to the referee.
One aspect that Martin Tyler mentioned was the current level of expectation from the English audience on the English v. Italy matches in the knockout stage of the UCL, that you will have in a week's time. And Brazil managed, through their midfielders and fullbacks, to acquire possession in such level that the Catenaccio was starting to show up on the Italian scheme. But Elano's brace was enough to give Brazil the lead after twelve minutes, a lovely finish with the distracted Italian centerback.
The problem for the Italian team was the wide players that were arranged; Brazil dispossessed the Italians very quickly due to the fact that the only static midfield player was Andrea Pirlo, while Brazil played with two or three connected players in tight spaces.
Far from being brilliant Montolivo's first half was all but brainy, letting, in some cases, Brazilian fullbacks to reach three-quarters in the pitch to later shot, as Maicon at 25'. And Robinho, one of the spolied kids of this blog, did a brilliant definition after stealing the ball and after a handful of tricks he managed to shot, and it was two-nil up for the Brazilian side. Pirlo was dispossessed and commonly this kind of things happen to the best player of an outclassed team. And it was the couple from Manchester based Brazilians who provided the show for Brazil that evening at the Grove.
Between the few attempts made by Italy, aside from the earlier disallowed goal, came with De Rossi shot at 32'. With the minutes passing Elano made a thunderous shot that past just above the bar.
Aside from that the crowd in London was superb; each play from either side was hailed and even Robinho who scored against Arsenal away in the current season, took many applausses.





The second half went more calm, with the prospect of a real friendly match. We could watch the introductions of Aquilani, Rossi and Toni, but nothing extraordinary came from them, at leat reaching the 50th minute mark. Lippi's reluctance to play a competitive side, not risking anyhting, brought a mixture of several different lineups that could not be managed to do in any other match. Even with some Italian attempts towards Brazil's goal, such as Toni's chance at 62th, the match grew in favor for the Italian side. Reaching the 71st minute, Brazil showed little or no interest in making another goal, even when the South Americans arrived in many times at the Europeans' side. With some harsh tackles and several attempts the match ended calm enough even to Brazil's goal, which was threatened by several late attempts saved by Julio Cesar.

Arsenal v. Sunderland 0-0 21/Feb/08

Last match warming in the sideline.



Finally the much expected debut of Russian Andrey Arshavin arrived to the Grove, and in a rather murky fashion, when Arsenal left two points behind with a drawing goaless against the Black Cats. Certainly the lucky streak of the Gunners has showed some cracks, especially in Everton's game, but aside from that the immediate horizon suits to the European competition. Today as well, AS Roma one-nil aganist Siena in a strange but amusing match. In our continuous effort to bring you the latest football developments the spying business on the Capitaline side has ended and Tuesday's prospect is immediate. It is unlikely that Cesc can make an early return for the European home match but it could happen in two weeks time.

Obviously the amount of attention and expectation between the two sides has been overwhelming and such things happen when one side is "scared," to put it on simple terms. In a rather strange fashion, Arsene Wenger seems calmed enough with the tie against current Italian Cup holders. In my opinion, and even without key players like Cesc and Adebayor, I think Arsenal has the edge, but the current situation of the home club could not sound so satisfactory. In any case everything will be cleared next Tuesday.







And all the camera shots took over the Russian playmaker; a wide shot at 5' and a curled volley at 15'. The spark of Arshavin was impressive among the home fans when the game turned devious; Arsenal loosed possession too often and it appeared that the Londoners were unprecise at times. Several attempts comanded by Nasri led to nowhere, especially the one made by van Persie at 11'. With the minutes passing the pressure piled up for the Gunners and by the 30th minute Arsenal had produced a fair amount of chances that should have been in the back of the net. With Arsenal attacks, the Black Cats seemed hopeless but to hold the ferocious rampages of a team like Arsenal is something to respcet from the Northern tteam.







Arsenal attacks continued throughout the second half, more aggressive and in a way, more desperate. a free kick from the Dutchman van Persie and the substitution of an impressive Arshavin among the flaws of Vela and Gallas nearly in the end were the main highlights of a dismal and futile effort to contend against the limited Sunderland side. Bendtner shot and again Gallas wide attempts cemented the position of the long unbeaten run by the home side, the problem is that if this run is going to be full of draws, the aspirations for the Gunners are more than doomed.

Arsenal v. Cardiff City 4-0 16/Feb/09

The FA Cup fourth round match replay gave the Gunners a pass to the next round against Burnley in what will become the "Capital Punishment V." But far better was the performance by the team that outclassed the Bluebirds, but with a special delivery by Eduardo. This man may have had the worst moment of his life following Martin Taylor's horrific tackle, which kept him sidelined for nearly a year.

In February Arsenal faces one of the toughest months in the last years' calendar, among next April. Facing two FA Cup games, two Derbies, an International break and the famous match against AS Roma it appears that this month is by far the most crucial for Arsenal three-tile contending aspirations. If the Gunners manage to overcome in the three fronts certainly the future is brighter than it is now.

Regarding next week clash, AS Roma lost in a dissapointing match against Atalanta three-nil. After showing such resilience and prowess against Genoa with the same score reversed, the level of expectancy that the Italian side has raised is similar to Arsenal's . Even though I watch Italian football often, spying activities from Deviations on the Capitaline team have commenced. We will keep you informed.





The topic of the day was Eduardo's comeback. And with this setting Arsenal started to attack and by the 15th minute, the home side was confident enough, through a good Eduardo start and Vela's crossings, and five arrivals had been made to Heaton's goal. With the game flowing on one side of the pitch, the lead came through an incurssion of Mexican Vela in company with Eduardo, that headed for the lead. The emotion of the Croatian was such that his passion spilled up, and the whole stadium bent towards him. With this catharsis, the Bluebirds found themselves in the worst-case scenario, and even in 25', with the way Cardiff was playing, it was unlikely to show any signs of battle. Nasri shot at 26' was still another warning of the danger to come.
Eventually another goal arrived at 34', when Bendtner headed past the defenders, in a Nasri corner. The Welsh team did not have the grip to manage the situation, and being outnumbered and outclassed any arrivals by them would be nullified by Arsenal's solid defense. As if it where enough Bendnter missed a clear chance twice in the dying moments of the first half.





In the second period, Cardiff's futile attempts were constant, and by the 57', the visiting side second shot on goal arrived. Carlos Vela simply dazzled with his pace the Welsh defense, and in a dubious penalty kick awarded to Arsenal, Eduardo converted to give a three goal advantage to the North Londoners. Substitutions seemed evident with the game on the pocket. Quique Sacco, on ESPN's Latin Amercian broadcast, highlighted Heaton's actions, which saved Cardiff from having a broader scoreline. At 74' Amaury Bischoff entered to fortify the right side; he did enough work to be named in the squad. In the final minutes Robin van Persie widened the gap when Bendtner set him up, to finish with a thundering strike. The Dutchman could have added to his tally another number but the woodwork denied him, in the 93'.