Arsenal v. FC Twente 4-0 27/Aug/08

The important thing about the match yesterday clearly was not either the result or the individual performance but the Friday draw, which actually brought us to a "difficult" group, a tradition in the Arsenal UCL history. Neither FC Porto nor Dynamo Kiev will result easy. We know that from previous experiences. What actually enrages me is that FC Barcelona got the most easiest of groups in the history of the tournament! This is not a coincidence but I will not enter a discussion against the myriad of "fanatics" that the Barca attracts.

Most importantly Cesc's return brought calm and thought to the troubled team. Again the switch from 4-2 to 3-3 was relied on the back of Cesc who beared the weight of the Grove, thankfully, once again. The Dutch side could not got even far from the midfield due to the lack of creative football. Bendtner support and Cesc notice were evident in the first minutes, as well as the lack of fitness by the Dutchman van Persie. The touching became much more practical when the home side arrived to the box.
The lead came on 28' after a fine Nasri play in the box. One of Nasri's many talents is cutting through the middle to either widen the pitch to open space or shot. Denilson tried the goal as well as van Persie, when failed to score in a very good position at 37'. Cesc failed his second pass of the season, with another in pre-season.




The second goal came after a rampage from Gallas deflected by a Bendtner' previous shot. Bendtner had an outstanding performance, accepting his role as supportive striker. Meanwhile the Dutch side earned their only opposition through a Jansen free-kick. At 66' something strange happened. Theo Walcott scored a beautiful goal from the left side with a world class finishing. Thierry Henry scored a beautiful goal from the left side with a world class finishing. No! But what did I just wrote? Yes indeed was the Englishman but the awkward remembrance of such a finishing brought to my mind many goals from that exact position, with that exact foot, with that exact resilience, even with that same pair of boots (same brand, new model).




Time passed as the Gunners assured a fine win against no opposition. As the game reached the end I was wondering on the strange technique of Bendtner. He seems to have a uncomfort with the left side. This is pictured mainly on his way of receiving the ball. He does not make that movement naturally as Cesc or Zidane but he does it forced. And this way was that the definition of the fourth goal ended when the "Robosaur" finished with the help of the defender against a bad exit from the keeper.

The tie against a Portuguese side always brings troubles to English teams and in this way this will not be an exception. Groups ended like this:

Fulham v. Arsenal 1-0 23/Aug/08

Today misery surrounded Craven Cottage for Arsenal supporters. Certainly the train trip will not be as cheering as it should be from the last couple decades due to the miserable loss. Surely pundits will be applauding themselves after such early overcome in Arsenal's season, showing in the past two games the worst of their worst. Despite this unpromising start many believe that the Gunners should rise to earn their "common" fourth place in the title contention, but the truth is that by the way the side has been playing a fourth place would be rather welcome. Player's ratings are available here, which I agree in some.

One of the questions was how can Wenger's side cope without the presence of EURO champion Cesc? This question was solved within the first minutes of the match; Ebou'e still had his ominous deeds of complaining as well has his Disappearance in the pitch. Manu Adebayor shot wide at 11' on a set by van Persie. The visiting side indeed came out of the tunnel very confused but in the first fifteen minutes the team could not grasp a loose ball neither progress in possession. The absence of midfield work was utterly balanced by the full-backs, who delivered a decorous role in the remaining part of the game. An interesting opportunity arrived at 20' with a tandem by Sagna and Walcott, finishing in a van Persie shot just wide.



The misery began when the Arsenal conceded a corner which was well taken by the home side. Hageland managed pretty easily to get rid off Gallas' marking, thus earning the lead at 21'. Gallas showed no future and if it were for him the score could have broaden to the Whites. The lack of a midfield in the Arsenal prevailed through the first half and resided only in the hands of the overwhelmed Brazilian Denilson. The mistakes in the clearances nearly had the Fulham going two up, but still the home side did not managed to grasp any play. The first half ended with the horrific picture of a fractured team that retained the possession for two seconds without any idea of playing.

The issue concerning the summer market bring us to a good discussion issue. Names such as Torsten Frings or Loric Cana were mentioned in the storm of the transfer window. But the inclusion of Mikael Silvestre in the London side was more of a surprise rather than relief. I really did not consider him a good buy, since that place is "covered". Traore has been recently put on loan so Wenger may not foresee what is coming.



The second half was an array of pull, disposition and desperation for the visiting side. With open plays in wide spaces, Clichy and Nasri managed to keep some idea of how it should be played a match in such difficult conditions. Bobby Zamora'a shot went over the bar when a Gallas (weird isn't it?) bad marking gave him plenty of time to finish. By the 60' the Gunners created three chances; all from wide shots. The attempts to equalize by the Arsenal became futile and a substitution would be a relief in terms of offering another possibility. But through Bendtner this possibility did not arrived. A good point was the runs of Eboué on the right flank. He looked as in his old days and managed to make at least three of the four free-kicks in the match. These free-kicks, all taken by the Dutchman, were well over the bar keeping home fans more entertained.

The final minutes saw a desperate and idle Arsenal seek the equalizer in the most horrible ways possible. The loss against a side that the previous season was struggling to keep the category is a shock, not for title contendency, but for the things to come, that at first hand look more than horrible.

Arsenal v. West Bromwich Albion 1-0 16/Aug/08

The new season began and new signing Samir Nasri won the game for the Gunners, as in his official EPL debut scored an early winner to bring calm and ease to the troubled London side. For moments West Brom could have brought problems to the home side but the Londoners slowed the pace and held tight in the back. Certainly the absence of EURO King Skipper Cesc had some weight but the lads could cope with such terrible absence. The Insider, through soccer net does well in revise the failures of our team.





The match had not even started, figuratively, when the newcomer was fed by Denilson in the box after a play that the Frenchman had started. A typical Arsenal play gave the one-nil lead at 4'. Nasri tried the goal in two occasions, both ineffectively. Gallas shot went just wide at 10'. Things passed quite calmly as West Brom had wished no more goals. Apart from that, some chances were given in the first thirty minutes, but they did not took much relevance due to the intention by the home side. The Arsenal threatened the away side several times between 25' to 37' but rested in clouds as a comfortable win was been achieved. The pace was controlled by Nasri, either from the left or right with a swaying attitude, always ubicuous. The center back handled the game comfortably and Manu Eboué did a fine performance against the shred picture of last season. Denilson found himself quite confused due to the scenario but in the worst of cases he could have done it better. The first half ended as it started; an initiative but mediocre home side against a visiting side that apparently did not even knew how the first goal entered the net.





The beginning of the second half, at 50', saw two clear chances to the away team which luckily did not enter Almunias goal. Afterwards Gallas moans and reproaches were ridiculous, this due to his bad marking and not team mates. Adebayor could have extended the lead in the 52' after a brilliant ball by Nasri. In the 61' Arsenal's left side seemed the only solution towards a functional approach to the goal. By the 70' things calmed so much that first-team choices who were not match fit jumped off the bench: Robin van Persie and Kolo Touré. An interesting thing to note was the substitution of Theo and Kolo, they switched positions, instead of arranging another player as Wenger usually does. This might be an interesting issue concerning rotation and Ebaums position. Remaining minutes were a usual training day, with the Albion decided and a resting Arsenal facing Twenty on Wednesday.

The "New-new" Zidane

The "New-new" category is something that has to do with archetypes and archetype-rebuilding. Thus Phil Ball, in this article, refers to Kun Agüero I will take that equivalence to make a chain, with this talented French child. But in this case if we follow Ball's path we are witnesssing the New-new Zidane. I ussually do no write in Spanish but this time:
NO MAMEN!!!

Forget...

"I don't wanna be your friend, I just wanna be your lover...
Denial...
Get swept under
Infrastructure will collapse
I'll do mine
Precious"




It is strange how someone can fall off immediately. Tomorrow I will post the three matches left. WISH ME LUCK!