Arsenal v. Man Utd 2-1 8/Nov/08

It was the opportunity for the Gunners to get back on the title pursuing and they made it. It seems as if the game was a recap from last season 2-1 (which I still owe the post haha) which was the match that defined title race just with the reverse score. This time it was also that for Arsenal this match defined the season, not even with half of it raced. Now title contention for the London side seem more reachable and the prospect of resurgence is far more near than against Stoke. Even with several first team injuries the young guns managed to overcome the difficult task. It was Samir's night as he rose above level and scored two in a brilliant match. Former Red Devil Mikael Silvestre did play with a broken nose and van Persie faced one match ban from the red card against Stoke. Certainly this match was more favorable for the Northern side that from the London.





Several changes were made in the line-up with Diaby and Bendtner, the latter as the sole striker. I would say that this positioning of the Dane as the only attacker against Utd is a very dangerous and difficult proof to the young Gunner since every match against the Red Devils is among the toughest in the season. And so began the first half with the expectancy of another thrilling match. But not even with a minute passing the Gunners felt the missery of an unfocused United player, Silvestre. It seems this because of his pass to Almunia. Utd was awarded an indirect free-kick inbox. In a deflection of Anderson's kick Carrick found the ball but went jsut wide. On the consecuent minutes the pressure was on the home side with one of the special Roonie Rockets wide off the mark. A good cross from Clichy a minute later saw Bendther header went just wide. Arsenal attempts from the left side, a cross from Nasri and a wide shot by Denilson, were the only side that could be managed for the London side in the first fifteen minutes. Arsenal turn more agressive in the attacking part and in a set-up piece there were three shots on target. The visitig side were suffering from different approaches.

The first fifteen minutes were the beginning of an excellent match full of adrenaline worthy of a game of this magnitude. The game turned backwards when Utd again took possession of the ball until the goal arrived at 22'. There were glimpses of a brilliant Samir Nasri in the beginning stages of the match with the previosuly mentioned crosses but it was his goal, a crossed shot deflected by Utd defense, that marked his resurgence. One has to pay attention to the degree of technique that this kind of shots has. Utd began to make an extreme pressure, and by 28', the momentum of Arsenal appeared to have passed. One thing that the Arsenal took advantage from was the different ways in which Arsenal faced this kind of pressure: reverting them with a strong counter-attack that kept possession till the play was finished. This was the perfect Arsenal that every supporter is expecting with the different attacking possibilities and a strong defending. Certainly by the end of the first half, and with several dangerous Utd arrivals, the Arsenal was beginning to cope with an opposition that was as strong as any top-flight team in Europe





Just second half beginning Samir's dream began. After a play that he created, Cesc, with Evra fouling him, passed through and finished in a thunderous way. Van der Saar could do nothing as missery was piling in the soulders of the Red Devils. Right after the goal a cross from Park fond a lonely Ronaldo who stroke the ball wide, just wide. It was the best game so far in the season for the Gunners. And who could tell that! William Gallas organizing the defense, showing some respect and encouragment. Denilson's effort was considerable, following CR7 in every direction near the goal. Reaching the 50' mark the things began complicating for the home side, not because dispossession but by the flaws of referee Webb. The game was swaying in possession and the full-throated counters were a reminisence of the style played in later tournaments (Germany v. Italy in WC 2006, and Turkey v. Czech Republic in EURO 2008). From the moment of the arrival of the second goal Samir Nasri had begun to appear in the middle, making incurssions in the middle and the fact of his awareness of the need of Arsenal for an attacking midfielder led to him the question of why had he arrived to the Grove. In the final stages of the match the game saw a tranquil Arsenal substitute several players. In an impulsive streak Rafael scored a nice volley in the 90'. But what I was wondering was that just before he scored the six minutes were added, I do not know from where did Mr. Webb counted six minutes of injury time. The final extreme pressure by Utd in the last gasp were neutralized by the colling off of the match by Arsenal forwards.


I have to say that I did not expected either the result nor the way of playing by both sides. I thought that due of our recent form United would crash us in an unexpected form, but it was Gunners unexpected form that rose from level. The point is; if Arsenal is going to play everytime like this in season or just when facing Utd or just when obliges? The quesition still remains unanswered but we all hope it is for the silverware way.

Contemporary Fiction (well maybe not that contemporary)

Since we are organizing the Colloquium this year I have dedicated my time to read some of the books we will find in the event. Due to the popularity and wide knowledge of Paul Auster, he has become almost a "classic" in this event, and this year seems to have no absence. I rememeber I read a couple of years ago The New York Trilogy and later Smole & Blue in the Face.
This winter I decided to re-read the book in order to have a more fresh memory of the different approaches this three novels can have. I now can say that I have developed more as a student than when I read it and I have been thinking of several connections with other works. For example, (and I know that to some it may seem repetitive and boring) in Ian MacEwan's Atonement (which actually I am developing the paper for the colloquium) shares several characteristics. Many critics have developed the idea of "Metafiction" in the current postmodern novel. In this group you can consider MacEwan, Banville, Coetzee, Izhiguro and even Lessing. Auster does not derive from this concept and the point I am trying to make is the creation per se. In Coetzee's novels it is the creation of something in order to achieve certain effect: language to represent, fiction to create. In Izhiguro is the urge for remembering the past. In MacEwan I would say is how far can the mind create, and in which ways the reader, the writer and the narrative voice is involved with the story.
I would like to quote this passage from City of Glass, and after it I think that my point should be cleared.


"What happens when a thing no longer performs its function? Is it still the thing or has it become something else? [...] The word, however, as remained the same. Therefore, it can no longer express the thing." (93-94)

Auster, Paul. The New York Trilogy. New York: Penguin, 1990.


This passage expresses tone thing that critics have not focused enough, refering to this topic of fiction, and that is certainty. In which degree can we, the author and the narrative voice can be certain of what is telling... That is an answer that Auster indeed answers but in the case of MacEwan, we will see dear reader, when you attend to our Colloquium.

Arsenal v. Fenerbahce 0-0 5/Nov/08

A dull and and boring draw was the result of today's match against a visiting side who was almost as boring as Mexican football. Several changes in the line-up did not attract as much attention as it "should" but even with absences the home side looked strong enough to equal the potential reached in the previous visit to Turkey.





In the first half a rather dull and boring Arsenal side expected the visiting side to make a move but neither made one! Stupid as that any Gooner had to chew the dulliest forty five minutes of the current campaign when everybody was focused on the clash against Utd on Saturday. Even with all the possession that Arsenal enjoyed during the first half and the ammount of arrivals to Volkan's goal the game was far from having the intensity of the previous tie. Van Persie's wide side-net shot, at 8', or Ramsey's inbox play, at 12', were proof of that. Rossetti managed the match to be smooth and without pauses. That did not help in any way the quality of the game. There were several knocks on the door by the home side like Denilson wide shot or van Persie shot on the cross bar, in 32'. By the 35' the only important Turkish attack was lead by the brilliant Colin Kazim Richards.





Second period started with a curled shot by Touré at 48'. Much for the surprise of the home fans the Arsenal did not offer anything spectacular. The first ten minutes Fenerbahce tried to oppose against a dull and permissive Arsenal. Cesc was playing one of the worst matches of his season with wide passes. Wenger began to exasperate. Above all was the "enthusiasm" of the Gunner side who was reluctant to make an impression on every aspect of the match. The game moved through the left side mostly with Bendtner, Nasri and Clichy's attempts. The poor level showed by both sides suggested that this was a Carling cup match rather than a competitive one. In the freekicks there was nothing to be alarmed. At 70' dull attemps kept coming. Reaching the 80' mark it was by far Arsenal's worst match in UCL. I kept aware of the Turkish Euro comebacks but it did not appear.
The final grasp of the match was that everybody was waiting for something. The final four minutes were wothlesss due to the absence of emotion even with Nasri's side change. In the end Arsenal did not even want to get the lead.

Stoke City v. Arsenal 2-1 1/Nov/08

Misery still surrounds Gunners, after the ignominious draw against Spurs on Wednesday, now on the travel to Stoke with a horrid loss against promoted Potters. Missery is the perfect word for describing the feelings the current Gunner squad, this missery is the result of a horrible performance and the fact that the "fake Arsenal" still looms in all the matches. Richard Jolly depicts our misery in clear way. With this pace, we will never get to title race. Even with the midweek game against the Turkish side all the pressure was put on the English Derby at Saturday.





In the first ten minutes the Arsenal pushed with the typical touching, arriving in several opportunities, with the most notable in Cesc's shot at 5'. Strangely enough Captaincy rolled now to the one that was in the "Unnamable" times the third captain, Ivorian Toure. It was a mistake by the African that costed Arsenal the lead. One of those famous and record-breaking throwings by Rory Delap went into the goal. I think it was not deflected by Fuller. In any case the FA attributed the goal to the latter in a tremendous throw-in. I ignore if the IFFHS would consider Delap's pass as an assistance, because it is a pass outside the pitch, unlike freekicks. Anyway the Arsenal was confused and Stoke progressively gained possession and confidence while a couple of more Delap's rockets dangerously reached the box.
Even with time passing Arsenal's efforts were the delight for the Stoke crowd, such as Diaby WIDE shot at 25'.
All defensive situations for Stoke were stopped in Arsenal's counters. Cetainly many Arsenal players underestimated the situation an waited until the equalizer arrived. The visiting squad was speculating and Stoke fans kept their party going with all the wide opportunities by the opposition.





But actually the second half did not looked that promising as the first for the visiting side: Stoke rose above level with several nice opportunities. Two injuries attended infield at 55', Adebayor and Sagana, gave a far unlucky promising run for Arsenal. Still Arsenal's wide attempts showed a lack of training in practice sessions. As the game progressed and with Theo's entrance on Sagna's injury, the travelling Londoners roared on the visiting stand for the Dutchman van Persie. Arrivals from Arsenal to mention were Kolo Toure's over-the-bar shot and a wide Theo shot, all at 60'. Finally fans request was granted when the Durchamn came on for Denilson. By 70' Arsenal's signs of desperation did not appear until Adebayor got replaced by Mexican Vela. The swaying 3-2, 3-3 again was used by Wenger. Immediately after the substitution Delap took another throw that managed to get inside the net after a strange two-chest stroke by Olofiniana. Stoke had the time of its life, beating two-nil one of the Big Four. Just when the missery was beginning to pile up for the visiting squad the required Dutchamn featured another one of his baby riots, after innecesarily pushed Sorenssen. Two-nil down and with ten men the Arsenal hoped for the miracle to come. Walcott's old and niggling shoulder injury came off when Delap made him fall badly. Even when every supporter expected one of that famous late shows in which the Arsenal could tie or win the late goal came at 94' when a surprise shot from Clichy entered the net after several deflections by Stoke defenders. The dissapointing result could not have been worse for the upcoming decisive fixture against Utd.

Arsenal v. Tottenham 4-4 29/Oct/08

An eight goal thriller today occurred when the Arsenal FC faced Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby. The Gunners permissively gave the lead and later the equalizer in the last gasp of the match. Spurs fans must have been gliding with zest as their team did not produce the ammount of game the home side did. But in Football the one who scores the most wins. Three of the four away goals were circumstancial; two rebounds and a long shot. Arsenal again showed the two faces of the team which has been discussed in previous posts; a relentless and effective attack against a mere holding permissive defense. It may have been the end of League title contention for the Gunners as Liverpool and Chelsea soar above all others in quality and quanitity.





The match was high on emotion with all the crowd booing that bastard Bentley. Spurs situation could not have been better, with a struggling side that had not win until the arrival of Redknapp. Giovani dos Santos was left out of the squad as well as Vela, and the Mexican media frenzy over a "Mexicanized North London Derby" was left out. Immediately Spurs began the match aggressively with a shot on the side-netting by Bale at 3'.
A parenthesis should be made in order to mention the Spanish commentators (Mexican) in the match. I counted the minutes they left silent the screen and in 45 it reached 2 minutes! They spoke through forty three minutes! It is really incredible the ammount of stupidity Fox Sports Mexico is bringing with these two stupids who, not just do not shut up, but talk pure nonsense. Anyway if you hear the names of Gustavo Mendoza and Juan Carlos Gabriel de Anda run from your transmission.

Just after the game began to settle that old bastard Bentley scored a tremendous volley. The shot took completely offguard Almunia and Spurs were one-nil up. The Arsenal began to quicken its attacks and through the middle three chances were created. At 22' Nasri took its first corner for Arsenal, while the unsure home side defense was merely holding it up. Mendoza made one comment, that left him completely unguarded towards criticism, about Gallas: "[Gallas] completed eight games for France in the EURO 2008." The first part of this utterance was clearly a fallacy, but the second is a lack of preparation and of knowledge. You may know dear reader, that Gallas only played three games in the EURO. This is obviosly due to the fact that; first in the group stage there can only be three games, and second that the maximun ammount a squad can have in that tournament is six. Certainly nonsense and stupidity. The home side growed permissive within minutes and by the 32' with an inbox shot by Theo the match turned from being completely owned by the Gunners to an equal possession. Tottenham zonal marking could only be broken with a spot kick. Twice at 37'and 46' the Gunners rose from the bad marking made by the Spurs defense.





The second half brought us the early lead through dreadful captain William Gallas. The Arsenal went for the match and several arrivals ended either on wide shots, such as Denilson's 51' and Adebayor's 60', or on good plays by the sides. The third goal came through a brilliant van Persie midfield long ball which was flicked on by Nasri and pushed by Adebayor at 65'. Things could not have went more than good for the home side. But Bent immediate replied the net after Almunia's rookie bounce on a Huddlestone shot at 67'. Van Persie fulminated Gomes nearly forty seconds after leaving the score line 4-2. The happy crowd overwhelmed the chorus of songs by the visiting fans and the ambient was spectacular for the Gunners. As far as 88' the match seemed a complete practice and on the way to the end Arsenal lost their way. Possession and will was the effort made by Tottenham. Spurs solid performance gave them their two points but the news was the Arsenal deception, far from being heroical it was dismal. Jenas finishing in the 90' and Lennon's goal were far from being a real result for the Arsenal. Arsenal's confidence doomed the aspirations of the team, and against Tottenham you cannot allow that.