Arsenal vs Blackburn Player Ratings

What a match! This match was, in my opinion, quite perfect. What a way to celebrate Arsene Wenger’s 13th year at the club. This match was more than just a victory; it probably represented Arsene Wenger’s 13-years (and counting) philosophy at Arsenal football club. Thierry Henry was watching, and I believe he would have been proud to see how much the Arsenal team matured, especially in players he’s played with like Fabregas and van Persie, not to forget Clichy, whom all played a part in this great victory. Not only that, Arsenal was, like I said, close to perfect. In this match we took our chances, and we weren’t afraid to shoot. Bendtner’s goal and a few attempts at goal are good examples of that. Now for the player ratings…

Mannone (6.5) – Didn’t really had much to do actually. He got a 6.5 for his very few good saves.But he had a few shaky moments though. I would compare him to Ben Foster of Man Utd; They haven’t concede much but their decision-making aren’t the best.

Clichy (6.5) – I would say he didn’t get too involved in attack or defend (unless I overlooked his contributions) so he gets a 6.5 from me.

Sagna (6.8) – Got much more active than Clichy but both full-backs didn’t really had too much to do cause Arsenal attacked in the centre much more often.

Vermaelen (7) – Scored a great goal and was quite good in defence. The first Blackburn goal was probably his mistake because he lost that aerial battle to N’Zonzi. But that’s what happen when you’re shorter than the average footballer; there was nothing much the Verminator could have done about that. He can train and jump, but I don’t think anybody of his height could have jumped that high. Definitely an important point for Wenger to note…

Gallas (7) – Yeah, Vermaelen’s got the goal but I think we need to give Gallas some credit here. He’s been superb this season, and I think I’ve never seen Gallas this composed before. It’s probably because he’s playing with Vermaelen, like I already said long ago. Man, guess we’re not missing Kolo Toure after all…

Song (7.2) – Controlled the midfield rather well. I think once and for all, we might have found Flamini’s replacement after a season of soul-searching. He was very disciplined in his positioning, which really helped the team because this allowed Fabregas to roam forward to attack much more often than when Fabby was playing with Denilson. And we all know how good Fabregas was in this match…

Fabregas (10) – Ah, Francesc Fabregas. Yes, I’m giving a 10 here folks. 3 assists, 1 goal. This is the Fabregas we know and love. Anybody who actually doubts Fabregas has got to watch this match. He controlled majority of Arsenal’s attack, his passes were the type that can change Arsenal from defence to attack-mode in a split second, and his passing and ability to spot spaces in front of players is top-notch, all at the age of only 22. Yes, we have Rosicky, we have Arshavin and we have Denilson and Nasri. But nobody passes and creates quite like Fabregas do. On the match that marks Arsene Wenger’s first game after 13 years at the club, Wenger’s very own unearthed gem proved to the world why all the “cutting and carving” was one of the best in football. I think Fabregas is one of the world’s best playmaker at the moment.

Diaby (6.5) – I really think he deserved a 6, but I’m feeling very happy so I’m being a little generous. Like Denilson on a number of matches, Diaby was close to invisible in this match. Didn’t contributed much, but didn’t make any mistakes. I’m still insisting on the idea of playing him as a strong, powerful attacking-midfielder but I really don’t know what are his strengths…

Rosicky (7) – He really deserved a goal in this match. Had a couple of chances which should have went in but a brilliant Paul Robinson denied him. And I love his world-class cross with his right foot to Fabregas; that was so nice to watch! A little bit like Thierry Henry.

Arshavin (8) – Arshavin is good evidence that good footballers actually exist. You know, footballers, not athletes. He’s a great technical player and I really like what he can do with the football. Not only that, people used to call him “Alex Hleb with the lethal touch” and I really agree. He can dribble and try tricks but at the end of the day, he deliver the goods. That’s what I like about him. This is something Diaby should really learn.

Van Persie (8) – If you have been following my blog, I’m sure you know that I feel van Persie was never back to his best after the injury he suffered in the 2006-07 season. But this match is a good sign that he’s getting all of that back. Good shooting, ball-control, dribbling, and very exciting. Shades of RvP version 2005-06. These are indeed good signs, good signs…

That’s all folks. Like always tell me YOUR player ratings or tell me in the comment box if you agree with my ratings. Everybody’s got their opinions so please respect my opinion like I will respect yours. Also, I’ll be taking a short hiatus from blogging as I need to focus on my studies. But don’t worry, it’s probably only a month or so. I don’t know if any of you will actually miss me but please continue visiting our blog as we still have constant updates from fans from other clubs. Just because you’re a Gooner doesn’t mean you can’t read a Manchester United article ;) Good bye.

And before I forget, I want to wish Arsene Wenger a happy 13 year anniversary. Maybe it’s a little late but better late than never. I hope to see you with many more successful years with Arsenal and with your life. Peace.

5 Things I hate About Arsenal Fans

Before I proceed with my article, I want to make something crystal clear. I am a Gooner. Then why am I still writing this article? That’s because as an Arsenal fan, I tend to read articles about Arsenal on the web and I’ve seen many fans comment. Trust me when I say this, some of the comments are stupid, makes no sense, and contradicts what they want all along. Of course, I’m not referring to all Gooners, please get that straight. All the rant in this article is directed at the minority few narrow-minded Arsenal fans, who changes their opinions like how a girl changes clothes. So please do not be offended by this article. Like always it’s only my opinions and you can choose whether to like it or not. I’m proud to be a Gooner and will die a Gooner. Peace out.

5 Things I hate about Arsenal Fans

I hate Arsenal fans because…

1. They complain a lot
2. They think Wenger has “lost it”
3. They change their opinions too quickly
4. “Arsenal is the only club in the world. Whoever left Arsenal left for the money. I must hate them.”
5. They think they’re playing FM

They complain a lot

The very first reason: They complain too much and are very narrow-minded.

‘Platini_Saved_Football’ says, “Oh, Diaby’s scored an own-goal? Screw him, Arsene Wenger should sell him.”

Dariano says, “Give him a chance, just because he’s scored an own goal doesn’t mean we should totally kill off this player’s career. Everybody makes mistakes.”

‘ILuvBlatter’ says, “Almunia conceded a penalty? Sell him too, no wonder we keep conceding goals.”

Dariano says, “Listen, Almunia made a bad decision but there was suspicions that Rooney dived. It’s not his fault. Furthermore, he’s been rather consistent last season.”

‘Man_City_for_Premiership’ says, “Eboue is a horrible player and is Arsene Wenger’s worst signing!’

Dariano says, “My friend, if that’s his worst signing, you haven’t seen a lot.”

Although I’ve put it in a rather comical way above, I really mean what I say. Just because Diaby and Almunia had a bad game they complained that we should sell them and sign replacements. Like I said, everybody makes mistakes. It doesn’t matter if they played badly for 3, 4 matches. If they can play superbly for the other 34 matches I doubt any of you would mind. And Eboue’s case is one that has been raging for very long, and since last season I’ve felt that he’s a good utility player. He can play as a defensive midfielder, a right winger or a right back. Not only that, on a good day, he’s pretty good. He’s just not the “first-team” type of player.

Don't speculate to break the one you hate.

They think Wenger has “lost it”

Man, this is 1 issue I’ve dreaded for years. They always feel that age has gotten the better of Wenger, even though he’s only 59. Mind you, there’s a reason why so many managers respect him and he’s being regarded as one of the world’s best managers. Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles” are the best evidence to show that his strategy of running the club is tried and tested which can work brilliantly.

Arsene Wenger IS Arsenal, whether you like it or not. When he leaves, that’s when you’re going to regret chasing him out in the first place. Not only has he established a legacy at Arsenal Football Club, but he’s also inculcated this desire to play attractive football in his players that has entertained us for so many years. It’ll be interesting to hear what those “Arsenal fans” have to say after chasing Wenger out. Don’t worry, at this rate, it won’t be long. Cherish it while you still can because I’m predicting Wenger will retire quite soon. Soon.

And by the way, Wenger has a degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s degree in Economics. Do YOU have it? That’s why he’s kept the club in such good financial conditions, and we do not need to rely on foreign owners to provide us with gallons of oil in exchange for players. Do not take this financial advantage Arsene has built for us for granted; you got to understand that the club’s atmosphere won’t be the same under a foreign owner. Arsene Wenger’s genius in Mathematics has not only brought us financial-stability but also a long-lasting football tradition.

He has an OBE. Do you?

They Change their opinions too quickly

Hehe, this is 1 ironic one. Before the season began, I see fans saying how Arsenal are going to lose their top 4 spot to Man City, and how Arsenal will be going another trophy-less season, again. Well after the 6-1 thrashing of Everton at Goodison Park and the 4-1 drubbing of Portsmouth at the Emirates Stadium, I see the same fans (and more fans, probably) changing their minds, saying how Arsenal will finally get a trophy this season. Then, after our eventful 1-2 defeat at the hand of Manchester United, yes, you got it, the same fans once again claim that Arsenal will be on a trophy-drought and we will struggle to get a top 4 spot and we need to absoulutely sign Blaise Matuidi or we’ll be doomed. Not only that, some fans just listen to what the majority says. They think it is cool going with the flow. Sorry, you’re only proving that you’re not smart enough to have an opinion. I mean, seriously??? If you’re one of those fans I’m going to wonder how you are ever going to find a wife. Even Britney Spears has her ups and downs so watch out.

"All hail the Messiah!!!"

“Arsenal is the only club in the world. Whoever left Arsenal left for the money. I must hate them.”

Again, this has got to do with some Gooners being too narrow-minded and thinking only in their own world. Just because Kolo Toure and Adebayor left Arsenal for Man City, it doesn’t necessarily mean they left for the money. Yes, maybe they did, but I see fans automatically assuming they left for the money without doing more research. And the funniest shit is, I’ve actually saw a fan saying Gilberto Silva left for Panathinaikos because he wasn’t earning enough at Arsenal! Man oh man.

As if going to a Greek club will make him Richie Rich.

Furthermore, I don’t get why the automatic hate towards players that left for Arsenal. Okay, maybe hating Ashley Cole is normal, but hating players like Gilberto Silva and Kolo Toure just because they left Arsenal is really silly. Instead of honoring them and saying your thanks, you flame them with silly comments. Please, they did a lot for the club and it’s clear to everybody that players have to move on with their career. Wherever they go, I just wish them luck. To those Arsenal fans:  Arsenal isn’t the only club in the world, my goodness. It certainly is one of the best (if not THE best), but football is a worldwide sport, my friend.

They think they’re playing FM

Now this point is my favourite. Yes, I know Football Manager is an awesome game which is highly addictive (which even I myself has fallen for), but if you think real-life football management is the same as what Sports Interactive imagine FM to be, you’re utterly wrong. Football management in the English Premier League is one of the most stressful jobs in the world, and when even I myself have the feeling of throwing my computer downstairs just because I lost the title to Man City on goal difference, I cannot imagine how tough it must be for Arsene Wenger (and David Moyes). Please, football management isn’t a game, in fact it “isn’t about life and death, it’s much more than that”. I see comments like, “Arsenal should sign Saivet, Sakho and Miguel Veloso because they’re great players in FM09!” The thing is, SI really makes it look too easy. Don’t think football managers have the privilege of seeing each player’s attributes arranged for you nicely with numbers to represent their strength. Heck, they even let you view a player’s stats in graph mode. So don’t aspire to be manager of Arsenal just because you’ve won 5 Premiership titles, 4 FA Cups and 3 Champions League trophies. I’ve won more.

If football management was a game I would have been "the greatest". And mind you, this isn't my best save game.

Scouting players in real life isn’t as simple as clicking on “Get Scout Report” and “Report Card Only”. You really got to send a scout, track him for weeks if not months, really analyze his strengths and weaknesses, and see if he suits your team. It has been proven that some scouts are so serious about it that they pass the ball to the player through the air, on the ground and through defenders, then check and observe how he controls the balls in those situations. Obviously a player with a bad first-touch and dreadful passing wouldn’t be considered at Arsenal, so just because a player who has scored 100 over goals in a Brazilian league doesn’t mean he will score at least 10 in England. Arsene Wenger makes sure the player he signs fit in to Arsenal’s sleek football, that’s why most of Wenger’s signings are good signings.

That’s all I have. Let me stress this one last time, what I’ve said above in my article does not apply to all Arsenal fans. I know there are indeed passionate Gooners out there and I salute you. In my opinion, passionate Gooners are those who will stick with the club when they’re out of the top 4, when they win the title, or heck, when they get relegated. You can read more about how I feel being a Gooner here, in what is possibly the article I’m most proud to have wrote. Arsenal for life is the correct saying. I apologise if my article has offended anyone.

So what do you think? Are YOU one of the fans I’ve mentioned in my article? Do you agree with my above points? Like I always say you’re free to air your thoughts but always play nice. I know it’s a long article but I go for quality, not quantity. Thanks for your time.

Dariano

Song vs Diaby = Flamini vs Baptista

Please take note, do not get confused over the article title. I am NOT comparing Song with Diaby, because if you continue reading my article, you’ll realised that I feel these 2 players are 2 different types of players and they should play in different positions. So do not get yourself confused.

Why Song = Flamini

The reason why I compare Song and Flamini is not because of the way they play or anything. It’s got nothing much to do with that. It’s because when I think of Song this season, I’m thinking of Mathieu Flamini in the 2007/08 season; an underrated young chap who finally fulfilled his potential and solved Arsenal’s midfield’s problems. Flamini in the 2007/08 season was playing at his best, and he played so well that he managed to knock Gilberto Silva out of the first team. Not only that, Arsenal has been criticised for a lack of physical players. The end result being us dropping points against teams who use their physical prowess and not technique to win, teams like Bolton and Blackburn come to mind. And Flamini was the solution to the problem. He provided the strength to ensure Arsenal’s footballers don’t get bullied by the Premiership’s “athletes”. That season, we nearly won the tile (so near yet so far).

So, is Song going to do a “Flamini’? I’m starting to think so. After watching him play in the first few matches, I think he’s proved that not only can he play well against the weaker teams, he can stand up strong against the big teams like Man Utd. When I saw him play against Everton, I felt that he would struggle to cope with better players like Rooney, Lampard and Gerrard etc. So far so good though. It seems that Song is finally fulfilling his potential and playing well. But I’ve seen 1 weakness in him, and that is he’s not a really good passer. If that’s the case, then why pass? Give it to Fabregas or Denilson and let them to your job. Song’s duty is simple, down and dirty. Just get the ball when he see it.

All I hope is that he doesn’t follow Flamini in everything he does, like for example leaving Arsenal to join AC Milan for a huge sum of money.

However my main concern is the time during January. A lot of people tend to forget this, but it’s the African Cup of Nations. That means Song will be leaving for a month to play for Cameroon in the tournament (I’ve always felt it should be held once every 4 years, not 2). That’s when our trouble comes. Who to take his place? Diaby? My next point will explain why not.

Why Diaby = Baptista

Unlike Song and Flamini, Diaby and Baptista do have a similar style of play that I notice when Diaby plays. Now let’s talk about Diaby. He is:

1. A bad defender (from what I’ve seen)

2. A bad header (the own goal says it all)

3. Strong (He managed to out-muscle Rooney and can go past defenders not with skill but strength)

4. A bad shooter

So after analyzing the points, that’s when I realised, “Hey, this guy plays a little like Baptista…”

Before I continue with Diaby, let’s talk about Baptista. He’s nicknamed “The Beast” for his superior physique, and he’s known to make full use of that ability by going past 3 or 4 defenders (back at Sevilla), not with skill but strength. Believe it or not, that has earned him a career in football. That’s when I think Diaby can actually be groomed into a Baptista kind of player, the strong, attacking-midfielder who dribbles more than he creates. I’ve seen him beat defenders and I have to admit, he does have a few tricks up his sleeves. And when he’s in a bad mood to do tricks, he has that strength to just go past defenders without much fancy footwork. So instead of wasting his time and skill by playing in a central-midfield role, in which he’s expected to go back to defend, why not just push him forward, make him an attacking midfielder and tell him not to bother about defending? In fact if he shows that he can make it in an attacking-midfielder role, I’m willing to try deploying him as a second striker. Big gamble but if you never try, you’ll never know.

When Diaby first came to Arsenal, Arsene Wenger labeled him “the next Patrick Vieira”. But after seeing him for 4 seasons at the club, I would say he’s more like “the next Julio Baptista”. Re-training players to play in new positions are normally risky (take Alan Smith for example), but since Diaby isn’t shining as a central-midfielder, the best bet would to try to play him as an attacking-midfielder. If he still can’t make it in that position, then my suggestion would be for Diaby to move clubs. Arsenal just isn’t right for him.

Do you agree with me about my comparisons? Do you think Diaby should be re-trained as an attacking midfielder? Who should play in Song’s role when he leave for the African Cup of Nations? I want to hear your views (but please play nice). Thanks for reading.

Dariano

Arsenal Were the Better Team, Whether United Fans Like It or Not

Phew. Just written the player ratings, and now prepare for my Goonerish rant-cum-encouragement…

The fact of the matter is this, Arsenal were the better team, and we deserved to win. Manchester United were just lucky. They scored a penalty which never should have been one, was gifted an own goal, and they need to admit they miss Ronaldo.

Bad Passing

If you ask me, Manchester United lack a good playmaker. They depend on their all-rounded midfielders to do the job. Carrick and Fletcher, no doubt, is good both defensively and creatively, but not good enough. Then we have Ryan Giggs. Perhaps still an asset but Fergie can’t depend on a 35 year-old man to have a “Totti” kind of role. Watch the first half of the match; Wayne Rooney was very lonely. He wasn’t receiving quality balls, United’s passing was atrocious. Most of them were intercepted by Arsenal’s defenders, who did a really good job (we’ll get to that later). It was only during the final 10 minutes of the match that United are stringing their passes together.

Arsenal, on the other hand, was slightly better. But I still felt that Arsenal lacked creativity yesterday. We were better at the passing department but we need that killer through ball, the pass that will split open the defence. And the only player who was actually attempting to do that was Arshavin. Also, if Fabregas played, things would have been very different. But he didn’t. And instead of replacing a playmaker with another playmaker, Arsene Wenger chose Eboue. My guess would be Arsene Wenger felt Denilson and Arshavin provided enough creativity, therefore he deployed Eboue so he can attack and track back to stop Nani when needed. He was wrong when he felt there was enough creativity, but you can’t really blame him. Rosicky hasn’t played a Premier League match in months so you can’t thrust him straight into a rivalry mach. Nasri’s out injured. And Walcott has a slight injury, whom isn’t much of a playmaker though. So think twice before flaming Arsene Wenger of deploying Eboue. Think about what you would have done.

Rock Solid

Yep, rock solid is the word for Arsenal’s defence. They were simply brilliant if you ask me, 1 of the tightest, most composed I’ve seen from Arsenal in years. Gallas and Vermaelen looked tidy for the whole match, especially Gallas, who intercepted, tackled and cleared every ball he could.

When did he become so good?

And believe it or not, the secret to this mean defence, in my opinion, is Kolo Toure.

When Toure used to partner Gallas, Gallas wasn’t that composed and calm. Because I don’t think you can be when your partner is running here and there and getting forward so often. There’s a huge difference in Toure’s and Vermaelen’s style of defending. Kolo Toure, is the type of player to chase for the ball when he sees one. His playing style is based on athleticism, not a big surprise considering he played as a striker when he was young. Meanwhile, Vermaelen is a lot calmer and plays slowly. He doesn’t push forward often and has a good positioning sense. That has benefited Gallas now cause he no longer needs to run everywhere to cover for his missing teammate. He can now play his own game, which I feel suits him best.

To sum it up, our defence yesterday was quite flawless, even though we conceded 2 goals. If this is the defending we’ll be seeing from Arsenal all-season long, they won’t be conceding too many goals.

BUT, don’t be too happy yet. Arsene Wenger needs to sign another defender. Yeah, we’re all happy and excited about the Vermaelen-Gallas partnership but if 1 of them gets injury that’s when the party ends. And I just don’t believe Senderos, Djourou and Silvestre can provided decent backup. It’s like we have 1 of the worst defensive backups among the big 4.

Van Persie, oh, van Persie

Man, what should I say about this guy. To say he’s played badly is a bit too harsh. But I just don’t think he played well against Man Utd. Yeah, he had a few good chances but he was given a lot more and couldn’t take them. What happened to little Robin? It seems like he’s a different player now ever since that injury in the 2006/07 season. He used to be the most exciting striker in the Arsenal squad but now I don’t see the usual turns, shots and techniques from him. His shooting is still superb, but his ball control looks bad. That’s the risk of playing a lone striker. If that lone striker doesn’t perform, then the whole team’s pretty screwed. Van Persie didn’t perform, and guess what? We’re screwed.

RvP, back in the old days

Respect for Wenger

Now this, is a very obvious mistake by the 4th official in the match. All Arsene Wenger did was kick a bottle after his side was denied a goal, and guess what? The 4th official sent him to the stands. It was unnecessary, he was just venting his frustrations and not interfering with play. So why send him off? And I felt Arsene Wenger handled it well. He was professional and acted according to the referee. He moved to the stands when the referee told him to. He moved wherever the referee told him to, in fact. I respect Arsene Wenger in this case.

Arsenal’s Loss, not United’s Victory

Yep, I’m bitter about this defeat which happened so fast, but let’s look on the bright side shall we? It was an excellent match, filled with lots of drama, plus things are looking good for Arsenal. We were the better team, just unlucky. Rivals matches are important but we still have 35 games to play. Now Arsenal’s next important task is to bounce back from a defeat that shouldn’t have been. Many teams tend to have a change of fortune and  drop in form after a painful defeat. If Arsenal can bounce back and continue their terrorizing form, the title is not far away.

So what do you think? Do you agree with my opinions? What would you have done if you were Arsene Wenger? Air your thoughts and perhaps rate my article. Feel free to tell me on how I can improve on the site, writing or presentation etc. Thanks for reading. Keep the faith.

Dariano

Man Utd 2-1 Arsenal Player Ratings

Almunia (6.5) - Good on a few occasions. Could probably be blamed a little for Rooney’s penalty, but beside that mistake he had an okay game.

Clichy (6.5) – Showed excellent pace. I don’t know what happened to his crossing and his passing but his speed at overlapping and tracking-back warrant himself a 6.5 rating.

Gallas (8) – Superb performance. Was a mean colossus in Arsenal’s defence. Intercepted, cleared and tackled every ball he could. Starting to form a real chemistry with Vermaelen.

Vermaelen (7) – Another player who deserves a pat on the back. With Gallas, he ensured a tight Arsenal defence which I’m very proud of. If the defence is as tidy and composed all-season long, I think Arsenal won’t concede too many goals.

Sagna (7) – Good performance. Overlap well, and is a much better defender than Clichy, Link up with the midfield and attack well too.

Song (7) – I’m impressed and I’m starting to like this guy. At the start of the season I was worried he couldn’t cope with the big players like Rooney, Lampard and Gerrard, but from his performance in the match, I believe he’s good enough to hold a permanent defensive midfielder spot. He should try to keep things simple though; his passing aren’t very good but I’ve never believed that a holding midfielder needs to be a good passer. He can leave that job to Fabregas or Denilson instead.

Denilson (6.5) – Anonymous as always, but I don’t see that Samba-creativity being showed in the match. Arsenal lacked a bit of creativity and I believe Arsene Wenger trusted he would handle it. Too bad he didn’t.

Diaby (6.3) – I think we all know now. After watching this match, I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s no longer the next “Patrick Vieira”, instead I would call him the next “Julio Baptista”. His own goal proved that he’s not the best defender or header around. However, he showed immense strength, even beating Wayne Rooney at 1 point (not too many players can do that). Not only that, he’s got quite a bag of tricks, However, I’m still pretty frustrated that he’s holding on to the ball for too long and I said this when Arsenal drew with United last season. I’m going to say it again, “Diaby can try tricks all he want but if he doesn’t deliver the goods nobody will give a shit about him”.

Eboue (6) – Couldn’t emulate his performance against Celtic. Not his best game, and he needs to learn to stop diving.

Arshavin (7) – Provided creativity when the other midfielders or strikers didn’t. The only players who attempted to split the defence apart a number of times. He scored a great goal too; the perfect evidence of why Wenger paid 15 million for him. He has that lethal touch Arsenal has been missing for years. Kudos for him in attempting to shoot.

van Persie (6.5) – I don’t like him in this match. I really think he wasted too many chances and couldn’t hold up the ball well. He’s a different player ever since that injury in 2006. But he’s got a pretty mean left foot.

Substitutes

Eduardo (NA) - Didn’t had enough time to make an impact.

Bendtner (6.5) - Couldn’t change the scoreline but I felt he personally played well.

Ramsey (6) - Given too little time. Got into the action more often than Eduardo though. Provided crosses and through balls but none were very effective.

Thanks for reading. Written by a very frustrated but positive Gooner, Dariano.

Interesting Start to the Premier League

After three weeks, who would have though that Tottenham Hotspur would be sitting on top of the English Premier League ladder? They have won a perfect three from three and this is their best start to a season since the Double winning side of 1960/61.

Chelsea has also been playing some great soccer and won its opening three games. Manchester City has justified its big spending with a perfect two from two and Arsenal has also managed this.

Manchester City hasn’t put a halt to opening up the purse strings and this week finally signed Everton’s Joleon Lescott. Following the decision of John Terry to stay at Chelsea, Mark Hughes has been after Lescott. Despite the constant rebuffs of David Moyes, City upped their offer and finally Everton agreed.

It has been a horror start for Everton who have lost their opening two matches. Arsenal hammered them 6-1 in the opening game and then Burnley defeated them 1-0. It has two wins as does Sunderland.

The season has also been notable due to the stuttering start of Liverpool. Losses to Tottenham and Aston Villa see them with three points from three games. They are in 10^th spot and already spotting a six point deficit to those on top of the soccer league. Its next game is away to Bolton and it won’t care how ugly it is – it will just want to come away from there with three points.

Manchester United have rebounded from their sluggish start and face Arsenal is an absolutely massive clash. This is easily the match of the weekend and will be huge for both sets of supporters. Arsenal has been sliding under the radar and a win at Old Trafford will change all that. It has been playing some great soccer and it will be looking for some form of revenge after United knocked them out of last year’s Champions League. Arsenal have a midweek Champions League clash against Celtic but should be able to take it easy after a 2-0 win in Scotland in the first leg.

Everton’s match against Wigan will be critical for the Toffees and David Moyes will be looking for them to kickstart their season. They are traditionally slow starters and a win here will ease some of the tension. A loss will exacerbate it many times over.

David Wiseman writes for us. When not doing that he is looking forwards to the Caulfield Cup.

Crystal Ball Time

Why Worry About Trophies? I say, Sit Back, Relax and just Enjoy Arsenal’s Good Football

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Before I actually move on to my article, I wish to stress that this article is based solely on my opinions.

All of us watch football for different reasons. And all of us support teams for different reasons too. It’s the start of the season and everybody’s talking about how Arsenal can actually challenge for the title this season after the 6-1 trashing at Goodison Park. Well I admit that I myself too am very excited and looking forward to every EPL fixture. But sometimes it really amuses me how different fans actually worry so much about whether Arsenal can win any silverware or not. For me, I just like to sit back, relax, and just enjoy an art form in Arsenal’s football. Trophies aren’t everything.

You see, the thing is, you just don’t see managers like Arsene Wenger anymore. He insists that Arsenal have to play good football, and he ensures that all the players he develop, from Cesc Fabregas to Thierry Henry to even Jack Wilshere, fit in to the one-touch, attacking, exciting, untouchable brand of football which is the main reason why I support Arsenal. I really feel some of you fans worry too much about trophies. Do you support Arsenal because of trophies? If you do then I suggest you support a football club like Chelsea or Real Madrid, which their main purpose is to win money, trophies and reputation. I’m not going to lie; I started supporting Arsenal because they were winning at that time. But over the years, I’ve seen a lot, heard a lot, about how Arsenal is going to drop out of the top 4 and how Wenger has “lost it”. At the end of the day, I realized, football is more than just winning trophies. It’s about passion, the fans and most importantly, good football. I enjoy watching Arsenal because they entertain me. I support Arsenal because I just love how they play their football. There’s no other clubs that plays like them. If I wanted a club with trophies or a manager who spends millions on players I would have easily supported Barca, Real Madrid, Chelsea or dare I say Man Utd.

That’s why I wouldn’t be bothered if Arsenal loses their top 4 spot, go another trophy-less season, or heck, they get relegated. As long as they believe in and play the current brand of football I would stay a Gooner for life. If everyone wanted a club with trophies then you won’t be seeing fans supporting lower-league teams. If we were to win trophies, we must do it the right way. And when I say the right way, I mean playing beautiful football, developing your own stars and always believing in our philosophy. That would only make our success sweeter. That’s a long wait, but it’s something truly worth waiting for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that I don’t want trophies. I mean, who doesn’t? It’s just that they don’t mean that much to me. It’s a very simple theory. I watch “The Beautiful Game” simply because it’s beautiful.

Hmmm philosophy. Talking about philosophy, Arsene Wenger’s a man of great philosophy; he’s always believed in developing his own stars, not buy them, even if there are a few exceptions. He makes sure that Arsenal will always put the entertainment of the fans at the top of their very list. Which is why I’m worried and very afraid of the day when Arsene Wenger is going to retire. I feel that Wenger is the one who has developed the attacking-football mentality into the Arsenal squad. I’m afraid the day he leaves or retires is the day I’ll look at Arsenal a different way. I just don’t think his replacement will be able to make his team continue our current tradition of beautiful football. I don’t ever want Arsenal to ditch their current brand of football. That’s why I would NEVER, EVER support Chelsea. They have no tradition, no style and no philosophy. Sorry for sounding harsh. Looking at the managers out there, I don’t see any replacement that can carry on Arsenal’s culture. In fact 1 hand is all I need to count the number of managers whom I feel truly believes in stylish football. So to all Wenger haters and for those who think he’s old and should retire, think again. He’s smarter thaan you, he’s wiser than you, and no matter what he does, I trust his judgment. You will regret when he leaves one day. I don’t think you can ever replace Arsene Wenger. His thinking is 1 of a kind. His retirement could be coming quite soon, so cherish it while you still can. I can’t imagine Arsenal Football Club without Arsene Wenger. Yes, Arsenal is the club I support, but Arsene Wenger is the mastermind behind everything that I love and live on.

Arsene Wenger is SO smarter than you.

I actually thought for a long while before finally deciding to write this article. I needed to think, construct and join all the right words and sentences together to make sure I convey what is truly on my mind. Hopefully I’ve done that well enough. My English isn’t super-good so please be kind for the cheap vocabularies. To sums things up, my message in this article is, don’t hate Wenger and be passionate about football, not trophies. Once again, trophies aren’t everything. Good football is.

I know this article would attract lots of controversy. Feel free to air your views about my article and tell me how you feel when I ask you “Which is more important? Trophies or football?” You can criticise or praise my work but please don’t be mean. This is the way the world works; there are many opinions out there, and either you’re happy with it or you’re not. Let me stress for one last time, this article is based solely on my opinions. Different people watch football for different reasons. Tell me your reason. Thanks for reading.

Dariano

Money or Freedom? Peter Hill-Wood or Billionaire Owner?

All the Arsenal sites says the same thing.

“Arsene will not spend”

“Usmanov urges Arsene to splash out”

“Magic money won’t do the trick says Wenger”

Instead of going with the flow and saying the same things, I would rather take a look at something else. Before I start, I just want to make something clear, and that is, Arsene Wenger will NOT change his youth policy. Not when Arsenal’s out of Europe, not when Arsenal’s relegated, not in a million years. It’s what made Arsene Wenger and it’s what made the media love him. Maybe buy some expensive experience players here and there (like Arshavin), but at the end of the day you will still be seeing a bunch of kids competing against Chelsea’s “Old Blues”.

I am sure from my article title you would have known what I’m going to write about. Peter Hill-Wood, is the current chairman of Arsenal football club since 1982. He provides the cash, the “go-ahead” and the wage and transfer budgets. So somehow he has played a small part in Arsenal’s transfers. He is open-minded, supports Wenger and gives Wenger the control of the club as if he owns it. That partnership and understanding has brought about Arsenal’s glory days – and days you wouldn’t really want to remember as a Gooner.

A Match Made in Heaven. Lol.

I’m sure every manager would love this type of freedom and stability at the club for so many years, but everything has its pros and cons. Nobody and nothing is flawless. While Hill-Wood has great understanding of running the club and is a passionate football-lover, he isn’t as rich as Roman Abramovich or a bunch of oil-owners, which has had some restrictions on Arsene’s spendings. Meanwhile at clubs like Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City, their managers have had the privilege of making full use of their boss’ fortune. This has brought them some good results. Chelsea’s 3rd in the EPL, right above Arsenal, Man Utd’s enjoying the view at the top of the Premiership and Man City, eh, isn’t doing too well (this also shows money needs to be use correctly) but the point is, would you want money or freedom?

What I like about Peter Hill-Wood is basically he lets Arsene Wenger runs the club and do what he feels is the best for the club. And sometimes, it’s not like he’s a beggar or a busker on a street; he has claimed time and again (although I’m not too sure if it’s true) that Arsene can spend if he wants. So it might not be Hill-Wood’s problem but more like Arsene’s.

Now let’s look at the richies. At the start of this season Man City shocked the world when they signed Robinho for 32 million. Then just last season Man Utd bought Luis Nani and Anderson each for 17 million, totaling them up would mean 34 million pounds spent on 2 young, untested EPL players. And 2 seasons ago Shevchenko made a big-money, 30 million pounds move to Chelsea. Arsene Wenger would never do that and he probably couldn’t have done that. Peter Hill-Wood just can’t afford it. But at what cost? Man Utd’s now in heavy debts and winning the Premier League is a must. If they don’t they would find themselves in a predicament. Man City, no matter how much they spent this season, just can’t break into the top 4 and Mark Hughes’ time at Manchester City is under speculation. Finally, even though they have enjoyed moderate success, Roman Abramovich always interfere with Chelsea’s club affairs and for some reason he just can’t find his “right manager”. He’s sacked 3 managers and I’m starting to wonder how he’s ever going to find a long-term spouse. FFS, to me Luiz Felipe Scolari wasn’t doing very bad!

Would you want Arsenal to have such chairmen? If Arsene Wenger was at Chelsea (or Real Madrid) he would have been sacked cause I just can’t imagine Abramovich watching a bunch of kids playing for Chelsea. If Arsene Wenger was at Man Utd he need to guarantee titles, but you know Arsene doesn’t like to spend too much on youngsters either so again the Americans and Arsene wouldn’t mix. Lastly Arsene Wenger at Man City… let’s just say he would get sacked.

My whole point is, for those who dislike Peter Hill-Wood, don’t. In fact I really feel lucky for Arsenal that we have a chairman who’s willing to give the freedom and time to the manager. You don’t see such chairmen in football nowadays. Also one thing that’s really clear and has been proven time and again through history is that money can’t buy you freedom. You can have shit loads of money but if you’re not allowed to spend it the way you want what’s the use? Plus it’s not like Hill-Wood’s dead broke. If he is he wouldn’t own Arsenal Football Club.

What do you think? You think Peter Hill-Wood is a nuisance or a gift? Is it finally time to change chairman, one who’s willing to give the cash for ambitious signings? Or you, like me, feels we’re lucky to have him for the amount of freedom he gives Arsene Wenger? Tell me your thoughts in the comment box. Thanks for reading.

Dariano

Man Utd 0-0 Arsenal Player Ratings

Well as a writer on the blog I SHOULD give player ratings for both teams, but then, I was too busy focusing on Arsenal so if I were to give ratings for United it probably won’t be accurate.

Good game at Old Trafford. Neither teams scored (that’s rare between these 2 teams) but both teams attacked. Arsenal really impressed me as I thought they would not be motivated to fight for a win. I was wrong, but Arsenal lack the edge in attack for them to score. They need a good striker next season.

And one annoying thing about Arsenal I’ve experienced so far this season, is that they totally suck at set-pieces. Van Persie always hit the wall or other players during his freekicks, and his corners always get cleared easily. Same goes for Arshavin. Fabregas is a better set-piece taker but I’ve seen very little goals from set-pieces this season for Arsenal. Need to train up in that department.

Anyway, here are the player “report books” for Arsenal…

Fabianski (6.0) – Quiet but effective suits him best in this match. He wasn’t really tested but he made many important and correct decisions which gave him his clean sheet, such as pressuring Tevez when he was open, and coming out to claim several balls from crosses or corners. This might be too early, but I see a bright future for the Polish keeper.

Gibbs (6.5) – Good performance. I think he has put behind his mistake in the CL semi-final and he’s impressing critics once again. Didn’t truly stopped Ronaldo but the Portugese was quiet so you can say he did his job.

Toure (6.5) – A hard one to give. Solid as always, but I don’t think he deserves a 7 as he made 1 really bad mistake, almost giving Carlos Tevez a goal. Besides that he was a top defender in the match. And another thing, I just love how he took a page off Ronaldo’s book and used it against him! That was funny and you should look at Ronaldo’s face.

Song (6.5) - Tempted to give a 7 but I wanted to be fair to Toure cause Song didn’t really play better than him, yet I feel he’s played well. He wasn’t that good on the tackling side of defending but when it comes to interception he made quite a few.

Sagna (7.0) – Another great performance. I feel he’s the best Arsenal players in this match. Didn’t contribute much in defence but he overlapped consistently and caused a threat to the opponent a number of times.

Denilson (6.5) - Like always, he was anonymous in the match, yet if you watched carefully, he actually made quite a few important interceptions and passed well to start attacks. The unsung hero of Arsenal. He still needs to up his game and make the world watch him.

Fabregas (7.0) – Was the pivot of most Arsenal attacks. He even had Arsenal’s best chance to score, but van der Sar did well to save it. He played well when Arsenal passes slowly, but Fabregas still needs to learn to execute the perfect killer ball. That’s what Arsenal lack. 1 point to note though, is that I feel he plays better in the “Xavi” kind of role. He can join up attacks better in a deeper role, so I think that’s how he should play.

Nasri (6.5) – The opposite of Fabregas in terms of style of play. He belong on the wings if not in an attacking-midfielder role. He dribbles well and linked up nicely with Sagna and several players. However, I feel he still needs to learn to “take control” of the game, if you know what I mean. Want the ball? Ask for it or take the ball and do magic with it, not wait for a teammate to pass to you then turn on the creativity. Nasri’s good enough to have that kind of authority.

Diaby (6.0) – Really quiet. Didn’t do much attacking-wise or defensively. I believe his days at Arsenal are numbered unless Arsene Wenger still feel there’s room for improvement for him at Arsenal. Diaby should seek his fortune elsewhere.

Arshavin (6.0) – Might be a little harsh but I felt 6.5 was a little too much cause he didn’t start any big attacks. I love one of his sparkling run, sidestepping 3 defenders before missing the chance to shoot, but after that, he was just quiet. Make simple passes but didn’t had any convincing ones. Also, on this particular occassion, he lacked the killer touch he always showed in his past matches. He hesitated to shoot and took too much time on the ball. However I wouldn’t say it was actually a bad performance; it was just average.

van Persie (6.5) – I feel he just can’t play upfront alone. He’s best at “linking up play” between the midfielders and strikers, and he’s just not that out-and-out striker. But does Arsene have a choice? Adebayor should be benched for his bad performances recently and Bendtner and Vela still hasn’t proved thier worth. Arsenal need to sign a new striker unless Eduardo can cope. A side note, I wonder just why the hell van Persie slipped so many times in the match. Maybe it was raining but I don’t see other players slipping as often. Buy a new pair of boots (preferably Nike lol)!

Man Utd, Champions of England... AGAIN. Arsene, when will it finally be our turn?

Dariano