The Best of the Lot
I must admit after the first few post I found the blog lifestyle to be rather taxing. My week is short enough as it is but to throw in a regular writing session on top was a bridge to far for me. After discussing it with a friend though I have been sufficiently motivated to try the whole thing again with more resolve.
Liverpool:1 vs Arsenal:1
N'gog 46th
Reina o.g 93rd
The Premier League season is now three weeks into its infancy and the signs are all there that we will be in the running come May. The trip to Anfield on the first day I'll admit had me rather concerned. A new manager and a team in need of some redemption didn't really allow for us to ease into the season. Arsenal's first half display could have been taken from any number of games last year. We passed well and held it well but failed to create any real chances. The midfield did well considering Cesc was out and Wilshere was being thrown into the deep end. The game seemed ripe for the taking as we went in for the break as Joe Cole's foolish red card gave us a man advantage. The reasonable nature of the first half performance was canceled shortly after the break, Wilshere's surrender of possession led to a quick fire goal that galvanised Liverpool. Roy Hodgson's ability to organize was on good display as Arsenal failed to exert its technical and numerical superiority. The introduction of Rosicky gave us much needed inspiration through the middle as his free role allowed him to pop up and find passes. We should have equalized through the Czech after his mazy run into the box at the Kop end, Reina though came up with a stunning save. Against logic it seemed we were destined for a opening day loss.
Finally as stoppage time eased into its final moments Reina provided a magic moment. A Rosicky cross was challenged by Chamakh, it bobbled onto the post and back into Reina's arms, only for him to shovel it right into the goal. I couldn't stop laughing. Karma on the first day of the season.
I won't deny the disappointment of not taking three points from this fixture. We had them right where we wanted them going into the break. 11 v 11 we dominated them without really threatening but once we let them in through our careless possession it was always going to be hard. Jack Wilshere needs to take a valuable lesson in the margins that define victory and loss in the premier league. That said I think that anytime you go away to Liverpool and aren't beaten then it has been a successful day, no matter how big a shambles they may be in.
Grumbles have been abound about the nature of the goal with Almunia being beaten at his near post a la May 2006. I'm not too sure anyone would have been able to save it. It was a well struck hit, the concern and blame lies squarely on the midfield and the defense for allowing an innocuous throw to turn into a goal.
Arsenal:6 vs. Blackpool:0
Walcott 12th, 40th, 58th
Arshavin 32nd (pen)
Diaby 49th
Chamakh 83rd
A glorious first home fixture to be sure but I'm not going to go into much detail as I don't think that it showed us anything that we didn't already know. I know the press and the like have been going wild over the form Theo was in but we've seen it before. The red card in the 30th minute killed off what was shaping up to be a rather difficult game. Blackpool pressed us pretty well before the dismissal and it clearly took the wind out of their sails. Blackpool did well on their opening fixture and trounced a Wigan side that recently beat Totteringham away, so their ability shouldn't be underestimated.
All three of Walcott's goals were quality, though you would wonder if he would have that much time on the ball had they had an extra defender. Either way he showed his prowess from running from deep positions as well as being alert in a fairly crowded box. If he manages to quell the defenders who dabble in the darker arts then this may be his season. That of course is not to say in any way that he should have arrived earlier. The criticism from the British press (Particularly that odious hun Hansen on MOTD) is ludicrous, the boy is only 21.
The rest of the team played well with Chamakh especially doing well to work hard and force them to give up possession from deep in their own half. He looked like Adebayor did in 2006 and 2007. Both of those years we came incredibly close to winning major trophies, it may just be the final piece of the puzzle that we lost last year.
So it may not be the most telling bit of evidence but it was pleasing to see a clinical destruction when given a near perfect opportunity.
Blackburn: 1 vs. Arsenal: 2
Walcott 20th
Mame Diouf 27th
Arshavin 51st
A trip up north to visit Sam Allardyce's Blackburn isn't one that warms the soul. It is a reality that Arsenal are going to have to endure for many more years though. Wins away to Fat Sam are rare, so rare in fact that we haven't won away to one of his teams since 2002. Victory here so early in the season was a must as Chelsea continue to win. More tellingly it was going to be the biggest test of our aerial capabilities in the defensive third.
The opening quarter of an hour was a bit on the back foot as Blackburn shelled us from above. The most dangerous moment coming when Cesc was forced to clear off the line from a corner. Our dogged approach was rewarded when a classic counter caught Blackburn's back four too high up the field. Four passes, (most notably a superb through ball from Van Persie to Walcott) up the pitch and we were in front as our favorite goalkeeper was left prostrate. A good goal that shows the danger of speed and an in form Theo, I'll take 20 more of those this season.
The lead lasted slightly less than I expected and was scored in a manner that was entirely unexpected. Seven minutes after we scored the adorable and cuddly El Hadj Diouf ran straight down the right flank. Alarmingly he outpaced and out muscled our new boy Koscielny at the edge of the box. Almunia came off his line too late and Clichy was again caught watching as his marker Mame Diouf tapped in the cross. I'm not going to deride Koscielny for his missed tackle as I think he's not totally aware of the physical side the English game entails. The blame for the goal must be assigned to our fullbacks. Sagna's positioning was poor and Clichy's awareness was even poorer. The latters inability to pick up a single run into the box borders on mental retardation.
We won the game shortly after the break, Arshavin mopping up a Cesc shot that cannoned off of Theo's rear. Sloppy goal but a fitting one when one considers our opponents and surroundings. It's nice to see Arshavin pick up goals and perhaps lead him back to the form of two years ago. 10 minutes later Wenger withdrew Cesc and the inevitable bombing commenced in earnest. Chris Samba moved from the back to the front as every Blackburn ball into the box went looking for him. I fully expected the equalizer to come but unlike years past our defence coped without much fuss (save one horrendous Almunia flap at a corner). A narrow win in the end but one that shows the changes to our aerial defense are for the better.
The only bad thing of note was an ankle injury to our perma-crock Robin van Persie. I have questions over letting him start as the physical approach that Blackburn plays is perhaps not ideal for our dainty striker. Recent new is that he's out till mid October when may put too much pressure Chamakh as our only fit striker. ( no Carlos Vela doesn't count) In any event it will be interesting to see how the team is reshuffled for Bolton now that Walcott is injured as well.
Overall its been a very good start to the season. The only thing we need now is for everyone to have a bit of luck in the injury department.
