Premier League Nonsense

The last few months haven’t been much fun for Arsenal fans. Last season’s implosion following the Carling Cup Final defeat against Birmingham City, their later relegation just rubbed salt into the aching wound, remains fresh in the memory.

Fans were promised a busy pre season in the transfer market but I don’t think many envisaged how busy it would be. And in which direction. Skipper Cesc fabregas and Samir Nasri decided they would have better chance of trophies, and a healthy retirement fund, elsewhere while others like Denilson and Emmanuel Eboue, frequent bit part players in Arsene Wenger’s vision of the club’s future, have moved on and players like Sebastian Squillaci, Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia have proved tricky to dispose of.

Amid the off field turmoil the club really needed a good start to the new season and indeed they are actually top of the table. In red cards.

Failing to score in the opening English Premier League and Wenger’s perceived reluctance to buy anyone over the age of 21 further soured the support which is increasingly being split into two disparate camps. The Arsene Knows Brigade against the Arsene Out bunch. About the only thing that unites the two warring sides is a loathing of a silent but increasingly wealthy board who contribute little meaningful to any debate leaving Wenger to be the fall guy.

Against this background victory in Udinese in the Champions League qualifier then is to be savoured, especially as it came against the odds. A1-0 llead from the first leg was thought to be too slender and there was a widespread belief the Gunners could not keep the Italians from scoring in front of their own fans.

As it happened Udinese took the lead and when they were awarded a penalty Arsenal fans, and their manager, must have thought here we go again. But it saw saved. Not just saved. It was a superb stop from the young Polish keeper Sceczney who has grown in stature and confidence over the last six months.

It is too early to describe the save as a season defining moment just as Liiverpool’s win at Emirates is not the precursor for a title challenge. But you could almost sense the confidence surge through the players veins and taking inspiration from their keeper Arsenal went for it. And got the result they wanted.

It was therefore a bit deflating to read various social networks from the so called wise heads cautioning caution. Obviously one win against a depleted Udinese is not the guarantee of later success, no one is suggesting that. But after all the bad news round the club it is good to savour a good win against the odds, something we haven’t managed for many years.

For many football fans, supporting your team is a labour of love. Yes, you moan, complain, which you were elsewhere but you wouldn’t miss a game for the world. Most teams tend to hover in mid table, flirt with relegation or promotion and hang on for the odd good cup run. Glory is hard to find for fans of Coventry City, Colchester United or Chesterfield, they grab it with both hands when it comes along no matter how temporary it is.

There is still life left in the Arsenal and I for one will savour the buzz for as long as possible. Because on Sunday we play Manchester United at Old Trafford and we will soon return to reality.

But till then I’m buzzing!

(First appeared in Jakarta Globe after Udinese game and before Man United in August 2011)

# posted by Me @ 4:45 AM 0 Comments

Finally a story that never had any legs can be put to bed. Arsene Wenger has signed a new contract that will run till 2011 becoming the longest serving Arsenal manager in history. There was little chance the urbane Frenchman, who says I feel more often than Robbie Williams, leaving. It is not in his nature, I feel, to leave Arsenal without some warning allowing a successor to be lined up.

Now he can concentrate on winning more silverware. Nigel Winterburn, the former Arsenal left back, said that they should be looking at some silverware within three years. Far be it from me to disagree with the left footed legend but silverware is required sooner than three years. I’m thinking more like 9 months!

Nothing like being greedy but while no club has a divine right to win things it has become a necessary this season. Two years ago in the Champions League Final after taking the lead against Barcelona we lost 2-1. Last season after taking the lead against Chelsea in the Carling Cup we lost 2-1. Both finals incidentally saw red cards for Arsenal players as did the FA Cup Final in 2005 which we somehow won. Of more concern are the finals we lost. If winning is a habit then what is losing?

Maybe the Champions League Final was the swansong of one Arsenal team, the Carling the birth of another and we shouldn’t read too much into it but I am surprised the mainstream media haven’t picked up on this yet. Just Toure, Almunia, Eboue, Hleb and Fabregas were involved in both games. Do Arsenal bottle it at the last minute? Is there a mental toughness missing from today’s vintage, one that was previously instilled by the likes of Adams, Keown, Vieria and Bergkamp? This season it is up to Gallas to start playing the game as he talked it for much of tlast season. For 11 leaders on the pitch. For Diaby to shake off his injury and become the new Abou Diaby. For Fabregas to add steel and goals from midfield. For Eboue, who was named to be ebullient, to attack with pace, defend with strength and stop rolling round like a baby hippo on bath day when he gets touched.

It is time for Hleb and Rosicky to take control more. For Hleb to be more adventurous around the box and spurn the eye of the needle pass in favour of the easy option. Adebayor needs more goals, more ruthlessness. Get in where it hurts, take risks, unsettle defenders. Ever since we lost our unbeaten record at Old Trafford back in 2004 some teams have seen us as a soft touch and shown that by getting physical we can be had. With Reyes that was true, Henry and Pires to an extent but they have gone. Hopefully Wenger has taught these new guys to play the beautiful game but they must earn the right to play. if it means upsetting a few purists then so be it. Some George Graham qualities, his teams didn’t concede many goals in the last minute, added to Arsene’s and the future is Arsenal’s.

There is some right old nonsense spoken about Arsenal and the young players there. New signing Sagna is 24, assistant vice second captain Kolo Toure is 26. Rosicky is an old man, 27 next month while new forward Eduardo is 24 and Gallas dates from the Jurassic era. Hleb is 26, van Persie 24 while Gilberto will be 31 next month. The lads are not so young now and many of them have had valuable experience over the last couple of years in the Champions League. They are also playing with a freedom and verve that was absent last season when Thierry Henry was in the line up. shorn of the heroic striker they are free to pass and go and not worry about les sulks from the master up front. They have tasted the heartache of defeat in a major final, it is up to them to show experience and make sure this season sees at least one piece of silverware makes it to the Emirates trophy cabinet. I feel they will.

First appeared on www.espnstar.com in September 2007. My optimism seems a bit misplaced!

# posted by Me @ 10:44 AM 0 Comments