I got the chance to see the game against Man City twice this weekend. None were live broadcasts?grrrr?but that’s another post for another time.
At first I thought the lads looked as if they really couldn’t be “arsed” to be there, aside from Freddie (non-stop running, maybe to make up for a lack of ideas), PV (not yet there, but sweating like h*ll), Lehmann (smart, calmly courageous, intentionally comical after he was barged), and of course, Ashley Cole (arguably the finish of the year). Edu had some bright moments where he nicked a few passes and tried to send us off, but it seemed as though we were, well, casual. I actually saw Henry stroll away from a 50/50 ball.
At second viewing, I had something of a change of heart towards our performance. I imagined a week long defensive seminar, one where the boys patched any and all possible weaknesses, leaving the goal scoring to fate?not a stretch for AFC. Then I began to look at their play as one of extreme conservation, where nothing is wasted. Let City wear out, make a mistake, and pounce. With two out with injury, and a few freshly back and working into form, what’s the sense in breaking ‘em against Keegan’s boys? Find the net eventually with one decent series and concentrate on frustrating them in the center third, which we did with regularity. Where AFC gave the ball away on a few too many “one-eye-squinting” balls, MC were constantly being anticipated and marked to the teeth.
And I’ve come to view Henry as more of a NFL wide receiver these days. He’s not going to bust it up and down the field for nothing. When he’s near the ball and in the play, he’s dangerous 99% of the time. If I’m AW, I don’t want to see him going in the air to be clobbered by City’s nothing to lose midfielders. One or two flourishes from him, and we’re up for good. Every one of his touches are too valuable to need him for much of anything else. And if he wants to pout, and he did, let him. Who cares? Besides, his opposite number in position and sulking, Anelka, should have been booked for diving in the 68th minute.
In the end, we looked as if we were saving it in the front end of the season as we fix the little things that are plaguing us, in order to win the tough fixtures towards the end?much like Mourinho is doing by concentrating on his defense, albeit with far less talent. We can score when we need to, evidently. Asking an exhausted Arsenal to take the lead for the third time from a determined Bolton side is a tall order for the freshest of clubs. I would rather see us be “boring, boring Arsenal” every few games or so, taking our shots wisely, 10 shots 2 goals, and working wisley to improve in training. Let the rest lose their heads.
On to Norway. And, like another has said here, I really would love to see Van Persie some more. When he came on, other than being a little overanxious, am I the only one who saw him as Christiano Ronaldo dangerous?
8 Responses to “Finessing the Result: AFC vs. Man City”
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September 27th, 2004 at 10:58 pm
Scotty, I agree that it was not a bad performance at all. We don’t need to put on a show every week, nor will we be able to… a win works just fine for me… workmanlike as well.
I DEFINITELY am for seeing more playing time in this type of match for the likes of Pennant, VanPersie, Cesc, & Clichy. The match before the CL match… rest some players. Let our kids get in a meaningful match for a half or 60 minutes!
What would have been wrong with VanPersie for the first half and Pennant for the 2nd? Edu for the first half and Cesc for the 2nd?
I hope we play a few of these kids this weekend… AFTER the CL match… that would be smart… it would make alot of sense… lets hope we see a win on Wednesday… and some kids on the weekend against Charlton.
We can only hope VanPersie is “Christian Ronaldo dangerous”!! Wouldn’t that be fantastic… I expect nothing but success from AW’s selections!
Yes, we’re spoiled and I love it!
September 28th, 2004 at 1:40 am
van persie is, i think, a very different player compared to ronaldo. but who would mind him being ronaldo dangerous? some people tipped him as having the greater potential than robben, which excites me really. and judging from his reserve games, he could really be henry’s real partner upfront eventually.
agreed that in that game lehmann was solid, and entertaining as ever. when i saw him asking for cards to the referee, man.. i just love him, always have some moments to remember in almost each game.
i think last game also underlined pretty well how valuable the invisible gilberto is. not that i dislike edu, but in my first eleven, it is always gilberto over edu when paddy is fit of course.
now henry.. i have to admit he is the first person sprung to my mind when i read scotty’s saying :
“At first I thought the lads looked as if they really couldn’t be “arsed” to be there”
but then i won’t mind, half henry is still very good, and as long as he shows up whenever we are in a critical match like that last season CL game against chelsea, i couldn’t be ‘arsed’.
September 28th, 2004 at 5:05 am
Van Persie plays in the Bergkamp role. I saw him in the reserves last week and he looked very good, he reminds me of a young DB but left footed. I get the feeling that AW is hold onto him and then when the time is right he will unleash him. Mark my words he will be a star.
September 28th, 2004 at 9:11 am
What really impressed me straightaway about RVP was that he looked as though he was “chomping at the bit” to get out there. Gael Clichey, while also creating some danger on the left and who played quite well I thought, looked like the young kid that he is when he was waiting to take the pitch. RVP? Itching. Hawkish. There’s something boyishly confident, but instrinsically dangerous about the kid. Maybe that’s why he gets so much guff back home. He strikes me as though he could care less who AFC are playing, but not in an arrogant sense. Whomever it is, he’s going to make some trouble for them and show his stuff. If I were Wenger I wouldn’t even tell him?just unclip the chain and set him loose. Had he been given an entire half against City I really think he would have run amuck out there, eventually crumpling them in frustration. I got all this in 10 minutes, somehow, and hope to see much more tomorrow.
All in all, Wenger appears to have The Arsenal in such clinical form as to appear dispassionate?like a machine. No distracting variables that sacrifice results for personalities (Beckham-Rooney Syndrome). Sometimes you dial back a few notches, sometimes you gun it willy nilly and throw the fresh legs of youth into the fray. There’s not just a collection of galacticos (a term on its LAST leg, I think) out there, bunching together, and stretching their abilities to squeak a result. Wenger is assembling an elite killing force, where nothing is wasted and all the weapons are cleaned and fired only when necessary. Smart, smart, smart.
Sometimes I think Wenger was a secret agent.
September 28th, 2004 at 12:06 pm
Since he’s on tap, more on Van Persie from Myles Palmer of ANR:
With Pires injured, Bergkamp not flying, there may be a case for Fabregas starting.
Or it may be time to release the King of the Cage, van Persie.
Legend has it that Robin van Persie was the toughest kid on the block, knew how to look after himself in the inner city football “cages” where street football was played by teenagers in Rotterdam.
They called him the King of the Cage.
As I exclusively reported long ago, Van Persie trained with Arsenal for a week at the end of last season.
And Clichy said, “He’s a beast!”
I have a feeling we will see the beast quite soon. And it will be fun because van Persie has exceptional skill and power.
September 28th, 2004 at 2:01 pm
Very much agree about Gilberto over Edu. It’s a disaster that his injury is worse than previously thought and he may be out until Christmas.
September 28th, 2004 at 4:29 pm
Tubby Toddler has scored a hattrick in less than an hour. Sigh. This doesn’t bode well. But Wiltord has scored, which is cheering. I’m glad he’s doing well.
September 28th, 2004 at 10:02 pm
sigh… i was also beginning to worry. i knew he was extremely skillful and full of vision, but i never knew he could score hattrick like that. but then you can never write off manu rite? now that’s more like a competition. just wait till AW’s final Ace unleashed, the king of cage.