Defensive midfielder is not the most enjoyable position to play. Ask any football player, if they have choice, everyone would want to be a striker who scores goal, or a wing wizard who could work magic with his footwork. Being a defensive midfielder, you would have to run your socks off chasing the loose ball, stopping the opposition. In other words - doing the “dirty work” which no one else enjoys doing. So often they come away without any credit. But it would be even worse when they are labelled as “lazy” after 90 minutes hard work.
That’s the treatment our captain Patrick Vieira has been receiving lately by some corners of our own fans. Perhaps I’ve been watching a different ball game, or perhaps some fans have forgotton the workload [particular defensively] Paddy has to take on ever since the injury of Gilberto. Personally, I always believe, and always withnessed, despite the summer transfer saga, whenever Paddy was on the pitch, he always pulled the weight. Therefore, the match-winning goal he scored against Newcastle was a proper reminder of what a great player we have on the center of the pitch. Not just because of the goal, but the ground he covered, and the way he rallied our defence, particularly in defending set-pieces.
It was a crucial victory for us. With Chelsea and Man Utd winning their matches respectively the previous night, the Newcastle game was an absoulte pressure-cooker, even a draw could have cost us the title. I must confess: the Bolton match [when we got pulled level from 2 goals up and virtually lost the title chase] in season 2003 had shadowed my mind the whole night. Fortunately, the lads in red-and-white have done us proud, and pulled off a gutty victory. The more encouraging sign is - we seems to have toughened up our defence, kept a few clean sheets the past few matches. As I insisted all season - defence wins game.
6 Responses to “Paddy earned his deserved credit in the pressure-cooker”
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December 30th, 2004 at 11:21 am
I liked the way Paddy played vs. Newcastle.
I often watch the replay of the match, and try to watch the play OFF THE BALL… positioning of players, etc.
Vieira DEFINITELY played a defensive midfield against Newcastle, and he did a very good job of it.
Yes, he scored a HUGE goal… the game-winner.
But he was in the right position defensively alot as well… and did a good job with the set-pieces.
GREAT to see Vieira playing better. I LOVE the fact that the team is so close, so tight knit, a brotherhood. That bond helps the team in down times and in tight situations. The players LOVE Vieira… he is their leader. You don’t have to like that fact, but it is the truth. We WILL need him to win anything this season.
December 30th, 2004 at 11:29 am
It was a very important win away on a very tough ground. The pitch was really in a bad state making it more difficult for the Gunners to play the flowing football we are so used to. A grinding victory nonetheless. I thought the Viera/Flamini combo fared very well against Newcastle’s midfield. Flamini worked tirelessly covering plenty of ground - nothing flashy but just as effective. I thought Viera’s goal came out of nowhere but hey, who am I to complain as it turned out to be the winning goal. Defending a one goal lead had proved troublesome in the past but the defence is beginning to return to its former stingy self. Cole kept danger man Bellamy quiet for most of the game - though he and Glichy were guilty of a few questionable tackles. I was surprised that no penalty was awarded to Newcastle for Cole’s silly hand ball but I guess luck was on Arsenal’s side for the game
Almunia looked more assured and comfortable in dealing with the crosses and shots. If he continues at this rate, I won’t be surprised if Lehmann moves on during the January transfer window.
Hopefully Wenger’s prediction that Viera will be Arsenal’s driving force in the second half of the season comes true as his performance can carry the entire team. We will then only have to be concerned with fatigue and injuries as the fixtures start to pile up fairly soon.
December 30th, 2004 at 11:43 am
Agree, Andez, to a point. Afer the summer, AFC and their supporters needed to see something exceptional from Paddy, the kind of stuff he used to give us, to help them shake off the Real nonsense. Injuries and intestinal problems notwithstanding, he’s once again taken the arm band very seriously the last two games and memories of his move to Spain and doubtful form are now starting to fade much faster.
It was all up to him.
And there’s no doubt we are a better defensive team when he WANTS to be our captain and our general out there. But to be honest, I don’t think he always had his head in the game until lately. Odd, Wenger says his piece, Henry says his (still shudder to think that Vieira’s traditionally flirtatious career changes would make his mind up for him) piece, and Vieira gets MOTM, which I would have given him had the goal gone to anyone else.
Now if we could just get Reyes back on track…
December 30th, 2004 at 11:57 am
Fergie’s at it again, calling the FA immoral and raising an argument that just falls short of common sense when he says that Ben Haim shouldn’t be charged with violent conduct, and therefore the charges point to superfluous standards and therefore Rooney is being unjustly treated. An argument that I read as just another pathetic attempt to back into a defense of his Manbeast. One would have thought he would get better at this sort of thing since he does it so much. Anyway, check this quote out:
United have until six o’clock this evening to decide on whether to appeal and Ferguson said: ‘It was no more than a push in the face, there was no swing of the arm or anything like that. ‘The system is completely flawed.
If it was from Fletcher, or Hienze, its still stupid and violent but almost wrist-slapping territory. But this Rooney is creeping dangerously close to Mike Tyson repute. I, for one, am delighted how this entertainment seems to be in the press almost every day, these days.
December 30th, 2004 at 2:38 pm
Yes, Lehmann will definitely want to be first-choice keeper, given his rivalry with Kahn, but who is going to buy him and would we be willing to sell? We’ve got no real cover seeing as Stack is presumably in prison(?) and Taylor is not playing well. I don’t watch Leicester but quite often when I hear match reports on the radio they’re saying ‘poor goalkeeping from Stuart Taylor, he should have done better with that’. Pity.
December 30th, 2004 at 4:18 pm
I think Wenger did say that if Lehmann wants to leave, he will not stand in his way though he would prefer for him to fight his way back to the first team. Problem is Lehmann believes playing for the motherland is very important to him - so first team football elsewhere will tempt him strongly. Already there are speculations of teams like Borussia M********** having an interest in Lehmann. If he does go, I think Wenger will go for van der Sar or Jaaskelainen as replacement.