OK. Now, Sir Alex is Crying...

Brilliant, Brilliant game. Well, at least the last 10 minutes. Two brilliant last gasp goals to prevent the loss and then seal the victory over rival Red Devils at Emirates.

Arsenal started the game looking like rookies afraid of the glare of big lights. I don't think they sniffed the ball for the first 7 minutes. After, they began settling down and getting posession and working their trademark passing game. But United looked more dangerous in the attacking third. By the 2nd half Arsenal began to press more into the area, and when United scored it was counter to the run of play, but a superb effort and cross by Evra to deliver the ball to the noggin of an onrushing Rooney. Well scored by the young monster of Manchester.

At that point, logically, I assumed, game over. They just did not have scoring Jones to level 'er up. Ah, but the Professor brought in young RVN for Adebayor (who had worked hard up and down the pitch). With but 7 minutes to tick in regulation, a wonderful ball across from Rosicky, flicked barely between his legs by Henry to a charging RVN who nearly put a hole in the roof of the net with the ball. Equalizer, Arsenal!!

Unbelievable, but more to come. Arsenal kept pressing and late into stoppage time Mr. Eboue, who had struggled with Wayne Rooney all night long, got up into the attack and crossed a lovely ball directly at the noggin' of the Captain who doesn't score in big games, and certainly not with headers...who, of course, scored the game winner off a marvelous head ball.

When the whistle blew, it was great to see Thierry Henry jumping up and down, shaking his
fists at the sky in triumph. Sweet, sweet victory for The Arsenal!!

The win was costly, though, as young RVN fractured his metatarsal in the win and will be out for 6 weeks. Is there any more doubt we need this young man on the field?! I doubt Arsene's going to the transfer market and so it's likely to be Adebayor and Walcott, promising both, but still raw.

The only other blight on this victory would be if Chelsea were to capture the title. I don't think they will. I believe Manchester United will return to winning ways and continue to run away with the league. That would be alright. They're the better team over the course of this season, but in their 2 head-to-heads this years, Arsenal has been the best.

Jose's Crying

It was a delightful day in the EPL yesterday, and today stands to be even better with Arsenal and Manchester United tilting away at Emirates. Liverpool knocked the stuffing out of Chelsea, with 2 early goals. Don't know how close the game actually was, but the highlights made it look all Reds. Nice to see Peter Kenyon playing Happy Housewife. "Everything's fine, can I have another martini."

But over in the corner, little Jose is whining and crying again. "I'm never allowed to do what I want to do."?? Grow up, man. Arsene Wenger's had to deal with all sorts of injuries this season. He hasn't gone on a spending spree. He's just done what real coaches do. Sub and coach.

Hey, can we re-work that old Van Halen song to be sung as "Oh, oh, oh, Jose's crying!"

Speaking of the Professor
Boy, does he have his work cut out for him today. Although the Gunners are at home, Manchester United is flying high, with an attack that just produces goals. And we're missing RVN and more importantly, this year's team MVP, Gilberto Da Silva. I would fancy Arsenal to win this one straightaway with Silva, but without him in the center of the midfield I think it's going to be very, very difficult. I imagine Flamini will be the replacement. While he works hard in defense, he's not the stopper that Silva is, and he's nowhere near the attacking, creative force that the Brazilian is. Oh, well. Time to step, man. The Red Devils are in town. Going to be a corker!!

I'm off to watch the game on FSN!

Becks Finds His Place?

I never really cared for David Beckham. Way overhyped as a player, I always thought. The world's best soccer jersey salesman. The World Cup proved he is past his sell-by date, and watching him play in Seattle with Real Madrid sealed that impression.

But now he's coming to America and that changes my opinion of him. He's precisely the right mix of celebrity and soccer player to give soccer in America - that is, the men's game. We all know the women's game is in fine form here - the boost it so surely needs.
Fox's Nick Webster has a good article on the move here.

And finally, speaking of Fox, last night's FSW produced this gem in reviewing Nicky Butt's goal against Tottenham, "...and Butt...finds a crack in the defense."

Aside from the great football coverage, I love FSW's easygoing, slightly sophomoric humor. Very few American sports shows would go there, and if they did, they'd go over the top.

Another Take on Arsenal

I love reading the match day reports from Brian Dawes at Arsenal World. Not only does he give a wonderful, from the seats report of the match, but he provides the local color, including the chants the fans sing.

Blackburn. Not just Punks

But a weak, weak soccer team. If they were a pop band, they'd be Starland Vocal Band. If they were a Secretary of State, they'd be, well, Condoleeza Rice. If they were an investigative Reporter, they'd be Geraldo Rivera opening Al Capone's vault.

Maybe I'm stretching this a little too far, but you get the picture. December 23rd, 11-man Arsenal demolished the Roofers 6-2 in a game that was probably closer than it appeared. Today, however, 10-man Arsenal sliced, diced, and eviscerated Blackburn in a commanding 2-0 win.

This game looked to go South on the visiting Gunners in the 13th minute, when Rob Styles pulled a red card out of his butt for a retaliation kick from Gilberto Silva, whom was harshly tackled and knocked after the fact by everybody's least favorite arsehole Robbie Savage. Roby Styles. Common sense. That's the last time in this post you'll see those 4 words together unless it is combined with the terms "lack of." Out comes the red for the Brazilian and a measly yellow for the Savage. Mr. styles then proceeded to ignore every other harsher foul by the Roofers the rest of the way.

Nonetheless, it turned out to be to Arsenal's advantage. While Blackburn had gotten some pressure during the first 13 minutes, after the sending off of the important central midfielder, they did not show up again until the 55th minute, when they started creating some pressure. After the sending off, Arsenal went ascendant, passing so beautifully, like only they can do. Blackburn looked the team a man down. They kept chipping away and away.

Finally, a beautiful ball through to RVN and Lucas Neill took him down. Maybe it was debatable whether he was the last man (if the other defenders in the area had jets, they could have had a shot at him), but our resident genius in black, Mr. Styles awarded only a free kick and a canary card to the Aussie. Thierry Henry looped a beautiful ball over the snoozing Blackburn defense. Kolo Toure made a brillaint slicing run in and flashed a headed ball into the near post, which sent the orb into goal territory, while Brad Friedel stood frozen. 1-nil to The Arsenal!

As mentioned before, early in the 2nd half, the Roofers started to wake up and create pressure. Th Gunner D and Jens Lehman were up to the task, however. After about 10 minutes of that foolishness, Arsenal regained equilibrium. In the 70th minute, I was almost not surprised at the sequence of sublime artistry that Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas combined on. Henry taking the ball 30 yards inside his own half took the ball up the left channel, and while baiting and feinting 3 defenders, allowed Fabregas time to insert himself into the play. A quick ball into Cesc, who one-touched at the feet of the slicing Captain, and Henry produced one of the sweetest and quickest one-touch shots to the upper far corner, just beyond the keeper's outstretched hand. It was 2-nil to the Gunners and you could sense that Blackburn's day would now end in futility, despite their underserved advantage on the green.

Ultimately, the Roofers could not provide an additional threat and that's the way the game ended. Sorry, Blackburn.

A couple of notes. Thierry Henry was amazing. He didn't get the ball much, but when he didn't have it, he was working hard off the ball, on defense and running in to space. He roamed the field like a vengeful ghost and when he scored the insurance, it felt like one of those rare moments of justice that occurs once in a blue, blue moon on a football pitch. This man's one for the ages.

Jens Lehman was not tested terrifically, but when he was he was ready. I rate him well above the average on this game. The thing I love about Jens Lehman, aside from his skill, is his attitude. Between the sticks he is the only man in the world who is right. Everyone else is wrong on his pitch. Refs. Defenders. And most of all, the ne'er-do-wells who bump and jostle him. Today, however, he didn't lose his cool over those transgressions.

Aleksander Hleb is a great addition to this team. He has always show great skill at his feet and in posession, but now you can see him feeling his part of the attack and he contributes greatly to it. Having the Hleb and Rosicky at the wings (along with the sublime Gilberto and Fabregas in the center) makes for one of the most creative and sticky midfields in the EPL.

I thought Gael Clichy and Phillipe Senderos were also quite good. Clichy in particular notched up his work rate and contributed greatly to the defense.

All in all, a very good result under adverse conditions.

Fratellis

Oh, and one other thing, get ahold of a copy of the Fratellis album Chelsea Music. This is the most ridiculously great rock album in a long time. Imagine Elvis Costello, Arctic Monkeys, Sex Pistols, the Hives and the Rolling Stones ground to a fine powder and steeped in hot water. That coffee would be the Fratellis. Or, on the other hand, you could make it in a blender, but you get the idea. This is good music!

Baptista 4-Liverpool 3

Oh yeah, and Aliadere and Song also scored goals in a 6-3 rout of Liverpool at Anfield. (The Reds have got to be sick and tired of Arsenal by now). They beat them like Republicans in the last Congressional election. I can't wait to see replays tonight!
And this was not a full-strength Arsenal side, with Aliadere and Walcott featuring as the front line, and Almunia, Traore, Denilson and Song were also in the line-up.

And the Beast! 4 Goals! Hopefully, this is the start of something for Baptista.

Wet Sunday

Holy Noah's Ark! I wake up and we are having a rain storm. You'd think after November - one of the wettest months on record in an area that knows how to put on a good wet month - we'd be rained out. Nah. It's coming down thicker than bullshit in a Jose Mourinho interview...
...speaking of, you know it's going to be a good day when you read stories like these. Call him a genius or an overrated coach with a team that not even Sven Goran Ericksson could lose with, Mourinho's a whiner and cry baby and in the end, a detriment to the EPL. Please, please let this be true!

Arsenal to the Good
17 hours of football. That's how long the Liverpool defense had held opponents scoreless. And they were at home at Anfield. Their strikers had been coming on in late weeks. It looked bad for The Arsenal. Call the streak at 17 hours plus 30 or so minutes. That's what it took for a nifty in-out-in pass combination between Tomas Rosicky and Alexsander Hleb to open up a window for Rosicky's looping shot to the upper far corner of the Jerzy Dudek's net. A scant few minutes later, the entire Liverpool team - or at least the 6 standing around watching - seemed to have caught whatever coma-inducing virus Rosicky had in the Sheffield game, as they escorted Rosicky to a nice open view of the net just outside the 18, and the Czech midfielder put the ball where it wanted to be.

Liverpool came back in the late stages with a double-header past Manuel Almunia, but it was up to the captain to seal the win with an absolutely spectacular run. Thierry passed the ball forward to himself, about 20 yards up the touchline, outraced and outmuscled a sluggish Jamie Carragher and then pushed into the box and coolly - does this man have an ounce of uncool in him? - slotted the ball past Dudek to put the game out of reach. 3-1 to The Arsenal.

From the highlights it appears that Arsenal were never in any trouble, but the box scores suggest that Liverpool had them under intense pressure for much of the game. I have to wait until Tuesday when the replay is on to see the game because it was pay-per-view here in the States. I couldn't pay $16 for a FA Cup 3rd round tie, not even for the Gunners.

At the time being, Manchester United and Aston Villa are scoreless at the half.

Thierry Henry is back and Arsenal rediscover winning ways and the back of the net in a 4-0 thrashing of Charlton. Meanwhile, Sheffield United thug Chris Morgan hears from the FA on his sneaky, sneaky punch from behind on RVN.

This guy gets weirder by the minute. Jose Mourinho, in need of someone who can play defense, decries the over-inflated EPL player market. Did you know that player salaries were outrageously high?! Golly. How did they ever get that way, Special One? Apparently, at the Mourinho School of Economics, it doesn't matter how much  demand, created by a rich, oh let's say Russian oil tycoon, drives up prices, they should reset to zero when Jose needs a central back on the quick. Somebody, just bitch-slap this guy, please!

He then went on to chastise Man U for dropping points and being underachievers. Mirror, Jose. Look in the mirror. That's your team you're talking about.

I have caught on to watching Keith Olberman on MSNBC. It's refreshing to see a news commentator who is not afraid to call George W and Administration on their transparent BS and untruthiness. Plus, he lets his guests talk - no soundbites, shoutfests or dittofests as seen on other channels. I learned a lot from listening to John Dean talk about the President's political strategy with Iraq and the limited options Dems have in stopping him.

The Sheffield Debacle

Saturday's Sheffield debacle was so bad, I had to wait until the new year to even be able to comment on it. How bad was it? Well, when a team like SU pushes your side around the pitch like the new boy in the prison yard, it's not going to be your day. When Blades' hero/midfield/emergency keeper Phil Jagielka called the Gunners big babies after the match, it was an understatement. The Arsenal attack was so impotent, word is that Cialis is thinking of a sponsorship next year. Blades' keeper paddy Kenny was so bored in the game, he faked a groin injury just to get out of the game.

Certainly the Gunners were a vastly depleted side missing the likes of Henry, Gallas, Fabregas, Hleb, Llungberg (does he play anymore? I can't think when I've last seen Freddie), and Emanuel Adebayor. But, come on, surely there are some players on the bench? Nope. Wenger's side looked like they were ready for League 1 play.

Without Cesc in the middle, the Arsenal midfield was hopelessly outplayed by the Blades' boys. Silva has really been playing exceptional this season. But after Saturday, I realize that he benefits tremendously from his partnership with Fabregas. Without him, he was too busy plugging leaks to add much to the attacking side, what little there was. And Rosicky, what the hell happened to him? To call him useless would be polite. He just took up space on the right side. I know several players had colds, but Rosicky looked like his might've been fatal.

And while it was incidental to the outcome, hopefully someone at the FA will review Blades' captain Chris Morgan's conduct (sucker punch to van Persie, blindside knockdown to same) and give him a few games off to consider the meaning of the term sportsmanship.

Arsenal had better find their spirit for the game again soon, or any legitimate shot at 3rd or 4th are gone.

Aside from soccer, I've been using the end of the year break to catch up on books, movies and song. I'm currently listening to the year-end best albums of 2006 by the good folks at KEXP. Go to their on-demand page and start listening at 12/29/06 at 8 a.m. Let's hope 2007 is as good a year for inventive, alternative music as 2006. I won't do a top 10 or anything like that, but my personal favorites were

Pearl Jam, Gnarls Barkley (Crazy and Gone Daddy Gone), everything by The Arctic Monkeys,  Baby Please Come Back by Catfish Haven,  Going Against Your Mind by Built to Spill, I Never Stopped by Battle, The Decemberists' The Crane Wife, just about everything on Lily Allen's Alright, Still, On The Radio by Regina Spektor, Punkture by Motor, Silversun Pickups' album Carnavas, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Stadium Arcadium, Rocky Votolato's Makers, Tom Yorke's Eraser, Tokyo Police Club, Wolfmother and Under Byen, and the best album of the year, is the 3-CD spectacular from Tom Waits, Orphans. There's a bunch more great music this year, but this is what's on my playlist right now. Keep it coming in 2007.

I watched several movies on DVD this past week. I highly, highly recommend The Proposition (screenwrite by musician Nick Cave). Also worthy are Little Miss Sunshine (with the sublime Steve Carrell and one of America's greatest actors Alan Arkin), The Descent (I'll never go caving again - I may never even go into my basement again), and Broken Flowers.