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.