Not too much to say about Sunday's Arsenal loss to Everton. The Gunners are down to their 5th choice striker (Aliadiere) and a converted midfielder (Baptista) and it shows. Even after Arsenal got their rhythm, particularly with a robust and surging midfield, they had little chance to convert due to the woeful state of the front line.

Granted, Baptista can score goals, but he's more suited to pushing out of the midfield towards goal, and yesterday he was horrible for large stretches of the game. Aliadiere? Well, let's just say Arsene ought to sell him for whatever he can get. A used copy of Best Arsenal Goals Ever, some shoe leather. Get some value out of the kid. You won't be getting it on the field.

Everton fully deserved the win. They played great at times and weathered the storm for long stretches when they needed to. They only look like they ever have but one goal in them and yesterday they wisely saved it for the end.  Boy, that Andy Johnson's a hard working little striker! Ran his rear off all game long and finally got the winner to show for it.

Nice piece of refereeing by Phil Clattenberg, too. Rarely do you see judicious restraint balanced with just enough cards and verbal cautions to keep a game flowing, but still physical enough to be called football.

And Jens Lehmann. Oh, what to do with this goof? He's a right brilliant keeper at times, but I'm so tired of his menopausal crankiness. Yes, Vaughann probably should've gotten a card for coming in studs up on Lehmann, but the kid obviously meant no harm and was trying his hardest to apologize. Refusing to shake his hand was just cheap and unsportsmanlike. I for one, won't be sorry to let Germany have Jens back next season.

Does Arsenal favor form over function? Some days it certainly feels like it.

Speaking of painful. Kids in my house love American Idol, meaning I'm subjected to the painful condition of oversinging, reported here and here. Singing like this makes one long for the simple, understated, dare I say pitch-free styling of Ozzy Osbourne.
 

Gunner Suicide Watch, Last Days?

Ok. I've joked about the depressing turns Arsenal's season has taken in the last 2 weeks. But if I were really prone to self-violence this news would've put me over the edge. Our strikers are now Theo Walcott and Jeremie Aliadiere (with Adebayor's suspension increasing a game). That puts us in from to challenge for promotion from the Championship!

Seriously, though, the only goal remaining is a top four finish and securing a European berth for next season. And even that could be a struggle the way our luck's run recently.

One has to wonder if Henry's troubles are the result of last year's incredibly long season, with the EPL piled on top of European and World Cup fixtures? Hint to Arsene: you'd better find ways to rest Henry in the future.

Nick Webster provides a "cup half full" take on the Gunners' season.

And to top it all off, my daughter's team's season ended yesterday on the backs of a 4-3 penalty kick shootout in the youth Championship Cup. That's a tough way to lose a game...

Gunner Suicide Watch, Day 12

The misery mounts. Here. Here. and here.

Worst American Presidential Administration ever?

And finally, burning genitals are not, repeat not, a laughing matter. Yet, this story suggests that the forces of natural selection need to get busy in Wisconsin before a certain burn patient gets the opportunity to reproduce.

Gunner Suicide Watch, Day 1

Watching the Blackburn-Arsenal FA Cup replay was a depressing experience. As the missed chances piled up, my fears grew. When they reached halftime without a score, I had a feeling that defeat was in the cards. This makes, what, the 3rd straight disappointing Gunners' game in a row? (The Carling Cup final was not on TV and you could score that either way, depending on your relative level of optimism)
Granted, they were without their first 3 strikers of choice and missing Cesc Fabregas and Tomas Rosicky in the midield. Oh, does this team look different without Cesc in the middle!
Aliadiere was game to run around the pitch with energy but to little purpose. He had a couple of moments that appeared promising but to naught in the end. Baptista played up front and I thought he looked most promising of all, but alas when he was not just missing (the goal or his touch), Friedel was making more amazing saves.
Llungberg ran the midfield like a man unhinged and generally created the most danger  there. However, due to a thuggish (yes, I do mean that) Blackburn defense and the referee stylings of Mr. Graham (3-Card) Poll, it was also for naught.
Aleksander Hleb looked good on the right side of the midfield. I am continually impressed by his ballhandling skills. However, he is a player who really needs some other quality players in midfield to play off of and Wednesday, he had none.
Unfortunately, the latest Boy Wonder, Denilson, was woeful after a couple of strong showings. He gave the ball away as if it were part of a promotional scheme ("Run near Denilson, get a free ball!) . There was little zip to his game and he looked intimidated by the big stage for the first time with Arsenal .
The rest of the team was fairly and uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball. Much of it had to do with the pitch and weather conditions, but Blackburn was playing at the same place at the same time and they figured it out.
The goal-winner from McCarthy was a real cracker. Almunia, who again played very well, had no play on it, unless he had had Edwin Vander Sar on his shoulders (and even then, Vander Sar's weakness is the long shot).
Bottom line is that this is a game the Gunners should've won and needed to win. Even with the missing players, the makeshift lineup and all that.
Unfortunately this season is starting to get a reek to it. We've lost out of 2 cups (the ones we had the best shot at) in the space of 3 days. We've got no shot at the league title. We very well could be out of the Champions League on the next try. And we've got a raft of injuries and suspensions.

Oh, and I almost forgot Mr. Poll. What the hell was he doing, trying to prove he isn't Mike Riley?! Two clear penalties, where the defender horse-collared Freddie Llungberg to the ground, in the box, when the Norwegian was headed to goal. Last defender rule, Mr. Poll? And he generally let things get too far out of hand with the hard fouls on both sides. It was a credit to the players' character, not Mr. Poll's refereeing, that the game didn't end in another display of handbaggery.

Ok. Hide the sharp objects.