A Wee Bit of PreSeason Optimism

Wow. Arsenal have just signed Kaka out from under AC Milan!
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Just kidding. We're still in the same straits we were last week. Nonetheless, the Gunners produced a couple of 2-1 wins in the past 48 hours in their Emirates micro-cup, beating  and Inter Milan on successive days.

The Gunners opened the micro-cup with a 2-1 winner over Paris St. Germain with goals from Matthieu (or as Bobby McMahon calls him, "Matty") Flamini and a "Look what I found at my feet, better kick it in the net" game winner from Nicklas Bendtner, his first as a Gunner. Bendtner then proved that scoring was not as easy as it looks by following that with a weakly taken penalty kick in the 83rd minute. The PK came about when intreprid Alexander Hleb was taken down in the box while looking for a lane to the goal.

Against Inter, the boys went down a goal early, but fought back to draw level with a self-putback from Alexander Hleb (is this boy attacking the goal this year or what?) and then the winner from RVP, the man who would be king of Emirates. This season is RVP's to have. If he finds his stride - and keeps his cool (Memo to the gaffer: Keep RVP and Lehmann apart on plane flights) this could be a special year for the young Dutchman.

One item of concern from the news reports:

Despite dominating for long spells Arsenal fell behind to a well-placed header from Inter's Honduras striker David Suazo.

For long periods, it looked as though Arsenal had found no solution to their lack of cutting edge from last season.

Some of the Gunners' approach play and passing was
exquisite, but they failed to carve out many chances against a stubborn
Inter defence.

Yoinks! That sounds troublingly familiar.

Reading the match summaries I'm surprised by the number of names I've never heard before.
Bendtner. Sagna. Kieran Gibbs. Mark Randall. OK. I'm gonna spend a week studying the Arsenal website.

Anyhow, I'm beginning to get excited for the season. Yes, we're still a dark horse team given the lack of
obvious improvements through signings, but I've got faith in the Professor. He will mold this side into a fearsome attacking side with a stingy defense. This season, I believe we will continue to amaze with a passing game that patiently builds until the opposing defense makes a lapse and then we strike. Watch out Chelsea, Manchester U and Liverpool, The Gunners are coming!