Fox Soccer Ruins Arsenal V. Shaktar Donetsk Telecast

Fox Soccer Network gets a red card for an idiotic decision to switch from Arsenal's Champions League match at 50 minutes for...(wait for it)...a press conference from the Seattle Mariners to introduce their new manager. First, noone cares about baseball's worst team. No one. And trading live coverage of a real match, with real goals happening, for a frickin' press conference is just dumb. So, big raspberry to to Fox Soccer.

That out of the way, this match was in cruise position for Arsenal early on, as the Gunners won 5-1, with only a consolation score for ex-Gunner Eduardo. Defensive mistakes killed Shaktar. First, Keeper Pyatov dropped an easy catch in front of the goal. Djourou stabbed at it, pushed the ball past the keeper, and Song tried a fancy behind the leg kick that bounced off a diving defender, and Song and into the goal. In the 42nd, defenders failed to win a defelcted Song cross and Nasri smartly played the ball into space and thumped a left-footed blast under the cross bar.

Shaktar showed very little in the game, leaving the announcers to question the strength of the Russian league where they lead the table. Luis Fabiano came out in the 2nd half, either energized or ticked off, as he got a good look at goal early in the 2nd half, that Flappy made a good stop on. A few minutes later the corn-rowed Brazilian ignored the referee's warning on an Arsenal free kick and blatanly wrestled Djourou down in the box, earning a penalty kick for Arsenal. Fabs slotted the 3rd goal.

Not that I saw the 3rd goal, thanks to the networking geniuses at Fox Soccer Network. So, the following comments are from reviewing highlights. Jack Wilshere scored a nice, nice goal after working a 1-2 with Rosicky. Chamakh got goal no. 5 on a funny play. The ball was lobbed over the Shaktar defenders who bet it all on the offsides trap. Chamakh was in clean and actually took time to look at the linesmen to see if he'd raised his flag, before hitting the shot past the keeper.

Bottom line is this is an important victory for the Gunners, near ensuring them of winning the group and going through to the knockout stage of the Champions League. And, the win came without putting too much on the line, allowing the team to prepare for Man City on Sunday without adding anymore injuries.

The standouts for me were Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky (please, Arsene, play him more often!) and Chamakh. The latter player does so much off the ball. Even when he isn't scoring, he is working on both sides of the ball to help the team. A very likable player. Fabregas was not in full game shape, obviously, but was still influential to the team. Nasri also had very positive moments, including of course, his goal, but I'd like to see him working harder on defense and off the ball.

But the player who has to work hardest coming off this game is Fox Soccer. They had an absolute howler and need to work hard to get back in the good graces of the fans.

Bring on the Mancs!