Arsenal America??

Wow. I've been so depressed by the Gunners run of form (actually work has been grinding me down to a little nub) that I haven't been able to post anything for weeks.

Now, comes this news that Kroenke Sports Enterprises has bought 10% stake in Arsenal. Could another American buyout be on the way? Of course, being a yank I don't care. As long as the owner puts the money into the club to win, then I'm all smiles.

And, if it raises the prospect of Arsenal coming to America for a game or two (I'm not getting to England anytime soon), then all the better.

As for the rest of the team, they're still a mess with injuries. I wouldn't be surprised if I get a call up, they're looking that desperate.

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.

OK, I don't watch American Idol. Let's get that out of the way. Nor do I own any Britney Spears' albums. But in our pop culture-infused society, it is difficult to escape notice of the cultural shrapnel left behind by these phenomena. (Yes, I know Britney is in her 3rd rehab stint this week). So, unwittingly I have become aware of a scandal (or should I say, the annual scandal) involving an American Idol contestant, this one having posed for some racy pictures and posting them online.
What I find interesting about this incident is this piece from a MSNBC online article about the scandal:

The fallout has many young people here thinking twice about posing for photos they thought were just to be shared among friends.

“It’s
the way this town is: Everybody knows everything about their friends,”
said Mark Dillon, 17. “At least half the people in this town have
pictures of their friends on the toilet. I’ve personally seen at least
20. It’s only because she’s on TV that they’re online.”

Really?! Is this what the digital revolution has brought, the ability to photograph your friends on the toilet and post the pictures on the web for the world to see?!

Maybe it's time for parents (who knows, maybe we should also have required media and PR training for kids) to explain to their kids that employers today will Google you and check your MySpace page rather than check your references. One picture of you on the toilet could very well cost you a job.

Speaking of the toilet, that's where I'd like to send the Carling Cup Final. From what I hear (since the game wasn't broadcast in the States - Rupert Murdoch, how could you abandon us this way?!) the Young Gunners put on a great display and had Roman's RMA on the run, but for the excellence in form of one Didier Drogba. The end result is that Arsenal lost and that sucks! And the outbreak of handbagging at the end was really disgraceful. Not that I'm condoning violence but aren't footballers supposed to be tough.

The only really violent blow was the horrible, unintended kick to JT's head. That was awful. Thank God he's OK.

Alright, on the the Blackburn replay. Gunners better win or I'm going to be put on suicide watch again.

Well, the daughter's soccer team, like Arsenal, did not play up to their usual standard. It mattered little as they waltzed away to a 2-1 win that wasn't as close as the score indicates. The outcome was pleasant to see. And the little princess played again for the first time in over a month due to a hip flexor injury. She acquitted herself well and had fun.

Nonetheless, I had to watch the tape of the Arsenal V. Bolton replay - now, that was a game! Both teams played hard, thoughtful soccer and Arsenal was simply amazing in their command of the field. And, you can't argue with the 3-1 extra time win, with the excitement of a 92nd minute equalize by the Blunderers.

And then there was the Champions League match with PSV Eindhoven. Ugh. More uninspired soccer from the Gunners. I'd say they're definitely in a slump.

Hopefully, they'll knock out of it by Sunday's Carling Cup final with the RMA (Roman's Mercenary Army, AKA Chelsea). There is currently no greater prize in professional football than to be able to make Jose Mourinho whine and pout during his postgame press conference and beating Chelsea Sunday - oh wait, never mind. He does that after every game!

Fortunately, the gaffers are getting into it in the lead-up.

Nonetheless, a win would be a nice breaker to the current run of poor form. John Terry is out for the Blues, which is always good news for the opposition, though I hate to see him out of the game. He is one of the best central defenders on the planet and you might as well play the best.

Not that Arsene is going with his strongest side. He looks set to reward the young players who got them there. Even Thierry Henry will be sitting this one out. That's good. It's a great way to give the young players a real taste for big-time competition.

Arsenal posted financial reports this week. While they lost some dough, the numbers overall look good. The new stadium is cashing in on its expanded capacity from Highbury. Once the one-time debt losses are done with, Arsenal's financial picture looks bright. And management has said they'll give Arsene some spending money for the transfer window.

It's hard to think who they'd target. I wouldn't touch the midfield. Assuming Henry's staying, and I've seen nothing to really worry me, I think they're set there with RVN and Adebayor filling the strike partner role. They'll likely need to replace Lehmann, and I do think it's time. Almunia has done well in limited duty this year, but they would really need to go after a top keeper to fill the crazy German's boots. So that's one place to spend. Fullback is in great hands with Eboue and Clichy. Central defense, though, is one spot to look. Senderos is still a vulnerable player. If they could spot a world class center back, that'd be worth the money.

Other than those two positions, though, I'm not certain there's a lot of holes to fill.

Unfortunately, the Man U CL match against Lilly was not televised this week. It was apparently, the most entertaining match of the week. In France, they apparently do not know about quickly taken free kicks. (Where Thierry Henry learned his sneaky FK skills, I have to wonder?). Now, there's a shouting match back and forth between the two clubs over the kick, the protest and the Lilly mess-up with the crowd. And, leave it to master diplomat Gary Neville to smoothe things over:

"Obviously I was pleased with the result, it was a somewhat contentious goal, but I'm obviously pleased with the points (sic).

"But the last time I scored a goal like that, no one thought about walking off the pitch.

"I was just amazed by what was happening around us, we didn't know what was going on, but that's the French I suppose."

That's just the French! Oh, they're going to love that. I hope the return leg at Old Trafford is televised!

Stumbled on this website recently, a tribute to some of the worst album covers in the history of mankind. What is it about failure, that at it's worst, when it isnt fatal, it's often brilliantly funny?

Dennis Johnson Passes Away
This is really sad news. Former Seattle Supersonic Dennis Johnson
passed away yesterday, after collapsing during a pickup basketball
game. He was only 52 years old. As a boy, I was basketball crazy. And I
idolized the Sonics and all the players, particularly as they reached
the pinnacle of success with an NBA Championship. Dennis Johnson was
one of the key players for the Sonics, one of the great all-time
defensive guards and a workhorse at all ends of the floor.