Arsenal Take The Points At Eastlands, Go to Second in the Table

Here is a phrase I never thought I'd write: Lukasz Fabianski-Man of the Match. The much-maligned young keeper had a strong, consistent and at times outstanding game for the Gunners as they won 3-0 at Eastlands against the megabucks Blues.

While the Mancs had the money, they were short a man early on, as referee Mark Clattenburg rightly ejected defender Dedryck Boyata in the 5th minute for a last-man scything of Marouane Chamakh. If you just checked the scoreline you'd think the Gunners ran away with it from there, but the 3-goal shutout is a bit misleading. Once Samir Nasri scored on a really sharp goal after playing give-and-go with Arshavin, the team receded significantly.

In fact, for long stretches of the first half I watched this from the edge of my futon, certain that Tevez was just about to bust through for a dam-burster. Arsenal grew sloppy in posession and passing through the rest of the half (with the Little Russian the most culpable of the lot) and did not look anything like you'd expect of the Gunners with a man-advantage. It wasn't as if Man City were doing a tremendous amount to complicate things; Arsenal just kept shooting themselves in the foot (or feet, if you will). And when Joe Hart made a smart save of Fabregas' PK, it looked like momentum had turned a pale shade of blue.

This match convinced me that Roberto Mancini will not survive the season. He didn't make any decisive substitutions to change the attacking potential of his side. Our defenders showed themselves to be vulnerable all match long (Djourou and Clichy being the worst of the lot). And yet, he was satisfied to run at us with Micah Richards and Gareth Barry?! I could coach that badly for a quarter of the cost (call me, Sheikh Mansour). The substitution at half was Wayne Bridge (injury to Ya Ya Toure). All that money, and Wayne Bridge is what you have on the bench?

Fortunate for us, as Bridgie's feeble toe-poke clearance provided a perfect set-up for Song's insurance goal blast. By the time, Bendtner came on to score the inevitable third goal in the late stages, Man City were done and toasted.

There was much to concern the Arsenal fan from this match. We were quite sloppy and made poor decisions for large stretches of the game. Djourou never looked like a capable defender until ol' Lazy Legs Emmanuel Adebayor came on. Wenger insists on starting Andrey Arshavin, who continues to fade in and out of games, while coughing up the ball regularly. (Rosicky has earned the chance to start a few matches, IMHO) The entire team was guilty of the over-cooking for which Arsenal has become famous for. Does Arsene not let them practice shooting in training?

We also need some practice tackling. As in some recent league games, several Arsenal players have been guilty of some let's say, Bolton-like tackles, the kind which the Boss has been critical of in the press. Fortunately, the team settled down at halftime and re-focused on Arsenal football.

But, the bottom line is that the Gunners worked hard throughout the game, stayed with their style of football and got an important 3 points on the road in a tough environment. We're getting players back (Bendtner and Walcott got some field time) and we didn't suffer any injuries. And our goalkeeper looked sharp and confident throughout the game. Fabianski started with a low diving save of a goalbound Silva strike in the first minute, and made a number of goal-denying saves throughout. And for me, Fabs is starting to look more confident and definitive on crosses and set pieces. I hope the trend continues. As things stand, I would prefer he stay in goal over Almunia.

Glazers to Buy Wayne the World

...perhaps The Scot wasn't behind all this is some Machiavellian master-stroke to force the ownership into revitalizing the franchise, but it does look as if Uncle Malc has promised young Wayne an awful lot: 300K per week, 11 new players, including Wesley Sneijder, Martin Stekelenburg, Lassana Diarra, Luis Suarez, a new pony, and the Kingdom of Narnia.

Geez, talk about spoiling your kids. Anyways, I'm very interested to see how this all plays out for the 8-15 ManUre players Wayne is implicitly and/or explicitly deeming surplus to his requirements. Plus, the ever loyal Roo, who only wants what's best for the club has ensured there is a buyout clause that could allow him to leave as early as next summer.

Scot 1 Yanks 0?

I must be getting cynical with age, but am I the only one suspicious of Fergie-Rooney collusion in forcing (both squad and salary) concessions from the Glazers? This whole episode smelled rotten from the start.

Fergie even pulled Patrice Evra in on it. Has to be. If the Frenchman doesn't refuse to train with Rooney then you know something's up. BTW, no wonder all of France was 'peesed' off at the French National Team for refusing to train in South Africa. That's so un-French. They should've rioted instead.

Now, I am getting cynical.

MUFC Fans Sour on Rooney

What side will Manchester United fans choose? A couple of signs seen at Old Trafford during the Champions League match against Bursaspor:

Who's the whore now, Wayne?

and

Coleen forgave you. We won't

Ouch.

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!

Wazza Wants Out?!

This is shocking news (if true) that Wayne Rooney wants out of Manchester United. Though not a fan of SAF, he is a hell of a manager and is doing everything he can to protect young Wazza from the results of his attempts at self-destruction. If Rooney can't see that, he's dumber than he looks.

Speaking of dumb, or possibly on drugs, some speculate that Rooney could head to the MLS. Really?! I suppose that'll pave the way for Messi, Drogba and all the other international footballers just waiting to come to the US to play in front of 10,000 people in San Jose.

A Win Like Beating Yourself in the Head, Repeatedly

Although Arsenal emerged at the other end of 90 minutes of Birmingham at Emirates today, the 2-1 win felt surprisingly painful and repetitive. The Gunners appeared slow and unconvincing with only rare glimpses of the brilliant football espoused by the club's manager, Arsene Wenger.

Although they dominated possession, the Arsenal looked as dangerous as a rubber chicken. Time after time, ventures into the Birmingham box were over-elaborated with square passes, moving the ball side-to-side, while generously allowing the defense to get organized.

While the opposition did not look very dangerous in possession, they always looked capable of scoring off a set piece. Free kicks and corners had me nervous and mumbling under my breath.

The Birmingham goal, in the 33rd minute, came off a throw-in that was only grudgingly defended. Liam Ridgewell had all day to receive a pass, look up to find the 8-foot-tall (that may be a slight exaggeration) Zigic in the box, smoke a cigarette and then send in a cross that the monster Serbian striker expertly headed around a fully-stretched Flappy-Hanski and into the goal. I don't know if Zigic can really play striker in the EPL, but that was a classic header.

While there was little Flaps could do to stop the shot, both he and the defense deserve criticism on the positioning. Ziggie was sitting deep in the box waiting, ever waiting. Neither Djourou, Squillacci or the Polish keeper thought to push the defense up and deprive Birmingham of the opportunity to loiter so deep in our area. Other than that, Flaps had a decent game, though optimism should be tempered by the fact that he has figured in goal in 7 losses in the last 11 games he's played in.

Arsenal got back in the game before the half on a somewhat light penalty, but there was some contact on Chamakh and it was a bad tackle at best. Nasri did the job to equalize. After that, you could sense it was all coming to naught for Birmingham.

While the 3 points is much appreciated, I found the anemic Arsenal performance more significant. The team never looked convincing, and many of the players looked unhurried, uninterested and perhaps less talented than the sort of players we'd hope to have starting, even again Birmingham. There are more underperformers than not on this side. Players like Djourou, Diaby, Eboue, Arshavin, Song, Flaps, and Clichy just do not look good enough to wear the Arsenal jersey. I know, I know. We have a lot of starters injured, but the results suggest we do not have much strength on the bench.

I hate to be the cynic, and I am proud that Arsenal are a rare beacon of fiscal sanity in the Premiership, but are we pennysise and pound foolish? Are those record profits reflected in every pass Diaby sends astray, every shot not taken, every breath held while fans hope that Flaps doesn't bang the corner kick into our own goal?

Of the above listed players, Diaby and Arshavin are the worst offenders. Diaby is notable because of the long, long rope the manager has given him, and the general consensus by everyone except Wenger that Diaby is never going to be Patrick Vieira. Arshavin, on the other hand, is a high-priced acquisition who is currently giving a Rooney-like performace. That would be the contemporary can't-score-to-save-his-life Rooney. He is careless in possession, passes when he should shoot, and shoots like a blind defender when he does shoot. His high goal total is misleading, as he has largely been a liability for Arsenal this season.

So, while 3 points are welcome indeed, it doesn't mask the deep, structural inadequacies in the Arsenal roster.