Speedy recovery wished for Eduardo.

I predicted at the start of the season that what was in effect Thierry Henry's replacement, the signing of Eduardo would in effect be a good one. I felt that he could "weigh in" with between 15-20 goals. Well for this season at least he has signed off with a tally of 12 goals, I dont think that 15 goals as I predicted was going to be a problem for this player who with Robin Van Persie being out injured for a large part of the season. Indeed Eduardo had benefitted from the young dutchman being out of the side and he was starting to make his mark in the team. Eduardo may very well have finish with perhaps 18-20 goals-well within my expectations for a player who had bagged over 30 goals last season.
All of these things came to an end for Eduardo last Saturday when what I have come to terms with saying was now a mistimed tackle. Yes Arsenal are the kind of team that most people cannot let play their type of football, you do have to get amongst them and from time to time these things will happen. Its best now to leave it at that and let the emotions of a horrific tackle subside. It remains only to be said that perhaps the red card offence of three games for violent conduct is proper. The type of thing that has happened to Middleboro with Aladiere getting what was 3 games now changed to 4 games for a mere tap on the chin is absolutely ridiculous and Mascherano escapes all punishment for his inciteful initiation of the incident. It really beggars belief.
What now for Eduardo?... 9 months of rehab with some speculating that 1) he will never play again 2)if he does play agin he will never get back to the level he was getting to this season. and 3)psychologically will he ever be able to withstand a tough challenge again.
I for one hope beyond hope he can dispell all of these fears. I look forward to seeing him get back to playing, get back to the level he was at last Saturday and beyond and I look to see him take that first heavy challenge and get up again to will Arsenal on to greater glory. Now the team must come together and do it for Eduardo and take the premiership against all the odds of the start of the season and even against the odds of now.
Get well soon Eduardo and I will smile happily when I see you back on the field with your Arsenal team again.

Gap to united & chelsea remains close.

Whether it is perhaps due to the idea that Arsenal do not possess the killer instinct or just the sort of results that sometime come about the fact remains that united and chelsea remain quite close to Arsenal.
Dont misunderstand me, it is a gap I would have readily accepted with glee back in August when the league began with a 2-1 win over fulham at home, a game which in many ways have reflected the season Arsenal have had. It is tempting as a supporter to total up the points that perhaps should have been won 2 points dropped against some teams such as blackburn away and liverpool away and of course birmingham home and away.But it is true to forget the points that have been won when things might have suggested we would not collect as many as we have, most notably against everton away and the equalising goal in injury time against united and the home win against chelsea. I believe that the Gallas goal against united may be the defining moment of this league campaign.
The last 3 results have not been good if you support Arsenal. I tend to believe that the FA Cup was "sacrificed" in order to maintain the push for the league title and the champions league. The players were just not interested in that defeat. The Milan game as highlighted already was a close game that perhaps should have been won ....narrowly. A strange kind of result which makes the second leg hard to predict. This latest game against birmingham was just one of those results, I know that Adebayor did see Bendtner and should have squared the ball to him for a simple goal to make it 3-1 and game over. It was appalling to see Clichy make such a basic mistake for the penalty, no argument from me it was a definite penalty but Clichy had so much time to just hoof the ball anywhere, Clichy had been having an outstanding season as has the other full back Sagna, Clichy has made some very uncharacteristic mistakes and this was the worst of the season. So a draw and a display of weakness from the captain Gallas for united to feed off, with his outburst at the end of the game.
In November I was asked if I believed Arsenal would win the league....in my heart I felt that they would just fall a little short. I am now thinking that with 11 games now to go that this team has come too far to now fail. I have fears of a Newcastle type implosion and with some games coming up which are winnable the Arsenal must win the next 3-4 games and then have a cushion to take to the difficult run of games where we will face liverpool and chelsea and then finally united. I have wrote alot about the cushion and gaps to the other teams and now I beleive more than ever that those gaps will be needed. I dont really beleive that the team will implode but rather will rally around the terrible injury inflicted to Eduardo. Now is the time to come together and be a team have Walcott step up and get Van Persie back for the run in. Everything still to play for and those teams have to catch the Arsenal.

1st leg Champions league conclusion.

Now that it has been nearly a week I think it is time to comment on this game. In essence I thought Arsenal were more than good value for at least a 1-0 lead to take to Italy. Milan came to defend firstly and try to get something from the game, Arsenal contained the Milan midfield very well and were more than dominant but in European football everything is at a much more magnified level, chances dont come as often and it is hard to be as physically imposing as you can in the premier league. This game produced little in the first 35 minutes, Arsenal were dominant but Milan were comfortable defending very well, then the opportunity came a few minutes before half time. A quick one two opened up the Milan defence a simple pass from Adebayor to Fabregas would have seen the young spaniard through on goal with just the keeper to beat. The pass was a very bad one and the chance was gone.
Second half resumed and Nesta had to go off injured, it was at this point that Arsenal really took control of the game creating opportunities almost at will but due to some poor finishing or some last ditch defending the game remained at 0-0. Most of the shots played straight at the keeper, as the second half wore on Arsenal got stronger and stronger and Milan's older legs grew more tired. Arsenal were now pushing for the first goal of the tie, as the game moved into the later stages Walcott came on and in the last seconds of the game he got to the byline and crossed to a relatively unmarked Adebayor. From the picture above you can see Adebayor hit the post perhaps hindered by the slight tug on his shirt. So it ended 0-0.

For the second leg a 0-0 is not a bad result...it will be hard to play in a hostile environment but the prospect of getting an away goal may be enough to put the team through. I expect another cagey and tense first 60 minutes and then for the game to open up and this is when the tie will be decided. It will be tough and I had hoped for at least a goal lead to take to Italy but this team still has an outstanding chance to go through.