Arsenal have started the English premier league in fine form winning 7 games and drawing just once. The main challengers to Arsenal's perfect start are Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United.
Chelsea famously have started the process of decline in my opinion, all sparked off by the parting of ways of Mourinho and Abramovich. This was always an uneasy partnership, yet if Abramovich had just let Mourinho control team affairs and transfers then it is likely Chelsea would have continued to dominate for last year and maybe this year. The beginning of the end was last January when Terry was injured and Abramovich denied the coach the funds to go out and get a player to fill the void. Chelsea went on to surrender their title at Arsenal in May. The signings of Ballack and Shevchenko upset the balance of the team and wingers like Duff and Robben were discarded for central midfielders. Murinho took the easy way out and left before he would be humiliated by Manchester United. Chelsea have since dropped valuable points and Arsenal have a 7 point lead with a game in hand.
Liverpool in the first few weeks frightened me slightly, they spent big buying Babel and Torres amongst others and they started well...something they had not done last season. They should have taken 3 points against Chelsea but referree error led to a 1-1 draw. Benitez has shown a stubborness to continue in the rotation policy when it has clearly shown itself to be a problem in obtaining results. Without Agger against Tottenham they struggled to get a draw. They remain unbeaten like Arsenal but have a lot of questions to answer fully. Four wins and four draws leave them 6 points behind Arsenal.
Manchester United had a poor start to the season not withstanding the injury to Rooney and suspension to Ronaldo, they did not play well and lost to a new look Manchester City. With that loss and two other draws in their first three games they fell behind early.Since then they have had a series of 1-0 wins lucky, fortunate or deserved it still remains that they won those games. I had been hoping for a draw or loss in their games so that Arsenal will have a bigger cushion. They are starting to play well but I am hoping the law of averages will kick in and they will drop some points. Manchester United are the main challengers to Arsenal and if Arsenal can win their games in hand they can have a 5 point lead.
With those points cushions of 5,6 and 7. Arsenal have built up a nice protective space and allowance for any dip in form. Of course I hope that this does not occur but realistically there are going to be difficult games to come. It has been pointed out that Arsenal have played a lot of games close to home in the london area. However I would say that some of these games would not have been won last season and that Wenger's team is showing a mental toughness that dare I say it, champions are made of. Truly there is a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead. The end of October and beginning of November will tell a big story about the fate of this team this season. Liverpool away is always a tough place to go to and a win there always shows champion potential. After LIverpool away the following weekend will be Manchester United at home a game we always do well in. These two games will show a lot. I hope for the cushions to get bigger and for Arsenal to win these games. If Arsenal have had an easy first 10 or so games then the rest of the league schedule will be tougher, but its always good to go into these games with real confidence and a swagger. However this swagger can go quickly so Arsenal make hay while the sun shines.
The team is scoring freely but also conceding slightly regularly one every other game. Sunderland nearly got some reward from their recent game with Arsenal, this game must be used as a lesson and putting teams away when you are on top is paramount. Something to work on as you cant always guarantee 2-3 goals every game.
it still remains that this Arsenal team seem hungry and harmonious, similar to Manchester United. Without question Chelsea and LIverpool have some small problems in those departments. For this reason I see a return to old days when Manchester United and Arsenal do battle for the destination of the premier league, yes Liverpool and Chelsea will be there or there abouts but for now I can see another famous Ferguson/Wenger war to the bitter end of this exciting premier league season.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
They are doing alright so far...arent they?.
Arsenal are doing quite well so far 4 games into the season in the league and two pre-qualifying games in the Champions league. So they are doing good right now. Think of the blackburn game which should have yielded 3 full points also and they would be clear top of the league. There will be cold and dark games to come in december and january but for now I am happy that they are doing alright....arent they?
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Arsenal season preview.
There are still 20 days for all clubs to bring in new players. However the Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stated something to the effect of that the team has enough quality and if they heard of an exceptional price for a player they would consider it. Reading between the lines it looks to the average fan that those 3 players who have come in (Fabianski/Sagna and Eduardo da Silva... a goalkeeper, full back-defender, and a striker respectively) may be the last of the summer window. There have been a lot of outgoings in the club Henry/Ljungberg and Reyes to mention just a few. The team of "Invincibles" have truly been demolished and scattered across europe.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Thierry Henry's replacement is not Thierry's replacement.
Eduardo Da Silva is not Thierry Henry, some may try to say that he is going to be a like for like replacement but this new player that Arsenal have just signed for half the fee from Henry's sale, is his own player and will make his own mark.
My opinion is that this player will chip in with at least 15 goals this season and it appears to me that he is the kind of player who is going to be in the right place at the right time. I think that this signing will force almost every player to step up their game and instead of relying on the 25 goals that Henry would have scored, now we will have a situation where each striker can get 10-15 goals. Wenger has always been loyal to his players so I see the starting strikers to be Van Persie and Adebayor, but make no mistake this player whilst not a big big signing, will make his own mark when given the chance. Even if the Croatian league is not of the highest standard this player has scored 34 goals last season and one of those against Arsenal. I hope that he can get 15 goals and maybe even 20.
Henry has left and his stature as a world class player and a senior player often inhibited the other younger players and now that he is no longer there the players that are left can now play a lot more freely and make their own mistakes and play well. Wenger will sign another player or two but the start of the premier season will be viatal and Arsenal must start well. It is unrealistic to see them as winning the premier league but progress would be second or third place. Some fear that Tottenham or Newcastle will threaten this may be true. Liverpool have signed Torres....a great player but way too much money paid. So Arsenal have a tough season ahead but the kids now must stand on their own unaided by bigger players. For what it is worth Gilberto must now be captain, he showed his qualities last season in this capacity. Eduardo will take a few games to settle but he is a different option to what Henry was.
My opinion is that this player will chip in with at least 15 goals this season and it appears to me that he is the kind of player who is going to be in the right place at the right time. I think that this signing will force almost every player to step up their game and instead of relying on the 25 goals that Henry would have scored, now we will have a situation where each striker can get 10-15 goals. Wenger has always been loyal to his players so I see the starting strikers to be Van Persie and Adebayor, but make no mistake this player whilst not a big big signing, will make his own mark when given the chance. Even if the Croatian league is not of the highest standard this player has scored 34 goals last season and one of those against Arsenal. I hope that he can get 15 goals and maybe even 20.
Henry has left and his stature as a world class player and a senior player often inhibited the other younger players and now that he is no longer there the players that are left can now play a lot more freely and make their own mistakes and play well. Wenger will sign another player or two but the start of the premier season will be viatal and Arsenal must start well. It is unrealistic to see them as winning the premier league but progress would be second or third place. Some fear that Tottenham or Newcastle will threaten this may be true. Liverpool have signed Torres....a great player but way too much money paid. So Arsenal have a tough season ahead but the kids now must stand on their own unaided by bigger players. For what it is worth Gilberto must now be captain, he showed his qualities last season in this capacity. Eduardo will take a few games to settle but he is a different option to what Henry was.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Thierry Henry leaves Arsenal.
Last night as the sports channel I watch for all my football information carried the story and heavy rumour that Henry was to move finally to Barcelona, I had a heavy heart. Arsenal's greatest ever goal scorer was leaving for certain reasons which were not football related. Henry had become destabilised by Arsene Wengers reluctance to commit to his future beyond his current deal which expires next year.
The whole american takeover bid headed by Kroenke and supported by David Dein (which ultimately saw him resign his position) which resulted in Dein leaving had also unsettled Henry. And so for these reasons Henry has decided that his eight fruitful years at Arsenal would come to an end. It appears that the meeting he had with Wenger was the final confirmation that it was best for him to leave. This is a very bad sign for those Arsenal fans who want Wenger to stay at the club beyond next year. Wenger has always honoured his contracts and will do so here also - but his current one lasts only until next year. I have to conclude that when Henry asked him if he was staying at the club longer than next year that at best Wenger could not positively say he would.
So after less than 24 hours of the knowledge that Thierry Henry is leaving Arsenal for Barcelona I have come to terms with the loss of Henry and even come to the realisation that this is perhaps the best senario for all parties, Arsenal have made what some may say a sound business deal, 17 million for a 29 year old who had just had an injury plagued season and whom was earning a reported 120,000 a week. To be able to remove that wage burden and also get a further 17 million for the inevitable signing of the replacement Arsenal needs desperately...but more on that later. Some have said that it was on the cheap side and did Arsenal try to get Eto'o as part of a swap deal. These details may emerge at a later date.
Henry's influence in my opinion had become so big that it actually hindered some of the other players at the club. These players now have the opportunity to grow and develop into world class players in their own right. I have no doubt that Gilberto Silva will now become captain of the club and Cesc Fabregas will be a candidate for vice captain and also even Kolo Toure will be considered. As previously stated Henry was never convincing Captaincy material and the role may even have hindered his game. He will now have 3-4 years at the top with Barcelona in what may seem like a dream team. If I was a Barcelona fan I would be slightly concerned about how exactly all of these glamour players will be able to play together and how the balance of the whole team will be. Will one or two of the big name players have to sit some games out. Of course there will be no way of knowing if Henry will stay injury free as last season he had a very injury prone year. Thierry Henry I wish you the best of luck but life at Arsenal will go on.
The future of Arsenal football club is now really at a cross roads. With the departure of Henry, Wenger whose own future is clouded in doubt must show the other players that the club can compete for all the major honours, this means a suitable replacement for the outgoing captain. The name I immediately thought about was Obafemi Martins, a player who last season came from Inter Milan to Newcastle and one whom seems to have settled very well in his first season in the premiership scoring 17 goals. Newcastle fans will be nervous indeed, another name who has cropped up is Fernando Torres of Athletico Madrid. This would be a major statement of intent from the club as it would not be a minor amount of money. Torres would show the world that Arsenal were a serious force in the transfer market. Other names have been Michael Owen and David Trezeguet but these players are like Henry in the respect that they have seen their best years already and may be past their best.The players also need a statement from Wenger but it seems like this will not be coming so soon, so in the next few days and weeks the existing players need to see the intent of the club in signing some top class players. In the past Wenger has said he is looking for some super world class players and the board has always said that there is money there to be spent. Add 17 million to that from Henry's transfer (a far higher fee than Barcelona wanted to pay) and Wenger has a significant war chest to go out and buy a player that will compliment Van Persie and Adebayor and Niklas Bendtner. Those clubs who Arsenal wish to but from now will know that there is money burning a hole in Wengers pocket and wont sell on the low side. The next week or two will be very crucial in Arsenals short term future. Will Arsenal be a force again? My answer right now is yes, I do however want to see who will be coming in now. I would be relatively happy with any two from this trio...Obafemi Martins/Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel.
The whole american takeover bid headed by Kroenke and supported by David Dein (which ultimately saw him resign his position) which resulted in Dein leaving had also unsettled Henry. And so for these reasons Henry has decided that his eight fruitful years at Arsenal would come to an end. It appears that the meeting he had with Wenger was the final confirmation that it was best for him to leave. This is a very bad sign for those Arsenal fans who want Wenger to stay at the club beyond next year. Wenger has always honoured his contracts and will do so here also - but his current one lasts only until next year. I have to conclude that when Henry asked him if he was staying at the club longer than next year that at best Wenger could not positively say he would.
So after less than 24 hours of the knowledge that Thierry Henry is leaving Arsenal for Barcelona I have come to terms with the loss of Henry and even come to the realisation that this is perhaps the best senario for all parties, Arsenal have made what some may say a sound business deal, 17 million for a 29 year old who had just had an injury plagued season and whom was earning a reported 120,000 a week. To be able to remove that wage burden and also get a further 17 million for the inevitable signing of the replacement Arsenal needs desperately...but more on that later. Some have said that it was on the cheap side and did Arsenal try to get Eto'o as part of a swap deal. These details may emerge at a later date.
Henry's influence in my opinion had become so big that it actually hindered some of the other players at the club. These players now have the opportunity to grow and develop into world class players in their own right. I have no doubt that Gilberto Silva will now become captain of the club and Cesc Fabregas will be a candidate for vice captain and also even Kolo Toure will be considered. As previously stated Henry was never convincing Captaincy material and the role may even have hindered his game. He will now have 3-4 years at the top with Barcelona in what may seem like a dream team. If I was a Barcelona fan I would be slightly concerned about how exactly all of these glamour players will be able to play together and how the balance of the whole team will be. Will one or two of the big name players have to sit some games out. Of course there will be no way of knowing if Henry will stay injury free as last season he had a very injury prone year. Thierry Henry I wish you the best of luck but life at Arsenal will go on.
The future of Arsenal football club is now really at a cross roads. With the departure of Henry, Wenger whose own future is clouded in doubt must show the other players that the club can compete for all the major honours, this means a suitable replacement for the outgoing captain. The name I immediately thought about was Obafemi Martins, a player who last season came from Inter Milan to Newcastle and one whom seems to have settled very well in his first season in the premiership scoring 17 goals. Newcastle fans will be nervous indeed, another name who has cropped up is Fernando Torres of Athletico Madrid. This would be a major statement of intent from the club as it would not be a minor amount of money. Torres would show the world that Arsenal were a serious force in the transfer market. Other names have been Michael Owen and David Trezeguet but these players are like Henry in the respect that they have seen their best years already and may be past their best.The players also need a statement from Wenger but it seems like this will not be coming so soon, so in the next few days and weeks the existing players need to see the intent of the club in signing some top class players. In the past Wenger has said he is looking for some super world class players and the board has always said that there is money there to be spent. Add 17 million to that from Henry's transfer (a far higher fee than Barcelona wanted to pay) and Wenger has a significant war chest to go out and buy a player that will compliment Van Persie and Adebayor and Niklas Bendtner. Those clubs who Arsenal wish to but from now will know that there is money burning a hole in Wengers pocket and wont sell on the low side. The next week or two will be very crucial in Arsenals short term future. Will Arsenal be a force again? My answer right now is yes, I do however want to see who will be coming in now. I would be relatively happy with any two from this trio...Obafemi Martins/Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel.
Monday, June 11, 2007
F1 safety standards saves Kubica's life.
This incident occured as I watched the Canadian grand prix yesterday. Robert Kubica touched another wheel of a driver and he was launched into the air and slammed into a concrete wall and rolled back across the track sideways to the other concrete wall. As you can see the cockpit remained intact and only the peripheral machinery like wheels and wings for downforce made of plastic material came apart. As a result of the safety of these cars the driver sustained only minor injury in breaking a leg. The crash was fierce but thankfully Kubica will race again.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Finsceal Beo gets me off the mark.
Horseracing tip number 3, Finsceal Beo won quite readily for me over the weekend at odds of 4/5. Not world beating stuff but a good winner whatever the price is always welcome. I had been negative 2 but now I am getting back some of my losses, now negative 1.2.
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