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Thursday, November 25, 2010

You don't need that now, Cesc


In the light of Cesc Fabregas' latest hamstring setback, methinks it’s opportune to examine a new, strange dimension slowly creeping into the game of our captain.
The more you watch Cesc Fabregas, the more you have the conviction that anything can happen with the ball at his feet.
Since he burst on the scene six, seven years back, he has always been singled out as a special one. His range of passing, his eye for an opening, his movement, his ability to keep the ball and keen sense of scoring goals we all know. What we haven’t yet attributed to him is the tendency to dish out a tackle and hurt opponents.
That part of his vast array of talents seems to be coming to the fore and with ominous consequences.
Two weeks ago, there was uproar (depending on which team you support) when he scythed Wolves’ Stephen Ward, which left the player with a gash and being substituted with Fabregas collecting a ‘mere’ yellow card. All manner of vitriol were direct at him for the rest of the game as the Molineux crowd saw in him as an outlet to vent their frustrations, not only about the tackle but the defeat being dished out to their team by the Gunners.
Wolves’ coach, Mick McCarthy later revealed how Fabregas went into the Wolves’ dressing room to apologise for the tackle and in McCarthy’s words\:


"Fabregas has been in to apologise and Wardy has accepted it like a man. I said to Arsene I've no problem with the tackle and I really appreciate the apology from you. Arsene apologised for the tackle. I've no problem with it at all. It happens.... Fabregas has been in and Wardy has accepted it and isn't it lovely?".


Nice choice of words there and the ‘lovely’ bit at the end very much showed how much McCarthy has put it all behind him.
We all could as well put it behind us without sweat if not for the fact that four days later, Fabregas picked up another caution when he lunged into Sylvain Distin as they both went for a ball in the 2-1 win over Everton. For a big man like Distin, it must take a lot to bring him down and Fabregas did that with stunning ease. Luckily for everyone, Distin returned to the action after some treatment by the sidelines.
Still on Fabregas, he picked up a straight yellow card in three games last week Wednesday as Spain capitulated 4-0 to Portugal. Once again, it was for a tackle on a defender. This time, it was Pepe.
All these events may be mere conicidences. They might mean much more. But I dare say that there seems to be a new, mean streak sipping into the little Spaniard’s game which if it’s true, is worrying.
He has been on the receiving end himself so many times in his career and he knows all about the rough treatment that gets dished out especially to someone who hangs onto the ball as much as he does.
But does he really need to get nasty?
Built slighty and lacking the muscles that ought to protect him from violent play, Fabregas has moulded his game around running into space and utilizing his ball control skills to get out of trouble. Now he seems to believe he needs to start putting the boot in.
Methinks it’s quite unnecessary. Unlike some other player such as Manchester United’s Wayne Rooneey who has confessed that he needs the adrenalin brought about by anger to be at the top of his game, Fabregas ought not to descend to such darker tactics.
He is gifted and talented enough to put on a show and still keep a cool head.
Rooney’s reputation has naturally preceeded him and attracts cautions and dismissals at regular intervals. England and Manchester United cannot begin to count the cost of defeats brought about after Rooney’s often-senseless red cards. England in particular. This is because referees naturally are influenced by players’ reputations when dishing out punishment.

In the light of Cesc Fabregas' latest hamstring setback, methinks it’s opportune to examine a new, strange dimension slowly creeping into the game of our captain.
The more you watch Cesc Fabregas, the more you have the conviction that anything can happen with the ball at his feet.
Since he burst on the scene six, seven years back, he has always been singled out as a special one. His range of passing, his eye for an opening, his movement, his ability to keep the ball and keen sense of scoring goals we all know. What we haven’t yet attributed to him is the tendency to dish out a tackle and hurt opponents.
That part of his vast array of talents seems to be coming to the fore and with ominous consequences.
Two weeks ago, there was uproar (depending on which team you support) when he scythed Wolves’ Stephen Ward, which left the player with a gash and being substituted with Fabregas collecting a ‘mere’ yellow card. All manner of vitriol were direct at him for the rest of the game as the Molineux crowd saw in him as an outlet to vent their frustrations, not only about the tackle but the defeat being dished out to their team by the Gunners.
Wolves’ coach, Mick McCarthy later revealed how Fabregas went into the Wolves’ dressing room to apologise for the tackle and in McCarthy’s words\:

"Fabregas has been in to apologise and Wardy has accepted it like a man. I said to Arsene I've no problem with the tackle and I really appreciate the apology from you. Arsene apologised for the tackle. I've no problem with it at all. It happens.... Fabregas has been in and Wardy has accepted it and isn't it lovely?".

Nice choice of words there and the ‘lovely’ bit at the end very much showed how much McCarthy has put it all behind him.
We all could as well put it behind us without sweat if not for the fact that four days later, Fabregas picked up another caution when he lunged into Sylvain Distin as they both went for a ball in the 2-1 win over Everton. For a big man like Distin, it must take a lot to bring him down and Fabregas did that with stunning ease. Luckily for everyone, Distin returned to the action after some treatment by the sidelines.
Still on Fabregas, he picked up a straight yellow card in three games last week Wednesday as Spain capitulated 4-0 to Portugal. Once again, it was for a tackle on a defender. This time, it was Pepe.
All these events may be mere conicidences. They might mean much more. But I dare say that there seems to be a new, mean streak sipping into the little Spaniard’s game which if it’s true, is worrying.
He has been on the receiving end himself so many times in his career and he knows all about the rough treatment that gets dished out especially to someone who hangs onto the ball as much as he does.
But does he really need to get nasty?
Built slighty and lacking the muscles that ought to protect him from violent play, Fabregas has moulded his game around running into space and utilizing his ball control skills to get out of trouble. Now he seems to believe he needs to start putting the boot in.
Methinks it’s quite unnecessary. Unlike some other player such as Manchester United’s Wayne Rooneey who has confessed that he needs the adrenalin brought about by anger to be at the top of his game, Fabregas ought not to descend to such darker tactics.
He is gifted and talented enough to put on a show and still keep a cool head.
Rooney’s reputation has naturally preceeded him and attracts cautions and dismissals at regular intervals. England and Manchester United cannot begin to count the cost of defeats brought about after Rooney’s often-senseless red cards. England in particular. This is because referees naturally are influenced by players’ reputations when dishing out punishment.
David Moyes had this in mind when he substituted John Heitinga that Sunday, after the Dutchman was yellow-carded in the first half of the Everton-Arsenal game. The same Heitinga was sent off in the 2010 World Cup finals by the referee of last Sunday’s game, Howard Webb.
Fabregas is too fine a player to bracketted in the same boat as the likes of Heitinga, or his Dutchmates Nigel De Jong or the master of all bruisers, Mark Van Bommel. He is simply too good for that mob.






Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Braga 2 Arsenal 0

It wasn’t a game of too many chances as both teams clearly lacked ideas upfront. We were however more dominant as the possession count showed but when it mattered most about putting the ball into net, there was no one brave enough to do the deed.

Fabregas departed in the 62nd minute after stretching and hurting his hamstring for a Nicklas Bendtner lofted pass inside Braga’s eighteen yard box.
Wenger rung the changes by introducing Samir Nasri, Marouane Chamakh and later, Carlos Vela, but it was the hosts that got the breakthrough, when an 83rd minute counter attack left our defence flatfooted, allowing the speedy Mattheus to beat Fabianski from close range.
Vela was cut down in the box for a legitimate penalty shout in the 82nd minute, but the Hungarian referee instead said he dived and booked him. In stoppage time, another counter off a failed Denilson tackle, saw Mattheus run at our backpedalling defence before smashing the clincher high into the roof, off the bar. It was the last kick of a forgettable game and a dismal week all round.
To add to our misery, Fabregas and Eboue picked up injuries that rule them out of contention in the near future.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1332450/Braga-2-Arsenal-0-Matheus-stuns-Gunners-late-double-Cesc-Fabregas-limps-hamstring-injury.html


Below are the ratings for the game:
• Fabianski (5/10) – It’s five goals conceded now in two games for him and all the accolades and glowing performances of the past six weeks are now almost distant memories. Wasn’t troubled at all in the first half but when called upon to stand up and make saves in the dieing minutes, he couldn’t. Not at fault for the goals, but not excusable either. With the imminent return of Manuel Almunia from injury, his position will surely now come under x-ray.
• Eboue (6/10) – For some reason, he wasn’t his usual overlapping and confident self. Got beaten easily on a couple of occasions in the first half, forcing him into needless tackles that earned a caution in the 30th minute. Did averagely in the absence of Bacary Sagna but the injury to him will now put him out of the picture as we head into a very busy time of the season. Unlucky injury it must be said and somehow, being forced to play ten men in the last ten minutes, contributed to the goals we conceeded.
• Squillaci (6/10) – He did his usual best to contain the threat of the Portuguese particularly their big frontman, Lima. Was at sea for both goals and the pace of Mattheus was clearly too much for him. Probably his worst game for us so far.
• Djourou (8/10) – Despite the goals conceded, I still rate him as our best player on the night. His high confidence levels were apparent as he did everything with an air of assurance at the back. Tackled and defended with authority beyond his years and I personally never saw him put a foot wrong all night. His passing is also top of the range as he found those in front of him with accurate distribution. I’m hoping he avoids the injuries that have blighted his career so far because from the evidence of the season so far, he has a big, big future. Sadly, his record of never being on the losing side all season, ended last night.
• Gibbs (7/10) – Put in a tidy and accomplished display. His defending isn’t up there yet with the best but he’s getting there. Wasn’t ruffled at all and overlapped like his superior, Gael Clichy. One particular move where he beat three Braga defenders in the first half will stick in the memory for long and maybe, maybe he has a future as winger.
• Denilson (6/10) – Still not convinced about the defensive qualities of this bloke. He was supposed to fill in for Alex Song but if the truth be told, no one in this team can match the tough tackling Camerounian. He tried his utmost though but his inability to shield the ball led directly to the second goal after he was robbed by Mattheus. Not a convincing performance by any yardstick.
• Wilshire (6/10) – He started in his usual role beside the defensive midfielder and did his usual best. He was never over awed and of all our players, he was the one with the most fighting spirit. Never shirked a tackle and while with the ball, was neat, tidy and compact. Linked well with his fellow midfielders but all the things he tried did not come off.
• Rosicky (4/10) – A very disappointing night for the Czech playmaker. More annoying is how easily he is bullied off the ball. I couldn’t remember one instance where he held onto the ball long enough without being stripped of it with so much ease. I know he’s lacking in inches but for God’s sake, can’t he stand on his feet?! Very frustrating.
• Fabregas (6/10) – Not a happy night for the captain. Considering all the pre-match talk about resting his hamstring, was surprised to see him lead the team out. Eventually, after running around like a headless chicken for an hour, his night ended early with a damaged hamstring. So far, no one is certain when we’ll see him again as he succumbs to another spell on the sidelines.
• Walcott (7/10) – No one could fault him on account of effort even if there wasn’t much end product to point at. Took up position on his usual right hand flank and troubled the Braga defence from there. Had two good attempts at goal in the first half but poor marksmanship robbed him of any crack at the target. Started the second half with a fine freekick that kissed the roof of the Braga goal but faded soon after before eventually being replaced by Vela.
• Bendtner (5/10) – Did nothing of note. Considering all his protestations in the press about being dropped to the bench, you would have expected him to seize this chance with both hands. Failed to have a single shot at goal and it was curious seeing him receiving balls in the midfield and way, way behind the attack. Can’t see why anyone would lose sleep if he departs as he seems to enjoy threatening he would. Not surprised to see him substituted.


Substitutes
• Nasri (5/10) – Came on in th 69th for the injured Fabregas but the game seemed to pass him by. Couldn’t impose his refreshing style on proceedings and lacked ideas around the opponents’ area.
• Chamakh (5/10) – Came on in the 76th for the ineffective Bendtner but couldn’t make hay as there was little or no service from the midfield.
• Vela (5/10) – In a crisis (as was the case last night), he is definitely not the man to call upon. Hardly troubled their defence and instead played himself into a huge, talking point by drawing a tackle in the eighteen yard which rightly, ought to have been a straight forward penalty. Instead, he was booked for diving and that was the end of his contribution for the night.


Everything that could go wrong, went wrong for us on the night and it was a game that did little to erase the disappointment of the Tottenham loss. The only news of joy for all Gunners however was happening 1,200 kms aways at our own ground where Aaron Ramsey was returning to action on the pitch for the first time since March when he was almost cut in two by the thuggish Ryan Shawcross.
Ramsey played for 45minutes in a friendly against Wolves reserves which obviously means he’s over the traumatic injury that almost ended his bright career. Hoping to see him rejoin the present campaign and help steady a listing ship.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Tired excuses can’t hide the cancer

Wenger and assistant, Pat Rice:
Overseeing a cancer of complacency?

Often as they say in this game, you learn more about a team from defeats than from victories. Starting with that absolute shocker against West Brom, we have slumped altogether to four defeats in this season’s campaign – three in the Premiership and one away to Shakhtar Donetsk. The fact that we are still squeezed in the top four of the league table is an indication of the same inconsistent malaise afflicting all other teams around us. The truth be told however, the man on whose table all the accolades and blame rests (whichever the case may be), Arsene Wenger, seems to be juggling different reasons to explain every defeat. His best line is ‘complacency’ - an excuse he’s used to explain two defeats already. If he identified this problem so early in our loss to Shakhtar, how come he hasn’t done anything concrete to address it? Why is that same excuse employed to explain the reason behind last Saturday’s embarassment by Tottenham?
Is Wenger himself exasperated; or losing his hold on his players; or losing his marbles; or simply losing touch with reality? It will be a sad day when a legend like the Wenger is put to pasture like a demented Guy Roux, the legendary ex-Auxerre manager who was eased out after over forty years on the saddle on account of old age. Or like the late Bobby Robson who often forget the names of his players at Newcastle.
Wenger is still a ‘young man’ at 61 and therefore ought to have his senses at full power. At least looking at his statements following our four defeats so far this season, we can’t detect signs of aging yet.
His reactions to those defeats will be looked at once more as we try to get an indication of how his mind works and what he thinks is wrong with this bunch of players.


Against West Brom
“Overall I believe that, defensively, everybody made individual mistakes...mentally we were never in the game at the requested level. We did go until the end but we had no sharpness and you have to analyse why we had no sharpness."


Against Newcastle
“We were never in full flow, but we played against a good Newcastle team who are a team of men, strong physically, mature. We did not look sharp and we never found any sharpness. We never found the second gear. Overall, though, I still believe we were very unlucky to lose the game, they had one shot on target. We hit the woodwork two or three times and their keeper made a very good save.”


Against Shakhtar Donetsk
“It was a complacency problem rather than an individual problem. I can’t fault the team, we gave a lot. But we learnt a lesson that at this level we can’t lose focus.We thought we would get through without putting 100 per cent focus on every defensive situation…We were not completely sharp and we were punished. If you’re not focused for 90 minutes then you will suffer.”


Against Tottenham
“We missed an opportunity, to make a difference with the teams behind us. It’s a big concern, a main concern. We were 2-0 up and it was all in our hands. But to completely lose the focus as much as we did and especially the second goal and third goal are very difficult to understand. We wanted to keep the urgency and our defensive tightness alive. But it’s not the first time this has happened and it’s one of our weaknesses.
“Many times we have come out and dropped a little bit the urgency when we are ahead”.


It is needless to stress that the integrity of both Wenger and all the years of toil he’s put into this side now rest on how the team picks itself up and repairs the damage done by that Tottenham ‘give-away’.
‘Complacency’, which is the common thread that runs through the above explanations, simply doesn’t wash. So also do phrases like, “we did not look sharp”; “We thought we would get through without putting 100 per cent”; and “it’s not the first time this has happened”.
The last bit was the most important to me: “it’s not the first time this has happened”. True indeed!
If highly-paid young professionals cannot find the presence of mind to concentrate for 90 minutes on their day job, then you must wonder what else motivates them. If this lack of motivation is becoming a cancer, it's time to take drastic action all round.
Gunners everywhere are fed up with this circus. Too much latitude and benefit of doubt have been granted this team, there is simply no room for error anymore.
We all at the end of our tether and it’s time Wenger and his bunch delivers. Enough of the charade and shadow-boxing. Enough please.

Arsenal 2 Tottenham 3

The presence of the reverred Thierry Henry in the stands proved uninspiring enough for the eleven men in red and white down on the pitch. The vibrant mood of both the crowd and the occasion proved inadequate.
The incentive to go top of the league and finally earn some respect for this team and this squad remained inadequate.
Not even a dream start in the 9th minute was enough cushion to build on and deliver a resounding win over fast-developing Tottenham.
We capitulated in the most-spectacular of styles on an early winter afternoon as we yielded bragging rights in North London to the visitors who taught us a lesson in perseverance in adversity.
After two earlier defeats to West Brom and Newcastle, we need discovered in the most unbelievable of wasym that something drastic need to be done to turn our fortunes around - at home for starters.
It’s actually painful and needless recounting the events that afternoon. It is quite pointless. Because the outcome of the match only really deserves a post-mortem. That is the only sort of response that befits such a stinker of a game, because something must have died in all Gunners who witnessed the events of last Saturday at the Emirates. The manner of that defeat; in front of over 60,000 adoring fans; after such a positive start; to Tottenahm of all teams in the world; must have killed the spirit of Gunners everywhere like nothing else.


Can't watch this...Wenger suffers on the sidelines
Only the ratings deserve any kind of analysis and they follow below: • Fabianski (6/10) – Couldn’t be blamed for all of their three goals, which included a penalty kick and a headed freekick. They say a goalkeeper is often as good as the defenders in front of him and this game bore perfect testimony to that. All his good work and performances for us in the past six weeks were flung out of the window in 45 minutes and you must feel sorry for him. What can be said about him though is that, he has made a name for himself and saved us aplenty in the past weeks and this result takes nothing away from him.
• Clichy (6/10) – Did his stuff very well in the first half andtried to drive us forward in the second after the Tottenham response. Unfortunately as a defender, he had a lot of ground to cover before troubling the Tottenham defence especially as he had to do most of the work required of Arshavin after the latter was substituted.
• Squillaci (6/10) – Still did well in the light of all the mayhem at the back. Stood up well to the Tottenham attackers and I remember vivivdly one moment in the first half when he robbed Pavlyuchenko. He however was badly let down by both his mates in defence and where he was bein glooke dupon as the leader at the back, it never happened.
• Koscielny (5/10) – Returned from a two-game suspension to slot in beside Squillaci and after an efficient first half, even he would have been shaking his head in disbelief on how it all could have gone wrong in the next 45. He missed a sitter of a header late in the game that would have salvaged something for us and for that, there’s no excuse whatsoever. Still not to blame individually for the collapse at the back.
• Sagna (6/10) – Arsene Wenger’s explanation that the midweek internationals accounted for the fatigue of some key players must bhave applied to him directly. After a dream first half where he pocketed the dangerous and celebrated Gareth Bale, he seemed to run out of steam in the second half as Tottenham seized the initiative. He wasn’t culpable of any individual errors, except that Bale eventually influenced the match by simply switching positions and escaping the clutches of Sagna.
• Song (6/10) – Did his best to commandeer the midfield and effectively kept the ball from the Tottenahm duo of Jermaine Jenas and Luka Modric in the first half. It was to be as good as it go though. His unfortunate and wrongly-called foul on Modric at the edge of the box led to the freekick which Van DerVaart hit and was blocked by Fabregas’s arm , thus resulting in a most-needless penalty. Bad luck all round on a thoroughly luckless day.
• Denilson (6/10) – Did very well as a shield for the defence and allowed Song to excel in the latter’s new-found love for roaming forward. Dished out tackles with gusto and clearly overshadowed the Tottenham midfielders in the first half. He seemed high on adrenalin from the Everton game where he fashioned out the winner and it showed in his high energy levels and confidence.
• Fabregas (7/10) – Despite his mistake which brought about the Tottenham penalty and second goal, it would be unkind to accuse him of causing our defeat. This is due to the fact that he drove the team forward in the first half and supplied the ball that Nasri tucked away for the opener. He was his effervescent and crafty self until Tottenham woke up and events contrived to had them three goals. Fabregas almost scored himself with a latre curler that Heurelmo Gomes turned around the post spectacularly. The captain never shirked all through and fought gallantly to the end.
• Arshavin (7/10) – Funny enough, for someone often accused of a lack of effort, he put in a fine shift Saturday afternoon. He took up threatening positions all afternoon and provided the assist that Marouane Chamakh scored for our second goal. He continually took on the defence of Willam Gallas and Kaboul but as with Sagana, the midweek exertions for his country finally caught up with him deep in the game. Made way for Walcott in the 70th minute.
• Nasri (6/10) – Got us off to a dream start with a goal of sheer perseverance in the 9th minute and celebrated with true passion. His runs were almost unreadable and was never afraid to run at the Tottenham defence. Tired visibly in the second half and ran out of steam after playing almost the netire game of the France-England friendly in midweek.
• Chamakh (5/10) – Our Moroccan target man weaved his magic again by scoring our second goal but he will want to forget this game in a hurry. Another one who played a full game internationally in the midweek, it showed when he meekly lost an easy one-on-one with Gomes ball in the 60th minute from where Tottenham launched a counter attack that ended with a goal. No surprises that he was immediately substituted and must take a large measure of blame for the eventual mayhem that inspired Tottenham.


Substitutes
• Van Persie (5/10) – Came on for a knackered Chamakh but couldn’t inspire us to a much-needed win. His flighted freekick almost proved fruitful but Squillaci’s connection was rightly ruled offside.
• Walcott (5/10) – He replaced Arshavin as we went for a desperate search for goals. Didn’t have enough time though to influence proceedings and apart from a hurried shot from the right late in the game that Gomes caught, he did little else.

Where to go from here now? Chamakh, one of the biggest culprits on this day of infamy provides an idea:

"It will help us to forget the Tottenham game and we must focus on Braga and get a victory. The group is tight, there are three teams going for top spot so we know we need to get a win over there.''

Fingers crossed, we'll see how quickly words can be turned into action.