Sunday 20 March 2011

Fortitude!

Just watched the match recorded from Football First. Some random thoughts:

  • Tony Gale is probably the most uninformative and uninteresting commentator in the universe after Mark Lawrenson.
  • The b(l)ogosphere has been laying into Denilson and Sagna. Denilson showed both the best and worst sides of his game, i.e., keeping the ball moving though it is very much in the mold of Ray 'The Crab' Wilkins/not being able to make a tackle. The team did improve significantly after he went off at half-time. Sagna, I thought, was strong throughout. Clichy seemed to forget that the idea is to pass to a team mate rather than give the ball away which he did almost every time he went forward. Crossing was poor. He lost possession immediately prior to the 'hit and hope' that resulted in their second.
  • Tony Gale is probably the most uninformative and uninteresting commentator in the universe after Mark Lawrenson.
  • What was Manuel doing? Inexplicable! Not only does he come rushing out for no reason, he then pushes Squillaci as he tries to get back at Odemwingie.
  • Tony Gale is probably the most uninformative and uninteresting commentator in the universe after Mark Lawrenson.
  • Stuart Attwell confirms how incompetent he is. Jerome Thomas should have been off for the tackle on Sagna in the first 5 minutes - studs up, over the top - no questions it's a red. But it seems there is a informal ruling that allows Sagna to be clattered in the first 5 - witness Pienaar at Goodison. And then the trip in the box on Sagna in injury time - unbelievable - well not really but compare that with Dowd's decision in favour of the Barcodes and you wonder if there's a conspiracy any consistency.
  • Tony Gale is probably the most uninformative and uninteresting commentator in the universe after Mark Lawrenson.
  • So a good fight back after a poor first half in which Arsenal dominated possession but created very little.
  • Bored with Tony Gale now.
  • Great strike by AA but he is woefully inconsistent. Needs to play more centrally. His talent is wasted out wide as he doesn't really have blistering pace.
  • What about Eboue?

Mental strength

No, not about the team, it's the fans. Didn't go to Albion but followed the game on arsenal.com's web text service from half-time. Watched the goals on the web in the evening and have recorded Football First for my delectation later today. For what I can gather it was a game of uneven halves if that is possible/plausible, whatever! Arsenal didn't play for 70 mins, Manuel proves everybody right and then the team kicks in for 20 mins and could have won. Will post an update once I watched FF which I think will demand oodles of fortitude.

However, I do note that the world and his wife, in particular the 'red-tops', are jumping on the 'Arsenal - lack of mental strength' bandwagon'. Read my post from 15th November 2010!

And now one for the future! Why is AW content to keep Eboue on the bench? He continues to juggle the lookalikies (I know that's rhyming slang but not in this context) and seems to forget that when Theo was playing he provided a different dimension to the 'identikit brothers'. Why not play Eboue wide right - he's got pace, skill, can run with the ball at speed and provide additional defensive support. Not as good as Theo in front of goal but then Theo himself is not the most composed in this area. Remember where you read it first.

Finally - Bendtner to the Bundesliga (as per last week's NoW or Sunday Peeps) - predicted that 4 weeks ago - ask Rob!