november 23rd
Normally after a game I use a picture along with the day’s post but this time I just can’t be arsed. I am very happy that we won and made it 15 points out of 15 and ensured that we won the group but that game was hard going last night. Thun played a high offside line and for the most part it worked. We played some youngsters, Thierry wasn’t at all interested, Robin van Persie was our most lively attacker and a late, generous penalty from Robert Pires gave us all three points after Thun had had a perfectly good goal ruled out for an offside that only the linesman saw. And all this after Thun had been reduced to 10 men after about half an hour when one of their defenders cynically took out RvP on the edge of the area.
Not a good performance overall but a good result considering the team we picked. If AW needed any further evidence that Pascal Cygan is not the answer at left back then tonight must surely have done the trick. He was replaced by Lauren halfway through the second half after one of his most feeble performances to date. Hopefully Lauren will stay there and we had youngsters on the pitch who had a chance to show what they were made of. Manu Eboue, one or two careless passes aside (and that’s something that can be beaten out of him), impressed at right back. He’s quick, positions himself well, likes to go forward and looks like he could be a right sided version of Ashley Cole if he continues to progress. He can consider it to have been a good night’s work. Senderos came in and did well and the back 4 that finished the game, with maybe Kolo at right back, would be my choice until we get a left back ..er… back.
Not so the midfield pairing of Song and Flamini. I know Song is only 17 but the guy has got no business being anywhere near our first team. It it shows how badly lacking our options are in central midfield this season. Last season we had any two from Vieira, Gilberto, Fabregas, Edu and Flamini. This time around Cesc and Gilberto are really the only options we have. Flamini has got a great engine on him but he’s still got a lot to prove at this level. If we need any signing in January it has to be a central midfield player.
And how must someone like Seb Larsson feel when he sees Song getting a game when he’s looked a much better player when he’s played in the Carling Cup? I’m not one to be critical of the boss but sometimes you feel he’s playing a player to prove a point although I have no clue what that point it. I’d have even preferred to see Djourou, who is being groomed as a central midfielder, rather than a kid like Song who is so far out of his depth it makes you feel kind of sorry for him. I just hope we don’t have any injuries to Cesc or Gilberto or even Flimflam because he is just not good enough. He went off injured anyway so maybe we can send him back to where we got him from. “Oi! This one’s broken. Yes, I’ve still got the reciept…”
Then we come to José. He is fine until he gets to the final third then it seems like his brain stops working. I’m not trying to be hard on him but we should probably expect a bit more from our record signing, shouldn’t we? He’s struggling and he seems to have been struggling for ages. He has to improve and fast. I love the little guy but something has to give. He’s good on Pro Evolution Soccer 5 though, so I’m doing my best to help him.
Afterwards Arsene Wenger praised Robert Pires’ decisive penalty but warned that there was no room for complacency once the knockout stages begin. He said “Of course, we are confident after the start we have made but we are not taking anything for granted. The real competition starts now.
And the knockout stages will be very different to anything we have done so far.”
Still, it’s nice to have qualified with two games to spare and to be group winners with a game to go. It means there’s no pressure for Ajax’s visit to Highbury and we can give some other young players a go. Nowt else happening so I might as well just poodle off to work. Till tomorrow.
