Arsenal at the World Cup yesterday turned out to be not very Arsenal but we got the best day of the tournament so far.
Cesc and Senderos were all hugs and smiles before the game. Not so afterwards. Cesc spent the duration on the bench while overrated players like Busquets and Iniesta sauntered around doing very little. Senderos injured himself in a collision with his own player and was replaced after about half an hour. The injury looked tournament ending, which is sad for him.
Nevertheless Spain v Switzerland at last brought some excitement to the table. The Swiss grabbed an unlikely goal in the 52nd minute and then had to withstand an onslaught of … erm … Spanish possession. Bar one Xabi Alonso shot which hit the bar and one Navas shot which went wide, they didn’t really threaten at all. Lots of nice passing and plenty of the ball, little end product. Sounds a bit familiar to Arsenal fans, I’m sure.
And Cesc Fabregas, a man with 19 goals this season and just as many assists, was left on the bench. International managers are a strange lot. I notice that lot at that site that makes stuff up that I don’t link to anymore are up to their old tricks, creating a story out of nothing about Cesc having a pop at Arsene Wenger’s tactics. In an interview with the BBC, which I posted a few days ago, he was asked the differences between preparation for Spain and Arsenal.
He said at Arsenal there was little or no focus on the opposition, the manager preferring to make sure his players concentrate on playing their own game. For Spain there were videos and charts and all that. Now, I do think our manager could do a bit better on the tactical side of the game. You look at Man United when they came to the Grove last season, they were set up to negate us, to ensure Cesc hardly got a kick, and it worked perfectly, especially with our generous defending that day. I’m sure we could benefit from being a bit more rigid, a bit less off the cuff. However, the players domestic knowledge of other teams means it’s not as important to watch videos etc as it is when on international duty.
When you’re facing a team you’ve never played before it’s probably more incumbent on the coach to provide you with information about them and how they play. I don’t think Cesc was being critical, just honest. And even with all that preparation Spain still fell short, so there’s no surefire method, I suppose.
In the other games South Africa got well and truly spanked by Uruguay while Chile looked a very good team as they hammered Honduras 1-0. Lots of Arsenal interest today with France in action, we all know the names, and they’ll be facing (former) teammate Carlos Vela. Let’s hope the upswing in excitement continues. And that Evra gets so annoyed with the vuvuzelas he leaps into the crowd Cantona style. Fingers crossed.
I don’t know yet where I will be playing my football next season. What I do know for certain is that I will be getting married this summer, then I am off on honeymoon, but I will be back on July 27 ready for pre-season training. I might still stay at Arsenal, but will need to talk with Arsene Wenger after the World Cup finals, and I have had an offer from Celtic, which I am giving serious consideration to.
I think it’s quite telling that he’s been left in the dark by Arsenal, if we really wanted him for next season we would surely have tied something up by now. And his domestic arrangements, meaning he’s not available for pre-season training until the end of July might also be a factor. Perhaps AW is waiting to see who else he can bring in this summer. The French chappy seems to be a runner and realistically Arsenal need another centre-half this summer, relegating Sol to 4th or 5th choice. If he really wants to play football I think he’s going to have look elsewhere.
With all eyes on the World Cup and not much call for summertime fabrication transfer tittle-tattle is thin on the ground. Still, the Mail links us with German midfielder Mesut Ozil who impressed for them against the Aussies the other night. The fact that he’s in the last year of his contract may make things difficult though – we know how much Arsene Wenger loves a bargain. Why pay this summer for a player you can get for free the next, a la Chamakh? With Chelsea and Man City also watching him, and with both of those clubs prepared to throw money away because they have so much of it (remember City paid £16.5m for the thuggish Nigel de Jong in January 09 when they could have got him for free in the summer), it could well be too difficult if we really do have an interest in the player.
The same article links us with Osasuna full back Cesar Azpilicueta, who we’ve been linked with before, and PSV’s Ibrahim Affelay. More names to add the silly season list, I’d imagine.
The Mirror reports on another wonderkid signing, this time it’s a Dutchling called Kyle Ebecilio. The 16 year old will join us on July 1st, become another one of those names we all hear so much about, before being loaned to Doncaster in a couple of years and then released on a free in 2014. Probably.
Finally for today the fixtures for the 2010-11 season are out and the rumours of an opening day trip to face the Mugsmashers were spot on. We’ll be at Anfield on August 14th. I remember years ago we played them on the opening day of the season and got properly turned over, some time in the 80s? Anyway, Blackpool and Blackburn make up the rest of the month.
The first clash with a ‘big four’ (whatever that is anymore) club comes on October 2nd away to Chelsea, our first game against Sp*rs is home in November and then United in and around the 11th of December before a very tasty Christmas fixture against Chelsea again. The run in isn’t so bad at all with late enough games against United and Liverpool but plenty of winnable fixtures there too. Although we did say that last season and look what happened. Anyway, new fixtures always gets me a bit excited, the hope and optimism of a new season and a clean slate etc etc.
Plenty to do between now and then, all the same. Right, I’ll let you look at the fixtures in greater depth. I must do breakfast.
Till tomorrow.
