Goodplaya on Friday: Transfers, Eduardo, United, Vermaelen, Denilson
Yet another Arshavin corner photo
Fix the roof while the sun is shining
WHAT are the odds Arsene Wenger’s first press conference after the transfer window closes goes something like this?
Journalist: “Arsene you admitted you were looking at the likes of Vieira for the midfield area and also talked about being short in defence, yet you didn’t buy in either area. Why?”
Arsene: “You know in midfield we have already seven. We have Cesc, Diaby, Denilson, Song, Ramsey and we have not yet seen Nasri or Rosicky. And there is Merida too. You see Ramsey and his goal against Portsmouth? I can not kill these players.
“At the back we have lost Senderos, but we have Gallas, Vermaelen, Djourou, Silvestre. And of course Alex Song too.”
Reticent to fork out in those areas at the worst of times, it’s not hard to imagine after our excellent start Arsene feeling vindicated in making only the limited additions to the squad that he has thus far.
Which is a shame really because watching Arsenal over the past 20 years has sometimes felt like a repeated case of managers who fail to fix the roof while the sun is shining.
Did you see that block from Thomas Vermaelen in the 91st minute on Wednesday night? Square on, he threw everything at it. Let’s hope his example will spell the end of the side on, turn your face, hope it hits your shins and ricochets to safety jump that has become so prevalent among our players of late.
Contrary to what some people think, there is no anti-Arsenal conspiracy in the press or on TV. Sure, there are Spurs fans whose ‘patch’ includes Arsenal. Just as there are Arsenal fans whose patch includes Spurs. That said, I do feel some quarters judge English (and England) players by one rule and foreigners by another. But there is no great conspiracy. If nothing else when we’re playing well people tend to go over the top about us.
We all know you’re not allowed to pull your shirt over your head when you score, but can someone please explain why exactly?
It probably explains why despite the excellent haul of five league titles in that time, we have never once retained it. The solitary signing of Gilberto Silva in summer 2002 probably marked the high point in either George Graham or Arsene Wenger’s post title winning transfer recruitment.
Of course, we’re hardly at a title winning stage now. But the point remains that despite our excellent start to the season, cover at centre back remains a necessity and so too does someone else who can play the Alex Song role.
That said, let us acknowledge it has indeed been an very decent beginning and all credit must go to Arsene and the players. Vermaelen looks an excellent addition and while I’ve never yet heard of a team playing where the players say they are not getting on, there does seem a new found determination and even unity among the players that appeared lacking at times last season.
Football’s total arbitrariness
Why? Because we already have a punishment for divers. It’s a yellow card. You can’t possibly have a different punishment just because the ref missed the incident.
That’s not to say divers should not be banned. They should. But the way to do it is not to pick on one or two incidents that get prominence on TV and in the press.
Instead, review every possible dive on video after a game. If it wasn’t punished at the time, punish it with a two or three game ban. If it was punished with a yellow card at the time, either rescind the yellow card or up the punishment to the above mentioned two or three game ban.
You may argue that refs should just dish out red cards for diving during the game. I think that would risk gross injustices where players are both denied a genuine penalty and get sent off. Refs would be reluctant to stick their neck out too.
So let the yellow card rule continue, but review every incident after the game.
I still haven’t figured out how Celtic players calling for Eduardo to be banned amounts to anything less than waving an imaginary card at the ref. In fact, given the result is done and dusted, it seems even worse.
Do you leave games early? If so, I’d be really keen to hear from you. Do you have a once an hour train to dash for? Do you have to be up at the crack of dawn? Or is it just because you don’t like queues or want to be first in line in the pub? Anonymous submissions welcome. Email me here.
Thanks to all who entered the competitions to win a phone and Arsenal books. Winners have been notified. The answer for the phone was that the three pairs of players (Lauren & Vieira, Keown & Ljungberg, Keown & Dennis) were all sent off in the same game. And for the books it was that both David Platt and Thomas Vermaelen got their first Arsenal goals at Goodison Park.
The importance of a fit Cesc for OT
Remember: United lost twice to Liverpool last season and only got a point off us. Remember: United took 86 from 96 points against the non top four last season.
What I am really looking forward to is seeing how our midfield gets about them. With the midfield being tinkered with we were tactically a mess around the time of the European semis and were made to look like boys by a quartet of Park, Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher that to my mind at least on paper didn’t look like Fergie’s strongest.
For me Cesc’s fitness is key. The danger is that without him Diaby plays virtually in a second striker role. Coupled with the likes of Arshavin and Bendtner or Eduardo in the wide positions, four virtual forwards is too many for me at Old Trafford. Hence why Cesc sitting with Denilson and Song is important.
Goodplaya responds
Dominic says:
Goodplaya says
I disagree. Cesc was playing as a second striker at the end of last season. He rarely came short to collect the ball from the defence or Almunia as he does now and was far less involved. The whole point about the end of last season was that it was too attacking. That’s why we struggled.
Kipmonster says:
Goodplaya says
No it’s not because he is Arsenal. Ronaldo got loads of stick from most quarters. If anything it’s more of a foreigner/English thing.
Ed says:
Goodplaya says
An interesting perspective. I know he’s improved but I’ve been struggling to figure out how exactly!
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