A memorable fancy. Thomas Hobbes and I watched the Newcastle v Arsenal match today. Our thoughts:Players I'd rather not see in an Arsenal shirt any more:
Diaby
Denilson
Djourou (didn't play today, but that's for last week)
Horrible, horrible games:
Gallas
Toure
Well, there's your core--your center. Balls.
Oh, but of course, Diaby just scored for 2-1 Arsenal. Of course. He still sucks, though. Poor first touch, donkey-like build up play. Often seems suprised to be receiving the ball. Nothing defensively. But that was a quality goal.
Nasri! 3-1 to the Arse. I do dig this dude. And I feel bad for the Newcastle faithful. The missed penalty (albeit a crap call). The pointless giving away of two goals after an unlikely equalizer. Mike Ashley. A nightmare season. The team is just not that bad. They're not as good as Tottenham, but their talent is not relegation-worthy.
Clichy finally getting in on the action makes a nice run hitting Van Persie who forces a fine Harper save.
Digging Arshavin. And Bendtner's looked good today. They definitely need a bigg'un up front and Bendtner's been filling that role well in the absence of Adebayor.
Sagna is a freaky dude. Fast. Spirited. A bit wacky sometimes. Decent crosser. Pretty solid defensively. A key factor in Arsenal's "rent boys across the world" approach to building a team.
Song. Hmm, the best of a bad lot of holding-esque midfielders? Seems to have some fight in him.
Almunia is a cult figure for me. Has gotten pretty dang solid this season.
Arsenal is SO indifferent in defensive midfield. No pressure. No 50-50 balls won. Very few headers won. That's striking in the Premier League. But, hey, looks like they're pretty solidly back in 4th place and the Champion's League. Hooray.
2 comments:
I read aculturedleftfoot daily (or the six days a week he seems to publish). I used to read arseblog, but tired of its tone. Little did I realize that I needed to check the inadaville for additional analysis.
The defense has been a shambles this year. Which is strange because it seems to me that Sagna and Clichy are the team's two best players. (with Cesc being hurt and Ade having an off year, and of course Clichy blew the first game against Villa)
Toure has not been himself. I don't know if he is past his prime, or just not into it. This saddens me as if we are to have children Kolo is on my short list of names. (Eva has stated her strong opposition to this proposal.)
I agree with you on Djourou who he seems frequently out of place, and Denilson who seems to vanish from certain games, and make bad passes in others.
I am however very fond of Diaby. I think he is just now coming back from the nasty broken leg suffered at Sunderland three seasons ago. (Black Cats and Stadium of Light two of the best names in the English football). I also think he brings something different to the team, with a much more direct approach and he better on the dribble...not usually the Arse's game, but useful to have around.
I thought Song was a lost case, but he definetly seems to be improving.
I am disappointed how good Arshavin has been in his first few games, as I was predisposed to dislike him. I am not fond of Bendtner and agree with Ade that he is shite...or will be until he starts converting more of his chances in goal.
On a separate note I enjoyed the illuminated wordsworth on arms and ether.
Hope you are well.
I also tire of Denilson,
God bless you, Patrick! Glad to know I'm not alone. Yes, Diaby. . . hmmmm . . . well, I'd like to be pleasantly surprised. Wenger's not an idiot, so that has to count for something.
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