Arsenal were lucky to
get a winner at the 87th minute with the shortest and thinnest
player on the pitch. It was a surprise that Yossi Benayoun actually fancied
himself to be standing in the melee itself.
The truth does lie in the
middle somewhere. It was a deserved victory but labored one. The tempo of the
game fell in the second half and had a distinct feeling of overbearing fatigue
from the players. But eeking out a win in such a game is crucial. Sometimes it
is preferable to play bigger teams in midweek fixtures (though it would rarely
happen due to obvious TV commitments. For instance this week, Man City got
Stoke, Man U got Fulham, we got Villa and Chelsea got Spurs). The focus is much higher in such games. In
fact, Alex Mcleish had made it a habit to nick points of us in such a scenario.
Good to get one over the real Villa(i)n.
Wojciech made a string of
good saves at the beginning of the half. We brushed it aside and dominated
enjoyed more possession. Ramsey looked really tired and needs a rest. Wolves on Sunday (thank you, striking
workers!) would be a good game for that. We did miss Song and his slalom
forays, didn’t we? It was all too predictable, with few chances in truth. But
then the referee pulled up a shirt tug on Theo for a penalty. Congratulations,
ref! I think you are probably the only English ref who knows that Vidic’s
stle of defending shirt pulling is a foul. Howard Webb generally considers
such gestures as acts of expressing love, the way a child tugs on to her
mother’s top, and loathful to denigrate such an expression as a foul. Of
course, he made me almost regret this words in the second half. Van Persie
brought down in the box and deserved his yellow card for being able to dribble
past the hapless Warnock. Theo did not go down in the second half for an absolute
stone wall in the boz.
No wonder, Lord Howard had suggested that players dive theatrically go
down when it’s a foul.
It is good to get a result
when you are nowhere near your good. I honestly believe and hope Ramsey gets a
rest. He is again started lumbering through games. The last break did wonders
for him. No reason a break for the next three games (Wolves, QPR and Leeds)
would do him any harm. And Yossi has been beating on the door for some time
now. I am not saying just because of the goal. But his performance overall is
very energetic. And this dash of energy can get you through games, especially
in the festive period, when teams are drained out. I also fancy giving a
Rosicky a last run resting Gervinho for two reasons
·
- Gervinho looks really fatigued and is going on ACN in January. Might as well figure out who can take his place in the line up during the period before the transfer window starts (It cant be Arshavin anyeway)
- Its time to decide whether there is any sense in persisting with Rosicky anymore.
In other news, it looks
like Titi would be playing for us again. It would be weird and am not all over
the moon as my other fellow Gooners are. Henry is an institution and I hold him
in my heart for the Arsenal memories he has given us. I don’t want to sully
them by his second coming. In other words, I don’t want him doing a Schumacher.
It would be great if it all works out. He is better than Chamakh and Park, I give
you that much. But, in our minds, we would always be comparing him to the king
of Highbury, which in all fairness, he would not be. The second thing I worry
about is that Henry has always been a man who has had the world (especially the
Arsenal world) revolving around him. I do not know how he would react to being
a bit part player.
Signing back Titi on three
months for a short term loan is fine. As my friend put it, he could do a Henrik
Larsson. But as we know Arsene Wenger, he would then put an additional sailor’s
knot on his purse strings. We would again go back to all our prayers focusing on
Van Persie’s fitness. Do not sacrifice the solution for a short term
arrangement, Arsene! We need a striker. A proper striker who scores goals. Get
El Nino. We need him really bad. He needs us really bad if he wants to
resurrect his career. And let’s face it! We all know we are not going to be
uprooting any trees this summer. Lets be prepared for next season from January.
Lets make sure that the team that plays in the August 15 weekend know each
other well. Van Persie’s contract is up the summer after. If recent history is
anything to go by, the chances of us holding onto him are like Tottenham
holding onto Harry after Capello is gone. If we do sign a proper striker in
January, we can convince RVP ( and the fans, as well!) that we are serious
about the title challenge next year. Who knows, he might stay after all, then!
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