Arsenal beat Newcastle March 22, 2009
Posted by freekicker in 2008-09 season, Arsenal, Newcastle.4 comments
In a weekend where the top two teams in the league lost points,Arsenal made good with 3 goals and 3 points against Newcastle. Goals came from Bendtner,Diaby and Nasri with Martins scoring one in the first half 45 seconds from the Bendtner goal after seeing his penalty saved by Almunia.
Arsenal seem to be peaking with the number of chances they are creating and the goals getting converted. Gallas made one mistake which cost us a goal but otherwise it was a steady performance from our back four. The team started with nasri, Arshavin, Denilson and Diaby in the middle with Persie behind Bendtner upahead. The attack minded style should have produced couple of goals in the first half through Van Persie if not for Steven Taylor and Harper in the goal.
Bendtner scored from the first chance that came his way and I was surprised myself:) Diaby had a Viera moment, the style in which he scored the second goal after a 1-2 with Van Persie and the third one was a cool finish from Nasri after a pass from Persie. There was a good try from Arshavin from inside the box which was saved by Harper and then a scorcher of a long ranger from Arshavin grazed the crossbar and if that would have gone in it would have been a great great goal and it won’t be long before we see such a goal from our going-to-be-player-of-the-season Arshavin. That was his 3rd assist in the league and Van Persie heads the list for the entire league with 10 assists.
Persie double delight in a thumping win September 1, 2008
Posted by freekicker in Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Denilson, EPL, Eboue, Emirates, Newcastle, Van Persie, Vela.add a comment
Arsenal returned to winning ways and they achieved that in style, thumping Newcastle United 3-0 at the Emirates. It goes on to show that if the opposition deploys an attack-minded football, it gives the Gunners room to exploit and attack in the breaks. The match saw the return to goal scoring form of Van the Man and Denilson score his first goal for Arsenal in the Premier League.
The match featured all the good thiings associated with the North Londoners as they decimated the Magpies in a well contested match. It is credit to the defensive work of Clichy, Gallas, Toure and Sagna that the Newcastle attacks fizzed out without a goal. Newcastle did trouble a bit with Ngogbia and Jonas making some good runs and dominating some parts of the play. But when Fabregas plays the team takes an entirely new dimension in attack.
For once Eboue played his role to perfection and his setting up of the second goal for Persie reminded many of the way Pires played for the Gunners. Like one of my freinds in Malaysia put it, it was Pires in Eboue’s clothing!!! When the Gunners are on song, goals and goal chances come in plenty. It ended in 3 but it could have been 5 or 6. Persie could have scored a hat trick if his powerfully taken shot from an acute angle had gone in instead of pounding on the cross bar. I thought Adebayor played very well and deserved a goal. He gave his heart out and I am sure this effort will not go in vain and he might have got back some of his fans.
Carlos Vela made his appearance after Van Persie got injured (hope it is a minor one) and showed his class and goal scoring instincts when he appeared a bit selfish in and around the box. Nasri combined well with Clichy and Fabregas, everything seems to be on ytrack so far. All Wenger needs to do now is get an experienced central midfielder to support Cesc. With a day left on the transfer window, hope Wenger does the necessary.
Here is a good read on the Arsenal Academy. (financial) necessity being the mother of (youthful) invention
Preview: Arsenal vs Newcastle September 1, 2008
Posted by freekicker in Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, EPL, Emirates, Fabregas, Newcastle.add a comment
Arsenal are at home on Matchday 3 against Newcastle United. The Gunners have not suffered successive defeats in the 47 Premier League in 47 outings. Newcastle United need a victory to record their best start to a Premier League season in 13 years, but to achieve that they will have to become only the second club to defeat the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium. Something’s gotta give…
Cesc Fabregas is back for the first time this season in the League and that should make the match all the more interesting to the Gooners. I would like to see him partner Denilson in the centre of midfield. With Nasri and Walcott on the wings, the midfield will possibly look ok. With Walcott you never know if he is gonne fire or now. I hope he continues on from the last match against Twente FC.
The back four should be the more regular combination of Sagna-Toure-Gallas-Clichy unless Wenger feels that Toure can be tried out as a substitute in a holding Midfielder role in the second half and start with Djourou. Anything is possible but I guess he will go for stability and stick to the four mentioned above.
Van Persie and Adebayor should start upfront with Bendtner set to make a super sub role. Bendtner might start matches with the lower ranked teams in the league than the heavy weights. There is no clear news on when Rosicky might be back which is worrying and I want to see him in action. I don’t even remember the last match he played.
Lets hope Nasri’s home scoring form continues and we win comfortably rather than carve a edgy 1-0 win. Here is for 3 points and as many goals 
Time to bounce back January 26, 2008
Posted by freekicker in AC Milan, African Nations Cup, FA Cup, Newcastle, Toure.1 comment so far
I would be missing the FA cup match against Newcastle for sure but I can only hope Arsenal beat them fair and square and do not extend the this round to the replay. That would add another match in what could turn out to be an eventful February for the club. There has been a lot of doubts raised in many an Arsenal fan’s mind on whether this team can go the full distance in the league. It is time to answer those questions and many others now.
We play Newcastle again on Tuesday in the Premier League and that match would be a more significant 3 points definitely but entry into the next round of FA cup would be an admirable result, given that Wenger might not start his full strength team as his priorities are going to be the league and the Champions League. But this is an important coming at the back of a thrashing from Tottenham in the Carling Cup. So a win is a good way to bury that bad memory of White Hart Lane.
The more shocking news of the day has been the injury to Toure in the African Nations Cup. A complete analysis of his injury has not been done and we will know in the next 24 hours if he will be fit to continue in the tournament or if he would be fit for the Champions League match against Milan in February end. Toure has been a rock at the defence for Arsenal and he has been sorely missed especially with Senderos also getting injured. Arsenal need him badly for the rest of the Premier League if we are to pose any challenge to MU.
So 4 clear…at the top December 6, 2007
Posted by freekicker in Adebayor, Arsenal, EPL, Newcastle.add a comment
Last night ESPN/Star cheated me. I woke up at 3 AM hoping to catch the match and was disappointed to see that none of the channels were showing the match. Anyways, I did not miss much except for the Adebayor goal. The Togolese has been scoring some stunning goals this season and he scored an absolutely beautiful volley after chesting a cross from Eboue.
A point away to Newcastle is not a bad deal afterall, but well these days Arsenal is losing the touch on how to pile on the misery to opposition teams after being ahead. HOpe this does not lead to bigger problems as the season progresses. Four points of ahead of Man Utd is not good enough as a tough December is on us. Lets just hope that if Arsenal slip up, so may Man Utd.
Boro away is the next one and we should look at claiming the 3 points from that one. Somehow an outright victory in the league seems like has not happened for a long time. C’mon Gunners!!!
Newcastle Preview December 5, 2007
Posted by freekicker in Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, EPL, Newcastle, Sam Allardyce.add a comment
If Arsenal beat Newcastle tonight, they will go 6 clear of Manchester united the second placed team and make it a psychological barrier for them. But winning against Newcastle may not be all that easy.
Newcastle go into this match under a cloud of controversy on whether Sam Allardyce’s stint is one match away from being terminated. Two senior players came out in the media saying all is well in the dressing room. After back to back drubbings, the team, is looking for a fightback. Normally a team facing so many difficulties off the field try to please their owners, coach and in Newcastle’s case a jersey wearing owner who likes to watch the match with the fans. On the negatiive side they are without their first choice and second choice central defenders Faye and Carr.
And to add to this injury to Flamini, Hleb and Fabregas means, the three in-form players of Arsenal are out of action for this match. With Van Persie still recovering from injury it means 4 top players are missing from action. The back four pick themselves, in the mid-field we could see Eboue, Diarra, Gilberto and Rosicky. I would love to see Bendtner partner Adebayor upfront for this match, but Wenger might start with Eduardo for this match.
With Ferguson starting the psychological warfare by saying that Arsenal will surely slip-up very soon and Wenger being very practical in stating that anyone who thinks we have already won the league are dreaming.
He says
Maybe for dreamers they think about the title, but we are realists and we know that, at 14 games, there is still a long way to go.
The championship is fantastic because it is down to consistency. We do, of course, think we are capable and we will grab that chance if we can get the best out of our team.
In life and in football I believe you focus step by step and then see at the end of the season how far you have come.
Denilson Goal against Newcastle September 29, 2007
Posted by freekicker in Arsenal, Carling Cup, Denilson, Newcastle.1 comment so far
Thanks Goodplaya for the link
As shot from the stands in Emirates Stadium
Peter Hill Wood’s Chelsea comments & Carling Cup September 27, 2007
Posted by freekicker in Carling Cup, Newcastle.add a comment
A day after the Arsenal results were declared, Chairman Peter Hill Wood made some comments on Chelsea, maybe he was prompted by some journalist…he said
I don’t want to run Chelsea down, but one has to concede Manchester United and Liverpool are probably the biggest names in UK football.
For Chelsea to think they are suddenly going to dominate United and Liverpool is fantasy. It is not going to happen
I found it very surprising Chelsea had only 25,000 for a Champions League game
Our fan-base probably started in the 30s and it’s been handed down from father to son and so on. It takes 100 years to build and about 100 minutes to destroy
Money is irrelevant to history and how big your club is
For Arsenal, the last couple of months have been like a dream come true. On the field the team is playing some wonderful football and winning matches both domestically as well as in Europe. Off the field the financial results have been one of the best putting it into the top of European clubs. It is an ideal start and lets hope that it continues that way both on and off the field.
And to make matters more sweet, the team started with only 3 of the members from the team that beat Derby County in the weekend, to meet Newcastle and won 2-0. Bendtner and Denilson opened their account for the club. You can catch the goals and the Senderos save here on this youtube video.
Of Premiership Pay packets & Nani July 28, 2007
Posted by freekicker in Arsenal, Chelsea, EPL, John Terry, Li Haiqiang, Liverpool, Man U, Nani, Newcastle, Portsmouth.6 comments
Yesterday John Terry signed a new contract which will keep him in Chelsea till 2012. There had been a lot of speculation on whether Abrahmovich would agree to increase (well in this case doubled) the pay to their Captain Terry and will still consider on a pay hike for their talismanic midfielder Frank Lampard. So Terry finds himself on top of the list of the highest wage earners in the Premier League. He beat clubmates Ballack and Shevchenko with hsi new deal.
So the Premiership top guys look like this:
Player Club Pounds a week
John Terry Chelsea £135,000
Andriy Shevchenko Chelsea £121,000
Michael Ballack Chelsea £121,000
Steven Gerrard Liverpool £120,000
Cristiano Ronaldo Man Utd £119,000
Wayne Rooney Man Utd £110,000
Michael Owen Newcastle £110,000
Frank Lampard Chelsea £100,000
Rio Ferdinand Man Utd £100,000
Fernando Torres Liverpool £90,000
Didier Drogba Chelsea £90,000
Jamie Carragher Liverpool £90,000
Michael Essien Chelsea £80,000
Kieron Dyer Newcastle £80,000
What is interesting to note is that half of the Chelsea side is there in that list. Man U and Liverpool have 3 each and surprisingly Newcastle have 2!!! Well Michael Owen is understandable given the love and affection the British have for him Also you will note that after Henry left, there is no more representation from Arsenal…the next highest was Ljunberg at £73000 per week, now that he has also gone, the club is not having any highly paid footballers.
Coming back to the preseason friendlies, first up is the Man U tour. You can say that the Asian countries are not the best of the footballing teams but the Koreans, Japanese and the Chinese clubs did give Man U a tough time and they have kept their attacking play going on in the whole tour. Credit should be given to that. But for me the discovery was Nani…he is a class apart. He looks like a livewire, lighter than Ronaldo and personally I think he loks more skillful than Ronaldo.
Liverpool had a mixed tournament in Hong Kong. They lost the final to Portsmouth largely due to the brilliance of James under the crossbar. Though the Reds won the first match quite comfortably, the goal from the South China Captain Li Haiqiang stole the limelight. If you havent seen it, watch it here. Its a stunning free kick from some 30 yards.
