What a game, what a result eh?
We lined up with the same starting eleven that battered Tottenham Hotspur, a good omen?
As the game got underway, early touches by Clichy were greeted with jeers from our home fans, somewhat surprising I thought, especially as many fans were glad to see the back of him when he left. He’d been loyal to us over the years, he’d got stale and it just happened to be that the club willing to pay the money for his was Citeh. Not his fault….
Not quite the same can be said about Nasri though, he deserved all the boos he received but I often wonder why fans bother wasting their energy, why not use that same energy to support our team?
It wasn’t too long into the game before he fouled Song to give us a free kick. Shortly after, Yaya Toure is the first to see yellow after hauling back Tomas Rosicky.
Then came the first moment of controversy, one of many we witnessed throughout the ninety minutes.
Manchester City went on the break but Balotelli had strayed offside, after the whistle went, the spiky Italian blasted a shot into the North Bank.
Had that been done by one of ours, I bet your bottom dollar a yellow card would have been produced, but nothing given by Mr Atkinson!
Rosicky had a chance but his volley was deflected wide, the subsequent corner came to nothing.
Next foul was Song on Yaya Toure, the latter looked to be making a bit of a meal of the incident and maybe Song deserved a yellow card for the little trip, but he didn’t get one…
Balotelli then had another little naughty one on Song.
Another moment that will no doubt be talked about today is the penalty shout after Robin went over following a big shove by Kompany. Again, we got nothing, other than a corner…
On the quarter of an hour mark, Citeh got really lucky, Robin got his head on the end of a wonderful corner, the ball looked destined for the net until it hit Thomas Vermaelen…
Yaya Toure finally left the field injured and Pizarro came on in his place.
Then a massive moment in the match, Balotelli raked his studs right down Alex Songs shin, a leg breaking tackle that sees our man left in a lot of pain.
How Atkinson missed that was unbelievable. That tackle alone deserved a straight red card!
Shocking tackle, shocking refereeing!
Kos was the next to have a chance for us but he couldn’t quite get his header over the ball and then Song did what we all wish he would do more often, he made a perfect timed sliding tackle on Nasri, kept the ball and then held off a few more Citeh players to keep the possession. Shortly after though, he did what we see too much of and plays a sloppy pass which Citeh intercepted with ease.
Citeh earned a rare corner which saw Lescott beat Sagna to get his header in on goal, but Lescott is crap and his chance went wide!
Robin, Yossi and Tomas all then took turns in trying to get a shot in on goal, but none saw us break the deadlock.
Balotelli finally picked up his first yellow card of the day for a nasty tackle on Sagna, jeez, the guy should have been bathed, changed and long gone by this time!!
That was about it until the half time whistle went. We’d had a lot of possession but hadn’t been able to make it count. We were flying crosses in with ease, but Citeh were finding it all bit too easy to clear any danger.
The second half got going with no changes made by either manager which was a bit of a shock really, I thought Balotelli may have been replaced; it was inevitable that he was going to be sent off at some stage.
Nasri was the next City player to clatter into one of ours, this one was on Arteta!
We were struggling to get going and City had a good chance with a header from Aguero/Zabaleta, who went for the same ball, but Szczesny tipped the ball over the bar for a corner.
Milner then joined in on the dirty play, his very late tackle on Rosicky earned him a place in Atkinson’s book!
It wasn’t too long into the second half and the first change took place, Santos came on for Gibbs. Chamberlain had also been warming up, but it wasn’t his time yet.
Sloppy defending allowed Zabaleta to break down the right and cut into the penalty area but from nowhere came Yossi who slid in with perfect timing to clear. Great tackle…
Santos is the next into the referee’s book after a stupid bit of pushing and shoving on Balotelli!
Milner took the resulting free kick but Song made a good headed clearance, we had lost our way a bit!
Yossi then showed class, he jinked past two City players with ease down our left, cut inside and took his shot, sadly it was weak and Hart collected the ball with ease. Just after the hour mark, Alex Song became Songinho again, he chipped in a wonderful cross to Robin, his header left Joe Hart stranded but somehow the post jumped out of the ground and hit the ball!
Koscielny was the next one in the book which sees him miss our next two games against Wolves and Wigan.
Silly booking to give away, after yesterday the yellow card tally goes back to zero!
Balotelli then had a chance for City, but his attempted overhead kick was so bad it was funny!
Then came the moment we thought we’d broken the deadlock, Robin’s chance beat Joe Hart all ends up, but was denied by the offside flag. Really good piece of play by us and Robin should have done better.
We then managed to naff up another chance to take the lead, Robin’s shot is saved by Hart, the ball hit the post and came back to Vermaelen, but he couldn’t find the net either, Walcott had the third chance but somehow Lescott cleared it off the line.
Yossi’s afternoon was over, he was replaced by Ramsey just before the 80 minute mark.
City had a couple of half chances, but they were no more than that.
Tevez was the next change, he came on for Aguero who had been kept pretty quiet!
With minutes left on the clock, Chamberlain was on in place of Theo..
Then came the moment of sheer magic, 87 mins and Arteta got hold of the ball in midfield and unleashed a low and powerful shot which left Joe Hart stranded. It was a stunning strike and we had finally broken the deadlock.
Just before the 90 minute mark, Zabaleta joined the City players in Atkinson’s little book!
Nasri was subbed before the end, he had a lovely send off from the fans and shortly after, the inevitable happened. After another late challenge of Song, Balotelli finally got what he deserved, only an hour too late! Second yellow and off he went.
That was pretty much it really, well, other than Ramsey totally mucking up a chance for us to win the game 2-0. Rosicky played the ball out to the left, he had all the time in the world, he had to score but just when it seemed the best option was to pass to his captain who was in acres of space, he blasted a shot very high and very very wide.
No wonder he stood with his head in his hands, good job really as he wouldn’t have wanted to see the look on Robin’s face….
Back up to third, two points clear of the Totts.
Now it really is time to keep looking up and aim to overtake City, don’t look back anymore.
Manchester City may have all the cash, but yesterday we really showed that we have the class….
Have a good day all….
Best game of my life !!! haha the city fan were sing ‘VAN PERSIE IS OURS’ dont think now lads!!! hope you all watch us doing the poznan PRICELESS 🙂
Morning all,
What a result eh 😛
Matty – that was funny watching our fans….
No way will RvP join that shower of s***e….
i was right by the city fans… there faces haha!! loved it…Rico you seen the mirror today apprently we are meant to be selling Mertesacker??
Hope not… And Narsi when he come off and sat down on the bench got a hammering from the fans behind LOL!!!
oooohhh to be a gooner,,,,Rico…clinchy desereve the boo…well done lads
Rico, cheeky chicks, eh?? 😉 Hope you have enough eggs to make some tocino del cielo. 😀
Loved how our fans were in full voice yesterday. The Ems was rockin’! Oliver would have enjoyed writing this one.
Blimey Matty, that’s a bizarre story…
Awesome win. When the team’s attitude is right and we play at a high tempo, hardly anybody can live with it.
Hi kc – i wouldn’t jeer Clichy…
Boo agag, how are you?? No quite enough eggs, only one laying and they are tiny, not even as big as a cadbury creme egg 😉
Per Mertesacker has kicked his last ball in anger for Arsenal, according to a report.
The German defender, a £10million deadline-day capture last summer, is out for the season with an ankle injury and will be sold on once the season ends, the piece claims.
Arsenal have been linked with a move for Ajax’s Jan Vertonghen, who plays alongside the Gunners’ Thomas Vermaelen for Belgium.
The pair were also team-mates at the Amsterdam club before Vermaelen’s move to the Emirates.
yea i thought so too, hope not i think he will be good over time!
I love Ramsey but come on!!!!!!
Morning Romford, at times we were just sublime, we deserved a bigger winning score….
third is ours…..cant wait for us to batter the chavs…..nasri still remains a cnut….anybody watched the manyoo penalty
Ramsey was right to take his shot, he just should have hit the target 😉
There is a guy low in confidence imho….. saying that. i’d have passed to Robin 😉
we really outclased them….call me a moaner….how did ramsey missed that
kc, please stop using the c word, it sends you into spam, just juggle the letters….
Man of the match for me was Yossi!! what a diff game we play when is on!!!
Well,I perused a few Citeh forums,and didn’t that make for some interesting reading.
They’re talking about the rumour of Kompany belting Balotelli after the game.
They’re asking why Mancini left Balotelli on.
They’re asking will Mancini or Balotelli be there next season.
They’re not happy!!!
430 million pounds spent….bet the owners aren’t,either.
I am.
Gooners everywhere are.
Good evening guys and girls,and what a wonderful day to be a Gooner.
You guys see Gazidis and Vieira all cosy yesterday??
Wonder why as Gazidis wasn’t even at Arsenal when Paddy played was he?
SAMIR NASRI WHATS THE SCORE?? SAMIR NASRI WHATS THE SCORE 😛
I thought Yossi played really well too Matty, what a bit of defending too, committed pro and for an old boy, he sure covered a lot of ground….
Morning Rico, the game should’ve been over before Arteta’s strike. Still, it was good to see the team continue to play until the end and long may that continue.
Ramsey is my favourite Arsenal player but I can’t help but think all this criticism has badly affected him. And Wenger’s needs to stop playing him out on the left. Hopefully he’ll be able to rest well over the summer and push on next season to the player we know he can be.
Ramsey had every right to take a shot,but he just took one too many touches.
It was ordinary to watch,but yes,his confidence is down atm.
Seriously though,nobody should ever raise that whilst ignoring the TV5 and Yossi debacle……that was just funny(easy to say that now,thanks to Mikel) .
Hi Scott, the camera’s here showed the owners all sat together at the end, they looked pretty miserable – loved it…
Balotelli should have been taken off, maybe Mancini was hanging him out to dry, his i/v after suggested he hopes the FA throw the book at him.
He’ll be gone in the summer…..
Totally agree Romford, lady luck was against us and a crap ref, they should have been down to ten in the firts half hour..
Agree re ramsey, but also i think he’s tiring as the season has gone on, good summer of rest and pre-season, he’ll soon stop the critics next season…
Did u guys notice how rosicky was being the general of our midfield? Beautiful forward passes to fullbacks/wingers/forwards and then getting into space. And when we lose possession, he would sprint back to win/get behind the ball. It filled my stomach with so many goosebumps just seeing that. Yes Rosicky, we fans notice and appreciate that in a big big way. THANK U THANK U THANK U.
I’m on hols, rico. Have to be back soon though. 🙁 The size of Cadbury eggs?? Oh no. Before you know it, they will lay ostrich size ones. 😀
Rambo will find his shooting boots soon. He already gets into good positions, he just has to convert on his chances. 😉
Scott, we’ll get to the RvP & TV debacle shortly 😉
And what about the other one, three shots and no-one could finish it off….
I hope people don’t forget the stints Ramsey put in earlier in the season……he worked his arse off for the club.
Rosicky was fantastic yesterday,and he and Yossi work well together,and don’t they work hard????
G4L – he’s playing really well, long may that remain…
Gallagher has been talking about Balotelli – he believe that Atkinson didn’t see the tackle, and now the FA will deal with the incident.
He says the Manure pen shouldn’t have been given for offside
Also, that both Chav goals were offside….
Rico,that’s the one I was talking about.
Theo to post,to TV5 to mid air,to Yossi,to out lol.
Incredible.
Oh,and just in case you all wanted to know,my camping trip was fun….except for being called a cock by a 5 y.o. who I’d loved to have kicked up the arse!!!!!
Rule no 1 to parents……discipline your bloody kids!!!!
On the bright side,I found the single most deliciously beautiful bottle of wine on the planet,so if you’re ever my way………..
Back to the game……Utd forums looooove Arsenal today.
Lucky you agag, but not so good that you have to go back soon 😉
No doubt you have another one planned 🙂
Scott, no-one is denying that, we are just discussing yesterdays incident, not last week or the season, just yesterday….
He did all the good work and then fluffed his lines at the end, we can’t sit and say how wonderful his shot is can we? 😉
I’m disappointed about Kos, if only he could have stayed out of the book, his yellow card tally would be zero this morning….
Good to hear you had a fab time Scott, apart from the ‘minor’ of course, you should have hooft him when his folks weren’t looking 😉
Utd fans are so so fickle 😉
Got to go out again today, be back after lunch….
Have a good day all and keep smiling…..
Rico,and I was simply saying its not the worst thing that we did yesterday.
Both Chelski goals were most definitely offside…..clearly.
In fact,the first goal was possibly the most obvious offside ever missed in the Premier League…..three players offside in fact.
Utd’s first goal saw Young offside,then take a blatant dive,to see the defender sent off and a penalty awarded.
That litle 5 y.o. is a prick of a child…..please excuse the french (except Nasri lol) .
I know Scott 😉
laters……
I wonder are any City fans scratching their heads this morning wondering how they spent the guts of 500m on a team and got played off the pitch by a team put together on a budget!
ESP,one word…..spirit.
It is odd how we can one week lose to a newly promoted team and the next go out and out play a team of superstars. You think the City owners are thinking they bought the wrong club?!
Ramsey saved the life of a popular person by not scoring yesterday.but wat the he’ll was he thinking???
Wat the hell was he thinking
Media reports claim podolski snubbed manyoo and chose arsenal instead.
You can’t play at your best every week.
Id rather us lose to a lower ranked team,because beating the big guns is a massive boost psychologically.
The owners have more money than sense.
So does Mancini.
G4L,that rumours been going around for a week or so now.
Let’s just hope the deal goes through.
I’m off to bed guys….have a great day.
Afternoon all, we haven’t lost to Citeh at home in the league for 37 years, it was never in doubt was it.
Scott, heard the same on the box last night, they reckon there was a big punch up in the away dressing room after the game.
Replace Squillaci with Mertesacker and there’s your story rico, don’t believe it for a minute.
Bye scott. Hope we not tired when we play wolves on wednesday. We need to get 3 points in every game before we face chelsea. It’ll make them very desperate when they face us which will open gaps for us to exploit.
I don’t believe per mertesacker is going anywhere. If jan verteronghen is really coming, then he’ll probably replace squillaci, possibly even djourou.
Cheers Scott you big bully picking on a 5yr old 😉
Afternoon Gooners.
Afternoon Rico. that was a damned good post Madam HH. 😉
My lad goes on the Arsenal Facebook site.
You know the one, where so-called Arsenal fans wish that Ramsey would get injured again!!!
Give me strength… 🙄
Suprised that they haven’t switched to Gibbs?
Considering the criticism he gets, you know, can’t defend.
Well he’s 22 years old and to date has played only 30 EPL games.
That’s right 30…..
Just about twice the amount of AOC…
So give the boy a chance. Because i remember so-called experts telling us that Ashley Cole couldn’t defend.
Gibbs will learn and he’ll be a top player for us…
Off to read the comments, don’ t go away… 😀
Nite Scott, never would have guessed you liked a good wine !!!
I don’t believe that Mertesaker is going anywhere.
For a start he isn’t even fit, so who is gonna bid for a player recovering from a serious injury?
Usual media garbage…
The last time Man City won at Arsenal, Alex Cropley scored for the Arsenal…..
Watching the game again. Seeing too many of theo’s crosses not even being close to finding an arsenal shirt in the box. And the thing is that he’s now able to find space in which he can be in a position to put a good cross in the opponent’s box. He must just practise his crosses more often so they can be more precise (sagna style)
Arsenal v Manchester City: five talking points from the Emirates
City’s title aspirations evaporate, Balotelli may have had his lot, and Arsenal’s refocused ambition is settling for third place …
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Dominic Fifield at the Emirates Stadium
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 8 April 2012 19.16 BST
Article history
1 City’s title challenge has run aground once and for all
There had been a desperation to Manchester City’s pursuit of United at the top even before kick-off, the champions having opened up an eight‑point lead by defeating Queens Park Rangers in the earlier kick-off. Defeat ensured that chasm still gapes with only six games to go. Suddenly it all feels too much. City deserved little from this encounter, limping through a contest they so needed to win. Where was the urgency in the opening period? Or the ambition after the interval? The longer the match drifted on, the more assured Arsenal, not City, appeared. Roberto Mancini looked helpless in his technical area wearing a “me against the world” expression. His team have improved this term, but they are still not to be title winners.
2 Balotelli may be missing for the league run-in
That may feel like a blessing now. The run-in to this campaign already felt dominated by Mario Balotelli and his propensity to self‑destruct, with the third dismissal of his season for a pair of fouls on Bacary Sagna suitably baffling. That will incur a three-match ban given previous misdemeanours, but there could yet be retrospective action for him planting his studs high into Alex Song’s right shin after 20 minutes. That offence appeared to go unnoticed by Martin Atkinson, with David Pizarro and Tomas Rosicky in his line of his sight, meaning an offence that would normally carry a three-match ban could prompt belated sanction. Balotelli’s season could potentially be over. Why always him? There’s a simple answer to that. This was another one of his liability days.
3 Silva was missed, but losing Yaya Touré was key on the day
The visitors undoubtedly missed the subtle creativity that is usually provided by David Silva – or at least had been until this campaign caught up with the Spaniard in recent weeks – with their creator-in-chief absent with a knee injury here. Yet, on the afternoon, the sight of Yaya Touré hobbling off after jarring a leg following a challenge from Alex Song felt just as significant. The midfielder is influential at both ends in this City team, a leggy presence in defence and surging forward in attack, and it was no surprise when Pizarro was slow to close down Mikel Arteta as the Spaniard converted the only goal. Touré might not have been so easily bypassed.
4 Arsenal sense third place is there for the taking
This was a hugely significant victory for Arsenal in their pursuit of third place and Champions League football. Tottenham Hotspur had actually edged back ahead of them in the table some 24 hours earlier, and Chelsea and Newcastle United were breathing down their necks. So to emerge victorious from what appeared their most demanding fixture of the run-in – Chelsea are still to visit – felt psychologically significant. Laurent Koscielny will be absent, suspended for their fixtures against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic, but Arsène Wenger’s side can cope, on this evidence. They were the hungrier and, ultimately, more impressive side against City. They can approach their remaining fixtures with relish.
5 Gunners no longer rely only upon Van Persie
The Dutchman remains this side’s source of inspiration, providing bite and fluid motion to their frontline, but Arsenal no longer feel quite so reliant upon Robin van Persie’s input to chisel out victories. This was a fourth successive game without a goal from the Dutchman, a drought in such a prolific campaign, even if he did everything but score: he struck a post with a header, saw Thomas Vermaelen inadvertently clear another goal-bound attempt from the line, and had a goal disallowed for offside. The goals will return to swell Van Persie’s already healthy tally, but Arsenal know they can thrive against quality opponents again, regardless of whether their top scorer hits the net.
G4L, that’s the thing, practice.
If my memory serves me correct, Sagna wasn’t always that hot at crossing the ball. But he’s obviously worked on it.
G4L, don’t think it would be a bad thing to rest Walcott for the next couple of games with Wolves and Wigan coming up, he looks like he could do with a break, give him time to reflect, we have the perfect replacement in the Ox and it might just fire Walcott up for the Chelsea game in a few weeks time.
Hunger tells as Gunners prove they can cope just fine without Nasri
Jack Pitt-Brooke The Emirates Stadium
Monday 09 April 2012
Hunger was the difference at the Emirates yesterday as Arsenal’s midfield bustled and scurried their way to a late winner, leaving a five-point gap between themselves in third place and Chelsea in fifth. Mikel Arteta’s tackle and shot with three minutes left was characteristic of his team. Manchester City, featuring the peripheral Samir Nasri, once of these parts, could not cope with the pressure or the pace.
Arsenal started the game with just as much purpose and control as they did in this fixture last year. Then, a City side obviously hoping for a 0-0 managed to procure one, after withstanding a ferocious barrage in the first 20 minutes.
That was a very different Arsenal midfield, run by Jack Wilshere, Cesc Fabregas and Nasri. The personnel at the Emirates yesterday was perhaps short of the dazzling quality which those three brought to Arsenal last season. But the outcome was similar. Arsenal’s midfield controlled the game’s first 20 minutes, hassling and harrying City off the ball. The combination of Alex Song and Mikel Arteta behind Tomas Rosicky and Yossi Benayoun was the same that so stirringly turned the north London derby here six weeks ago. In doing so, they turned Arsenal’s season. What looked worryingly like a slump into the drudgery and embarrassment of Europa League football led in fact to seven straight league wins: Arsenal’s best run since October 2007.
Aside from Robin van Persie, it is Rosicky to whom Arsenal are indebted for saving their season. Much like Arteta, Benayoun and Song, he is certainly technically gifted but knows that he has to play with the most intense commitment if Arsenal’s place in England’s elite is to be preserved.
Without Nasri, Fabregas and Wilshere Arsenal do need to work harder to create chances, especially when Van Persie is merely playing like a mortal. But yesterday the midfield started as if keen to show Nasri that the club was still healthy without him. They played to demonstrate that wit and technique are certainly useful gifts for a midfielder but that 90-minute, twice-a-week commitment is also worth something.
Their early dominance of the ball did not yield quite as many chances at they might have hoped, though. Rosicky and Arteta were excellent at winning the ball back but, rather than playing through City, they often decided to play the ball to Bacary Sagna or Theo Walcott on the right wing, with little to show for it. But it was an important statement of intent. There were special cheers for tackles on Nasri, from Song in particular.
Nasri himself was as peripheral as he has been for much of this season at City, who improved when David Pizarro and James Milner were brought into the middle and Nasri moved to the wing. While City were more comfortable for the middle section of the game, the Arsenal midfield, sensing that the game was there to be won, raised the pace for the final 20 minutes.
Roberto Mancini replaced Nasri with Aleksandar Kolarov, switching to 4-4-2. The Arsenal fans, delighted to see Nasri removed, questioned whether his signing was the best deployment of City’s wealth.
But with one fewer midfielder, City were more exposed than ever. Pizarro let the ball escape from him and Arteta, hungrier and sharper than ever, robbed it from him. With no pressure on him, Arteta took a touch and fired the ball past Joe Hart’s dive into the bottom corner. Hunger had told.
Kev, Yaya Toure going off so early was a real bonus for us, do you remember Balotelli being linked to us before moving to citeh, they were saying if anyone could sort him out it was Wenger, so glad it never materialised, the guys a real doughnut.
That’s right Mick, in fact Arsenal were linked [first] with many of the players currantly choking at Wastelands…
Kompany was constantly linked to Arsenal for about 3 years before he joined The Oilers….
Tbh, i do actually feel a bit sorry for Balotelli.
I don’t think that the Northern Chavs have really looked after him.
He is a character, and we do need a few screwballs in the game to liven it up and give us a laugh.
But yes, i’m glad he’s not with us!
Hazard will be a tasty signing for Manchester City despite ‘Burgergate’
There is a £40m price tag on Europe’s most wanted winger, who is likely to be the latest joker heading for Eastlands
Ian Herbert Saturday 07 April 2012
He’s known to lark about at airports a bit and there was an incident with a burger a while back, but neither has any bearing on the scramble which is likely to take place this summer for Lille’s 21-year-old Belgian winger Eden Hazard. Manchester City anticipate competition from Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and perhaps Real Madrid. Liverpool’s director of football, Damien Comolli, has been interested. But the early indications suggest that the pursuit of Hazard, much like that of Samir Nasri last summer, is one City will win.
Spurs have made all the early running for a player who has extraordinary strength and balance for one who stands 5ft 7in tall. It was a classic Harry Redknapp sting, involving Redknapp talking about Hazard a fair bit, though the other clubs in the chase are understood to feel there are plenty of ifs and buts about the north London manouevres.
The prospect of regular football does seem to be right up there with money as Hazard’s prime motivating factors and Redknapp can certainly tell Hazard that he has few alternative options – only Aaron Lennon in the wide-right role. But the prevailing view is that Tottenham will not be willing to meet Lille’s asking price – £30m at the very least and as much as £40m – unless something as radical as the sale of Gareth Bale occurs. Champions League football, another imperative for Hazard who has enjoyed it at Lille, is no longer a certainty for Tottenham with Chelsea resurgent, and neither is Redknapp’s presence guaranteed beyond this summer.
Arsène Wenger won’t pay Lille’s asking price, Comolli’s Liverpool are in a mess and bound only for the Europa League, which leaves United and City as the prime British contenders. Lille’s willingness to cash in, 15 months after strengthening their bargaining position with a new contract for Hazard, was evident when Sir Alex Ferguson attended Lille’s match with Lyons last month. The Lille manager, Rudi Garcia, whose decision to build a team around Hazard proved to be an inspired one as the side unexpectedly took last year’s French title, told the player in the Stade de Gerland dressing room before that game: “Ferguson is here. Show him what you can do.”
But United, equipped with Antonio Valencia, Luis Nani and Ashley Young, do not exactly need another wide player, while City are crying out for one. For once, this is a transfer target whom City can tell with some certainty, “You’ll be playing,” because there is an acknowledgement from the highest level of the club that it is pace and width which City most lack. Hazard can virtually pick his wing – just as Adam Johnson might have been able to do this season had he only been able to apply himself in the way City’s manager, Roberto Mancini, has wanted. That Johnson has not is one of the biggest exasperations of a season which has brought its fair share to the Etihad.
Operating on the left side and cutting in has tended to be Hazard’s favoured location though, in the manner of the modern winger he will switch, and regardless of the flank on which he operates he will bring with him a reputation as a player who knows his own mind, likes a joke and is an infectious presence in the dressing room. That predisposition to be on the field of play a lot was underlined by the incident known in his native Belgium as Burgergate and which was a product of Hazard’s sometimes tempestuous relationship with the Belgium national coach, Georges Leekens.
During the most difficult period of Hazard’s Lille career last season, when his club manager Garcia kept him on the bench in an attempt to let him “breathe” after a deep dip in form, Leekens chipped in to say that he must work harder, while his national assistant, Marc Wilmots, went so far as to say that the player possessed a “lazy” mentality and that an uncritical French media were blind to his weaknesses. Garcia protested, saying he thought Leekens’ observations were “excessive” and it was against this backdrop that Hazard responded badly to his 60th-minute substitution in a friendly against Turkey last June. He went immediately to the dressing room and was caught by television cameras eating a burger outside the stadium – with the game still going on.
French observers, who insist Hazard broke no rules, seem to view this incident more indifferently than the Belgians. The French seem to cut him more slack than his own countrymen and they’ve always felt he’s one of their own – literally so, when the France Football Federation tried to tie him down to its ranks. Hazard decided to play for his native country instead. “I feel 99 per cent Belgian and 1 per cent French,” he said at the time. He was born in the Belgian town of La Louvière, but pursued his career in the game just across the border in Lille, believing French youth development was superior to that in Belgium. He wasn’t short of advice. His father, mother and grandfather were all footballers.
His Belgian team-mates, who can be a serious lot, know he is not indisposed to the odd practical joke. It was after the national side’s 1-1 draw in Greece, his most recent game for Belgium, that while heading through airport security he capitalised on the fact that the Twente winger Nacer Chadli had to remove his watch. He hid the item, prompting a search in which security staff came under suspicion. Chadli asked staff to empty out bins and some players refused to board the flight home until it was located. Hazard’s team-mates were not universally delighted that he waited so long before revealing the watch that the flight was seriously delayed.
Hazard is popular in the dressing room, nonetheless. Not the brightest player, perhaps, in a talented generation of Belgians, who include City’s erudite captain, Vincent Kompany. Even 140-character tweets can tend to be riddled with spelling and grammatical mishaps. But his willingness last week to bet his next haircut on his boast that he would win a volleying competition after training at Lille reveals that he can give and take when the jokes are being handed out. Hazard lost the forfeit, which explains why he ran out for last weekend’s 2-1 home win over Toulouse at the Stade Metropole sporting a Mohican. He converted the penalty and provided his 12th assist of the season in that game to send his side two up in half an hour.
Hazard’s 18-year-old brother, Thorgan, plays for Lille’s big rivals Lens, though it is his 16-year-old brother, Kylian, in the Lille youth system who is the source of most excitement and perceived in France as possibly an even bigger talent. But for now City’s sights are on Eden, even though a counter-bid cannot be discounted at Real Madrid, where the director of football, Zinedine Zidane, has said the player “will be a major star in the future. I would take him to Real Madrid with my eyes closed”.
Kompany is understood to have been educating City on his compatriot’s qualities. The money, the starting position and the Champions League are all there in east Manchester, as is a desire to sign him, which will be maintained whether the Abu Dhabi review of the season decrees that Mancini should stay or leave. City know a bit about high jinks from expensive foreign acquisitions but the feeling is that this one also offers more of the certainties they are looking for.
Kev, Mancini has gone outta his way to stick up for him, he’s let citeh down big time, it all kicked off in pre-season when he was taking the pish on tour in America and he’s still acting the arse-hole today, long may it continue.
Interesting to see Samir nasri’s response to the defeat and stick he took at arsenal yesterday…
Nasri came out, like a big girl’s blouse, and claimed that City will win a major honour before his tormentor’s Arsenal…. 🙂
The question is Samir, will you still be at City to enjoy it?
That’s right Mick, a locker room full of loose cannons, liable to blow up at the wrong time, like yesterday… 😆
Ak, the bigger question is “IF” shitty win anything what would na$ri’s contribution be…? Zero me thinks… money grabbing fuckin weasel..!
Watching that prick yesterday showed me we don’t miss him fuck all, he went missing completely bottled it and didn’t turn up… much like most of the games he played for us apart from the 3/4 month spell where he was good…. Good riddance I say and what a great bit of biz as we said last night… or was it this morning 😀
This morning i think Wath, no sure anymore…. 😛
quote
“Balotelli finally picked up his first yellow card of the day for a nasty tackle on Sagna, jeez, the guy should have been bathed, changed and long gone by this time!! ”
And this is why I say we need a Shawcross and a Barton. When there is no time for diplomacy, you gotta stand up, and these Euro and African fairies we have can’t cut it
We need players that will intimidate and deliver a message in good manners to idiots like Balotelli
He is a good player, but a thug, and unless you have someone to control him, you are taking a risk, both in losing the game and the fight
I know Rico and a couple of others with disagree, but, at the risk of reprating myself, as a man brought up playing rugby, thugs are handy
From Arseblog;
Arsene Wenger says yesterday’s 1-0 win over Man City, during which $amir Na$ri did football’s most uncanny impression of the invisible man, has prevented any talk of crisis at Arsenal.
Despite winning seven in a row before the defeat by QPR, the loss at Loftus Road was like picking at an old scab and finding some bloody, oozy bits underneath. Arsenal had to react, and did, something the boss is happy about.
“This was a very big result and we have to have another one on Wednesday against Wolves. You know how easy it is to have a crisis at a big club. If you lose you have to win again straight away and that is why I am so happy we did that.
“We have 61 points now with six games to go so overall I still think we can make a decent total. Let’s really go for that.”
And after such an impressive victory, it was put to Wenger that it might have felt like some kind of revenge as the Manchester side have shopped so frequently from us in recent seasons.
“”You can take that both ways,” he said with a smile. “Maybe they’ll now want some others.”
Maybe they will, but they can want in one hand and shit in the other, and see which gets full first.
AlanMP, i wouldn’t call Song a fairy [well not to his face 😉 ] and Frimpong is quite a tough guy.
M’Vila could be an interesting signing if we can push the boat out to get him….
Shawcross, no mate, not after Ramsey.
Although i did like him before that incident, but i think that ship has sailed…
quote
” Despite winning seven in a row before the defeat by QPR, the loss at Loftus Road was like picking at an old scab and finding some bloody, oozy bits underneath. Arsenal had to react, and did, something the boss is happy about.”
Not good enough. The team is unreliable and erratic. Doubt this? Look at the position of Man U and Gunners and the GD
Intersting read;
http://wearethenorthbank.com/view-from-the-north-bank-arsenal-1-man-city-0/
Anyone slightly thuggish or with a hard man reputation Alan would get sent off everyother week in an Arsenal shirt… Fact…! We did the right thing yesterday Balotelli ain’t a thug he’s a dick… we didnt react didnt get involved and the soppy cnut got sent off…!
Hi Allezkev. Is M’Vila available to the Gunners all season, or does he play in ACON? If they latter we don’t need him, as this is what caused some of our personnel trouble in the first place
The Shawcross Ramsey incident doesn’t bother me that much. I would have Kevin Muscat for a year. A savage bastard and a Terry Butcher favourite
Shawcross and Muscat and barton are the kind of players to nullify thugs like Balotelli and geniuses like Messi
My kind of players
W.A.T.H
True, the aggression would need to be controlled and clever. They would need to be reactive, and not instigate violence. However, their presence may upset class acts without laying a hand on them
Problem is Alan their mere presence enable refs to send them off for things everyone else gets away with, we’ve seen it time n time again… we def don’t need thugs… We get players who can handle themselves thats bad enough as it seems they then get labelled as dirty any other teams players get labelled and competitive and gritty… Ours do the same we’re dirty !! We’re starting to get a few players who now don’t hide and for me thats been the problem the last 4/5 years when it’s got hard half the team hides….! When we have 11 that get stuck in and don’t hide even the thugs won’t beat us… M’Vila is french international..!
W,A.T,H
Don’t we suffer from that already re refs?
Exactly Alan so why even give them the option of making it worse… we’d play with ten men week in week out… As said we don’t need thugs… There is a very clear line between a hard man and a thug….!
I can’t see Shawcross and Barton sent off that often. Occasionally, yes
M’Vila and Vertonghen would go along way to making us a lot stronger..! Adds height, strength and two players who both get stuck in…! Add Podolski and an older experienced keeper to make sure Chez is kept on his toes and we’re sorted I’d say..!
Can’t argue with that W.A.T.H!
They both yard dogs Alan and not good enough for Arsenal simple as that…. There are miles better options out there in my opinion and we moan about the shit players we have and those two are not much different…!
You are spot on wath. I hope Norwich beat totenham. Its unlikely but I hope they do.
G4L, Norwich play good footie I can see the yids winning but could be plenty goals… hope the yids take it easy and come unstuck but doubt it…!
but W.A.T.H have you ever approached a yard with those types of dogs? They make life difficult, which is the job of defenders
Some of these players and refs should just harden up a bit
You know what an Arsenal is? It’s a place that keeps munitions and no bugger stuffs about with it. Yet our Arsenal is easily bullied.
Our players need the physical capacity to reflect the name. We need big athletic types instead of these tarts we’ve had the last few years
Thing is Alan the dogs in the yard are being got rid of and the dogs we have now have a lot more bite…..! Refs won’t change we know that so we have to make sure we can get stuck in yet give them no excuses to send us off for fuck all tackles…! Adams Keown Bould Petit Vieira Lauren Parlour Campbell Dixon Winterburn Gilberto were not thugs yet they all got stuck and and could put it about… Look how many of them got sent off for nothing tackles…! We’re slowly getting rid of the tarts and replacing with players who all prepared to get stuck in and thats the key..!
Ain’t Pilkington the ex Gooner…. Well done son now get a few more…. Go on the Norwich…………………
How the fuck is that not a penalty to Norwich…. why not pull the shirt off his back..??? Joke….!
Is the S**rs match on TV by any chance?
1-1 totts and 0-0 newcastle at half-time.
I’m not concern with the transfers now. Wait a little bit more. Don’t forget the european nations cup.
Am watchin in the pub ESP…………… Norwich should of had a penalty clear shirt pull from King and then the fuckin yids go up the other end and equalize..! Another piss poor ref decision…!
The Spuds are playing 12 v 11 at Norwich….
Come on you Norwich, let’s be ‘avin you…
Another Norwich penalty just turned down….
Afternoon all…
Come on Bolton too
2-1 Norwich 😛
Yessssssssssssssssssss Go on Norwich… dont let this shit back in it….
1-2 norwich!
Stunning goal for Norwich! Not even the ref could help them there….
Newcastle 1-0 up… Ben Arfa, boy how i wish we signed him instead of Na$ri….
Ben Arfa is playing well of late
yes, rico 1-0 . Myachi is playing now
HG, no he couldn’t, but no doubt he’ll gift the swampies an equaliser before the end….
alan, he is, watched their game the other day, he really is class on his day….
Could do with Bolton getting an equaliser JM, just to keep them back a bit….
Everton beating Sunderland 4-0 😮
cisse again 2-0
2-0 newcastle…. Cisse again, what a signing he’s proved to be….
right again Rico
First goal from Ben Arfa was a great goal….
How long to go in the yid game?
Buenos tardes casas!!
1 min + time Lee…………………..
1 minute more extra time.
Is Gervinho fir for Wednesday?
International press is talking about Mets. Probably the injury is worst that we suppose.
Another penalty shout dismissed…
Afternoon Lee, seconds – come on Norwich 😛
5 mins injury time at the shit hole… joke
Let’s be ‘avin you Norwich!! Delia will be on the sauce tonight if they hold on…..
LOL Lee
Everton ahead on Liverpool first time in years
Full-Time
Swampies 1 – Norwich 2
😆 😆 😆 😆
WATH, you’d better make sure your GG is guarded,closely!! Delia will be all over that….
tears after bedtime at Shite Hart lane tonight
nice.catch you later
Now for Fulham to beat the Chavs, whi is the ref??
God I hate that shower of shite and to think they were giving it the large when they were 13 points in front of us……w@nkers!!!
Don’t we all Lee, don’t we all……
Can’t believe our game against Wolves is not on television…
Got told a story by a Scots fella last night, who said that George Graham took the rap for the board, because it was two of them that were involved with the “bungs” and that he was paid millions to stay schtum……the fella that told me is an ex pro in the pub league and one of he’s pals knows the Graham family!!!
Lee, am sure if you have a word with your mate’s Dad………. he’d know the true story as well…! It would not surprise me however thats for sure…!
Now to make that GAP a lot bigger on wednesday night…. No bigger incentive Arsenal….!
FOYS………………….!! Mugs……….
Blimey Lee, that’s a bolt out of the blue, you believe it?
We’ll ask him…. 😉
Rico. I can’t find the Ref’s name. The old BBC site had the ref’s name and was easier to read
The bloke is a stand up guy and apparently Stroller said “why the fucking hell would I of bought John Jensen, he was shit….”
As for our board doing something like that….now that I can whole heartedly believe!!!
Funny WATH, I mentioned my mate’s dad and he said he’d definitely know the story……
HAPPY EASTER YOU HAPPY GOONERS….
HARRY FOR ENGLAND….. 😆 😆 😆
Talkshite has that boisterous bucket mouthed git Collymore on.
I can’t find it either alan, hope it’s an honest one, that’s if is one in the PL….
Diaby….. 😉
and to you Allezkev 😀
Just found it, it’s Mark Clattenburg 🙂
Afternoon AK
AlanMP, M’Vila is a French International… 😉
Alan, switch that drivel off…..
AK, 3 precious points and a ruby followed the next day by those wankers up the rd fucking up, royaly!!!!
Ivanovic, is he being done by the FA for punching Mahoney?
If so, then he’ll miss our game and Terry won’t be fit enough to cope with 3 games in 8 days…. sorted.. 😛
Lee, what are the ruby’s like in Spain?
Mine, yesterday, was top dollar… 😀
AK, I think we’ll beat the chavs with whoever they’ve got fit….it’s our other games that worry me more!!
Ok AK, 6 out of 10….
Home made?
This is turning into a rip-roaring Easter.
I might treat myself to another ruby on Wednesday. 🙂
How about;
1, ManUre
2, Shittie
3, ARSENAL
4, Newcastle
5, Chelski
6, Scummers
Now i’ll drink some GG to that…. 😎
AK, they’ll be too focussed on the Barca game too 😉
Wolves i think we will beat, Wigan away…. that could be a stutter….
Yeah Lee, i know what you mean, but QPR was a wake up call, and with the likes of Arteta, RVP, Verm and TR07 pushing the youngsters on, i think we’ll be just fine…
Wigan is at home Rico.
Boo!!! You a GG convert now, AK?? 😛 Howdy?? Hi, Lee!! Hope you’re enjoying your hols.
rico, not until my birthday. 🙁
OOps, sorry AK, got that the wrong way round, wolves away and wigan at home, that could be a different story then…. 😉
Won’t be able to do a match report for the Wolves game though, you’ll all just have to chew the cud or celebrate in the comments on Thursday 😉
Wigan & Norwich won’t be easy, they’re both good teams with managers who play football the right way.
But the home crowd will drive us on in those games…
Wolves’ confidence is on the floor, so although it’s away, we should have too much for them…
Stoke away will be the usual crap from that bunch of inbreds, but they’re worn out, so again we should have too much for them.
Chelski will run out of legs and players by the time they visit.
West Brom should hopefully be a celebration, a bit of a knees up… 😀
I fancied Fulham to turn the chavs over as well from weeks ago… they will be right up for it…!
Oh no, when is your birthday agag, May 😉 😉
Agag, i shall a glass of GG in your honour if i get to the Hawthorns next month, all being well…. 😎
And in Waths honour as well, of course… 😉
Have a glass of water for me AK 😉
Hope you are right Wath, Dempsey hat-trick?? 😉
For you Rico, i shall have a glass of Soya Milk.. 😀
Evening all, had a nightmare logging in but think i have sorted it, Nice one Rico, i read you were upset that the game on wednesday will not be televised, i found a link the other day which shows most games click on to VIP BOX and select what game you want wait a few seconds and it should screen the game not the greatest link in the world but its free.
😆 Ak…..
I know that he’s 29, and not exactly one of the biggest names linked to us, but to me, Dempsey has the look of another Arteta type of signing.
At the peak of his powers.
Won nothing in England.
Not played Champions League.
Still got a lot to play for and imho would constitute a smart piece of business….
Evening Steve, thanks re the post and do you have the link please?…. or do i just type ‘vip box’ in the search engine…
Don’t think i’ll be able to do a report though, got a real early one the next morning 🙁
You can’t beat a bit of carrot crunching.
I think wath must have shares in his local.
Just type it in your SE Rico and if it doesnt work AK gave it to you 🙂
Totenham lost even though the officials tried to help them out. I doubt we would’ve got so much favours from the officials had we been in Totenham’s shoes.
OMG, OMG, OMG……..have I read well or am I dreaming??? Did the scum from the swampy slum loose at home today??
Go on tell me its real. CAN SOMEBODY PINCH ME?
Good Afternoon Guys and Chicks of the Near Exploding Gunners’ Faith.
Hope you are all well.
I am back and when I put the PC on I just see that the great pretenders have lost at home.
How are you Sir AK??? I agree with the table except….2nd and 3rd place.
AFC.com are still in shock over yesterday’s win. They have yet to update the league table…….
http://www.arsenal.com/fixtures/league-table
Hello habib, yes, i almost switched 2nd and 3rd tbh, you must have read my mind. 😉
I don’t go the local for the footie Micko, this place always has games on… they must have a mental dish on the roof though the games they show are from outer mongolia as well 😀
Hello SSP, yeah, you can blame me, :).
Pa saw the game and he told me that all officials tried their utmost to help the swampies. But eggs on their faces….they fucking deserve it.
I am still a bit cross minded over Dempsey. On one hand I agree with you…..another Arteta signing. But on the other there are lots of better players around who are younger and in their early twenties.
Lee, would be nice to have a good long chat with ur mates Dad when he realises ppl are proper and would say if he knew or not…! I would have my thoughts on who would be guilty of such an act and know of other things that went on and would not surprise me in the least as said…! Always wondered why GG would be so stupid to fuck the fans over like that..!
AK, i wouldn’t be unhappy if we signed Dempsey…. PL proved, just what we need, no bedding in and no ACON’s
I have always like Arteta. Since he was at Rangers in fact. I feel that for all the skill and awareness that Cesc has, Mikel is a better player for the team. I think that deep inside he is a real MAN. yes all of them capitals. Cesc is one of the greats but deep down he was and remains a little boy with the lost look on his face. Arteta is a leader. Cesc is not. Arteta is role model. Cesc needed a minder.
I like Cesc…dont get me wrong. But I think he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Afternoon devil and Micko..
😆 Steve, i will indeed blame AK ….
Hiya Lady. Did I read properly that some of your chicks tried to be clever and were busy as a bee????
Arteta plays for the team, Cesc became a player who played only for Cesc…..
And Wenger allowed him to play that way for far too long….
I know what you mean Coach, i just see Dempsey as a very intelligent player, who doesnt charge around, but is calculating in what he does.
In a better team i think he would be a sensation.
And don’t laugh, but i can see him as the perfect cover for RVP.
That is a deep-lying striker who makes runs from deep and doesnt play right up against the opposition defenders.
I can take it Rico… 🙂
Wath, that sounds terrible, bet it does them dreaded lock-ins as well.
devil, little buggers keep getting out, and over a 7ft piece of fencing and wire…. at least one is laying us eggs though… at last….
I’m off to Murcia city with wife & kids…..catch you all later!! Hasta Luego!!!
See ya Lee. Enjoy the rest, you’ve earned it mate.
Lee, where’s the remote for your telly, I can’t find it.
See you Lee, have a good one, hope you find your mate Sam Miquel later 😉
I know everybody is over joyed but i would just like to point out that although we had 60% possesion yesterday we struggled to score I know you will point out that we hit the woodwork a few times but i count that as a miss Robin has run out of puff and i am wondering if it will start to affect him. The chances we make are just not being put away Which makes me think that a striker is a must next season.
We’ll get a striker for next season Steve, i think Wenger finally realises that Chamakh is crap……
Chamakh smokes crap…
June, rico! 😉 Ha.
Thanks, AK. Taken a liking to GG, have you?? SSP, Robin hasn’t run out of steam, SSP, he’ll be on a second wind soon. 😉 How are you?
Chamakh plays crap…
Not too long the agag, sooner that my next hols 😉
Jamie Sanderson@YoungGunsBlogReply
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Arsenal will tour Malaysia this summer. Mark Gonnella tells fans: ‘AW and van Persie asked if we can come back’. @Aeroberg for quotes.
I@m fine Agag, hope i find you the same, Robin has gone 4 games now Agag, and when you start reading stories about him saying he was quite happy being a second striker behind Ade bye out i start to worry 🙂
That’s good to hear AK, RvP staying 😉
Hi guys, the scums lost right? Good. Next up, catch shitty!
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Arsenal will announce full details of Malaysia game at presser tomorrow. Club say it’s part of ‘long commitment to Asia’.
There ya go Agag. that’s your holidays sorted… 😎
I agree Sir SP. I have been saying that for nearly the whole season now. However recently the others are picking up and goals are starting to come from the other departments. I think that those tallies will start increasing bit by bit. The team is becoming more settled now and their understanding is better.
The best thing is that chances are being created. The time for converting them will surely come.
Yeah, i thought that Rico…. ssshhhhh…. 😉
Hi goonster, its not impossible if Citeh go on a bad run…
But we just need to keep concentrating and worrying about us, then what will be will be….
Hiya GOOOONNNIEEEEEE. How are you??? Looooonnnggg time no see. Did you get lost in a forest of skirts by any chance???
ssssshhhhhh indeed AK 😉
Jamie Sanderson@YoungGunsBlogReply
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Carlos Vela adamant he doesn’t want to return to Arsenal: ‘I don’t care about what Arsenal think of me. It’s better I stay here’.
I see that you are wearing a Saintly Halo mate. Have you been to the confessional Goonie??? 😉
Jamie Sanderson@YoungGunsBlogReply
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Vela says La Liga suits him for ‘footballing, lifestyle’ reasons. Vela’s 9 goals make him highest scoring Mexican in Spain for 8 yrs
Good lad that Carlos. The price is going up every time he scores…
Good luck to Vela, still think we missed a trick with him…….
Evening mama bear, its was a glorious easter after all. Hope the chavs lose too.
Keep our fingers crossed then Devil 🙂
One thing for me though, is Dempsey consistent enough? Not in terms of goals, but in terms of performance over the 90 minutes. And does he do enough of closing down opponents(i.e donkey work) like rosicky, ox, benny etc do. If he is, then yeah, I don’t mind him being added to our squad. And I don’t think he’ll be that costly in terms of wages.
Raphael Honigstein>INSIDE SOCCER
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A more mature Podolski set to prosper in Premier League
Story Highlights
Lukas Podolski will provide Arsenal with insurance should Robin van Persie leave.
Podolski is in the midst of his most prolific season ever for FC Köln
Some German pundits question Podolski’s production against better teams
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Lukas Podolski has matured both on and off the field and is ready for the challenge of a new league.
Patrik Stollarz/Getty Images
It’s been a very good season for Bundesliga strikers. Bayern Munich’s Mario Gomez and Klaas Jan Huntelaar from Schalke 04 are head-to-head in the race for the leading goal-scorer trophy, with 23 league strikes each. (In all club competitions, the two of them have netted a combined 74 times so far). Polish attacker Robert Lewandowski has emerged as a key factor in Dortmund’s title challenge (17 goals) while Claudio Pizarro (Werder Bremen, 16 goals) and Martin Harnik (Stuttgart, 14 goals) is almost single-handedly keeping his team in contention for a Europa League spot.
Recent deportees have fared well, too. Miroslav Klose has scored 13 in 26 Serie A games for Lazio to become an instant folk hero. And at Newcastle United, Papiss Demba Cissé has chipped in with nine goals in eight matches since his move from SC Freiburg in the winter break. The Senegalese striker’s success in the Premier League suggests that widespread doubts about a forward’s ability to score “at the highest-level” are often misguided. There was, on the contrary, no logical reason why an in-form attacker who had found the net 37 times in 65 matches for perennial relegation battlers Freiburg should not succeed when put next to better players in a system that utilized his strengths.
Second-guessing how well Lukas Podolski would do in an Arsenal FC shirt is a slightly more complicated exercise, however. The 26-year-old forward is currently enjoying his most prolific season in the top flight with lowly 1. FC Köln, having scored 17 times. The impressive number is testament to the Polish-born striker’s new maturity, high-work rate and efficiency on the pitch but also reflects rather less well on his previous exploits. The season before, he’d set a new personal best, with only 13 league strikes, after a terrible spell at Bayern had yielded only 15 Bundesliga goals in three years.
Up until this season, it was possible to argue that Podolski maintained his place in Germany squad despite his club performances, rather than because of them. Unsurprisingly, his much more eye-catching hit-rate for Germany at international level, where he’s amassed a cool 43 goals in 95 games, has been more often cited by the UK media and excited Arsenal fans as evidence of his pedigree.
How much can really be read into these stats, however? In Germany, there’s long been a suspicion that his excellent rate has owed more to the lack of real quality at the supposed “highest-level” than to his own skill. After a competent but by comparison with his peers fairly indifferent World Cup in South Africa, Spiegel called him “a specialist for football minnows” while Süddeutsche Zeitung thought he was a “milieu player,” only able so succeed in special environments.
A closer look at his Germany record shows that some of the cynicism was justified. Podolski has scored a goal each in games against Brazil, England and Russia and netted eight times in three major tournaments but the bulk of his strikes has come against much more modest opposition like San Marino (4), South Africa (3), Liechentstein (3), Azerbaijan (2), Luxembourg (2), Thailand (2), Slovakia (2), Ecuador (1), Austria (1), Cyprus (1), Slovenia (1), Northern Ireland (1), China (1), Finland (1), Kazakhstan (1) or Hungary (1).
At Bayern, Podolski’s game time was limited by the presence of Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose. But his own inability to adapt was a key factor as well. He spoke of missing Cologne, of needing the trust of his managers, of “not having to prove anything.” The left touchline provided him with a modicum of guidance in the national team but in his preferred position as the second striker, Podolski lacked focus, effort and geographical awareness. But he didn’t know it. When Germany captain Michael Ballack complained that he wasn’t running into space enough in a game against Wales (April 2009) Podolski slapped him in the face.
Three years later, Podolski is without a doubt a bigger man and better player. Being the captain and sole star performers of his struggling team has resulted in him taking on more responsibility and, perhaps, developing more of a sense of perspective. Podolski used to pride himself on “never thinking in front of goal” but he’s been able to add a considerable amount of on-pitch intelligence to his more instinctive talents (strong left foot, pace, directness) this season. Eighteen months after many experts announced the end of his reign on Germany’s left, he’s still Jogi Löw’s first choice for the role. The outrageously talented Mario Götze (Dortmund), a player that Arsène Wenger wanted to sign as well, will have to make do with a place on the bench at the Euros, alongside other pretenders to Prinz Poldi’s throne like Marco Reus (Gladbach) and André Schürrle of Leverkusen.
Watching Gervinho’s frustrating lack of progress this year makes it hard to believe that Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has his team practicing specific attacking patterns days on end. Podolski, to be sure, would certainly benefit from the sort of detailed instructions that Germany manager Joachim Löw relies upon. Day to day coaching of the highest order at the Gunner’s base camp in London Colney, combined with a much more attacking setup and better teammates should, in theory, bring out the best of Köln’s best-loved player since Pierre Littbarski. “He’s ready for a move abroad now,” Löw said in February.
Wenger, it’s fair to assume, will have been more impressed with Podolski’s improved performances in recent months than his Germany numbers, and for good reason. His still fairly raw potential is more exciting than his flat-track-bully antics with the national team.
The player’s flexibility also ticks the right boxes. No one — including perhaps Wenger himself — can be sure whether Robin van Persie will still be at the club come August but in Podolski, Arsenal have a ready-made replacement. Just like the Dutchman, Podolski is a playing center-forward, happy to drift deep and to turn provider. The German might have to bulk up a little to lead the line in the Premier League but he’s certainly brave and robust enough to to play on his own up front. Granted, he’s not quite at Van Persie’s level yet. But then who is?
Podolski would maybe be slightly more effective behind another forward in 4-3-2-1 system or he could play wide out on the left, as for Germany, in case Van Persie stays. He will certainly offer a bigger goal-threat on that flank than Gervinho, Rosicky or Benayoun, so his addition makes sense irrespective of Van Persie’s possible departure. It’ll certainly be fascinating to see if he can become the latest former Bundesliga forward to succeed abroad, after Berbatov, Santa Cruz, Pogrebniak, Demba Ba, Cissé or lose his way the way Edin Dzeko inexplicably seems to have done at Manchester City. I’d suggest that in Poldi’s case, one shouldn’t actually believe the hype. He’s better than his Germany goal-scoring record suggests.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/raphael_honigstein/04/06/podolski/index.html#ixzz1rZAniEXk
Wenger likes players who live a low profile lifestyle Vella Bendy and Cmuck have had their chips
A loss or draw would be good goonster…
G4L, but he’s not expected to is he, not as a striker 😉
Shut up dg, what are doing celebrating easter? ¥φυ are the devil, aint ya?
You know what all this talk about Podolski, i would welcome Dempsey in stead of him cheaper less headlines and more workrate he woulf fit in great here and he knows the premier league as well. Plus he deserves a break.
Still won’t believe Podolski until he’s on afc.com AK 😉
Hong Kong is much nearer to me, AK. I think they’re there in June. 😉 I wonder how two hols in one month will go down with my boss.
I am well, SSP. Robin’s been sucks disapointment, eh? Haha.
I agree re Vela, rico. I wish we played him more. Hiya Dev and goodie! 🙂
Steve, i think we need two strikers…..
Campbell can’t be relied on, Afobe will no doubt have another season on loan and Park will possibly go too…..
Yeah rico, however, if podolski and rvp are there, he maybe forced to play as a miedfield cum striker(i.e make runs from into the box). Because Dempsey is such an intelligent player and reads the game so well, i’m guessing thats how he would be used.
G4L, that’s what narks me sometimes with AW, buy a striker, play him as a striker, don’t stick him left, right or anywhere else, let him do what he does best…
After all, isn’t that the reason a player catches his eye in the first place??
Maybe so Rico but don’t forget the short arms and deep pockets 🙂
Exactly rico, exactly. Which is why I think there’s something wrong with the way we are using chamakh or the balls we are giving to him. But he’s also not helped himself with his attitude.
Catch you all tomorow, spuds loseing i will sleep well tonight night all
😆 Steve, very short and very deep…. Nighty to you, have a good one….
Chamakh started well to be fair but since then, he’s gone rapidly downhill, his confidence is shot to pieces and he’s frightened of the ball…
But yes G4L, our tactics/formation don’t suit his game but he doesn’t help himself either….
Off for a bit now…..
Happy Easter to you Goonie. Hope you had loads of Easter Eggs. Be careful not to put them all in one basket mate.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2127339/Alan-Davies-causes-outrage-criticism-Liverpool-dodging-Hillsborough-date.html
Fiesty article – worth a read….
He’s not wrong is he……..!!
Sorry guys but podo before dempsey. Like the fans sang “¥φυ can’t buy class! Podolski I̶̲̥̅̊s a german international with champions league experience ‘sides if we aim to keep robin we need better than dempsey and class wise, podo I̶̲̥̅̊s >dempsey. End of !
Y not both Goonie lad???
Alan,we could’ve had Lucas Neill on a free recently.
I’m not suggesting we should have taken him,but the guy can play,is not one to take shit,and a better Aussie option then Muscat the hacker.
Most around the world would not have seen what he did to a kid over here last year….suffice to say he copped 8 weeks.
Morning all.
5 am and all is well.
Wath,I’ve got the reach advantage over the kid,and experience!!!!!
I’ll win a points decision.
There’s nothing wrong with Dempsey,hes a terrific player.
Any chance we will have a dip for Schwarzer again???
No Wath, he is not…..
Sorry W.A.T.H. my old mate. I do not think he is right. That shows a lack of class on his part. I do like banter and leg pulling. And I hate the swampy scum from the slum. But if they go through a tragedy I do not like mentioning it to them. Everyone has a right to grieve and commemorate.
goonster, podolski is class in germany, we don’t know if a) he will sign and b) if he’ll cut it in the PL….
Dempsey is already proved in the PL….
I am off mates. C u tomorrow. But in fits and spurts since I have work to do.
Nighty all.
Nighty devil…..
I’m heading off too guys and gals, catch up tomorrow…
Stay safe all,
Nighty night….
And there was me thinking Chelsea had used up all their luck at the weekend against wigan.
Nite rico, don’t forget to put the chickens out.
Dempsey…..just scored another.
All square.
yes, 1–1 but Fulham is close the second
Another good result for us.
final score! 🙂
Fulham were the better side.
Chelsea got a lucky penalty.
Still,good for us.
Diaby
Diab.
Nice goal by Clint Dempsey.
Maybe he thinks he’s playing for us already?
A Great Great Easter…
Chelsea have dropped 7 points from their last 5 games…
Tottenham have dropped 9 points from their last 5 games…
Win our next 3 games and that might be enough?
Obviously i want them to win all 6 remaining games, but win the next 3 and i think we can stop worrying.
COYG…
Thomas Vermaelen says Arsenal can challenge for 2013 Premier League
• Defender believes Arsenal can be contenders next season
• Belgian encouraged by run of eight wins in nine games
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Dominic Fifield
guardian.co.uk, Monday 9 April 2012 23.00 BST
Thomas Vermaelen has pointed to flashes of form and quality demonstrated by Arsenal this season as evidence that talk of a title challenge next term is far from outlandish. The Belgium international has conceded, however, that his side have to generate more consistency if they are to compete for a first championship since 2004.
In a late season rally the club have won eight of their past nine matches, hoisting them into the Champions League qualification places. The side had endured a disrupted and disastrous start to the campaign and, just as they had threatened a recovery, three successive defeats in the new year set them back again, meaning they, unlike their rivals Tottenham Hotspur, never felt like realistic title contenders this term.
Yet, with key players restored to fitness and a settled backline offering much needed solidity, Arsène Wenger will have drawn huge encouragement from the recent victories, the last of which, on Sunday, wrecked Manchester City’s title pursuit. “In some games we have shown a lot of quality and that we can compete with everybody,” said Vermaelen. “But you have to be consistent in the league and sometimes that’s not been the case for us. But we will try to do that better next year. I’m confident we can do that.
“Defensively it’s about the organisation of the team. It’s not just about the defenders who defend, the whole shape of the team, and that’s really good at the moment so we must be really pleased with that. When everybody is fit we have a really good team and we can compete with everybody. The momentum we had, climbing the table by winning seven games in a row before losing at Queens Park Rangers, was really important so it was vital we won again, especially against City who are contenders for the title.
“We deserved it. We were dominant in the game and it was a really important result because we are in a big fight for that third place. That is so important because finishing third gives you direct qualification for the Champions League. That is very important for the club and is our main target at the moment and I know about the rivalry between us and Tottenham. I hear it every day on the streets, people asking us to finish above Tottenham at the end of the season. We look to ourselves: if we win every game, we will finish above them.”
Arsenal visit Molineux on Wednesday to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers, bottom of the table and a side on the slide after six consecutive defeats. “But, while each game is important for us at the moment, they’re all hard matches as well,” added Vermaelen. “You could see that at QPR, where we dropped points. So Wolves will be the same. We will have to be on the top of our toes and play well there.”
Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic facing FA charge over off-the-ball clash with Wigan’s Shaun Maloney
Branislav Ivanovic is facing the prospect of a three-game ban that would include Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham and the crunch Premier League match against Arsenal for an alleged punch in Saturday’s 2-1 win against Wigan.
The Football Association is aware of internet video footage of the incident, in which Ivanovic appears to strike Wigan’s Shaun Maloney in the body, and will on Tuesday ask referee Mike Jones for his view of what happened.
Should Jones say he did not see the off-the-ball incident and he thought it was worthy of a red card, the FA can issue a retrospective charge for violent conduct that would carry a three-game suspension.
A decision could not be fast-tracked before Chelsea’s match on Monday night against Fulham, and Ivanovic may now miss Sunday’s Wembley FA Cup semi-final and the Premier League derbies with Arsenal and QPR.
Any ban would only apply to domestic matches, ensuring Ivanovic will be available for both Champions League semi-finals against Barcelona.
Morning all, bloody cloudy today….it was 25c yesterday!
Been for a run, feel brand new! Just been reading Hazard’s comments, saying the yids will finish above us….good player but fucking clueless!!!!! 😉
Morning All,
New Post Up….
Which season is Hazard talking about I wonder?