Poor defence and a weak keeper!

Of course I am not talking about Arsenal, in fact not really even Braga but this morning I am sure many in the media will try and take the gloss off of our result last night by suggesting ‘Its only Braga’! You can only play the side you are up against and Braga as we know, have already seen off a couple of decent sides to progress into the group stages of the Champions League.

What we did last night was simply awesome for every Arsenal fan watching, whether at The Emirates or at home. It was a great team performance led by our little captain Cesc Fabregas. From Almunia through to Chamakh, every player did their job and did it well.

So this was our ‘squad’ for the game…

Manuel Almunia
Bacary Sagna
Laurent Koscielny
Sebastien Squillaci
Gael Clichy
Cesc Fabregas
Alex Song
Samir Nasri
Jack Wilshere
Andrey Arshavin
Marouane Chamakh

Substitutes
Lukasz Fabianski
Johan Djourou
Emmanuel Eboue
Kieran Gibbs
Tomas Rosicky
Denilson
Carlos Vela

Changes were made from the side that faced Bolton, Sagna and Clichy returned in place of Eboue and Gibbs and Nasri made his return from injury, replacing Tomas Rosicky.

We came flying out the traps, all guns blazing and you just knew it wouldn’t be too long before the ball was in the net. In fact it could very well have been earlier than it was had the referee given a penalty for a clumsy tackle on Cesc just inside the area. Very soon after though, we did get a penalty. Chamakh had made a run down the left which Cesc spotted and played the perfect pass. Chamakh drove towards goal and was bundled down by the Braga keeper. Up steps Cesc Fabregas, 1-0.

Soon after Wilshere hit a shot from close range only for it to strike the keeper.

Braga then went on what would be one of very few attacks but caused very little concern for Almunia who saved with ease. We were comfortable and playing some lovely football when on 30 minutes, Cesc Fabregas showed just why we all believe he’s worth so much. He nipped passed a couple of the Braga defenders, passed an inch perfect ball to Arshavin who made no mistake with his shot, low and hard into the Braga goal, 2-0.

Within five minutes, it was Chamakhs turn to get on the score-sheet. Some fancy stuff between Wilshere, Arshavin and Chamakh ended up with the Moroccan tucking home his first for the night, 3-0. What a flick by Wilshere, this player is no longer a boy in the world of football, he is immense!

Half time came and went and within ten minutes of the restart the unusual sight was seen. Arshavin down the left, inch perfect pass to the far post and there was 2′ 6″ Cesc Fabregas jumping up to head home. 4-0 and I thought, surely this game is won now  😉

Cesc would have got his hat-trick but for last-ditch defending by Moises, it would have been his first one for the club too. The game was over, Braga were already beaten and mentally bruised, we had totally knocked the stuffing out of them.

With about half an hour to go, Wenger made his substitutions, no doubt already thinking about the trip to Sunderland at the weekend. Off came Song and Chamakh, on came Denilson and Vela.

If Braga were pleased, they shouldn’t have been, Vela scored at the weekend, he wanted more last night.

Shortly after the subs were on Arshavin hit the post and was then involved in our fifth goal. He played the perfect pass to Carlos Vela who scored a ‘typical Vela’ goal, 5-0.

The last goal was the ‘sweetest’ for me, Cesc Fabregas could have so easily got himself a hat-trick with six minutes left of the game, but no, he saw Carlos Vela in a better position and played for ball to him to slot home instead.

Game over, 6-0 and a great start to our Champions League journey and Mr Messi who reports say was in the crowd, must have been impressed. If he wants to play in the same side as Cesc Fabregas, just maybe he should think about signing for Arsenal…

Not too sure where he’d fit in though 😉

Have a great day all….

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Erick
Erick
15 years ago

Nice post Rico

What a game managed to watch only the first half top stuff

Oh Cesc is back and he did it with ease

I will be on and off today

mikeB
mikeB
15 years ago

Morning Rico, Erick,
Nice post and what a performance. When you see who was on the pitch and more importantly who wasn’t it warms the cockles…

The balance looks good this year too. Defending isn’t only about the back five; it’s about midfield and the strikers taking the pressure by applying their own.

Happy bunny this morning 😆

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
“Its only Braga..” they may say but as far as I’m concerned, any team playing in the Champions League didnt get there sitting on their arses and have the potentials of upsetting the opposition who may even have the best record in the competition. I couldnt care less if the media try to take the shine off our victory last night, we needed to make our mark and we did. Period.

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

How Rude of me….
Morning my dear comrades…. 😉

mikeB
mikeB
15 years ago

Hi Rico,
actually Almunia had to attend a wedding yesterday. That was his mum on the pitch, and you never noticed… 😆

well; it might just as well have been.

mikeB
mikeB
15 years ago

Morning T-buzz,
Before the game I was nervous. Seville are a fine team, playing well, and Celtic are… well Celtic are Celtic 😆

I thought Braga would be the toughest in the group, and so it’s doubly impressive.

mikeB
mikeB
15 years ago

I think there has been a step-up in maturity, but it’s more than that.

Just as a gk needs a good back four in front of him to look good, a midfield needs a solid defence behind it to allow them to express themselves without having to constantly worry and look over their shoulders.

With our new and, let’s be honest,untried summer acquisitions we now have the security to give the team peace of mind. We didn’t have that last year. Sol, for all of his tactical nous was losing his legs, and you never knew when Gallas would go walkabout.

This year the whole thing looks more balanced and competent… I hope 😆

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Well said MikeB

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

…and Almunia looks very much like his mum 😉

mikeB
mikeB
15 years ago

Sorry folks…

Born to blog; forced to work. 😆

Talk later

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Jackie-Boy was superb, Song (who I’m not so much a fan of) did well to distablise Braga’s mid-field, Cesc was Fab, Arseshavin gave the ball away too many times but made ammends with goal and assists,Nasri was ok, defence as a whole was solid, Almunia was at a wedding, Chamackh was everywhere…
What more can one ask for!

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

Morning all, great game Messi had a lot to see 😀 .
1 question is Braga better team then Hercules? 😛

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

Oi T what about Vela boy, he was clinical.

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Things went Messi in Hackney Marsh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgBZGyAW3Zk

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Who’s Gallas?

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Yeah Stef,
The Smiling Mexican showed that he needs to be involved in more games this season and top marks for taking those goals cooly. Eboue (a.k.a Pass Master) could have gone on the score sheet too at some point. Denilson well, he’s gong to have to fight for a position and I hope for his sake he improves this season.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Morning all.despite us playing so well the guardian had the nerve to write about defensive weaknesses.you just can’t win with some people.i said in my post yesterday to win the CL you need a balon d’or contender and cesc is in the zone right now.he looked so happy and as we all know the joy of cesc is devastating to opponents.AA had some poor passed but boy he is effective:a goal,two assists and hitting the woodwork.

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

T, Messi looked pretty scared 😀
`what they are on about?` sort of stuff…

About the guardian to bad we didn’t play Real Madrid every1 would of shut up when wi would of beat the Hell out of ’em.

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Stef, he must have thought they were Arsenal fans ready to lynch him for all those Barca comments as per Fabregas!! lol

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Rico i told you wilshere can be a mix of hleb/iniesta and last night’s game showed it.that backheel to chamakh was sumptous to say the least…madrid were really good rico.they had a staggering 35 shots:CR7(15),dimaria(8),higuain(8)…i must say özil may prove to be their best signing to date.if madrid add they killer touch,as mourinho put it,some poor team will pay for those misses.we have matured since we had 8 shots on target 6 of them being goals.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

We did not have diaby,rvp10,theo,ramsey and Tv yesterday yet all we hear is how we lack depth.Almunia is looking confident as i’ve seen him.diaby is due back in training next week so good times…also look out for müller’s volley vs roma…technique at its prime.

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

Boring! Boring! Arsenal! 🙂

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Rico my day can’t get any better…i have perfomed splendidly in my exams.oh to be a gooner!

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

Rico, I hope for a more boring games this season! 😀
When TV, TW and RVP return we will be unstoppable.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Rico i have just received my results.

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Congrats K-TR7, well done

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Maybe later rico but i was among the best…can we switch to footy now?hi tbuzz and thanks.

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Yeah rico, stop making K-TR7 blush, i can feel my pc screen going all red already! 8)

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Rico milan despite winning were not impressive.i also can’t but help to be amazed by özil and chamakh so far.thats transfer market value for you…

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Rico it may be true but our ‘big test’ keeps on changing.we beat blackburn,it became bolton but now the chavs.i hope we stay grounded and we’ll surprise our critics…but am just so proud of wilshere.he joined us at 9, now he is a star in the CL.this must be how pool fans feel when they see carragher and gerrard who are locals perfoming on a weekly basis.how the tables have turned since i can see wilshere rested vs spurs in preparation for westbrom and partizan Belgrade.oh well denilson has been dislodged…

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Bolton loan has really helped jack.you can see he is on the same wavelength with cesc and AA which is a testament to his ability.

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

Rico, he sure didn’t learn to play, but I have to say he a better tackler now and lil bit rouge.
Maybe we should send Denilson on loan at a place like Bolton he may return as a better DM (not that I consider him as a DM).
Just a thought.

oliver
oliver
15 years ago

ohayo gozaimasu…did not get to see yesterday’s tie as it unfolded, but caught the highlights after i returned home from work. great performance and great start to the cl campaign – i hope the players stay grounded, as everything cannot reasonably be expected to go as well as they did last night. there will be tougher tests coming up, and we are only an injury or two away from crisis in a couple of positions.

that said, they did a great job last night and here is hoping they can continue that type of effort and form.

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago

Who needs Joe Cole when youve got Jackie Boy?
He was a joy to watch last night and the assist to Chamakh’s goal was great. I hope he becomes a legend with the Gunners and doesnt do an “Arsley Hole” like a certain someone bearing the same name and now plays for the Chavs!!

oliver
oliver
15 years ago

hi rico – i wonder how much opening this season’s cl campaign in front of the home folk had something to do with the quick start? we travel to beograd for our next tie, and i am hoping for a quick start and an early goal or two. i doubt we will be able to score six away, but i think this team is good enough to win all three group away fixtures. they have never won in portugal and the ukraine (perhaps serbia as well), so eighteen points would be a fine achievement.

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

Hi Oliver, the toughest away game will be in Ukraine.
I don’t think Partizan and Braga can get some points from us…

T-buzz
T-buzz
15 years ago
K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Tbuzz i actually like the new Aw.he should do it more often like fergie and mourinho do.im sick of all our players getting long term injuries due to rash tackles.the refs now will be in the spotlight.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Thanks W.A.T.H.How did you make of the game last night?man of the match was cesc but off it was eboue.he stole the show on the touchline.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

I watched chavs vs Zilina and i can tell you in the second half they looked shaky.if we beat chavs they’ll say we can’t beat stoke then barca…until we win a trophy expect them to say that.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

rico have you got my email?

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Boo! Good results for the boys in red, I see. And KT, too who should buy us all a round! Good for you, KT!

Hey, rico. What a fantastic performance. I was all smiles all day.

Hola, WATH! Howdy? Eboue is a darling. 😉

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Hi agag and thanks…

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

He seems to have problems everywhere:

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is on a warpath with former Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi, so much so he was prepared to criticise him on live television following the 2-0 win over Auxerre.

The two men exchanged some heated verbal blows on Mediaset after Sacchi made a joke about the Sweden striker.

“You scored the first goal because you have big feet,” Sacchi said.

But his assessment of Ibrahimovic’s goal, in which he outstretched his foot to tuck the ball home, was met with an immediate retort from the hitman.

“That’s nice… you talk too much and you write too much, even when I was at Barcelona, if you don’t like me don’t watch me,” thundered Ibrahimovic as an excited studio audience quickly fell silent to the sound of fire.

Sacchi was also stunned, but responded. He felt Ibrahimovic had taken his comments across the front line.

“You should learn some manners,” said the former coach turned pundit.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Oh no, we’re talking age again… If STV were on right now, he’d be saying he was born in ’88. Haha. 🙂 🙂 I feel positively ancient.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

It’s lovely to see Cesc enjoying his football. It is no exaggeration; he is the fulcrum of this Arsenal side. If he stays and delivers silverware, he’ll be among our Greats.

Still a lot of doomsayers though, rico. Oh, who cares? If this were the Mancs, the press would be drooling. But like I said, who cares?

Pity about Valencia, and I don’t like him…

KT, I’m guessing you aced your maths??

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

I don’t think any of us ever doubted the talent, rico; it’s the team’s consistency that has disappointed us.

Having said that, the press seem to find it the most natural thing to take potshots at us for every other thing. There’s just no pleasing some people.

It’s early days yet, but this just might be our year! 🙂

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Adios, Sr. WATH. Boomeranging your reminder at you: Be good. Behave. 😉

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Agag i aced maths no problemo…

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Cider depth charge, someone’s been spreading rumors about your kind of drinking games, rico. Haha.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

KT, ah, now we know. You topped your “maths” and… “everyting else”. Haha.

rico, what are ‘sticks’??

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

I was having a debate with my mates who have admitted we have a pretty strong squad than we are credited for.how can one team have cesc,rosicky,wilshere,nasri and ramsey as playmakers while the mancs have only scholes who is aging?. .

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Rico i had to stop there since its almost embarassing the depth we have.i have been a fan of özil who is as dangerous off the ball as messi is on it but wilshere is growing on me.if fab has half a brain he’ll stay and play with lil jack who i maintain is a hleb/iniesta combination.if he like cesc adds powerful running with the ball we have a future balon d’or contender ladies and gentlemen.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Rico nani and valencia are wingers not playmakers and thats why i didn’t include them.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Sure do, rico. 🙂 No wonder the cider reference. Lol. Few British shows are shown here though. Little Britain , I think, was the last.

I’ve always had faith in our midfield. Ours is an embarrassment of riches at playmaking. Nasri didn’t look as though he’d recently gone under the knife. I’ve been watching TR7 again and again and he has rediscovered his sparkling form. Imagine a fit and firing Rambo too. I think Little Jack is very special, indeed. He needs to curb his temper though, and keep the passing simple. (Although that backheel to Chamakh was scrumptious…)

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

There is alot of lalala about how we can’t beat the big boys.its all about mentality as Aw said.if we beat the chavs we will have alot of confidence against the so called big boys.in 08-09 we had a far weaker squad but we were able to beat chavs at Stamford,mancs at home and drawing away(they had CR7,Tevez,rooney and berba) and pool couldn’t beat us at home despite ade being sent off while away we had AA.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Diaby and Vermaelen set for West brom return… 🙂 Now for Robin, Theo and Rambo. 🙂

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Rico fair enough on nani but valencia no way…if wilshere becomes more direct like rosicky he’ll become more like özil.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Thats good news agag.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Valencia was great last year. Nani has improved dramatically. But the Mancs are looking old and uninspired…

rico, some bits were really funny; a lot was plain ick. The version on TV was just the really funny ones; the rest suffered the censor’s cut. 🙂

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

I struggle to believe AW would drop TV5 for that… Unless our players were under specific directive not to talk about Cesc wanting to leave and he run afoul of that rule.

In any case, I like what Denilson and Clichy and Almunia and Jackie and Sagna have said about Cesc. Cesc has to be feeling pretty fantastic, too. 🙂

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Cesc must be feeling good right now.all headlines on our wins have cesc in it.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

If diaby is on form vs chavs we have a very good chance.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

rico, the thing about Almunia is that he’s disappointed us far too often; so I do not feel that we have been THAT harsh. 🙂

Chamakh, Theo, Eduardo (sniff) have all said fantastic things about Diaby, KT… Now if only he allows us to see what the rave reviews are about on a regular basis. 🙂

I hope Rosicky’s back for Nasri; I want Sami to be perfectly sure that he’s perfectly fine. Last night, when Viana tackled him within the first few minutes; I expected the worst… So it was a relief when he was up and running at once.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Diaby needs consistency and he will be a great player agag.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Clichy won 8 tackles more than any other player on match day one.he is not as bad as fans make him out to be.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Clichy is not at all bad. He made two obvious errors; and vacated his post a few times; but he is good going forward and really quite solid. He’s my second favorite on this current Arsenal side. 😀 I shall end with that. It’s a good note to end on. 🙂

Nighty!

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Night all.