We are back in Europe once again. Most of the pundits and ex-players think this is our best chance of a trophy. So far so good. We have collected 6 from 6 accumulating 9 goals while conceding only one. Central to this good start has been our very own Russian enigma -Andrey Arshavin.
In Europe so far he has been very prolific. He is the second most efficient attacker in the Champions league by scoring or assisting in every 36 minutes of this year’s tournament only bettered by Eto’o(34). Not forgetting he smashed the bar against Braga and missing a penalty in Belgrade you would have to say he is pretty phenomenal. Despite these stats he remains a very frustrating player to have. His attitude and work rate at times can be abysmal at best which makes him a liability at times. This is what separates him from other Ballon D’or contenders. Is it worth having him on the team at the moment especially after his dire performance against Birmingham?
Which brings me nicely to Tomas Rosicky.
When Rosicky came on you could see how different the team was. He gives the team a buzz only Cesc can and on his day he is as good as Cesc technically. He is also very direct and is willing to shoot whenever a opporrtunity presents itself. He rarely loses the ball and when he does he is likely to recover it with a well-timed sliding tackle. He also tracks back a lot which helped Clichy become the best LB in 07-08 season. However, he doesn’t possess the goal threat AA has. He is low on confidence in front of goal which has seen him fail to convert easy chances you would expect him to convert. It’s a good problem to have as we have been accused of having a paper-thin squad but who would you choose at the moment?
One thing is for sure though; if we have rosicky, AA, Nasri, Jack, Theo, Cesc, Diaby and Chamakh in sync today we will have pace, power, precision and directness that should have Shaktar chasing shadows all night. It’s up to the boss to pick the right combination to win the game convincingly as we prepare to visit the money bags in the weekend.
Tonight we welcome a player that could have become a legend for us. I honestly believed he would replace Henry’s goals. You only have to look at his beach volley goal in the FA Cup and his volley at City away to see glimpses of what he could’ve been if not for that fateful day in Birmingham. Dudu will never be forgotten and when he takes the pitch today you should give him an applause that will awake the whole of Europe. The fact that he is not only walking but playing is all you need to see how courageous he was but such is life the damage was already done both physically and mentally that he couldn’t play for us anymore.
Speaking of Dudu, Shaktar have had a very good start to their CL campaign. They have won both their games much like us but we have a superior goal difference. The Ukranian champions are a bold attacking side which is aided by Brazilian imports. One of those imports is Douglas Costa who not so long ago was being linked with a move to Manchester United. Fernandinho is another but he is out with a broken leg. This however may prove to be their undoing because we love sides giving us space especially at the Emirates. Be on the look out for former Barca defender Dmitry Chygrinskiy in defence, Luiz Adriano is a very good attacker and Darijo Srna who is very good in dead ball situations.
Cesc and Theo are back but AW remained coy on whether they would start. RVP10 is still three weeks away while Verminator,Sagna and Koscielny are still out. Despite these absentees I believe we have a squad strong enough to win the game.
Enjoy the game.Here’s hoping for a big win!
C’MON YOU REDS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Written by K-TR7
And the better than Barca, that’s come from Eduardo’s team-mate Darijo Srna – “They are a very quick squad whose offensive players are really strong and aggressive. I would say they are performing even better than FC Barcelona now.
Morning all, nice post KT, i’d rest AA tonight and start with Rosicky…
We miss a messi in our system
Walcott did a good job at the start of the season and if he continues then it will be pretty hard to stop us this year
Walcott
Fabregas
Vermaelen
and a target man we have these players fit for most of the season and we will win a trophy
hi andrew, i guess our target men are nikki and chamakh, still like to see them both play up front together at some stage, the chavs and both mancs would be good times to play the two big men up front…
walcott’s has been severely missed imho
Morning all.i can’t believe am about to say this but theo was actually showing glimpses of a world class player.hope he comes back and continues from where he left off as all world class players do.
Hi KT, I can’t believe that you doubted him, Wrighty was a class player but didn’t start getting all the plaudits untuil late in his career, maybe thats the way it’s going to be for Theo, he’s 21, he has a long career ahead…
If theo hadn’t been injured he would be the PL top scorer now.apart from pace and finishing he has added some very good close control which aids him get past a crowd of defenders as we saw in the B’pool and B’burn games.
Its been there all the time though KT, you could see he was trying, he just couldn’t make it all tick. Staying at home during the summer has done him the world of good, finally we will all see the real Theo, the one that made Wenger spend so much money… 🙂
Morning all,
Pleased to hear Theo and Fab are back from the mend and hope they are involved in this evening’s game.
I’m also glad to see that Don Vito has gone on loan to Hull, hopefully that will be the begining of better things for him…
How are we all this fine tuesday morning anyway? 🙂
CR7 despite his many tricks and flicks still relies on pace as his major asset.theo needs to only know how to use it effectively like ljunberg did and in the end he will be a very useful player.
Morning T-buzz, tippidee tops thank you, hows you??
Really pleased that Theo and Fab are fit and raring to go too, things are starting to look up at long last 🙂
KT, you are harsh on Theo 😉
he has more skill than diaby and is a bit younger, yet you stick up for Diaby 😉 🙁
Rico,
I thought KT was being very complimentary to our Theo. 🙂
Actually, I am still not convinced, myself. Still, I hope I am wrong.
I have tried to wangle tickets this season, without success, until last Saturday, and now I have been offered another ticket for tonight’s game. Two in three days, what a funny old world! 🙂
Morning RA, maybe i was typing that knowing its you that’s harsh on Theo 😉 😉
mme, maybe i am just a tad too defensive about my litte fav 😉
Rico diaby is on another level skillswise compared to theo!even theo said he is the best in the squad in terms of skills,even chamakh said it.
I am being tempted to watch R.Madrid vs AC Milan tonight…i love euro footy too much that i may not watch our own match.i feel like am cheating…
We will have to agree to disagree about that one KT 😉
I have to go for a while, catch up later
Arrrg KT, how can you do that, record the madrid game 😉
Rico its so hard…
COYRRR
morning k, nice article. not sure quite what srnja was trying to imply, but he left me shaking my head – we still have a lot of work remaining to get to barca’s level, never mind being better than them. he was probably referring to respective forms at the moment, but i would disagree even there. i think i know what he was trying to do with that comment, but we could probably have done without it.
ra, lee was even better than i thought he would be last night. nyy have come back from similar deficits before – torre’s best team, the 1998 yankess, had to battle back from a similar 1-2 hole against a very good cleveland team in the 98 alcs, and did. but girardi’s 2010 is not nearly as good as the 1998 team – and if burnett implodes tonight, it is difficult to see a way back for them.
Boo – anyone home??
hi rico. i am periodically about…
Hi oliver, me too, mad dash around cleaning and stuff 🙁
oliver, you watching tonight??
cannot watch, i will be here at work. the best i will be able to do is follow text commentary. kickoff is 2:45pm here in the dc metro area, so…
not so good then – i forgot the time zone
have you read the interview from old red nose oliver?? he’s confirmed that rooney has told the club he will not sign a new contract and wants out….
i have seen it. so it seems that there really is fire along with the smoke. red nose’s admission probably reduced the eventual transfer fee united will get if they decide to sell. now that it is out in the open, i will be interested to see who blinks first: will rooney alter his stance if united improve the offer on the table, or will united sell him to whomever offers the most money? one would think that would be city, but that would also constitute a huge pr disaster. at 25, there is no reason to think rooney will not return to the form – form which so impressed arsene – he showed with everton and united.
nothing to do with arsenal…i will paraphrase a quite disreputable and unsavory character, don king, in assessing arsenal’s chances of getting rooney: “slim to none…and slim just left town”
chelsea have already said they would welcome him – i think he will go abroad, he needs away from all the media..
read yesterday that mourinho will offer benzema in a deal….
all speculation…i think united will try and work something out with him – i would be shocked if they just threw up their hands, and said “ok, do what you will”…if rooney and his people maintain a hardline stance, and it becomes a question of losing him for nothing, or getting at least something in return, then united will of course do business – they probably cannot afford not to. and under those circumstances, i think the only club in england that has a chance to land him would be city – and only because they would probably pay so over the odds for him. and then they would almost certainly have to give him wages in excess of that disgusting pay packet yaya toure is getting…any rooney deal between the manchester teams would have huge repercussions for both sides…and both sides have valid reasons to do a deal and not do a deal. i do not see chelsea as a realistic possibility. nor the spuds – i expect tax-dodger to express interest by the end of the week…
abroad, perhaps? everyone says madrid – and they can offer benzema and perhaps diarra in return. but i am not convinced they are seriously interested yet. i doubt barcelona will be that interested. who else?
again, i think that the most likely scenario is that differences are patched-up and rooney agrees to a new deal with united. that said, i can also see scenario where he and his team dig in their heels and force united’s hand. the problem is there are complications and problems with virtually every destination.
Good riddance to Roo IMO, he’s just a spoilt greedy brat that thinks himself more important than anyone in his club. See how quick he jumped ship when Man U were waving millions of cash in his face, just after kissing the Everton badge? As far as I’m concerned, he’s in the same category as Adebuy-whore: Overrated, Overpaid and Over-here!
I hope he ends up in a remote club in Albania!
fergie made it pretty clear oliver, i watched his i/v, he said rooney needs to respect the club and the door will stay open for him to sign. however he also said that rooney made it clear he wants out…
saying that, i d’t really care where he goes, if he does, manure will be weaker if he goes and be left with a sulk if he stays…
i only care about what we do and we don’t want him 🙂
Ha ha T-buzz, i kind of raised the issue of rooney after what we experienced in the summer with cesc…
maybe cesc wasn’t such a bad boy and wenger handled it all pretty well really…
i don’t think we will even go in for him. again, if rooney and his advisors dig their heels in, they will force united to either sell him to someone or walk away for nothing when the contract runs out. if it is the latter, expect him to spend quite a long time rotting in the reserves. and this is why i think that united will try and patch things up and keep trying to resign him. now that this is all public, i think there is an element of posturing, and is suspect that both sides would prefer a new deal, provided the terms are mutually acceptable. i think that in the end, they will get there…
no doubt it will keep the journo’s in a job along the way oliver 😉
it will sell papers. and as annoying as it may be to united supporters and red nose, if the papers are talking about rooney’s status, they are not talking so much about how united can no longer consistently hold on to leads…
ugh…i feel dirty for having even embarked on this line of discussion – rooney has nothing to do with arsenal and we have nothing to do with him. and we have a very important match kicking off in just under four hours.
Hi Oliver,
Can’t bring myself to discuss either Rooney or the Yankees at the mo’, other than to say Rooney is not too bright and I suspect he is being jerked about by his agent, who probably stands to get a fee of 20% of approx £80m, = £16m, for doing sod all! 🙂 I wonder if he wants an assistant? 🙂
😆 dirty indeed, keeps them from whinging about us too 🙂
Hi RA, what time do you head off to the match, I saw earlier you said you were lucky enough to get tickets, and to see Eduardo play again too, lucky you …
Scotland’s 4-6-0 formation is likely to score more goals than a rooney and torres partnership at the moment…
😆 KT
Hi all.
Oliver- Rooney will never sign for Man City because that could be too risky for him considering the bitter rivalry between the two teams. This is further emphasized by the fact that he is English, he will not risk it.
The best decision is abroad but is he ready to move ?
I think Rooney is trying to play two games here;
a) He wants more money for his services
b) He wants to break Fergie’s strong hold on his life.
He will get one of the above especially the money.
Fergie will not and can’t afford to sell Rooney because they will be in trouble if they do.
Berbatov is not scoring anymore and Rooney not playing well says everything when you look at their last two results.
Therefore i will conclude by saying Rooney will stay .
hi ra…i shan’t say anything about the team in the bronx.
red nose stated that rooney first indicated his desire to leave in august – i wonder if it was around the time y. toure signed with city? i am sure wages and agents have something to do with this, but i suspect the rooney team are playing hardball, and want to get the best deal out of united that they can…i cannot believe i am still talking about this.
on to other things – we survived on sunday. wasn’t the prettiest, but a win nevertheless. 4-2, and now we visit dallas monday night. they are 1-4 and will be desperate for a win. the giants are playing well enough right now, but i expect a wounded, desperate dallas to show for that game. i am hoping for giant win, but would not be shocked by a lopsided loss.
Rico, I need to leave at about 4:30p.m. to meet up with my benefactor! 🙂
Oliver, I think the Jints will do it!! 🙂
See u tomorrow, guys.
Hi SD, i hope he stays with manure, especially if he continues to play rubbish 😉
You check your email first please RA 🙂
i hope he leaves , then man utd will finish sixth ha ha ha
from bottom SD 😉
yeah rico from bottom probably into administration as well. ha ha ha .that will crack my ribs.:)
got to go now bye.
good luck tonight
sd, i agree with most of what you say. i think cooler heads will prevail, and rooney will eventually get an improved deal with united. i have no doubt there are some undercurrent problems between he and red nose, but i would also suggest that the latter will not be managing there for that much longer.
where i disagree is that i think the rivalry/english angle is overblown. rooney had no compunctions about leaving his childhood team (“once a blue…”) for a bigger club. if the situation arises where he has to leave united, i do not think that the rivalry/english factors will deter him from considering city. if he perceives the situation as i do, then one (city) is on the up, while steep decline for the other (united) is setting in. city have bought lavishly, and in some cases (particularly adam johnson), well. tevez is probably the player of the season so far, but rooney moving across the city represents something completely different: a talisman that would represent city’s emergence as serious contenders for domestic and perhaps european success. while illustrating united’s decline.
from that angle, a move makes tons of city, more sense for them than united. at the end of the day, i think rooney will get a new deal with united.
See ya soon SD, enjoy the match…
no more rooney from me. subject closed.
oliver, the deal he has been offered should be enough, Fergie said Rooney would struggle to get a better deal anywhere else…
Me, i don’t think it has anything to do with money, this is just like Becks, the Rooney family v Fergie, before it was the Beckhams…
ok, me too oliver, he’s not worth writing about, but…. 😉
Right Guys and Gals, I have to go for the day sadly.
Enjoy the game all and catch you tomorrow,
Stay safe…
Nice write up KT am late just from Class RA am envious you will be at the Emirates I don’t think I will even catch it on TV now that am alone I can give my lover to Dudu the player aka the fox and Dudu the person great lad and always a gooner no matter the score Dudu is an inspiration come on Arsenal
2-0 HT
Well done so far boys!! 😀