GROUP A
1. South Africa
2. Mexico
3. Uruguay
4. France
GROUP B
1. Argentina
2. South Korea
3. Nigeria
4. Greece
GROUP C
1. England
2. United States Of America
3. Algeria
4. Slovenia
GROUP D
1. Germany
2. Australia
3. Ghana
4. Serbia
GROUP E
1. Netherlands
2. Japan
3. Cameroon
4. Denmark
GROUP F
1. Italy
2. New Zealand
3. Paraguay
4. Slovakia
GROUP G
1. Brazil
2. North Korea
3. Ivory Coast
4. Portugal
GROUP H
1. Spain
2. Honduras
3. Chile
4. Switzerland
Friday 4 December 2009
Arsenal or Arsene?
In the matter of two weeks, Arsene Wenger has gone from a respected manager with a beautiful football playing side to a manager with no respect for the game or his fellow manager with no grace to understand when he loses to better sides.
What was the nonsense about when his Arsenal side were trounced by Chelsea; how could he really say that Didier Drogba didn’t do anything after scoring twice. And everything else he said in the post match interviews. Of course the less said about his behaviour on Wednesday the better.
Now I need to state for full disclosure that I agree that Arsenal play beautiful football; the intricate passing and movement is second probably to only Barcelona in Europe and have been doing it for quite some time.
The problem is not beautiful football but everything else surrounding the team and the club in general. Jose Mourinho is an ass but he is right, Wenger is under no pressure so he can get away with producing a team with all style and no substance. A team capable of putting 76 passes together but not capable of defending a free kick or throw-in against most of the team in the premiership because of the disparity in size between his midget team and most other teams.
Why did Arsenal go from the might, bulk and height of Patrick Vieira, Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Emmanuel Petit and co to the midgets of Andrei Arshavin, Bacary Sagna and the supporting cast of the seven dwarves? Arsenal being muscled off the ball is becoming such an occurrence no one bothers to discuss it anymore. Did any one really think that Arsenal stood a chance against the brute force of Drogba, Anelka, Ballack, Essien and Terry, puhleeeeze? The true fans knew there was no way the fancy Dans of Arsenal could withstand the onslaught except the manager who has seen it over the last four years; flattering to deceive and then falling off when the serious games came along.
Of course, let’s take a look at the team itself, in the goalkeeping position they have Manuel Almunia who is clearly a joke and partnered with the defence have shown that they can concede in any game, no matter the score. Any one remembers West Ham? Arsenal has averaged 3 goals this season because that is the only score line that guarantees a victory.
In the midfield, there is the brilliant Cesc Fabregas who is burdened with the presence of Abou Diaby, a water carrier who believes he is Zidane and Alex Song. Song is a vastly improved player but his improvement don’t cover the fact that some matches he is just running around racking up fouls.
In the three pronged attack, he was lucky with the presence of Andrei Arshavin and Robin Van Persie and ay other player. Samir Nasri or Tomas Rosicky is good up there but after them the talent pool dries up. Nicklas Bendtner is another joke as a striker an Eduardo is not good enough. Theo Walcott seems to have reached his peak because explosive speed alone is not what football is all about. He can score in games where are Arsenal are three goals up but doesn’t do anything else to warrant the plaudits he receives. Well he is English and they are looking for a star anywhere.
Arsenal need to bulk up and need a striker but we all know that Arsene will go out and buy some unknown from Togo in January who will become disillusioned with something by next summer. Why not take a punt on Ruud Van Nistelrooj or some proven striker who will enjoy the service the Arsenal teams can provide.
Arsenal needs to win something and they are already out of the coca cola cup and the league. Are they going for a fifth year without silverware?
What was the nonsense about when his Arsenal side were trounced by Chelsea; how could he really say that Didier Drogba didn’t do anything after scoring twice. And everything else he said in the post match interviews. Of course the less said about his behaviour on Wednesday the better.
Now I need to state for full disclosure that I agree that Arsenal play beautiful football; the intricate passing and movement is second probably to only Barcelona in Europe and have been doing it for quite some time.
The problem is not beautiful football but everything else surrounding the team and the club in general. Jose Mourinho is an ass but he is right, Wenger is under no pressure so he can get away with producing a team with all style and no substance. A team capable of putting 76 passes together but not capable of defending a free kick or throw-in against most of the team in the premiership because of the disparity in size between his midget team and most other teams.
Why did Arsenal go from the might, bulk and height of Patrick Vieira, Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Emmanuel Petit and co to the midgets of Andrei Arshavin, Bacary Sagna and the supporting cast of the seven dwarves? Arsenal being muscled off the ball is becoming such an occurrence no one bothers to discuss it anymore. Did any one really think that Arsenal stood a chance against the brute force of Drogba, Anelka, Ballack, Essien and Terry, puhleeeeze? The true fans knew there was no way the fancy Dans of Arsenal could withstand the onslaught except the manager who has seen it over the last four years; flattering to deceive and then falling off when the serious games came along.
Of course, let’s take a look at the team itself, in the goalkeeping position they have Manuel Almunia who is clearly a joke and partnered with the defence have shown that they can concede in any game, no matter the score. Any one remembers West Ham? Arsenal has averaged 3 goals this season because that is the only score line that guarantees a victory.
In the midfield, there is the brilliant Cesc Fabregas who is burdened with the presence of Abou Diaby, a water carrier who believes he is Zidane and Alex Song. Song is a vastly improved player but his improvement don’t cover the fact that some matches he is just running around racking up fouls.
In the three pronged attack, he was lucky with the presence of Andrei Arshavin and Robin Van Persie and ay other player. Samir Nasri or Tomas Rosicky is good up there but after them the talent pool dries up. Nicklas Bendtner is another joke as a striker an Eduardo is not good enough. Theo Walcott seems to have reached his peak because explosive speed alone is not what football is all about. He can score in games where are Arsenal are three goals up but doesn’t do anything else to warrant the plaudits he receives. Well he is English and they are looking for a star anywhere.
Arsenal need to bulk up and need a striker but we all know that Arsene will go out and buy some unknown from Togo in January who will become disillusioned with something by next summer. Why not take a punt on Ruud Van Nistelrooj or some proven striker who will enjoy the service the Arsenal teams can provide.
Arsenal needs to win something and they are already out of the coca cola cup and the league. Are they going for a fifth year without silverware?
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