Romania took an ultra-extra
cagey approach to this vital match trying to ensure that they didn’t offer Netherlands
a chance to counter attack. By the end of the ninety minutes they had won the
battle but had categorically lost the war.
The safety first approach
worked in the first half as the Netherlands were forced to build their attacks rather
than benefitting from the super quick passing that had caused Italy and France
so much trouble.
However, Netherlands did
have chances with the best falling to Robben but he shot wide with only Lobont
to beat. Boulahrouz of all players was enjoying far too much space when
attacking down the Dutch right and more might have come from a couple of his raids.
Romania’s passing was
inconsistent with far too many sloppy passes or players being caught in
possession. Early in the second half any thoughts Romania may have harboured
about holding back and then pushing for a late winner were crushed when their
sloppy play infected the back four.
The Romanian defence
allowed Afellay to chase down an errant Robben cross completely unmolested. The
Dutch midfielder played the ball back into the box and again the defence failed
to deal with it. This time the ball found Huntelaar and Romania was in trouble.
Needing to up the tempo
Romania was unable to change gears as their passing deteriorated under the
pressure of now having to chase the game. Maruis Niculae who started in place
of his namesake Daniel was a willing front runner but sorely lacking the skills
to bother the Dutch defence.
Mutu was a sporadic
presence as the two received virtually no support from the midfield. The replacement of Maruis by Daniel made no
difference as the Dutch continued to deal with any Romanian threat with a
minimum amount of trouble.
Another goal from the
Dutch, this one from Robin van Persie, only served to highlight the gulf
between these two teams on the day.
Romania go home and leave thinking
of what might have been if only Buffon had been a split second slower or even
a fraction of a second quicker. But even then the game against the Netherlands offered up a second
chance to Romania and they bottled it.
France 0-2 Italy The share of the play
might have been even but Italy should have had France dead and buried before
half time. French supporters can look to the penalty kick awarded against Eric
Abidal and the red card he received as the turning point in this game but there
ominous signs before that moment for
France.
The injury to Franck
Ribery early in the game was another blow to France but even a fully fit Ribery
for ninety minutes would not have mitigated the problems caused by a porous
central defence and a ponderous in midfield.
The lead up to the penalty
decision was a microcosm of France’s early problems. A free kick in the centre circle
was played to Pirlo. With no pressure on him Pirlo had time to look up and clip
a 35-yard pass over the head of Abidal and onto the toe of Toni. Abidal attempted
a tackle was never going to finish up as anything but a dead-cert penalty kick.
Toni was giving the French
defence fits before Abidal’s sending off and he continued after the dismissal.
Grosso also hit the post from a free kick and Perrotta came close to breaking
through. French coach Raymond Domenech’s
decision to withdraw substitute Nasri (he had replaced Ribery) shortly after Abidal’s
red card will be a source of heated discussion amongst French fans. A more fateful
decision was perhaps taken before kick off in opting to deputize full back
Abidal as a centre back.
You can certainly argue
about the merits of centre backs Jean-Alain Boumsong and Sébastien Squillaci. But asking a regular full back to play centre
half when Domenech had two specialist centre-backs available begs the question
why did he bother picking Boumsong and Squillaci to start with?
Daniele
De Rossi’s deflected free kick was the clincher and put the game well beyond
10-man France. De Rossi was excellent throughout and his performance was a
reminder of Donadoni’s mistake in not playing the Roma midfielder against
Netherlands in the first game.
Comment of the Day
"That is the happiest
I have ever been after a match in which I didn't score," Ruud van Nistelrooy
after Holland beat France 4-1.
Prediction Update
LHJS, Sounderfan, knvoetbal
all recorded 100% scores is predicting the outcome of Group B. Sounderfan is
the only poster with a 100% record at the conclusion of the first two groups.
He leads everyone by at least two points.
This will make it six consecutive appearances for Netherlands at the European Championship finals. They won the tournament twenty years ago in Germany, made it to another four semi-finals (76, 92, 00, and 04) and lost at the quarter final stage in 1996.
How they qualified The Dutch relied on their wonderful home record in Euro qualifying that has seen them go unbeaten since losing to Luxembourg in 1963. Six wins and a draw in Group G extended the Dutch streak to 41 games without a loss over the last forty-five years.
Both losses in Group G came away from home with the set back against Belarus coming after qualification had been guaranteed. The Netherlands finished three points behind Romania (the other loss) and one ahead of Bulgaria. Robin van Persie scored four times for the Dutch.
The Coach Regarded by many as the greatest centre forward of all time Marco van Basten made sure that there was long pause between his injury enforced retirement and his return to the game as a coach.
The appointment as the national team coach after Euro 2004 was his first senior position after working with youth players at Ajax. After the tournament in Switzerland and Austria, van Basten will take over the coaching reins at Ajax and will be replaced by veteran Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk.
Key Players The conclusion of the tournament will see the Netherland’s most capped player goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar retire from the international arena. Captain of the Dutch team van der Sar is coming off of a European-Premiership double and his performances in qualifying kept the Ditch goals against to only five in twelve games.
Rafael van der Vaart is the pulse of Hamburg of the Bundesliga and if given the chance by van Basten his midfield promptings and an eye for a long range shot could prove valuable to the Netherlands.
With the likes of Robin van Persie, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink you would think goals would flow freely but a return of only fifteen goals in twelve qualifying games tells a different story.
Great Euro Memory With losses to the home nations at both the 1974 and 1978 World Cups fresh in the memory the Dutch finally won a major championship when they beat the Soviet Union 2-0 in the European Championship Final of 1988. No one who saw Marco van Basten’s goal will ever forget it – a classic.
Synopsis Many fans second favourite country in big tournaments based on the quality of the football they consistently deliver… up until the last couple of years that is. However, the Netherlands only have the 1988 European Championship to show for all their efforts hence the reason for Marco van Basten’s more pragmatic approach over the last few seasons.
The back four looks to be little more than competent while the midfield may turn out to be light weight. One of the big name forwards (that is not necessarily a reference to Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink) has to be provided with quality service and hit a hot streak of form if the Dutch hope make it out of this GROUP OF DEATH let alone reach the last four.
Coming Up in World Cup Qualifying Slotted into Group 9 alongside Scotland, Norway, Macedonia FYR, and Iceland.
Romania qualified for the finals in 1984, 1996 and 2000. They were knocked out by Hungary in a replayed quarter final in 1972.
How they qualified Romania’s only loss came against Bulgaria after qualification had been secured. Romania won Group G and finished three points better than the Netherlands and four better than Bulgaria. Adrian Mutu was their leading scorer with six goals.
The Coach Victor Piturca played most of his football for Steaua Bucharest and was part of the 1986 European Cup winning side. He was in charge of Romania during the qualifying stages for the 2000 European championships but was fired seven months before the tournament finals after a dispute over the distribution of bonus payments to players. He was recalled as the national team manager to replace Anghel Iordanescu in December 2004.
Key Players There are lots of very good players in this squad but Adrian Mutu who has resurrected his career with Fiorentina after a disastrous spell with Chelsea is the main man for Romania. Mutu often plays in tandem with pacey forward Ciprian Marica who moved to Stuttgart from Shakhtar Donetsk for big money last summer but a return of two goals from 28 appearances (13 as substitute) was poor.
Cristian Chivu made an impressive debut at Euro 2000 as a teenage left back before moving to a central defensive position. But lately Chivu has been providing defensive cover in midfield for the national team and has not looked out of place. Steaua Bucharest stopper Dorin Goian adds some steel at the back but can also pop up with goals at set pieces.
Great Euro Memory Romania failed to win a game at the finals in 1984 and 1996 and the first two games at Euro 2000 only brought a draw and a loss. Facing England in the final game of Group A play in Charleroi Romania needed a win to qualify as runners-up to Portugal while England needed only a draw to progress.
Alan Shearer opened England’s account from the penalty spot just before half time to tie the game at 1-1 after Cristian Chivu has put Romania into the lead. Michael Owen then popped up to give England an unexpected half time lead but right after the break Munteanu leveled the score.
With time running out Philip Neville fouled Moldovan in the penalty area and Ganea struck home the winner from the spot. Italy beat Romania 2-0 in the quarter final through goals from Totti and Inzaghi.
Synopsis This will be Romania’s first appearance at a major final since 2000 but this squad is a very good emerging side that must be cursing its luck after being drawn in the GROUP OF DEATH. However, Romania may be the banana skin that upsets one or even two of the other three teams. This is a side whose chances of making it out of the group should not be underestimated.
Coming Up in World Cup Qualifying Drawn in Group 7 with Austria, France, Serbia, Lithuania and Faroe Islands.
Matt Johnston - Much has been made of the Diaby and Eduardo tackles and I have to voice my agreement that the two are indistinguishable except that Eduardo was unlucky to have had his foot planted.
The FA and FIFA have cracked down on such hard challenges, ordering referees to show the red card in such situations, but in reality what else can be done to prevent such challenges? Also, any rumors or word on what the FA and the Referees Association is going to do about the disrespect being shown to referees of late?
Bobby – Getting referees to issue the cards is the first step but then it is up to the FA to impose harsher punishments for violent challenges. Years ago players would be suspended and from time to time fines as well. That was in the days when players did not make anything like the money they make today. But I wonder if a fine based on salary might not be a way to grab players and coaches attention.
Ringo - Any opinion on the Everton/Chelsea game being brought forward to a Thursday for TV?
Bobby – It looks as if someone at Premiership HQ has royally screwed this up. It seems very unfair on Chelsea.
CIAO - I didn't watch the Gunners game. Can you please tell us what you (if you watched the game) thought of RVP's performance in the game? Does he look like he could carry the team to a strong finish? If he doesn't, has anyone else in the team recently stepped up their performance?
Bobby – Apart from a well struck penalty RVP didn’t look like he could carry an empty backpack on Saturday. Having said that the only way he is going to get match fir and sharp is to play so I don’t think Wenger has had any option but to give him a run the last two games. I thought Hleb looked brighter and sharper than he had done in weeks but he still refuses to shot.
Foxcube - Related to the sports science piece, how are training sessions organized at the professional clubs of, e.g., the premier league? I read that Juande Ramos brought in 2-session a day scheme to the Spurs. I thought they'd be relatively tired if other teams merely hold a 2-3 hr session each day.
However, their performances showed the opposite effect. Could it be that his methods are more advanced than other managers? How different can their approaches be? What do the managers have their players do after the training? Thanks!
Bobby – I think that you would be shocked at the varying approaches that managers take to training and tactics. However, I think there is a move towards conditioning (as opposed to practice with the ball) being regarded as a specialty and not something that any old pro can think up. You see more conditioning instructors being hired by clubs.
I can’t remember the former UK athletes name but I heard him on Talksports about a year ago discussing the fitness of professional players in England. He was very critical and felt that many clubs were missing a key element in preparation by not having instructors who understood strength and conditioning rather than the game.
I think what the article is really getting at is that improvement in the overall conditioning of players will be the next frontier together with more sport psychology. Ramos mover to 2 a days but he was shocked at the state of the players when he arrived. Capello was the same in 2006 when he went to Real Madrid. Both managers were willing to risk poor performances in the short term in order to get the players in better shape. Both won trophies so I guess it was worth it.
CIAO – I once was told that for every week that a player does not play it takes 2 weeks to regain full fitness. What do you think about this theory? I suppose it is different in every case (i.e. are they playing for AC Milan vs Inter or is the player able to lightly train or has to sit around).
Bobby – This is probably a question for a professional conditioning coach but I suspect that the statement is bit to broad and doesn’t take into consideration the training/conditioning being done even though a player may not be starting. I was told by a personal trainer that for “weekend” athletes or folks who work out just to keep in decent shape that they will lose all their “fitness” after six weeks of inactivity.
Redfan4ever - Do you still see a twist coming in the long saga of this year's Premiership or do you now think that the pattern for the season is set, concerning top and bottom?
Bobby – I still think that there is a trick in the tail yet.
MasMaz -Finally someone at FSC listens. I have been calling for Bobby to do a Wednesday CL show for awhile. These are huge games. I can't wait.
Bobby – This season it has actually been more about my schedule than FSC.
Ringo - (Tommy Smith) It says he intensely disliked Emlyn Hughes ,do you know why?
Bobby – I think I read in a book about Shanks that it had something to do with Hughes replacing Smith as captain.
Bairnsfan - After the Man Utd/Liverpool game last week, some guy wrote a comment on the BBC website. He said that Brown and Ronaldo were going to sing a duet together, "Reyna's drops keep falling on my head".
Bobby – That is very good and very clever.
Jahmikes - What are your views on Blatter and Platini.. I think they need to retire from their posts every month one of them comes up with some dumb idea to ruin why football is so entertaining, e.g nobody wants to see teams full of English players kicking the ball up front all the time, its all about diversity in the modern game.
Second: Your views on Christian Ronaldo..do you believe he can sustain his form for seasons to come, I rather your opinion on the matter than all those you know what riders such as Webster and those fools on Super Sunday. Another thing do you think that young French Midfielder Nasri would be a good signing for my Gunners..I think we should go after him and Yobo.
Bobby – I have a lot more time for Platini than I do for Blatter. But you also have to remember that if you get rid of Blatter who knows what might replace him. Believe me it could be worse.
Ronaldo – the thing that impresses me is that he has improved every season since he came to Manchester United. He was criticized for being a one trick pony the first season. Then he started to play with his head up and brought other players into the game.
He became very good in the air, then his free kicks and long range shooting improved and now this season the avalanche of goals. Based on that I don’t see nay reason why he cannot keep it up for seasons to come.
I have my doubts about Nasri in the Premiership – looks a bit lightweight to me and I don’t think Arsenal needs anymore players like that. I’m not sure David Moyes is going to surrender Yobo easily. He is one of the most understated but effective centre backs in the Premiership – a great signing.
Therealrico - So I was thinking and kinda curious on other peoples opinions. A lot of articles that we read about Liverpool seem to point out their over reliance on Gerrard and Torres, and this got me thinking about the other top 4 clubs, and do they overly rely on one player, and I would have to say yes.
No doubt Man United would miss Ronaldo if he were to get injured or suspended for some period time. I also recollect that they had a dismal record when Rooney was not in the line-up. I also think if Vidic were to be absent for an extended period of time you would notice that as well. With Arsenal if Cesc was to be gone for any period of time I think it would hurt badly, as well as Adabayor.
Chelsea to be seems to be the only that you can pin point one player and the team would be see a drop off in performance. Prior to the African cup of nations you could have argued that losing Terry, or Cech, or Drogba would kill Chelsea.
But as Chelsea showed they continued to win without Drogba, and also did well without Terry. Last year you could say Chelsea lost the league because Cech was out, but I don't think you could say that this year, as he has not been nearly as good as years past.
Bobby – Good point and something that was relevant to the 39th game debate. There is no following of the Premiership around the world there is a huge following for Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United with perhaps three or four other sides that have good followings – more ex pats than real foreign fans.
Out of the top four there are probably around 15-18 big name players that provide the marquee talent. It is those 15-18 players that the Premiership brand relies upon.
Foxcube - Are there any statistics available to measure how lucky a team is? Such as the times woodwork hit against, sitters missed against, etc. Had this question watching Chelsea-Boro game.
Bobby – Not that I know of. However, I believe they publish weekly stats to show how #### poor some teams are at scoring. Apparently scoring goals has something to do with points and the points generate a table of some kind. (My point is that Boro were not unlucky - they could not score. It’s not the same thing.)
Ringo - And Berwick Rangers,the English team that plays in Scotland ,did a Derby ,or a Gretna.
Bobby – Since beating Rangers in the Scottish Cup in 1967 it has been pretty much downhill for the Berwick version.
Aldoray - Its often said that Rafa Benitez and other managers approach a European game differently than a Prem game. If possible could u explain what it is they do differently whether it be the mental approach that is different or is it formation etc. Also do u think he will take a European or domestic approach to the Arsenal tie?
Bobby – Thee are a few fundamental differences. The refereeing is different for a start. Then in the group stage the objective is to qualify in the top two out of four. It allows the better teams to be cautious and a point away from home is a point gained and two points the opposition didn’t get.
With six games and ten points usually enough to qualify two home wins, one away win, a draw and two away looses should be enough. In the Premiership an away draw is not considered to be that good a result for the top teams just because there are more teams around and in particular more bad teams.
When it comes down to the knock out stage caution is the watch word again because you are playing a 180 minute match not a 90 minute one.
Generally in the Premiership the top teams will push forward more because there is less risk over all that they are going to be punished. In Europe it is more about being rock solid at the back and bending but not breaking , not getting caught in midfield if the ball is turned over and trying to coax the other team forward and try to hit them quickly and to take any chances that come their way. (I thought Manchester United played the consummate European away game today against Roma).
I you asked me to sum it up I would say that the primary difference is that you are punished more severely for mistakes in Europe because of the formats. Tomorrow Benitez will take a European approach.
Thierry Henry - 1. What is the reason why Arsene continue to refuse to buy a world class keeper? You and me know that Arsenal cannot win the title with Almunia in the goals. Apart from Barthez, I have not seen a team winning the title with a shaky goal keeper who cannot make saves when his team need him the most. I think Friedel could be a really good addition to the ARSENAL FC.
2. Do you think Theo Walcott is now ready to be in the Arsenal's first team? Everytime he comes on the pitch for Arsenal, things seem to change for the better... remember at Birmingham, AC Milan and on the weekend at Bolton.
Bobby – 1. I think Arsenal could improve their goalkeeping but to be fair I don’t see Almunia being the problem over the last few weeks. Overall I have been surprised at how well he has played this season. 2. His head still has to catch up with his legs so he has a long way to go yet. Substitute appearances are not always to be way to judge how a player will play if he starts.
Henry14 - How does Jeremy compare the loss of Totti to Saha and Nani on the show? it ridicoluos.
Bobby – How come you hear stuff that I don’t? He didn’t compare them other than to point out that all three were injured.
MeanSucka - I was watching Fulham the past few weeks and paying particular attention to Eddie Johnson's effect on the games. I understand Fulham don't have the best midfield in the world, but it was kind of frustrating seeing Johnson lazily run around the park, not have the ability to get past defenders using pace or skill, and then get outmuscled on balls in the air. I mean, if you have the temerity to wear orange boots it would be nice for you to work at pressuring defenders like Dempsey did/does instead of just standing around. Is Hodgson playing him to see if he develops and do you think he has a future at Fulham or at another Premier League team?
There was a buzz on FFF about the US win over Poland and the ineptitude of the England squad and some suggestion that the US may even get a result against England in Wembley in May. Do you think that's possible and do you think that Fabio will institute a youth movement if he continues to see no improvement in the team?
Bobby – I don’t think Eddie Johnson’s style is overly suited to the Premiership. I don’t think Roy Hodgson is focusing on development projects at the moment when his team is on the cusp of dropping out of the Premiership.
In terms of the US getting a result at Wembley – yes it is possible. Will Capello institute a youth movement if he sees no improvement ? – not very likely.
There is nothing in Capello’s DNA to suggest a sudden conversion to a team full of youngsters. Capello will find a system and players that will work. There might be some young players but he has already named a number to his two squads.
Ringo - "Big news expected about the Emirates stadium this afternoon. A report is due out by the Institution of Structural Engineers which claims that the steel reinforced concrete which was used in the building of the stadium was not up to UK building safety standards. It’s not sure what will have to happen next ,whether or not Arsenal will be allowed to finish the season at the Emirates ,or whether they will have to move out immediately while extensive repair work is carried out. More details are expected at a news conference at 3pm today".
Bobby – There was another story late yesterday that was sensational. Apparently Roman Abramovich has actually been drawing social security for the last four years and lives in a cardboard box. The oligarch thing was just an elaborate ruse.
Henry14 - You insisted Arsenal persist with rvp on the show. Do you think Arsenal can afford that, because he clearly looks like a man who has been on vacation for six months.
Bobby – No, I “insisted” that Arsenal persist with him on the park not on the show. I don’t think he would be able to make the flights every Monday and Friday to Winnipeg for a start and to be honest it is difficult enough to get all the stuff into the show without RVP interrupting.
Neophyte - You mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Barcelona was not a hungry team. After watching them go up 2-0 then to lose 2-3 was probably the straw that broke Frank R.'s tenure with Barca. (Your thoughts on that?)
The Yellow Submarine are in the hunt and pushing Real Madrid. Do you think they end up with a Champions League spot at the end of the season? Did you catch Ronaldo's (you know, that player that is so overrated in some circles...mainly the envious Red Fans on the blog)flick behind his planted leg from a corner kick? Is there anyone more in form than Cristiano R. right now?
Bobby – I think it is just the end of the cycle for Rijkaard. I would be surprised if Villarreal fall out of the top four. However, they do have a habit of tailing off at inopportune moments. Ronaldo is playing as well just now as I can remember anyone playing.
Aldoray - What do u think the chances are of Arteta playing for England. Do u think he would be the ideal candidate to replace Beckham. do u even think he is on Capello's radar
Bobby – Bsed on my understanding he has no chance. I may have this wrong but I don’t believe that Arteta qualifies for England. He may not have a full international cap for Spain but I thought he had played for the under-21s and was to hold to “switch.”
Craigy_f - What is the longest a team in the English top flight has gone without being awarded a penalty kick?
Bobby – Give in – what’s the answer.
ThierryHenry - Please confirm FSC ratings are down and so you have to work overtime... are you really on WEDNESDAYS? if so, is it just this week, or something regular?
Bobby – I will be on tomorrow and next Wednesday after the second legs. We will see after that.
Frenchking2012 - ROBERT is coming to Toronto fc? that is sick. The guy was one of the most underrated player at PSG and then Newcastle, I really hope he finds his form again, because if he does (remember those magic free kicks?) Toronto will gain a great player and possibly a leader
Bobby – Are we talking about the same Laurent Robert? The same one that has hardly played for the last year and could not make it at Derby County or Levante – both heading for relegation.
Flashman - Do Irish commentators get paid by the word? After hearing the 'Silence-Is-The-Enemy' style of the two Irishmen who do Italian commentary, and now the breathless nattering of blatherskite Tammy Smyth, I can only conclude they're on some sort of per-word stipend.
Is Diaby eligible for Champions League despite his 5-game suspension for that brutal tackle on Saturday?
Bobby – Let’s just say that I use the mute button a lot. I did have the sound up this afternoon and my wife turned to me and said “ does he never shut up.” Mascherano is available so Diaby will be likewise.
RonW - Tongue in cheek SAF said "It was a centre forward's header - it reminded me of myself." about Ronaldo's goal. Trying to figure out the time line when SAF played for Rangers ... Was SAF with Rangers when they played in the Cup Winners Cup Final in '67? I always remember that game because Rangers had to play with a center half at center forward ... Roger Hynd(sp?)
Also, Mark Hughes for Celtic? Interesting, I would think Moyes would be the favorite (ex-player etc.) If Everton don't come up with more money for players I can see him splitting for Celtic in the summer (assuming Strachan moves on).
Bobby – Based on my memory Fergie signed for Rangers from Dunfermline the summer (1967) after the Berwick Rangers defeat and the loss in the European Cup Winners Cup Final. If I remember correctly Rangers shipped out their centre forward George McLean in exchange for Andy Penman (Dundee) who was an inside right.
Centre Jim Forrest was another Berwick Rangers casualty and it left them short on strikers hence big Roger Hynd in attack against Bayern Munich. He had played there before but he was not much of a scoring threat.
Redfan2000 -What's your take on the midfield for England? You lauded Jenas in the weekend blog, so how about explaining your thinking regards the competition with, Barry, Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, Hargreaves et al, all vying for a CM slot? Could Jenas run the right wing??
What do you think of Downing as an attacking winger and his defensive qualities going the other way?
Re the Inter debate, do you think they are truly a great side or just very consistent, unlike those around them and elsewhere? Never mind Rafa's position, do you think Grant will start next season as Manager at Chelsea? Who do you think RA would/could replace him with??
Bobby – I think you can see a significant improvement in Jenas since Ramos took over. He is more composed, chooses his moments to go forward and is much more disciplined. He has a very good turn of pace – something that Ramos likes – and I am betting that Capello does as well.
There is a feeling that Capello will opt for a 4-2-3-1 formation and so in the long run Jenas probably has two bites at the cherry. If he continues to improve under Ramos then Capello may be willing to slot him into one of two defensive midfield positions.
The conventional wisdom has Hargreaves as having a lock on one of the positions but I am not so sure. Hargreaves is an aggressive defender playing in front of the United back four and offers virtually nothing in terms of building an attack or controlling the tempo o####ame.
That is where Barry has a big edge and I think Jenas will eventually be slotted into the second position beside him. In front of them maybe Bentley-Gerrard-Cole. Downing is a natural left footer but overall Joe Cole is a far better player and a better option.
Bentley is a more natural wide player than Jenas and I think Jenas’ more valuable in the middle of the park. For Inter to be regarded as a great side they are going to have to win the Champions League rather than just winning their domestic championship a few times in a row.
Re: Avram Grant, I’m still surprised he was hired to begin with. As for a replacement who knows. It is more a product of who is available at the time rather than who is the best candidate. Naming replacements is a hypothetical exercise means nothing.
CIAO - I'm curious, do you have any comparative data on injury statistics of the leagues (i.e. Serie A, PL, Bundesliga and La Liga). To me, it seems obvious that such career ending injuries seem to occur more in the PL vs. the other top leagues.
Henry14 - What should Eduardo have done yesterday? Should he have not gone for the ball because he thinks (as many others may do) there's a real danger my leg will be broken here. The ridiculous assertion that Eduardo was too fast and therefore that means that’s ok is beyond belief.
To avoid serious injury yesterday someone had to decide differently. Taylor could have decided to not go flying in or Eduardo could have pulled out going for the ball. You have a choice. Which one do you want to influence to make a different decision? For me it is clear. A greater ban in the event of causing a serious injury would make the tackler and the club thinks twice and we would not have had the injury we had.
What’s your take on the way tackling and aggressiveness on less technically play is taken in England?
Gregz - What did U make of the Eduardo injury. (I missed the show).
Bobby – I will try to deal with all the Eduardo/Taylor questions in one response so there may not be a direct match to each specific question. First off on a historical basis the game is far cleaner than it was in the 60s, 70s and early 80s.
That comment is made in the context of all leagues, not just in England. You name me a decent soccer playing nation from that era and I guarantee that we can find thugs from each and every one of them. The same goes for today. Just because one style is more physical than another does not make it more or less illegal.
I would suggest that the real dirty players are the ones that you don’t see rather than the ones you do.
Anyone trying to make this a nationality argument is disingenuous at best.
I am not aware of comparative stats on career ending injuries in the PL vs. Other leagues but I doubt that it would statistically significant if it was. It may seem that way because we hear more about the PL than others.
I don’t have anything to back up this assertion but I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of career ending injuries are not caused by fouls but from normal play and physical contact.
So is someone going to suggest that anyone causing an injury with a fair tackle should be suspended as well – according to some comments that would apparently stop bad injuries.
The most intelligent comments about the incident have come from Eduardo – the victim.
I wonder how many of you saw the incident and immediately thought it was brutal tackle?
Taylor flying into the tackle – pure hyperbole. Taylor was slow, he was late and he caught Eduardo. A fraction of a second either way and Eduardo rolls off the tackle or Taylor brings him down, a free kick is given and Eduardo plays on as players do countless times each game.
With a game played at the pace of the modern game it is impossible not to have some mistimed tackles and unfortunately bad injuries are going to happen now and again. Bad injuries have happened for years and they will happen for years to come and you are not going to find that they are restricted to one league, one nationality or even bad tackles.
As for a player going into a game worrying about a broken leg - he should not playing the game.
Gregz -Do U see Wenger parting ways with Van Persie because of his constant injury problems. What do you make of Carlos Vela? Better as a winger or striker?
Bobby – I guess your definition of constant injury problems are a bit different than mine. He’s been at Arsenal four seasons and the first year he was almost exclusively on the bench.
He injured himself scoring against Manchester United last season and then he’s been injured this season – is that constant?
Maybe someone can explain to me the upside of releasing a player who has yet to hit his prime and has the potential to be one Europe’s best goal scorers? My latest view of Vela was at the Under-20s last summer and he was not very impressive. On last summer’s showing he is nowhere close to being ready to step up.
Frenchking2012 - What do you think of Walcott? Could he do a Ljungberg after Pires (Arsenal best player in the 2001-2002 season) was injured by Dabizas. I remember Freddie scoring 6 or 7 goals in 8 or 9 games and he was the one whose run and later shot gifted Wiltord with an open goal at Old Trafford.
Walcott score 2 great goals Saturday and for once was dribbling rather well. I think he needs to step up because the Bendtner - Ade duo doesn’t work, and we won’t have RVP back for the Milan game (maybe as a late sub if we are down 1-0 in the 75th minute).
Bobby – Not a hope. Ljungberg was an experienced club and international in 2001/02, Walcott is still a young boy. The expectations of how quickly Walcott will mature are way over the top.
Flashman - When it comes to assessing ar5ena1 games, you dig in like you were Cronkite covering a moonshot. Very thorough. So why no coverage of William Gallas snapping a head valve and kicking the advertising boards and stomping off and throwing hisself down at midfield and having a right old sulk? The UK media have ripped him soundly and clamoured for the club to get rid of him. Why no coverage?
That said, you could have drawn attention to Spurs' Pascal Chimbonda chewing up clock time with his selfishly slow walk-off after being subbed at Wembley.
Bobby – If you can persuade our producers to give us a three hour show then I am hopeful that we could fit everything in. As it is I get told to wrap it up when I am going over and so I have to do what I am told. Sometimes bits get in and sometimes they don’t.
As for the media clamouring for Arsenal to get rid of Gallas - clamouring? Really?
Alberta_Man_United_Fan - What is it with the officiating in the Prem lately? Missed offside calls, ref's missing incidents were one player puts his hands on the face of an opponent who responds, only to get turfed?
I am amazed at the appearance of bias from some game officials in the calls that are and are not made! Kicking at a players heal when I played resulted in a card, not a lecture! (Arsenal-ManU).Then this past weekend Man City had a player sent off for doing that same thing.
As a youth coach and official I tell all the kids, if it is in the rule book it will be enforced! The best way to stay out of the book is to play a clean game. Professional referees do none of us minor coaches any favors by selectively enforcing the rule book.
Immediately after the Arsenal-Man United game I witnessed three such kicking incidences in the games that I officiated in. When did the standards drop for officials?
Bobby – I can’t disagree with you on the incidents that you bring up. However, I would not limit the comments to the Premiership.
Zuco2 - What do you think about Reading football club? Last season, they had a perfect year finishing in the top 10 and narrowly missing a UEFA cup spot. This season, they are winless in 11 games. They are in the relegation zone and they have one of the worst goal difference records in the Prem. What is wrong with them??????? Have any idea???
Bobby – At the risk of stating the obvious they can’t score goals and have let in far too many – a recipe for relegation trouble normally. Second seasons in a higher division are traditionally difficult.
It is interesting that last season a number of fans pointed out that Wigan had made too many changes to the team that had done very well during its first season in the Premiership and hence their problems.
Steve Coppell made few changes and that has not worked out either. Lita, Doyle, Long and Kitson have to start scoring goals and scoring early in games as well. The two goals in the last seven games have both been last minute consolation goals and they have yet score a goal in the first fifteen minutes of a Premiership game this season.
On the bright side they do not have a particularly difficult run in over the final eleven matches and frankly if they can’t get enough points from a softish schedule then they deserve to go down.
No comment from the club on the incident which would lead a cynic to believe that a member of the United staff is involved. We will see.
Craigy_f – 1) The professionalization of referees – your thoughts? 2) Mathematically it’s still wide open but psychologically the title chase seems to have become a two horse race – the bookmakers certainly think so. Wenger may not think so but he’s just playing head games. Neither Manchester nor Arsenal is likely to do what Newcastle did. Your thoughts – not on the results or matches – but the psychological effect of the results on Sunday. 3) Goals, results or refereeing decisions that stand out (good or bad) for you this weekend. 4) The Tunisian side substituted its goalkeeper in the 90th minute then lost the penalty shootout 4-2 – your thoughts on this odd move which went awry. 5) The ‘root and branch’ review promised by the FA seems to have been put on the back burner with the search for and arrival of Capello. Will it be resurrected or conveniently shelved.
Bobby – 1. Something that has to continue and grow. There is no going back to the previous system.
2. United slight boost; Liverpool depressing result; Chelsea just slightly negative with some positives; Arsenal probably happy and a bit relieved that they have finally beaten Chelsea and put some doubt in their minds.
3. I thought Milan were just about at their best – apart from the first goal that they conceded. Liverpool and Manchester United game was a massive disappointment. Hargreaves and Ferdinand are getting praised for their performances – it’s difficult to play badly if you are one of four central defenders. My sense is that Ferguson is giving Europe one more go and he thinks the system that he used against Liverpool is the answer. I also have a feeling that this may turn out to be his last season at United – just a hunch.
4. It has happened before – although I cannot quote the games – and it is something that sounds good in theory but comes with a lot of negatives. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me – sounds like something an inexperienced coach would do.
5. If Capello gets off to a good start then the review will not see the light of day.
Neophyte - Did you see the Barcelona/Valencia match? Eto'o was incredible. Does he get the start this weekend over Henry? As much as I respect the Frenchman's game I just don't think Eto'o should be sitting behind anyone when he is healthy. Your thoughts?
Bobby – I saw the goals but not the game. I don’t think it is a case of playing one or the other and I don’t think Barcelona is looking at either them as a back up to the other.
Atayaagun - I don't see any article mentioning the way Fabio Capello has managed Beckham at Real Madrid. It proved that Capello has badly ignored a very talented played that he had in his squad. It was thanks to Beckham's great form that Real Madrid managed to clinch the La Liga title. Business wise, Capello's treatment to Beckham made Real Madrid miss out huge money by the way Beckham left Madrid to LA Galaxy. Are these things minor elements in the selection process of a new manager to England? Especially because Steve McClaren has made the same mistake by initially dropping the same player, David Beckham.
Bobby – Capello was responsible for the team at Real Madrid not the business side of it. I would be very surprised if the issue came up at all in the decision to hire Capello. McClaren made the decision to drop Beckham because he thought it would give him the aura of being the man in charge. It was also because most England supporters at the time wanted Lennon to replace Beckham – something that has been conveniently forgotten.
CIAO - Is there any possibility for Larsson to end up at Arsenal? I think his inclusion in the squad would bolster the line up without taking away from it. It would help Wenger keep his forwards fresh leading into the second half of the season.
Bobby – None whatsoever. Wenger has Adebayor, Van Persie, Bendtner, Eduardo as front line strikers with Hleb and Walcott who can play just off the main striker. Wenger’s bigger problem is keeping his players happy – not bringing in more players.
Milan4ever - In the Champions League, why are some away teams allowed to leave their sponsor's name and logo on their jerseys while some are not?
Bobby – Another poster has mentioned advertising laws in some countries affecting alcohol products. There is also another possibility. In cases where team sponsors are in conflict with any of the Champions League sponsors. I don’t know for sure but I would expect that teams would not be allowed to “ambush” UEFA sponsors.
Oldcoach - Sports psychology and England. Do I detect a humorous jab on your part? The "dramedy" that is England's pursuit of international hardware has to be the longest running and most amusing soap opera in world history, fuelled in large part by a delusion and hyper active press corps. Is there even the slightest chance that the media will back off some with a hard man like Capello in charge?
Bobby – No jab. I am surprised that we don’t read more about sports psych and football as I know that it a rapidly growing field in relation to other sports. Capello will have an extended honeymoon period but if there is any sign of blood in the water after a couple of games the sharks will start to feed.
Neophyte - Crazy question. I once heard a rumor that Capello was looked at for a "Technical Director" for the USMNT. Then the rumor was gone as fast as it occurred. Do you think that England hiring a non-Englishman for their National Team will bring more precedent for the same thing happening in the US?
Bobby – Crazy rumour. I very much doubt that Capello applied for such a job or was interested in any way. Your question seems to be predicated on Capello being the first foreign manager of England which he is not. If it was to make a difference we would have seen it after Eriksson was hired – and it didn’t change anything.
Atayaagun - I am always astonished by the number of goals scored on free kicks. Several of these goals are due to a bad wall. For example, small players should never be part of a wall, but you still see them in the world highest level matches. But the worst, is to see a wall open up, leaving the goal keeper powerless when the ball "goes through" the wall. That's how Gerrard easily scored against Arsenal this season. And there are many goals like this one because of such a fundamental mistake. If a player is part of a wall, why move? The wall is expected to stay compact, even if the free kick is taken indirectly. The players should have faith in the keeper, and they should stick to their task. For instance, during yesterday’s match between Arsenal and Chelsea, Shevchenko’s powerful free kick that was directed to the part that the wall was not covering, was brilliantly saved by Almunia. My question is why such basic things do not seem to be addressed by the best teams in the world, since every aspect of the game is expected to be analyzed and taken care of? I am so puzzled that I believe someone should gather all these goals and put them in a DVD and title it: "The evidence that top football players don't understand some rudiments of the game." Even thought, the free kick takers do understand very well this specific flaw. That's the reason why some free kicks are directed towards the wall, in case it cracks!
Bobby – In theory you have a point – from a practical point of view I am not so sure. You don’t want small players in the wall – then where are you going to put them? Do you really want a small player up against a centre back? A big player on the end of the wall - yes. Banishing all smal players from the wall - the little buggers will just let you down someplace else!
Your thoughts are based on a direct shot on goal being the only option but that is rarely the case. A shot, a cross, a lay off, a trick are all possibilities.
The dynamics of a free kick are going to change significantly based on the position of free kick, the taker (left foot, right foot, a bender, a rocket), the weather conditions (surface, wind direction) , opposition in the wall or the vicinity, and other factors.
There is also another thing you need to consider. How many goals are averted by the wall breaking and the shot being blocked? It is like saying that goalkeepers should just stand in the middle of the goal and not move on penalty kicks because so many go down the middle. They would save some but would they save more than by diving to one side or the other?
Shevchenko’s shot was saved because he did what Almunia thought – unfortunately not all players cooperate. Ronaldinho in the same circumstance would have put the ball in the keepers top right hand corner with Almunia frozen to the spot.
WeneedmoreFriedel - I'm interested to hear your current thoughts about Shevchenko. How do you see his future at Chelsea, or his playing career for that matter? Is there a possibility he would ever consider going to MLS to end his career?
Bobby – I just can’t see it turning round for Shevchenko at Chelsea. I thought a loan deal might be best for him but with Drogba out I think he will be sticking around. His wife is American so MLS at some point is an option. However, some point is not now.
Neophyte – Ringo, we all know you were a Beatle in the 60's, a Sex Pistol in the 70's. In the 80's were you known as Ranking Ringo...dressed in a pink suit, loafers and shades following your favorite Ska band from pub to pub? Can you see Bobby with a Flock of Seagulls hair doo? Or was he more of the Rod Stewart type during the 80's? Which was it Bobby?
Bobby – None of the above. By the 80s it was Captain Sensible for me.
Ringo - Which blogs do you read? How many World Cups and Euros will England win under Capello? And what was on your football wish list to Father Christmas?
Djnima - 1. With Hleb and Van Persie back in the mix and Eboue now sidelined, do you see Wenger using Van Persie and Adebayor up front w/ Hleb slotted on the right? 2. Did u catch the Arsenal Blackburn match? Eduardo looks deadly. I think he is going to be huge for Arsenal down the road. 3. Do you think Utd will be on top in the New Year? They seem to have an easier schedule than the rest of the big four, but I think Arsenal is looking fierce as well.
Bobby – 1. It is an option that you will likely see but will he use these three in these positions every game with no changes?– no I don’t think so. Walcott and a number of other players come into the equation as well. So does the oposition and state of the game.
2. I did. The way he rolls the ball into the net reminds me of Jimmy Greaves and Romario.
3. The fixtures for the top six from now to and including the first game in the New Year are: Manchester United – Everton (h), Sunderland (a), West Ham (a) and Birmingham (h). Arsenal – Spurs (h), Portsmouth (a), Everton (a), West Ham (h). Chelsea – Blackburn (a), Aston Villa (h), Newcastle (h), Fulham (a). Liverpool – Portsmouth (h), Derby (a), Manchester City (a), Wigan (h). Everton – Manchester United (a), Bolton (h), Arsenal (h), Middlesbrough (a). Manchester City – Aston Villa (a), Blackburn (a), Liverpool (h), Newcastle (a).
I went back over the last four seasons and looked at how Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have done over the last four seasons. Not surprisingly they have done pretty well. Each team played four games over the holiday season – 03/04 first with the total in ().
Manchester United – 12, 10, 8 and 10 (40). Arsenal – 8, 10, 8 and 9 (35). Chelsea – 6, 12, 12 and 6 (36). Liverpool 7, 9, 10 and 9 (35).
I would be surprised if Arsenal is leading the Premiership when the 3rd round of the FA Cup comes around in January.
Atletifan - Can Atleti really break into the top 2 of La Liga?
Bobby – I would echo Atleti’s comments. The one thing I would add is that of the major leagues in Europe Spain over the last decade has been the hardest the pick and the league title has rotated through a few teams with others coming close. Deportivo, Valencia have both won titles while Villarreal and Sevilla have given it a good shot.
The Times top 50 managers. Sure to generate some debate. I find some of the selections strange but I can’t disagree on the top two.
The always interesting Simon Kuper on Northern Ireland. This was written before Gillespie and McCartney started to scrap about who was getting the window seat.
The North London derby pits two managers "enjoying" vastly different degrees of job security. While Arsene Wenger has just signed a new contract that should keep him with Arsenal for four more seasons, his opposite number Martin Jol isn’t sure that he will be around for four more games. As far as this game is concerned history is not on Jol’s side. Spurs last win against Arsenal was at White Hart Lane in November 1999 under George Graham and since then David Pleat, Glenn Hoddle, Jacques Santini and the present incumbent have all failed to put one over on Wenger’s Arsenal.
However, draws and late equalizers have been par for the last seven North London derby games at White Hart Lane. Six of the last seven Premiership games between these two teams at White Hart Lane have finished as draws and four of the six have seen equalizing goals coming in the 89th minute or later. Spurs have pulled a rabbit out of the hat three times and Arsenal once.
If you are looking for likely scorers then Robbie Keane might be the man – four goals in 12 appearances against Arsenal. On the other hand Robin van Persie has yet to score against Spurs in five matches.
With a disappointing start and the prospect of Chelsea visiting Old Trafford next weekend three points is a priority for Manchester United when they play Everton at Goodison. Goals – or the lack of goals – have been the major problem for United but they face an Everton side that traditionally does poorly against them.
Everton has only recorded three wins in thirty Premiership matches against United and last seasons collapse must still be a fresh memory. Leading 2-0 and with Ian Turner starting in goal for Tim Howard, Everton gave up four unanswered goals on a day that all but sealed the title for the Red Devils. Ronaldo was thrown into the match with the Everton leading 2-1 and he contributed two helpers to turn the game around. After serving his suspension for a red card against Portsmouth Ferguson will look to Ronaldo once more.
Tim Howard’s availability will depend upon the finger injury he picked up against Brazil last Sunday. Howard has yet to record a shut out this season as Everton has conceded a goal in each of their five matches. In attack the Toffees have scored eight goals but none have come from the normally reliable Andy Johnson. Johnson has now gone ten Premiership games without a goal – his longest unproductive spell in the top league.
When Johnson signed from Crystal Palace Everton fans were hopeful that he would be their first 20 a season goal scorer since Peter Beardsley in the 1991-92 season. The hope may now be shared with new signing Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Twenty a season may be a bit much to hope for (his scoring per season has been 16, 12, 13, and 12) but as the stats show Yakubu has been a consistent scorer since he arrived at Portsmouth for the 2004 season. Fifty-three goals in 138 appearances gives him an average o####oal every 2.60 games.
The Chicago Fire has been blazing a trail to MLS play-offs lately with four wins and a draw in their last seven matches. A haul of 13 points contrasts with only six points picked up in the previous 12 games and it is difficult not to trace the improvement to the arrival of Blanco. However, one of the recent losses did come against the inconsistent New York Red Bulls at the beginning of September in New York. The Red Bulls have not won away from home since July 8 when they beat Colorado and overall their away record is almost a perfect inverse of their home record. At home 12 games, 8 wins, 3 losses and a draw, for 24 against 11; Away record 12 games, 3 wins, 7 losses and 2 draws, for 13 against 24.
In Serie A the visit of Roma to Reggina catches the eye. After only two matches only Roma and Juventus can boast of perfect records. Roma has won only once on their last four trips to Reggina and lost twice. What's more they have been held scoreless in three of those games. However, it will be a different looking Reggina squad that did well to overcome an 11-point penalty last season and survive courtesy of a last day win over Milan. Rolando Bianchi, a source of 18 goals last season, left to sign for Manchester City. Also gone are Coach Walter Mazzarri (Sampdoria), Giacomo Tedesco (Catania), Alessandro Lucarelli (Siena), and Mesto (Udinese).
To compensate Francesco Cozza has returned to the club for his third stint after a short spell with Siena and Icelandic midfielder Emil Hallfredsson took a circuitous route to Reggina. Hallfredsson was sold by Spurs to Lyn of Norway only to be moved to Reggina only two weeks later. It was Hallfredsson who scored against Spain for Iceland last Saturday in a 1-1 draw. Roma’s Alberto Aquilani so far has scored two stunning goals from distance and will be looking to make it three in three games. Roma faces a tough schedule in the next few weeks with games against Juventus, Fiorentina, Inter, Parma, Napoli, Milan and Lazio in succession. Plus they have the Champions League as well.
The shock result of round two in Serie A was Napoli’s 5-0 away hammering of Udinese. Napoli hadn't scored five away from home in Serie A since 1929 and they did it against a team that had played well while drawing with champions Inter Milan the week before. The star for Napoli was Ezequiel Lavezzi with a goal and two assists. He was signed from San Lorenzo for around $4M this past summer and he has of course been annointed the new “Maradona”. Also prominent against Udinese was former Juventus striker Marcelo Zalayeta who scored twice. Sampdoria is still with Antonio Cassano and he is expected to be out for a month with a left thigh injury. Cassano was hurt during a friendly with Swiss team that was arranged in order to help get Cassano fit!
In Spain newly promoted side Almeria started with a 3-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna before losing at home to Valencia 2-1. This weekend they travel to the capital to play last season’s champions Real Madrid. Almeria, who finished as runners-up in the second division last year, are in the top flight for only the third time and most pundits have them marked down for one of the three relegation spots. They will not be helped by the fact that striker Alvaro Negredo (a goal in each of the first two games) cannot play as Real Madrid retained an option on his future services before allowing him to join the newly promoted club.
The Bundesliga has the two remaining undefeated teams facing each other this weekend. However, Bayern Munich has won three and drawn the other of their four games; Schalke has drawn three and only won one. What’s more Bayern has yet to concede a goal at home and are the only side to notch double figures in goals scored. After finishing fourth last season - their worst position for 12 years – Bayern has left no doubt that they plan to retake the Bundesliga title by uncharacteristically spending a lot of money.
Ze Roberto is back for a second spell with Bayern Munich and although he used to play on the left side of midfield his is now playing in front of the defense. Other signings Franck Ribery, Luca Toni, Hamit Altintop and Miroslav Klose have also started well as has Hamit Altintop. Altintop will line-up playing against his former club after making a Bosman move this summer. Bayern’s home record against Schalke in Bundesliga play at home is an impressive 27-5-5.
Last but not least the Old Timers play-offs get underway Saturday. It is going to be a painful Sunday and Monday.
It has become a summer ritual - the departure of another member of the Arsenal side that went undefeated while winning the Premiership title in 2004. Since the summer of that year Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole, Robert Pires, Lauren, Edu, Ray Parlour, Sylvain Wiltord and Patrick Vieira have all left for new pastures while Dennis Bergkamp chose the end of the 2006 season as the time to retire. And now, the man who over the last eight seasons has been the brightest of all the Arsenal stars, has also left the club.
With Thierry Henry leaving Arsenal to join Barcelona only four players (Lehmann, Toure, Gilberto Silva and Ljungberg) remain from the accepted starting eleven from thirty-six months ago. Reaction from Arsenal fans to the latest departure will be interesting to say the least with initial indications being a clear polarization of views.
One group seeing Henry’s departure for $33M as being a piece of good business for a soon-to-be 30-year-old with a sciatic nerve problem that is likely to be a constant problem; the other group viewing it as the loss of another iconic player without an adequate replacement on the horizon.
Views on the subject are perhaps dependant on three key questions. 1. Should Wenger have tied harder to keep the 2004 team together and if so would Arsenal have collected more trophies by doing so?
Looking back on it the signs were there that rather than being the team to beat, the Arsenal team of 2004 was in fact at its peak and was heading down rather than going onto to dominate the Premiership and Europe. Roman Abramovich had already bought Chelsea and with Claudio Ranieri in charge Chelsea knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League at the quarter final stage in 2004. Manchester United put Arsenal out of the FA Cup around the same time.
Wenger did in fact maintain the core team (Edu, Wiltord and Parlour had only started 37 games in total the previous season all left Highbury after the 2004 season) for the 2005 season. The FA Cup was won and Arsenal finished second to Chelsea in the Premiership. But, was at that point that Arsene Wenger decided his team needed to be rebuilt. All the evidence points to the fact that just one season after going a complete league season unbeaten Arsenal was in decline.
2. How do the replacements stack-up against the 2004 squad in the short and long-term?
Although Cesc Fabregas was on the Arsenal squad the year before Patrick Vieira’s move to Juventus it is fair to consider Fabregas as the Frenchman’s replacement. The same would be true for Clichy and Ashley Cole. The others would be Van Persie, Adebayor, Hleb, Rosicky, Gallas and Eboue.
In the short term only Emmanuel Eboue has slipped seamlessly into the Arsenal first eleven while replacing Lauren. Clichy is almost a clone of Cole and in another season or two he may match the now-Chelsea full back.
Van Persie has shown hints that he has what it takes to become one of the world’s best strikers but last season he started less than half the Premiership games last season through injury.
Adebayor is no Dennis Bergkamp and was never intended to be. In fact Wenger wisely chose not to look for a direct replacement for the iconic-Dutchman and instead opted for a different look up front. Adebayor has proven extremely effective at providing Arsenal with a long-ball option but it is doubtful that Togo striker will be ever be a consistent starter at a top class club.
The jury is still very much out on Alexander Hleb although Rosicky made a promising start to his Arsenal career last season. In defence William Gallas was another who missed a good chunk of last season through injury. Even then a good number of his games at the start of the season were at left back.
When he played in his favoured position at centre back the Arsenal defence often looked less than convincing when high ball were played into the box. Gallas maybe one of the world’s best defenders but the partnership with Toure may not be the best answer for Arsenal.
Finally back to Fabregas. An incredible talent that Wenger has decided to rebuild is midfield and team around. But he is still very much a work-in-progress. (Fabregas could have been playing at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup this summer). At this stage in his development Fabregas can’t carry the kind of load that Vieira could but in the long term the youngster could become one of the world’s great players.
3. Does Wenger dip into transfer kitty to replace Henry and if so who does he sign?
Wenger has no option but to sign a new striker or probably two. With Van Persie and Adebayor the only front line strikers Arsenal is badly exposed at this point. The young Mexican striker Carlos Vela is only 19 and it is unlikely that he will arrive at the Emirates until sometime next year – probably the summer. So who will Wenger go after?
If you were to create an identikit of Henry’s replacement it might look something like this. Under 26 years-old with his best days ahead, international experience, comfortable on the ball, good in the air and with the potential of 20-30 goals per season. A player like that is going to cost a few bucks but with $33m from the sale of Henry plus whatever other money is in the kitty already, Arsenal should be able to afford the asking price.
First off who does this exclude? Michael Owen for starters, as well as Miroslav Klose and Nicolas Anelka – although I admit that the return on Anelka might be intriguing it may also be a bit masochistic as far as the Arsenal brass is concerned. David Trezeguet also fails the identity parade.
Adriano might be available but who knows where his head is at. David Villa of Valencia apparently wants to stay in Spain although with Barcelona now top heavy in strikers the Nou Camp appears to be out. Ryan Babel (Ajax) is a name that has been linked with Arsenal in the past although he has yet to show that he is capable of scoring goals at a rate that Arsenal would expect.
The one player that seems to tick all the boxes is Atletico Madrid’s Fernando Torres. To land Torres Arsenal may have to outbid Liverpool but they may have a potential ace up their sleeve. Arsenal still own Jose Antonio Reyes and he might be dangled in front of Atletico in order to seal the deal.
The Miguel vs. Robben battle is a well-matched affair. I don’t think I have see a better right back than Miguel at this World Cup so far. It’s interesting how Portugal is defending Robben. It looks as if Miguel is being given free rein to nip in f
