‘Grand Slam Sunday’ has emphatically established one simple fact – the ‘Big 4’ should now be renamed because certain memberships have been revoked. Lets now call it what it really is…the ‘Big 2’ – Arsenal and Liverpool it’s time to reapply.

Back on December 12th 2007 I did the first part of the A-Z of ‘GSS’ – here is part II.

Arsene Wenger you’ve been penny wise & pound foolish and now its cost you the title. I told you to buy in the January sales. You may get deals in the summer but you’ll have won nowt when it counts. What a time to have your worst run in over a decade?

Balls & bottle because Avram Grant finally demonstrated that he may have both when it matters.

Cristiano Ronaldo is putting together the finest season I can remember. Thirty-four goals is ridiculous and fifty cannot be ruled out. When one speaks of FIFA World Player of the Year, there can be only one serious candidate.

Didier Drogba maybe playing his last season in English football after sulking through most of the campaign but the man is still one of the deadliest strikers in the world when it comes to showing up in the ‘big’ games. Are you listening Adebayor!

Emmanuel Eboue you’re amazingly talent with a golden future but when are you going to grow up. Pouting, jawing and acting like a spoilt brat isn’t going to win you matches.

Frank Lamaprd you’re so overrated.

Gerrard, Steven you’re so overrated.

Home field advantage is massive.

Idiotic behavior is unacceptable at the highest level especially in matches that decide titles. What Javier Mascherano was playing at is anyone’s guess but if I was to offer an explanation ‘energy’ drinks must surely be the culprit because his mouth was working way faster than his brain.

Jamie Carragher has been a magnificent servant to Liverpool but you’ll need a mechanical digger to find him now. Wayne Rooney practically corkscrewed him down to China during one second half mazy.

Kalou, Salomon what a swing and a miss. Wow…what a sitter. What was missing…a silver platter, napkins, and waiters?

Liverpool Football club has now played almost 12 hours of Premiership football without scoring against Manchester United. When you wonder why it’s been eighteen years since you’ve had a sniff of domestic league glory…wonder no more!

Michael Carrick you’ll be truly appreciated by the OT faithful one day. I thought you were superb.

Nani, nice, nimble and naughty celebration after a sensational finish. I thought SAF had banned you from impersonating a gymnast.

Old Trafford has been a haven for the ‘prawn’ sandwich brigade for most of the campaign – it was positively exhilarating to hear it get back to ‘meat-and-potatoes’ mode on Sunday.

Pepe Reina you were United’s best player…Zoinks!

Questions that were answered: Chelsea just simply refuse to lose at fortress Stamford Bridge- that’s now 78 matches without defeat in domestic competition. United have had Liverpool’s number since 1993 – that’s a lifetime in football.

Rooney, Wayne you should’ve scored a couple but your all-round performance was a reminder that you are England’s greatest hope and most outstanding natural talent.

Steve Bennett you’re either a brave man or one big spoiler. I thought the first yellow card to Mascherano was well deserved for his late challenge on Paul Scholes - you’ve got to keep a lid on these pressure cookers before they explode. It then looked like the Argentine started badgering you, leading to the second yellow card as he sprinted 20-30 yards to get in your face. I guess we’ll never know what he said but I sure hope it was worth the red.

Ten…“Manchester United have all but wrapped up Premiership title number ten. Who wants to argue that?” If any of you do have a beef with that statement, come on down the FSC studios and I’ll buy you a snack from our deluxe vending machine and explain why you’re out to lunch.

Understated brilliance is the hallmark of Ricardo Carvalho. Forget the loss of John Terry and Petr Cech. When this man is out, the Blues are half a team.

Vidic, Nemanja reminds me of Jaap Stam with his beastly presence in the heart of the United back four. Ronaldo make take the plaudits but it’s the Serbian that provides the defensive steel making

Wesley Brown, so you think you deserve more money from the Old Trafford printing press? Putting one past the Scousers will certainly help loosen those purse strings...maybe!

X-cuses from the Professor and the Rotator are beginning to ring hollow because the Frenchman and the Spaniard are both brilliant coaches. The two men will meet three times over the next few weeks. Only one will have the opportunity to move on and possibly save their seasons. Who will it be…stay tuned?

Yesterday reminded me that the gap between the ‘haves and have nots’ is growing. We must find a way to redress the balance or the exclusive club that United and Chelsea have created will never accept new membership.

Zzzzzz’s, not a chance this time around. ‘GSS’ before Christmas was a snoozer while this was the real deal.

Until then, GTBI is retired and I’ll meet you at the far post.

It’s been a rough seven days for Birmingham City defender, Martin Taylor, and Arsenal forward, Eduardo. The two men have taken a battering, one psychologically, the other physically. I sincerely hope that both men recover…they may not but they both know injuries are a part of football.

By now I’m sure you’ve all seen the horrific pictures of Eduardo’s left leg after Taylor mistimed his challenge at St. Andrews. Sights like that sicken the soul and stay imprinted on your mind for years to come.

Not surprisingly the response by players, fans and the media has run the full range. From sympathy to outright disgust both players have had their lives changed forever.

In the immediate aftermath, an emotional Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, called for Taylor to be banned for life saying, “people will say he is not the type of guy (Taylor) who does that. But it is like a guy who kills only once in his life. There is still a dead person.” Sensibly he later retracted that comment but a seed was planted amongst those less sophisticated. Death threats have since been made to the Birmingham defender while irate Croatian journalists tried to visit him at the clubs training facility .

In an interview with the English paper, The Independent, later in the week, Taylor gave his view of the events saying, “all I remember was him going deep into midfield, turning and taking a touch. I felt he showed me enough of the ball to win it. In my head I definitely thought I could get that ball. There was never any intention to hurt him. It is not in my mentality to be premeditated or hurt someone. I'm not even the type to be physical with an opponent to 'show him that I am there'. It was just a fact that I thought the ball was there to win and – as other people have said – Eduardo was too quick for me.”

This last statement ‘Eduardo was too quick from me’ seems to have fired up many people I’ve spoken to. Their argument being that if Taylor know that Eduardo was too quick, hacking him to pieces was the one sure fire way to slow him down.

Eduardo though has taken a more thoughtful view on his injury stating “I see this as a risk in professional football. Sometimes you go up, sometimes you go down.”

I can appreciate their comments having been on both sides of the coin they currently inhabit and this is my take.

Playing in the LA Municipal League eighteen years ago for boot money, my coach, told me to mark a very talented forward. The instructions were simple…‘don’t let him score’. In the opening minutes of the game what I thought was a 50/50 ball was up for grabs. My opponent, like Eduardo, was too quick for me though. Instead of playing the ball, I played his knee. The ‘pop’ was unmistakable. His ACL was torn. I’d gone in hard and aggressively - it looked from the sidelines like a terrible foul. It was a terrible ‘mistimed’ foul however there was absolutely no intent to injure this guy. I don’t know what happened to this kid – it was part of the game.

Ten years prior to this match I was a talented teenage midfield prodigy in England. I was playing youth football for a local club however I showed so much promise that the club I was affiliated with wanted to see me play with men. I was picked to play with the second eleven. I remember the day like it was yesterday.

It was cold, overcast and drizzling at Hackney Marshes otherwise known as the ‘Mecca’ of football as there are over 80 full size pitches. I was played through by a  teammate and attempted to chip the goalkeeper with the outside of my left foot while running diagonally right. The keeper game through me hard and aggressively – he wasn’t going to let a kid beat him. I didn’t hear the snap but my captain later told me, matches three fields away stopped playing. He said it sounded like a pistol shot.

I looked down at my left leg and didn’t recognize it. Then the shock kicked in and I became a frightened, young boy in more pain than I’d ever known in my life. My fibula and tibia were broken. I never saw the goalkeeper who broke my leg again – it was part of the game.

I have no doubt in my mind that Birmingham manager, Alex McLeish, told his team to mix it up with Arsenal. ‘Don’t give them time on the ball’ he would’ve said. Wenger on the other hand would’ve have told his players to test the Birmingham defenders early ‘run at them and make them scared of you’.

Ultimately as bad as Taylor’s challenge was and as horrific as Eduardo’s injury is, it’s part of the game. The day you take the physical side of the game out of football is the day that football dies. You have to have the cloggers because they’re the guys that make the skill players look so great.

Boxer, Ricky Hatton eloquently stated recently that his sport “ain’t a tickling contest” after getting a beating from Floyd Mayweather – football ain’t a tickling contest either and hopefully it will never become one.

Until then, get the beers in.

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

 

With Old Trafford sizzling on Saturday as Manchester United and Arsenal readied for battle, the menu was set for a feast of football. The two best chef’s in the business, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger all set and ready to cook us a masterpiece but sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth. This time around the Frenchman was left with egg on his face because United deep fried, battered, poached, broiled and finally baked his Arsenal team with a performance that would’ve had Gordon Ramsay licking his lips.

 

Ferguson got his ingredients just right despite not having the secret sauce of Cristiano Ronaldo. Picking Darren Fletcher off the shelf looked a stroke of genius as the Scotsman only responded with his first two goals of the season while Nani was a times deliciously unplayable. Can you also imagine what the score would’ve been if Wayne Rooney had had his shooting boots on. The England striker by my own generous count missed three stone cold sitters that on any other day he would’ve tucked away with relish, dip and mustard. Throw in a majestic performance from the often criticized, Michael Carrick, and you can start talking about breakfast, lunch and dinner because the ‘Treble’ won in 1999 looks to be back on the table.

 

I don’t know the FA Cup draw yet but rest assured United will probably get Chelsea in the last eight after meeting Villa/Spurs and now Arsenal. Lyon provide the opposition in the Champions League while in the Premiership the Gunners currently have a five point lead but have yet to visit Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford for a massive six-pointer. No wonder the Scotsman has a spring in his step.

 

Arsenal and Arsene Wenger on the other hand looked to have lost the recipe that has made them the tastiest morsel this season. Wenger surely must’ve known that he couldn’t pull off an Anfield special at the Theater of Dreams. If Justin Hoyte and Armand Traore were waiters your meal would’ve surely been all over the floor. Whether it was a case of nerves, rust or lack of confidence, Wenger got it wrong defensively. What a time to relegate Mathieu Flamini to the bench as well. Flamini has been the engine room for the Gunners allowing Cesc Fabregas to prompt and conduct – not to knock Gilberto but the Brazilian’s best days are behind him.

 

And a problem that I thought Wenger had finally solved came back to leave a bad taste in the mouth…discipline. Emmanuel Eboue is an athletic chap but having an outstretched leg six feet of the floor with studs leading is asking for trouble – a straight red was the only course of action for the maitre d’, Alan Wiley. Luckily for captain, William Gallas, Wiley must’ve have spotted a fly in his soup because he missed the Frenchman lashing out at Nani, which would’ve been an instant red card. With Emmanuel Adebayor flopping around like the fish of the day and Gilberto somehow escaping a second yellow card after booting Luis Saha up in the air, there are some worrisome signs for Wenger ahead of their epic AC Milan clash in midweek.

 

Of course writing off Arsenal has proven to be a mugs game this year but we’re now at the stage of the season where the Michelin stars are being handed out. The pressure cooker is steaming and simple, silly mistakes can ruin the entire dinning experience. Wenger has a young squad that plays with a verve and panache unmatched in England they’ve just got to watch out for the wet floor.

 

So get your diaries out and make a reservation for April 12th and a battle between the Iron Chefs. You know that on that day, Old Trafford will be the culinary centerpiece of the universe.

 

Until then, get the beers in.

Grand Slam Sunday, Fantastic Four, Judgment Day, whatever you want to call it, December 16th is a four-and-a-half hour period…THAT I WANT BACK!

My heart told me that Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea would play the kind of fantasy football we saw from the likes of AC Milan, Barcelona, Bremen and…Wigan.

My brain told me it would be cagey and short of entertainment.

Guess whom I’m listening to next time especially as the West Coast kick off for the Anfield rascal was 5.30am.

Here is the A – Z critique of the finest that England has to offer.

Arsene Wenger couldn’t beat Jose Mourinho with a big stick and a large bulls-eye attached to the ‘Special One’s’ posterior but show him Avram Grant and Chelsea become a 3 point ATM.

Benitez...you getting sacked in the morning, sacked in the morning, you’re getting sacked in the morning.

Capello…good luck mate, you’ll need it.

Defense…wins matches. If you don’t believe me, ask coaches in the NFL.

Edwin van der Sar…if I spent as much time as you waving at my mum, I’d be out of a job. The same goes for you Petr Cech.

Frank Lampard…you are so overrated.

Gerrard, Steven…you are so overrated.

Highbury, you’re missed but the Emirates packed for a night match is pure theater. You could move this fixture to the West End and it would still snap, crackle and pop.

Ian Wright, you’ve taught your son SWP well, but blimey, the lad couldn’t finish a fish and chip supper. My boy, right, could’ve tucked that 75th minute sitter away.

John Terry, just because you’re the England captain does not give you the right to act like ‘Billy big boots’. I’m certainly not saying you deserved to get crocked but it looked from my standpoint that you had it coming.

Kuyt, the Dirk kind. Endeavor, commitment, hustle are great words if you’re a player trying to impress Steve McClaren but when a match is screaming out for class, you’re well out of your league.

Liverpool…eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years, eighteen years…sorry did I say eighteen years...and counting.

Manchester United own Rafa Benitez. In the Barclays Premier League the record is this. Played 7, Won 6, tied 1.

Nemanja Vidic is the most commanding center back in England.

Owen Hargreaves may have cost Sir Alex Ferguson an arm and a leg but for every minute he plays take another ton of the hefty $34 million price tag.

Patrice Evra is the most exciting left back in England.

Questions were answered on Sunday and the grades are in. United and Arsenal get ‘A’s. Chelsea and Liverpool a big fat ‘F’.

Riise, John Arne, you used to be the darling of the Kop but I’ll wager a weeks wages that come January you’ll be surplus to requirements…why…try beating the first defender with a cross for once.

Shevchenko, Andriy. If we want players who can’t finish in the MLS we’ll stick with the lads we’ve got at 1/100th of the price.

Tevez, Carlos…form is fleeting, class is permanent. Have any of you ever seen a forward pairing (Tevez & Rooney) that works as hard as these two do on both sides of the ball.

Ugly…but three points is three points.

Van Persie, the Robin kind. I know you’re a little rusty but c’mon. How many ways do you want to beat a keeper before you score?

William Gallas, you know how to bite the hand that used to feed you however I suggest you find a new barber, you’re current one seems to be blind.

X-factor…just how important will that 5/6 point gap between the top two be at the end of the season.

Y…are we always led to believe that big four clashes will be epic.

Zero chance that either Liverpool or Chelsea will win the Premier League this season.
I’m not really that bitter about Sunday but wouldn’t it be nice, if just for once, the headline on foxsports.com was ‘wow…football’ and not the gridiron kind.

Until then, get the beers in.

 

It is widely acknowledged that if you want to be ‘the man’ and take the belt off the champion, you’ve got to knock them out - grinding out a points victory just won’t be enough to impress the judges and get you the decision.

Using that criterion, there can be no arguments that Manchester United is still ‘the man’ then after their epic clash with Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday. The Gunners though showed that they are worthy challengers. They also demonstrated that they have a granite chin as they climbed off the canvas twice to bloody the nose of the current champions in a pulsating two-two draw. 

Staying with the boxing analogy, this match was dominated by the current two best European players in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas. There is no doubt in my mind that this rivalry has all the potential to be one of the best English or world football for that matter has ever seen - it’s Ali-Frazier, Tyson-Holyfield…and with luck we’ll witness their battles for many more seasons to come.

One doesn’t like to boil down an epic match between two players because as the LA Galaxy have found out it’s not about one player but it is hard to look beyond the current players & writer’s player of the year against his apparent heir in waiting.

Looking back at the ninety minutes from North London, Fabregas was the guv’nor when it came to running the show. If United could’ve stopped him perhaps they would’ve left with the three points but they couldn’t. Ronaldo on the other hand was largely anonymous and yet still had a massive say in the result with a goal and assist.

So just who is the best player from the Iberian Peninsula - let’s look at the tale of the tape.

Cesc Fabregas   Cristiano Ronaldo
Age: 20                       Age: 22
Fee: $0                       Fee: $24 million
Premiership Apps: 99  Premiership Apps: 103
All Competitions: 141  All Competitions: 153
Goals: 13                    Goals: 57
Goals this season: 10  Goals this season: 7
International Apps: 2  International Apps: 36

That’s the raw data but what of the intangibles…

Flair & Skill (Ronaldo)

Unless you live on Mars this category would have to go to the Portuguese flyer. Ronaldo has more tricks than David Copperfield and isn’t shy about demonstrating them.

Consistency (Fabregas)

The Spaniard brings it every single game. For sure he’s more involved in the center of the park but you hardly ever see him having an off game.

Goal Scoring (Ronaldo)

Fabregas is in the richest scoring vein of his career but he doesn’t hold a candle to Ronaldo who has the full locker.

Toughness (Ronaldo)

Both players are incredibly durable however I feel that Ronaldo takes more of a beating while Fabregas is in the habit of dealing out the pain.

Discipline (Fabregas)

Over the course of their careers, Ronaldo has seen red three times to one by Fabregas. The Arsenal player definitely picks up more yellow cards but Ronaldo is the more hot headed and has actually missed more games through suspension than his rival.

Versatility (Ronaldo)

Ronaldo can play anywhere across the front line, tuck in behind the strikers or create from midfield. Fabregas is more limited and specializes in his midfield role.

Determination (Fabregas)

A very hard category to judge as both players are warriors however the Gunner has demonstrated an unquenchable thirst over the last couple of campaigns.

Leadership (Fabregas)

Fabregas will lead Arsenal for years to come and his teammates will run through a brick wall for him. Ronaldo tends to disappear at times and you can’t have that from you focal and vocal point.

International Appeal (Ronaldo)

You only had to be in Germany and see girls swooning everywhere that the Red Devil heartthrob would have no trouble picking up a modeling career once he can’t play football anymore.

Value (Ronaldo)

In 2001 Zinedine Zidane moved from Juventus to Real Madrid for a staggering $94 million. Is Ronaldo worth that much…not yet but I’m sure Sir Alex Ferguson would want in the $60-70 million range for his superstar. Arsene Wenger would probably want the same kind of fee for his protégé however until Fabregas scores goals on a more consistent basis, Ronaldo, will command the bigger money.

It’s almost to close to call isn’t. On current form if I was going to build a team around either one, I would have to pick Fabregas. Just look at the supporting cast the Spaniard has at the Emirates compared to the riches that surround Ronaldo at Old Trafford but if I had a must win game to play then Ronaldo would get the nod. Either way this a rivalry that hasn’t even matured yet and it’s impossible to take your eyes from it.

Until then, get the beers in.

Arsenal Football Club should be thrown out of the Premier League with immediate effect!

 

Firstly, manager Arsene Wenger doesn’t play English players and secondly they don’t play English football - perhaps, La Liga or the Serie A would be a more suitable environment for the finest football I’ve seen this season. Actually, on further reflection Spain and Italy don’t really deserves this dreamy stuff either.

 

 How about this…you and me start a mass petition and persuade Phil Anschutz, Randy Lerner, Tom Hicks, George Gillette or the Glazers to stump up the cash and bring the whole club, lock, stock, the bloody lot right here to the US of A. For those of you that remember the Lakers and ‘Showtime,’ forget that because it looks pedestrian when you compare it to Arsene and his Roadrunners…peep, peep!

 

One could argue that Tottenham is a team that is looking for an identity however this was the North London derby and regardless of their mental state the fans would supply the needed energy for this clash.  This makes the Gunners performance even more impressive as they went to hostile territory and simply blew Spurs away despite falling behind early on.

 

The statistics tell a story of domination as Arsenal took 16 shots of which 10 were on target forcing Tottenham goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, into one spectacular save after another. The possession percentage was ridiculous as Wenger’s kids controlled 59% of the game and they showed steel as well booting the home side in the air on 22 occasions. No wonder Wenger was moved to say “there is something in this side; quality, of course, but also a mental strength’.

 

It’s interesting to me that throughout Wenger’s post match interview, he constantly referred back to this ‘mental strength’ because before the season began I think that was an aspect of the team that was being questioned. With the departure of Thierry Henry to Barcelona, there was a void as the Frenchman was the talisman and undisputed spiritual leader. That void had also shown itself last season whenever Henry was missing which unfortunately for the Gunners was frequently. Now after a few matches it’s Thierry who as they sit unbeaten at the top of the table - and to think this has been achieved with a suspect goalkeeper in the form of Jens Lehmann makes it all the more remarkable.

 

I believe that the Professor is in the process of laying the foundations for his third great steam after the 97/98 double winners and of course the ‘Invincibles’ – and this one could be the best of the lot if it sticks together for a few more years.

 

There is a sparkle within the squad that was missing in the waning months of the Henry era and according to a conversation I had with ex-Arsenal great, Lee Dixon, the Frenchman carried far too much power within the dressing room. Without that powerful personality casting a shadow, Cesc Fabregas has simply taken his game to a new level while Alexander Hleb and Tomas Rosicky have a year of Premiership football under their belts. Up front, Robin van Persie now knows that he is the ‘man’ and Emmanuel Adebayor despite still missing chances has a hungry looked that he never previously possessed. And at the back, Gael Clichy looks better than ever alongside the super consistent Kolo Toure and new signing Bakari Sagna.

 

When you look for a possible weakness within the squad I think there are two main concerns. One may be a possible lack of depth, which was the Achilles heel during the last campaign and I’m not entirely convinced that this has been properly addressed either. Two is the desire to score pretty goals instead of just lashing it into the back of the net.

 

The key for Wenger and any team for that matter on topic number one are to avoid injuries at crucial times -will the Premiership gods smile on them?

 

Question number two is the essence of Arsene Wenger and is something that we’ll endlessly debate – sexy football versus effective football.

 

For the sake of football and the pleasure that Wenger’s team gives us let’s hope that injuries do not become a factor and that they’ll always play the sexy way.

 

Until then, get the beers in.

The English Premier League super scheduling computer often throws up mouthwatering match-ups but rarely has it allowed the ‘fantastic four’ Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal or more appropriately the managers Jose Mourinho, Rafa Benitez, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger to collide on the same day with so much at stake.

With the phrase ‘must win’ being tossed around like dice at a Las Vegas craps table for the Gunners and the Reds in their respective road trips to Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, you knew that goals would be at a premium – however pride, power and passion, the intangibles of football would be the key factors and so it proved in 180 minutes of compelling, absorbing and utterly fascinating Sunday morning action.

With the smoke now clearing the battlefield it’s time to evaluate the performances and what it all means to the managers of the ‘FF’.

Chelsea & Jose Mourinho

Much was made of the ‘handshake’ row between Mourinho and Benitez before the start of this contest in the hopes of ####ing it up to Tabasco proportions – not that it needed it. My own view is that it’s a football match not an arm wrestling contest and thankfully that antagonism was put to rest in the tunnel between the two managers.

As for the Blues display it was typical Mourinho football and he summed it up perfectly in his post match comments. "Sometimes if you win with just quality, playing fantastic and scoring a lot of goals you can feel you are a great team. But you need these matches where you feel you are a team ready to fight. My players were very brave and the team fought very hard."

There was no doubt about the fight in Chelsea’s play as they had to compete for 40 minutes while playing a man down after Michael Ballack departed the pitch after a nasty and spiteful challenge on Mohammed Sissoko. With John Terry and Ricardo Carvallho  marshalling the back four in the most dominating central pairing in the Premiership, it was always going to be a long day for the visitors. The fact they didn’t create as many quality chances as Liverpool will not rankle the ‘Special One’ either especially if Didier Drogba can keep finding the net in spectacular fashion. His 41st minute strike was a goal worthy of the occasion and a fitting way to decide the destination of the points.

Liverpool & Rafa Benitez

Benitez has an abundance of riches at his disposal for the 1st time in his Anfield reign and that is his problem at the moment. I believe he doesn’t yet know who his best XI is yet. Leaving the red hot Peter Crouch on the bench seemed a waste and slap in the face to a man who is in the best form of his career while Chelsea killer, Luis Garcia didn’t even make the trip to London.

“I think that we deserved more because we created clear chances but at the end you need to score to win” he said, obviously not looking in Crouch’s direction. 
An eight point gap has now opened up between the two teams however Benitez isn’t being trapped into pushing the panic button just yet. "We need to think about the next game (Newcastle). It's a long race and the most important thing is that the team is improving. If we can win the next three points we will be closer and we will see what happens”, he said. If they don’t get the maximum against the Magpies on Wednesday that finger will start looking for that button.

Manchester United & Sir Alex Ferguson

If there is one thing in life Sir Alex Ferguson loves doing it’s beating Arsenal and in particular Arsene Wenger - their psychological battles over the years have been legendary. With Chelsea now in ascendance though the spotlight has been off the two competitors in recent seasons, however that hasn’t stopped Fergie owning the Frenchman in the Premiership in their last eight meetings.

With the chance to all but cosign Arsenal to also-rans this season the Red Devils fluffed it big time. Previous defeats of this nature have seen the Scotsman blame all and sundry and true to form he pointed to the exertions of Wednesday nights Champions League game against Celtic as the culprit for a flat performance. “With the emotions of it and the pace of the match, it was a real Scotland-England type of match with that type of tempo. It was end to end all night and that's without question one of the things I have to look at. Today we lost momentum in the second half when we stopped passing forward, and that was a sign of tiredness. It was the second-half that disappointed me. We tired as a team in the last 20 minutes.”

Perhaps Sir Alex should look to the fact that Arsenal was the first real side his club has played this year and that maybe the 100% start was a little smoke and mirrors. United is still a team in transition despite the addition of Michael Carrick who surprisingly didn’t start and was instead replaced by the limited John O’Shea. Wayne Rooney is still not match fit while the central pairing of Wes Brown and Rio Ferdinand does not fill me with any confidence.
With three relatively easy fixtures before the visit of Liverpool on October 22nd there is enough time for the Scotsman who recently stated his desire to stay at the helm for another two years to get the machine humming to the right tune.

Arsenal & Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger attempted to play down the importance of this match but even he would’ve been aware that if Arsenal had lost, the gap between them and United would’ve been a massive and insurmountable 13 points – but in epic fashion they did the unthinkable.

One can’t help but think that this Arsenal team is a club in transition and not capable of mounting a serious challenge for the title this season however Wenger believes differently, “transition is a word you don't want, we want to win the championship. I said it before the game and I say again afterwards this team has great potential and spirit as they have shown again today and I strongly believe in the ability of the players and the team.”

Without their talisman, Thierry Henry, I thought that the Gunners would be very lucky to escape with a point but they outplayed and outfought United in every department playing Arsenal football. It was fast, lively, and attractive and more importantly disciplined defensively – no doubt the result of the season to date.

Over the course of these two matches the ‘FF’ will have learnt more about the character of their new look teams and I’m sure come the dog days of January they’ll all be at their familiar places in the table.

Until then, get the beers in.

Gambling is an integral part of football on the pitch. Players are constantly betting that they can force opponents into mistakes, create timely interceptions or make storming 60-yard runs to get on the end of crosses while leaving space behind them. On the downside there is the knowledge that if they’re wrong, they can leave the team open to be scored upon but with matches lasting ninety minutes, losing bets made early on can be recouped at a later stage.

Gambling off the pitch though is an entirely different proposition and Arsenal Football Club are currently making the two biggest wagers in their 120-year history – and they can’t afford to lose.

The first roll of the dice is Emirates Stadium. A fitting venue for one of the most forward thinking clubs in the world but it comes at a big, big price. The Ashburton Grove project has cost the North Londoners somewhere in the region of $730 million dollars. Simple economics dictate that it needs to be bursting at the seams every other weekend for the Premiership as well as enjoying deep long runs in cup competitions especially the Champions League.

In the Arsene Wenger era over the last decade the team has become used to incredible success, however unless that continues, empty seats will become a reality, as a fickle public will want to support winners…not losers! The financial pressure is intense and many a club in the past has buckled to this fact plummeting to the depths of painful, suffocating debt.

The question though is…can this team of kids assembled by the Frenchman become instant winners?

Aside from a stirring run in the Champions League and the surprising development of some of these kids, last season was undoubtedly a disappointment as they squeaked 4th place in the Premiership on the last day of the season. When you consider the fact that the EPL is generally considered to be the toughest learning environment in the world, it’s hard to see how the Gunners can expect to compete on a week-to-week basis.

Seven of the players who appeared on Saturday in the shock but somehow not unexpected loss to Manchester City were 23-years-old or younger. With a combined 122 EPL starts between Cesc Fabregas (56), Robin van Persie (26), Emmanuel Eboue (13), Emmanuel Adebayor (13), Johan Djourou (8), Justin Hoyte (6) and Theo Walcott (0) it would take a very brave punter to throw down some cash on them winning anything for at least two seasons. Obviously Wenger is betting that his youngsters can mature in the course of the campaign much like Sir Alex Ferguson and his fledglings did way back in 1996 when Manchester United won the title.

Die hard supporters will also claim that once the defensive injury crisis that currently bedevils the side becomes a distant memory, all this frailty nonsense will disappear however other than Lauren (152), inexperience defines the Arsenal back line as crocked Philippe Senderos (31), Gael Clichy (19) and Abou Diaby (9) have only 60 starts combined. This is why I believe the second roll of the dice by the Gunners will have season lasting ramifications.

The Ashley Cole saga is now in its ninth month and it has become a ‘must win’ situation for the Arsenal board. The poker they are playing with Chelsea over the valuation of the England international is reaching critical status and with the transfer window about to close funds are desperately needed to buy a top quality defender.

Supposedly the Gunners want close to $50 million dollars for their left back – in all honesty an extraordinary amount of money for a defender. The Blues though despite their riches are equally determined not to be taken to the cleaners and appear to have the ace card in that they do not need Cole after signing the versatile Dutch international, Khalid Boulahrouz as well as enjoying the benefits of a fit again, Wayne Bridge. There is a wild card in all this wheeling and dealing though and that is William Gallas.

The Frenchman has fallen foul with Jose Mourinho and it seems his Stamford Bridge career is coming to a close. I believe that it is imperative for Wenger and Arsenal to make a deal and bring the vastly experienced 29-year-old Gallas to North London while sending Cole to West London with a somewhat reduced fee.

A central partnership of Kolo Toure and Gallas is a sturdy proposition and with a few extra million lying around, the Professor can make his usual foray into the European transfer market and make those unknown signings he is so apt at doing.

Whatever the outcome though, in my mind Wenger and Arsenal are gambling for today in the hopes of a big payout tomorrow. It’s Vegas, North London style!

Until then, get the beers in.

Getting out of the blocks fast is a term usually reserved for athletics however it applies just as well to the English Premiership. Chelsea have proven to be the undisputed masters of this technique over the past couple of campaigns exploding into action as soon as the first whistle blows leaving challengers eating their dust.

This opening weekend the Blues once again showed that they have the class and the killer instinct as Manchester City were toyed with despite Jose Mourinho fielding a below strength team. Heaven knows how they’ll look once Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and maybe even William Gallas rejoin the team.

The only sour note for the Stamford Bridge mob must be the continued loss of confidence and form of Shaun Wright-Phillips. The adopted son of Arsenal legend, Ian Wright, looked a world-beater when playing for Sunday’s opponents, Manchester City, a few seasons ago but since his $46 million dollar move to the Blues the kid’s got two left feet. It was painful watching his every attempt to make something happen explode in his face and when Mourinho changed him for Salomon Kalou, you felt it was to save him from further embarrassment. I have a feeling we’ll not be seeing too much of SWP this year and wouldn’t be surprised if he moved on to a less pressured environment.

Other than the Blues clinical dismantling of City, the other aspect of the game that interested me was Mourinho’s body language. With City’s rivals, Manchester United having played earlier in the morning you could sense that the ‘Special One’ wanted to throw down a marker of sorts. There was a hint of impatience about the Chelsea gaffer that even Didier Drogba’s wonderful goal could not dispel such are his high standards.

In a way the reaction of Mourinho reminded me of Sir Alex Ferguson when the Scotsman was riding high in the late 90’s. Ferguson’s displeasure when his side displayed anything less than the absolute killer instinct was legendary – and that is what has been missing from the Red Devils over the last four years.

With losses and ties littering their 1st ten EPL matches over the last two seasons, United have left themselves too much to do in the closing stretch, which is why I believe the performance against Fulham was of vital importance to the momentum of the team. Remember this side will be missing Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes in the coming weeks and unlike Chelsea they do not have a squad filled with as many impact players.

In a league filled with huge egos’, one-upmanship is the name of the game and SAF will be secretly pleased that in this opening weekend that United scored five while Chelsea ONLY got three.

On the other side of the ego train, Mourinho and Ferguson’s two biggest rivals were left moaning and scratching their heads.

Arsenal and Arsene Wenger laid the big egg at the opening EPL fixture at Emirates Stadium. In all honesty the smart money should’ve been all over the tie because the pressure to get the win was just too much for the Gunners youngsters – while the Villains were desperate to impress the new boss, Martin O’Neill, with a performance of character and will.

This was achieved in startling fashion with the end result being two massive points dropped by Arsenal to a side that they have not failed to beat in their last 16 Premiership encounters.

The final member of the established challenging quartet, Liverpool, also had their own problems and like United will be missing key players for a number of weeks after crucial opening day injuries. John Arne Riise and Jamie Carragher will have given Rafa Benitez gray hair as the Reds boss saw both players depart in the space of eight minutes before even a half of football had been played.

One can’t be sure if these knocks unsettled what is an experienced team but to drop points to new boys, Sheffield United is unthinkable when their stated goal is to win the title.

Top teams just do not let this sort of thing happen. Cast your minds back to the opening match of last season and Chelsea eking out a decision against Wigan in the 93rd minute. That’s what Championship teams do against the rookies.

Every game in the Premiership is precious and a fast start has become the key to success and failure at both ends of the table. Will Arsenal and Liverpool regret these dropped points – we’ll revisit this in a couple of weeks and find out.

Until then, get the beers in.