As I said yesterday, the first goal in last night's game was always going to be crucial. A quick Spartan goal, and we might have been under the cosh a bit. As it was, we pinged in an early goal and the remainder of the game turned into a pre-season friendly.
The return of Gilberto to central midfield brought some much needed stability to proceedings, but the performances of a few other players was worrying.
Diaby still seems to think he has ten minutes on the ball every time he collects it, and even then he often gives the ball away. I still see a lot of potential in him, but the way he conducts himself sometimes seems to strike me as lazy. I know I'm being critical but I think he could improve his attitude a little.
van Persie is searching for a partner. Him and Eduardo did not go to plan last night, although obviously it's far too early to completely rule out the possiblity of the two of them working together. So far, Bendtner seems to be the only one capable of really giving Robin the ball where he wants it. Some of my doubts about his attitude and selfishness are resurfacing, I have to say.
I also would have like to have seen Bendtner more involved last night and I worry that Arsene is not using him enough. He's going to be a fantastic player, but he's very different to what we currently have; a good thing, I feel. Whether Arsene thinks so as well, I'm not sure, and it would be a terrible waste to not implement Nicklas's talent properly. He will be a success somewhere; I hope it's with us.
At the back, I would say that Senderos and Hoyte both did what was asked of them. Hoyte will probably never be more than a squad player, but he's a very good one to have around. Phil has the potential to be first XI, and after a difficult year last season, he really has a chance to prove himself again. I hope he does.
Theo had a bit of an odd game. He started brightly with an assist, and some zippy running and passes, before descending into obscurity. His crossing notably dipped in quality, and seemed to involve punting the ball into the air as high as possible at times. Odd. So encouraging signs from Theo, even if they only came sporadically.
Eduardo, overall, did well, especially after Fabregas came on. He provided a lovely assist to Fab, before scoring a goal INSIDE THE SIX YARD BOX at the end. I've capitalised this freak occurance, such is its importance. Maybe the fox in the box has finally arrived, after years of searching by Wenger. Moreover, the fact he looks fairly comfortable on the left-wing, means we may have finally found a Bobby mark II. Here's hoping.
Fabregas also took his goal well and touchingly dedicated it to Puerta. I've debated this with others, but I'm still of the mind that there should have been a period of silence before the games last night.
So we're through to the more lucrative rounds and our odyssey to Moscow can properly begin; I hope. It was nice, if a little boring, to have a comfortable win, even if the role of certain players in the team remains slightly fuzzy. Onward to Russia!
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14 comments:
You know what...I'm getting sick of all this more Bendtner story. Surely, the coaching crew sees all the players in training, knows their abilities and are very well placed and competent to select a team.
You think it would have been wiser to play an untested 18 year old when there were more experienced older more proven players?
Sometimes blogs are just frustrating.
I agree, i think not enough attention was given to the puerta death which is a shame.
Seems a bit pointless to bitch so much about a pretty comfortable win but there you go. It seems that Arsene helps get the midfield scoring goals, one of the most prominent complaints from last season, but then 'oh Diaby holds on to the ball too long' oh well. I know I'd rather have the likes of Hleb, Fab and Rosicky scoring while Diaby holds onto the ball a wee bit too long than Diaby releasing quickly to any of those players who proceed to balloon it over the bar :)
On the minutes silence, it would have been a nice gesture but then you have to ask, where does it all end? Do we hold a minute's silence for the young QPR striker that died in a car crash last weekend? Meanwhile, as reported by the Guardian, something like 3 footballers have died in on-pitch incidents in the past 10 days or thereabouts, including Puerta. Do we hold a minute's silence for each of them? Why hold a minute's silence for Puerta and not the others? Is it because he's in a Champions League club and the others weren't?
It's all very sad but I don't think clubs outside of the league that Seville are in should get too bogged down in sentiment over the player, Cesc being an obvious exception because he knew him, and AEK and AC Milan being exceptions because they were set to be Seville's oponents this week.
i think it is too soon for you to judge if Bendtner should be playing and i doubt if its ur job too decide. i believe the man and the club that owns and are developing him have plans for him and the time will come when he plays. so talk about something else.
Congratulations. Both you and Myles Palmer seem to be blessed with the ability to see what a rotten, selfish player RvP really is. Whilst the rest of us bask in the illusion that he is a superb talent, who even when not scoring works tirelessly to bring others into the game, finds real openings, drops deep to cover the full-backs, pops in very tasty crosses from corners and free-kicks.
I must watch more closely next time and see if I can gain your insight.
Thanks for enlightening us. By the way did you see the exquisite pass 30 yard diagonal pass to Denilson?
Such negativity for a comprehensive victory. Look at the positives which far outweigh the bad. Smile.
Yes - Eduardo/RVP pairing's not effective - they both play well of bigger men like Adebayor or Nicklaus.
Bendtner's a kid who faded in the championship after a gd start with Birmingham - your obsession's unhelpful.Adebayor's proven & a more effective target man.
As for Diaby, it's his 1st game back since preseason - common!!!
I can't believe your talking about bad attitudes from Diaby and Van Persie. Admittedly Diaby did occasionally give the ball away last night but had attitude enough to always try his utmost to get it back. Van Persie has been talking since pre season about how great it is to play for this team, he has a great team ethic at the moment but also an indivdual streak that allows him to express himself, allowing him to score such fantastic goals and provide such wonderful entertainment.
I can't believe your talking about bad attitudes from Diaby and Van Persie. Admittedly Diaby did occasionally give the ball away last night but had attitude enough to always try his utmost to get it back. Van Persie has been talking since pre season about how great it is to play for this team, he has a great team ethic at the moment but also an indivdual streak that allows him to express himself, allowing him to score such fantastic goals and provide such wonderful entertainment.
Goonerboy and Myles Palmer talk such negative rubbish its almost funny....RVP point is total crap from both parties!! Diaby also is just coming back into the team and showed some real class, and some wonderful feet and touch Get real people!!
RvP and selfish...yeah..what's wrong?
a striker HAS to be selfish.
If after being selfish they donot produce the goods, give em the boot.
Agreed! I dunno where Myles Palmer came with that selfish tag, just the other day he wrote an article that Eduardo and RvP should be a partnership, but in their 1st game together, in a match that was won in the first 7 minutes and the whole dynamic changed, Robin cant be his partner cos he is selfish. What utter crap. Partnerships dont just form over night! give it 10 games of them playing together and then by all means criticise if they not working!
Diaby is a fantastic player, strong in the tackle with even stronger dribbling skills. Being his first game back...and for the first time being in the middle alongside Gilberto (instead of in a 5 midfield or on the wing), its also going to take him a while to gel in the team..ie know where players are running etc.
God you would have thought we lost and were out of the CL
a team wins 3-0 with ease, a team progress to the final rounds of the champions league, a team is getting stronger weekly, a team that is properly the youngest in Europe as well as the premiership - - - yet you comments are as though the team lost 3-0 and are in danger of relegation. If this team is so bad and they have not lost yet can imagine what they are going to be like when they start to get better.
Have you ever played football at a reasonable level or are you just a talented blog writer of total rubbish
He makes some slightly negative comments about two players who did not have good games, has concerns if a certain player might be held back and the blog writer gets slagged off? I haven't noticed Goonerboy being overly negative over the time I have read his blog
Come on, we won 3-0 but for half the game, we didn't put much effort into it. Van Persie has not been anywhere near his best so far in the final third this season which I hope changes soon and Diaby was on his first game back from injury so wasn't going to be at his best but I understand the concerns.
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