September 30, 2007 at 10:13 pm (Arsenal, EPL, Henry, Premiership, Van Persie)
Van Persie(13)
Match Gunner: Van Persie. A goal at the far post. A freekick from the right which forced a save in the near post. A shot hitting the post after a touch from the keeper. A goal line clearance. No doubt about it.
This was touted as a potential banana skin as we have failed to win at Upton Park for the past two seasons. An early goal by Robin gave us the win and kept us at the top of the table. Similar score lines but different circumstances kept Manchester United and Liverpool breathing down our neck. They were pushed hard by Wigan and Birmingham and were lucky to escape with a win.
It was a routine affair as we practically strolled to a win. The goal came via a Hleb cross from the right channel which Robin glanced in off Green’s hands at the far post.
Flashes of brilliance from Green maintained the modest scoreline particularly early in the second half when he got a vital touch to a classic Robin thunderbolt to guide it onto the post and away. Apart from that, Green made at least 7-8 good saves from Flamini, Adebayor, Clichy and Van Persie
Fabregas had a quiet game by his standards especially after his recent form of goals and assists in all competitions.
Horror point of the game occured when Mark Noble two footed clash sent Hleb back to the dugouts for another spell in the injury list. He had just come back from a knee injury and was clattered on that same knee.
The only signs of trouble that we had in keeping West Ham at bay were the raw power of Dean Ashton and the incisive speed of former Gunner, Freddie Ljungberg. Final kick of the game saw Fabregas fluffing a shot straight into Green.
3 points well taken and we are carrying a good momentum into the month of October with 8 wins on the trot in all competitions.
In other news of the week, the Porstmouth-Reading game was crazy. It went 7-4 in favour of Pompey. First Adebayor vs Derby, then Torres vs Reading in the League Cup. Now Benjani vs Reading? Henry vs Levante too? Is there a secret hattrick garage sale going on ??
Man City won 3-1 over Newcastle. Elano capped a fine performance there with certainly the goal of week 8. Terry has to do a cheek surgery and Drogba is sent off in a 0-0 draw for Chelsea. Terry might be out for up to six weeks. It’s all going downhill for Chelsea isn’t it?
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September 28, 2007 at 10:49 pm (EPL Fantasy League)
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September 27, 2007 at 8:56 pm (Arsenal)
Man Utd lost 2-0 to “second division” Coventry yesterday. To be truly fair. They didn’t field a particularly good team.
Man Utd
Tomasz Kuszczak
Phillip Bardsley
Jonathan Evans
John O’Shea
Gerard Pique
Danny Simpson
Chris Eagles
Lee Martin
Luis Nani
Oliveira Anderson
Fangzhou Dong
Subs
Tom Heaton
Wes Brown
Adam Eckersley
Michael Carrick
Fraizer Campbell
However, when they had a 17 million pound signing in the team, you can’t resist letting out a little childish giggle.
Other results here
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September 26, 2007 at 10:30 pm (Arsenal)
Tags: Arsenal, Carling Cup, Fowler, League Cup, Liverpool, Midweek Games, Newcastle, Torres, Win
Bendtner 83′
Denilson 89′
Man of the Match: Diarra and Eboue
Starting off this season’s Arsenal review with a win over Newcastle in the Carling Cup.
Arsene’s policy has always been to give the youth team a chance to perform on this stage before they step up to the first team.
Recently, this line has become blurred as our first team really looks like a youth team to everyone else.
From yesterday’s starting 11, everyone has played a part in the first team at some point with the exception of our new goalie, Fabianski.
But from that same list, I would have to say only Eboue and maybe Eduardo are considered senior players and will be first choice picks for Arsene if it was a game we really had to win.
Plenty of excuse for the boys to start performing.
Lukasz Fabianski
Armand Traore
Justin Hoyte
Philippe Senderos
Emmanuel Eboue
Alexandre Song
Denilson
Lassana Diarra
Theo Walcott
Nicklas Bendtner
Eduardo
This was the team that played in the Cup Final last year.
GK 24 Manuel Almunia
RB 31 Justin Hoyte
CB 5 Kolo Touré (c)
CB 6 Philippe Senderos
LB 45 Armand Traoré
RM 32 Theo Walcott
CM 4 Cesc Fàbregas
CM 15 Denílson
LM 2 Abou Diaby
CF 30 Jérémie Aliadière
CF 9 Júlio Baptista
Notice the difference? I guess Cesc, Kolo have earned the right to be the senior players now.
Moving on to the game, Newcastle started with their first team with the exception of Owen(injury) and Viduka(rested). Geremi and Emre were on the bench. Given returns to the squad.
Moving on to the game. As usual Arsenal produced many chances at goal with chances falling to Walcott, Eboue, Eduardo. No scores at 45 minutes.
Second half was much of the usual. Newcastle having some isolated chances at goal and one particular chance had Martins beating the offside trap and rounding the keeper only for Senderos to make a good track back and clearance off the line.
First goal came courtesy of a cross by Traore and a pinpoint header by Bendtner in the 83rd minute
Second goal came via a wonderful shot by Denilson(who plays remarkably like Cesc) after being fed by sub Diaby(who plays remarkably like Vieira!)
It’s remarkable how we have been consistently able to turn in a result especially in the last 10 minutes. This has to be at least the 3rd or 4th game that we had manage to turn a 0-0 draw into a win with goals in the final 10 minutes. You have to say the mental strength to keep plodding away for the winning goal is something we have missed the past couple of seasons. Everyone is looking for the opppotunity to score. That’s nice to see.
Onwards and upwards I say. Oh, and congrats to Torres who scored a hattrick last night.
edit* My apologies for Liverpool fans that may chance over my site. Fowler scored a brace yesterday too. Although not as rare as a hattrick but it justifies a mention or two.
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