Nine Jimmy Rimmers – Arsenal and Football

As my daughter would say, that was a mahoosive win for the Arsenal last night.  It may have been a bit short on style and reliant on a dreadful offside call, but it was a game where the only thing that mattered was the points.

With Spurs drawing and Chelsea losing, this was the chance to maintain momentum and move ahead.  One nil to the Arsenal was just the job.  For a long time Spurs were losing of course and it looked like the perfect evening until Bale and Van Der Vaart combined with some class to save them a point.  But hey, we’re third and they ain’t.  What’s not to like?

Arsene Wenger made a single change to the starting line-up, Ramsey in for Oxlade-Chamberlain.  Not sure why or, only having seen the highlights, what real effect it had.  The goal came from Vermaelen who lost his markers with a nice little looping run and headed in unchallenged from a corner.  That was less than ten minutes in and was as good as it got.

A rusty Ramsey missed a good chance and Van Persie hit the post and had at least one other chance.  Arsenal could’ve put the game to bed but didn’t manage it.  We also got a big slice of luck when Everton put the ball in the net and it was disallowed for offside. Royston Drenthe was actually a good two yards onside as Koscielny, I think, was slow stepping out.  Tough luck on Everton, but we’ve suffered in the past so there we go.  One nil to the Arsenal.

Getting the goal probably earned Vermaelen top spot in our man of the match poll with many fans not getting to see the game.

So, Arsenal win, Spurs draw and Chelsea lose.  Remember the gap?  We’re still in a three horse race for third and fourth of course, but now we’re leading it and the momentum is with us.  On Saturday we are at home to Villa whilst Chelsea and Spurs play each other.  If we get the win against Villa, this could be the week that turned the season round.

There still is a gap of course, sixteen points to the top two, but that’s the debt we ran up in August and September and there’s nothing we can do about that.  But considering we sank as low as seventeenth, and all the crap that was written back then, it’s looking pretty rosy now.

Seeing Liverpool throw away a two goal lead to lose 3:2 was just an extra bonus.  After the way he handled the Suarez incident, Kenny Dalglish doesn’t deserve anything to smile about.  Of course you can see why he was so desperate to defend Suarez, him and Gerrard are pretty much all he’s got.  Plenty of criticism was heaped on Arsene Wenger’s judgement, whilst Kenny shelled out for Andy ‘half season’ Carroll and Charlie ‘relegated with Blackpool’ Adam.  Keep a good look out for Swansea and Sunderland Kenny!

You kind of feel that the fantastic result achieved last Saturday afternoon deserves greater reward than to keep us exactly where we were in the league – fourth by virtue not of points or even goal difference but on goals scored. But that’s the tight spot we’re in and, unless Chelsea completely implode, it could be that tight to the end.

So the reward Arsenal get for coming back from 2:0 down to win 5:2 is the fact that it’s worthwhile pulling off the same success tomorrow. Hopefully without the 2:0 down bit!

Here’s how its stands:

Tomorrow we go away to Liverpool at lunchtime and Chelsea go to West Brom in the afternoon. Spurs host Manchester United on Sunday. So basically we’re still where we were last week. Chelsea have the easier game and we have to assume they will win. We have the tougher game that we have to win to stay on the pace.

We’re still waiting on fitness reports for Rosicky and Koscielny, with the former being the most doubtful. That could mean a second consecutive start for Yossi Benayoun. Vermaelen also took a knock against Spurs of course thanks to that crunching tackle from new England captain Scott Parker. Perhaps it made all the difference in Stuart Pearce’s eyes! But Vermaelen played 90 minutes for Belgium ob Wednesday.

Hopefully that’s a sign of his fitness rather Belgium’s misjudgement. If not we’re a little bit thin at the back again with Djourou and Squillaci unfit. I guess it would be a choice of Song or Miquel. But with no Coquelin or Frimpong, Song would be missed in midfield.

Liverpool are missing Agger through injury, so Van Persie can look forward to the tight embrace of Jamie Carragher. I’ve never understood how Carragher gets away with handling his opponents so much. They may also be missing Gerrard, but that isn’t confirmed as yet.

Should be a good game with both sides coming off the back of a success, though hopefully Liverpool’s struggle to overcome Cardiff is a good sign for us.

Probable team? Hopefully -

_______ Szczesny ______
Sagna _ Kos_ Verm _ Gibbs
________ Song ________
__ Arteta __ Benayoun __
Walcott _ RVP _ Gervinho

Come on you Gunners!

What with the takeover and the tragic loss of Danny Fiszman, last weekend’s game seems a while ago now.  But it mattered a lot because we finally found our way to three points again.  Would’ve mattered a whole lot more if we’d done that the week before of course, but there we are.

This week we need to do it again against Liverpool who go about their business rather better than Blackpool.  They’re not at full strength: Gerrard, Agger and Johnson will all be missing, but with Carroll, Suarez and the industrious Dirk Kuyt they are definitely dangerous.

The injury news for Arsenal is quite good. Szczesny and Djourou may return and Song is definitely back.  Almunia’s knee or whatever still keeps him out so if Szczesny doesn’t make it then mad Uncle Jens will play again.

If it Lehman then I hope that Szczesny keeps his eyes and ears fixed on him to pick up how he takes charge.  Anyone in the wrong place, anyone who fails to pick up a runner, Jens makes sure they know about it.  But he also hands out praise as well.

Hopefully Djourou will make it, because asking Squillaci whether he wants to take Carroll or Suarez doesn’t sound like a question with a correct answer.  If it ends up having to be asked then it will have to be Carroll because Koscielny will need to take on the movement of Suarez.

The ninety minute threat of Dirk Kuyt, generally on the right, means that Clichy is going to need consistent help.  Which isn’t what you generally expect from Arshavin.  So, Nasri on the left?  Or even Gibbs, or is that too negative?

With Nasri, Arshavin, Walcott and Van Persie all available we’re probably not going to see Bendtner or Chamakh start.

There has been talk that both might leave the club this summer.  This is a tricky issue for Arsenal.  Playing the formation we do now, only one out and out striker will start.  But given the vulnerability of Van Persie to injury we need a good striker ready to step in.

Perhaps it has to be an older player like Berbatov at Man Utd?  Someone who isn’t worried that their future is being jeopardised by lack of time on the pitch.

Anyway, back to the Liverpool game.  Late fitness tests allowing I expect to see:

________ Szczesny ________
Eboue Djourou Koscielny Clichy
_______Song _ Wilshere ___
_________ Fabregas ______
Walcott _ Van Persie _ Nasri

What do you think?

Referee Attwood had another nightmare in the game at Anfield. Liverpool’s first goal was truly bizarre. The referee points to where the freekick should be taken, then turns his back on the ball. The Sunderland player lazily kicks it (kick overstates it really) behind him, obviously expecting the keeper to come and take it. Liverpool player nips in and takes the ball.

By the time Attwood has turned round to look he’s in trouble. He doesn’t know how the ball went live because he wasn’t watching. Liverpool score but look sheepish, Sunderland protest. Attwood is stuffed.

What is the advice he gets from his assistant? Whatever is said doesn’t help as he confirms the goal.

Later, Steven Gerrard fells a Sunderland player with a forearm in the face. Deliberate or unfortunate accident?

If it’s deliberate it’s a red card. If it’s an accident it’s no card at all. Attwood gives Gerrard a yellow.

Sad to say it, but the guy is out of his depth and it matters.

FIRST HALF: The starting line-up isn’t much of a brave new world. I think Capello could of gone for some more new faces. Nothing to lose by doing it and put some pressure on the established players.

At last though the right formation for Rooney, 4-5-1, the one he played in all last season. Theo Walcott has made some nice runs and got some crosses in too.

A few promising signs but nothing special. No end product.

SECOND HALF: Walcott comes off for Ashley Young, but Gibbs gets his debut replacing some bloke called Cole. Back to 4-4-2! Sloppy stuff from Dawson on the Hungary goal though it’s a bit unfair to single him out – it’s been lacklustre stuff second half. We’re back to 4-5-1 again as Milner replaces Rooney.

Great goal by Gerrard.

Gibbs is doing ok, running with the ball, very positive.

Another great goal from Gerrard. England looking like they mean business, very different from the way the second half started. Totally different from South Africa.

Looks like Wilshire might get a few minutes at the end. He’s coming on for man of the match Gerrard.

FULL TIME: Some good stuff this evening from all three Arsenal players. And it was good to have three Arsenal players involved. Wilshire only got about eight minutes, but they all looked confident and competent.

But the evening belongs to Steven Gerrard. He scored two excellent goals to turn the game around. England looked better than in South Africa. The formation works better, giving Gerrard freedom to move around just outside the box. Not enough to completely destroy the bad memories of the summer, but a good start.

What can you say? First, yes we should have had a second goal – but would that have changed the outcome? England were cut open so easily that even the most ardent patriot must have their doubts.

I wish I could say that Germay were stunning. But I just don’t think that’s true. England couldn’t keep the ball and they didn’t cover the supporting runs.

They couldn’t keep their shape. Is the shape right? I don’t think so, it meant either Gerrard was out of position on the left or he was where he wanted to be and leaving a hole But that’s still not enough of an excuse, the back four rarely had their shape let alone lose it.

At our best we were good enough to beat Slovenia 1:0.

Depressing.

The last gasp winner for the US over Algeria means that England are back on an all to familiar route.  Next we have to beat Germany – and if we pull that off we probably get Argentina.

Is fate against us or are we going to be ghost-busting?

An on-form England has the chance to get past both these opponents but we are undoubtedly in the tough half of the draw now.  We’ll gave to hope that yesterday afternoon was the start of a run rather than a last gasp bid to avoid embarrassment.

England weren’t brilliant but there were encouraging signs.  Milner delivered the ball more reliably than Lennon and Wright-Phillips.  The other midfielders did better as well with much more passing on target.  Much more moving the ball forward.

Capello persisted with 442.  Is he unshakably wedded to this or does he worry about Rooney’s fitness if left to do all the from-running alone?

England still looked a bit unco-ordinated at the back with the defenders occasionally getting in each others way.  That’s understandable when we’ve had to keep changing the line-up and we got away with it against Slovenia.

So, the dream and the tension goes on.  I reckon that the best thing that England will have taken out of yesterday was a big dose of self-confidence.

Come on England.

They weren’t brilliant but they were good enough. Good enough to pass the ball and move for each other. This time they looked more relaxed and more confident.

Gerrard didn’t leave a hole in front of Ashley Cole but still got in the box to support Rooney and Defoe. Milner played a blinder, whipping in crosses with enough consistancy to get Rooney and Defoe running into the box with belief.

Still don’t understand the Joe Cole issue but who cares. England are through.

Remember how we all felt when the groups were drawn. Hmmmm. Now we need to beat Slovenia to come second.

What to do?

Is it the pressure? Could be. No hope of any change there. The pressure will be worse. Is it fitness? Could be. Anything that can be done about it? Not a lot, there isn’t a lot of depth there and why would the others be a lot fitter?

What else? Change formation. Ditch 442. Play five in midfield.

Play Joe Cole. We started the first game with Milner. Not fit. Replace him with Wright-Phillips. Wrong side of the pitch. Started the second game with Gerrard. He wonders off everywhere else on the pitch. We’ve been round this one before. If Joe Cole isn’t worth having, why is he there?

Move the ball faster. Carragher’s got to go anyway – two yellows. Upson comes in. Drop Barry. I’ve changed my mind on him. Two slow. Too much dwelling on the ball and getting robbed. Bring in Carrick. Bit of a risk defensively, but it’s do or die now.

This is all a bit random – but a performance like that doesn’t inspire coherence.

Come on England. Please.

Wayne Rooney has just had his best ever season, playing as a lone striker supported by attacking midfielders.  England have Wayne Rooney.  England has attacking midfielders.  Capello seems to favour a big traditional centre-forward who can receive the ball reliably, hold-up the play with strength and pass accurately.  Heskey does this well and if Capello sticks to his system, I would think he sticks with Heskey.

But I also think that to do this would waste the fact that England has one of the best forwards in the world at the moment.  Anyone who has watched Rooney’s powerful acceleration and determination to put himself in the box on the end of a pass knows that he doesn’t need someone to hold up the game for him.  He is the game.

Play him at the front, with Gerrard or Lampard just behind.  On current form that would be Gerrard.  Then play three supporting players behind them.

Put Barry in front of the back four.  This does two things.  It sets Lampard and Gerrard free because they know they don’t have to check to see if the other one is covering the defence.  It helps to cover the fact that England have lost their two most agile central defenders.  Terry and Carragher are going to have to rely on their experience of reading the game and their strength.  They could do with Barry cutting out the pacey runs through the middle when they are caught square with their backs to goal.

Come on England.