Arsenal do their best impression of Bolton but can’t beat Tottenham
Match review, detailed analysis of Arsenal and Tottenham failings, goal videos plus a close look at Adebayor…
Arsenal Review
It was tough, but Arsenal managed it.
They played their hearts out, but in the end, they had two dodgy free kicks and subsequent set piece goals to earn them a point (and with their superiority, it could easily have been three points).
Arsenal had several chances - two coming off the bar, another shot over by Adebayor, one more ruled offside in a very, very close call.
But they couldn’t make them count. Adebayor isn’t the free-flowing finisher, Rosicky is too involved in creating chances and Hleb dithers on the ball. Fabregas and Silva are never going to be Lampard - Fabregas may yet turn on the physical side of his game but it looks highly unlikely under Wenger.
Henry said yesterday that injuries had hampered Arsenal’s progress this sesaon. I think that this level, your squad should be strong enough to cope with injuries. Manchester United came second last season despite their horrible spate of injuries mid-season, remember? Testicular fortitude, they call it. Right now, Arsenal have a handful of players showing that sort of attitude.
Fabregas. Rosicky. Toure.
Silva is quiet and efficient but he’s no leader. Gallas has too much baggage with him to be the ballsy motivator, although he’s a damn fine defender. Lehmann showed today that it is ridiculously easy to incite, elbowing Berbatov (who, to be fair, was looking for it) when he should have kept his nerves. Eboue and Clichy and Hleb have talent but they need time.
Baptista is the real worry. Part of me wonders if playing him is a sadistic ploy by Arsene Wenger to damage a Real Madrid player for life - in a “you took Reyes away, you almost took Vieira away, now you want Fabregas? I’ll show you!” kind of way. Watching him, every single Arsenal fan must be expecting him to miss. It’s hard on the Beast, and he, like Hleb, is certainly a better player than he lets on in an Arsenal shirt.
Ljunberg is finished, btw. Get him out of here.
Where do Arsenal go from here? They have to win the remaining games, for sure, but they also have to look at certain things and tweak them now rather than in the future.
Diaby has a temper problem, so does Fabregas at times (Diaby is worse though). At this age you want to get them to focus that energy on their game instead of on the opposition.
Toure needs to shout more at his teammates. Gallas may not like it, but he’s not the defensive leader in Arsenal, Toure is. Maybe that is causing problems too?
Arsenal need to learn how to play without Fabregas. It’s like United learning how to play without Ronaldo - it’s hard but you have to learn it some time or the other. In the first half Arsenal were more hampered by Ljunberg’s presence than by Fab’s absence, so perhaps putting someone with more pace there would have helped Arsenal.
This squad is young, and yes, they need time, but this squad also needs a proper touchline-hugging pacy winger and a keeper who doesn’t walk 20 yards out of his area to push the opposition on the ground. Other than that, give this side a couple of years and they’d be good to go.
A few words on Tottenham as well:
Tottenham Review
Tottenham, who were played off the pitch in the second half and showed once again that they can’t mix it up with the big boys, will go back wondering why Zokora and Jenas - so energetic in the first half, couldn’t handle Fabregas and Diaby.
Tottenham fans should ask Jol why he took off their most potent attacking threat - Aaron Lennon - in a home game with the match hanging in the balance. They should also ask why the team isn’t mentally strong enough to
Dawson has been great for them all season, and so has Jenas, Keane, Lennon and Berbatov. I wouldn’t be surprised if all of them came under transfer bids this summer. Rocha looks half-decent as well, but Huddlestone is a bit dodgy in my mind, and while Tottenham do have the talent in the bag they lack the mental strength to push through.
Someone bring in a 30-year old Davids to Spurs, and they just might make it to 5th spot next season. Frings baby, Frings. Like it or not, Tottenham need experience in the midfield (alongside Jenas, Zokora is too raw and won’t be better than a backup) and someone in the management to toughen them up during games like these.
Is Martin Jol the man for the job? For Tottenham’s sake, let’s hope so.
Match Videos
- Adebayor offside
- Eboue Miss
- Toure Miss
- Tottenham 1-0 Arsenal (Robbie Keane) - Keane now has 19 goals for the season. Where are the ‘fans’ who were asking for his head?
- Tottenham 1-1 Arsenal (Toure)
- Tottenham 1-2 Arsenal (Adebayor)
- Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal (Jenas)
Is Adebayor a Wraith in disguise?
And now for the picture up top - it’s from Arsenal’s previous game, but watching that picture and then watching Adebayor for today’s game, I kept wondering:
Doesn’t Adebayor resemble the Wraiths from Stargate: Atlantis? I mean, change the skin color and you have the same facial structure. Come on, no one?
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- Arsenal vs Bolton - bravado, Henry, Kroenke, Myles and a lot of love
great blog - really on the spot. Well done. I am a Tottenham fan and although you had the upper hand today you had two very dodgy freekicks which were dodgier that your three goals at the new library.
just cant believe your dig at diaby. a lot u write is ok by me, fred to go, though i wouldnt give hleb any time only a ticket out of london.
but diaby to knock his temper, i was there today and didnt see any, and the guy is turning into a real star. u want temper, remmeber the spitting stamping young vieira. compared to him diaby is a saint, and will go on to be just as good a player.
lehman? well yet agin his histrionics disrupted the defence and we immediatly concede. he must go
I think the Wraith is prettier than Adebayor
As a Spurs fan I was very disappointed with the second half performance. As Jol (who took lennon off cos’ he was ineffective) said it was tired and flat. But what worries me most is our continued vulnerability to set plays. Irrespective of Arsenal’s second half territorial dominance and their first half chances, we scored twice from open play - Arsenal scored twice from set plays. A strange game. Arsenal looked more skillful and hungry today I must admit.
Next season? Keane and Berbatov will have a defence behind them. The midfield will come good, no more set play weakness, and I agree that 5th should be the target if not higher.
Tottenham can’t mix it up with the big boys you say? Is that why Spurs have done something this season which Arsenal haven’t been able to for NINE games, and that’s beat Chelsea? Your record is becoming almost as long as ours was, and yet you never look like even coming close to beating them.
Look at last season, we were in 4th for 90% of the entire season mate - doesn’t exactly say much for the “mental strength” of Arsenal does it - that rubbish little Tottenham were out there putting the points on the board, while you were pissing um away at places like Bolton?
Why did Jol take Lennon off? Erm, perhaps because he was cack? What’s the point having a player on the field on just reputation alone? Read Ljungberg for your own one of them.
Players are always bid for mate, but ask yourself this; How long will the likes of Gallas, Toure, Fabregas, Eboue and even an ageing Henry accept playing for a club who are now very much second best? Those players want to win trophies, not be the clown at the wedding.
Bring in a 30yo in midfield? PMSL Oh come on, the Premiership is played at 100mph mate - no 30yo can live with that speed. Zokora has played at World Cups - that’s enough “experience” for anyone.
The bottom line is this; we’re getting better and you lot are getting worse. The gap used to be huge - almost like the Grand Canyon in fact, yet each season we are building slowly and gaining experience as a unit. These same players will be together next season - can the same be said of your lot? I doubt it. While your club is fracturing with in-fighting, our club is strong and has fantastic leadership. You always say “In Wenger I trust”? Well, you keep trusting him - ‘coz I’ll be laughing when the day comes that he walks out on Arsenal because too many got too greedy.
Hope you liked WHL yesterday by the way - that’s called an atmosphere. You can probably buy it in an Arsenal-branded bottle for £10 - anything to take that money off you, of course
PS: I doubt whether you will even post this comment. Well, what’s the point having a blog if you prefer to dip your head in the sand and ignore opinion which differs to that of your own? As many digs as you can give, don’t worry - we can give it back just as easily; “2-1, and ya F**KED it up!”
Sheikh - considering that I’m a Manchester United fan and not an Arsenal fan, a lot of your emotional commentary doesn’t stand any ground.
The 30-yr-old in midfield bit is serious. Get someone who’s 28 then. Get ANYONE who has consistent experience of playing in Europe or in the Premiership.
Zokora has WC experience? “Cowabunga shake-my-nuts” from Angola has WC experience too. Bring him in and enjoy the fracking party.
Btw, it was 2-0 for you at Emirates, and you fucked up. Then it was 1-0 up for you, and you sat back on your ass and let Arsenal walk all over you.
Just to clarify that it’s a two-way street mate
Ahmed, why dont u join a propa forum where you wont be the only one writing, and where you will watch all the sports in highquality.???
I dont understand Arsenal, gr8 team but cant cut it with all these young foreigners. They need some cinsistency.Was a great match.
get rid lehman,hleb,baptista,adebayor,ljungberg and Gilberto
bring in eto’o,ribery,craig gordan(keeper)
tung tung aje mir o njeri o kok ajt se shkova o njeri tung nga miri ajeni mir o besart a e kini nreq a borrin