The last week saw Arsenal qualify for the knock out stage of the Champions League. A 3-1 victory over Partisan Belgrade who were pointless coming into the game, was anything but convincing. When the visitors equalised midway through the second half, Arsenal were dicing with the possibility of early elimination. An inspired substitution by Arsene wenger bringing on Theo Walcott, who in fairness was simply dire only a few days earlier against Fulham, changed the game. Walcott scored and it was left to Samri Nasri, who has been in inspired form to make the result beyond doubt.
Arsenal as a result found themselves top of the league, in the Carling Cup semi final and the Champions League without playing particularly fluently. The league positioned owed much to the Gunners away form and the inability of others to capitalise on Arsenal's unconsistent home performances.
On Tuesday night I settled down with a beer and a bag of peanuts to watch Arsenal's game at Old Trafford. The passion of the days of Keown/Van Nistarooy is long gone. In the build up I thought about how Arsenal won the league at Old Trafford and how United ended the Invinsibles 49 game unbeaten run. In recent years there's no point arguing Arsenal have not competed on level terms with either United or Chelsea. I suppose as a result I was optimistic that the team could get a result. When United went ahead just before half time the writing was on the wall, and although Arsenal had more possession i the seconmd half, chances were few.
At one level 1-0 was not a bad defensive display and our 19 year old goalkeeper did enough to suggest that he may turn out to be a better prospect than the other keepers in the squad. However United were able to flood the penalty areas with defenders and Arsenal failed to show sufficient guile or craft to back this defensive wall down. Ironically next Saturday Arsenal play Stoke at the Emirates while United go to Chelsea on Sunday, by Sunday night the league table could be all change. It's that type of season.
Key Quotes
"Anyone who believes that exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist."
(Kenneth Boulding)
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. "
(Raymond Chandler)
"Live simply so that others can simply live." (unknown)
"I cannot live without books" (Thomas Jefferson)
"Sport is war without the shooting" (George Orwell)
"New York is a great city to live in if you can afford to get out of it" (William Rossa Cole)
The secret of a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits (Patterson Hood)
(Kenneth Boulding)
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. "
(Raymond Chandler)
"Live simply so that others can simply live." (unknown)
"I cannot live without books" (Thomas Jefferson)
"Sport is war without the shooting" (George Orwell)
"New York is a great city to live in if you can afford to get out of it" (William Rossa Cole)
The secret of a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits (Patterson Hood)
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