No Fabregas, a blessing?

I heard Bobby McMahon said something about not having Fabregas as a blessing for Arsenal. No doubt from the last couple of games, we have seen Fabregas loosing his form. And last week, he uncharacteristically raise his hand to block a free kick resulted in a penalty that contributed to Spur's comeback.

Arsenal's way of playing has been what we used to see. The passing has been slow, and one touch passing is rare. Many people compares Arsenal to Barcelona. We can't really tell how well Barcelona can play in the premier league, and if Arsenal is placed in La Liga, if they can dominate all other teams. I am pretty certain Arsene doesn't try to emulate how Barcelona plays. It is not possible. The type of players he has just doesn't allow him to play the type of game. However, I do believe there is still enough quality in Arsenal players to play as good as the 03/04 season, and defeat any other team in the EPL.

Let's hope that with or without Fabregas, they can keep their consistency. Today's win against Aston Villa is a good start, but they could have scored or at least try to score 2 to 3 more goals. But the shots never came, and that means the goals would never have come.

A new decade

The first decade of the 21st century saw Arsenal flew sky high, to a point they were called the Invincible after they won the league without loosing a game. It was also when I started watching English league again and fall in love with this team, Theirry Henry and Arsene Wenger.

Sometimes when I watch teams who have not won anything for years, and yet their stadium packed with supporters wearing their teams jerseys, I wonder how does it feels like. And I don't quite understand how any of the Championship or lower divisions' teams could attract any supporters. Perhaps most of them would have another one of the top 5 teams they support at the same time?

For me, at least I can comprehend the idea of liking and supporting a team which has never won anything for the last 5 years. They have come close, at lease a couple of times but ended up in the loosing end. But it really does not matter. Arsenal's football is still intriguing. Arsene's signing each of the transfer period is full of mystery. If you don't watch the other smaller leagues, particularly the French League 1, you would have no idea where these new players came from. Even Theirry Henry was grabbed from Monaco! How about Sagna, Clichy and a few others who came to stardom, left and disappear from the screen all together.

Today, I watched the 2nd round of the 2010/11 season where Arsenal met the new comer Blackpool. Everyone has dismissed Blackpool having any chance to survive in the Premier League this year. However they shocked everyone by beating Wigan 4 nil last week. Seeing Arsenal's record against lower ranking teams last year, there is just nothing sure about this game.

After 90 minutes, I came to realized it has not been an easy game. There were quite a few misses, especially the one by Chamakh in front of the goal. Against 10 much less experienced players, it was a comfortable win but the team has not shown too much eagerness of getting more goals, and taking advantage of the situation. I thought when Van Persie and Fabregas came on, they would take the game to a new level. Instead the game just slowed down. Eventually they did score again but it was only because of Chemakh who was trying so very hard to get his first goal for the club. Few hours later we would find out Chelsea also scored 6 goals against Wigan, and suddenly Arsenal is 5 goals and 2 points behind Chelsea.

Let's hope the team will continue to grow as the season progress. Not to forger Arsenal also beaten a much stronger Everton 6-0 on the opening day last year but that led to no where. Each game in the future has to be treated like a final one off match.

Perfect ending

To many this World Cup is disappointing, just like it has always been throughout the World Cup history. There can always be only a winner at the end. But to some fans, to some countries, the results just aren't up to expectation. Or maybe it wasn't the results, but just emotion.

People from the South East Asia cried when England went out against Germany. Some 10 year olds in Kenya wept when Brazil was beaten by the Netherlands. These are not because of the results; this is football. There is no need to explain. It is just the way it is.

World Cup 2010

World Cup 2010 South Africa came and gone. And I did not manage to write anything.

Perhaps I watched too many pre and post game shows, and heard too much of what others have to say, and forgot what I really wanted to say.

But it's not too late...

Arsenal in 2010

2010 is going to be a pivoting year of modern Arsenal Football Club. The invincible year was in a distance history. The new and young players have risen up, but only to a point capable of staying in the top four. It seems like the progress has gone stagnant in certain areas, while only a very few has improved. Of those improved the most, Fabregas leads the pack. However there is still much to grow in his game. His desire and confident has made him into an Iniesta type player, but with much better vision. However, his finishing is still lagging, and he hasn't convert enough free kicks into goals.

Alex Song is the most surprising performer this year. Much like Sagna was in his fist two seasons, Song has become a grown and confident midfielder. However, he lacks confidence in front of goal, and missed many great changes of testing the opposing teams keepers. Song, Fabregas, Vermaelen and Ashavin are not enough for Arsenal to win a decent title. It is February and it has been very disappointing that there is no addition to the squad worth mentioning.

If Arsenal has to put out a reserve team for the FA cup just because of busy schedule, then there is something wrong. Man U put up the best they have for carling cup, and still capable of beating Arsenal at Emerites few days later. If Arsenal could not take down Villa, then there is something wrong.