The Big One

Whilst Sven has another 6 days to single handedly turn England into the most insipid, uninspired and unmotivated team in the entire world, arguably the biggest game of the last 16 is finally upon us. Spain v France seems to have everything you would want in a football match. Both teams have excellent individuals but the French are getting old and out of sorts whilst the Spanish can never seem to gel as a team and always always ALWAYS flatter to deceive.

Lots of Arsenal interest in this one - another chapter in the PV4 v Cesc battle and after such a comprehensive whipping at club level, Old Patrick will be up for this one. Henry can finally do some damage to the white-pointy hat wearing Aragones whilst Zidane and Raul battle it out for who is living off their name the most! For me, Raul wins this hands down as Zidane was at least world class once!

Putting Zidane back in the team is going to stifle the French and if he plays, I'd have to favour Spain. However, if France play 2 up front, the wily old heads coupled with the worlds best forward should mean they have just enough to get past a Spain team determined to hinder themselves by playing Raul. Old v Young, midfield battles, racism revenge, Arsenal players past and present...this one has the lot.

Spain should be favourites but France got exactly what they needed against Togo and I can see them doing just enough again if sans Zidane.

Either way, its going to be special. If I were you, after reading my Zidane/Raul kicking, I'd run down to the bookies and put money on a 3-3 with those two scoring all the goals. Typical.

Let Down

we were crap crap crap. more tomorrow.

Derby match

So many players in the Swedish side have played in the Englsish and Scottish leagues that todays game will have the feel of a local clash about it. From our very own Fred, to Linderoth and Everton, to Alexandersson and Sheffield Wednesday, its a practically a Premiership game. The players will be accustomed to the tempo that we try (and usually fail) to impose on a game and both temas play similar solid styles with one of two flair players and I'm not convinced this bland approach will take either team past the quarter finals.

One interesting point is that since we will know the German score by kick off; will we purposefully try and avoid them by going hell for leather or allowing a loss? Whilst the media would never forgive this, along with the IN-GERLAND van drivers, surely its just a more extreme version of resting players for the second round? If it means we get Ecuador then I'm all for it.

I can't see this being a particularly open game, rested players and the similar styles will make sure of that. Ibrahimovic is out for them, but when I've seen him play at Ajaz, Juve or international level, I've never seen him live up to the hype bar 1 hooked goal (against Italy I think) in Euro 2004.

This gives Rooney and Owen a chance to gel and recover fitness and allows the Canuck/Kraut/Taff of Hargreaves to finally get a full 90 minutes. Win or lose, at some point we'll have to play a team far better than the Germans if we get to the quarters so maybe so much shouldn't be read into the 1st or 2nd place finish. And as for Frank the Tank, if he plays he gets a game to recover form and if he gets booked, it means we can play a more defensive midfielder next and a more advanced Gerrard, which if not in this tournament, is surely the way forward.

I'm intrigued about Hargreaves, but as my esteemed beer swilling arm chair overlord of the World Cup mate noted; can we expect much of Rooney if he is short of fitness and isn't the most naturally athletic player we have anyway? We then remembered the last time we slagged him off before he single handed spanked Boro in the FA Cup with a few awesome goals! TOnight is a 1-1 or a 1-0 to England for me.

Enjoy tonight; its the only World Cup game where the result doesn't matter!!

Red, White and New

Having studied E Commerce law for far too long I'm quite sure that the link below will not get me into any trouble and quite honestly, I don't care if it does, I'll just take it down. Stupid Copyright laws...along with Teddy Sherigham they are surely the most boring, useless and out of date concept in the entire world.

Anyway, here is the new home shirt as seen through drinking glasses...

http://www.arsenal.com/images/pics/kitlaunch2006_b.jpg

Its obviously back to red and white and is in line with the retro/classic kits that Brazil are wearing at the world cup this year with the piping on the collar etc... Personally I really like it, not only for being back to our true colurs (Cindi Lauper should be added to the Sheringham/Copyright list come to think of it) but it has a badge in the proper place and definately hits the spot. Good stuff.

I'll get back to the World Cup tomorrow before the England game when Sweden will surely 'out-England' us again at our own game. If Jenas plays, I'm leaving the country.

Normal service resumed for Germany

Uninspired, static, workman-like, efficient, poor, jammy and just plain lucky.

But is that not how the Germans have won so many World Cups? On what occasion have they actually had the best team in the World? Whilst it is true that the best team in the world rarely wins the World Cup, they've won it so many times by being exactly what they were last night, its not even funny! Still, they'll plod their way into the quarter finals; momentum may take them past Sweden, but when they come up against a team with creativity, their flat footed defence will be beaten silly. YET, we still wouldn't put it past them to win the damn thing would we!?!

Spain were very good yesterday, but refereeing decisions meant all it showed was that they could seize initiative once handed to them on a plate rather than how great a team they are. Brazil v Spain quarter final could be rather tasty though. Fair play to Cesc for breaking yet another record for one of his teams!

England v T & T at 5 today...people are talking about how we need a performance as well as a result, but if we are gonna grow into this tournament, another 1-0 win and another slating in the press could well happen and would set us on our way at least. If you offered it to all the people killing England, I bet they'd love to win a World Cup in the same way Germany have so many times! I don't believe we'll get further than a lucky semi final appearance at best, but it can't help to slag off the team, and that England team is a long way away from the one I would pick!

A ground out result tonight then should see us qualify for the second round with a game to spare, and EVERYONE would have taken that one week ago, no matter the way it was achieved!

Oh, Harry 'used car salesman' Redknapp; take your son and go to hell when talking about Walcott like that.
P.S. Could you take Sol Campbell too?

The Midas Touch

Thats what one of the BBC muppets said Wenger has when it comes to spotting a player, and on yesterdays evidence, the man still has it. Denied one of the greatest World Cup hatricks of all time, Tomas Rosicky really does look a player. If that can be transferred to Ashburton Grove, we could be in for a treat and not miss Pires as much as I first thought. Also, having a player that isn't scared to shoot from long range will help, I mean look at Frank the Tank at Chavski, most of his shots are heading wide but by playing a percentage game, some are bound to deflect in...he just seems especially lucky at it!

Brilliantly, Robin Van Persie is picking fights with the Old Age Pensioner that is Arjen Robben. His looks however had nothing to do with his electric performance. He didn't even dive too much! As great as he was though, if john motson (he doesn't deserve capital letters) points out that he should pass it to other players in better positions, Robin Van Persie is justified in saying it too. Still, its always fascinating to see just how the Dutch will implode and ruin their own chances this time around!

The France v Switzerland game today was as I thought it would be. Whilst the BBC take pot shots at Henry for not being the same player for France, they would do well to remember that this team is instead built around Zidane's friends and thats why France won't get any further than the quarter finals at best. I fancy the English team against the French more than I do us playing the Germans. There is something of a mental block when we play the Krauts, and even though niether France or Germany are not as good as they usually are, the English just don't have the big game bottle to get past either team...especially Fritz!

Brazil are on tv now and obviously the BBC novices (I feel sorry for Strachan and Leonardo) are killing them for not having won the World Cup in their first match. The Italians looked solid without being spectacular and I still have a sneaky feeling about them this year.

This time tomorrow, all the teams will have played and whilst European teams are completely dominating proceedings, there will be a suprise or two come qualification time for the next round. For me, its France, Sweden or Holland not to make it through to the knock out stage.

Czeching In

Its the first chance for us to see Rosicky in action for the Czechs since he signed for us last month. Personally, I'm especially interested to see how he links up with Koller as he is in effect, an Adebayor big boy type player. Rosicky and Koller were at Dortmund together so they know each other inside out. If he could take that experience of playing with a big man to Ade next season then it could be another handy weapon. No need to address whether he'll work with Henry. If he plays on the left of midfield, then I have real hopes of a quality partnership for those two.

The Czechs in genreal are a very good team. Cech in goal, solid at the back, technical in midfield and in Baros and Koller, have finishers up front. Their best chance of glory came in Euro 2004 and to say they were the best team at the tournament wouldn't have been far off. The 'Greek Incident' was a one off and won't (hopefully) happen again. The Czechs finest hour is gone, and with a tie with Brazil if they qualify, they won't go too far this year. I'm pleased they aren't in our side of the draw as they are still a very very good side on their day, but too many players are not only the wrong side of thirty, but thirty three.

Still, Rosicky will be interesting

3 points is 3 points...

Or so the saying goes. Lineker and his joke collection of 'experts' slated the team for a long while, but surely we don't want to peak too soon? I'd much rather Frank the Tank started deflecting them in and Stevie G was inspirational in a quarter or semi final than an opening game in what is a very favourable group. Would you rather we scored 5 against Paraguay when one would do the job or would you rather the magic was turned on when we are up against Holland/Portugal in the quarters? No contest really.

Lets just use this very easy group to adapt to the heat, the expectancy and allow the players to settle. We beat a South American team by one goal in hot conditions. What would we give for the same solid and unspectacular performance against another South American team in 6 games time?

Patience, 'tis a marathon not a sprint.

Why don't Madrid just move to London?

Thats right. Not only do the candidates for Presidency want Wenger, but they are reeling out old comments on Reyes and Cesc. Why stop there you greasy twats? Why not change your name to Arsenal Football Club, take over our new stadium (that we funded ourselves because we aren't bank rolled by the Spanish Government/King/Tosser) and buy every single one of our players. Indeed, why don't they change their 'I've always wanted to play in the famous white of Real Madrid' kit which is the trademark of any new signing there, and wear red and white next year?

Its pathetic. If the 'biggest team in the world' (again a trademark of their latest wank-tico) need to have every single player and manager from a North London club, what the hell is wrong with them?! Vieira, Henry, Cesc, Reyes, Wenger, Overmars, probably Kolo Toure...its been going on for years and I'm fucking fed up. Why do they think they have this right to come in and think we are a feeder club? If they or there players hadn't noticed, it was us in the Champions League Final this year and in the last 3 years we've won the 2003 FA Cup, had the best Premiership season ever in 2004 and won the FA Cup in 2005. What the fuck have those over paid, over weight, over the hill, badly run wankers won in those years? Why would these players leave a successful club for a dying one? CHRIST, even there ancient embarrassment of a left back Bobby Charles wants out.

EVERY FUCKING SUMMER its Barcalona or Madrid. Do there club puppets of papers not realise that no one significant from Arsenal has gone to these clubs since Anelka? Even then we raped them for him.£22 million and Suker...hahaha! Did Vieira go there? did Henry? will Cesc? GET OVER YOURSELVES.

FUCK MADRID, FUCK BARCALONA, FUCK SPAIN.

Their fans deserve a decent World Cup and they have far more talent than England but I hope they bottle it again.

But they can have Sol Campbell for free...he makes Jamaicas forwards look good

TWATS