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Archive for December, 2007

Middlesbrough vs. Arsenal match preview

December 7th, 2007

For those who want to stream this match live,you can refer here

This game is a must-win game before they go back home to prepare themselves to fight Blues next weekend.

Gunners must dominate the game if they want to win the game confidently.In last two games they could drop 4 points in two games if our opponent was better.We want to win because we are great isn’t it,and not because we play against weaker team.

I also think that Gunners are currently lack of some creative playmaker that can hold the ball in the midfield.In last two games,I noticed that our attacks halted when it just reached midfield,and hence enemy’s midfield could done their job to support the strikers very well.We could do nothing except to defend.

So if we want to improve our game we must improve our midfield first.

I can’t predict what formation Wenger will play since I had predicted wrongly for all three games.But I think 4-5-1 is sensible choice since we want to strengthen our midfield.About the attack,our left and right wing can support our striker.

Eboue and Denilson could support our lone striker.

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Arsenal cashed their one game in hand into a point

December 5th, 2007

We just managed to get one point out of our “one game in hand”.

Everything started well,after Ade banged in our first and the only Gunner’s goal in the game just after 3 minutes from the first whistle.

Then,it just quite as same as the game against Villa when our opponent slowly dominated the game and it went until the break.

In second-half,it become worst as Magpies kept the possession and made a lot of dangerous attacks but we still coped with them until in the 60th minute,when Taylor made the equalizer for Newcastle.

Then,Gunners began to take back the possessions,but it’s too late to lift the game.

From my point of view,we are trying to conserve our energy and yet winning the game.It’s not that we can’t beat Magpies,but it costs us some zests to beat them and we need to stay fit for next game and Chelsea’s game next so we didn’t took out our best.

When I mean the best,I did not mean that Persie and others should play,but our current players that play in this game did not show their best.After the first goal,we slowed down and proceed to defend that goal,just like we did against Aston Villa.When in last weekend’s game we didn’t concede,but in this time we are not strong enough to defend and with Magpies determination to beat the “EPL giants”,we must conceded in latter stage in the game.

When Newcastle equalized,then Gunners tried to lift the game in the last minute.They started to control the game just I said before,but it’s too late.

I think we should be relieved that we did not lose this game.

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Newcastle vs. Arsenal match preview

December 5th, 2007

For those who wants a live streaming in this match,you can refer here

It’s time now for Gunners to cash their so call ” one game in hand”.

I don’t sure whether we face them in right time or not,since Magpies had been suffering tremendous fall in their EPL games,with 4 lost in their recent 5 EPL games but we too lost some key players in our squad like Fabs,Hleb and I don’t hope for more players in our injury list.

A win in this game will see us 6 points difference between current EPL’s runner up Manchester United,and 8 points difference between Chelsea.

I’m worried the Magpies will play physical game with us,though we could cope with them in this game,but it will hurt us if more players are injured in this game.The main problem is the refs just can’t do enough to protect players and this contributes to more violent games in EPL compared to other leagues in Europe.

I think Wenger will field up their usual 4-4-1-1,but I think 4-4-2 is better for us.

Maybe the game will go just like our game against Villa last weekend,but if it progress like that then our back four will have to work hard to defend,but maybe counter-attack is great in this case,since recently Newcastle had concede quite a lot in sudden counter-attack by their opponent,and their game against Blackburn is the best example.

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Premiership update 4/12/07

December 4th, 2007

Let’s look at current EPL table;

Pos.TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Arsenal15114032122037
2Man Utd1510322571833
3Chelsea159422291331
4Liverpool148602662030
5Man City159331915430
6Portsmouth1576225131227
7Aston Villa1583426161027
8Blackburn157532018226
9Everton1573526161024
10West Ham145451912719
11Newcastle155462125-419
12Birmingham154291624-814
13Reading154291832-1414
14Fulham152761824-613
15Sunderland153481529-1413
16Tottenham152672628-212
17Bolton152581222-1011
18Middlesbro152581327-1411
19Wigan1523101126-159
20Derby151311534-296

After three months,Arsenal still lead the table with 3 points ahead of Devils,who won 2-0 against Fulham yesterday.But if Arsenal beat Newcastle tomorrow,Arsenal will have a 6 points lead against Devils.

Chelsea came back silently in the challenge and with their win against Hammers,we and M. United but be careful of them.

Liverpool took revenge for M.United after they thrashed Bolton 4-0 at Anfield.It seems Benitez has rotated his side correctly.Let’s see how they fare against Devils in Dec 15.

Man City proved that they are not strong enough to be top four for now after they were upset by new Wigan led by Steve Bruce.But the most painful upset will be from Birmingham’s Larsson who beautifully curved the ball from 20 yards into Spurs’s heart and I don’t hope Gunners will be upset by such a thing.

Portsmouth and Everton drew 1-1 and no one can take advantage against each other.Villa too can’t take advantage from this situation since they just can’t score at least an equalizer against Arsenal.

Probably the team that benefited the most will be Blackburn Rovers,who beat Magpies 3-1 in Ewood Park,and they stand at 8th place in EPL table.

Sunderland ended their painful defeat last week with their 1-0 win against Derby,who I think will be relegated this season.

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Aston Villa 1-2 Arsenal

December 1st, 2007

Proper and safe defending ensure Arsenal maintain some distance with roaring Devils and Blues.

At beginning of first half,Arsenal attacked at their right-side,whereas Villa attacked our right side most of the time.Then,the game seems bleak for Gunners when Gardner scored against us at 14th minute,resulted from the fact that Clichy can’t clear the ball or at least made some contact with the ball and this fact was exploited economically by Villa’s midfielder.

Then,the possession seems equal for both side until 20th minute onwards when Gunners began to take control of the game and they scored the equalizer at 24th minute,when high-momentum Flamini shot violently for the equailizer.

12 minutes later from the equalizer,Ade made it 1-2 for Gunners with his straight header towards the Birmingham Lion.Arsenal still took the control of the game but the scoreline remained the same for the 1sr half,in fact,it was throughout the game.

In 2nd-half,the things looked completely different.Aston Villa took the control of the game and maintain the possession,just like Gunners did in 1st-half.The attack somewhat lessen at 75th minute onwards,but still the possession in their hands but we began to take more control of the ball.

Anyhow,I’m glad that Gunners could collect three points at dangerous Villa Park but O’Neill’s team definitely deserved a thumbs-up,be it from Villa’s supporter as well as Gooners.

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