Something Great

Arsene Wenger cobbled together starting lineups with spit and duct tape and Denilson and somehow the team dragged its ass over the finish line in third or fourth.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

ZZZ...
























Yes, yes, I know. European tactics and whatnot. But that was one of the worst games I've ever seen. Aside from Ronaldo's missed penalty (evidently Sir Alex needs to fine-tune his robot), a couple half-chances for Barca, and some half-hearted debate about the referee's decisions, there was absolutely nothing to keep my attention. Awful.

Instead, I'd like to offer this story which possesses quite possibly the best headline I've seen in years. Discuss.

4 comments:

JuanFucile said...

I completely agree

i actually fell asleep during both games - it's weird how every manager is content to play just the 2nd leg

Jake said...

since a week of my life has disappeared, (does this happen to anyone else when they go to the stl???) i'll start all the way back at premiership all-star teams.
going with a 4-4-2
GK: David James
how much of portsmouth's success can be contributed to his revitalization.
LB: Gael Clichy
I think i've seen him tackle someone once but mostly he's moving to fast for my eyes to follow
CB: Rio Ferdinand
It was tough to decide between Rio and Vidic, but i think ferdinand was more consistent (i.e. injured less often)
CB: Jaime Caragher
recently he's seen time at right back basically liverpool's defense isn't nearly as strong without him in the lineup and England is cursing the fact that he won't come back to the national team.
RB: Wes Brown
He's done a great job playing out of his natural position all season long, perhaps overshadowed by all the other talent on the squad.
LM: Ashley Young
After an impressive start with Villa last season, this year has been even more impressive first full year with the club and they most feal all that money was well worth it now.
CM: Gareth Barry
Perhaps, quietly like when he pairs with Gerrard on the national team, Barry has had a fantastic season, I know most of his goals have come from the spot, but he's been a stalwart in the middle and has allowed villa to play 3 strikers (including Young) for most of the season.
CM and RM: Cesc Fabregas and Christiano Ronaldo
I filled this in before the season started.
ST: Fernando Torres
Without him where would the reds be? adapted incredibly quickly to english football, i think the only thing he's not capable of doing is growing facial hair
ST: Emmanuel Adebayor
He has fallen out of form recently (who on arsenal hasn't) but he shouldered nearly all the burden for the gunners for most of the season and still has an impressive tally of 21 goals.

Bench:
Joleon Lescott:
stalwart in the center of Everton's defence and added 7 goals so far (same as ashley young, joe cole, cesc, elano, 1 less than drogba and benny mccarthy, 1 more than RvP)
Michael Essien:
i'm pretty sure he can play every position at an all-star level (probably keeper which given Chelsea's propensity for injuries in that position he probably will have to at some point)
Steven Gerrard:
without him and torres liverpool function as well as an imbred cyclops creature.
Roque Santa Cruz:
really carried a struggling Blackburn offense early and like Torres adjusted incredibly fast to the premier league
Tim Howard:
America, fuck yeah!

The only surprise from the other lists was the ommision of Barry.

Champs league games:
i don't really have anything to add other than messi looked dangerous while he was out there, nobody thought ronaldo would miss (perhaps de rossi cursed him?) if there was any question whether or not john arne riise would be at liverpool next year its been answered.
I think the late goal for chelsea has doomed liverpool and also that it was the sort of luck that was long overdue to come back against liverpool (first break that hasn't gone their way in champs league in recent years?)
at least the game at the bridge should be a good one (just like second leg of quarterfinal b/c liverpool have to score) I still think Ballack will be chelsea's difference maker
Its hard to see united losing especially with all the problems (mostly mental?) barca have been having, i wouldn't be surprised to see Barcaleno through but it will mostly likely be an all English final in Moscow (i don't think the English have ever advanced that far into Russia without getting destroyed later)

Premier League:
Holy fuck!!! how do you not start ronaldo and Tevez in the game that can all but lock up the title! is Fergie really that cocky he thinks he'll easily win the last two games? is he that worried about barcelona? is there some sort of bribery with the tv contracts to boost ratings in the last two weeks???
Keeping hope alive, Arsenal could still win the title if they win out and chelsea and man utd get no better than 1 draw in their last 2, realisticly they only need 1 win to secure 3rd and at least finish ahead of Liverpool avoiding a really embarrassing collapse.

Jim said...

Ade may have been deserving, but I think Juan and I got burnt out on his whole "I'll get four good chances per game, screw up the easy three, but somehow score on the most difficult of the four" thing he was doing.

You're right about Barry... I was watching Villa play Everton on Sunday (excellent match, by the way), and realized that him locking down the midfield and his ability to release players in front of him is probably the reason Carew, Young, and Agbonlahor are all having breakout years. He really is the key man for them.

I think we're due for a post on United's sudden vulnerability - from easy favorites for a historic double to suddenly shaky on both fronts is a pretty big turnaround.

Ben said...

Glad the other non-writer reader is back!

Oh, and i had been meaning to write the question, does anyone else think of Avram Grant as similar to Gordon Brown. I mean, they both succeed great leaders with dominant personalities, who have created their team/countries persona. And Grant/Brown are both kind of lame, kind of awk, kind of similar to their predecessor without the personality. Not to mention the various follies that have befallen the Brown administration and the Grant Chelsea football club.

Thoughts? Oh, and you should read How Soccer Explains the World.