retired_Brandon Scott

lol no need to apologise my friend-keep em coming-wicked story :thup:

retired_dfj003

Team against Wigan :

Lehmann

Eboue
Toure
Richards
Gallas

Hleb
Gilberto
Fabregas
Guardado

Asamoah
Henry


Subs :

Adebayor
Baptista
Van Persie
Walcott
Moutinho

His good form in the League Cup earns Theo Walcott a place in the squad while fit again winger Andres Guardado returns on the wing, pushing Van Persie to the bench. Gallas at left back again, the position he has taken from Urby Emanuelson, who has been suspended..


English Premiership 4/11/2006
Emirates Stadium, Arsenal

Arsenal V Wigan

Having been away on international duty, the players returned to club action a little more tired than usual, and although the team didn’t immediately recapture the form they had been in before the break we started to get more and more into our rhythm as the match went on. Aliaksandr Hleb managed to get an early goal, which was vital. After half time the players improved their game significantly, starting to play like they had before they had gone off with their countries. On the hour mark Thierry Henry doubled the lead and bagged the three points when he met a Guardado cross on the volley. Guardado was one of the players who stuck out, despite having been injured, the Mexican looked more as though he had just had a short break, he was a sharp as anyone and only narrowly missed out on the man of the match award. Wigan wouldn’t go without a fight though, and with time ticking they pulled one back through Svetoslav Todorov, but we held on for the three points.


Arsenal 2
Hleb 5
Henry 60

Wigan 1
Todorov 83

Man of The Match : Aliaksandr Hleb (Arsenal)

retired_dfj003

The victory against Wigan saw us extend our winning run to seven games which I am absolutely delighted with. The new signings have really done well and have been very important, but I am concerned that one season of success may lead to extremely high expectations, and then if I don’t win the Premiership or whatever next season, I will be sacked. My plan for the club doesn’t involve winning the title this season, that wasn’t my expectation. I wanted to have a shot at it but it is not so bad if we don’t win it this year, I am building a team that should be in the top two or three in the world in a few years, not now.

William Gallas has been named in the team of the week once again after a good performance against Wigan, but Alex Hleb was kept out of the select by Cristiano Ronaldo.

We are travelling to Russia tonight for the team’s return to Champions League action on Wednesday, I am very much looking forward to the game, though several big players will be rested and remain in England.

retired_Brandon Scott

Nice installments Tom: dont worry though-the Arsenal Board are pretty good with their managers :cool:

retired_dfj003

Team against CSKA Moscow :

Ricardo

Denilson
Djourou
Richards
Traore

Obertan
Moutinho
Marchisio
Guardado

Asamoah
Walcott


Subs :

Adebayor
Baptista
Lehmann
Van Persie
Senderos
Clichy
Cardenas



Champions League Group C Game 5 22/11/2006
Dinamo, Moscow

CSKA Moscow V Arsenal

With some of the younger players in the line up I knew we would be hard pushed to maintain our 100% record, and so it proved as Moscow broke the deadlock after twenty minutes with a strike from Jo. That was it for the match, as both sides played out an un entertaining game. I told the players to attack more at half time but they just couldn’t find anything and meekly surrendered the 100% record put in place by the seniors. Moscow were much the better team and would have scored more had it not been for the outstanding Ricardo, who I am considering playing in our next Premiership game. It was interesting to see Ricardo, who was on the losing side, outshine Igor Akinfeev to win man of the match. The Portuguese played very well and was brought to the club after my bid to sign Akinfeev failed. With Lehmann still playing at the top of his game, Enyeama developing nicely and Ricardo, at thirty, yet to reach his peak, I felt the need to buy any more goalkeepers was not great.

CSKA Moscow 1
Jo 20

Arsenal 0


Man of The Match : Ricardo (Arsenal)

retired_dfj003

Team against Fulham :

Ricardo

Eboue
Toure
Richards
Gallas

Hleb
Gilberto
Fabregas
Guardado

Asamoah
Henry


Subs :

Adebayor
Baptista
Van Persie
Emanuelson
Moutinho

Emanuelson takes his place on the bench after returning from suspension, and Ricardo takes Lehmann‘s spot as number one after impressing in the Champions League.

English Premiership 25/11/2006
Craven Cottage, Fulham

Fulham V Arsenal


I was looking forward to seeing how the team would cope against Fulham, who are the surprise package of this season and sit second in the league. Their success has been built around a 4-5-1 formation that we have not encountered too many times this season, and I guessed they would look to stifle us.

They proved extremely well organised in the opening stages as we failed to get our usual early goal. Fulham may not play the most exciting football in the league, but it was among the most effective and organised as they closed us down and didn’t give the ball away. We managed to make the breakthrough though in the 32nd minute when the ball broke luckily to Gyan Asamoah who slotted home, it was a vital goal, and I hoped it would open the gates for more but that was the only incident of the first half, and when the second started, it looked like there would be no more incidents in the whole game, there was in fact one more. And it was a wonder goal from Simon Elliot, eventual man of the match, that ended our winning streak. He picked the ball up thirty yards out and curled in a magnificent effort. Nobody could do anything about it, and I hadn’t a clue what to do next. I knew that Fulham wouldn’t give anything away with their new found organisation and hard work.

So in the end I watched on in disappointment as we settled for the draw, there were literally no chances in the last twenty minutes, Fulham had defended brilliantly. At the end I had nothing but encouragement for Chris Coleman. “You’re doing a great job, and you really deserved the point, well done” I said as we shook hands, knowing full well that as the lesser experienced manager I really shouldn‘t have been encouraging or analysing the situation for an older manager.


Fulham 1
Elliot 70

Arsenal 1


Man of The Match : Simon Elliot (Fulham)

retired_dfj003

The main disappointment of the Fulham match was that next up were Man United at the Emirates, I had wanted to get all three points so as to feel that say, a point against United would be very good. I have to say, I would take a point, but all the same it would have been better to go to the match on the back of a win. Arsenal are the form team however, with seven wins and a draw in our last eight games we are comfortably at the top of the league, we are five points ahead of United, and if we win it will be eight. It’s the second big game in a couple of days, with the United match moved to Tuesday for television coverage, we have only a short break before the game at the Emirates.

retired_Brandon Scott

My goodness Tom-where you been? Oh and welcome back

retired_dfj003

Team against Man United :

Ricardo

Eboue Toure
Richards
Gallas

Hleb Gilberto Fabregas
Guardado

Asamoah
Henry


Subs :

Adebayor
Baptista
Van Persie
Emanuelson
Moutinho

Ricardo keeps his place in goal as I stick with the team that drew with Fulham. I stuck Kolo Toure on Wayne Rooney, with Micah Richards watching Scholes, but I made sure the players did not concentrate on man marking Ronaldo, he can be stifled using our normal zonal, if all goes well, though I fear we may not be able to keep him quiet. Thierry Henry was given a licence to just attack, and encouraged to have a dribble with the ball, and make plenty of dangerous forward runs to confuse Man United’s defence, though that was another difficult looking task, baffling Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Although Vidic didn’t look to calm last season, he had been improving this year as the months went on, and now looked reliable at the back. Man United also lined up with Tomaz Kuzcack in goals, the Polish international displaced number one Edwin Van Der Sar earlier this season and the Dutchman has been on the bench ever since.

English Premiership 29/11/2006
Emirates Stadium, Arsenal

Arsenal V Man United

Just eight minutes in Thierry Henry had the crowd roaring when he tucked the ball in to send us ahead against our bitter rivals, but the joy was shortlived as the linesman’s flag was held up to indicate offside. Already Alex Ferguson was on his feet, yelling at Rio Ferdinand, who should have been watching Henry. The United fans took delight in the offside, and started a rendition of ‘you’re not singing anymore’. This got even louder in the 13th minute when Nemanja Vidic played Wayne Rooney in with a wonderful long ball, and the striker skilfully lobbed the ball over Ricardo. “Now why couldn’t he have done that in the World Cup Quarters?” I thought to myself as the chunky striker slid on the grass in front of the United fans, yelling in delight. The Englishman’s first goal against the Portuguese goalkeeper just had to come in this match, didn‘t it?

The atmosphere in the ground was incredible, more so than it had been all season. United’s away fans were loudest, but soon the gooners brought back up the volume, screaming the team on. The team started to wrestle control of the game from Man United, and started to create more chances, Andres Guardado should have scored in the 19th minute, when clean through on goal, but dragged the ball wide. It didn’t matter though, moments later Gilberto Silva jumped high to win an aerial challenge with Scholes, and headed onto Thierry Henry, from a narrow angled the Frenchman waited for the ball to reach him before sliding the ball past Tomasz Kuszczack. 1-1, and the Emirates got even louder. Man United looked in a bad way, they were proffesional, but losing the lead so soon had thrown them off their feet, and they certainly weren’t ready for what came next. From the kick off United launched an attack, but a one two between Scholes and Carrick was read and intercepted by Micah Richards, who decided to risk it and advanced into United’s half with the ball, before passing to Henry. The Frenchman took a touch on the outside of his foot to spin Nemanja Vidic and then play in Gyan Asamoah, who had been neglected by the United defence. Asamoah hit the ball just as Gabriel Heinze slid across, but it was sweetly struck and neither Heinze nor Kuszczack could do anything as the net rippled with Asamoah’s strike. Alex Ferguson was beside himself, in just two minutes his side had surrendered the lead, and fallen behind. Even I was amazed at what had happened, but refused to get drawn into the manic celebrations taking place around me. “Sit down!” I insisted as Martin Keown leapt into the air, fists clenched. But it was hard to contain myself, when we had fallen behind I felt it was going to be very difficult, and although it wasn’t easy we had turned the game on it’s head.

We were now in control, Man United were in trouble, they weren’t playing anywhere near their best now. Rooney, Scholes, Ronaldo and Giggs had all had the sting taken out of them and weren’t producing anything. I could tell they were desperate for half time, they needed to regroup and come out and equalise, then they could take the game to us. I sensed our opportunity to increase the lead, making it more difficult for United. As we approached half time the players got better and better, and with eight minutes left of the half, when it looked like we would go in at 2-1, William Gallas came forward to support an attack from the wing, he floated a cross into the box where Alexandr Hleb rose above Giggs to head home. The Arsenal bench went mad, and I joined in this time, jumping up and clenching my fists. The goal served to fire us up even more though, and it was another quickfire double three minutes later, Henry picked up a pass from Fabregas, he accelerated past Vidic and then easily beat Kuszczak to increase the humiliation. The Emirates was rocking, the crowd could scarcely believe what they were seeing. 4-1 up against Man United! Sensational.

The teams went in at half time, and I almost felt sympathy for United, who I was sure were going to get the hairdryer treatment from their boss. Sure enough, when I was telling the players how well they had done, I heard raised voices from the nearby dressing room where United now were. ‘Keep it up’ was the message I gave out to the players, somewhat different to what Fergie would be instructing his team. As we went out it emerged that Paul Scholes had got injured and would be replaced by Alan Smith.

The second half began, and Man United were a better team, they had benefited from their manager’s wise words and kick up the bum that they needed, and looked ready to give a decent shot at a comeback. My players were also ready though, and didn’t lose control of the game, Cesc Fabregas coming close to getting on the score sheet with a close range effort. Amazingly nobody had been booked in the first half, but when Gary Neville slid in on Gyan Asamoah Graham Poll, the referee was urged to give Neville three yellows by a nearby section of fans. Poll decided one would suffice, and Neville became the first player to go in the book. Asamoah was not content however, and returned the favour by upending Neville to get in the book himself moments later. From the resulting free kick, Michael Carrick somehow created a chance for Wayne Rooney, playing the striker in at the far post, but Kolo Toure saw the danger and moved quickly to clear the ball. Rooney’s frustration showed as he went in late to get the ball as Toure cleared, he fouled the Ivorian to earn what would incredibly be his first booking of the season.

The game settled down after a few more minutes, but with only twenty minutes to go Man United sensed that their time was up, and that they were going to lose. Arsenal were in control, and would not surrender control, and with six minutes left we scored a well earned fifth to send the crowd into raptures. It was Thierry Henry again, and this was the pick of the bunch, as he picked up the ball near the halfway and advanced on Rio Ferdinand, suddenly he put on a burst of acceleration and sped past Ferdinand before speeding past Gary Neville as well. In the area, there was no way Henry was to be denied his hat trick, and he passed the ball into the net, away from the flailing arms of Kuszczack to cap a sensational game. It was of course the hat trick hero who won man of the match.

Arsenal 5
Henry 20, 40, 86
Asamoah21 Hleb 37

Man United 1
Rooney 13
Scholes (inj.) 45

Man of The Match : Thierry Henry (Arsenal)

retired_dfj003

The media is having a field day after our win over Man United, and the win has delighted the fans and board, and if I’d been offered four points out of six in the games against Fulham and Man United I’d have taken it, our unbeaten run is now nine games, and eight of those were wins.

The team is back in action on Saturday at Vicarage Road to take on Watford in the league, but unfortunately Andres Guardado is unlikely to feature, as he suffered a stubbed toe in the game against Man United and Mr Lewin informs me that he will be out for at least a few days, probably a week.

I have two days before the match on Thursday, but I suspect the media will be more interested to hear about the win over Man Utd than anything else.