Arsenal ... tactically perfect

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
06 Jan	5:15 PM	FA	Liverpool (A)	3	1	Win

Editor's note: The contents of this article take place before the Carling Cup demolishing of Liverpool at Anfield.

A week is a long time in football, or so they say. And the evidence of this can be seen in a couple of things that have happened this week in the stratosphere occupied by London's greatest club. That being said, however, what is also becoming clear to me is that some things never change; i.e. the media's relationship with Arsenal.

Before I go any further, congratulate the manager and the team on an awesome result at Anfield on Saturday night, some of us believe Arsène Wenger to be a less than capable tactician, especially when compared to Messrs Benitez, Mourinho and the like.

One sentence rang loud and clear from Mark Lawrenson on Saturday night: "Arsenal ... tactically perfect." Okay, it's only miserable old Lawro, who was distinctly less pro-Liverpool than his mate Motty who sounded like he was going to cry on Saturday night, but it was great to hear.

Not as great as seeing the look on old Hansen's face post-match - can't win in the north west Al? No, we've only beaten your beloved Liverpool and Manchester United up there this season. How many other teams have managed that? Exactly.

And that brings me onto what I really wanted to say about the media, why do they find it so hard to give Arsenal credit? I read a match report in the Mirror this morning - okay, so it was the Mirror, but still - and all I was reading about was how Liverpool don't have the finances of Arsenal and the implication being that Arsenal knocked Liverpool out because of the money spent on the team.

Well correct me if I'm wrong, but did LIverpool not spend £6.7 million on Jermaine Pennant to play on their right flank in the summer? £6.7 million for someone so dedicated to his craft he was playing with an electronic tag on his ankle not so long ago.

For the same money, Arsène Wenger signed Saturday's match-winner Tomas Rosicky. In central midfield Xabi Alonso alone cost more than the midfield two that Arsenal put out on Saturday night. The financial disparity would have been even greater had Francesc Fabregas not been suspended, which just shows you that you don't always get what you pay for - as our friends from South West London are finding out.

Daniel Agger cost more than Kolo Touré and Philippe Senderos put together and up-front the total price of Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt (£16 million) is greater than the £11 million Wenger paid for Robin van Persie and Thierry Henry. So Mirror journos, get some fact checkers before your next piece of drivel, Liverpool - get new scouts and Terry "Cockneys get all the luck" Christian - get a life mate!

Before I move onto more serious matters, if I had made this comment on the forum here on Saturday afternoon, I suspect I might have been sectioned, but I said to my girlfriend I thought it wouldn't be a bad time for Manuel Almunia to come in as Jens Lehmann has lost some of his lustre of late. I'm not advocating dropping the big German, but it was great to see a less than faulty display from the genial Spaniard.

Hopefully, Jens will refocus on the things that made him great last season. Wasn't it nice to see us defending corners without the keeper going mental every 30 seconds? A word too for Senderos, who was awesome on Saturday - let's hope he can keep it up, and of course Tomas Rosicky, let us doubt no more, this guy is a match-winner.

User Comments

gunnertastic

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 09:37 PM - Reply

Mate, there is no such as tactically perfect, at least when it comes to arsenal. Lawrenson was talking crap. Arsenal do nothing for 30 odd minutes and just because Rosicky scores a wonder goal we were tactically perfect. Bollox.

fredisdead, bombay

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 08:19 PM - Reply

that was another great article.
even if results don't always go our way. for the rest, it must ache to see a team as smooth as the arsenal.
and the promise of days to come is dazzling.

Beat Blackburn first then talk

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 03:29 PM - Reply

What if Alonso got that penality? We were a bit lucky on Saturday. We took 3 chances and scored. There was not much between the two teams.

Blackburn away will prove a bigger test if we can actually win up north in a hard tough tackling traditional British game.

bojed

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 02:28 PM - Reply

Trader mate, you're the one who has picked the wrong example by including reyes in that quota. the author was referring to the lineup in the FA/carling cup matches and by God i swear i didn't see even reyes' socks on the pitch

Ricky

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 12:39 PM - Reply

Not as great as seeing the look on old Hansen's face post-match - can't win in the north west Al? No, we've only beaten your beloved Liverpool and Manchester United up there this season. How many other teams have managed that? Exactly.

That part, I loved. ;)

Don't forget we have beaten Liverpool 3 times this season (3-0, 3-1, 6-3), Man U once (1-0), drew against Chelsea (1-1) and beaten Spurs (3-0), IIRC. I think that sounds about right. :)
---

JLo

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 12:24 PM - Reply

Great!!!

When Journalist Asks Question

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 11:46 AM - Reply

I really commend your efforts on this article. I wonder when the whole will see how a manager perform miracle with fish bone while others also perform miracle with the whole fish. Let's give credit to whom it belongs, Wenger is the best manager that ever grace the English Land. This I say in comparison with the Powerful 4 - Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

I wish Arsenal (laugh Arsene) Wenger stays on

Trader

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 11:17 AM - Reply

Im sorry but you pick and choose your transfers in that example. Reyes was 17m, Walcott was 11m, Henry was 10.5m and Van Persie was 3m. Thats over 30m. Arsenal and Liverpool have both spent pretty big money, but nowhere near as much as Chelsea and United, who spend 20 - 30m on players.

However, even as a Liverpool fan, I think Wenger has spent his money a lot more wisely and has generally bought better, younger players. However in the past 2 years there hasn't been much between the sides. Arsenal were much better in 2004/2005 but Liverpool finished 14pts ahead last season. Both have won an FA Cup and both have reached champions league finals. The 2 clubs have similar resources and both are relying on their managers to close the gap on United and Chelsea without spending billions!

For the record I think Wenger is a fantastic manager, managing to close the gap on United in the late nineties until 2005 despite a small surplus in transfer fees. Arsenals squad also has far better potential as we witnessed this week.

Rain Dance

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 10:53 AM - Reply

Great Finance Review !!! There's something not everybody notice.

kluangman

Posted on 12 Jan, 2007 at 09:46 AM - Reply

great article mate!!!
i'm proud of arsenal young stars...the future looks very very bright...i'm hoping wenger will stay for a long long time...and for some of the commentators...they are so biased...arsene wenger works miracle with arsenal..he is a super human being and a very good manager...those commentators are so naive and arrogant to admit the simple thruth about wenger's remarkable achievement to arsenal fc...

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