Long journey home

By Boris Mellor
March 9 2008

What kind of headline is that? Well I am trying to find something positive about this result, and that is about it. Hardly likely that Man U will drop points against Derby and Bolton is it? In my preview I wrote, “Arsenal will now have to come down from the heights of the San Siro to playing on Wigan’s rugby pitch. I hope they can make the adjustment”. Well now we know, they couldn’t.

Wrong selection

I also wrote that, “Anything that disturbs the Flamini, Fabregas axis cannot be good”. Of course, Wenger had selection problems, and Eboue was sorely missed. Gilberto did not play that badly, but the team is clearly less dynamic when Cesc and Fab are separated. Bringing on Toure and RvP was a good idea, but now we know Toure cannot really do it there. Perhaps putting him at right back, and Sagna ahead of him might have been more effective.  It was good to see RvP back, but it was hardly surprising he missed several barn doors, but his return will pay of fairly soon.

Unforgiven

Arsenal’s best chance was on two minutes, a great through ball to Adebayor, who although clear on goal could not get the ball past the keeper. The rest of the first half, and much of the second was dull, a phoney war with little happening. I only remember Almunia making two serious saves, and their keeper four. The game only opened up in the last ten minutes with both sides going for it. Arsenal looked more likely, but could not get the ball past the massed ranks of Wigan’s defenders; the Latics faced the same problem at the opposite end. For either team to have lost in the last minute would have probably have been an unfair reflection of the game. However, fair has little to do with it, ask Birmingham.

 Wenger praises defence and denounces pitch

Arsene was disappointed with the result but praised his midfield, and defence, but felt it was very hard for the strikers, as the ball would not stop bobbling about on the lousy pitch. He is not over concerned about dropping 6 points in three games, he argued these patches happen, but the team will overcome it.

All to play for

As far as he is concerned it is still all to play for, and this could still prove to be a useful point, it is too early to say.

Curse of Palmer and Lawro

Both were definite that Arsenal would win. My philosphy is that only three things in life are definite, death, taxes and the return of a Labour MP in Jarrow, and I am not too sure about the third.

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