I think Bayern Munich may have just swiped the crown as the best club side in Europe from the heads of Barcelona after another convincing victory against the Catalans but this time at Camp Nou. With Messi out of the game the home side where never going to have a chance in hell of coming back.
Barcelona were beaten 7-0 on aggregate while Bayern beat us on away goals this is not even taking into account that the home match was before we had addressed our defensive balance. Yes Bayern may not have been or needed to be at their best in the away leg but let us not just brush that victory under the carpet as if it is standard practice to beat Bayern at their own ground. It isn’t.
I cannot decide if watching Cesc and Song look a fraction of their best makes me giggle or if it makes me a little sad, I guess it is a bit of both. It is easy to act as if Cesc has had a terrible time since joining his boyhood club, that is not the case he has had spells of playing some wonderful football this season as well as parts of last but last night and a few recent games he has looked a shadow of the player who was the best midfielder in the Premier league in my opinion.
I read a tweet last night that hit the nail on the head. ‘Cesc is so busy trying to be Barcelona that he is forgetting how to be Cesc’ and that was how I saw it last night. He is a small component in a footballing machine. He may as well not have a name and number on his back.
When things are not working at Arsenal, many point the finger at the manager for the team not having [insert instructions] from the manager but when Arsenal click into gear you really see so much freedom and expression. Cesc Fabregas was allowed to do whatever he wanted that would get the best out of him. Think back to Thierry Henry, in another team he may have been instructed to stick on the shoulder of the centre back and not divert from that but he had licence to express himself wherever he wanted which was often as a part time left winger or deeper allowing the wide men to dart inside.
You can see how so much inconsistency has been shown over the last few years, with so much attacking freedom allowed, our teams have had to gel naturally so when players like Cesc, Nasri, Arshavin, Song and van Persie disappear for different reasons it is not easy to throw a load of replacements on the pitch and tell them to just carry on where the others left off or worst still, improve immediately.
Anyway, going back to playing with freedom. You can see why so many have either enjoyed playing under or want to play under the management of Arsene Wenger.
Watching Alex Song is very interesting whether that be in midfield or defence, he is far more restricted which is probably a help to his game in truth but it is like he is told to only make one touch five yard passes, anything else will see a fine come his way. He hasn’t been trusted at Barca and only plays in emergency these days.
The grass has been greener when it has come to trophies in some cases but not a great deal of players move from Arsenal and then produce better individually to a team. There are a few exceptions because perhaps they hadn’t reached their peaks at our club.
Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the official site about the importance of desire and commitment, needless to say I agree with him. He always speak so well and as Poznan in my pants once said, he could well be future management material.
Looking around the squad there are far less Bendtner and Nasri types who needed to be in the mood to give everything. Instead you look at Arteta, Ramsey, Wilshere, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Cazorla and plenty more who will always [insert football cliche]put a shift in[close football cliche]
These foundations are far more sturdy than recent creations, and that for me bodes pretty well for the future of this new team.
There isn’t much else going on today so I shall leave it as that.
’til the next time
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