Manchester United Win Premier League Title For 20th Time

Good morning!

I’m back to writing on my phone this morning, so apologies if this ends up being a tad shorter than what you’d usually expect.

Manchester United officially sealed the title that we knew they’d win since December 9th, 2012. Robin van Persie’s late free-kick secured three points in a 3-2 win over Manchester City, to poke United into a six point lead in the league.

From that moment on, we all just knew what was going to happen.

In years to come, when United supporters are asked to name a best XI, not many of this title winning team will appear, bar the obvious inclusion of van Persie. Sure, the likes of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs will be in said team, but it will be the Scholes and Giggs of Manchester United teams from the past. In their own way though, this title win is actually classic Manchester United.

Roberto Mancini remarked earlier in the season, that teams playing Manchester United are mentally beaten before kick-off. The times that United have won games they really shouldn’t do is outstanding.

I remember as an Arsenal fan, watching my team lose to 2-1 to at Old Trafford in the 2007-08 season. The likes of Alex Hleb, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie ripped United apart all match, dominating for large swathes of the 90 minutes. Adebayor gave Arsenal the lead after half-time and soon, Cristiano Ronaldo had equalised with a penalty and Owen Hargreaves scored with perhaps the only free-kick he converted in his professional career.

To lose to United in that instance makes a man sick; two set-piece goals is not how you want to lose, certainly not to a fantastic team like United.

No, Manchester United haven’t been consistently brilliant this season, but they’ve won matches and obviously, that’s the most important thing.

Next season, United have to step it up again. Performances in Europe have dwindled and the goal now must be to make the semi-finals (at least) next season. They also need to re-assert dominance in our country’s domestic trophies.

Central midfielders are desperately needed in the summer. United are very short in that department and this next transfer window must be the one where Ferguson signs the midfielder that United supporters have been asking for over the last three years.

Right, that’s all I have this morning. Really, what more so you write on a team that’s won the league twenty times and done so with matches left to spare, when we knew it had been effectively won in December.

Congratulations, Manchester United.

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Craig in England, Manchester United, Premiership Leave a comment

Alex Song Back To Arsenal / Why Song Should Stay At Barcelona

Good morning and say hello to Friday!

There isn’t much floating about in the news this morning. Everything at this stage of the season tends to rotate around speculation of which teams can pick up points where to avoid relegation. Suddenly, football supporters talk equations and psychology with each other in the stands.

With speculation, we could be here all day, so I’ll avoid looking at who could be relegated from the Premier League. QPR and Reading are just about gone; ten points away from safety is too much of a gap to bridge now.

It’s all about that last spot and I’m putting money on Stoke to fill 18th place.

Anyway, as I said, I’m not getting involved in that speculation (for now).

Alex Song unhappy at Barcelona

It isn’t like we saw this coming, is it? In his last season at Arsenal, in the 2011/12 season, Song was a key player for all the wrong reasons.

As a specialised defensive midfielder, Song’s job was to track runners, sniff out danger and initiate play from deep. Nothing more than that, just the job you would ask of a defensive midfielder. Mikel Arteta, signed from Everton and paired with Song, soon found that he had to be careful when making runs forward from deep, as Song liked to do that as well, often without communicating that fact.

I vividly recall Arsenal playing QPR away last season and for Samba Diakite’s goal, which ultimately proved to be the winner. In this moment of play, QPR countered and Diakite made a run deep from QPR’s midfield and strolled into the Arsenal penalty area to score the winning goal. In the hundred acre space that was afforded to Diakite, where was Song?

Very often last season, Song shirked his defensive responsibilities. There can be no denying however, Song’s importance to Arsenal in the final third last season. Eleven assists, including two world class chipped passes to Robin van Persie for stunning goals against Everton and Liverpool, just highlighted his attacking worth to the team.

At times, Song’s propensity to try the spectacular pass in the final third came at a detriment to the team’s collective cause. Against AC Milan at the Emirates Stadium last season, Arsenal needed a goal in the last few minutes to force extra-time. On one of the final attacks in the match, Song was in lots of space in midfield, bringing the ball forward. To his right, was the option of passing to Park Chu-Young, which would have stretched play and kept the momentum going. Ahead of him, was Robin van Persie, who was slightly to the left of the area. As he had done earlier in the season against Everton and Liverpool, Song tried a chipped pass over AC Milan’s defence, but this was read and thus cleared by Milan.

On the touch line, Arsene Wenger was going apoplectic, gesticulating to Park Chu-Young and asking why Song hasn’t made the pass. The groans inside the stadium suggested that had been once too often from Song. Coming back to the QPR match at Loftus Road and Song tried said chipped pass about four times when the simple pass would have been a better option.

Alex Song is a very good football player in terms of ability and skill. In terms if anticipating play and positional awareness however, Song comes up short and this has been exposed since his move to Barcelona.

Reports circulating after Rigobert Song (Alex’s uncle) said Alex Song is unhappy at Barcelona have fuelled talks of a return to Arsenal. This wouldn’t happen for a number of reasons, one being that if Francis Coquelin is given a prolonged run in the team, then he’ll develop into an incredible player. Second, third and fourth reasons being that Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere play in this area. There’s no need for Song at Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger said in his press conference yesterday, that Alex Song should give it a go at Barcelona for at least another season.

Song could do with two more seasons learning and perfecting his game with Barcelona. If Song improves his anticipation of play, then he will improve to a great degree. There’s also a great need for Song to extinguish his ambitions of joining attacking play before he can be a great defensive midfielder.

That’s all from me today. Have a good Friday!

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Craig in Arsenal, England, La Liga, Premiership, Spain Leave a comment

Alex Song Back To Arsenal / Why Song Should Stay At Barcelona

Good morning and say hello to Friday!

It’s all about that last spot and I’m putting money on Stoke to fill 18th place.

Anyway, as I said, I’m not getting involved in that speculation (for now).

Alex Song unhappy at Barcelona

It isn’t like we saw this coming, is it? In his last season at Arsenal, in the 2011/12 season, Song was a key player for all the wrong reasons.

Arsene Wenger said in his press conference yesterday, that Alex Song should give it a go at Barcelona for at least another season.

That’s all from me today. Have a good Friday!

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Craig in Arsenal, England, La Liga, Premiership, Spain Leave a comment

Liverpool Rue Lack Of Creativity

Good morning.

Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his relief yesterday, saying Manchester United’s defending was “erratic” and even “desperate” at times. In turn, Liverpool attacked with a strong sense of desperation, without any real control. After Daniel Sturridge dragged Liverpool back into the game at 2-1, they seized the initiative in midfield and forced Manchester United back, but in the final third, there was no great fluency and as hard as Liverpool worked for an equaliser, everything was forced in desperation and said equaliser never arrived. Read more

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Craig in England, Liverpool, Manchester United, Premiership Leave a comment

Southampton Resolute / Robin van Perfect / Classy Berbatov

Good morning!

Welcome to 2013! Apologies for the no-post yesterday, I was in fit state to be writing anything about anyone, so I gave it a miss. In full confidence that you will have been in the same state I was, I don’t feel so bad about not doing a post.

Anyway, we’re back now and personally I want to thank you all for coming on and reading what I have to say in a week. The rise of Jumpers For Goalposts in the past year has been incredible; working with Real Madrid to help promote their new Apple app was a personal favourite, as have been the immense hits coming through each day. It really is a privilege to have you visit us five days a week and over the next few months we’ll be looking to improve the site, to ake your experience on here more enjoyable.

Southampton resolute in draw against Arsenal

On the back of a four match winning streak, Arsenal fans, myself included, can be forgiven for writing a match against Southmapton down as an “easy three points”. Not that Arsenal ever earn an easy three points; even with four wins in a row and form improving, you never know which Arsenal you’ll get and as sluggish as Arsenal were, that has to go down to the unbelievable rate of work put in by Southampton’s starting XI, as well as their substitutes.

A key tactic used in preventing Arsenal from firing on all cylinders this season, is to press the midfield deep, stop them passing and whatever you do, don’t let the Gunners build from the back. Nigel Adkins had his team press high, they were organised for the entire ninety minutes and despite conceding an own goal from Theo Walcott’s free-kick, Arsenal never created anything clear-cut, and nor did they ever appear as if they would do. Defensively, I thought Southampton were at the best I’ve seen them so far this season.

Southampton didn’t just push employ a bus in the middle of the park, either; they attacked with menace when they won the ball and late on, Jason Puncheon, who really impressed me during the match, should have grabbed a late winner for Southampton. Of the two sides, it was Southampton who looked more threatening in the final third and if they can maintain that attitude and level of performance for the rest of the season, or even better it, which they are capable of doing, then they won’t be relegated. There are teams in the bottom half of the table with far more problems than Southampton and if the the Saints can play like this for the rest of the season, they’ll play Premier League football next season.

Robin van Perfect

I noticed on Twitter yesterday that Manchester United fans were saying, “I always knew Robin van Persie was good, but I never knew he was THIS good”. This begs the question; “Where on Earth have Manchester United fans been?! Under a rock?!!!”.

So far this season, van Persie has scored 14 goals and made 6 assists in 20 Manchester United appearances, coming off the substitute’s bench three times. Even when suffering with injury at Arsenal, van Persie was prolific and Cesc Fabregas himself has said that his one major regret about his time at Arsenal, is that van Persie wasn’t always fit for his time there. For example, in the 2007/08 season, van Persie, blighted by injury, made just 15 appearances. In spite of injury, he still scored 7 goals and assisted 3.

That the Dutchman is tearing up Old Trafford with ease comes as no surprise. Yes, in the summer I asked whether or not United could have allocated money elsewhere, such as to their midfield which has its struggles, but I never doubted the quality that Robin van Persie was going to give. I’m certainly not as blind as Charlie Wyett, who claimed van Persie wouldn’t score over double figures.

For me, the only reason Manchester United fans are so bemused by how good he is, is because he’s miles better than any other striker they’ve had in the past couple of decades. United have continually had good strikers, even great ones, but they’ve never had a van Persie.

Classy Dimitar Berbatov

Finally for today, I must pay homage to the soothing football player that is Dimitar Berbatov. Signed in the summer from Manchester United for a tuppence, Fulham have been laughing their faces off at how good Berbatov is. Personally I didn’t think the move would work, but I was clearly so, so wrong. Berbatov has always been brilliant, he just so rarely featured in his final season for Manchester United that we’d forgotten what he’s like.

In his post-match interview with Sky Sports yesterday, Berbatov revealed he has been drilling it into the youngsters at Fulham that they just need to keep calm, pass the ball and make the opposition run. It’s so simple and everything the Hungarian looks just that. For example, his goal yesterday was classic Berbatov; he received the ball on the halfway line, pivoted, chiped a ball behind the opposing full-back from the centre circle to release Ashkan Dejagah down the right, Berbatov followed the run at his own pace, burst into a sort of sprint at the last moment and fired Dejagah’s cut-back through the legs of Ben Foster.

If there’s a DVD out there with all of Dimitar Berbatov’s first touches, accompanied by classical music in the background, then I’ll buy it.

That’s all from me on this one, I’ll see you later!

Follow @J4goalpostsblog

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Craig in England, Premiership Leave a comment

Van Persie Gets Hit By A Ball / Sturridge Has Liverpool Medical / Huntelaar Signs New Schalke Deal

A weapon of mass destruction.

Good morning!

A merry Christmas Eve to you all! We won’t be posting on Christmas Day, so do have a great day tomorrow, I hope you all get what you asked for! After a day off, we’ll back writing on Boxing Day as normal.

Robin van Persie gets hit by a ball

Sir Alex Ferguson has called for Swansea City captain, Ashley Williams, to be banned for “deliberately” kicking a football at Robin van Persie’s head after the Dutchman had been grounded by a challenge from Chico Flores. Williams, a defender, kicked the ball looking to clear his lines as van Persie looked to weave his way into the penalty area.

I can fully appreciate why van Persie reacted furiously to a ball in the back of his head from close range, as it really hurts and it did so much that the notoriously fiery Dutchman proceeded to fight the entire Swansea City XI. Personally I feel that Williams was just looking to clear his lines to make sure the danger was clear and that van Persie was an innocent casualty, but I understand why he reacted in the way he did. I really hope that Ferguson goes ahead with his calls for Williams to be banned, I mean, you can just see the written letter to The FA now;

“Dear Sir,

I am writing to you regarding an altercation between my player, Robin van Persie and Swansea City defender, Ashley Williams. As is abruptly clear, van Persie is struck in the head by a football whilst playing in a football match. I mean, you just don’t need it. There you are, going about your job and then all of a sudden; BAM! You’re hit by a ball.

Naturally, I will be calling for a five-match ban and Williams can consider himself lucky I haven’t pressed forward with Police charges on the grounds of attempted murder.

Yours sincerely,
Sir Alex Ferguson.”

Not in a million years is Ashley Williams going to get banned for kicking a football, it’s the most ridiculous/funny thing I’ve heard all weekend, Cheers, Ferguson.

Daniel Sturridge has Liverpool medical

With Liverpool and Chelsea having agreed a fee for the transfer of Daniel Sturridge to Liverpool, Sturridge travelled north for a medical on Saturday, ahead of his proposed move in January.

As I said the other day, I think this is a great move for all parties concerned. Chelsea Football Club will be delighted to receive £12 million for a player not considered in their plans, Daniel Sturridge gets a chance to rejuvenate his career at Liverpool and Liverpool themselves get another attacking option, as well as an England international to boot. Sturridge has had to endure a poor three and a half years at Stamford Bridge, in which he’s displayed clear potential, but he’s never fully justified his inclusion in the squad. Moving to Liverpool, under a manager such as Brendan Rodgers, represents an opportunity for Sturridge to reinvent himself and under the stewardship of Rodgers, he will be allowed time in which to develop in ways he couldn’t at Chelsea.

It’s a great move for Sturridge, but I’d love to see how many final third passes will occur between Luis Suarez and Sturridge throughout the second half of the season. My guess is 42, and I’m being generous at that.

Klaas jan Huntelaar

Klaas jan Huntelaar, the Dutch international and Schalke o4 striker has signed a new two year deal ahead of his contract expiring this summer. There had been strong rumours the 29 year old would seek a move to Arsenal in January, with Liverpool amongst the names of those interested in the forward.

Just the other evening, I was asked by a friend if I’d like to see Huntelaar at Arsenal, and upon my response I hesitated, before concluding that Huntelaar, a 29 year old, wouldn’t be considered by Arsene Wenger has a sensible option, nor do I personally think it would be a great deal. Signing Huntelaar obviously guarantees goals, but in terms of physique and style of play, there aren’t too many differences between himself and Olivier Giroud of Arsenal. What strikes me about Arsenal, is that they need variation and by that, I mean a striker who is going to move differently and threaten in different ways to Giroud. If you need a plan b, taking Giroud off for Huntelaar isn’t going to change much in my opinion.

Aged 29, I wouldn’t realistically envision Wenger to splash the cash and give a three year deal to a player of 29. For Schalke, it’s great news that the Dutchman has extended his stay, but I don’t think Huntelaar signing a new deal is necessarily a loss for Arsenal. In my opinion, it’s a bullet dodged.

Right that’s me done for today and indeed until Boxing Day. See you then, until such a time however, have a great Christmas!

Follow @J4goalpostsblog

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Craig in England, Premiership Leave a comment

Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United

Good afternoon!

I have a Chicken doing its thing in the oven, so I thought to myself, “why not write a match report on the match whilst the Chicken cooks, eat it when I’m finished and watch the rest of West Ham v Liverpool?”. That’s some damned good organisation on a Sunday.

So, the match was everything we could have envisioned it to be. There were five goals, a bloodied Rio Ferdinand, Roberto Mancini and Mario Balotelli had their obligatory fall-out and Tom Cruise was in attendance, giving a pre-match interview to promote his new film, “Jack Reacher”, because, you know, a Premier League match is as good as going to the cinema now. Helena Bonham Carter will feature on next week’s televised match between Newcastle United and Manchester City to promote Les Miserables.

Roberto Mancini opted to drop Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez from the starting line-up, giving Mario Balotelli his sixth start of the season and when the Italian has scored just one Premier League goal compared to Dzeko’s record of six and Tevez’s of seven this campaign, you have to seriously question the methology of Mancini’s decision. It was a big talking point between Manchester City fans and neutrals and had one of Dzeko or Tevez started, maybe City could have made the first 15 minutes of their domination actually count for something. City started brighter than United and played keep-ball early on, with United unable to win the ball back to the point where Robin van Persie was having to drop back to help out defensively.

Then, the game pivoted, swung into United’s favour momentarily and Wayne Rooney capitalised. Robin van Persie flicked the ball on for Ashley Young in midfielf, who tore away down the left, cut inside and squared a pass to Rooney, who let the ball run across the area before shooting back in the direction he came from. Rooney’s connection with the ball wasn’t the best, but his shot didn’t need to be struck at 100 mph to beat Joe Hart, as the shot was that precise that it had deceived Hart enough to roll into his bottom left-hand corner. After that, Manchester City lost their impetus, failed to keep the ball in the final third and United took a two goal lead thirteen minutes later, again through Wayne Rooney. Rafael’s cut-back found the England international on the edge of the areaand he swept home the chance for 2-0.

For all of the possession that City enjoyed, they had no cutting edge movement in the final third and the languid Mario Balotelli summed uo that half in a two minute spell, in which the Italian, David Silva and somebody else (Pablo Zabaleta, I think) were combining passes without going anywhere. Balotelli mainted his position on the touchline and played backward passes to Zabaleta, Silva was crowded out and all it took to escape the malaise was for Balotelli to innovate and find some space. He was like that for the 52 minutes in which he played. Everything was lazy from Balotelli and Mancini’s indulgence of his compatriot borders on the fatal.

Fortunately for Manchester City, a lazy back-heel early in the second half from Balotelli, which prompted the groans of over 40,000 City fans, knocked Mancini into action as he beckoned Carlos Tevez to strip ready for action. Instantly, City looked more threatening and they carried the game toward United, desperate for a way back into the game.

That route came via Yaya Toure, whose goal was similar to Rooney’s second, with the Ivorian sweeping home from the edge of the area and although they arguably deserved it, Manchester United should have been celebrating a third just a minute earlier. Robin van Persie’s right-foot shot cannoned off of the inside of the post, fell to Ashley Young and the winger converted his chance, but was adjudged to be offside. Replays showed that Young was being played onside by Zabaleta and the goal should have stood.

Sir Alex Ferguson must have been preparing his post-match speech on linesmen in the 85th minute, when Pablo Zabaleta, the man who played Young onside for the disallowed goal, poetically equalised for Manchester City. A corner was headed to the edge of the area by Robin van Persie and the Argentinian made no mistake with a thunderous strike, which made its way through a few red shirts to seemingly protect City’s unbeaten home record of two years.

With two minutes remaining, Manchester United attacked, with Rafael tearing his way toward goal before being upended by the stray boot of Carlos Tevez, thus resulting in a free-kick to Manchester United a dangerous area. Robin van Persie stepped up, swung his immense left boot at the ball, curled it around City’s “two and a half men” wall, the ball took a deflection off of “half a man” Samir Nasri, deceived the footwork of Joe Hart and the ball nestled in the bottom corner. As an Arsenal myself, watching Nasri take a dump in his shorts as he dodged the flight of van Persie’s free-kick was hilarious, though less so when I realised the Dutchman had done it again for United. Not that I’m bitter Arsenal consistently fail to sign their best players to contracts or anything.

Manchester United walk away with the three points, end City’s unbeaten run and give themselves a six point lead over their rivals as we head into the Christmas period. If United can avoid defeat through the upcoming busy period, then they will put themselves in a heavily fortified position as the season begins to enter the final stages. Fixtures against Swansea, Newcastle United, Sunderland, West Brom and Wigan gives Sir Alex Ferguson’s team a great chance to stake a big claim on first place. Manchester City themselves have a fairly comfortable period and by no means is the Premier League title race over, but the team to emerge first in January will be my favourites for the title.

Right, my chicken is nearly done, West Ham are losing 1-0 to Liverpool as I speak and Glen Johnson is playing so well he’s looking like Cafu… WAIT! THE REFEREE HAS GIVEN A PENALTY!! Joe Allen judged to have handled in the area. Mark Noble steps up… GOAL! 1-1.

Enjoy your Sunday dinner!

Follow @J4goalpostsblog

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Craig in England, Premiership Leave a comment

Abysmal Arsenal / Coloccini Red Card Explained / Impressive Swansea

Good morning.

For me, as an Arsenal fan, the weekend just passed was as bad as it gets. Echoing what Arseblog said in his match report yesterday, it felt worse than the 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford last season. For that match, Arsenal were depleted, shorn of Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy and a whole host of players were missing through injury, such as Thomas Vermaelen, Jack Wilshere and Bacary Sagna, whilst Gervinho and Alex Song were suspended. It was a freak Arsenal result and a freak performance, everybody accepted that, but what is hard to accept, is a 2-1 defeat with the vast majority of your best players on the pitch, showing the gulf in quality between your side and the opposition, and how Manchester United exposed said large gulf in quality. Read more

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Craig in England, Premiership Leave a comment

Brave van Persie Move / Manchester United v Arsenal

Morning.

Here we are, smack bang at the end of the blogging week. It’s been exciting to say the least; Arsenal scored seven and conceded five in the Capital One Cup versus Reading and Manchester United scored four and conceded five against Chelsea in the same competition. How exciting is it, then, that Arsenal travel to Old Trafford on Saturday to face Manchester United? Last season, the fixture yielded ten goals, with Manchester United laying claim to eight of them. For Arsenal, it was a day to forget, but will it be the same as last year?

No.

Why? Well for starters Arsenal don’t have apocolyptic injury problems blighting them, whilst they are a much better side than the one which started last season. Naturally however, Saturday won’t revolve around what happened last season, everybody’s attention will be focused on Robin van Persie, who is facing Arsenal for the first time since his transfer to Manchester United in the summer. As an Arsenal fan myself, it’s ever so slightly irritating in the grandest sense of the word that the Arsenal team of this current moment will be compared to the one that featured van Persie last season. Players come and go, but the team always stays the same. That’s weird to say, in the same essence that Trigger does in Only Fools & Horses: “I’ve had the same brush for fifteen years. It’s had fourteen new heads and seventeen different handles”.

As far as football teams go however, the team will adapt to the loss of certain components and work out a different way to play. That’s no different to van Persie leaving Arsenal and I plead to the world and its pundits that comparisons between Arsenal pre and post Robin’s departure are left alone. It’s getting boring now.

What I am willing to say about van Persie, is that he’s a world class football player who is currently doing very well for Manchester United, but I am surprised that Danny Welbeck, Wayne Rooney and to a lesser extent, Shinji Kagawa, have gelled together so well in the little time they’ve had available. I thought an obligation to play the Dutchman with Rooney and Kagawa would have resulted in Manchester United becoming too congested and narrow. Naturally, I was completely wrong, but I I still stand by what I said in relation to van Persie’s transfer, that United should have invested the money elsewhere to cover their frailties in midfield and defence. I agree 100% that van Persie, so far, has been a success at Old Trafford, but in not buying a central midfielder or a centre-back, I believe their decision to buy van Persie could bite them in a not so pleasent area.

Manchester United, as it stand, have only Jonny Evans and Rio Ferdinand as their two experienced centre-backs and have conceded thirteen goals, the same amount as Swansea City in 11th place, seven more than their opposition on Saturday, Arsenal, five more than 14th place Sunderland and… haven’t conceded as many as Southampton, who have let 26 goals in to date, so not all bad I suppose.

Whilst United’s defence has been struggling, their attack has been thriving and that is what is keeping them going at the moment, having scored 24 league goals, the most in the Premier League. Now, they meet Arsenal, the league’s meanest defence, who have only let six goals past them. The Gunners have also scored 14, the least of any of the teams sat above them.

So, United have a strong attack, but weak defence, whilst it’s the opposite where Arsenal are concerned. Hmm. For me, the winner of the midfield battle will win the match. Although that hasn’t often been the case in recent seasons, where Arsenal have dominated and United have scored on the counter-attack, United aren’t that team anymore and will go toe-to-toe with Arsenal, rather than play cat and mouse. Recently, United have been playing in a diamond formation, with Rooney at the tip of it, accompanied by Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young. Arsenal will more than likely start with Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere at the base of their midfield, with Santi Cazorla acting as the trequartista, playing in a free role to provide creativity along with Wilshere who will push forward. On the wings, will be Lukas Podolski and Aaron Ramsey , who will work to press and keep the ball. I am biased when I say this, but I don’t think it’s completely unreasonable to expect Arsenal to overpower United in midfield and win the match.

You heard it here first. Arsenal will win the midfield battle and thus the match.

Either that or again, naturally, I will be completely wrong and the match will be a 7-7 draw.

See you on Monday!

Follow @J4goalpostsblog

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Craig in England, Premiership Leave a comment

Norwich 1-0 Arsenal / Manchester United 4-2 Stoke City / Kick It Out

Even Santi’s Dog couldn’t save Arsenal this time.

Morning.

Domestic football is back with a much welcome bang. Unless, of course, like me, you are an Arsenal fan, in which case you wish everybody would go back to their respective corners of the globe to play some more international football. What a massive anti-climax to the international week, and not because the football has been great, particularly from England, but because I’d built it up in my mind so much that I expected Arsenal to walk to Carrow Road, (they actually flew) claim three points and stroll home (again, they flew).

In spite of what my mind insisted on telling me, Arsenal were shocking, a million miles away from what I’d envisioned for two weeks since beating West Ham United 3-1 and it was an all round poor performance. Defensively, I thought Norwich were absolutely superb, they limited Arsenal to half chances and let them play about with the ball in areas where they were going to do no damage. I can’t sit here and complain about any wrong decisions and so on, as Norwich stuck to a plan, outsmarted the Gunners and even looked the more threatening in attack. Read more

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Craig in England, Premiership Leave a comment

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Robin Van Persie