Where are we on Friday April 18 ?
Considering the season that is about to finish.Considering the beginning, middle and end of 2007-2008.
At the beginning, dropping Gilberto was harsh and radical.
Arsene Wenger asked himself this question: How can I get more out of what I’ve got?
Answer : By playing a collective high-energy game with fast passing and many tackles, many interceptions. By momentum, by playing a style that other teams can't copy or play against, by losing the ball and winning it back because we have more players near the ball when we lose it.
To me this season’s radical change was similar the radical change in the summer of 1997.
He wanted to get more out of Bergkamp in 1997-1998, just as he wanted to get more out of Fabregas in 2007-2008.
But how ? How could he get more out of Bergkamp? How could he get more out of Fabregas ?
In 1997 he sold Merson, signed Overmars and Petit, won the ball earlier, passed it forward more quickly, brought in Anelka as the season went on, and romped the double with power and pace, with stylish attacks at high speed.
The way Arsene solved that 2007 problem was sheer genius. Because Merson carried the ball, as Hleb does, while Bergkamp sent the ball.We know that a ball moves faster than a player, that the ball never gets tired. That's why we say : make the ball do the work.
It was bold and the team just got better and more dynamic and they did a lap of honour at Wembley after beating Newcastle, who had no chance, as I said here before that game. Newcastle were also-rans in Arsenal's lap of honour. Champions normally do a lap of honour on their own ground but Arsenal did that and then they did another at Wembley. Sure, they played a match that day as well. But both teams knew who was gonna win that FA Cup Final
In 2007, Flamini was a one-man whirlwind in centrefield, Hleb’s skill and Fabregas's vision gave precision to attacks whose tempo was set by Flamini, and Fabregas played further forward and scored more goals than ever before.
So Arsenal went top and stayed up there for six months. They were top for two thirds of the season and then they collapsed. But they still played well for two thirds of a match.
So that was 2007-2008 for me : A small squad gave us two thirds of a great season and after that they gave us two thirds of a match. Injuries, bad luck, bad refereeing played a part as well.
Still, Manchester United will be worthy champions.
Last Sunday we saw a Gilberto who has not been the same player since he lost the captaincy and did not start against Sevilla. But at Old Trafford he almost scored two goals. His volley was blocked by Song and then he made a tremendous long run to connect with an Adebayor cross but Rio Ferdinand shinned that dangerous ball against the legs of Edwin van der Sar and it rebounded away.
What about Reading? They've slipped away badly this term, diving towards the relegation zone. To be honest, I've not thought about Reading, so I'll say only this : If it’s 1-1 after 54 minutes, Steve Coppell will not bring on Tevez and Anderson.
Anderson doesn't score goals but he's a whirlwind who would be fabulous at Arsenal, who need a left-footed ball-winner/counter-attacker. He's a helluva player and reminds me of Gerry Francis, who was also stocky, balanced, fast, technical and rambunctious.
Playing for QPR when they came second and one point below Liverpool in 1975-76, Gerry Francis would tank into 50-50 challenges, drop his shoulder, knock his opponent over, and come away in control of the ball. Gerry did this time and time again and it was really fun to watch as he broke forward and passed to Stan Bowles, who was a genius.
One day QPR played Southampton and Gerry went flying into a 50-50 with young Steve Williams in centrefield. And I got the shock of my life because Steve Williams tanked right through Gerry, knocked him on his arse, and cruised away with the ball ! I could not believe my eyes. I'd never been so surprised in my life. Steve Williams had done to Gerry what I thought Gerry would do to him. I always remember things I only see once.
I loved Gerry as player and rated him as a manager at QPR and recommended him strongly to Nick Hewer when Sugar was looking for a manager for Spurs.
Steve Williams signed for Arsenal in 1984 for a fee of £550,000.
When George Graham’s Arsenal played Liverpool in the Littlewoods Cup Final in 1987, Steve Williams was the best player on the pitch in a 2-1 win. That was the first League Cup Arsenal had ever won !
When he was good, Steve Williams was as good as anybody in Europe. His foot was broken by a brutal challenge from Norman Whiteside as he volleyed a clearance in the right back position, near the touchline. I can see it now. Steve Williams was much more talented than Flamini.
Many readers have cheekily asked for a private email containing the piece I wrote on Tuesday night.
That unpublished piece might be here one day. It could be exactly a year ahead of its time.
My friend Ken Early has sent an mp3 file from Newstalk 106, Dublin.
It contains radio commentary "highlights" from former Liverpool striker John Aldridge on the 4-2 thriller at Anfield.
On Theo Walcott's astonishing 80-yard run, Aldridge said, "...take him out! Take him out! ...Mascherano shoulda took him out, took a booking."
Thanks for that, Aldo, you thug.
** MiYaFuSHi **
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