Pick of the Week.. Week 3

Yes I know I did not start from week one, but I had to have two weeks to absorb the euphoria around the beginning of the league again and what a start it has been in the best league in the world. But from now on it will be a weekly review over everything thats good, thats ugly and that looks like Joey Barton. 



Game of the weekend : Manchester United 8 Arsenal 2


Well, it wasn't rocket science. This game will be remembered for a very very long time for all the right reasons if you are a United supporter, the wrong reasons if you are apart of the Arsenal faithful and just a showcase of the beauty of the game for the neutrals. The quality of the goals from United can only be admired by everybody who loves the beautiful game. The furore that surrounds Arsenal at the moment with nobody coming in and everybody going out. The stubborness of Arsene Wenger and the utter stupidity from fans calling for the frenchmans head. The big question is whether in the next 3 days we see some money thrown out every which way.


Player of the weekend : Edin Dzeko


I have to admit I am not the biggest fan of the towering Bosnian forward, before the charity shield, I felt he was very sluggish and heavy on his feet. But he seems to have found the form he held in Germany and has flashed in 6 goals in 3 games, not to mention the 4 he scored at White Hart Lane, becoming the first city player in the Premier league to achieve that. He was pushed very closely by Ashley Young who tore Arsenal to shreds with his energy and 2 quality strikes. Dzeko was also pushed close by Rooney who scored 2 superb free kicks and the penalty who seems to regained the form from 09/10. Also a mention has to be given to Nasri, although I heavily questioned his move to Man City, it was a master class with 4 assists for Manchester City's 5 goal haul.


Clown of the weekend : Luka Modric


What on earth this man is doing I have no idea. How he can come into the Spurs dressing room at 11.30 and say he did not want to start because his head was not right is beyond me, and Harry Redknapp says he is one of the most professional lads around. On this view he is certainly from it as he looks to do everything he can to push a move to Chelsea. He gets star treatment at Spurs and is their main man, so why he is showing so little respect, I have no clue. Sadly not far from him, has to be about every soul in the Arsenal back line, Jenkinson put in a brave performance, but the other 3 played like absolute donkeys, shown by Welbeck's first goal.


Goal of the weekend : Ashley Young (Both goals)


The quality of the two goals Ashley Young scored, which were both similar, can be seen from how simple it looked. It looked as though he just effortlessly caressed the ball into that far corner, but in truth the technique and skill to be able to do that sort of finish is something most players only dream of, and to recreate that and do it again is mystifying.


Pass of the weekend : Luis Suarez


If Manchester's teams did not play on Sunday, this man would have won everything. The elegance of Suarez, the movement, the tenacity is on another planet. Everything he seems to touch creates something, a sense of excitement arises. He was unlucky not to score against Bolton but his pass to Downing was truly mind-boggling. It cant be explained how hard it is to do a pass with the outside of the foot, generating so much power while standing dead still. If there was to be a second it would be his delightful ball inside the fullback to downing not long after.


Moment of the weekend : Penalties between Blackburn and Everton


To be honest it was just crazy what happened at Ewood Park, all the 3 penalties shouldn't have been given for starters as Formica left a leg out and dived for both, Samba did not lean on Fellaini at all, although he did crush him while landing, and on top of that, Blackburns penalties were sloppy. Hoilett and Formica both did not have the composure to finish, and the lack of respect shown to Emerton who played his last game was unbelievable. Oh and not to mention Everton winning it with the last kick of a ball from their penalty.

I'd 8-2 be an Arsenal fan right now.

Will this be the moment Arsenal
get the cheque book out

It was dubbed the week from hell. They were nothing like the Arsenal we know against a resurgent Liverpool, they played brilliantly away in Italy after looking shaky. It looked as if they may had found some retribution with that performance to save £26m and their status among Europe's elite. Some Arsenal fans must have dream't late on Saturday that they could somehow find the performance that would inspire their season. Then they woke up. Nobody could have guessed what was to happen from 4pm to approximately 5.49pm. Most fans, pundits, managers everybody in the footballing world could see nothing but a Manchester United win, but not like this. Just saying the scoreline makes even neutrals think they were at a Rugby match.


8-2? This was nothing but a demolition of sadly, being a Liverpool fan, of the highest quality. From the word go Man Utd tore into the fragile and vulnerable Arsenal line up, who consisted of barely any players that would even make the reserves in Manchester's finest club. Even for Arsenal, who had sold the heart of their midfield and their team for the past 3 seasons with Fabregas' inevitable departure to his beloved Barcelona, and Nasri's money motivated move to Manchester City, they wouldn't have even been able to achieve this score on FIFA. They had so many injuries and suspensions with Wilshere, Gervinho, Vermaelen, Squillaci, Sagna, Song, Frimpong and many more it was unlikely they were going to roll over Man United, but they were put to the sword and it cant be helped but think of Fabregas and Nasri thinking they couldnt have left at a better time.





The game started off pretty much as usual with Arsenal having slightly more possesion with Arshavin looking like a lost sheep and Walcott tripping over himself while running at 200mph. Then after 20 minutes, United took control and when the greatest teams take control they often score and Man United did, but only thanks to some of the worst defending I have seen in my entire life, you are taught from young as a defender to not let the ball bounce, but Djorou obviously heard that the wrong way round and let Welbeck in to poke home his second in as many games. Arsenals hope for a reprieve was reject when Ashley Young, who made Jenkinson wish he had still been in the conference, turned inside with a lovely two touch move and curled a magnificent effort around Szczesny into the far corner.


To be honest all the people who tuned in to watch the game will forget what was definitely a turning point, the penalty Arsenal got not long after Man Utd went 2-0 ahead, Walcott actually used his pace to good effect to get a run inside Evans, who barely touched the winger but it was enough to bring Walcott down. This was the moment Arsenal fans had waited for, to show what they were made of thicker stuff. But Van Persie who has one of the best left pegs in the world barely connected with it and De Gea did what he had to do. That was the game over and done with, from the 26th minute. If that penalty had gone in it would have been game on no matter how weak Arsenal were.  

The match ball is going home
with Rooney

From then on it was all about damage limitation as Rooney who had been full of energy, swung a delightful free kick over the wall from 25 yards, with Szczesny getting a weak glove to it. To end the half, the smallest glimmer of hope came about as poor positioning from Evra allowed Walcott to be slipped in, although his shot went straight towards De Gea, his leg actually lifted above the ball to make it 3-1 just before the break. What Arsene Wenger said at half time was obviously nothing comparable to Alex Ferguson's half time talk as the home side started where they left off. Once again Wayne Rooney struck and it was virtually a carbon copy of the free kick he had scored in the first half as he played it to young who teed it up for him, albeit going across the goal this time, Szczesny barely moved. So by now it was 4-1 and it turned from here on in, into an exhibition match. Goals followed again 3 minutes later with Nani scoring the most audacious of chips after great interplay which involved a lovely threaded ball by Rooney. The audacity of the finish would have drove Wenger to drink. 

Park adds a 6th

3 Minutes later, Park who always seems to pop up against Arsenal, was given 5 yards of space, played it out to young, who in turn played it square with ease, for Park to turn home a 6th, yes 6th and there was still 20 minutes to go, records looking to be broken. Van Persies finish 4 minutes later did nothing but highlight Jenkinsons work ethic, and even he felt the strain of the Premier league when he brought down Hernandez and was lucky not to be given a straight red. It looked as though Man United had shown Arsenal Mercy but a decent run by Evra was thwarted by a timid Walcott shove, and Rooney chalked up the hat trick. If your wondering if it has finished yet, well sadly no because Ashley Young again struck a jaw dropping strike, similar to his first to the far corner yet again. That finally ended the rout. The report took so long because rarely are there 10 goals in a game to comment upon.

Ashley Young finishes of the rout
with an exquisite finish

Dont be fooled, Arsenal are a lot stronger than this, and showed it out in Italy and they will be up and around the top 4 in May, but for this to happen and not be a wake up call for Wenger will be beyond me and just about everybody. Although those calling for his head are out of their minds because he has created what Arsenal are as a team and a brand. He just needs to freshen it up, with more co-operation from the board and some defenders who know how to defend. Furthermore, dont be fooled by Manchester United, if that was Barcelona, they would have not even got anywhere near what the Catalans are capable of. They have not had a real challenge yet, and they can still be found out. They can only be measured after playing Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.


By the way. I'd 8-2 be an Arsenal fan right now.

RIOTS? NO THIS IS ALL OUT BARBARISM.

All these riots have taken it out of me and the whole of the London, watching our city, which aint great but its OUR beloved city, getting torn to bits as if NATO have come in and tried to find gaddafi in carpet right. This is just heartbreaking, to see people running round, thinking there hard because they can break down a glass window and rob something from JD? I mean young people our age dont even shop in JD anymore and your going to come up in here and take shoes that you wouldnt even get any credit for out on the roads anyway. Please these people need to clearly re-evaluate their lives cause nobody is going to accept them after this. That reminds me, What is going on with the parents of all these people? Its clear that a lot of neglect within families is happening, if my mother ever let me go and do this, or ordered me on blackberry to go and get a TV, id get social services to go in.


Im not going to be very formal because this is a matter for the young people in London, and we dont get a huge voice and when we do, we are only going to say it one way. These acts of BARBARISM all began because a guy, no matter his personality, was somehow breaking the law and got caught, then got aggressive and got shot and killed sadly. His family did what was right and now they have stopped, its just given people who dont get on with the police a chance to start getting lary.  This stuff of burning down businesses and houses is just confusing, i dont understand why somebody would do that, these looters would probably loot their mum's safe if they had the chance.


I mean people are scared to leave their houses, How can we in our own country and city be living like animals in the London Zoo, and there were rumors that was TIGERS were out of the cage. But all i can see is that the tigers are out the cage and its these guys are out of the cage. I mean if they dont like the police, why dont they bring arms to the police instead of breaking into businesses that have nothing to do with the police. This isnt even a riot anymore, it is turning into a war and race is no longer the reason. I know that alot of black young people, asian young people feel they get targeted by the police, and its true that they do and we wont know the life of some of these, but if you want to get rid of those racial stereotypes, why are you doing this and then living up to it. Life is just gonna get harder for all of us now, because some people want to get some free basmati rice from tesco's. I wont even lie, it looks like the apocalypse has just happened out here.


We could go on for days about the people looting but its just too tiring to continue, the way the police have dealt with this is shambolic, the strategy of the riot police, running at rioters, then stopping and doing it continuously, is giving the rioters the chance to try and act big and chuck missiles at the police. The London met have 32,000 officers, and a reported 2000 are out patrolling, if all the officers were out there, this would be funneled in an instant. The truth is, there is just one answer, Get the army in and soon all these people who are trying to act up would be crying themselves to sleep if the soldiers got onto them.  I have heard calls to shoot, gas, taser, the rioters and to be honest it would probably help stop it right now, but there are so many they would just keep coming back like a disease.


I like all of of the teenagers just want it to stop, there are people we know who are doing it and have completely gone out of control, how the mothers of these guys can just sit there and watch the news, i hope they feel guilt. Most of all we just want our city back to being quiet and improving, no thanks to these jokers in the government who can go chatting up waitresses while people are fighting for their lives. Just chill and do it the right way for the sake of London Town.