Plotting Spurs’ Downfall

By: Tom | April 22nd, 2009

I’m not a particularly popular manager amongst my peers. I can’t quite figure out why. I never say anything too controversial and I don’t speak about those in charge of other clubs unless it’s in response to something they’ve said about me. Perhaps it’s simply because I’m in charge of Arsenal, and so automatically the likes of Ferguson and Roy Keane are predisposed not to like me. I really couldn’t care less.

One guy who does like me however, is Juande Ramos at Tottenham (yes, he’s still there, I don’t have updated rosters). Who knows why. Maybe he never got the memo when he first arrived about how our lot are evil up-starts.

In any case, I’d imagine he won’t like me anymore.

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Tottenham vs. Arsenal – Premier League
15th March 2009
English starters: 4 – Taylor, Jagielka, Walcott, Wilshere

Goals – Vela (29), Taylor (88)

A much closer affair than the final score suggests. Our first goal was against the run of play, after we’d soaked up quite a bit of pressure early on. Vela received a ball into the box with his back to goal, turned and slotted home expertly for his first for the club. Nice game to get it in.

The second half was largely featureless, but we got a second late on as Tottenham committed more men forward and after a quick break, Taylor, of all people, scored a deflected shot from the edge of the box. Also his first goal in an Arsenal shirt, and goes to show the extra motivation being a local boy (Taylor is from London) can give you in games like these.

In the aftermath, 14th placed Spurs sacked Ramos. They’ve got another Spaniard in to replace him – Javier Clemente. Definitely a step up.

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Arsenal vs. Sevilla– UEFA Cup 2nd Knockout Round, 2nd Leg
19th March 2009
English starters: 3 – Taylor, Jagielka, Walcott, Wilshere

Goals – Kanoute (3), Van Persie (12), (17), Fabregas (87)

Game of the season by quite a stretch. After being run ragged in the first leg, the boys were really up for it this time. Sevilla played the same weird 4-4-2 formation, with two defensive midfielders and two wingers high up the pitch, but this time I anticipated it. I told Fabregas and Wilshere to put pressure on the two DMs and for the attacking players to close down the fullbacks in an effort to cut off the supply to the forward players.

Things started very badly however. Kanoute pulled off a speculative effort from the edge of the box which seemed to take Almunia by surprise. At that stage, 2-0 down on aggregate and needing to score three, things looked bleak.

We needed a positive response very quickly, and we got it, spearheaded by, of all people, Van the Man Persie. The Dutchman hasn’t had a particularly impressive season, although that’s mainly because I’ve played him out on the left wing, but in Europe he’s been a different player, with six goals and a 7.40 average rating. He started getting into some dangerous positions up front and forced a couple of good saves from Palop, before scoring two in quick succession to put us back in contention.

Sevilla were shellshocked, and never really recovered, as it seemed that the all important third goal had to come sooner rather than later. As it turned out, it was later – agonisingly later – but much deserved.

In the quarter final we play AC Milan. Finally, some kind of European glamour. They are by far the biggest team still left in the competition.

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Arsenal vs. Liverpool – Premier League
22nd March 2009
English starters: 4 – Taylor, Jagielka, Walcott, Wilshere

Goals – Keane (pen 34)

Liverpool have been setting the pace at the top of the table for a good part of the season, and they showed why when they came to the Emirates. They always looked comfortable, as our attack entirely misfired. Jagielka gave away a penalty and then went off for a stupid lunge in the second half to make things even worse. Despite those incidents, he didn’t have too bad a game!

A reality check after the European excitement of midweek.

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Arsenal vs. Blackburn – Premier League
25th March 2009
English starters: 4 – Taylor, Jagielka, Walcott, Wilshere

Goals – Samba (OG 31), Owen (38), (89)

Adebayor had picked up a knock in the last game, so Owen started up front here. All told he’s made 20 appearances this season, half from the start and half from the bench, and scored five goals, averaging 6.93. All of his good performances however, have come in games where we were already comfortable. Whereas Adebayor has often dragged us back into games and won us points that we otherwise wouldn’t have won, Owen has been very much a fair weather player.

Today was the same. He may have scored twice and picked up the man of the match award, but we were already cruising by the time he scored his first. After that we eased off, and Blackburn came back into the game, but they never looked like getting two, and Owen scored another in the closing minutes as they committed too many men forward.

I really want shot of him, but I’m also very worried that no one will take on his crazy wages. I’ve tried to resurrect some kind of exchange deal with Aston Villa for the summer, but he keeps scuppering it. I can only hope that Newcastle are still foolhardy enough to want him back.

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We’re off for international duty next. Time to see if any of my English boys have made any progress in that regard.