RSSFlamini’s assist was better than his goal - match report and player ratings
No real saves. One decent punch. I’ve suddenly realised he no longer makes me nervy (touch wood mind).
7
Kept Damien Duff pretty quiet and bombed forward in both halves.
7
Controlled the defence well and by hook or by crook, we seem not to be conceding goals (Spurs game excluded).
7
One dodgy moment where he needlessly gave the ball away, but on the whole his form is much improved and it’s three clean sheets in three for Big Phil/
7
The usual stuff. The guy is unbelievably focused.
7.5
Two massive moments that won us the game. And did the usual snapping too.
8.5
A welcome goal to end the over-hyped drought and involved in the two others too. Not yet back to his very best, but getting there.
7.5
Struggled to get involved early on and booked. But got better and better and by the end was slinging the ball around at typically outrageous angles.
7
Flits in and out of games, but when he was in, much of it was good. Looking stronger and stronger on the ball.
7
Nothing too special, but scampered around, caused a bit of trouble and looks increasingly comfortable in the team.
6.5
His usual combative self. Missed one volley but made amends a couple of teams later.
7
Let his football do the talking. Flicked on in the build-up to the second and laid off to Cesc for the third. Good work.
7
Slotted in fairly comfortably.
6.5
Another of those nights for the work experience kid. He’ll get there.
6
Arsenal 3 Newcastle United 0
From Goodplaya watching in the pub
TO my eyes this was a nervy night not settled properly until Cesc Fabregas added a marginally offside third.
To most other people this was probably a routine win that was never in doubt.
What is not in question is the star of the show was Matthieu Flamini. Released by a combination of Hleb and then Cesc, the sight of him rampaging down the right wing was welcome in itself.
What followed was delightful. He could have slung in a cross and then bemoaned the lack of strikers in the box. But instead he waited, waited and then released a peach for Adebayor to head in.
Until then we had looked decent but clear cut chances had been few. Given hurried one clearance out for a corner and Adebayor volleyed over, but the Geordies had done a decent job of containing us.
Despite some diligent work from Diaby, too much was going through the middle of the pitch. Hleb’s failure to get into the game epitomised our struggle.
Newcastle were decent going forward, if prone to wondering offside. And for 15 minutes after the break an equaliser looked possible. We were not doing a whole lot wrong - they just seemed to come out determined to avoid a repeat of Saturday’s second half surrender.
Bendtner replaced the busy Eduardo. We didn’t have to wait long to see if he and Adebayor could work together. The Dane flicked for his partner and when the ball was forced out to the byline, Diaby kept it in, fed Cesc and he gave it to Flamini.
Thirty yards out, he took a touch and pinged one across goal. As it left his boot I consciously remember thinking “hello”. And it flew like a bullet past Given.
We had been playing well enough. But sometimes you need a moment of sheer brilliance to make the difference. When Matthieu Flamini is providing said inspiration, it’s a good sign.
Still, I’d rate the assist marginally above the goal. Both were a sign of just how far he has come.
Tellingly, the ball had been worked out wide for both goals. It’s a point I’ve made before and I imagine I’ll make again.
A third followed when a slightly offside Bendtner played in Cesc. His instinctive, shanked left footed finish was so reminiscent of Eduardo that I thought it was the striker - until I remembered that was unlikely given he was no longer on the pitch. It also ends the Spaniard’s slightly over hyped goal ‘drought’.
This was a good performance. Not outstanding, but in the Fulham game and two matches against the Georides we have shown a decided and timely return to form. Newcastle had their moments, but they were predominately the product of good play rather than sloppy defending, which was another good sign.
Particularly pleasing were good performances from Diaby and Senderos. Both needed to find some form. Both have.
I can’t add a lot more because I wasn’t there and couldn’t observe the little things you notice being at the match. After a recent splurge on tickets and with a visit to Manchester to see my sister and catch Saturday’s game planned, I didn’t make a huge effort to get tickets for this game.
Instead it was the pub, where the sofa was comfortable, the beer decent, the screen big, the commentary in English and the Thai food excellent. I’d gladly advertise the name, but I suspect they’d rather I didn’t.
30 January 2008 at 1:48 am
I dont know how can people be so cool watching games like this. I for one am very tense.
0:0-tense
1:0 even more nervous
2:0 calmer
3:0 now I can really enjoy it.
and I really hate it when they tell me : Oh but why are you like that, you will win dont worry. see they havent crossed the half line
hate it!
30 January 2008 at 1:52 am
Fifth gun
30 January 2008 at 1:53 am
Tense? Errr… riiiight. I sat in the stadium feeling relaxed all night you numpties.
30 January 2008 at 2:02 am
well we can only lose this type of game you know. I can be calm for AC Milan, but not for newcastle or birmingham at home. 3 points are vital anything less is criminal. and as everybody knows no matter how much you dominate they can always get a stupid goal, and as long as its 1:0 they are in the game and we are not safe. so its ours to lose. = tension :)
30 January 2008 at 2:03 am
Great review Goodplaya. Apparently Arsene also agrees with you on the Flamster’s great assist: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3091306,00.html
30 January 2008 at 2:13 am
got up and watched it at 645am, sydney time…bit sleepy at wk now
was a decent preformance from the boyz, flamini is just on another planet! so many ppl whinging we need to sign another cb, but our 5-1 to the spuds was not due to poor cb’s, it was due to a poor dm (gilberto)…look at the diff flamini makes…he was everywhere tonight! my biggest concern is if he gets injured!! more concerned abt him getn injured over cesc…we aint got no cover in dm, berto’s lost it & diaby hasnt had enuf(if not any) time there, denilson injured…can see djourou playin that role in the future, but couldnt slot in to help us win the title(right away).
anyway ade cant stop scoring (im going to have to chg my view on him soon), cesc is getting back to top form and we kept a clean sheet.
goal diff between us and manure is only 3 goals now…CMON U GUNNERS!!
30 January 2008 at 2:45 am
[...] dan Flamini mendapat pujian AW setelah menunjukkan prestasi yang baik pada awal pagi tadi. Mengikut rating yang disediakan setelah analisis. Flamini merupakan pemain terbaik perlawanan. Tahap mutu yang baik [...]
30 January 2008 at 4:10 am
english,please
30 January 2008 at 4:53 am
My biggest concern is that Adebayor goes psycho at a nightclub and nuts two bouncers, the paparazzi, and punches his girlfriend (again?).
He and Flamini look sooooooo confident. When spinal players look that unbeatable and express it all over the pitch it drains the opposition psychologically. It can’t last, can it? If it does we will at least make up the goal difference over the next few weeks, even if Manure turn over Derby.
30 January 2008 at 5:03 am
yeh turning over the goal diff is very important now…i thought after we scored the first that the team would go into cruise mode, but after b’ham wenger must have bollocked htme (in his own way)…
would be sooo shite to come second in the prem on goal diff alone! need pompey to do what they do best…nil all draws!
30 January 2008 at 5:34 am
Your thoughts on almunia echo mine exactly, it almost seems he belongs now. Last thing i remember him doing slightly wrong was coming out to evra on the 2nd united goal awhile back
30 January 2008 at 8:20 am
I thought the result was never really in doubt. Newcastle just didn’t look like they knew how to score until Butt’s free kick at 0-3. And even then they didn’t score. Flamini - if he leaves on a free for Man United or Real Madrid there will be a riot.
30 January 2008 at 8:52 am
Its good stuff from the Arsenal and if they maintain this form, good things lie ahead.For Flamini, he was quite patient and he is now enjoying the game like any one else and thank God he is on form when Cesc isn’t.For Ade, he is quite impressive and am happy that he is proving all the critics wrong. And finally Gael cant go unmentioned, he is zealous and very determined to win something whenever he plays and that is evident in every natch he is lined up.
30 January 2008 at 10:27 am
almunia made two crucial blocks at the end that any paul robinson woulda flapped at, rated 8 at least!
30 January 2008 at 10:41 am
true…
30 January 2008 at 10:42 am
alan,
Almunia’s still shit though aint he? He’s like a time bomb
30 January 2008 at 11:03 am
“His instinctive, shanked left footed finish was so reminiscent of Eduardo that I thought it was the striker - until I remembered that was unlikely given he was no longer on the pitch.”
Heh, I thought exactly the same!
30 January 2008 at 11:56 am
I think that the constant offsides that Newcastle were getting can be credited to Big Phil. He adds so much organisation to the defence, it can’t be coincidence that teams are getting caught offside so much when he’s in the team.
Also, I’d like to see a stat to see just how many clean sheets we get with Senderos in the team. I’ve got a feeling that it may be more than we’d give Big Phil kudos for.
30 January 2008 at 12:26 pm
Wrighty,
yeah but alot of them clean sheets will probably be down to bad finishing from the other team.
30 January 2008 at 1:57 pm
Anthony you pussy, stop abusing The Blogster or your fucking nicked you little girl
30 January 2008 at 2:53 pm
that was a good result i have to say i only became calm after the Cesc goal,after the Brum game the team has made me on urge so much now that i wear gloves each game i go to i jus dont have any more nails to deal with the nerves….
30 January 2008 at 3:07 pm
Casicky,
You want to try supporting spurs, I’ve only got stumps at the end of arms
30 January 2008 at 3:18 pm
I thought Cesc had a great game. He had a hand in the goals and did very well all round i thought. Not quite at his imperious best, but thats an extremely high standard to aspire to remember!
Feels great to be back on top. Walking on air at work today. I have a feeling points will be dropped tonight, maybe not by Manure but by one of the other three.
here’s hoping….
30 January 2008 at 5:03 pm
Heres hoping……………What?
Spit it out Steely, the suspension is killing me
31 January 2008 at 8:31 am
here’s hoping one of the other “big three” drop points. As was proved correct when liverpool slipped up. Ya numpty!
31 January 2008 at 1:21 pm
I love Arsenal
31 January 2008 at 1:44 pm
Nenen Gunadi,
You also love goats, so whats your point?
31 January 2008 at 2:14 pm
blog head, you have a dangerous oedipal fixation, especially as your mum is a test tube.
31 January 2008 at 3:31 pm
here’s question:
does anyone know what’s alex song position for cameroon. defence or midfield?
also eboue?
thanx
31 January 2008 at 5:23 pm
Gob Head,
Leave my mum out of this, she’s battling crack addiction and losing. The last thing she needs is to talk about her childhood
31 January 2008 at 6:10 pm
song is playing in midfield, i’m pretty sure
31 January 2008 at 6:53 pm
thank you bill, I was wondering
31 January 2008 at 8:22 pm
Yeah leave me outta this, I’m not sure whats worse, getting off the crack or dealing with my infantile pervert son. He’s completly obsessed with you Gooners you know.
19 May 2008 at 6:07 pm
naked a some hot nude paris hilton sex video tape…
Recently leaked footage of the new Paris Hilton sex tape…