[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by athul_S

Considering the weak team and away game, Barca must be glad to take a draw and 2 crucial away goals.

Meanwhile, Arsenal finally announced Cesc transfer

Barca are favorites now unless Spl One comes with something special.

Originally Posted by figo_united

Yup, Finally Cesc can be part of Barca Bench

I feel for Cesc. But then glad that, this never ending Transfer-Saga can be put behind now and Gunners can actually concentrate on real football, with so many pressing concerns to address

[Saanil]

Originally Posted by figo_united

Yup, Finally Cesc can be part of Barca Bench

Till Xavi and Iniesta are there I think he might just play some matches as a super substitute. Fab might start for some easy La-Liga matches and stuff. BTW how old are Xavi and Iniesta?

P.S - What exactly is done in a medical? Since Fabregas was a professional player, ofcourse he would be healthy. I mean has any player ever failed a medical?

[athul_S]

Originally Posted by Saanil

Till Xavi and Iniesta are there I think he might just play some matches as a super substitute. Fab might start for some easy La-Liga matches and stuff. BTW how old are Xavi and Iniesta?

P.S - What exactly is done in a medical? Since Fabregas was a professional player, ofcourse he would be healthy. I mean has any player ever failed a medical?

Xavi is fast approaching 32 and Iniesta is 27. While they are unstoppable when working together, Iniesta is injury prone and Xavi is also reaching that stage where he'd be on the treatment table more often than the past

I remember Aly Cissokho failing medical test of AC Milan a year ago

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by athul_S

Xavi is fast approaching 32 and Iniesta is 27. While they are unstoppable when working together, Iniesta is injury prone and Xavi is also reaching that stage where he'd be on the treatment table more often than the past

So from being the Club Captain at a club like Arsenal to becoming the backup for Xavi/Iniesta!!! That is some promotion!!!

This is really a bad move for Fabregas in my opinion. Barca dont really need him (dont they already have the likes of Thiago, Affelay, Sanchez etc as backups for Xavi/Iniesta already? How many more world class players do they need on bench?) My theory is, Barca just bought him as a preventive action (to prevent him from being poached by Real). Fabregas has never emphatically asserted any aversion to playing for Real, hence this move.

Xavi plays more with his brain, so he'll still be around for at least 3 more years at the very top. Fabragas has a long wait on Barca bench now! What a waste of a wonderful talent

[nfsfreak]

Arsenal escaped with a scrappy 1-0 win at Emirates vs Udinese yesterday (hmm... its this morning!!!). Dint watch the match but checked the score & post match reports. Seems defense was awful except Vermaelen.

Gibbs & Djourou injured and are doubtful for Liverpool clash

Not sure how we are going to cope up with Sanchez, Carrol & co this weekend
We need a good defender ASAP

[athul_S]

Originally Posted by joslicx

So from being the Club Captain at a club like Arsenal to becoming the backup for Xavi/Iniesta!!! That is some promotion!!!

This is really a bad move for Fabregas in my opinion. Barca dont really need him (dont they already have the likes of Thiago, Affelay, Sanchez etc as backups for Xavi/Iniesta already?

Xavi plays more with his brain, so he'll still be around for at least 3 more years at the very top. Fabragas has a long wait on Barca bench now! What a waste of a wonderful talent

Sanchez will play instead of Villa or Pedro
Afellay, although a good attacking midfielder(=Iniesta role) as well, was used almost exclusively as winger
Barca currently have one of the smallest squads in Europe while playing the most number of matches(6 different competitions this year)

Calling Cesc as "backup" is wrong because he will rotate with Xavi and Iniesta very frequently.
Last season, Mascherano was brought in as cover for DM position and people said he'd never get to play more than a few minutes once in a while but as the season progressed, Pep played him even as CB ahead of players like Milito


So, if Pep wanted Cesc, he sure has a plan for him as well, unless of course one of us believes he/she knows better than Pep himself

Your comment about preventing RM is totally wrong and imaginative.
Cesc would fit in only as attacking midfielder in RM and they already have CR,Oezil,Kaka and Sahin for 2 positions.

[saildrive]

Arsenal escaped with a scrappy 1-0 win at Emirates vs Udinese yesterday (hmm... its this morning!!!). Dint watch the match but checked the score & post match reports. Seems defense was awful except Vermaelen

Saw the game.... Gervinho was brilliant....but seriously we (AFC) need more of his ind to break into the defenses of opposition. He was running the breadth and length of the pitch....Theo was good too...scored the goal and did well but was not consistent. TV gaurded the well....Schezney too did well...

Rest of the pack were below average the position was AFC 56 and UC 44 percent but tell you the truth the number of run-ins they had and the chance to score were 2 times more than AFC.... they could have scored twice in the first half and twice in the second :(

We desperately need a attacking midfielder.... Rosicky was pathetic, so was Chamakh.. since JW is sidelined with injury.... and Ramsey just about getting there, we need a player like Mata, dont know how good Jadson is...also talk of Hazard are doing the rounds.... but seriously one could clearly see what Cesc brought to the field... good vision and also excellent play....Gervinho would have thrived in his partnerships....the kind of runs he has...dribble, pace etc.... was a treat to watch...gave glimpses of the KING!

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

Arsenal escaped with a scrappy 1-0 win at Emirates vs Udinese yesterday (hmm... its this morning!!!). Dint watch the match but checked the score & post match reports. Seems defense was awful except Vermaelen.

Gibbs & Djourou injured and are doubtful for Liverpool clash

Not sure how we are going to cope up with Sanchez, Carrol & co this weekend
We need a good defender ASAP

Originally Posted by saildrive

Saw the game.... Gervinho was brilliant....but seriously we (AFC) need more of his ind to break into the defenses of opposition. He was running the breadth and length of the pitch....Theo was good too...scored the goal and did well but was not consistent. TV gaurded the well....Schezney too did well...

Rest of the pack were below average the position was AFC 56 and UC 44 percent but tell you the truth the number of run-ins they had and the chance to score were 2 times more than AFC.... they could have scored twice in the first half and twice in the second :(

We desperately need a attacking midfielder.... Rosicky was pathetic, so was Chamakh.. since JW is sidelined with injury.... and Ramsey just about getting there, we need a player like Mata, dont know how good Jadson is...also talk of Hazard are doing the rounds.... but seriously one could clearly see what Cesc brought to the field... good vision and also excellent play....Gervinho would have thrived in his partnerships....the kind of runs he has...dribble, pace etc.... was a treat to watch...gave glimpses of the KING!

Good to see some Arsenal fans and that we're sticking it out though we've lost Cesc, Nasri, Clichy etc. Me thinks more than Cesc, we are missing someone like Nasri - a playmaker and one who can score some good goals too. I thought Bendtner was supposed to play his last game for Arsenal - there, another one gone!!

In the last game against Newcastle, I was not impressed by Gervinho - good to see that he has played a good game against Udinese.

And btw, that Red card that he received - warranted? Maybe, but please - that fellow Barton should have been red-carded too!

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Good to see some Arsenal fans
And btw, that Red card that he received - warranted? Maybe, but please - that fellow Barton should have been red-carded too!

I agree its a Red for Gervinho but referee missed what Barton did. He started it- and should have been a red for him as well!!! Even FA did not take any action against Barton but slapped 3 match ban for Gervinho and Song (Btw, I dont feel anything for Song -he deserves it).

So both miss two crucial matches - United & Liverpool and one against Swansea. A big blow.

In that case,both Walcott & Arshavin could start against Liverpool and Rio Miyaichi & Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will start from bench (as wingers). Frimpong would replace Song, I believe.
Vermaelen guess would start as leftback , with Konscielny & Jerkinson as CBs. (Gibbs & Djourou doubtful)
Almost like assembling a new team!!! - couldn't wished for worst possible time . Liv & Utd back to back

Hope Wilshere start for us. I dont see anyone else capable of creating goals against run of play. Arshavin - may be good for first 30 mins. Then we have to solely rely upon RVP.

[athul_S]

Arsenal were average except for a couple of good players.

Udinese failed to capitalize despite being presented many chances, including one on one.
De Natalie seems to be missing Sanchez already.

[athul_S]

Spanish Super Cup:

Fc Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid

Iniesta opened the scoring thanks to a sublime pass by Messi. CR scored the first goal for the neo galacticos.

Messi's brilliant strike was followed by Benzema's equilizer with less than 10 minutes of play left.

Athe goal, Cesc Fabregas was brought on and he made an instant impact, assisting Messi for the third goal.


The fixture started off cleanly but once Barca scored the second goal, RM turned out to the old fight mode.
Messi was kicked around his kidneys while Cesc was lucky to walk away from the stadium after a deliberate lunge by Marcelo. Could have easily ended his season right there.

That caused an ugly brawl between players and support staff.
Marcelo(for the tackle), Oezil and Villa(both already substituted) were shown straight red cards.

While Pep stayed away from the fight, Mourinho poked the eye of FCB Assistant coach Tito Vilanova.


He later claimed that Barcelona are a small club and that the defeat doesnt bother him


While players often get hot headed, i havnt seen a top level coach getting so ugly.
Looks like all the defeats against Barca are turning him into a psycho.
The shame he has brought to the white jersey since the latter of part of last season is also irrepairable.

[naveenroy]

Ok and Arsenal lost to Liverpool today. 2-0 and though one of them was an unfortunate own goal, glad to see Arsenal a semblance of their former self. Fringpong has potential and played well though he needs to keep his temper in check. Like Song also has to. Relieved to see Arsenal play better.

[Saanil]

Frankly speaking I was not expecting us to beat Liverpool today. I thought even a draw would be good result for us keeping in mind the the current state of the club. I also did not expect Nasri to start. Liverpool dominated the first 30 mins of the 1st half. Arsenal showed some flashes of brilliance but that was it. Somehow Nasri leaving is making me more sad than Fabregas leaving the club. I always thought Nasri could fill Fabregas's place. Infact apart from Vermalen I think Nasri was our best player. I am going to badly miss him.

I just want to say things are not going our way. Players leaving, injury crisis deepening, Arsavin and rosicky not in good touch, I can go on and on. I am not able to justify Arshavin's play - I mean what the hell has happened to him. He is not making any footballing sense on the pitch. Jenkinson, Miguel did what they could do. Ramsey was unlucky as he did not have a good game and conceded a stupid goal. Frimpong was looking great - He was strong, he kept possession, was aggressive but then this was not our day - after the red card it was just a matter of time before we conceded. Van persie is being wasted - he just keeps running around around the box but nothing materializes. Walcott just cannot dribble. Bendtner - Is there even something worth telling about him.

Guys - I am afraid things are going to get worse in the coming weeks. I do not see new signings, We will probably lose against Udinese. We might probably come 5th or 6th in league this time.

[vb-saan]

I guess it was a good show by Liverpool. The only mistake they did was to play Carroll alone in the first half. I still have my doubts about him. He always needs a long ball to play, and that’s not a pretty sight.

I think more than Arsenal being unlucky, the own goal was a result of a clever piece of work from Suárez and Meireles!

And Mr. Wenger had the same body language of our test team in England. Not so bright for Arsenal

[nkapoor777]

Weekends have become the highlight of the week again. Football is back!

Firstly all things spanish, I can't believe what Mou did to the Barca assistance coach Tito. The guy is simply losing it given his obsession with keeping the hype going about himself being the Special one. He just doesn't know how to accept defeat gracefully. I'm losing all respect for him (used to think of him very highly). And his players are getting into the same mould. And this is the same team who was taking the moral high ground after the Classicos in April. I'm not condoning Barca players behaviour for a second but this is becoming pretty pathetic. The two Super copa matches were such high quality affairs that its a shame it had to end this way.

BTW, Iniesta's goal following Messi's pass was out of this world. Can't get tired of watching it again and again. The player's union strike has forced postponement of this week's La Liga games. The wait continues. Hope the dispute is resolved before the next weekend.

Coming back to the premier league action today, I thought Arsenal acquitted themselves well till Frimpong's red card. He was good while he was on the pitch barring the two momentary lapses in concentration. But then isn't this the same across Arsenal's team. They need strong characters in the team to pull these talented youngsters together and take them along. Its not good viewing to see Arsene look so distraught in every press conference or pitchside. And I'm no fan of his! Why couldn't Arsene take a punt on Shay Given and keep Szcezsny (his name's a bit of a toughie) as backup and continue his development. Similarly what's stopping him from bidding for Scott Parker and reinforce midfield. He won't need to spend a fortune. I think he is obsessed with showing the world that you can win this league with young kids (ala Fergie and United in 1995-96 - remember Alan Hansen's words). But he should note that the times have changed and the rich benefactors at Liverpool and Man City weren't there in those days. Times have changed and he better understand that. The relative value in the transfer market is way beyond what he seems to be prepared to pay (and he's only got his stubbornness to blame). Do any of the Arsenal fans think the Board is to blame for this lack of spending?

Coming to my club (Man United), I'm eagerly awaiting a young backline take on the Spurs on MOnday night. I don't think I've seen a backline with an average age of 20 years ever at United (in any competition). Hopefully Evra will be back to lend some experience and we will get the customary 3 points against Spurs. Don't we United fans love them for their generosity (see their record for the last two decades at OT)? For the bashers, please don't start harping on the couple of instances over the last 2-3 years at OT. I think our spending is over for this summer even with the constant talk of Sneijder which just doesn't go away. Its a period of transition for this team and I'm very excited to see youngsters staking their claims to the first team. Should make some very exciting viewing although we may need to take some ordinary performances and mistakes with a pinch of salt. March on the Red Devils for the 20th!

BTW on the home front, I haven't seen many of us taking the trouble to go watch the Argentina-Venezuela friendly in Kolkata on September 2nd. Come on guys, its a dream come true to watch two first class international sides strut their stuff in an Indian city. When do you think this could happen next? Come on, lets show the world that we aren't just about boosting our false ego in cricket (even that's been flattened somewhat). Sorry cricket fans - just couldn't resist a dig!