AGREE WITH MOST OF THE ABOVE. THE GEORDIES WERE GOOD IN THE FIRST HALF, WHILST WE WERE A BIT PONDEROUS. IN THE SECOND HALF WE IMPROVED AND ONCE WE GOT THE FIRST, BEGAN TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE GAME.
I CONCUR THAT CLICHY WAS OUTSTANDING AGAIN,; FLAMINI WAS FANTASTIC AND, IT MUST BE SAID, SENDEROS HAD A VERY GOOD MATCH.
AS FOR ADE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO CONVINCE SOME PEOPLE. INDEED, I BELIEVE SOME WILL NEVER ADMIT THEY WERE WRONG BECAUSE ALTHOUGH HE IS SCORING LOTS OF GOALS NOW, I STILL KEEP HEARING/READING DIFFERING REASONS AS TO WHY 'HE ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH'.
AT FIRST THE REASON WAS THAT ADE MISSED TOO MANY EASY CHANCES. AS HIS GOALS-TO-CHANCES RATIO HAS IMPROVED THIS SEASON (WHICH NO-ONE CAN DENY), IT WAS THE LUDICROUS CLAIM THAT HE WAS LAZY. NOW YOU CAN ACCUSE HIM OF LOTS OF STUFF BUT BEING LAZY IS DEFINATELY NOT ONE OF THEM.
THAT WAS SOON FOLLOWED BY THE ACCUSATION THAT, LIKE HENRY, ADE IS ARROGANT AND PLAYING THE ROLE OF 'BILLY BIG BOLLOCKS".
AGAIN, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I HAVE NOTICED AT MATCHES AND HAS ONLY ARISEN SINCE THE BENDTNER INCIDENT. SOMETIMES A PLAYER JUST CAN'T WIN WITH THE FANS. IF HE ISN'T PUTTING HIMSELF ABOUT, HE 'DOESN'T WANT IT' AND LACKS PASSION. WHEN HE DOES, AND SHOUTS AT TEAM-MATES OR DEMONSTRATES EVEN ANY INKLING OF DISAPPOINTMENT AT A BAD PASS, WRONG CHOICE ETC. THEN HE IS LABELLED AS GETTING TOO BIG-HEADED.
THERE WAS EVEN THE ACCUSATION THAT WITH ADE IN OUR SIDE, WE STOPPED PASSING AND BEGAN 'ONLY PLAYING THE LONG BALL', WHEREAS SOME OF US ARGUED THAT HAVING ADE IN THE TEAM IN FACT GAVE US THE OPTION WE DIDN'T HAVE PREVIOUSLY: TO PLAY
MORE THAN ONE WAY WITHIN A MATCH (A PLAN B) BECAUSE ADE HAS MUCH MORE TO HIS GAME THAN JUST BEING A 'BIG MAN'.
FINALLY THERE IS THE CLAIM THAT ANYONE WOULD SCORE GOALS IN THIS TEAM. REALLY? HAVE PEOPLE SEEN THE WIDE RANGE AND TYPES OF GOALS ADEBAYOR HAS SCORED THIS SEASON? HEADERS WHERE HE HAS JUMPED AND HUNG IN THE AIR BEFORE POWERING HOME (ALAN SMITH WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD ONE OF THOSE); ONES WHERE HE IS BEATING DEFENDERS FOR SKILL AND PACE ALA HENRY; SHOTS FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX LIKE THE VOLLEY AT THE LANE; TAP-INS; HE EVEN ASSISTS IN SETTING UP MANY OF THE OTHER GOALS WE HAVE SCORED.
SOME ARSENAL FANS HAVE OFTEN WISHED THAT WE HAD A DROGBA TYPE PLAYER IN OUR LINE UP WHO NOT ONLY GIVES US A PHYSICAL PRESENCE UP FRONT, BUT SCORES PLENTY OF GOALS AS WELL. BELIEVE IT OR NOT - AND DESPITE MY ARGUMENTS, SOME OF YOU STILL WON'T - WE FINALLY HAVE ONE IN THE SHAPE OF ADEBAYOR.
AND GUESS WHAT? WHETHER YOU'LL ADMIT IT OR NOT, HE IS DOING A BLOODY BRILLIANT JOB FOR ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB!!
