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Monday, February 26, 2007

Diaby, Denilson, Cesc, TW = simply sensational

It ended in cup-final defeat but what a fantastic joy it has been watching young Arsenal in the League Cup this season.

The four youngsters that started in midfield yesterday need to be remembered because they are here to stay: Diaby (20), Denilson (just turned 19), Fabregas (19), and Walcott (17). They were there at the thrilling White Hart Lane comeback and yesterday in the Millenium Stadium they ran the double champions Chelsea side ragged in the first half with their smooth passing and attacking interplay as awesomely patented by Arsene Wenger.

Watching Diaby is like watching the second-coming of Vieira- and for me the match slightly turned against Arsenal when he went off injured in the middle of the second-half; Denilson is a fearless midfield playmaker that you can bank your entire belongings is going to be a massive player; Cesc is a magnificent rhythm-setter who plays with the authority, control and determination of a future captain, while Walcott showed with his goal that he does indeed have the excellent talent and mindset for the big occassion.

To have just one of these young midfield talents coming through the Arsenal ranks would be great - so to have all four of them coming through and performing in the same midfield as they did yesterday was simply sensational to see.

These guys were fearless in possession and took the game to a Chelsea midfield that simply couldn't keep pace for the first hour of the match. Their passing and running angles were fantastic to watch and all Gunners had to be proud of what they were seeing them achieve against Chelsea's expensively assembled XI.

All Arsenal lacked was a cutting edge - which Chelsea had in the excellent Drogba - to their moves but this will definitely come with more experience (and with an Henry or van Persie on the pitch it could have come yesterday - that said Aliadiere and Baptista fully merited their place in the final given their decisive contributions on the way to Cardiff).

For me despite the natural disappointment of cup-final defeat the lasting feeling is the one I have had for the vast majority of this League Cup campaign - and that is ultimate pride in watching these young guns play together and impose their game to fantastic effect: six goals (plus a penalty-miss) at Anfield, the fighting comeback at White Hart Lane, and running circles round Chelsea's established superstars for long periods in a Cup-final.

It has been a scintilating glimpse to the future of what Arsenal can be about and my sense is that if the likes of Denilson, Diaby and Walcott can combine together and impose their game against the double champions after literally just a handful of first-class games behind them what are they capable of achieving after a few seasons together under their belt?

By training under the tutelage of the proven potential exploiter Wenger and with winners in the squad to direct them like Henry, Rosicky, Gilberto and Gallas they have every chance of combining together to reach a consistently supreme level. And if the future does bring this it will be this League Cup campaign where people will say that the exceptional promise of this new generation of Gunners was first in full evidence. Well done young guns- and keep it going.

23 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

can any body tell me home the arsenal + chelsea team cost that played in cup final

2/26/2007 8:13 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

couldn't agree more T, good article..

the futures bright, the futures red and white..

2/26/2007 8:29 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

chelski = about £160 odd million including subs

arsenal = less than £20 mill

2/26/2007 8:41 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can write an assessment.
Almunia - around 1.5M (the debt Celta owed us due to Silvinho's sale).
Traore, Toure and Senderos - around 0.5M each.
Hoyte - 0 (homegrown).
Walcott - 12M Max.
Diaby - 6M Max.
Cesc - 1M (compensation fee).
Denilson - 3.5M Max.
Aliadiere - free, I think.
Baptista - free (loan).
Sum: 24M Max.

Chelski:
Cech - 12M.
Diarra - 3M.
Carvalho - 19.85M.
Bridge - 7M + Le Saux.
Terry - free (homegrown).
Ballack - free (bosman).
Fat Lamps - 11M.
Essien - 24M.
Makelele - 16M.
Shevchenko - 30M.
Drogba - 24M.
Sum: 147M.

2/26/2007 8:52 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Terry - free (homegrown).

no no
terry 6.5m from westham

2/26/2007 9:02 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You gooner fans always look for something out of nothing. So you had young ones out there part of a £24m team. You got the goal quick and now you are superstars. Well like Mourinho said its about winning and we have the cup. So tot up the price and say how we should have beaten you by more than 2-1, it's all air because we won and our class told in the end. Not about just Drogba, there was Robben, Lampard, Shevchenko and we had no established right back so Diarra did a grand job and we had Cech in good form. You can look good for ninety minutes but if you dont score more than the other team then you risk losing. Where were their little legs in the second half when we brought on Robben? Get excited mate cos thats all that happens with Arsenal. dont matter how much a team cost.

2/26/2007 9:22 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chelsea anonymous is a dick!

2/26/2007 9:52 pm

 
Blogger Unknown said...

to Chelsea anonymous

1) what are you doing reading an article praising the excellent youth players that Arsenal have at their disposal?

2) you've totally missed the point of the article.

2/26/2007 10:00 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To chelsea anonymous: even mourinho praised our young guns and even said we had a better game so shut up please

Thanks

2/26/2007 10:18 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chelsea Anonymous:

Yeah, because Shevchenko, Ballack, Lampard, in fact your entire midfield was soooo effective yesterday.
Our young guns made them look less than pedestrian. In fact, our entire team cost less than Shevchenko. And what did he do yesterday?

Absolutely nothing.

Come back when you get some class and history.

2/26/2007 10:44 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Guys...I don't think this is an Arsenal vs. Chelsea thing....

As Owain kindly pointed out...it was never about the money...and only (my interpretation) that there is some great potential of those four mentioned players. Who knows how they will turn out? They might not even make the team for years, if Arsenal buy a few good players who are world class already (like Rosicky & Hleb).

Let's not degrade this by fighting over the money. In my mind, Chelsea had a great mindset to come back, and their experience shone through by exposing the loose defending at the back. Deserved champions? Well...winning is winning...no matter the moral victory of Arsenal toughing it out with a young team.

Well done Chelsea...and Drogba in particular...a storming season from him was the biggest difference.

2/27/2007 9:47 am

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, Shev and Ballack weren't that good but the thing is we were one down so early in the match and came back had we not come back then Shev and Ballack would have to come good. Shev was trying hard to score and nearly did. Missed the point of what, stupid? Chelsea of million pound stars against little Arsenal kids? Thats the point so I didnt miss it. Who started pricing us up then? Was that for what making out we werent that good? Class and history? History says since Mourinho came in we have two league cups and two titles so far in three seasons and we aint started yet, First the POOl then the Gooners in the league cup final. Thats class mate, thats history building up. Like said, good players, dont mean you win. Wenger has never gotten the better of us since so price that up instead while we drink the league cup champagne. Cheers.

2/27/2007 10:24 am

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well done Chelsea...and Drogba in particular...a storming season from him was the biggest difference.


Thank you, a decent comment from a decent person at last. Probably not a Gooner....

2/27/2007 10:27 am

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you've just watched chelsea win their last trophy for a good few years. Mourinho WILL be sacked in the summer. WHY? Because he talks too much. Plus he is not going to win the league this season because chelsea are simply not as good as man u. Talks too much for the owners liking. Good manager - but his Big mouth has got him the sack. WHEN he is sacked Chelsea will have to find another manager to repace and it aint goin to be easy.

2/27/2007 11:24 am

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does history count when you have to buy it first?

Chelski, whoever they may be,
Roman's Russian CFC,
And they'll go down in history,
As the team that had to buy the league!

2/27/2007 12:45 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well done chelski you've won the Carling Cup. If Wenger had been so desperate to win he would have had at least played a few of our biggest/most experienced stars, or atleast had them on the bench. What does that conclude? That Wenger wanted the young team to continue they're progress, whatever the outcome. This bodes well for the future, the experience will be undoubted. Then and only then will we see who the true winners were...!

2/27/2007 2:31 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Our man speaks as it is, beat him and then you can talk cos so far you cant and you never will. Mourinho is going nowhere for you lot to try and pinch him, thats no.1. No.2, he said he will go if the club tell him so or he is not offered another contract in 2010, so he is not going, so dream on pal. As for Wenger the league is where he wants something not the league cup which was just a exercise for putting out the young ones. That fact they got this far was sheer luck as Spuds, POOl and whoever were basically crap. Should have met us in the rounds and seen what happened. you can sing all you like, dont bother me, we have the cup, you have.....what, nothing??!?

2/28/2007 12:38 am

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

GunnerPete says....Thats your best article & analysis so far 'T'. I enjoyed reading it, and a lot of the replies bar one immature lad who thinks he speaks for Chelsea ?
well my Dad & brother are the other two real Chelsea fans left in the country and both have said they would give up any trophies if their team could play like Arsenal for just one game.

My worry is that Arsene is making the same noises and team selections that puzzled me in Vieras final year. The parallels are too close ie; PV4 suddenly got injured (a lot) in training & was out for 30% of the season. When he did play, he was next to useless. It seemed, and was proved right in the end, that he and AW were protecting an asset ready for sale.They were ! Now excatly the same path is happening with TH, mystery illnesses & injuries picked up in training ( and we have more of this than any other club ever) when he does eventually play its without pace, guile & passion. Gone are the bullet shots from outside the area or the speed runs down the left, now we have a tip tapper who just makes himself a nuisance who scores once in a while. Sorry if this is a diatribe but its how I see it.

I for one hope that the rumours are true and that Aw is resigned to TH leaving and will try to bring in ETO & Ribery. If that happens I think that all we will need is a great goalie and I would bet my house on AFC dominating the premeirship for the next decade.

A final sad point is that my favourite lad Eboue has drifted off the rails and should be re educated in the AFC ways. He has to be taught that when playing for our club, the greatest in the world, he must get used to a few facts. One, if he dives (like Rooney, Drogba, Robben etc. etc.) he being Arsenal will be crucified by the media, and will have to stop. If he shows over the top passion because he feels our club is being cheated out of many big decisions by the so called officials, then he will be done at the time of his reaction and unlike any other club, after the reaction. The rest of the players must also learn that being at Arsenal means that being wrongly sent off by possibly bent officials or officials with an agenda, means that appealing to the FA is a stupid waste of time, as nothing will be given to AFC. In fact it will make the FA search for every method to use AFC as an example of what they should do to many others, but dont.

So lads if you want to win things at our club, you must develop a very thick skin and seige mentality, because that what it is and always has been.

Congratulations to our team for desplaying the finest football ive seen for many many years.

2/28/2007 9:56 am

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have read all of the posts and do believe a degree of weight should be given to the Chelsea supporter’s point. Winning is ultimately everything in football if you are to be judged as a great team. The Dutch teams of the 70's are spoken of in awe for the majesty of their play and yet there is always attached a regret that they were never successful in a major tournament.

Arsenal are without doubt the most exciting and aesthetically pleasing football side in the Premiership. The fear remains that Arsenal supporters begin to feel that free flowing attractive football is more important that actually winning trophies. Remember you are Arsenal not West Ham!

2/28/2007 12:58 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You what? Dad and bro Blues fans and you a Gooner? Dont make me split my sides mate. Someone must have dropped you on your nod when you were so small. Whats that crap? My mum and her two nieces and the next door neighbor cat suppport Gooners and they all said they wish to have a trophy winning side like Chelsea. LMFAO!!!!!!!!

"One, if he dives (like Rooney, Drogba, Robben etc. etc.) he being Arsenal will be crucified by the media, and will have to stop."

"The rest of the players must also learn that being at Arsenal means that being wrongly sent off by possibly bent officials or officials with an agenda"

LMFAO again!!!! So being Arsenal means the refs and the fa are all against you, so take a hint. Stop giving it large like your all that when you have won what since we took over.....? We've had decisions against us and do we moan 'its cos we're Chelsea'?? Come on, drop that one, its bent and twisted now mate. Toure swung a kick at our Mikel, Fabregas was all over Lampard who was trying to calm it down, Wenger didnt even come on until he saw Mourinho come on and then had to do it to look good and Eboue punched Bridge.

And you say the FA is against you? Are you really surprised about that? Oh no, Arsenal are the best so we should bow when they are in the wrong, no that is wrong, you are wrong and thats why the refs and FA are like that so take it like hard medicine. We won, we move on, so should you Gooners and leave analysing our team alone, cos you lost and thats that.

2/28/2007 2:19 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

GunnerPete says,,,,Anon you are a sad excuse for a Chelski supporter. That good club deserves much better. Apart from the two sad cases in my family, we are proud to be born and bred (note) Gunners. Me, 57 years of following the greatest club in the world. Yes we dont win every final, but we have never resorted to 'buying a team or buying our trophies'.

My club has won so many trophies I forget how many, but I cannot remember when Chelsea were called the best footballing team in the world...yes I can......never.

So grow up and smell the coffee son, and learn what being a real supporter is all about, and that is being born near the ground and watching for 18 years home & away without winning a thing...note that. Now that Liverpool & others have sold out for cash.your days of buying the trophies will be over soon, but my days of watching the best team will last for many many years.

2/28/2007 4:26 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I born and grew up in West London and that makes me a Chelsea supporter bottom line chump. you can make a choice: you watch the best team play or you win trophies. What have you won? Please dont refer to the Premiership days, before than would do. In fact, forget it you're too old to think properly anyway as for selling out, its called a business venture. Someone chooses to invest in our club, make it grow, make players better, fans happier, puts bums on seats mate....and gets trophies. We havent failed since Mourinho came over can you say the same? I didnt think so. Buying a team? Hypocrites. Your players cost nothing, given to you free then?? Look, play the sweet passing football and look good, but looking good does not get you victories. So you can have your voyerism out your window, trophy cabinet at Stamford Bridge is growing, not yours. Bottom line chump, bottom line.

2/28/2007 9:23 pm

 
Blogger T said...

Thanks for the comments... but prefer (as Nturtle highlighted) if indulging in name-calling was left for other sites.

P.S. Thanks GP for comments about my post and really interesting and quite spot-on observations of TH, Eboue and the FA.

I feel sorry for TH- everytime he comes back he is getting niggles and setbacks that are not conjucive to getting into a good run of form. My prediction: a whole summer's break from football and a proper pre-season will do him a lot of good.

I'd like Eto'o (and who wouldn't?!) but don't think we could afford him. On the other hand Ribery is a more realistic option and would undoubtedly add to the squad.

You are probably right to infer that we do need one more clinical striker- what with Henry, RVP and Adder currently out the lack of a pure finisher in the last couple of matches has definitely been felt. I'm not just saying it because of his stunning goal run and strike yesterday as I have been an adnirer of him for a long time- but I'd would love to have Benni McCarthy in the Arsenal squad- he is a guy who when he gets an opportunity is deadly... and this is the type of ruthless finisher that we need to complement our good passing game.

3/01/2007 10:18 pm

 

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