Most untalked about goal this season! (plus two buys please)
Since the 2003-2004 season when Arsenal went the season unbeaten to complete a unique title triumph in the modern era of the game I have kept a sneaky eye and interest on teams in the major leagues around Europe who threaten to equal this feat. And with Arsenal lacking a real momentum this season I increasingly became aware of what was going on at the top of the table in Italy.
For a long time this season it looked like Inter Milan had the quality and intent to go 'invincible' with Patrick Vieira in line to do something incredible and be part of two teams that go unbeaten in a title-winning league campaign. By mid-April, Inter were still unbeaten with just seven league matches to play as they faced a home match against second-placed Roma who were just coming off the 7-0 embarrassment defeat at Old Trafford.
This was arguably Inter's last main hurdle to going the season unbeaten as they had a simple enough run-in. And with one minute left on the clock against the Romans they had a 1-1 scoreline to extend their unbeaten run.... until this:
I'll be the first to congratulate the team that equals Arsenal's feat from 2003-2004- but I'd prefer that it remains our exclusive claim for a bit more time to come! And so despite Totti's deflected (off the legend Luis Figo) free-kick barely receiving a mention in the English football media, I'd like to say a belated thanks on this site to Francesco!
And while I'm writing about the Arsenal I should mention that after seeing Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool in major finals over the last seven days, I believe that Wenger and his squad should have the arrogance to think that they must at least be on a par with these sides next season.
I believe a high octane CM (perhaps Reo-Coker who has a definite winning mentality) and a flying/goal-scoring wide player (the current roster of Hleb, Rosicky and Ljungberg is understaffed and continually susceptible to injury) should be the two signings we require to add the finishing touch to a squad that has so much potential (the future forward options of the next few years comprising Carlos Vela, Walcott, Van Persie, Adebayor, Bendtner and a timeless Henry looks simply stunning).
posted by T at 5/26/2007 01:12:00 pm
EFT match of the season for 2008/2009: Barcelona construct a masterclass footballing performance to defeat the reigning Champions League holders and current English champions, Manchester United, by a scoreline of 2-0 in the 2009 Champions League final in Rome
EFT player of the season for 2008/2009: Chelsea central midfielder, Frank Lampard
EFT player of the month for May 2009: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for April 2009: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for March 2009: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2009: Phil Jagielka (Everton)
EFT player of the month for January 2009: Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd)
EFT player of the month for December 2008: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2008: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2008: Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for September 2008: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for August 2008: Amr Zaki (Wigan Athletic)
EFT match of Euro 2008: Turkey's amazing comeback from two goals down to beat Czech Republic 3-2 as captain Nihat Kahveci's two goals in the last three minutes sensationally put his country through to the quarter finals at the expense of their beaten opponents
EFT player of Euro 2008: Spain (anchor) central midfielder, Marcos Senna
EFT match of the season for 2007/2008: Liverpool win titanic Champions League quarter-final second leg 4-2 against Arsenal that also saw two of the best football moments of the season - Fernando Torres' top corner strike and Theo Walcott's thrilling run across the whole of Anfield.
EFT player of the season for 2007/2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for May 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for April 2008: Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
EFT player of the month for March 2008: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2008: David James (Portsmouth)
EFT player of the month for January 2008: Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for December 2007: Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers)
EFT player of the month for November 2007: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for October 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for September 2007: Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for August 2007: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for May 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for April 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for March 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for February 2007: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for January 2007: Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for December 2006: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for November 2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2006: Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton Wanderers)
EFT player of the month for September 2006: Andrew Johnson (Everton)
EFT player of the month for August 2006: Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth)
EFT match of World Cup 2006: Italy win a thrilling 'end-to-end' World Cup semi-final 2-0 against Germany courtesy of two late extra time goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro del Piero 
EFT player of World Cup 2006: Italy captain and centre-back, Fabio Cannavaro
EFT match of the season for 2005-2006: Liverpool win the FA Cup final 3-1 on penalties against West Ham after a Steven Gerrard-led fighback saw the Anfield side recover from 2-0 and 3-2 down to level the match in normal time
EFT player of the month for May 2006: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for April 2006: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for March 2006: Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur)
EFT player of the month for February 2006: Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough)
EFT player of the month for January 2006: Jason Roberts (Wigan Athletic)
EFT player of the month for December 2005: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2005: Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for October 2005: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for September 2005: Danny Murphy (Charlton Athletic)
EFT player of the month for August 2005: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT match of the season for 2004-2005: Liverpool win Champions League final 3-2 on penalties against AC Milan after sensationally recovering from 3-0 down to level the match in normal time
7 Comments:
Couldn't agree more with your final paragraph analysis, mate.
We clearly never needed Bale (Wenger said so himself in January) and all the talk of Eto'o and Moutinho is likewise cack.
We will probably sign one more player and Reo Coker could be useful and then we're done.
In reality, we are re-signing Titi, Robin and even Gallas for next season. Having seen the oppo (despite the fact they will strengthen this summer) I'm pretty optimistic for 2007-8. Arsene definitely knows.
5/26/2007 7:16 pm
Well Milan still holds the record of going about 55 games unbeaten in the 90's :)
5/26/2007 11:55 pm
Not that again. Is that all you have to bleat about with Arsenal? Goes to show how much you must really miss being a party to anything recently if all you do is look out for other teams to not go unbeaten so you can gloat it about the place. Try being in the title race or cup final and then speak about something now rather than way back. You want to thank Roma for beating us, should have kept it quiet.
5/27/2007 2:35 pm
Lol... thanks anon(11.55pm), Milan should be proud of that!
And thanks Daf - there is good positivity from your comment! Although Arsene doesn't get it right all the time: i.e. the Baptista experiment, he has done so much good for the club in the last ten years that we definitely must trust his analysis of who is now needed for recruitment into the squad.
With Reo-Coker coincidentally putting in a transfer request after I wrote yesterday about him being a possible signing- I wonder if Arsene will take the opportunity to bring the England Under-21 captain into the squad to add energy and commitment to our CM. I think he we will be a worthwhile purchase especially with Flamini leaving and with Song looking a couple of years off being ready for the Arsenal first team.
5/27/2007 2:57 pm
If henry and wenger are still at your club next season, arrogance should not be in short supply T. I can't see reo coker making the difference and anyway spurs look very interested too. In fact the way it's looking, what with dein walkout over spending and arsene failing to pull your 'two squads' together very convincingly, if your rivals keep berbatov and have anywhere near the kind of money to spend that's being touted, i'd say your boys are the most likely candidates to be replaced in the CL. With liverpool spending big and arsenal not, I see them closing the gap on the top 2 while you continue to struggle against the more gnarly premiership teams.
I'm not really sure how much arrogance will help.
eddie
5/28/2007 9:21 am
Thanks Eddie. Well, Tottenham have progressed under Jol and with two fifth placed finishes in a row are the team looking most able to break into the top four positions. They play good attacking football and have many quality players.
Berbatov is a kep player- one touted at the start of this season on EFT to have a big season. He has a touch of the Van Nistelrooy's about him- and that can't be a bad thing.
But for Spurs to leapfrog Arsenal they need to continue to up their game by a couple of levels and simultaneously hope that Wenger's 'third generation team masterplan' falls apart. I can see Spurs improving- but am not ready to say that Wenger and his team will lose it.
I guess that's why I talk about Arsenal needing arrogance next season- this current squad relies on a lot of young players and they definitely can't go into the season thinking nervously about possibly not being good enough to even be a top four team. Instead, they need to add a winning mentality/arrogance to their obvious talent- and if they do this I'm confident that they can make a better shot of things next season.
5/28/2007 1:11 pm
just a correction... i think roma got done 7-1 by man u, not 7-0
6/01/2007 8:31 am
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