"I Know This Song Is Fuckin Long..."

We're up and running again. If not on the pitch, then on this blog. Apologies for the lack of a preview over the weekend, but following work's Christmas party on Friday night and then three hours in Bromley spending money on a ridiculous array of items, there didn't seem to be anything worth saying on Saturday evening. Sunday came and all too soon it was half an hour till the game kicked off.

A game that, as it turned out, did absolutely "nothing" for Arsenal's flickering title ambition. I'm not sure what to think about yesterday to be honest. Robin van Persie scored an absolute belter- okay, we knew he could do that. Robbie Keane profitted from some very charitable defending from messrs Djourou and Gallas- who were otherwise excellent in my view and when Emmanuel Adebayor was somewhat harshly removed fom proceedings with half an hour to play, it seemed certain that Liverpool would take advantage of the numerical advantage granted them. A better, more adventurous side, dare I say, one with pretensions of winning the title surely would have. It's difficult to imagine that Chelsea or Manchester United wouldn't have taken all three points from us yesterday, or at least would have made a better fist of trying. As it was, I guess Liverpool paid us quite the compliment by not going for the jugular, even as our bare, naked throat was exposed to them.

I don't have much to say about the sending off, it was a touch harsh, but as Joanna pointed out to me, I'd have been asking for a card, or something if it had been the other way round. That being said, it's difficult to understand how Adebayor gets sent off when he hasn't made contact on the second instance and Lucas Leiva was given license to foul with impunity up until the latter stages of the game. Which was also picked up, unsurprisingly, by the boss in his pre match interview. He also spotlit the rather dangerous tackle by Robbie Keane which crunched Gael Clichy early on. What seems to be causing frustration, and I completely understand why, is the lack of consistency shown by referees. If we go back to the very first away game of the season at Fulham, John Pantsil did exactly what Adebayor did (in fact he went further, actually making contact) to Emmanuel Eboue and yet Eboue not only had a free kick given against him, he got booked. I don't believe we get a fair deal from referees and will someone please, please, please explain to me how Steven Gerrard is able to dive in and around the penalty area so often and is never picked up for it, either by referees or the media? Oh, silly me, it's because he's english, isn't it?

Anyway, Ade off, Cesc replaced at half time after what looked a rather unpleasant knee injury sustained in a challenge with Xabi Alonso and it was all up for Arsenal, Liverpool were at 72% possession around the time of the sending off. Such was the galvanising effect of what crowd and team saw as an unjust decision that twenty minutes later, Arsenal had not quite turned the stat on its' head, but had stormed our way back into the match. That we did so whilst carrying Abou Diaby (perhaps he thought we were in red shorts, not shirts?) made the display even more impressive. If only we had started as we finished.

I thought, aside from the sumptuous assist, Samir Nasri showed an industriousness and a willingness to accept possession under pressure that really bodes well for his Arsenal future. Up front RvP, apart from the Bergkamp style goal (ironic that Hoddle made the comparison given that he was Begkamp's idol and Bergkamp van Persie's) battled his little cotton socks off and showed the kind of fight I think we all like to see. Alex Song, and Denilson battled hard, and battled well. It was the kind of display that's been lacking this season and if we can play as we did yesterday on Boxing Day then, even shorn of Ade and Fabregas, Aston Villa might be in for a shock.

The paucity of options available to the manager was shown in the fact that Robin battled through a full shift, the last half an hour on his own, the midfield finished up as Eboue, Song, Denilson and Diaby and on a pure quality basis, that's beyond worrying. Abou Diaby may be one of the most frustrating players we've seen in an Arsenal shirt, Eboue- whatever reception he got yesterday- is not good enough and Song and Denilson, I respectfully suggest, are nobody's idea of a midfield that will challenge for a title. I say nobody's... Actually, I think Denilson would be infinitely better suited to playing the more advanced midfield role than either the "holding" role or wide right. But the gaffer, having backed himself into a corner simply has to either show some confidence in the likes of Vela, Wilshere and Ramsey or get his chequebook out in January. But please, no more square pegs in round holes whilst telling us how great the kids currently keeping the bench warm are.

Which isn't to say I'd have brought any of them on yesterday, by the way.

If there is a silver lining to be found in any of this, it's that the injury to Cesc (dedos cruzados) has ocurred with the transfer window imminent, and so it's a perfect opportunity to sign a central midfielder. You can never have too many of them, I think. Arsène said "no, no, no" to rumours about Tevez and Arshavin, but a wide player must also be on the radar... surely?  

A personal hero of mine died on this day in 2002. With the quote (taken from a live version of The Magnificent Seven) that forms the, apt, title to this blog, I salute him and his music.

Joe Strummer, the original Clash City Rocker.