Weekend Catch Up and The Usual Stuff

Arsenal 4 – 1 Stoke City

1 – 0 Beattie (o.g.)
2 – 0 van Persie (16 pen)
3 – 0 Diaby (18)
3 – 1 Fuller (31 pen)
4 – 1 van Persie (41)

On the twentieth anniversary of that night, the Youth’s get their chance to go back to the future by winning the FA Youth Cup at Anfield. Best of luck to them, especially since their demolition of Liverpool in the first leg was worth the trophy being handed over on that night alone.

A weekend of lessons learnt:

• an early goal in a match often leads to a comfortable victory
• Ladies, if you ever go to HMS Belfast in London, wear trousers as those wearing skirts will lose every shred of dignity ascending the steps
• three in the first twenty minutes = game over
• sitting on the doorsteps of the Spanish Embassy in London and explaining to your oldest son about Sir Francis Drake is enough to start a diplomatic incident, no matter how sunny a Saturday morning it is
• van Persie’s contract renewal is the key signing of the summer with his ‘assist’ to Abou Diaby meaning that he tops the EPL in this area. If people aren’t convinced by him now, they never will be
• small child + running at high speed + brick wall = five hours in the local A&E

Sunday’s match was about as one-sided as was witnessed at The Emirates and a good way to finish the season. Stoke rolled over and played dead as any good visitor should but the movement and passing over the Arsenal midfield should not be underestimated. Despite the absence of any further scoring in the second half, leaving the match meant mixed feelings. Ahead is a summer of tiresome transfer speculation, especially with Cesc on Confederations Cup duty and at the mercy of the Spanish media.

Also, it was a case of what might have been had the season started better. It is an old footballing cliche that the table never lies and finishing fourth is the position merited by Arsenal over the past ten months. Yet has shown their capabilities and 2009/10 should be anticipated with quiet confidence in that it can prove more rewarding than this campaign.

In terms of the performance in the match alone, it is impossible to give anyone less than ten out of ten. Stoke were entirely compliant and it was obvious that having achieved their aim of retaining their Premier League status, they were having a day out. As soon as Cesc and van Persie combined to free the Spaniard for a drilled cross into the box that James Beattie obligingly turned into his own net, it was a case of how many?

The second came from the softest of penalties won all season. Ryan Shawcross is highly rated by some and learned a valuable lesson: never put your arms around a player who is turning your defence inside out for they will rightly play on that infringement. van Persie’s spot-kick on the other hand was the perfect example of that art, as close to the post as you can get meaning it was impossible to stop.

Diaby’s header from the Dutchman’s free kick was a fine example of how to put the ball into the net when unchallenged. The Stoke consolation was a pitiful penalty to concede and also unnecessary. No blame to Manonne, having committed himself to going one way, Fuller simply put the ball the other.

The comedy element of Stoke’s defending was not over when their secret weapon, Rory Delap, suggest he might be a double-agent by heading the ball straight back to van Persie in the area for the Dutchman to provide instant control, swivel and the expected goal.

Overall, the Premier League this season was unremarkable. For all that Liverpool pushed United, the race was over before May had begun, as is normally the case. That no-one was able to take advantage of the Champions erratic form following the end of their solid defensive run in the Christmas, shows how far the rest of the top four have to go to overtake them.

In some respects it is a shame Newcastle were relegated, in others it was not. In fact, the only regret I can think of is that it meant Hull, or Phil Brown to be precise, remaining in the top flight. Looking at their form since Christmas, the stay of execution will only be one season as their tactically inept suntan seems incapable of arresting their slide. That they have remained highlights the fact that those who expect a relegation dogfight before the season are sometimes better equipped than more talented individuals in other clubs. Newcastle may have some good players but ultimately they were not a ‘team’ in its truest sense. Whether they bounce back or slide in the same manner as Leeds, we can only live in hope, sorry, we shall see.

Finally, congratulations to Burnley on their promotion to the Premier League. We will like even more if you oblige with six points next season.

’til Tomorrow.