Unfinished business, Eduardo's return

We welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to Arsenal tonight in the Champions League. A fixture that I predicted prior to the groups being drawn. It always happens you always get drawn against your old players. It just seems to happen.

Reading several articles covering interviews with Dudu and drawing from pieces I've written myself its clear to see Dudu has some unfinished business with Arsenal. But for his injury he could have really stepped up. Playing regular before his injury he was excellent. A great player but in a true testament to how an injury can disrupt your career, he was out for 18months with the injury, rehabilitation and related injuries on his return. When he was able to return to the first-team fold his path back into the starting line up was blocked by the 4-2-3-1 formation which didn't suit him at all.

Eduardo is a 30 yard, tricky striker, he'll never do anyone for pace but he'll trick you to death and get a shot on target. His composure when on goal was excellent as was his finishing 1v1. He also fitted in well into the Arsenal way of playing with the exception that he liked to take a shot once in a while.

I'm really looking forward to tonights game. I think it will be a good test for us. News is Cesc is fit and raring to go, but Wenger might save him for the weekend. With my contacts(lenses), its my understanding(guess) that Cesc will be benched and brought on when required - perhaps give him 15 minutes at the end if we are clear. That would certainly make sense with regards to the super sunday afternoon fixture against Citeh. Walcott is also set for a return though again I expect bench action with Bendtner perhaps replacing Chamakh to give him a well earned rest. The rest of the team picks itself and we should see a similar line up to the weekend, save perhaps Arshavin who may be rested.

Lets all cheer our boys on to get three points and that will really cement our qualification into the next round. I'm not concerned about qualifying really, but we need a good 3 pointer against Shakhtar to help keep us as group leaders. So come on boys, nail them 3 or 4 to 1 and our goal difference will surely benefit, although its not bad already.

Be patient, be creative and just enjoy it. We should get the points if we follow those three points. Shakhtar don't concede many so we need to be patient and keep going at them whilst being sensible at the back.

Bring on 7:45!!

WG

Technorati : Arsenal, Citeh, Eduardo, Fabregas, Shakhtar, Wenger
Del.icio.us : Arsenal, Citeh, Eduardo, Fabregas, Shakhtar, Wenger
Zooomr : Arsenal, Citeh, Eduardo, Fabregas, Shakhtar, Wenger
Flickr : Arsenal, Citeh, Eduardo, Fabregas, Shakhtar, Wenger

The castigation begins in earnest! Bring on the Shakhtar!

Diminutive Jack Wilshire has become something he has never dreamed of. He is now a stick with which to hit Arsene Wenger. The lunge and resounding red card, deservedly administered is now ammunition for the tabloid toilet papers to hit back at Wenger. After all, he's been proved right and backed up by fellow professionals - can't have that now can we?

I'm not going to dwell on the red card or the challenges in the game, it detracts from what was generally a great performance and a good warm up for tomorrow's game against Shakhtar which should be quite a spectacle.

I'm looking forward to european competition again, its pleasing to be top of our group in the champs league and I hope to continue that success tomorrow night. Shakhtar are not to be discounted though. These aren't some russian farm boys on a day trip. Their squad is littered with Brazillians such as Douglas Costa(linked extensively to Chelski and ManYoo), Jadson, Willian, Ferdinandinho(currently injured with a broken leg), Alex Teixeira and Luiz Adriano. Not to mention plenty of Ukraine and other established internationals such as Tomas Hubschman, Darijo Srna, Dmytro Chyrgrynskiy (formerly of Barcelona) and our very own Eduardo. So not to be taken lightly, these are a team of experienced international players who have all played at this top level of european competition.

In terms of squad for this fixture, I've not heard anything more about injuries following the game so I'm hoping to see a similar line up to the weekend and a similar performance. We're going to need to be solid, Shakhtar are a very attacking side. Despite their record in the Champions league of scoring 4 goals in 2 games, they've not conceded at all so they are not tactically naive and know the defensive side of the game very well.

I'm really looking forward to this, as a spectacle it will be interesting to see how we line up. I fully expect Wenger to start both Diaby and Song to try and shore up the midfield. Maybe a cameo for Fabregas in the 2nd half?

I'll wait patiently (or not) for the press conference to find out the squad details.

WG

Technorati : Arsenal, Douglas Costa, Eduardo, Shakhtar Donetsk, Weliton, Wenger, Willian, Wilshire
Del.icio.us : Arsenal, Douglas Costa, Eduardo, Shakhtar Donetsk, Weliton, Wenger, Willian, Wilshire
Zooomr : Arsenal, Douglas Costa, Eduardo, Shakhtar Donetsk, Weliton, Wenger, Willian, Wilshire
Flickr : Arsenal, Douglas Costa, Eduardo, Shakhtar Donetsk, Weliton, Wenger, Willian, Wilshire

It just takes time to negotiate the revolving door.

At Arsenal we have a product, a verve, a style of our own.

I think people don't give Arsenal enough credit for that. Arsene has created a side that neutrals love to watch and countless hours of enjoyment for the fans of the club.

What disappoints me is the apparent new installation at the Emirates, our new Revolving Door Policy. In my years as an Arsenal fan, I've never seen so much transfer activity involving first team players as I have in the last 5 years.

What I have seen is that the players who have come in have impressed and appear to be the right players for the club though thats not to concede that certain players have also moved onto pastures new for varying reasons. In the last three seasons we have let go the following first-teamers(for varying reasons);

Lehmann
Gallas
Toure
Campbell (ok, 6 month wonder so maybe not fair?)
Flamini
Gilberto Silva
Hleb
Eduardo
Adebayor

Can we honestly say we have brought in better? Thats not to say the likes of Ramsey, Koscielny, Squillaci, Vermaelen, Nasri, Chamakh haven't made their mark. Certainly in time I think we may be much better off. For now, I think we are still counting the costs and tending the wounds of losing all those extremely good, world-class players.

I'd love to hear your opinions on it. I know the players left for varying reasons and many were more than valid, but if Arsenal is going to win some silverware can we afford to keep swapping out players when we need a solid core of players to reach the plateau of sustained successful performances. As much as I hate Chelski and ManYoo the core of their teams has been the same for the last 5 years, with the odd player tweak here and there but nothing like the wholesale changes we've endured.

So if we're to win something this season I think its fair to ask the question, "Is this team any better than 2008? Or 2009?". I believe it is, I think we have some exceptional talent in our squad. I just wish we could hold onto it, just for a year or two. To realise our dreams this is a must.

WG

Technorati : Adebayor, Arsenal, Campbell, Eduardo, Gallas, Gilberto Silva, Hleb, Koscielny, Lehmann, Nasri, Toure, Vermaelen, Wenger
Del.icio.us : Adebayor, Arsenal, Campbell, Eduardo, Gallas, Gilberto Silva, Hleb, Koscielny, Lehmann, Nasri, Toure, Vermaelen, Wenger
Zooomr : Adebayor, Arsenal, Campbell, Eduardo, Gallas, Gilberto Silva, Hleb, Koscielny, Lehmann, Nasri, Toure, Vermaelen, Wenger
Flickr : Adebayor, Arsenal, Campbell, Eduardo, Gallas, Gilberto Silva, Hleb, Koscielny, Lehmann, Nasri, Toure, Vermaelen, Wenger

You wouldn't like me when I'm angry...

...and other such threatening thoughts pass through my mind after reading this excerpt that I snagged from the Daily mail today;

"Flop Gunner! Eduardo was a big shot joining Arsenal...now he's their latest striking failure
By LEO SPALL

Eduardo da Silva joined Arsenal with a big reputation after heading Steve McClaren towards the sack as England manager. But four years on from his goal for Croatia in that Euro 2008 qualifier in Zagreb, he is leaving the Emirates like many before him: with his name almost as badly shattered as the bones in the ankle he infamously broke at Birmingham.
Eduardo, 27, has completed a £6million move to Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in a four-year deal worth £50,000 a week that brings to an end three difficult seasons at Arsenal and extends the list of strikers who have failed to make their mark under Arsene Wenger. "

Firstly, I'd like to state that if someone broke my leg to the point that I nearly lost it alltogether, I might think twice about jumping in two footed for a challenge. Leo Spall, you're a sensationalist hack with no brains. To compare his name and reputation to a horrific football injury is at best daft and I think you've done yourself no credit with this article.

Secondly and perhaps more importantly, 22 goals in 67 games isnt a bad return. Its not great but for anyone with a memory worth keeping his 9 goals from 9 1-on-1 attempts (before his horrific injury-least I think it was 9...someone correct me!) were stunning, a great finisher and his Arsenal career was cut short well before time.

As I said yesterday, the change in the Arsenal formation was really the death knell for Dudu but I just wonder if he hadn't have got injured whether we would have won some silverware that season and Wenger would have stuck with a successful 4-4-2 formation? 4-2-3-1 was never going to work for a striker who is quite short, not overly quick and not very strong. Dudu's attributes are all designed for great work in and around the box, similar to Jermain Defoe. Stick Defoe up front by himself and watch him struggle for goals.

All-in-all, I'm pleased Eduardo's got a new club that will play him where he needs, sometimes its easy to forget that despite being paid high wages (not their fault, I don't blame anyone for asking for the money, its the clubs that choose to pay it) footballers are people too, just like you or me. Though its fair to say they are considerably richer than I.

Good luck Dudu, find those goals and prove people like Spall wrong (though he'll probably still call you an Arsenal failure, because he's an idiot).

WG

Tabloid rumour rehash! Its like a blanket party and you're all invited!!

..So bring you own cheese, I fancy Fondou..

So, tabloids eh? Heh, marvelous little beasts..I mantain my IWBIWISI (I will believe it when I see it) system has so far been successful in protecting me from unnecessary hopes and dreams when it comes to players coming in and going out of Arsenal.

However, fresh from the rumour mill of lies, mistruths and downright bull comes this startling fact..Joe Cole has signed for Liverpool on a 4yr deal. I'm totally not surprised, his age and apparently astronomical wage demands did little to make me believe that he would be pulling on our shirt this season although I did give reasons here why it could happen, but wouldn't.

It seems Dudu is off, though yet to be confirmed. If this is true, then I'll be sad to see him go. Pre the leg break he was awesome, I know he can get back to his best if he can play enough games but Arsenal's formation has changed and he doesn't fit anymore. He couldn't be the lone frontman if you gave him a microphone and a cheeky northern swagger...he's just not strong and he's not really a fighter. He is an amazing finisher and will be a great asset to Shakhtar if he goes. I wish him all the best, he gave everything for Arsenal, almost his career and that demands respect. He never complained, he just got on with it.

Despite the continuing reports of Phil "Jags" Jagielka, I just still can't see it happening. Everton will want far too much money for their prized defender. If I was Moyes and Bill Kenwright I'd want a minimum of 20mil for him and use Lescott as the benchmark. "If you have to take him you will pay our price".

So thats not the way we do business is it?

Keep 'em peeled Gooners..I'm sure there will be more gems from the tabs..

WG

A certain tabloid newspaper with another quality article

See below Daily Express article describing the Eduardo transfer to Shakhtar Donetsk. Its nailed on quality reporting...right there...oh yes. Just to clarify though, I don't recall Eduardo being a goalkeeper, or looking anything like that...crikey.