I woke up at 10:45am EST today. With the kick-off scheduled at 10:00am EST, I was already kicking myself for missing the very first 45 mins of the season considering how badly I was looking forward to the EPL. The thing to note is that it was not the alarm which woke me (that was long past anyways) but a simple notification tone of a Whatsapp msg from a friend ruing about how dull the first half was!!! Now atleast I know what wakes me up better.
This is what I saw in the second half:
One way traffic all the way till the final whistle except for a couple of times wherein both the substituted forwards for Sunderland - Saha and Elmohamady got a touch to the ball. Expect Saha who was ambling near the half line all 10 Sunderland players where at the back defending each and every second. At any given time there were 2-3 Sunderland shirts converging on the ball be it with Gervinho, Cazorla, Vermelean, Arshavin, Diaby, Jenkinson or who did I miss yes Walcott. The question of shutting out Poldi or later Giroud never arose as they just had to find the net which they missed with menacing regularity.
To tell you the truth I was not expecting the kind of defensive discipline which Sunderland exhibited today. But then you can say that the Arsenal offense was not upto the mark. Well, Cazorla had a good game. His trickery was at his best considering that Sunderland were gonna be happy with a point and the fact that he is just setting out in the EPL. He did create chances weaving through those ever present Sunderland bodies until Poldi or Giroud hit them wide.
Gervinho showed an amazing work rate. I saw that he was ready to back track a long way just to get the ball. Gervinho was everywhere? I have no doubt that more than once I saw him on the right side as well. Towards the end for that corner in the final seconds, I did see him in a bit of discomfort. Hope its not the hamstring and only a case of cramps with the work he put in today.
Walcott atleast in the second half didnt have much to show for. The kind of game Sunderland ran, didnt afford him much space anyways. He did win a free kick which Poldi sadly kicked over the net.
I have never been impressed with Diaby. He always seems to me as a wannabe (never give up) Viera. Neither does he have the talent nor the gumption to be that. Today with the Sunderland defence hell bent of just choking the Arsenal players, he looked hap hazard. More than once he was looking like a lost farmer at a village fair. Would have Song dont better? I dont really want to go down that path. He was substituted by Ramsey in the last 20 mins or so. Ramsey seemed to be a bit better prompting me to think that I would have been wise to start with him instead.
Jenkinson impressed me I must say. Part of it could be because I haven't seen much of him and that his defensive capabilities were not called upon in this game, but atleast he was ready to get up there and make a pass/cross or two. He did try a shot on goal as well. I guess apart from Szcz it was only Per Mer for Arsenal who didnt really cross the line into the opposing half.
Ashravin got a look in the last 15mins when Walcott was substituted. He did show his trademark turns for a bit but didn't quite seem to make the impact. Gibbs looked sharp what with his overlaps with Gervinho but then again couldn't get a telling pass. He did well with winning possession of the ball though but again was not tested that much defensively.
TV5 did make a few runs upfront but things didnt really pan out. He was contend to be on the half line trying to change the side of play from right to left. Didnt see much of Arteta but then that was the nature of the game what with Sunderland not letting up the relentless pressure even for a second.
Finally we come to the new boys up front. Poldi and Giroud could have had dream starts to their stints at Arsenal. Even in the heavy traffic, Cazorla and Gervinho were providing good service in the box but unfortunately they couldnt make it count. Poldi over-ran that deft Gervinho touch which was right in front of goal and Giroud missed a sitter at the end of the Cazorla assist at the fag end. I was half hoping for a Arteta long shot to make a difference but the way Sunderland were stacked up there was not much space anyways.
First game without RVP and we end up scoreless. Caught wanting in the final third and in front of goal. Already the commentators have started asking the question, "Is Arsenal missing RVP?" I would say not yet. Still the first game of the season. Heartening to see Cazorla getting into the groove right away. Guess we can cut Poldi and Giroud some slack atleast this week.
Next week we are away to Stoke. Delap long throw ins will be back. Hoping that Bould's zonal marking holds up against the set pieces and both Poldi and Giroud find the back of the net!!!
COYG!!!
P.S: Elsewhere Swansea got 5 past QPR.Remember Man Utd off loaded Ji Sung Park to QPR in the off season. Fulham also got 5 past Norwich. They did that without Dempsey who, litsen to this, 'refused' to play because he wants to move to a bigger club.
I think the upset of the first week of games (though we still have games to be played tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday) is Liverpool who went down 3-0 to West Brom with Agger ending up with a red card as well. A twitter user had this to say about Saurez who missed two chances in the first half when the scores were even - 'Saurez has the game of Messi but the finishing of Heskey!!!'
This is what I saw in the second half:
One way traffic all the way till the final whistle except for a couple of times wherein both the substituted forwards for Sunderland - Saha and Elmohamady got a touch to the ball. Expect Saha who was ambling near the half line all 10 Sunderland players where at the back defending each and every second. At any given time there were 2-3 Sunderland shirts converging on the ball be it with Gervinho, Cazorla, Vermelean, Arshavin, Diaby, Jenkinson or who did I miss yes Walcott. The question of shutting out Poldi or later Giroud never arose as they just had to find the net which they missed with menacing regularity.
To tell you the truth I was not expecting the kind of defensive discipline which Sunderland exhibited today. But then you can say that the Arsenal offense was not upto the mark. Well, Cazorla had a good game. His trickery was at his best considering that Sunderland were gonna be happy with a point and the fact that he is just setting out in the EPL. He did create chances weaving through those ever present Sunderland bodies until Poldi or Giroud hit them wide.
Gervinho showed an amazing work rate. I saw that he was ready to back track a long way just to get the ball. Gervinho was everywhere? I have no doubt that more than once I saw him on the right side as well. Towards the end for that corner in the final seconds, I did see him in a bit of discomfort. Hope its not the hamstring and only a case of cramps with the work he put in today.
Walcott atleast in the second half didnt have much to show for. The kind of game Sunderland ran, didnt afford him much space anyways. He did win a free kick which Poldi sadly kicked over the net.
I have never been impressed with Diaby. He always seems to me as a wannabe (never give up) Viera. Neither does he have the talent nor the gumption to be that. Today with the Sunderland defence hell bent of just choking the Arsenal players, he looked hap hazard. More than once he was looking like a lost farmer at a village fair. Would have Song dont better? I dont really want to go down that path. He was substituted by Ramsey in the last 20 mins or so. Ramsey seemed to be a bit better prompting me to think that I would have been wise to start with him instead.
Jenkinson impressed me I must say. Part of it could be because I haven't seen much of him and that his defensive capabilities were not called upon in this game, but atleast he was ready to get up there and make a pass/cross or two. He did try a shot on goal as well. I guess apart from Szcz it was only Per Mer for Arsenal who didnt really cross the line into the opposing half.
Ashravin got a look in the last 15mins when Walcott was substituted. He did show his trademark turns for a bit but didn't quite seem to make the impact. Gibbs looked sharp what with his overlaps with Gervinho but then again couldn't get a telling pass. He did well with winning possession of the ball though but again was not tested that much defensively.
TV5 did make a few runs upfront but things didnt really pan out. He was contend to be on the half line trying to change the side of play from right to left. Didnt see much of Arteta but then that was the nature of the game what with Sunderland not letting up the relentless pressure even for a second.
Finally we come to the new boys up front. Poldi and Giroud could have had dream starts to their stints at Arsenal. Even in the heavy traffic, Cazorla and Gervinho were providing good service in the box but unfortunately they couldnt make it count. Poldi over-ran that deft Gervinho touch which was right in front of goal and Giroud missed a sitter at the end of the Cazorla assist at the fag end. I was half hoping for a Arteta long shot to make a difference but the way Sunderland were stacked up there was not much space anyways.
First game without RVP and we end up scoreless. Caught wanting in the final third and in front of goal. Already the commentators have started asking the question, "Is Arsenal missing RVP?" I would say not yet. Still the first game of the season. Heartening to see Cazorla getting into the groove right away. Guess we can cut Poldi and Giroud some slack atleast this week.
Next week we are away to Stoke. Delap long throw ins will be back. Hoping that Bould's zonal marking holds up against the set pieces and both Poldi and Giroud find the back of the net!!!
COYG!!!
P.S: Elsewhere Swansea got 5 past QPR.Remember Man Utd off loaded Ji Sung Park to QPR in the off season. Fulham also got 5 past Norwich. They did that without Dempsey who, litsen to this, 'refused' to play because he wants to move to a bigger club.
I think the upset of the first week of games (though we still have games to be played tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday) is Liverpool who went down 3-0 to West Brom with Agger ending up with a red card as well. A twitter user had this to say about Saurez who missed two chances in the first half when the scores were even - 'Saurez has the game of Messi but the finishing of Heskey!!!'
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