Monday, September 17, 2007

Top of the League...Hopefully to Stay

It's great to be a Gooner eh? It was a simply magical match on Saturday as we kept our unbeaten streak against Sp*rs alive with a 1-3 win. We had two goal of the season candidates, and Adebayor's may win the award. What a flick up and shot to match. Cunty Robinson didn't have a chance. I'm not going to put up a match report for this one since I'm a day or two late so if you want to read one you can here.

So with Liverpool and Chelsea both drawing their matches, we have gone top of the league. Cesc Fabregas says we need to take it one match at a time and not get caught up in leading the league while it's so early in the year. He also talked about how he has found his scoring touch on the year.

"Last season I had the same chances and never scored. But this year I've had even less and scored more."

"We need to keep winning, which was what we were missing the last two seasons.

"We lost a lot of points at the beginning, had to come back, and it was too difficult as the teams at the top did not lose any points.

"We're on a good run but have to keep going as this was just one game. It's just the beginning."

Cesc is a legitimate candidate for Player of the Year so far this year and I think there's much more to come from the young Spaniard. Let's hope he can keep his form going and stay healthy and we will get to see even more magic like we saw on Saturday.

Now that Arsenal are winning despite losing Henry, which everyone said couldn't be done, there is talk about the Gunners bringing home the title this year. Emmanuel Adebayor was quick to say that it's quite early in the year and we have to take it game by game.

"We are very happy and we are very confident at the moment, but it is now about keeping it going."

"Every game we play they call it a test. We feel that as well, but the most important thing is taking it one game at a time.

"We are showing maturity now, every player knows how to play for 90 minutes. But we don't want to speak about the title, we just want to keep on going.

"We are learning and we are playing good football. If we carry on like that we'll see where we are at the end of the season."

He's had a bit of a slow start to the season, probably because of injuries, but he really does love to score against Tottenham. He's a real difference maker every time we play them.

The next match is Wednesday and we face Sevilla. They are a good side who have one the UEFA cup the past two seasons and now they're looking to make a run at the Champion's League. Arsene Wenger knows of their quality and he spoke about it.

"I know Sevilla very well and I think that they are one of the best sides in Europe."

"It is a match which, from the very start, will dictate the potential of the two sides.

"It is important for us to play well as we are at home and we will need to be very focused both to prove that we are good enough at this level and, more importantly, to put us in a good position to qualify."

I think we'll be able to get past Sevilla simply because we are at home and in good form. They like to attack but that seems to play to our advantage. Look at when we played other attacking sides...we beat Man U twice last season and they are another team that likes to play going forward.

Wenger also spoke about Theo Walcott, saying this season is vital for him.

“He told me he knows it’s an important year for him.

“I studied the team who won the World Cup for France in 1998. They all started age 18.

“If you don’t get in the team at 18, 19, 20 doubts start. He’s at an age now where you expect him to exert his personality and turn up in big games. OK he will still look young on occasions but as well it is [time] to show that this guy can be a player.

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