Arsenal has got to be one of the best passing sides in football today. Their accuracy and completion rate is scary good. Watch all three of their goals against Birmingham this past weekend and you will have to agree. Gunners!
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Dear Supporter,
We were applauded off the pitch by Everton's fans on Saturday. Firstly, that shows great sportsmanship from Everton Football Club, but it also shows that we put in a very good team performance.
Although the result was a very good one and gave us a great start to the Premier League season, I feel overall there is still room for improvement, not on the scoreline but in what we did in the game. But I am very happy with the team attitude, and we look like we have matured. And it's a good basis to continue to improve and to work on what we want to do.
I felt that we took every chance we created in the first half and Everton were maybe a bit disturbed by the international week - you can be flat physically after that. Usually the energy level at Goodison Park is very, very high. Did that not happen because we had domination in the game or because they were flat physically? That is difficult for me to answer.
I was pleased with Thomas Vermaelen's contribution because he has shown that in the air and on the ground he has what you need to play in the Premier League. But you cannot single out just one player on Saturday for an average performance.
What is very interesting for me was the cohesion of the team, the fact that we played for each other. If we can keep that in the team we have a chance to do well.
We have gone from being ruled out by everybody, to now becoming a super favourite! It was an interesting first game and we want to show that we have the depth in our squad. If you see that Nasri, Rosicky, Diaby, Walcott and Senderos, for example, stayed at home, you can see that we do have quite a big squad.
It was important to get a good result before the Celtic tie. It lifted our confidence and that is good. But we are on alert as well. We know that every game is different. That is the way we can show we have matured.
People are surprised that we won so convincingly, but you know that last year we were the team that scored more goals than anyone away from home. And we had a long unbeaten run in the Premier League away from home. Of course, it's a good surprise to win with such a big score, but we know we can do it away from home.
Thanks for your support.
Arsène Wenger
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A friend just sent me this Bergkamp compilation video. He was a master of ball control, especially with his back to long passes. This video is bookended by two of his finest goals ever – the first is pure poetry in motion against Newcastle, with a deft touch and a spin he was off; the final one against Argentina in 1998 really epitomizes the essence of Bergkamp – composure, grace, efficiency, and cold-blooded finishing.
Too bad I couldn't go to the Dennis Bergkamp testimonial at the Emirates back in 2006, but I did get a T-shirt from a mate who went. Truly a special player.
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Always interesting to hear Phil Jackson speak about his philosophy and basketball. The most interesting bit, though, is when he talks about his first Bulls team of the early 90s and how malleable each player was even though they weren't dominate individually (other than MJ).
The idea that a dominate team requires each player to capable of many roles is very much in line with the concept of Total Football employed by the Dutch in the 70s (Cryuff) and now Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. I think it's no coincidence that I've always admired Phil Jackson's teams for this very reason.
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"During Sunday night's celebration, when Kobe's family materialized immediately -- almost on cue -- the cynical side of me wanted to throw up, but the rational side was thinking, "Of course, they're here. He doesn't have anyone else."
I really dislike Bill Simmons because he's such a bitter Celtics fan, but in this article he is spot on about Kobe. I watched Sunday's night post game celebration and it really didn't feel like anything I've ever seen in a team who had just won the championship. It felt manufactured, a little awkward.
I love the Lakers, but I can't say the same about Kobe. Thanks for the championship Kobe, but the sooner you realize you are a Laker, and that you alone do not make the Lakers, the better.
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