Week 3: Gunners, Lactics, and Pompey Shine

Saturday
This weekend's featured game:
Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle

1st Half

There are two ways that Arsenal can attack an opponent. One option is to pass the ball around the other side's end beautifully, with pinpoint passing, give and go's, one-touch brilliance, hordes of attackers slashing, back-heeling, finding seams in the flat-footed defense, and ultimately pass it back out and start over again, giving the other side enough time to get back, bunch up and fire the ball out. This was the Gunners in the first couple games of the season.

The other way they attack is to pass the ball around the other side's end beautifully, with pinpoint passing, give and go's, one touch brilliance, hordes of attackers slashing, back-heeling, finding seams in the flat-footed defense, and quickly finding a player with an open shot, who fires it home. Basically this is playing their visually pleasing style of football with purpose, not just finding the passing lanes, but making each pass with positive movement towards the goal and an open shot.

The latter is how they played against Newcastle on Saturday. They pushed forward with waves of attack early on, committing large numbers forward for short periods. Given was solid early and he would have to be all game, to keep things respectable. Newcastle's attack was sparse, relying on small numbers in Arsenal's end, with little movement and cutting from their midfield.

In the 18', Adebayor made a great deke past his defender and put one into the box, forcing a N'Zgobia hand ball. Robin Van Persie fired home the penalty kick low and to the right, with Given guessing right, but diving to his left a little too late. From this point on, Arsenal kicked it into high gear and their waves of attack became a tsunami of sustained offense directed at the Newcastle goal.

Adebayor was taken down and RVP took a dive which resulted in separate free kicks just outside the box. RVP's second free kick was thwarted by a spectacular save by Given. In the 38th, Adebayor missed one just wide left. Arsenal's first magic goal came at the end of the half, with Adebayor running down the right of the box, sliding one over to Eboue, who back-heeled to RVP, who slide into the ball and buried it high into the goal.

The first half was dominated in possession and chances by Arsenal, with only an Almunia save of Michael Owen at the death of the half, to provide Newcastle with any hope.

2nd Half

The second half saw Keegan's squad come out with a little spark, as their pressure and movement improved. Nicky Butt was controlling in midfield and Jonas Guitierrez looked good on the right. Arsenal's counter provided another majestic goal, which basically worked from left to right like this: Nasri-Adebayor-Denilson-Nasri-Adebayor-Denilson. Just an amazing goal, showing what Wenger's boys are all about. Five passes in a relatively small area around the box, the last one pushed ahead perfectly for Denilson goal.

From that point on, it was all Arsenal. Newcastle's energy was sapped and if it weren't for missed opportunity, Given, and the crossbar, they would of had a few more. I don't like saying the game could have be 8-0, because it wasn't, and if you are going to say that, then you would have to say that it could have been 8-2, because Newcastle missed some chances as well.

Joey Barton

The most absurd moments of the game came in the end with none other than the villainous Joey Barton. Barton slid into a tackle at full speed and threw his elbow into Samir Nasri's right leg as he slid past. Then the criminal is cracking a sinister, goading smile at him as he hobbles back into the play. Why the hell did Keegan throw Barton in, when the team is down three goals? Does he want him to kill someone? How is that going to help when his hearing comes up on Friday? It was 100% intentional, and then Keegan comes out after the game and condemns Nasri for tripping up Barton. That's crazy, Nasri should have clotheslined him.

Keegan also said that Barton needs a second chance and that the FA and the media should back off a little. Thing is, Barton has had a second chance.....and a third.....and a fourth. This guy has got problems and just giving him another chance without seriously dealing those problems, is a mistake. I tend to think that the FA should suspend him until he proves that he can be a positive influence.

Arsenal: Hard to find a player who didn't play well. Even Eboue had a sharp game, despite the fact that Wenger insists on playing him out of position each time out. Fabregas makes such a difference in his side, when he's pushing forward and getting into space. Nasri looks like he is going to be the real deal at Arsenal. Van Persie (pen 18'), Van Persie (41'), Denilson (59')

Newcastle: A poor effort overall for the Magpies. Ameobie was garbage in the first half, but picked it up slightly in the second. Guitierrez was perhaps the only bright spot, as he got up and down with pace and posed a threat to the Arsenal defense. Given kept them alive by making save after save. Owen had a couple of chances, but he needed support from his midfield that never came.


Bolton 0-0 West Brom
West Brom failed to click on offense once again, as the highlights were provided by keepers Jussi Jaaskelainen and Scott Carson. A combined 33 shots (7 on target) yielded a 0-0 draw at the Reebok. West Brom now sits in last place with Tottenham, with one point after 3 matches.

Everton 0-3 Portsmouth
Another defeat at Goodison is a frightening sign for David Moyes and Everton. Portsmouth, relieved to be done with Man U and Chelsea, got Jermaine Defoe on track with two goals. Defoe and Peter Crouch got on together for the first time this year, ending Pompey six game PL losing streak, dating back to the end of last season. Glen Johnson notched the other goal for Pompey, and Yakubu was stoned by David James on an Everton penalty attempt.
Portsmouth- Defoe (11'), Johnson (40'), Defoe (68')

Hull 0-5 Wigan
Hull was quickly brought back down to Earth by the attacking force of the road team, Wigan. Antonio Valencia got on the board for the first time this season and the impressive Egyptian international, Amr Zaki, grabbed two more goals, bringing his total to three for the season. Steve Bruce may have a steal on his hands with the signing of the his new striker. Valencia was the man to be reckoned for the Lactics, as he pressed the Hull defense all night.
Wigan- Ricketts (og 4'), Valencia (13'), Zaki (63'), Heskey (68'), Zaki (81')

Middlesbrough 2-1 Stoke
Dominate Middlesbrough nearly squandered their 3 points at The Riverside Stadium on Saturday. An Alfonso Alves goal, after Stoke midfielder Amdy Faye was sent off for a reckless tackle, was followed in the second half by a missed Steward Downing penalty. Justin Hoyte then put a Stoke cross past Ross Turnbull for an own goal and a 1-1 tie. Tuncay Sanli saved the points in the 85th minute with a clinching goal, for a 'Boro team that has turned out three impressive performances so far this season.
'Boro- Alves (37'), Sanli ('85)
Stoke- Hoyte (og 71')

West Ham 4-1 Blackburn
West Ham poured it on late at Upton Park, in a game that was closer than the final score. Late tallies by Craig Bellamy and Carlton Cole sealed the victory and left a disappointed Blackburn side and new manager Paul Ince on four points after two games. West jumped out to a two goal lead after a Christopher Samba own goal in the 20th minute. Jason Roberts pulled one back for the Rovers just before half, but missed a penalty on the start of the second, and Blackburn wasn't able to pull level.
West Ham- Davenport (12'), Samba (og 20'), Bellamy (90'), Cole (90')
Blackburn- Roberts (44')


Sunday
Chelsea 1-1 Tottenham
After two disappointing results for Juande Ramos, Sunday's London derby saw his Spurs squad stand up to the challenge. Chelsea came out blazing and got a 27th minute deflection off Juliano Belletti, who was filling in at midfield. Tottenham leveled with a Darren Bent strike against the run of play, just before halftime. Spurs would hold off Chelsea in the final tense minutes for their first point of the season.
Chelsea- Belletti (27')
Tottenham- Bent (45')

Sunderland 0-3 Manchester City
Shaun Wright-Phillips had a brilliant return to Manchester on Sunday, scoring two goals at the start of the second half in his debut against the Black Cats. You have to feel good for him after years as an afterthought at Stamford Bridge. Stephen Ireland notched a first half goal as Man City took it to Roy Keane's squad, 3-0, in what can only be considered a step back for Sunderland. The Black Cats had looked formidable at the Stadium of Light last season, and now they have dropped their first two matches of the new campaign there.
Man City- Ireland (45'), Wright-Phillips (50', 58')