Arsenal News » 2009 » November » 25

Just in case I have lost you a little with that headline let me explain…

Yesterday in a world exclusive Walter and I interviewed the manager of Standard Liege and discussed with him the way in which he thought the game would go.

He predicted that the key to the game would be the issue of quantum mechanics, and how right that proved.  Another world exclusive for Untold Arsenal.  Another correct prediction.

In the quantum world (as you will recall from your physics lessons at school) everything can be in multiple places at once, and Mr Boloni used that explains the exquisite movement of the Arsenal midfield and forward line.

We saw that last night – but not just in the player movement.  For if you looked carefully at the game you will have caught glimpses of three separate moments when there appeared to be two footballs on the pitch!!!

There were not, of course.  It was quantum football at work – but it looked that way.  On one occasion quite amusingly it appeared as if the ref kicked one of the balls while the other was used to continue the match.  Oh how we smiled up in section 99.

Meanwhile the PERFECT MIDFIELD was back at last.  Cesc / Song / Denilson.  Or as they used to be called by certain sections of the Arsenal supporting blogsphere, Off-to-Barca/Not-fit-to-wear-the-shirt/Lightweight

Watching those three play together is just wonderful, even with Denilson not 100% there after his injury.  I not only love watching those three play together (you will recall that was the line up dished out for us in matchday one when we played what appeared to be a bunch of 8 year novices in some northern city), I love the theory behind it.

Putting that combination together has been one of the great Wengerian achievements, and it is a constant reminder of the lack of insight of some fans that not only could they not see what he was up to, but that they would not even contemplate that he might be up to something.

Denilson, as I have raved on about for two years, has an astounding ability to know where the ball will be in three seconds time, and then be in the right position to pick it up and go with it.   (Now that is quantum if ever something is – knowing the future is pure Large Hadron Collider).   Song is the perfect man to sit in front of the back four.  And Cesc is just Cesc – what more do you want?

I would love to hear more from all those people who endlessly called Denilson lightweight, and made such a fuss about the early appearances of Song.   Have they written in to blogs to apologise?   Have they written to the players to apologise?  Have they apologised to the Lord Wenger?   It would be nice if they had.  To me, the ability to see the potential in that trio playing in that way in a 4-3-3 is one of Wenger’s greatest of all achievements.

Interestingly, the quantum element of the play has left some bloggers almost talking this game into a parallel universe in which it was a defeat.  Standard hit the woodwork and an inch the other way and we could have drawn or lost – that’s the theme.  True, but then if that incredible smash from Arshavin in the first half had gone two inches the other way we would have got a third.

We had 25 shots, they had 10, which made it a fairly jolly evening out.  2-0 was a fair result, given that we didn’t really bother too much in the second half.

The injuries are tragedies, but that’s how it goes.  I predict that during the rest of the season some of our players will be injured, often because of ludicrous challenges by the opposition which are hardly noticed by the ref.   There.  Now you know.  It happens.   So what?   A few seasons ago we had seven left backs.   The press didn’t notice, but I sure did.   (I’m a bit nerdish that way).  Maybe this year we will break even that record.

We won the group, with a game to spare, which means that we can put Little Cup team out in the last game, and see if we can find ourselves a few more superstars – and left backs.  That’s great, because those kiddies need all the games they can get to prove themselves.  In fact, if I were Wenger I would put out an entire team of left backs.  Those left standing at the end would win a quantum football.

PS: Did I see a little spot of crowd trouble near the end of the game.  Block 99 is directly opposite the away fans, so its difficult to see exactly, but there seemed to be something making the stewards run around a little.   But maybe it was just a knees-up.

Oh yes, and Liverpool went out.   So this year they can celebrate the end of their time in the Euro Cup, 20 years without a league championship, bankruptcy, and the sad commemoration (which I trust they will do with proper dignity and respect) of the 20th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium Disaster, all at the same time.

MAKING THE ARSENAL – one or two reviews are starting to appear on the book on Amazon, which you might like to read, although Amazon themselves are still jumping between “waiting for new stock” notices and “available now” signs.  I promise you, we are sending them copies as they ask for them – but if you want a personally signed copy, or a quick delivery, just take a peek at www.emiratesstadium.info which leads on to our order page.