Arsenal 1 - Everton 0

Before the game, Arsenal celebrated their 125th anniversary as a club, and many great players from the past were in attendance. The current Gunners team chose to emulate not the goal-happy sides of recent memory, but the George Graham Gunners, when the motto was "1-nil to the Arsenal."  Unlike those teams, however, they didn't do it so much through strong defending as by spurning a number of gilt-edged scoring chances (especially in the first half).

In the first half, the Gunners surgically cut Everton's defense to pieces on several occasions but failed to put the ball in the back of the neck (perhaps because none of the really good chances fell to van Persie). They really should have been up at least 3-0 by the break. It was frustrating, but instead of concern that Everton were still in the game and might steal a goal, my sense was that plenty more chances would come for the Gunners after the intermission, and that Everton's luck wouldn't last. I was wrong - not that Everton wouldn't steal a goal (they threatened occasionally but never really tested Szczesny), but that Arsenal would create plenty more gilt-edged chances. Everton's defense tightened in the second 45, and the Gunners found the chances fewer and farther between.

After a choppy start to the second half, the deadlock was finally broken in the 70th minute by a moment of brilliance from the Gunners, notably Song, who made a beautiful cross-field pass, and van Persie who put it in the back of the net with a perfectly hit, first-time volley. Everton goalie Tim Howard could only watch RvP's strike fly across him and crash in off the far post. Such an exquisite goal made up for all the missed chances of the first half, and effectively sealed the victory, as Everton could not manage to put a shot on goal.

The victory puts Arsenal up into fourth place (the last qualifying place for the Champion's League) in the Premiership, pending the outcome of Chelsea's big home match Monday against Man City.

Man U and Man City Fail to Make Knock-Out Stage of Champion's League

Arsenal fans are too high-minded to take much pleasure in the failings of the Gunners' Mancunian rivals. And if you believe that, could I interest you in purchasing the Brooklyn Bridge?

In any ordinary season, the early Champion's League exits of Man City and Man U arguably would be bad news for Arsenal because they would be playing fewer games, while focusing exclusively on success in the two other competitions that really matter: the Premiership and the FA Cup. This season, since Arsenal are unlikely to challenge for the Premiership crown, the early exit of the Manchester clubs matters less at least as far as that competition is concerned.

Olympiakos 3 - Arsenal 1

Arsenal had already won the group, qualifying for the knock-out stage of the Champions' League; so they had little to play for today in Greece. Wenger started a side full of back-ups, with the exception of Vermaelen and, perhaps, Santos (who had to leave the game injured in the second half). Aside from a very fine volley from the classy Benayoun, Arsenal always looked second-best in this match. On to more important work this Saturday at home to Everton in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta should be looking forward to facing his old mates.

Wigan 0 - Arsenal 4

Wigan really put up little resistance in this match, hardly ever threatening Szczesny's goal, while giving Arsenal's offense too much room to operate. The Gunners dominated possession, and their passing was more fluid than it has been perhaps all season. The most surprising aspect of this match is that van Persie only scored the fourth and final Arsenal goal (finishing off a fine play by Theo Walcott), preceded by the excellent Arteta (on a long-range shot that the goalie probably should have stopped but appeared not to see clearly), Vermaelen (heading in at the back post from a corner kick), and Gervinho (following up a parried shot from van Persie). From the point of view of an Arsenal fan, it was one of the few games this season that was a sheer pleasure to watch, without any nervous sense that the Arsenal defense might contrive to spoil it. Speaking of the defense, it's great to have Vermaelen back seemingly in top form, alongside Mertesacker, who had a better game today. Koscielny, who has really improved throughout this season, is proving to be something of a revelation on the left side of defense, where he's been forced to play because of injury. He's really getting up field to support the offense, passing the ball effectively, and covering defensively down his wing. Overall, things really are looking up for the Gunners, despite their loss in midweek to Man City in the Carling Cup quarterfinals.

Arsenal 2 - Borussia Dortmund 1 (Champions' League)

Arsenal booked a place in the knock-out round of the Champion's League this afternoon (with one group-stage match left to play) by defeating Borrusia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium in London. Robin van Persie scored both of Arsenal's goals (bringing his 2011 tally to an amazing 38 goals in 41 total games). The first was created after a brilliant run by Alex Song, who beat at least three or four defenders before crossing the ball for RVP to head home. The second came off a corner kick, when Vermaelen received the ball at the near post, glanced a header to the back post, finding RVP free for the simplest of tap-ins.

With this victory, Arsenal became the first English team to qualify for the final 16 of the Champions' League. They have now qualified for knock-out stage for 12 years running, an unmatched mark of consistency. A season born in doom and gloom is now shaping up into an exciting season for Gunners fans. Unlikely to overtake the top two (Man City and Man U) in the Premiership, they are still in the run for a top-four finish (for qualification for next year's Champions' League) and chasing hardware this season in three other competitions.

Norwich City 1 - Arsenal 2

The scoreline really should have been 1-4 or better, as Arsenal, especially Gervinho, missed several gilt-edged chances. Norwich rarely threatened. Their first-half goal was mostly due to weak marking and a slip by Mertesacker, who has not yet rounded into form in a Gunners jersey. Van Persie (who else?) scored both Arsenal goals, the first a tap-in from a fine cross by Theo Walcott, who had an excellent all-around game, and the second, a cool finish after a pass from Alex Song put him in on goal.

Arsenal 2 - Sunderland 1

Arsenal should have won this game in a walk, but once again the fragility of their defense and overall lack of team confidence saw them just holding on to a 2-1 victory at the Emirates. In the first fifteen minutes of the match, it looked like Arsenal were going to run away and hide. Van Persie scored just 20 seconds in the game, and squandered two more gilt-edged chances seemingly before Sunderland ever had possession of the ball. Sunderland eventually settled into the match and tied it, unexpectedly, on a beautiful free kick by former Arsenal-man Sebastian Larsson. Once again, the Gunners proved susceptible to a set piece. That goal visibly deflated the Arsenal team's confidence, and only a fine save by Wojciech Szczesny kept them level at 1-1 as they limped into halftime.

In the second half, Arsenal dominated possession almost as much as in the early going of the first half, but Sunderland looked more dangerous throughout on the counterattack. Finally, Van Persie gave Arsenal the victory with a beautifully taken free-kick from just outside the box, after he was fouled. The Dutchman, who outperformed every other player on the pitch, is looking more and more like Dennis Bergkamp (which is about the greatest compliment I could bestow on any player). But going forward this season, he's going to  need more help. The young Gervinho looked good in the first half; and second-half sub Andrei Arshavin looked like he's finally beginning to round into some decent form. Alex Song provided strong presence in the middle of the field, although his passing was a bit off today. I'm still waiting for Mikel Arteta to show a bit more offensive aggression as he settles into his job as midfield quarterback for the Gunners. But I've long since given up waiting for Theo Walcott's game to mature. They say you can't coach speed. In Walcott's case, apparently, you can't coach passing or shooting either. I think it's time for Wenger to give the younger and more promising Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a chance on the wing.

Arsenal are still in search of a comprehensive victory to boost team confidence and their prospects for a Champions' League place for next season. Their home game next Sunday at Stoke should provide a decent opportunity.

The Moral Economy of Football (Soccer)

As a regular viewer of European football matches, especially from the UK and Spain, I have been fascinated by (among other things) the post-match interviews and analyses, which seem to me to differ markedly from those of American sporting events in one vital respect: in Europe, a great deal of attention is focused on the moral desert of a victory or loss, as if whether a win, draw or loss was "earned" matters as much as the final scoreline. Did the winning club play well enough to "deserve" its victory? Did the losing club perhaps "deserve" a point or to get "more from the match." This kind of post-match analysis is endemic. Listen to any post-match interview with a team manager or media analyst, and you will like hear a discussion of whether the match result was or was not a "fair" reflection of the game, among other moral issues. A team that ties a match might be considered morally victorious, if they were expected to lose or if they were expected ex ante to have been "content with a draw." A team that wins as expected, may not get full credit if their quality of play, or the extent of the victory, did not meet some (or someone's) presupposed standard.

In the US, as a rule, the final score seems to be all that counts. This is reflected in the traditional response of a winning player to trash tack from the other team: "SCOREBOARD!" While the final score might is explained in post-match analyses by various factors affecting the outcome, it is rarely interrogated for its rightness or fairness.

If I am right that this difference exists between European and the US, when it comes to adjudging the outcomes of sporting events, I can only wonder at the reasons for it. Does it boil down to differences in social psychology or mental models of the world? Is it a consequence of different cultural histories? Does it reflect different attitudes about markets or the "rules of the game"?

Tottenham 2 - Arsenal 1

After a less-than-convincing mid-week win at home in the Champion's League, Arsenal still cannot get a proper foothold in the Premiership. Yesterday, they lost away in the North London Derby 2-1. Trailing 1-0 at half time, after another lapse in the center of defense, featuring the unusual pairing of Per Mertesacker and Alex Song, Arsenal scored early in the second half and controlled possession for the much of the half, with Tottenham only threatening on the counterattack. But a fine long-range shot by the unsung Kyle Walker, and an uncharacteristic miscue by goalie Wojciech Szczesny, undid all the good work.

To add injury to the insult, Bacary Sagna left the game in the second half with what turns out to be a broken leg. He will be out of action at least through the end of this calendar year, and will be sorely missed. Arsenal's  already shaky defense is on the brink of toppling over. 

If not for his contribution to the defensive lapse that led to Tottenham's first goal, Alex Song may have been Arsenal's man of the match. He seemed to be all over the field (which admittedly might not be wanted from a  central defender), and he played with all the energy and aggression that others, such as Mikel Arteta, seemed to lack. Once again, Theo Walcott showed that he lacks a fast footballing mind to accompany has fast footballing body. The forward combination of Gervinho and Van Persie is not yet clicking on all cylinders, but continues to show promise. That promise will need to pay off sooner rather than later, however.  Arsenal currently sit in 15th place in the Premier League table, taking just 7 points from the first 7 games. They are two points above the relegation zone. Just so we're clear about this: the manager is not to blame. 

Arsenal 1 - Swansea 0

It was almost like the start of a new season, with a brand new team, at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon, as Arsenal hosted newly promoted side Swansea. Off an 8-2 drubbing at Man United, five new signings on the last day before the transfer window closed, and an international break, the Gunners needed a solid performance today to reassure themselves and their fretting fans. In a "normal" season, this was the kind of game in which Arsenal would destroy a lesser opponent. This year, Arsenal fans would be mollified, if not quite satisfied, by the 1-0 final scoreline, even if the only goal came from a fluky mental mistake by Swansea goalie Michel Worm.

To be fair, Swansea play some good football. Unlike many sides that, when they play at the Emirates, just sit back and try to soak up the pressure. And Swansea's defense is pretty solid. That said, the Gunners didn't look all that much better than the Swans. They had more possession and created a few more chances, but they only rarely threatened the Swansea goal (Robin van Persie's magnificent strike off the post a notable exception). Theo Walcott proved, once again, that he couldn't hit the side of a barn door with a cross. He also wasted a couple of half-chances in front of goal. Wojciech Szczesny was, once again, very strong in front of the Arsenal net.

As for Arsenal's new boys, they settled in well enough. Per Mertesaker in particular had a strong game in the center of defense; only once was he caught out of position. Mikel Arteta played the role of quarterback and made some good passes. However, Arsenal fans might hope for a bit more offensive aggressiveness from him in future matches; and he did disappear a bit from the game in the second half. Yossi Benayoun came on as a second half substitute. He showed some good pace, but also some rust. Needless to say, it's going to take more than a few practices and one or two games for everyone to gain a level of comfort playing with one another.
 
Arsenal fans will breath a sigh of relief that Arsenal were able to finally a win a game this season in the Premier League (on the fourth try). But it was hardly the kind of convincing victory we would normally expect at home over a side like Swansea. With critical players like Wilshire and Vermaelen out for another two months (or longer), we can only hope that the new additions settle quickly. The imminent return of Gervinho after serving his three-match ban for a red card should help to Gunners regain their cutting edge on offense.

How Brilliant Is Sergio Aguero?

It's just one game and against newly promoted Swansea, but in just a half hour on the pitch, Manchester City's new striker scored twice - one a poacher's goal, the other a brilliant strike from distance - and added a superb assist in Man City's 4-0 victory. Already in possession of a deep and power-packed squad, I don't know why Roberto Mancini is so determined to coax Arsenal's Samir Nasri to City, unless it is the old Chelsea ploy of signing players just to weaken your opponents.

Fabregas Era Officially Over at Arsenal

The long-expected transfer to Barcelona is complete. Fabregas, who joined Arsenal at age 16, grew to become one of the world's best offensive midfielders. Unable, despite his best efforts, to lead the Gunners to any trophies during the last 6 years, Fabregas has now returned to a club whose only problem with silverware is finding enough cabinet space for all their trophies. The challenge for Fabregas now is to break into Pep Guardiola's top 11, which already features two of the world's best offensive midfielders in Xavi and Iniesta. Fab would not take much satisfaction in winning championships as a 35-miillion Euro bench-warmer.

Business as Usual at Arsenal

Arsenal completed its second major signing of the off-season yesterday, just one week before the new season begins, and, surprise, surprise, it's another offensive player: young Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is moving to the Gunners from Southampton for the highest fee ever paid to a Championship side (and a price Man.U. considered too high). He is being touted as potentially another Theo Walcott, which I believe means that he is very fast and has the potential to become potentially great, as Theo has yet to fulfill his own potential. Oxlade-Chamberlein's arrival should have little bearing on the upcoming Premiership season; he is a signing for the future.

Still gaping with less than three weeks to go before the transfer window closes is the hole in Arsenal's defense, which has appeared every bit as fragile and porous during this pre-season as it was during Arsenal's collapse last season. Rumors persist about the addition of Gary Cahill or Christopher Samba to partner with Thomas Vermaelen in the center of defense. More interestingly, the press has latched on to a possible move for Werder Bremen's German international Per Mertesacker. Signing Mertesacker would alter my evaluation of this transfer season from mediocre to exceptional.

Still Unsettled at the Emirates

As the transfer season draws to a close and the Premier League season approaches, it remains far from clear which players will start the season in an Arsenal uniform. This situation is not all that unusual. Arsene Wenger is known for working quietly and pulling off transfers just before the window closes. But the stories coming out over the last 24 hours are, if true, quite disturbing. According to one, Wenger admits that Samir Nasri's situation is not yet sorted out (see here). Meanwhile, The Independent is reporting (here) that a Barcelona VP has arrived in London to negotiate the transfer of Cesc Fabregas. Losing either of those players, just weeks before the new season kicks off, would be bad. But to lose both could be, if anything, more disastrous than last season's last collapse.

Meanwhile, there's no sign of a new defensive signing, which is desperately needed (no matter what Wenger says in the press about the quality of his defensive unit). The only news on that front is that Everton's Phil Jagielka has rejected a move to the Emirates (see here); Everton seem willing to sell him but have rejected Arsenal's initial offer. If Fabregas goes to Barca, 19-year-old defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu could well  move in the opposite direction as partial compensation. That would help to fill the roster spot left following Denilson's departure on loan to Sao Paulo. However, to the extent lack of experience and mental toughness were Arsenal's chief problems last year, no improvement (yet) appears in sight for this season.

UPDATE: Arsene Wenger has just reassured fans that he "certainly" will sign a defender yet this summer (see here), although he is, as usual, playing his cards close to his vest.

Clichy to Man City Almost Done Deal

Various sources are reporting that Arsenal left back Gael Clichy is undergoing a physical at Manchester City today. His departure now seems virtually guaranteed, leaving Arsenal weaker in both in attack and on defense. Arsenal fans are desperate to hear some good news from the club about improvements. So far, we are mostly hearing about undesired departures.

UPDATE: Replace "Almost" in the title of this post with "A"

Still Waiting for Arsenal's Summer Spending Spree

After last season's debacle, the Arsenal brass virtually promised a spending spree this summer, aimed primarily at strengthening the defensive backbone of the club.

So, far we are seeing very little action, but all indications, so far, are of business as usual: a focus on attack and too little attention to defense. Wenger seems ready to sign Lille striker Gervinho, who would be a fine addition to the offense. But that's not a high priority need right now. In the meantime, the captain, Cesc Fabregas seems likely to be leaving for Barcelona, and Man City are bidding to lure away Arsenal's reliable left back Gael Clichy and the erratically brilliant midfielder Samir Nasri. Worst of all, two players who really should be on their way out - Tomas Rosicky and Denilson - are suggesting they might stay.

We can only hope that Arsene Wenger has a hand full of good cards, which he is playing very close to his vest (as he usually does). If not, this summer could turn out to be even more calamitous than Arsenal's late season collapse in the Premiership.

Happy Trails Paul Scholes

The great Manchester United midfielder is retiring after 17 years as a professional. Scholes was part of an amazing collection of home-grown talent, rising from the ranks of the Man.U. youth squad along with David Beckham, Gary and Phil Neville, and Ryan Giggs. With the retirements of Scholes and Gary Neville this season, only Ryan Giggs remains in the Red Devils squad. As an Arsenal fan, the greatest compliment I can pay Scholes is that I wish he had been a Gunner. During the course of his career, he converted himself from a scoring midfielder to a distributing midfielder, all the while playing at the highest level. Never one to gloat or grab the spotlight for himself, Scholes was a player's player, who would have featured in any side in the world. He is among the true greats of the modern footballing era.

West Brom 2 - Arsenal 2

Yet another match I was unable to view live, but Arsenal again stumbled in their quest to catch Man U at the top of the Premier League table. They played more like a team trying to avoid the drop, than one contending for a title, especially on defense. And this time, they had no referee's decision to blame for anything. Instead, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger blamed the pitch (see here). Sounds like he's beginning to run low in the excuse department. Next thing you know, he'll be blaming my friend Andy, who became an Arsenal fan just after they won their last piece of silverware (I believe he also became a Chicago Cubs fan in 1909).

Arsenal are now 5 points adrift of Man U in the title hunt, albeit with a game in hand. My sense is that Man U's lead is pretty safe.

Manchester United 2 - Arsenal 0

Arsenal have crashed out of the FA Cup. Just to update those who may not have been paying attention for the past couple of weeks. A fortnight ago, Arsenal were in the hunt for championships in four competitions. As of today, they are done to one. The message is pretty clear: this Arsenal squad are not a championship side.

I'm still traveling and saw only a few minutes of today's match, but I have not read of any major reffing errors or other controversies in today's match. In fact, from what I understand, Arsenal had a lot of the possession, and mounted several scoring threats without being able to break through, as has been their pattern in matches against top clubs. Manchester United fielded a largely defensive team, and hit Arsenal hard - twice, successfully - on the counter attack.

Now, Arsenal only have the Premier League championship to contest. On today's evidence, there is little reason to expect them to overtake a less-than-superlative Man U side in the title race. It is high time  Professor Wenger woke up and smelled the coffee: he needs not just one or two but several new players, who have not only speed and quality but durability as well.

Meanwhile, it is time to admit defeat on several experiments including Denilson, Arshavin, Rosicky, Abu Diaby, Squillace, Almunia, and Bendtner. As one observer accurately explained about the last named player: supreme self-confidence is not enough; it's goals that count, and Bendtner simply does not score enough of them when it really counts to merit a place in the squad. Fabregas, who all Arsenal fans would like to see stay,  may well leave on his own accord this summer for Barca, which is fine. Wilshire appears ready and able to fill his shoes, and Wenger could use the cash from selling Fabregas to sign two, three, even four young starlets.

Barcelona 3(4) - Arsenal 1 (3)

As most neutrals would have expected, Barcelona defeated Arsenal at home to move on to the next stage of the Champion's League. Less than two weeks ago, Arsenal were in the hunt for silverware in four competitions; they are now down to two.

I was unable to watch the match (sometimes classes are so inconvenient), but based on what I have read about it, the Gunners were completely outclassed. Much is being made of the referee's silly decision to send off Robin van Persie, but whether that effected the outcome of the game is at least questionable. Arsenal had only 31% of possession and not a single shot on goal for the entire match - their goal was an own-goal scored by Barca defender Sergio Busquets.

If this defeat has a silver lining it is that Arsenal will have fewer games to play between now and the end of the season, and can focus their attention on the two remaining competitions - the Premier League and the FA Cup - neither of which involves a team anywhere near the caliber of Barcelona. Manchester United, Arsenal's only real obstacle in both competitions, is eminently beatable. It only remains to be seen if this Arsenal side - which on paper and on the field seem little more than a shadow of the "Invicible" team. Who, from the present team, would have competed for a starting spot in that 11? Fabregas is one. Nasri and Wilshire are plausible. But that's about it.

As much as I hate to say it, if Arsenal do not win at least one of the two remaining competitions, it may be time for Wenger to start rebuilding the team (presumably around Jack Wilshire and Samir Nasri).