Rooney Fires England, Super Senderos, Vieira..
A very satisfying weekend of sport for England..As Richie Benaud might say, a pretty marvellous effort all round by England..
We mauled a transitory Aussies side at Ruby Union, produced a response of a side with the world at their feet, in the cricket, against Pakistan.. Proceeded to batter the All Blacks in the Rugby League and beat the Argies in the football..
England beat Argentina 3-2 in a highly entertaining, well contested and good natured 'friendly' in Geneva on Saturday afternoon. England played with desire, passion and belief. Something which is more often than not, conspicuous by its absence in recent England friendly matches.
Wayne Rooney was awesome. Riquelme was excellent, especially in the first half. There was not much to choose between the sides, Argentina dominated the first half and England had the better of the second period. The difference between the two sides was very small. Argentina decided to sit back in for the last 25 minutes and paid the price as England seized the initiative in midfield and Owen clinically punished the Argentineans inability to defend their own box.
Games like this will be few and far between in the World Cup.
The result was pleasing but not important. The performance was the crucial thing. This should give us belief that we can compete with the best. This was a very good Argentinean side. However, like Owen said after the game..
It doesn't change a lot.. We know we have a chance to do well at the World Cup.
A chance.. Nothing more than that, nothing less than that..
Philippe Senderos scored as Switzerland beat Turkey 2-0 to give them a very real chance of upsetting the odds and reaching the World Cup finals. Senderos was massive at the heart of the Swiss defence, the youngster seems to relish the challenge offered by the International scene, as it regularly brings out the best in him.
It would be very interesting to see Senderos in a big competition. I have a feeling that is exactly what is needed for him to shine.
The Sunday papers made uninteresting reading as usual.. Various non-substantial transfer rumours.. Cole to Real Madrid, Torres and Zakora to Arsenal.. However, amongst the random transfer selectors that are the Sunday papers there was a story, which did catch my attention..
Vieira lambasts 'neutral' Arsenal..
Essentially, as I'm sure you are all aware, Vieira was stating his disappointment at Arsenal for saying we had received an offer from Juventus and that, for once, we would allow him to make his own decision.
He claims he wanted to end his career with Arsenal. We gave him a choice to make, and he made it. He left for Juventus.
Instead of committing himself to the club and making an effort to improve upon last season's inconsistent form.
Which in all probability was due to his desire to leave for Real Madrid, and their subsequent refusal to pay him a 'Galacticos' wage, which was the sole reason he didn't leave last summer.
Vieira was a great ambassador and driving force for the club. No doubt about that. The guy was a legend at Arsenal. He was loved by everybody.
However, if Real had matched his wage demands he would have left.
Therefore.. Can you blame the club for taking this stance? We begged him to stay once and he would have left regardless.. Why should we do it again?
However, I think that it is time to draw a line under all of this.. No point in dwelling on it.. It's happened.. Let's concentrate on supporting the team and Le Boss.. I think he's made the right decision and time will prove that..
posted by JoeBoni @ 1:18 PM
11 comments
11 Comments:
Listen to Le Grand Saucise's interview on Radio 5 tonight at 7pm. What he says about RVN is sensational!!! Cheers, Richard Godden
PV4 is the best player EVER to put on the red and white - we should have moved heaven and earth to keep him. The table tells the truth of how much we miss him.
Little "Full-of-gas" will never be a replacement! This is Wenger's biggest mistake since joining Arsenal.
Little full of gas is rated by arsene as the most natural footballer he has ever worked with . You would think if Patrick really wanted to stay he would have. Gday Boni !( from the dude you had a discussion about Reyes's assist tally with)
we need to get a differnet captain and a more motivational inspirational manager just so we dont sit back wen leading a poor portugal team after 5 mins. we als oneed to take teddy to replace rooney if we were to miss him as his link up is pivotal as a vassel a crouch a heskey just cannot link the play up like an experienced and wise old old teddy !
Bonjour back to the Reyes assists character, I agree with you pal, If Vieira wanted to stay he would have.. Fabregas has more talent than anyone in his position in the world at the moment and the beauty is he will only get better.. & anyway, surely Henry is the best modern player to wear the red & white?? That last comment reeks of a romantic Simon Bennett style comment and has been disregarded!!
lol it was me pal ! vieira apparently was told by dein that it was up to him, and as someone who regards himself as a very good player, almost indispensable he foudn the response upsetting and unsettling. he felt he had to go, wereas before the arsenal board backed him and would make their feeligns clear, i thin karsene and co felt the money was too good to refuse. i myself am not sure, paddy was a legend, with gilberto in the centre im sure we would eb a lot clsoer to the chelsea blue
Re the PV4's comments over the weekend it's laudable that some of us want to stand-up for him by the way he's says he was treated but (don't forget we only have one side of the story so far).
But to be honest it did not ring true to me, if he was so in love with the Red & White surly he would have hung on for another year or so when the finances will be available to the club?
For me as a Captain he should have been more loyal to the board & then when we move & if the funds are not made available “then” we have a problem upstairs!!!
Exactly, he claims loyalty and that he wanted to stay on for the rest of his career but was forced out. If everything was agreed.. He would have gone to Real Madrid.. Despite being asked to stay.
We have a neutral stance and say it's up to him and he leaves. No fuss. Done deal.
I think if his heart is not in it and his decision is not to stay immediately then you have to to sell him. Commitment and focus are two of his best assets. If his performances are underminded by wanting to be at Real or Juventus or wherever then he is half the player.
Good article and good post, Joe. His comments actually seemed he wanted to spite the club. Can't have it both ways. If he really was committed he would have stayed to lead the team out at Ashburton Grove with a testimonial at the end. Oh, well. I'll try to remember him for his performances on the pitch the first 8 years.
The Swiss are over the moon about Senderos and his partnership with Muller. He's been playing so well for them that even though he hasn't had a run for Arsenal, he's still picked ahead of Henchoz who's been a big reason why Wigan are doing so well.
no disagree. had the board showed the same commitment and same pedal stool they had always shown without a flinching doubt this man would of stayed. Mistake i think, but that said arsene thought julio was on his way down so possibly it wasnt such an intended mistake !
si
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