Sunday, February 28, 2010

Arsene Wenger is Very Disappointed in You 2/28/10


Stoke City 1 - 3 Arsenal: Reacting to Adversity

 
The Gunners gather together following a 3-1 win, rallying to support the injured Aaron Ramsey. Pic via Sky Sports.

Stoke City 1: Pugh 8
Arsenal 3: Bendtner 32, Fabregas 90+1 (pen), Vermaelen 90+4

Before diving into the recap, I want to take the time to wish Aaron Ramsey a quick recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young Welshman. Ramsey fractured both his tibia and fibula, and it goes without saying, he's out for the season.

Earlier in the morning, Chelsea had lost 4-2 at home to Manchester City, so Arsenal could pull to within three points of first place with a win. I told Max upon his arrival at Nevada Smiths yesterday that I expected this match to be "an exercise in frustration," thanks to Stoke's style of physical play, wasting time drying the ball on throw-ins, and being terrified of Rory Delap's throws in general. We were also, bizarrely, surrounded by Newcastle fans for much of the start, despite the Magpies game clearly not being shown on any of the upstairs televisions (must've been downstairs.)

Eight minutes in, Stoke struck first, pretty much in "I told you so" fashion. How obvious it was. Delap fires a long throw into the box, a quick little flick of the head from Shawcross, nobody guarding the back post for Arsenal (surprise!), and an easy put away from Pugh. Max was buying beer at the moment and completely missed the goal.

At this point, despite dominating possession up to that point, Stoke had a lead a decided to drop back and let Arsenal do their thing, instead of keeping up the pressure that they had sustained throughout the start. Eventually, Arsenal pulled level on a lovely little header from Nicklas Bendtner. 1-1 at the break.

Arsenal had a few looks at taking the lead after the restart; a possible penalty for a foul on Ramsey went uncalled and just shy of the hour mark, a great strike from Emmanuel Eboue brought on a great save from Sorensen. Alex Song was booked shortly after for a push that I didn't even think should have been a foul. To make matters worse, that's 10 bookings for Song, and a two match domestic ban. That means he'll miss Burnley and Hull City, but will be available for Porto in between.

Now, to what this match will always be known for: 66th minute, Aaron Ramsey and Ryan Shawcross run at each other at full speed, chasing down a 50/50 ball. Ramsey wins the ball as Shawcross arrives late. So, instead of getting the ball in the challenge, Shawcross catches Ramsey's legs, and a horrific injury is suffered. It was terrible. Unlike Eduardo's break in 2008, Ramsey was actually facing the television camera, showing an obvious leg break immediately.

We didn't see the challenge at the time, it seemed kind of innocuous. We weren't sure at the time who the man down was, for a second (the guy next to me said it was Fabregas, giving me a minor heart attack; not to say this is any better, Ramsey is one of my personal favorites.)

There's really not much more I can say because I haven't seen the challenge close-up or in slow motion. I've only seen it replayed on YouTube, at regular speed, in semi-poor quality. It's hard to tell how high Shawcross caught Ramsey, or whether his studs were up. Didn't seem like a two-footed challenge.

Now, here is the key to this match: Arsenal's reaction. The Gunners crumbled against Birmingham two years ago after Eduardo's broken leg (which was also in the last week of February.) Arsenal went down, took a 2-1 lead thanks to a Theo Walcott brace, then conceded a questionable penalty in injury time, and captain William Gallas threw a minor temper tantrum. The league title slipped out of Arsenal's grasps that afternoon in the Midlands. A draw yesterday, on a day where Chelsea opened a door to walk right back into the race, would have been hard to swallow.

But with the game 1-1 with twenty minutes to play and a horrific injury to overcome, this match had "disappointing, title-challenge ending draw" written all over it. Arsenal did not have much time to put the injury behind them and score to take the three points. But just in the start of injury time, a Nicklas Bendtner through-ball into the area struck Pugh's hand. Definite penalty.

In December, Arsenal had a penalty against Stoke at the Emirates. Fabregas took the show, low to Sorensen's left. Sorensen saved it. With the game on the line, Fabregas's shot yesterday went to the same exact spot. Sorensen guessed right again and got his fingertips on it. But it was not enough, it was in. It was 2-1 Arsenal. A team that could've buckled over the cirumstances and collapsed like they did two years ago instead overcame that adversity, and was well on their way to three more points...

...and then scored again. After playing a short corner, the ball came to Rosicky (who was on as Ramsey's substitute) who fired from 25 yards out, sparking a save from Sorensen. But the rebound came straight to Fabregas, who flicked it perfectly to Thomas Vermaelen for the tap-in, the 3-1 win, and the three points in the standings.

Arsenal's reaction to adversity, rallying for the win, and coming together in the center circle after the match to honor Ramsey (picture above) are the keys here, and the reasons why the Gunners are now a serious contender for the league title.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Dear God, take us, not Aaron Ramsey

As I appear to be the first Hipster Gooner back from drinking the pain away, I must note the single most important/traumatizing event of the Stoke-Arsenal match this evening: the horrifying tackle on Aaron Ramsey that has led to a serious leg injury. We at Hipster Gooner have always had a massive soft spot for the Welshman, and send prayers, hopes, and long-distance cuddles his way.

More on this from Zorro Cat and the rest of the Hipster Gooner crew as the story develops.

LIVEBLOG: Will Wayne Bridge shake John Terry's hand?

While most of you New York-based Gooners are sleeping, Jack and I skipped a Saturday lie-in and brunch to race to the pub and bring you the big news first:

WILL WAYNE BRIDGE SHAKE JOHN TERRY'S HAND?!?!

That's right, straight from the pages of the Sun and the Guardian liveblog, it's the question of the day. In one corner, Wayne Bridge, Man City player and former teammate of Terry, whose ex-girlfriend and baby mama very nearly made babies with Terry, and who has given up a very likely chance to play for England over the whole debacle. In the other corner, sneering John Terry, Chelsea player who cheated on his wife with Terry's ex and reportedly refused to apologize; members of his camp have been calling Bridge a "bottler" for quitting England after Terry's captaincy had already been rescinded by Capello.

The teams are warming up now (aka rolling around on the pitch.) WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

UPDATE: NO!!!!

THE BEST BLANKING IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND!!!

Video to come, of course, to brighten your snowy Saturday.

VIDEO UPDATE:

Friday, February 26, 2010

This Weekend in the Premier League

First, some final notes on Stoke City v. Arsenal:
  • Stoke City are unbeaten in 11 matches across all competitions.
  • Rory Delap terrifies me.
  • If I weren't a Gooner, this would actually be an incredibly intriguing match-up. Instead, I'll just be bouncing nervously.
  • I say this as it pits Stoke's sheer physicality against Arsenal's precision, angles, and finesse.
Around the League, times Eastern because I said so:

7:45 am: Chelsea v. Manchester City; Stamford Bridge, London
  • One of Chelsea's biggest opportunities to drop three points comes tomorrow morning.
  • Chelsea will be without Petr Cech for 3-4 weeks with a calf injury...
  • ...but, always willing to help Arsenal, striker Emmanuel Adebayor will be unavailable, as he begins serving a four-match ban for picking up a red card Wednesday at Stoke in an FA Cup replay.
  • Also, there's the whole John Terry-Wayne Bridge thing...
10 am: Burnley v. Portsmouth; Turf Moor, Burnley
  • With a nine point deduction on its way for entering administration, Portsmouth will begin preparing for next season in the Championship by playing a side currently sitting in the relegation zone as well. This would've been a "six-pointer" if it weren't so obvious now that Pompey's going down.
10 am: Birmingham City v. Wigan Athletic; St. Andrew's Stadium, Birmingham
  • Birmingham went 12 matches unbeaten in the league earlier this year, but have won once in their last five as their form is slipping.
  • Wigan sits two points clear of the drop zone.
10 am: Bolton Wanderers v. Wolverhampton Wanderers; Reebok Stadium, Bolton
  • Another relegation six-pointer on the docket. Bolton sits in 18th, clear of Burnley on goal difference. Wolves are one point ahead of them, in 16th.
8 am Sunday: Tottenham Hotspur v. Everton; White Hart Lane, London
  • Everton is the in-form team of the moment, coming off wins over Chelsea and Manchester United, but were just blasted out of the Europa League after losing 3-0 in Lisbon.
  • Fortunately for them, everyone on Tottenham is sick!
10 am Sunday: Sunderland v. Fulham; Stadium of Light, Sunderland
  • Sunderland may never win again. Seriously, it's been three months now.
  • If Fulham puts a run together, they could challenge for European qualification. They're probably the lowest team in the table right now capable of saying that, sitting in 9th. It's a very long shot, their nine points out of 4th.
10 am Sunday: Liverpool v. Blackburn Rovers; Anfield, London
  • Liverpool made quick work of some team from Romania that nobody has ever heard of in the Europa League after their exile from the Champions League. 4th place is still up for grabs.
10 am Sunday: CARLING CUP FINAL - Manchester United v. Aston Villa; Wembley Stadium, London
  • Come on you Villans!
Not playing this weekend: West Ham United and Hull City, because of the Carling Cup Final. West Ham lost 3-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday. Hull City had their match with Villa postponed.

See you at the pub: The Coach and Horses

When you’re in New York, you’re at Nevada Smith’s. When you’ve got money, you’re at Emirates. But where to go while in London? We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to Arsenal pubs in North London, so we’ll try to take you though some of our experiences in our search for the perfect pub.





The Coach and Horses
178 Stoke Newington High Street
London N16 7JL


Match attended: Porto v Arsenal, 17th February 2010

To be fair to the Coach and Horses, this was not a typical match; due to a particular concurrence of work and recently-dumped friends, I found myself alone at a Stoke Newington pub to “get work done” while watching the game. Unsurprisingly work fell by the wayside, but not just due to Arsenal-related distraction…

Drink selection: Good. Though I spent the match teetotal (or to be literal, tea-total--hohoho), past memory serves to show that the drinks options are wide enough.

Drink price: Fair. There’s cheaper, but not by much.

Screen size and visibility: Poor. Sitting at the back couch – the only real option available to a solo viewer — meant that the screen, though medium-sized, was continually blocked by: the Thai waitress, an Arsenal supporter in a black hat, a group of hipster girls, and the chav Tottenham supporters who decided to sit across from me and talk loudly throughout the whole match.

Crowd: Poor. There was a small clutch of Arsenal supporters made noticeable by shouts of victory and defeat, but as a whole the crowd was more concerned with drinking and pulling than watching the match.

Singing: Are you kidding?

Location: Good. Close to home, but that clearly doesn’t say much.

Overall rating: Poor. Though usually a great pub for writing or catching up with friends, Arsenal-watching is clearly not its forte. There are other Stoke Newington options that we’ll be checking out in the future in our quest to find the top Arsenal pubs throughout the capital…keep watching for more!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Preview: Stoke City v. Arsenal

Arsenal's last league trip to Stoke did not go very well. Neither did that FA Cup trip. You know what? I hate the Britannia. Pic via Daily Telegraph.


Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
Saturday, February 27
1730 GMT, 12:30 pm EST
  • Referee: Peter Walton
  • This Match, Last Year: Stoke City 2 - 1 Arsenal
  • All-Time in All Competitions: 47 Arsenal wins, 22 Stoke City, 21 draws
  • Arsenal's Recent Form: W-D-L-L-W-W
  • Stoke City's Recent Form: D-D-W-D-D-W
Predicted Line-Up
guesses italicized

Almunia
Sagna - Campbell - Vermaelen - Clichy
Fabregas - Song - Ramsey
Nasri - Bendtner - Eduardo

Subs from:
Fabianski, Traore, Silvestre, Eboue, Denilson, Rosicky, Walcott
Out: Diaby (knee), Gallas (calf), Arshavin (hamstring), Merida (ankle), Gibbs (foot), Van Persie (ankle), Djourou (knee)
  • In injury updates for the Gunners: Eduardo could feature as he will resume full training Friday and will make the trip to Stoke. I've listed him to start, but it's more likely that Walcott or Rosicky will start there. Gallas, Diaby, and Arshavin remain out. Judgment call on whether Sagna or Eboue starts at right back, after Eboue had a superb performance there last week.
  • Arsenal has not won a league match at Stoke City since a 1-0 win at Victoria Ground on January 20, 1982. Stoke City was not a top tier side from 1985/1986 to 2008/2009.
  • Arsenal lost to Stoke City 3-1 on January 24, sending the Gunners crashing out of the 2010 FA Cup.
  • Arsenal did defeat Stoke 2-0 at the Emirates on December 5.
  • In this league match last season, a 2-1 loss, both Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott had to be stretchered off the pitch and Robin van Persie was sent off after being provoked by Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.
  • Arsenal and Stoke City have both picked up 10 points in their last six Premier League matches, though Stoke is arguably in better form, as...
  • Stoke's last league loss was December 28, home to Birmingham City.
  • Stoke City played midweek, defeating Manchester City 3-1 after extra time in their fifth round FA Cup replay.
  • You know what's a disaster for a team with a shaky defense, indecisive goalkeeper, and general height disadvantage? The opposition having a guy that can heave a throw-in practically on goal. That guy is Rory Delap.
  • Stoke City have scored 17 goals with assists from Delap throw-ins in his career. Three of those have come against Arsenal, including both goals of last year's 2-1 match at the Britannia and Stoke's first goal in the FA Cup tie this year. Stoke's winning goal in extra time against Manchester City on Wednesday also came from a Delap throw-in.
  • This is the third time Peter Walton will referee an Arsenal match this year, previously working a 6-2 win over Blackburn Rovers and a 2-2 draw with Everton, both at the Emirates.

News Roundup 2/25/10 - The Destiny Edition

 
Motivation via Despair.com.
  • "There is destiny and I am sure this is Arsenal's one and I am sure we will celebrate at the end," says Bacary Sagna. "As long as we are in it, we will fight until the end," says Mikael Silvestre. Yeah, Silvestre. JUST GIVE US THE TROPHY NOW! [Sky Sports on Sagna, Sky Sports on Silvestre]
  • Eduardo hopes to return to the squad at the weekend and is also prepared to put his injury hell behind him. The Daily Mirror article refers to his "two-week layoff." Saturday's match at Stoke will actually mark exactly one month since he hurt his hamstring at Villa Park. I know numbers are hard, Mirror. [Daily Mirror]
  • Transfer/Always-Listen-to-Dennis-Bergkamp News: Arsenal is now tracking Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen, thanks to a tip to Arsene Wenger from Bergkamp. Arsenal have also given a trial to 17-year-old Ingolfur Sigurdsson from Iceland. [Guardian via Daily Mirror]
  • In-Maybe-We-Should-Talk-About-Taking-Things-From-Barcelona News: No, Yaya Toure is not coming. [Daily Mail]
  • Get your best Scientology chants ready: Thomas Cruise has signed a contract extension. [Arsenal.com]
  • Stoke City v. Arsenal preview to be posted later this afternoon.

Arsene Wenger is Very Disappointed in You 2/25/10



Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Van Marwijk: Van Persie Could Be Back by Early April

Sigh, remember the good times before this? Pic via Guardian.

No standard news roundup today, because this is pretty much the only bit of Arsenal news out there on the interwebs. But oh boy, is this news that has made me happy.

Holland manager Bert van Marwijk has stated that striker Robin van Persie could be fit to return to action by the start of the month of April, therefore being eligible for Arsenal's final six matches of the season. During that stretch, they play two of their toughest remaining fixtures, Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane and Manchester City at the Emirates, plus at earliest, the second leg of a potential Champions League Quarterfinal (of course, they must beat Porto first to even think about that).

Arsenal have maintained thus far that van Persie's return would be at the "end of April" at the earliest and even that will only happen if rehabilitation goes perfectly.

"I spoke to him on the phone last week and he is improving all the time and feeling better," van Marwijk said. "You can hear it in his voice that he feels he is improving. I hope that he will play at the beginning of April and he feels this may be possible."

Arsenal scored 55 goals across 19 games in all competitions before van Persie was injured on international duty in mid-November (2.9 goals pre game). In 22 games since, the Gunners have scored 33 (1.5 goals per game).

[Guardian, ESPN Soccernet, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail]

Arsene Wenger is Very Disappointed in You 2/24/10



Tuesday, February 23, 2010

News Roundup 2/23/10 - The One Man Went to Bed with Ashley Edition

 
And his mobile phone... Pic via Daily Mirror.
  • Though it is of course not technically Arsenal news, you know you secretly love hearing that Ashley Cole might leave Stamford Bridge because he's upset he's being called out for his... ahem... off-pitch bedroom training... [Guardian]
  • Of course, the difference between this hilarious situation and the other John Terry hilarious situation is that Cole did this while on club duty.
  • And in searching for a picture, I stumbled across this article from India, quoting Cole's mistress calling him "mundane" and "boring in bed." He's probably just used to being with ten men. [One India]
  • Back to the Gunners, where Nicklas Bendtner's ego is totally ready to bring Arsenal some silverware. [Sky Sports, Daily Mirror]
  • "Unlucky" Theo Walcott is feeling "as fit as ever," which means he'll get hurt in training tomorrow [Arsenal.com] because he has all of the weight of England on his shoulders to stay healthy, or something. [BBC]
  • On the flight back from Portugal with the Arsenal traveling supporters, Cesc Fabregas used the plane's PA system to apologize for their performance. Fabianski would have done the same, but he fumbled the microphone backwards into the net. [Daily Telegraph]
  • Wild transfer rumors and lies: It's now Manchester United leading the race for Raheem Sterling, the wunderkind from QPR [Daily Mirror]; Spanish right back Cesar Azpilicueta might sign with us, Man City, or Barca [Daily Mail]; and Andrei Arshavin is pushing for the signing of Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev. [Daily Mail]
  • Finally, let's all remember that we have to root for West Ham United tonight; they play Manchester United at Old Trafford at 8 pm local time, 3 pm Eastern.

Arsene Wenger is Very Disappointed in You 2/23/10



Monday, February 22, 2010

The Top 100 Arsenal Top 100 Lists

We here at Hipster Gooner have just hit our blog's one hundredth post! To celebrate the occasion, we've decided to put together a Top 100 list... of possible Top 100 lists... about Arsenal... or something. Anyway, enjoy!
  1. Top 100 goals
  2. Top 100 chants
  3. Top 100 wins
  4. Top 100 Andrei Arshavin facial expressions
  5. Top 100 Arsene Wenger scowls
  6. Top 100 mistakes by Tottenham
  7. Top 100 celebrity Gooners
  8. Top 100 Arshavin quotes
  9. Top 100 drinks consumed by HG staff while watching matches
  10. Top 100 sex allegations against Chelsea players
  11. Top 100 kits
  12. Top 100 post-Arsenal stories of debauchery
  13. Top 100 bars to hit post-Arsenal
  14. Top 100 braids
  15. Top 100 Almunia mistakes
  16. Top 100 times Fabregas imitated God himself
  17. Top 100 times I've yelled AHHHHHHH! in frustration. This season.
  18. Top 100 players
  19. Top 100 times I've watched the video of Michael Thomas's goal at Anfield in 1989
  20. Top 100 Theo Walcott crosses to nobody in particular
  21. Top 100 saves
  22. Top 100 unfair minutes of added time at Old Trafford
  23. Top 100 FA Cup moments (2010 noticeably missing)
  24. Top 100 pop culture references to Arsenal
  25. Top 100 match superstitions
  26. Top 100 times Max has left to put money in the meter in the hopes of us getting a goal
  27. Top 100 important matches replayed on FIFA
  28. Top 100 places named after Arsenal in Highbury
  29. Top 100 names for "Arsenal red"
  30. Top 100 chants of "Red Army" (hint: any match is about 100)
  31. Top 100 trash talk moments at Nevada Smiths
  32. Top 100 goals that would've been scored by van Persie were he not injured
  33. Top 100 dubious calls
  34. Top 100 penalties
  35. Top 100 Arsenal-inspired chants useful in everyday life
  36. Top 100 squad numbers of Arsenal players (#1. 4 #2. 1 #3. 7 ...)
  37. Top 100 people who would be better in goal than Almunia
  38. Top 100 female Arsenal fans NOT introduced to the sport by their boyfriends (sorry Casey!)
  39. Top 100 female Arsenal fans introduced to the sport by their boyfriends (yay Casey!)
  40. Top 100 Arsenal shirts made exclusively in New York City
  41. Top 100 post-Arsenal hangovers!
  42. Top 100 male Arsenal fans introduced to the team by their friends' boyfriends (yay boys! :P)
  43. Top 100 post-/mid-Arsenal snack foods
  44. Top 100 halftime cigarettes
  45. Top 100 post-match cigarettes
  46. Top 100 crisps
  47. Top 100 Fabregas-related sex commentary
  48. Top 100 Fabianski-related marriages
  49. Top 100 inside jokes we have about Arsenal (see #48)
  50. Top 100 perfectly placed Arsenal passes
  51. Top 100 Arsene Wenger press conference quotes
  52. Top 100 Thomas Vermaelen death stares
  53. Top 100 strands of Tomas Rosicky's hair
  54. Top 100 times Emmanuel Eboue has been rolling around on the pitch only to get right back up again
  55. Top 100 times I've been convinced Gael Clichy has been replaced by a robot that's being controlled by a Spurs fan since returning from injury
  56. Top 100 Alex Song bookings
  57. Top 100 transfer signings
  58. Top 25 million reasons to hate Emmanuel Adebayor
  59. Top 100 penalties we would've gotten if Eduardo hadn't gotten blamed for 'simulation' in August
  60. Top 100 times the pope told the wanky Tottenham Hotspur to fuck off
  61. Top 100 moments at Highbury
  62. Top 100 epic moments occurring while HG staff attempted to stay up all night drinking before an early morning match
  63. Top 100 Hipster Gooner posts (this post is #17 on that list)
  64. Top 100 moments during the Invincibles season
  65. Top 100 things I've yelled at Almunia this season
  66. Top 100 high fives exchanged at Nevada Smiths
  67. Top 100 things in life I've neglected because Arsenal is playing at that given moment
  68. Top 100 reasons why Fever Pitch is better when it's about Arsenal instead of the Boston Red Sox
  69. Top 100 wins over Tottenham Hotspur (fine, 68, whatever)
  70. Top 100 awesome moments seeing a random stranger wearing an Arsenal shirt on the street
  71. Top 100 times you've been confused over the cockerel in Tottenham's logo
  72. Top 100 reasons we all live in a Perry Groves world
  73. Top 100 things that have made Mannone uglier
  74. Top 100 Eboue chants (because there are about 600 of them)
  75. Top 100 Eddie Murphy characters we'd love to see Eboue play
  76. Top 100 Arsenal reserves who are still teenagers
  77. Top 100 English Arsenal players (okay...that one could be kind of difficult, for recent years...)
  78. Top 100 fights on the pitch (and off...hello West Ham game in October...)
  79. Top 100 Arsenal supporters squished into a single Tube train after a match at the Emirates
  80. Top 100 times we've missed deadlines because of Arsenal matches
  81. Top 100 friends blown off because Arsenal was playing (if you didn't make it, you were number 101, we promise!)
  82. Top 100 times we've come dangerously close to buying Arsenal TV
  83. Top 100 "Clichy's Cliches" (from the membership packet)
  84. Top 100 moments from Guardian MBMs
  85. Top 100 100-email-long chains sent during midweek Arsenal matches
  86. Top 100 people who are not named Arsene Wenger, as there is only one Arsene Wenger.
  87. Top 100 tweets that made no sense to anyone but other supporters who were watching the same match
  88. Top 100 words invented by Max that didn't make it into his top Arsenal words post (they're never-ending!)
  89. Top 100 Arsenal injuries (sob sob)
  90. Top 100 ridiculous chants we'll write if Thomas Cruise eventually makes the first team
  91. Top 100 things William Gallas hates about Chelsea
  92. Top 100 dives by Wayne Rooney
  93. Top 100 penalties Tottenham has missed this year
  94. Top 100 mistakes Martin Hansson made officiating last week's match at Porto
  95. Top 100 jokes at A$hley Cole's expense
  96. Top 100 reasons to skip work to watch a midweek fixture
  97. Top 100 absolutely freaking insane things Jens Lehmann has done
  98. Top 100 reasons we're by far the greatest team the world has ever seen
  99. Top 100 reasons Arsene Wenger is disappointed in all of us
  100. Top 100 Top 100 lists about Arsenal (meta!)
Thank you for your continued support of Hipster Gooner!

Arsene Wenger is Very Disappointed in You 2/22/10




Sunday, February 21, 2010

Arsenal 2 - 0 Sunderland: Boring, Boring Arsenal?

Easiest goal ever? Pic via Guardian.

Arsenal 2: Bendtner 27, Fabregas 90+3 (pen)
Sunderland 0

What is there to really say about the result in this one? It was by no means a win for the time capsule. Arsenal did what they do best. They dominated possession, set up a ton of pretty opportunities, and scored just enough to take three points from a side that now finds themselves firmly in the relegation conversation, purely because they have forgotten how to win.

I can't say this was a particularly fun game to watch, though in actuality, it was for me for a variety of reasons that I don't need to get into here, they're irrelevant in this discusssion. I'll stick to the basics of what happened from strictly a football analysis standpoint; Arsenal was once again maddening on both sides of the ball and the Guardian recap puts it better than I ever could: "Such is the nature of this red and white beast, with its lack of ruthlessness at either end."

With Robin van Persie hurt, the Gunners lack a dominatingly ruthless striker, capable of putting fear in the hearts of defenders like Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney can. Add Andrei Arshavin and Eduardo to the list of injuries and suddenly Arsenal nearly has nobody capable of finishing. If only Nicklas Bendtner was as good as he assumes he is as putting the ball into the net.

That being said, Bendtner did have the decisive goal, as easy a goal as he'll ever score, set up fabulously by Emmanuel Eboue, who started on the left side in place of Bacary Sagna for the purpose of maintaining a quick pace against a struggling Black Cats side. It was a lot like the only goal I scored in middle school soccer: a goal line tap in during a blowout win over Delaware Valley. I did nothing and got all of the credit. The kid who set up the situation was pissed on that day (and for the entire season). I don't think Eboue was quite as upset on this occasion.

Arsenal only really had that one opportunity, plus several others blown in classic Arsenal fashion: too many passes leading to an eventual clearance by the defense when one pass finally goes astray. Shockingly, Arsenal did put the game away thanks to the benefit of a penalty kick awarded in second half injury time; it was Arsenal's second penalty kick in 37 games since Eduardo was called out for simulation in August. With Van Persie hurt, it's now Cesc Fabregas's job to take the spot kicks, and he buried this one, unlike his first attempt on the year against Stoke City in December.

But let's not forget this came right after a golden chance for Sunderland with a free kick right outside of the box that ended up hitting the wall. One got the feeling watching this game, especially after Wednesday's disaster in Portugal, that Sunderland was always one simple Arsenal blunder away from bringing the game level. That mistake never happened; Manuel Almunia had a solid, if unspectacular game in goal, injured finger and all (he only had one questionable clearance where he punched it out instead of clearing, and it ended up setting up a break for Theo Walcott anyway) and Mikael Silvestre was by no means as good as William Gallas is at center back, but you'll notice that I don't have anything damaging to say about his performance either.

Aaron Ramsey got his first start in ages, in place of the injured Abou Diaby, but all the Welshman did was further the stereotype that Arsenal is just a bunch of fancy passes and no shooting skill. Theo Walcott started on the wing (for speed purposes, as was the aforementioned case with Eboue, plus England manager Fabio Capello was in the stands watching) but he did what he does best as well: bring the ball forward quickly and then either pass to nobody in particular or shoot wildly wide of the net.

All of this being said, it can be boiled down to this: it wasn't pretty but Arsenal got three points.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Arsene Wenger is Very Disappointed in You 2/19/10



Preview: Arsenal v. Sunderland

Darren Bent's 71st minute goal beat Arsenal 1-0 in November. Sunderland has zero league wins since. Pic via Guardian.

Emirates Stadium, London
Saturday, February 20
1500 GMT, 10:00 am EST
  • Referee: Steve Bennett
  • This Match, Last Year: Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland
  • All-Time in League Play: 46 Arsenal wins, 44 Sunderland, 35 draws
  • Arsenal's Recent Form: W-W-D-L-L-W
  • Sunderland's Recent Form: D-L-L-D-D-D
Predicted Line-Up
guesses italicized

Almunia
Sagna - Campbell - Vermaelen - Clichy
Fabregas - Song - Denilson
Nasri - Bendtner - Rosicky

Subs from:
Fabianski, Traore, Silvestre, Eboue, Ramsey, Vela, Walcott
Out: Diaby (knee), Gallas (calf), Arshavin (hamstring), Merida (ankle), Eduardo (hamstring), Gibbs (foot), Van Persie (ankle), Djourou (knee)
  • Sunderland defeated Arsenal 1-0 at the Stadium of Light in November. Sunderland has not won a Premier League match since, and their only win came against Conference side Barrow in the third round of the FA Cup.
  • In their last game, Sunderland led Portsmouth 1-0 at Fratton Park, but Pompey equalized in the 96th minute.
  • Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Sunderland was their first match of the year without the injured Robin van Persie.
  • Arsenal is winless in their last three against Sunderland (a loss this year and two draws last year.) Before that stretch, the Gunners had won six straight against the Black Cats in all competitions.
  • Sunderland's last league win at Arsenal came at Highbury, 2-1, on November 5, 1983.
  • Darren Bent, who scored the game winner against Arsenal in November, has blamed Sunderland's disastrous recent form on the overuse of Twitter.
  • This is the fourth time Steve Bennett will referee an Arsenal match this year. He also officiated a 4-1 win home to Portsmouth, a 4-1 win at Wolves, and a 3-0 win home to Hull City.
  • Alex Song is about 80% likely to start at holding midfield, but Denilson will stay in the starting XI with the injury to Abou Diaby.
  • Manuel Almunia is 50-50 to start in goal and will be tested for fitness on his twisted finger today.
  • Sunderland have two players out injured but two more are serving suspensions and five more are doubtful.
  • Arsenal are tops in the league averaging 3.2 goals per game, but that number has plummeted to 1.6 goals per game since Robin van Persie's injury.
  • Sunderland has received six red cards this year.
Other Premier League Matches This Weekend
  • Saturday: Everton v. Manchester United; Goodison Park, Liverpool
  • Saturday: West Ham v. Hull City; Boleyn Ground at Upton Park, London
  • Saturday: Wolves v. Chelsea; Molineux, Wolverhampton
  • Saturday: Portsmouth v. Stoke; Fratton Park, Portsmouth
  • Sunday: Blackburn v. Bolton; Ewood Park, Blackburn
  • Sunday: Aston Villa v. Burnley; Villa Park, Birmingham
  • Sunday: Fulham v. Birmingham; Craven Cottage, London
  • Sunday: Manchester City v. Liverpool; City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester
  • Sunday: Wigan Athletic v. Tottenham Hotspur; DW Stadium, Wigan

    Thursday, February 18, 2010

    The Blame Game: Further Analysis of Porto's Winning Goal

    If you're an Arsenal fan with any Irish heritage, now you really hate Martin Hansson. Pic via Guardian.

    So, in the 51st minute of last night's first knockout round first leg between Arsenal and F.C. Porto, somebody fucked up. It's now time to figure out who.

    The Build Up

    In the 50th minute of a 1-1 game, Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky was taken down inside the box and Martin Hansson, the Swedish referee, did not award a penalty. This isn't anything new for the Gunners. Ever since Eduardo was murdered by the European media for "simulation" in Arsenal's Champions League playoff against Celtic in August, Arsenal has been awarded one penalty kick in all competitions over the span of 36 games. But, this is a digression, so let's move on...

    The Tap

    Law 12 states: "an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, ... touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate." The key word in this definition is "deliberately" leading to the question of whether Sol Campbell intentionally tapped the ball back to Lukasz Fabianski. The tap of the ball came from Campbell's toe and was exceedingly clumsy. It is arguable that it was not deliberate. As Arsene Wenger said, no defender, especially one with as much experience in the game as Campbell, would ever intentionally pass the ball with his toe.

    But in the end, here's the situation: Sol Campbell did hit the ball with his foot and then Lukasz Fabianski picked it up with his hands. I don't think you can fault Hansson for awarding the kick in the first place.

    The Reaction

    Okay, so the indirect free kick has been given, and the ball remains in the hands of the keeper. The referee asks for it back. What do you do? One assumes that, in good sportsmanship, the referee will allow the defending team time to reset themselves. You see it all the time. The referee gives the keeper time to set up the wall, then he blows his whistle, and the attacking team is then allowed to take the kick. Take it too soon and the referee can blow his whistle and say "no, do it again, and wait for my signal." But, he doesn't have to. There is nowhere in the rules where it says the referee has to wait a specific amount of time for the defending team to prepare. It's just kind of assumed that he will.

    It's not guaranteed, so the argument is that Fabianski should have held onto the ball, to allow the Arsenal defense to get back into the box. He would have been booked for this, but who cares? He's not going to be playing in the second leg, most likely, so it's not like it's a huge deal that he'll be playing on a yellow card and risk suspension.

    But, in retrospect, Fabianski did the worst possible thing he could have done: he turned away from the ball, away from two Porto players, and the referee that actually made the decision so he could yell at the assistant on the touchline. That was a fatal mistake because yes, Hansson should have given Arsenal time to prepare, but it's not like Fabianski used the few seconds he had wisely anyway.

    The Block

    In the few seconds of confusion, Sol Campbell ended up behind Martin Hansson (see the picture) and could not get into any sort of position to defend Porto's quick kick. Where does the fault here lie? Probably with Hansson, though not entirely because he was standing there. Yes, he should have gotten out of Campbell's way before allowing the kick. But this just goes back to his decision to allow the kick to be taken so quickly in the first place. If you're going to let Porto take that kick so fast, then you should at least make sure you're not obstructing the other team.

    The Quick Kick

    The conversation I had with Casey immediately after the goal was allowed (and after resetting myself after my mind exploded with what had just happened) was about whether or not it was sportsmanlike for Porto to have taken that kick so quickly, and my conclusion was that it's not Porto's fault that Hansson let it happen so quickly. Hey, look, Arsenal has done this before, against Chelsea in 2004.

    The ultimate decision on quick kicks is, in my opinion, as such: it's probably unsportsmanlike for them to be allowed in the first place. But they are, so you'd better be ready, and you can't cry about it afterwards.

    The Aftermath

    Sol Campbell, brought in for his leadership and experience at the back, blamed the referee for blocking him. Cesc Fabregas, el capitan, took the high road, and backed Fabianski afterward, but also excoriated the defense in general for letting this happen in the first place. Arsene Wenger blamed Hansson as well, for everything involved, as he should, as Wenger has always been known for defending his players in these situations.

    The Decision

    Yes, Hansson made some odd choices, but was perfectly within the rules to make them, with the slight exception of ruling Campbell's pass intentional. But that is a judgment call and a gray area. Campbell made the mistake of taking a poor touch in the first place, then did little to prevent the situation from getting out of hand. Fabianski errored in his attention to the situation unfolding behind his back.

    In the end, everyone involved made a mistake somewhere, but the biggest error of all was Fabianski turning his back to the ball, the referee, and the Porto players to yell at an official that wasn't involved as far as I could tell. In a span of ten seconds, a ton of people made mistakes, but it was Fabianski, by a slim margin that should feel the most blame.

    Arsene Wenger is Very Disappointed in You 2/18/10


    News Roundup 2/18/10 - The Revolving Infirmary Door Edition


    I thought you could all use some cheering up. Pic via Daily Mirror.
    • We will have another post later on Martin Hansson and the Porto winner from yesterday. This post is about all of the other news surrounding Arsenal...
    • For example, did you know that Abou Diaby got hurt last night? And he, like Alex Song, hurt his medial knee ligaments? Diaby is zero percent to feature against Sunderland on Saturday, but Alex Song is 80/20 to play; Manuel Almunia is 50/50. William Gallas, Andrei Arshavin, and Eduardo are all still out. Gallas and Arshavin will also miss the trip to Stoke on the 27th. [Arsenal.com]
    • 18-year-old Islington born goalkeeper James Shea has signed a new contract. The site says he's "known for his superb shot-stopping ability." He's a fucking goalkeeper, I should hope so. [Arsenal.com]
    • The Mirror says we're losing Gilles Sunu to Bordeaux. [Daily Mirror]
    • Again, more on yesterday coming later.

    Wednesday, February 17, 2010

    Champions League: Porto 2 - 1 Arsenal: Well, That Answers That Question

    Lukasz Fabianski stares deep into the net, as he's only just started ruining the game at this point. Pic via Guardian.

    Porto 2: Varela 11, Falcao 51
    Arsenal 1: Campbell 18

    I'm kinda glad I get to use the "disasters" tag I created yesterday. Oh wait, no, I'm pissed... Also, I got to create this "total idiocy" tag.

    Hey, remember that time yesterday when we said, "Almunia's absence will prove that either his time is past or that he's the best we've got." And then I also said "Fabianski ... hasn't exactly covered himself in glory in big games past." Yeah...

    Lukasz Fabianski left Gooners all over the world screaming at their televisions after two horrendous blunders led to two F.C. Porto goals in a 2-1 Arsenal loss in Portugal tonight. Let's analyze them, shall we!

    First goal: Yes, Varela gets around Clichy, which isn't surprising, but then hits a weak low cross that Fabianski hits the ground to handle. But, instead of catching it, it bounces off his hands and careens to his left. Into the net. Varela was given credit, but that's generous. That was an own goal all the way.

    Arsenal was very shaky at the start; perhaps not surprising given the number of injury-forced changes in Arsene Wenger's side. It was a lot like the start at Standard Liege in September, except it was 1-0 in 11 minutes and not 2-0 in 5 minutes. Minor victory?

    Arsenal pulled one back seven minutes later, scoring off a corner kick, when big Sol Campbell got above the rest of the pack to head one home. There's that height Arsenal has been lacking on set pieces all God-damned season long!

    From that point on, both teams decided they had no desire to play defense. Arsenal blatantly missed the services of Alex Song as a holding midfielder, as Denilson and Abou Diaby did not get the job done in stifling the Porto attack. The rest of the first half was wide open, swinging back and forth like a pendulum, but no goals were scored, and things sat 1-1 at halftime.

    That would not have been a bad result for the Gunners, with five new injuries, on the road. Things would be even going back home for the second leg, with an away goal to boot.

    Oh, but Fabianski wasn't done. In the 51st minute, Sol Campbell tapped the ball back to Fabianski, who inexplicably picked the ball up with his hands. Brutal mistake to begin with, to set up an indirect free kick for Porto in the box. I've mentioned before that with time to set up a wall, those kicks never work. Instead, Arsenal decided just to let Porto score, essentially...

    Fabianski handed the ball to the referee, turned, and argued about the call to the assistant referee on the near touchline. Arsenal's defenders walked slowly back into the box. The referee put the ball down as the Gunners continued arguing and walking. Tap, shot, 2-1 Porto.

    Casey and I had a short discussion about this immediately afterward. Was it unsportsmanlike for Porto to take a quick kick? I said no. It's on Arsenal to pay attention and get back in position. It's on Fabianski or Campbell to stay near the ball and not let Porto shoot before they're ready. It's on Fabianski not to let this situation happen in the first place! Just a brutal mistake and a heartbreaking result.

    Arsenal found themselves off the pace for a while after the goal, had a few chances, but never took a shot on goal, as far as I remember in the second half. Tons of headers over the bar. Tons of corner kicks that sailed over everybody. No major threats from the Gunners.

    So, now, the second leg at the Emirates on March 9. Arsenal has an away goal in their pocket and a goal to make up on aggregate. Not a disastrous result, in terms of fixing this in the second leg. But oh, what a painful match it was.

    FYI, I'd prefer to see Mannone start against Sunderland on Saturday.

    Porto v. Arsenal - Minute by Minute

    Preamble: Well, I'm pretty sure the entire Arsenal squad is hurt or something. The Gunners travel to Portugal without the services of Manuel Almunia, William Gallas, Eduardo, Andrei Arshavin, and Alex Song, in addition to pre-existing injuries to Fran Merida, Robin van Persie, Kieran Gibbs, and Johan Djourou. But hey, Carlos Vela is back!

    Official line-ups when I have them. I'd expect Sol Campbell to start in place of Gallas rather than Mikael Silvestre, because both Silvestre and Thomas Vermaelen are left-footed. Denilson will probably start in place of Song at holding midfield. I hope Denilson suddenly remembers that he's supposed to run while playing this sport. Up front is a bigger guessing game. Nicklas Bendtner will start, Samir Nasri should be on the wing, but since Eduardo can't replace Arshavin, will it be Theo Walcott or Tomas Rosicky? Or will Emmanuel Eboue make a surprise start somewhere, as he did against Liverpool a week ago in place of Bacary Sagna? We'll see soon.

    These new injuries are not exactly just a Champions League headache; Almunia, Gallas, Eduardo, Arshavin, and Song are all expected to miss Sunderland's visit to the Emirates on Saturday. Gallas will be out until early March with a calf injury (it's not his back, as several media sources have claimed.)

    Line-up: Fabianski, Sagna, Campbell, Vermaelen, Clichy, Fabregas, Denilson, Diaby, Nasri, Rosicky, Bendtner. This means my line-up guess from yesterday's post, upon learning of all of the injuries, was 100% correct. I am awesome.

    Starting for Porto: Helton, Fucile, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Pereira, Ruben Micael, Fernando, Raul Meireles, Varela, Falcao, Hulk.

    So, Arsenal's 4-3-3 looks a little different today thanks to those injuries (alright fine, it's still really a 4-5-1), but with Campbell, Diaby, and Bendtner featuring, maybe Arsenal can use some height to their advantage for a change!

    Arsenal in their standard red and white kits, Porto in their standard blue and white striped kit.

    Keep in mind, Fabregas and Clichy are playing on yellow cards.

    1 min: Arsenal kicks off and we're underway from Porto! Gunners moving left to right as I see it.

    2 mins: Campbell beaten poorly there, terrifying chance from Porto.

    3 mins: Hulk just misses a shot wide; Porto have had all the pressure and Arsenal are fortunate to have not conceded just yet. Reminds me of the start at Standard Liege.

    5 mins: Bendtner, facing a double team in the area knocks the ball out of play and does not get the call for a corner; first bit of Arsenal "arsenalling" in their passing game.

    7 mins: Arsenal have settled down a bit. Nasri takes a shot right at Helton, the Porto keeper.

    9 mins: Free kick to Porto in a dangerous spot after a challenge from Vermaelen. Bruno Alves, the Porto captain takes it from 30 meters out and it's caught comfortably by Fabianski.

    11 mins: End to end action at the start! Hulk is clearly giving the defense fits, but he can't draw a penalty kick from a collision with Campbell.

    12 mins: Porto 1 - 0 Arsenal. Clichy beaten easily, like he has been for the last few weeks; Varela crosses the ball and Fabianksi knocks it into the net. Horrible mistake, probably should've been an own goal, but it's not. Brutal, brutal mistake.

    16 mins: Great move on the edge of the box by Nasri leads to a corner, which just goes right to Helton.

    18 mins: Every time I see Porto's goal, I cringe harder and harder. Bendtner with a shot nearly deflected in, looks like another corner for Arsenal that they won't do anything with.

    19 mins: Porto 1 - 1 Arsenal. It's Sol Campbell! A header off the corner and Arsenal is level! What a crazy start to this game.

    21 mins: Fabregas a free kick from 27 meters, off the wall, hit an Arsenal player and lands in Helton's arms.

    22 mins: Arsenal corner, after a great look at the net from Rosicky, sails over everyone's heads.

    23 mins: Vermaelen escapes a booking there, but concedes a free kick outside the box, for a very deliberate push. The kick goes wide left.

    25 mins: Sagna is struggling to keep pace at times, but unlike Clichy of late, he's recovering well, and earns a goal kick.

    27 mins: Porto doing their best Arsenal impression in terms of passing; Clichy had a chance to clear but mishit, and a Vermaelen header concedes Porto's first corner.

    28 mins: Arsenal struggle to clear and eventually, Fabianksi is forced to make a big save, but pushes the rebound near Hulk, but too far for him to hit it on goal as Sagna closes.

    31 mins: Far touchline assistant calls the foul on Diaby for that slide tackle and he's booked. Arsene Wenger is very disappointed. Good catch by Fabianski on that free kick, but I momentarily feared he'd fall into the net with it.

    36 mins: Little to say, but plenty to see, as the action continues to sway back and forth across the pitch.

    37 mins: Big save Helton after the Bendtner deflection. Arsenal corner.

    39 mins: There's no more terrifying sight than Cesc Fabregas rolling on the pitch in pain, clutching his ankle. He's fine though.

    40 mins: Sol Campbell holds off the Porto attack at the line just long enough for Fabianski to pounce.

    42 mins: Great ball to Rosicky, great pass to Bendtner, whose cross was clearly intended for that fan in the third row.

    45 mins: Bendtner cancels a great run by falling in the arc over nothing. Back and forth we go again.

    45+1 mins: There were 34 seconds of stoppage time? In a half with two goals? Halftime recap coming, but first, a bit of a fun little get together between the two sides entering the tunnel. Should be a cracking second half.

    HALFTIME: Porto 1 - 1 Arsenal. "Curious match, this," says Casey and I completely agree. A wide open affair. Arsenal looked shaky at the start, pulled themselves back into the match with a goal seven minutes later, but it's obvious how much this team misses Alex Song. There just doesn't feel like there's a holding midfielder in red out there, leading to action that is swinging wildly back and forth. Meanwhile, shoot us an e-mail at hipstergooner@gmail.com.

    46 mins: Second half starts. Gooners, let's pray for some holding from our midfield!

    47 mins: Free kick to Arsenal drawn by Denilson outside the box on the left side. Cesc to take it, curls it in, Campbell heads it just a touch high over the bar.

    49 mins: Bendtner's shots have just not been on target since coming back from injury. Miscommunication between Sagna and Fabianski was a little worrying. Nothing we haven't seen from Almunia before.

    50 mins: Rosicky hauled down in the box with no call. Eduardo Embargo on PK's still on against Arsenal since August.

    51 mins: Porto 2 - 1 Arsenal. Hold on, I'll get to this after I clean up from my head exploding.

    53 mins: So, Fabianksi stops paying attention, picks up a back pass, then doesn't even try to block the quick indirect free kick, which leads to a goal. Another. Brutal. Mistake. From. Fabianski. Just horrible. Another farcical goal allowed by the Gunners.

    54 mins: That'll be controversial for sure and Casey and I are discussing the relative "shittyness" of taking that kick so quickly. But it's on the keeper to get the team ready for it, and tonight, Fabianski has failed miserably.

    56 mins: Thank God Fabianski didn't pick it up that time.

    58 mins: Another header from an Arsenal free kick sails harmlessly over the bar.

    60 mins: Fabianski with a good low save on the Hulk shot. Apocalypse, maybe?

    62 mins: Arsenal again come close with possession in the box, but just don't seem to have the personnel to just turn and fire on goal tonight.

    64 mins: Fucile booked for Porto on a challenge on Fabregas. Cesc keeps confronting Porto players, but let's remember, he's already sitting on one yellow. Another booking and he's out for the return leg.

    66 mins: Arsenal escapes danger with two blocks in the box before a Nasri clear.

    68 mins: First subs. Theo "I'm Exceedingly Frustrating to Watch" Walcott replaces Tomas "I Have Awesomely Long Hair" Rosicky. For Porto: Costa is on for Meireles.

    71 mins: So, does Arsenal have an equalizer in them? And more importantly, a second away goal? Corner coming...

    74 mins: Theo Walcott, with fresh legs, does a great job coming back on defense, then hits a horrible clearance.

    76 mins: Fifteen minutes to play here. Clever ball from Nasri to Fabregas doesn't work as the defenders close nicely; goal kick.

    78 mins: Alvaro booked for a challenge that led to a play-on advantage call. Then Sagna called for a foul despite looking like he got the ball first.

    80 mins: Does anybody on Arsenal want to defend here? A third Porto goal would be killer for Arsenal. Hulk down hurt after a collision with Diaby.

    81 mins: Porto corner with ten minutes to play. Carlos Vela warming up. Hulk subbed off, Mariano Gonzalez on.

    83 mins: Vela on for Bendtner. Not like we need height or anything.

    84 mins: More bookings for Porto, it's Fernando this time. Another Porto sub as well. Cesc is still down hurt.

    85 mins: Way to pass it right into touch, Arsenal.

    88 mins: Eboue on for Nasri.

    90 mins: Has Arsenal had a shot on goal in this half? I don't think so.

    90+1 mins: There will be three minutes of added time. Arsenal corner over everyone.

    90+3 mins:
    Great pressure from Arsenal and NOBODY SHOOTS!

    FULL TIME: Porto 2 - 1 Arsenal.
    Full recap coming in an hour or so.

    We're Number One

    We all hope that FC Porto is destroyed today, but either way wanted to thank so many people for reading us as we previewed today's game!