Braga (H) CL [15/09/2010]

[Gaffer]

Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Uefa Champions League
Arsenal v Braga, GpH, 19:45
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.C._Braga

[Craigie]

Solid defensive unit, I doubt they'll attack. Away will be tough but at home we should walk it.

[ArsenalZeBest]

Very defensive team. They will rough it up for us. but we should win....

[Gaffer]

Samir Nasri starts for Arsenal tonight

[Craigie]

Has anyone else noticed that Chamakh seems to do all of Arshavin's running for him?

[Gaffer]

Arsenal 6-0 Braga

Fabregas (pen) 9 Arshavin 30 Chamakh 34 Fabregas 53 Vela 69 Vela 84

Footballing Porn on ITV tonight and it was very sexy to watch..It was just that good.

And to my dear spurs fans who lurk this site, thats how you kill a game off.. Take note

Ratings

Almunia : 7.5 (Did everything asked of him very well,Clean hands)

Sagna : 7.5 (Solid game and pushed forward well)

Koscielny : 7.5 (Solid and no mistakes)

Squillaci : 8.0 (Keown school of defending, i like him)

Clichy : 8.0 (Very good game from the flying full back)

Fabregas : 9.5 ( What can you say, Scored 2 set up 3, Master class) MOTM again

Nasri : 7.5 (Was good to see him back, Linked the play well)

A Song : 7.5 (Solid Song, Broke up the play and gave away the odd foul when needed)

Wilshere : 8.5 (Outstanding game tonight and his assist to Chamakh was World class)

Arshavin : 7.0 (Scored a great goal and good cross for Cesc 2nd, But gave the ball away 2 many times)

Chamakh : 8.5 (Scored a great goal “With his feet” and linked the play and worked hard for the team)

Subs

Denilson : 6.5 (Came on for Song and did the job)

Eboue : 7.0 (Looked dangerous, Great warm up skills)

Vela : 8.5 (TWO great goals, Reminds me of Eduardo at his best, When 1 on 1 you fancy him to score)

[turbocanuck]

Gunners did more than they were required to......Cesc, Wilshere, Chamakh, Koscielny, Squillaci and not least VELA! I can see this lad terrorising and punishing opponents with his deadly finishing........Like Gaffer said so eloquently, Vela reminds us of Eduardo in his heydays. With Van Nursie and the Dud B52 injured, i think Vela deserves to make his mark to be a starter.

[Craigie]

Let's not get too carried away, Braga were SHOCKING. I was more impressed by Blackpool. They were clearly put off by the big stage. I don't understand how a team that gave my beloved Benfica a good run for their money could be so shite. How many times was it 4 against 3 on their back 4 with Arshavin standing unmarked on the corner of the box, must've been at least 5 times. To be fair they've lost a top class keeper and replaced him with a joker.

Chamakh for me was MOTM. Somehow he seemed to be in all 3 of the striker positions always. He was strong in the air, with his feet, held it up, linked, fantastic. Nothing can compare to a player with work rate and he has it to spare. I really think he can be key to getting the best out of the lazy Arshavin. It was easy for Fabregas to be Fabregas given the amount of space they granted him always, but Chamakh was himself and for me that should really be applauded.

Wilshire was good, although in a lot of what he did you could see a player lacking that certain level of class we require. IMO he will achieve that within 4-5 months in this team, but in the first half a lot of what he did could have been a tiny bit better but i'm relaxed it will come.


Something else that's stood out for me so far this season that seems to have gone unnoticed is Sagna. He looks like a man pissed off. He looks like a man tired of being near the top but not at the top, a man that is tired of playing for the boys team and a man that realises that you have to get stuck in to get anywhere in this game. He's been flying into 50/50s and winning them over the past few games, his crossing is better and his timing of crossing/passing seems improved. This season he seems a lot sharper, stronger and braver and really looks like the player we signed rather than the lost man of 2008/09.

[FootballPictures]

Pictures & video Arsenal - Braga : http://www.footballpictures.eu/node/4947

[Craigie]

Almunia didn't do a thing wrong for me all night, infact he did quite a lot right and looked in charge. You can question the quality of the opposition but balls into the box are balls into the box, no matter who the opposition is they're still tricky.