Emirates Cup 2007 Part IV

Match 2 of the first day, playing the host team Arsenal and Paris Saint Germain and we started to feel the heat.

Warming up before the match.

Manuel Almunia, the Spanish goalie who looks alike Silas, the character in the movie Da Vinci Code. I guess this season he'll play more than Jens Lehmann, the aged German goalie in the first team, and probably the new signing Fabianski will play a bit.

The video man is on douceur de vivre and I'm on Sky TV.

55,000 attendance on the Sunny day.

Starting line up for the match, I don't know many of the players in PSG, and there are plenty of young faces in Arsenal. Anyway, I was happy that Van Persie and Fabregas appeared in the line up. The rest who appeared were Flamini, K. Toure, Hleb, Clichy, Diaby, Denilson, Sagna and Sanderos. The new signing striker Eduardo hasn't got his UK permit at time so wasn't playing.

The most popular player in Arsenal now obviously is Cesc Fabregas, you can tell from the crowd's reaction when his name appeared on the big screen.

The match started and both teams were playing their best even though it was more like a friendly for the cup competition.

The midfield ace Fabregas in action.

Sanderos v The Portuguese striker Pauleta. As predicted, Pauleta performed as how he did in the World Cup, plenty of chances but wasted all.

Rothen the PSG winger took the free kick against the wall formed by Clichy and Denilson.

My favourite shot of the day - RPV in action. I agreed with Wenger's decision to sell Henry as I think he is not as good as before, might as well sell him when he still worth 16 million pounds. I think RPV will be the next big time in Arsenal and the premiere league.

Flamini scored the only goal during the first half. Even though it was just a friendly match, some fans from opposite teams were swearing and shouting at each others.

Police got involved before a possible fight could happen. This is English football, make sure you wear the right jersey, say the right thing and sit at the right place to avoid any trouble.

You certainly don't want to sit besides fans like this one.

The photographer sending first hand data during the half time break. I guess I will never be a good sports journalist as I am too slumber, posting the entry 2 weeks after the match.

Typical Arsene Wenger post.

To me, Alexander Hleb was the player of the match, he's a hardworking type of midfielder linking the whole team after Fabregas was rested for the second half.

Hleb won a penalty and the young Danish striker Bendtner took the initiative for the spot kick.

He took the shot, and missed it. Another Adebayor in the making it seems. Anyway he used his physical advantage and scored and a lucky goal later. Arsenal won the match 2-1 and lifted the Emirates Cup after beating Inter Milan the day after.



The Mexican Wave from Eugene Goh and Vimeo.

Overall view on Arsenal, there are plenty of talented young players who has great individual skills but they will need to rely much on Fabregas and Hleb to link the whole team. I predicted Arsenal will fall to 5th or even 6th place, after MU, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham in that order. Watch out for West Ham, Newcastle and Man City as well.

Arsene Wenger wrote me an email after the match asking my interest to join Arsenal, but I told him that I prefer to join MU instead.