You Can Polish A Turd, But It's Still A Crap Goalkeeper

from the factory floor

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Karaiskaki Stadium

Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco

Olympiakos 3-1 Arsenal   06 December 2011

Rafik Djebbour [16']          Yossi Benayoun [57']

David Fuster [36']              

Francois Modesto [89']

I threatened down at the bar that my report for this match would just be a collection of Benny Hill youtube clips, thinking the less said about this the better. And oddly enough though the result ‘doesn’t matter’ so to speak, it’s worth having a look at.

Two pretty big screw ups on our end put the home side up 2-0 in the first half hour. Ed’s observation that the first wasn’t so much of an indictment on Fabianski was belied by the shambolic performance the Pole put in for the first quarter-hour. To be fair, Ed strolled in a bit late and wasn’t privy to the opening minutes by our number two [that pun is fully intended].

Puxatawny Marseilles

from the Fort Greene bunker

Champions League Group Stage

Arsenal 0–0 Marseilles  1 November 2011

I missed the first 30 minutes of the match, which apparently had the best chances but couldn’t take them. It appeared we’d have a repeat of the trip to Marseilles, so I settled in for another session of teeth gnashing. After the match on Saturday it would be churlish to complain, but we looked jaded, to borrow some Wengerspeak.

Song and Vermaelen were our best players on the pitch. Vermaelen marshaled a clean sheet with 3 players beside him that arrived in the summer, and one of them is a dozy Brazilian left-back with absolutely no positional sense whatsoever [and as seen on Saturday, who also apparently can’t dance]. Though this was his first complete 90 minutes since his return, he did this against a team that was lightning quick on the counter and as such has a reputation for being stronger away from home. Think Aston Villa a few seasons ago. For once a player’s words are backed up by his performances.