Goldi Poldi Halelujah

es gibt einen Fußballgott!

So, Lukas Podolski smashed his duck at the mugsmashers. For all of us this goal had a sense of being overdue, not necessarily for the German, but because it was the first Arsenal goal full-stop this term. The "seven years no trophies" jibe was about to be reincarnated as the "x hours no goals" klaxon. He clearly enjoyed the goal as his own first strike but also as the release valve on the pressure cooker that was building in the absence of last season's talisman after two scoreless draws.

Little Mozart

Rosicky sticks it to the Scum

Tomas Rosicky signed early in the summer of 2006, and took the number seven shirt previously worn by Robert Pires. Then he celebrated joining the Gunners with a 30 yard rocket  and a deft second against the United States in first round of the World Cup in Germany. After a subdued debut season he became an integral part of the best midfield quartet in the 2007-08 Premier League, alongside Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, and Alexander Hleb.  That season the Arsenal led the league until February with a game based on quick passing and swarming pressure in the middle third, and Rosicky was a key component until late January, when he suffered a hamstring injury that would keep him out of the Arsenal side for the better part of two years.

Four years later, only Rosicky remains from that midfield and it’s no surprise that his return to form has coincided with the longest winning streak Arsenal have enjoyed in the league since that season. Perhaps due to his injury absence, he doesn’t have the best numbers in terms of goals or assists. In fact he endured a seemingly endless drought in front of goal in the League for Arsenal. Endless that is, until Spurs arrived at the Grove heavily favored to pull of a league double against the Arsenal.  His inclusion in the first XI at that time was surely down to his return to fitness and form, aided in no small part by Aaron Ramsey’s reverse trajectory in both departments.

Walking In A Bergkamp Wonderland

that goal against Newcastle

The only thing missing from this drawing is the brick that Nikos Dabizas shat right after that indelible flick and turn from Dennis Bergkamp. To add insult to injury he was muscled off the ball by the Dutchman, who then gave Shay Given the eyes to the near post and passed it into the far corner cool as you like.