MotM - PL: Fulham vs Arsenal | 11/09/04

[Henry's Girl]

Freddie, Lehman and Cygan

 

[tox]

i think reyes' introduction turned the game in our favour. his pace against the tiring legs of the fulham players was probably the difference between a draw and a victory. so i'll go for reyes

I agree. Reyes impact was immediate and crucial. My vote also goes to him.

 

[Loylz]

I'd definately go with Ljungberg. The man had a blinder yesterday and has played extremely well this season. He has put last season behind him and apart from Boro in which he had a toe injury ha played very well in every game.

He had done his trademark well timed runs and always looked a threat. Got back whenever needed but was more prominent in attack getting numerous chances and either directing it on target or just missing the ball by a stud. He was a thorn in the Fulham defences side and I don't think they like playing against him.

All in all I see Freddie getting back to his best again and prove to everyone that he is still Highbury's Goldenboy.

 

[Ridge]

i'll vote for freddie. red hot 01/02 season freddie is coming back! and duh i miss his red hair.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

I have to go for the pass master Dennis Bergkamp. His magnificent vision and awesome execution of passes opens up the tightest of defences. Reyes, Henry, Toure, Cole and Ljungberg also had good games. Vieira looked rusty and Pires was extremely poor. I expect him to be replaced by Reyes against PSV.
Cygan did ok defensively, but his distibution was extremely poor. His sloppy passes got us in trouble time after time. the penalty incident is a perfect example. Boa Morte caused Lauren loads of problems with his pace and trickery.

 

[goonerlove]

I voted Ljungberg because he is one of my faves anyway and he ran his butt off to create chances when we looked really flat in the first half.

Reyes deserves consideration - we looked a much more dangerous team when he came on the pitch - Pires looked tired and slow and Fulham did a nice job closing him down aggressively.

I also thought Lehmann had a very solid match. Made some big saves and looked assured in goal, even in the midst of a fair amount of controversy (which he is not noted for).

And Henry - as always, provider to others on key goals. Too bad Reyes didn't see him at the death and send a cross over instead of taking a very hard angle shot into the side netting.

Fulham pushed us. Honestly, they looked the more composed and assertive team in the first half. Vieira looked rusty, Pires was a non-factor, and Henry was getting swarmed by defenders every time he got the ball. Even our maestro Bergkamp looked off - his passes were all over the place. Freddie could have gotten a penalty on his shot - and Henry deserved a penalty on Volz's ill-timed tackle.

All in all, we survived a scary match. The score-line is a testament to our attacking ability in short bursts when the other team's defense lapses in concentration, but had Fulham gotten the penalty in the first half and had COle been sent off (the ref got the call correct thank god), we would have seen a different match and I think we would have been fighting for a draw instead.

It is a lesson - we need to bring energy and creativity to every match and we need to work our short passing and outlet passing more effectively when teams close us down so aggressively. Wenger will need to carefully monitor his players and know when to use each of our options.

Goonerlove

 

[kNiteMare]

Definitly Reyes. His introduction brought the goals against Fulham. Ljungberg was great, but you are forced to notice that his finishing is not the best, and despite his effort, i doubt we would've won the game if Reyes was not brought on. Lehmann did some great saves as well and he deserves considerations as well.

 

[Henry's Girl]

i'll vote for freddie. red hot 01/02 season freddie is coming back! and duh i miss his red hair.

the red hair will soon come back too

 

[Arnie]

reyes changed the game when he came on, but i can see why u guys voted freddy!! He is back to normal!!

 

[brady]

it was a toss up between reyes and freddie but in the end i thought freddie deserved it because he ran his socks off the whole game. reyes came on and had an impact but ultimately he also needed others to chip in like henry for the first goal and denis for the third. not that freddie did it all himself but he never stopped running and that was the key. henry was having one of his moods though i would too if volz left his studs on my calf. still he showed tremendous vision to set up freddie for the first, almost bergkamp-like.

 

[Loylz]

It was actually his achilles. Ouch. That is where he got injured and I feared for the worst when I heard that was where got kicked. You could see the agony he was in as he sprawled to the floor and started rolling about.

 

[Henry's Girl]

It was actually his achilles. Ouch. That is where he got injured and I feared for the worst when I heard that was where got kicked. You could see the agony he was in as he sprawled to the floor and started rolling about.

he was like a baby rolling on the pitch

 

[shaz]

salpac.

 

[RocktheCasbah]

Only saw the highlights, but whilst Reyes seemed to be the catalyst, Dennis seemed to have the laser guided boots on again..

 

[efurze]

Henry for me. The man is a magician with the ball. That flick he tried in the first half that nearly came off? Sick! And he should have been awarded a penalty. Freddie's goal was all about the assist, which Henry provided in style: got the ball in a crowd, danced with it just enough to get the timing and angle for the pass right, and slotted it perfectly for an assist; all freddie had to do was pick the correct post to shoot for. It was nice to see Fred lively again, but in his place I have to believe Reyes would have had 3+ goals.

Dennis was his usual brilliant self. Had fred's first touch been better that OG would have been another assist for DB10.

Pires wasn't bad, it was just a hard-fought game and he wasn't getting the ball much. Viera may have been rusty, but even at 80% he's better than just about anyone else. May not be completely match fit yet, but he was still the midfield vaccum, no one gets past Paddy. The game suited Cygan's style so he looked pretty good, but he still made his customary 2-3 mistakes (he fortunately wasn't made to pay for any of them). I was a little disappointed with Pennant, I thought he could have done better; he got dispossessed a little too easily when he was 1-on-1 on the wing. Reyes was good but he didn't win the game - Arsenal were getting a grip on it even before he came on. But Fulham were getting tired and his fresh legs did make a difference.

 

[jeromelee]

Boa Morte or Collin John actually. They gave us a lot of problems. In fact, up to the point that Arsenal scored through Freddie I thought Fulham were definitely the better team. I can't believe anyone actually thought we deserved the MOTM award.

Maybe we were jetlagged, maybe those international games really did take a toil on the team. But hell, if we play like that again defensively, we'd get creamed sooner or later.

Fulham were really unlucky not to end our unbeaten run.

 

[KingReyes]

Great game by Freddy, really worked hard both in defense and in attack. So far this season we have seen a much improved Freddy and hopefully the consistency in his game will remain, also depending if he remains injury free. A deserved MOTM winner.

 

[Soler]

The article is now on the front page if you want to read it.

 

[Aussie]

Henry for me. The man is a magician with the ball. That flick he tried in the first half that nearly came off? Sick! And he should have been awarded a penalty. Freddie's goal was all about the assist, which Henry provided in style: got the ball in a crowd, danced with it just enough to get the timing and angle for the pass right, and slotted it perfectly for an assist; all freddie had to do was pick the correct post to shoot for. It was nice to see Fred lively again, but in his place I have to believe Reyes would have had 3+ goals.

Dennis was his usual brilliant self. Had fred's first touch been better that OG would have been another assist for DB10.

Pires wasn't bad, it was just a hard-fought game and he wasn't getting the ball much. Viera may have been rusty, but even at 80% he's better than just about anyone else. May not be completely match fit yet, but he was still the midfield vaccum, no one gets past Paddy. The game suited Cygan's style so he looked pretty good, but he still made his customary 2-3 mistakes (he fortunately wasn't made to pay for any of them). I was a little disappointed with Pennant, I thought he could have done better; he got dispossessed a little too easily when he was 1-on-1 on the wing. Reyes was good but he didn't win the game - Arsenal were getting a grip on it even before he came on. But Fulham were getting tired and his fresh legs did make a difference.

You had the nerve to have a go at Mad Jens for a spelling mistake. At least his article was the truth.

Henry motm i dont think so.
Dennis Brilliant?

 

[Soler]

Henry for me. The man is a magician with the ball. That flick he tried in the first half that nearly came off? Sick! And he should have been awarded a penalty. Freddie's goal was all about the assist, which Henry provided in style: got the ball in a crowd, danced with it just enough to get the timing and angle for the pass right, and slotted it perfectly for an assist; all freddie had to do was pick the correct post to shoot for. It was nice to see Fred lively again, but in his place I have to believe Reyes would have had 3+ goals.

Dennis was his usual brilliant self. Had fred's first touch been better that OG would have been another assist for DB10.

Pires wasn't bad, it was just a hard-fought game and he wasn't getting the ball much. Viera may have been rusty, but even at 80% he's better than just about anyone else. May not be completely match fit yet, but he was still the midfield vaccum, no one gets past Paddy. The game suited Cygan's style so he looked pretty good, but he still made his customary 2-3 mistakes (he fortunately wasn't made to pay for any of them). I was a little disappointed with Pennant, I thought he could have done better; he got dispossessed a little too easily when he was 1-on-1 on the wing. Reyes was good but he didn't win the game - Arsenal were getting a grip on it even before he came on. But Fulham were getting tired and his fresh legs did make a difference.

Better get to work Mr. Editor.