Break it up

To break up the near constant stream of football related posts, I bring you... a football related post! Just not American football this time.

I watched the Blackburn v. Arsenal match today. Some thoughts:

-Blackburn takes a corner kick and Arsenal goalie Jens Lehmann (I don't like him) runs to the near post as the ball clearly sails over him to the far post. Some Blackburn dude named Derbyshire has an easy header into the vacated goal but he nods it poorly and wide. What Derbyshire does do with considerable skill is grasp the sides of his head in disbelief that he missed such an easy chance. It seems that is all Derbyshire has skill at as he had to be shocked at his lack of skill later in the match and again was spot on with his reaction to utter lack of football skills.

-Blackburn's Savage (that's his name and skill level in one) plows over Gilberto from the back and finishes off the move with a forearm shiver to Gilberto's spine. Gilberto does what any effete Brazilian would do; he weakly kicks at Savage's ankle. Whether he contacted the ankle or not matters not as Savage leapt in the air grabbing his ankle then fell to the ground in pain. A dive good enough to earn him a spot on the Italian national team. Gilberto was issued a red card for his...violence. Savage was also issued a yellow card, presumably for the initial foul, but funny this was he seemed to be quite healthy before Gilberto had even reached the sideline. Nice recovery. Savage also had a chance at a header on goal later and just nodded it wide. I think it came off his nose wrong.

-When Arsenal scored goal number one it was on a free kick. Now Arsenal is down a man, has a free kick about 50 yards from goal with striker Thierry Henry poised to take the kick. Henry stands alone near the ball with the rest of the Arsenal offense positioning themselves to receive the kick near Blackburn's goal. Just a thought, but, where oh where might Henry kick the ball? Towards the goal, perhaps? And would you expect Arsenal players might attempt to direct said ball further toward the goal? Yes, I thought so. Blackburn seemed to have been looking for something else as Toure was allowed to simply run toward the flight path of the ball leaving nothing but air between he and the goal while a defender jogged along behind him. Toure skillfully headed the ball to the near post, striking the post but deflecting across the goal behind the line. Strangely, Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel just stood there watching the ball sail to Toure's head and then pinball from his right to left without any attempt to make a save.

-Arsenal's second goal came when they were in full defensive mode, having subbed in a defender for their second striker, still a man down. Henry was allowed to dribble alone up the left side from the Arsenal side of midfield while four Blackburn players surrounded him but made no attempt to take the ball. Fabregas then joined Henry up front and managed to get open for a pass with two additional Blackburn players marking him. They to watched as Henry trotted to the middle, Fabregas waited patiently for Henry to get in a good position, then passed to Henry as he and the pass from Fabregas somehow managed to avoid all six Blackburn defenders, and Henry deftly pushed the ball into the top corner just off the fingertips of a diving Friedel. Masterful skill. Classic Arsenal.