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| Via SportsNewsNow |
By Zach Ricchiuti
Emphatic wins by Arsenal and Chelsea separated the two clubs from the rest of the pack.
Playing West Ham on their home turf is a challenge for any side in the Premier League. Their striking line is led by the Andy Carroll, and perhaps more importantly, they release bubbles in the stadium and sing this song before and halfway through each match. I can only imagine what went through Arsenal’s minds as that filtered into the stadium tunnels. It’s akin to standing in the bowels of the Roman Coliseum, listening to the roar of a deranged croud. “Pretty bubbles in the air!” Terrifying.
Most importantly, though, West Ham is managed by Satan’s second-in-command, Sam Allardyce. His Bolton side years ago were physical, direct, and absolutely miserable to watch. They consisted of one lump of a footballer, eight players who could direct their kicks up to that one lump, and then a final talented player gifted the task of chasing that lump's knock-downs and smashing them towards goal.
Allardyce must have been thrilled when he learned he’d receive Carroll on loan. The forward embodies everything that he believes in, all packed into a gangly frame that makes him difficult to cover, but which also makes it difficult for him to play football. Watching Andy Carroll on the pitch reminds me of a series of quotes about the U.S. army compared with the Russians and Germans during World War II.
“One of the serious problems in planning against American Doctrine is that the Americans do not read their manuals nor do they feel any obligation to follow their doctrine” –Russian Military Document
“The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis” –German General Officer
“If we don’t know what we are doing, the enemy certainly can’t anticipate our future actions!” -Anonymous American Serviceman
Arsenal, on the other hand, are all that is pure and holy in the game. They maintain balanced transfer budgets, employ a short passing game rivaled only by Barcelona’s, and likely have a three-point plan for peace in the Middle East. And on Saturday, that organization helped them fend off manic West Ham. In the midfield, Carroll won almost every ball in the air, but Arsenal’s Arteta won more of those second balls. Combined with his close positioning to Mertesacker and Vermaelen, Arsenal could easily regain the ball even if they lost the initial aerial battle. That gave Giroud the opportunity to score his first Premier League goal and notch his fourth assist.
As good as they looked versus West Ham, Arsenal will face a tough run for the title. Chelsea is still dangerous coming off a European Cup win that was nothing short of miraculous. They made shrewd investments in their team, and Fernando Torres has responded to being given more responsibility with solid leadership on the front line. Watching that front four interchange against Norwich was breathtaking, resembling at times Harlem Globetrotters exhibition.
My bold prediction is that these teams will end up one and two, in some sort of combination. Manchester United’s midfield and defense is old and slow, and will struggle against top teams and in the Champions League. And Manchester City has its hands full trying to keep players like Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez happy. Their group in the Champions League is a nightmare, and leaves the distinct possibility of missing the knockout rounds for the second straight year.
With the clubs from Manchester struggling, Arsenal and Chelsea seemingly have a clear path. Now the question is who will grab it and run the furthest.
Zach Ricchiuti is a contributor and resident soccer expert for Began in '96.
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