Hey guys,
Firstly apologies for the tardiness in getting these pics to you but I’ve been flat stick with work and catching up with old mates.
So the Emirates tournament. Firstly the stadium is amazing, there’s not a bad seat in the house, there are no obstructed views, apparently this was a requirement of the design, and rain from any direction will struggle to hit any seated patron. Every seat is padded! It’s an amazing venue, I’m a total Liverpool fan and after having seen the preliminary plans for Stanley Park am very excited and if it’s anything like the Emirates it will be amazing. I saw the remnants of Highbury and would love to have seen a game there because of the fields proximity to the stadium.
Walter I know you’re a reds man too, and Blackjack I get the feeling by your bias against Everton you might be as well but am not certain. I haven’t been able to nab tickets to Liverpool v Chelsea this weekend, first home game and top four match so demand was high, a colleague is allegedly family friends with the former chairman (take that with a pinch of salt) but given the profile of the game it fell through, however I have placed a request for tickets to the game against Derby so fingers crossed that will happen. If so it will be a football mad weekend as I’ve got tickets to Arsenal v Portsmouth the
day after.
So on to the games. Valencia were basically rubbish. They were very composed in defensive areas when in possession and moved the ball forward in slow considered movements gaining ground and sweeping the ball all over the park in nice triangles, however this was in part because PSG sat back to hit on the counter. Valencia were clueless in the forward third in terms of breaking through PSG, who were fairly well organised and looking to hit on the break, and they threatened to
score every time they did. David Villa looked disinterested (first game of the pre season) but Morientes looked great, I don’t think he’s found the combinations he needs since leaving Madrid (Monaco aside) but he moved well, looked dynamite on the ball and almost made too good positions. I realise that’s bad english (and I’ve had some wine tonight) but he was always in places where if you froze the game you’d realise the play should head, but it didn’t. On the breaks PSG were
awesome, they were fast, individuals carried the ball so well, it was delightful they swept the length of the ground through Valencia like it was a training drill, their wide players were amazing ball carriers in terms of speed and confidence to take on players, up to two or three at a time, brilliant to watch in that regard. PSG were worth the win, they played smarter and were definitely more interested.
Arsenal v Inter was a better game overall. Arsenal were guilty of over playing and attempting to walk the ball in the net. Gunners fans were calling for shots as soon as they got the ball anywhere near the eighteen, the Gunners themselves wanted to get it to six yards before pulling the trigger, the truth was they only needed one or two more passes from the point the fans wanted, and one or two more passes before they wanted. Bit of a vague description but I think you
understand. Van Persie and Hleb were both very guilty of bad decision making, taking on players when passing was a better option and vice versa. Fabregas looked class, no matter where he got the ball he seemed to have an eternity and seemed to make effective passes to team mates. By effective I don’t mean maintaining possession I mean that within two passes the ball could be in a goal threatening position, everytime he touched it I was breathless, perhaps it was my imagination playing out what I wanted to happen, but I honestly believe that he was a couple of steps ahead of the rest of the field - perhaps Morientes should join Arsenal? - except for one player. I have been a massive fan of Figo forever, and want to call one of my sons Fitzroy Luiz Figo Fotak at some point 
after him, he was simply brilliant. He looked overweight and slow but every time he touched the ball Inter looked dangerous. Some of his passes were exquisite
and his vision was amazing, I’ve watched a lot of him on TV but in the flesh you really appreciate what he can do. I don’t think I can sing his praises enough and as I said he was overweight, slow and in preseason! He was relieved of defensive duties and seemed to almost be playing in the ‘hole’, a term I dislike but I won’t elaborate on, we all have our opinions on various facets of the game. Sitting there he had acres of space, and when he was compressed out of it he moved into areas that just seemed to open up, really I was mesmerised by how this guy just found room wherever he went.
So it was all decided in the end by a piece of brilliance by Van Persie who, to be fair, hadn’t offered much before that. If he can deliver that ability with a bit more intelligence and consistency he will become a great, he has the assets, including the Corey Smith looks - but better teeth 
- he just needs to improve his decision making.
Apologies I realise this was a bit of a rant.
Tommy
