Giant Juicy Previews

Spartak Moscow vs. Dynamo Moscow
Sunday, November 25, 2012, 13:30 MSK/4:30 AM EST
Luzhniki Stadium

If you Google "Russian Clasico", the first thing that pops up is a video claiming the Russian Clasico is CSKA vs. Spartak Moscow. You also get photos of Cristiano Ronaldo, Pep Guardiola, and Rafa Benitez, so something must be wrong with this picture. What the world's most famous search engine - as well as most people - are unaware of is that the most historic Russian derby does indeed involve Spartak Moscow, and a different team from the same Russian city, a team whose motto is "power in motion". A total of 163 games have been played between Spartak and Dynamo Moscow, as opposed to the 151 played between Spartak and CSKA. But hints of the Dynamo-Spartak rivalry began much earlier than that. Dynamo's very first season in 1923 saw a spring quarterfinal in the Moscow league against the now-defunct FC Presnya Moscow, a club that served as the basis for the founding of Spartak. Interestingly, one of the players on the FC Presnya roster at the time was Nikolai Starostin, later the founder as well as a player and manager of Spartak. Dynamo lost 2-3, conceding the last goal after a controversial penalty call from referee Konstantin Kvashnin, who would go on to become Dynamo's first manager. As if that wasn't enough irony, Kvashnin started his playing career at Spartak at the time of Dynamo's founding; he would switch clubs only five years later.

Dynamo Moscow loses 3:0 to Spartak in the final of the 1950 Soviet Cup. Credit: Spartakfanat

The first ever game between Dynamo and Spartak in the Soviet Top League was played on Saturday, July 11, 1936 and ended in a 1:0 win by the Blue-and-Whites. The Soviet Top League, which was one of the strongest leagues in the world throughout its existence, started off with, and saw through much of its history, a back-and-forth rivalry between the teams, Dynamo Moscow winning the very first season in the spring and Spartak taking third place behind Dynamo Kiev. Spartak reclaimed the championship in the fall, but lost out to Dynamo again the following year.

As with any derby, there are sociopolitical factors involved that have changed over time. Some of the political controversies are mentioned in Starostin's Football Through the Years, but seem to be the author's opinion more so than events rooted in fact. Hence, unlike La Liga's El Clasico, politics play a much lesser role, and the emphasis in the derby is on the rivalry itself. Perhaps the Russian Clasico is underrated as it has fluctuated in its influence over the years; the post-Soviet era has seen a greater emphasis on Spartak v. CSKA, and even Spartak v. Dynamo Kiev. Alas, it was a dark and stormy night in early August as Dynamo conceded 4 goals to the Reds, also known as the Meat, in what would be former manager Sergei Silkin's last match with the team. The match proved a solemn truth - sometimes, a humiliating defeat is the only way to put an end to the worst era in a club's history.

Dynamo wins 2:0 against Spartak in 2011.

Dynamo has met great difficulties in the modern era, and the Clasico has been no exception. The 2012/2013 RPL season saw one of Dynamo's worst losses in the modern era with a 4:0 defeat to the Reds, a game that solidified itself as Spartak's 4th largest win in 76 years of the derby's history. Dynamo's last win over their rivals was on June 22, 2011, a 2:0 triumph with goals by veterans Igor Semshov and Andriy Voronin, both of who were part of Dynamo's ever-successful Fab Five. Semshov, a talented midfielder who played for Russia's National Team as well as the Olympic Team, has 5 goals and one assist this season in all competitions, while Voronin is currently on loan to Fortuna Dusseldorf in the Bundesliga until June 2013.

Meanwhile, Spartak has seen a more consistent record. The Reds finished last season in 2nd place, and unlike Dynamo, their record of silverware extends well into the modern era. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Spartak have won the Championship 9 times, finishing as runners-up in the last several years. Beside that are 3 Russian Cup wins and a bouquet of semi-final and quarter-final accomplishments (the team reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League two seasons ago). Dynamo's 1995 Russian Cup, the sole award of the Blue-and-Whites in the post-Soviet era, simply pales in comparison.

As Spartak continues to hold a prominent presence in the league, Dynamo's challenge remains - making the top 5 by the end of the season. Yet this season poses an interesting challenge to both teams as clubs like Kuban and Terek are just two points away from fourth place Rubin. Of course, the Reds have only a 10-point gap between leaders CSKA, as opposed to Dynamo's 21. But if the beginning of this season is any indication, we're sure to see plenty of surprises along the way. From Terek taking up the top spot to CSKA's two-time defeat to Dynamo, Russian football in the 2012/13 season has been topsy-turvy. What team, if any, will be minding the gap, and just what does the Oldest Russian Derby hold in store for the Thanksgiving weekend?

Previous Derbies:

Spartak vs. Dynamo: 0:2 (2011 season)


--
Dynamo vs. Spartak - By the Numbers:

Wins by Spartak: 57
Wins by Dynamo: 44
Draws: 62

Biggest wins:
Spartak - 7:1 (1991 USSR Championship)
Dynamo - 5:0 (1946 USSR Championship)

Trophy Wins:
Soviet Top League (USSR Championship) - Spartak: 12, Dynamo: 11.
Russian Championship - Spartak: 9, Dynamo: 0.
Soviet Cup - Spartak: 10, Dynamo: 6.
Russian Cup - Spartak: 3, Dynamo: 1.
Soviet SuperCup - Spartak: 0, Dynamo: 1.
USSR Federation Cup - Spartak: 1, Dynamo: 0.

Total Number of Cups -
Spartak: 35
Dynamo: 19

21 - Number of players who played for both teams
4 - Number of managers with spells at both clubs.
2 - Number of players who played for one club, but managed the other. Both played for Dynamo and later managed Spartak.

This season's North London Derby was full of surprises, some pleasant and others bearing quite the opposite character. Interestingly enough, the Spurs started off quite well, scoring a goal that was disallowed for an offside, and another that was counted. Emmanuel Adebayor scored against his former club on the rebound after Szczesny saved a tough shot from Defoe. Tottenham continued to dominate, leading with 4 attempts in just 13 minutes. A brilliant combination that ended in a shot by Spurs midfielder Aaron Lennon somehow evaded the Gunners' far post. Anyone watching would have thought the match would continue as a one-sided effort in favor of Villas-Boas's side. With 73% of goals conceded by the Gunners in the first half, things weren't looking well. As always, however, the Gunners came back in style. Not only did they make use of their home field advantage, but they also decimated the 10-man Spurs after Adebayor got sent off by Howard Webb for a high tackle on Cazorla. Adebayor has been sent off 4 times in his career, 3 times by Webb. Without one of their best players, Spurs were like an Arsenal side without Olivier Giroud. "From that point onward," said the commentator, "Arsenal grew and grew". Walcott got a cross in from the right, giving Mertesacker the chance to craft a brilliant header from the center of the box for the equalizer and his first goal for Arsenal. The guests failed to make use of their set pieces and couldn't turn the game back to what it started out to be. Andre Villas-Boas could only stand and watch as Arsenal netted in two more goals before halftime. Sagna provided the chances for both Giroud and Podolski, the latter of which scored a deflected shot past an unsteady Hugo Lloris. Perhaps Spurs could have not conceded that goal - Lloris had saved plenty of other attempts. Ricochets always make it difficult for keepers, however, so it's difficult to blame him. Giroud squeezed in Arsenal's 3rd goal after Cazorla's delivery into the box.

Per Mertesacker celebrates with Theo Walcott. Source: lovingaaronramsey

As any good derby goes, the game moved from one end of the pitch to the other. If it hadn't been for the Spurs' non-existent defense, the match would have likely continued in such a fashion. The fire in their boots seemed to have died down as well - AVB's team could maintain possession, but were unable to create any chances, leaving their net at the mercy of the home team. The Gunners created some beautiful combinations, and Villas-Boas didn't seem to know how to get his team around in the maze of red. Playing with 10 men didn't help the guests, either. Giroud got a perfect cross from Cazorla from the right and easily sent the ball flying past Lloris. The Frenchman scored his fifth goal in all competitions this season. Cazorla picked up a swift pass from Podolski and scored his first goal at the Emirates in a one-touch finish. The Spurs' skipper Gallas was barely able to stop Podolski from scoring himself soon after. Walcott and Giroud wasted great opportunities leading up to the Spurs' second goal. If anyone could shine a light on the guests, it was Gareth Bale, who sped past Wilshere and Walcott to net in a long ball. But it was too little too late for Tottenham, and it may as well be for their manager. Nevertheless, the Welsh midfielder was intent on making a more significant contribution, taking up the ball after a terrific combo by his teammates, but his delivery found no receiver. Wenger brought on Oxlade-Chamberlain for Giroud, who received a standing ovation for his game. An Arsenal counter was intercepted, but not for long. The Ox himself had an absolutely beautiful run on the right, passing to Walcott, who nabbed it in the far post. The youngster failed to score himself, though he did manage to get a last-minute corner.

The match was Wenger's 39th North London derby; he's only lost 5, and he wasn't about to add to that record. The experienced manager has shown that despite his mistakes, he can put on a good show. He knows his players well - all of today's goalscorers, except for Walcott, are new signings. Tottenham, meanwhile, have a "chicken and egg situation", according to the commentators, in which "they have to try and get the right balance". Nevertheless, the derby was enjoyable and refereed very well. Arsenal showed they are very much capable of coming back, but the time will come when they will need to come back as a team in how they play, rather than from goal deficits. Then again, it could have been the atmosphere surrounding the match that influenced the Gunners. "It's derby day," the commentator pointed out. "You just never know."


Barclays Premier League - 12th Match Week
Saturday, November 17, 2012, 7:45AM ET

Arsenal FC vs. Tottenham Hotspur - 5:2 (3:1)
Venue: Emirates Stadium (London)
Referee: Howard Webb (Yorkshire)
Goals:
0:1 Emmanuel Adebayor (10')
1:1 Per Mertesacker (Asst. Theo Walcott) (24')
2:1 Lukas Podolski (Asst. Bacari Sagna) (43')
3:1 Olivier Giroud (Asst. Santi Cazorla) (46')
4:1 Santi Cazorla (Asst. Lukas Podolski) (60')
4:2 Gareth Bale (Asst. Sandro) (70')
5:2 Theo Walcott (Asst. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain) (90')

Half Time Stats:
7(6) : 4(3) shots (on target)
7:9 fouls committed
0:1 yellow cards
0:1 red cards
2:1 corners
1:2 offsides
60:40% possession

Full Time Stats:
13(10) : 6(4) shots (on target)
13:12 fouls committed
1:2 yellow cards
0:1 red cards
6:6 corners
3:2 offsides
58:42% possession

One of the top derbies in the RPL ended well before halftime after repeated acts of hooliganism posed a threat to the players of the home team. The singing crowds at Moscow's Arena Khimki rejoiced as the Blue-and-Whites showed a good game against Zenit St. Petersburg. Kevin Kuranyi and Aleksandr Kokorin were frequently closing in on the box; the former forced Malafeev into a save several times. The guests were giving up quite a lot of set pieces, making their manager Luciano Spalletti absolutely livid, despite his team's technical prowess. It was on a set piece indeed that Zenit conceded, after Bruno Alves brought Kokorin down in the worst of places. Vladimir Granat delivered a brilliant free kick that bounced off the pitch and into the net. Despite the home field advantage, it was clear that the match might have been nearly equal, had it not been cut short by a petard thrown at the Dynamo net. Though the smoke-filled projectile narrowly missed goalkeeper Anton Shunin, it didn't take long for another to be aimed at him, forcing the referee to suspend the match. Unfortunately, the pyrotechnic came within inches of the keeper's face, blinding him with thick smoke. Shunin was hospitalized after having acquired problems with both his vision and his hearing. The keeper received chemical burns to the cornea and eyelids, as well as a conjunctive infection in both eyes. In addition to hearing loss, he acquired an ear infection.

Source: rus.rfpl.org

It is likely that both projectiles were thrown by the same person, and an unnamed female suspect at Arena Khimki has already been identified. But the fact that it takes so long to find the culprit raises questions. "What's so hard about equipping the stadium with cameras and removing the usual bastard from the crowd?" asks Andrei Ponomarev.

It's not the first, nor, sadly, the last time that the Russian game has suffered from acts of hooliganism. Earlier this year, Dynamo's match against FC Torpedo Moscow in the 1/16th of the Russian Cup was stopped less than ten minutes into the second half after hooligans consistently threw pyrotechnics onto the pitch at Eduard Streltsov Stadium, ignoring pleas from both team's skippers. Recent cases of hooliganism in the RPL include various projectiles that were either thrown randomly or targeted referees. Of course, hooliganism directed at a particular team in a derby carries a certain layered history. The Dynamo-Zenit derby is a fairly recent rivalry that began in the 80's. In 2010, both teams were penalized for insulting chants, and just last year, Dynamo's games with Zenit were plagued with fights and insulting banners.

At some point, the question of who is to blame for the incidents needs to be addressed. Hooliganism in football has been around for just about as long as the game itself, its presence tainting every nation involved. The English Premier League, however, has been devoid of pyrotechnics, albeit an incident in January 2010 during the Birmingham Derby. The aftermath of the Carling Cup match that gave Birmingham a 2-1 win over Aston Villa was a projectile-filled battle involving supporters of both sides and leaving a total of 14 people injured. Yet the incident occurred after - not during - the game. The other notable difference is that the occurrence had a riotous character and wasn't isolated to a few individuals. The reason England has been able to avoid such violence on a regular basis is due to various changes in legislation. Section 2A of the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985 states that "a person is guilty of an offence" if he is in possession of "any article or substance whose main purpose is the emission of a flare for purposes of illuminating or signalling". Likewise, the introduction of the Football Spectators Act in 1989 ensured that every single spectator would be identified. Yet it wasn't until after various fatal disasters that the Act was introduced. It is unfortunate that the law is somewhat diluted in Russia. The respective clubs, rather than the country's legislature, are responsible for dealing with the non-respectable supporters. It's complete nonsense, considering this isn't a club issue.

It is ironic that the motherland of football has been so successful with ridding its fields of hooligan violence while the nations that acquired this disease have not. Again, the problem has a legislative nature. There have been and always will be hooligans. As Bill Bufford writes in Among the Thugs, hooligans "do it for the same reason that another generation drank too much, or smoked dope, or took hallucinogenic drugs, or behaved badly or rebelliously". It's that adrenaline drive, and it's one of the reasons that we as civilized football fans need the support of the law.


Russian Premier League - 16th Match Week
Saturday, November 17, 2012, 7:00AM ET

FC Dynamo Moscow vs. Zenit St. Petersburg - 1:0*
*MATCH SUSPENDED
Venue: Arena Khimki (Moscow)
Referee: Alexei Nikolaev (Moscow)
Goals:
1:0 Vladimir Granat (27')


Match Stats:
7(5) : 4(3) shots (on goal)
38:62% possession
3:3 corners
0:0 offsides
0:0 substitutions
3:7 fouls
0:2 yellow cards
0:0 red cards

The game could have bustled on and on. It could have ended in many ways, but neither team was willing to square it off. The Lions' emerging manager Paul Lambert is certainly not to be underestimated. Sir Alex Ferguson himself said in a recent interview that Lambert has much potential and has already done a great job despite the difficulties in working with so many new players. Yet Fergie also questioned whether or not "managers changing has a big effect on the playing standards of the team". Though Villa played a speedy game today, the Devils' gaffer has a point, especially when you think who the Lions were up against. United have often been called the comeback kings, and that's in no way an overstatement. Villa's shaky defense led to plenty of opportunities, though many went unused or worse yet, completely unexplored. Villa wasn't putting that much pressure on the guests, and the game was pretty much level as it approached the halftime mark. It was anyone's game and goal; today just happened to be Austrian forward Andreas Weimann's time to put an end to his goalless streak. Coming out of scoreless ruts seems to be a theme this season, and not just in the EPL - earlier today Dynamo Moscow's Kevin Kuranyi scored a double for the first time in months in the Russian Premier League. Weimann, who hasn't scored since April, received a great pass from Benteke. The latter tactfully outplayed Smalling to deliver the ball, providing for a brilliant one-touch finish that flew past De Gea "like a bullet from a gun", according to the commentator. Neither Benteke nor United's van Persie saw the ball as often as they wanted to. The former was given a few deliveries from the right, one of them from Weimann, but was unable to reach them. Van Persie, meanwhile, didn't really come into play until much later in the second half.

Chicharito and Antonio Valencia celebrate. Source: jdotcherry

No sooner had predictions been made about United's getting back into the game than the Lions pulled out a second goal, with Weimann completing his double. Patrice Evra was not having a great game, and his offside claim did not exactly help defend the ball. Agbonlahor's pass flew right tot he far post, leaving Weimann with the rather simple task of running up to the net for the finish. But Sir Alex's confidence in his players has always been key, and has never failed the Reds. The gaffer has asserted that RVP, Rooney, and Hernandez can all get 20 goals in this season. His brilliant choice of bringing on Chicharito for Ashley Young right before the second half payed off tremenduously. The Little Pea took up a great long ball from Paul Scholes, nutmegging Brad Guzan and scoring his 5th goal in 6 games. Hernandez's influence on the match was incomparable even to the likes of RVP and Rooney - as the commentator pointed out, Chicharito pulled defenders in deeper, something that neither of his teammates were doing. A great cross from Rafael to the left gave the Little Pea another goal, but the deflection off of Villa vice-captain Ron Vlaar made it an own goal. Wayne Rooney made up for his rather easy shot to Guzan earlier in the first half by testing the keeper with a sharper touch on the ball, but the American was well-positioned for the save. David De Gea wasn't tested too often by the Villa players, but he helped deny Weimann his hat-trick after Bannan's great delivery from the left flank. The home team was back on the attack after United's equalizer, but lost the ball to the Reds. Smalling prevented Benteke from having an impact on the score, converting the ball to a corner. Both Rooney and RVP had some wide shots, but the former Arsenal star got closer to the net than his teammate, hitting the frame twice in just a minute. Rooney's foot injury prevented him from playing fully out, but regardless, the forward had tried his best today. Meanwhile, Aston Villa tried to keep possession and eke out the 3 points they so desperately need. Stevens did a great job for the Lions, preventing United from going forward and stopping Rafael earlier. However, neither his or his teammates' efforts were enough to prevent United's set piece mastery. RVP's free kick delivery into the box ended in a low header by Hernandez. The home team's terrible defending meant the Lions wouldn't be getting any points at Villa Park, and Manchester United would prevail once more. De Gea was far more assertive today, punching the ball out twice during the last minutes. The Spaniard knows that a game isn't over until the final whistle.

The teams observe a moment of silence in light of tomorrow's Remembrance Day. Source: spainchesterunited

A win for the Reds means a newly-formed 4-point gap ahead of Chelsea in the Premier League standings, a great advantage that pushes the Blues away from the first-place spot for awhile. Villa manager Paul Lambert deserves a lot of credit for today's match. Fans of the Lions should be impressed with today's game in light of their disappointing season. United can play even better. Sir Alex's task ahead of the game against Norwich remains the same - getting the Reds to not only create more chances, but to use them better. Of course, United's defense needs some work as well. It'll be a matter of rotating the players and seeing who performs better. It's not enough to be great; the team needs to continue growing if they want to win the championship and do well in Europe. As Arsenal and other teams have shown us, you can't rely on comebacks forever. At some point, it's time to ditch the late goals and get on the tough road of growing up. That said, the Reds are back on top, and they've got all that it takes to stay there.


Barclays Premier League - 11th Matchweek
Saturday, November 10, 2012, 12:30 PM EST

Aston Villa vs. Manchester United - 2:3 (1:0)
Arena: Villa Park (Birmingham)
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Goals:
1:0 Andreas Weimann (Asst. Christian Benteke) (45+1')
2:0 Andreas Weimann (Asst. Gabriel Agbonlahor) (50')
2:1 Javier Hernandez (Asst. Paul Scholes) (58')
2:2 Ron Vlaar (Own Goal) (Asst. Javier Hernandez) (63')
2:3 Javier Hernandez (Asst. Robin van Persie) (87')

What's going on with Dynamo? The team that seemingly started to get out of a terrible season and an equally bad start to this season seems to be heading backwards. The narrow, difficult win against FC Khimki in the Russian Cup should have been a pretty good indication of what's in store for the 14th match week of the Premier League. Unfortunately Dynamo manager Dan Petrescu was too busy worrying about refereeing to take notice of the changes he needed to make to the starting XI for today's game. Like Dynamo, the opposition has had a rather rocky start, amassing just 16 points after 13 games. But unlike the Blue-and-Whites, Krasnodar made use of some of their chances today. Neither team was exactly what one would call stellar, yet the home team dominated the pitch for the entire first half and part of the second. The Bulls were good at keeping the ball but didn't create too many chances themselves, and the game seemed to settle down to a series of back-and-forth passes. But looks as always were deceiving. The referee gave a free kick to the home team for what looked like an accidental handball by Marko Lomic. Dynamo's Achilles' heel has for awhile been set piece defending, especially when Anton Shunin is the keeper. Naturally, Nikola Drinčić's delivery was an easy goal-scoring chance for Wánderson, whose scissor kick flew in after his teammates' shot ricocheted off a Dynamo player's head. If only that was the only free kick Dynamo gave away. The home team had it easy - they had plenty of space to do whatever they wished. The Blue-and-Whites attempted to salvage the score before halftime, but unlike the guests', Krasnodar's defense was pretty solid.

Krasnodar vice captain Yura Movsisyan watches the match.

As per tradition, Dynamo manager Dan Petrescu failed to make any halftime substitutions. That decision comes back to bite teams more often than not. Kokorin should have been benched - he had one of his worst games today, and as of late he hasn't been putting in enough effort in the club. Krasnodar made great use of Dynamo's inactivity, on the prowl as soon as the whistle blew. Balasz Dzsudzsak went on with his terrible crosses into the box, sub-par deliveries that could be taken by any keeper from any league. Perhaps a bigger disappointment for Dynamo was Jakob Jantscher, who still is very much the Lukas Podolski of the Blue-and-Whites - he played very well for other clubs, but isn't showing any of that at his new club, and only he knows why. Dynamo saw more of the ball, but still nothing of the net. Rather unexpected from both teams were two of the silliest mishaps in a Premier League match. First Marko Lomic had a throw-in from the wrong spot, then Krasnodar's keeper stepped out of the 18-yard box with the ball still in his hands. When Dan Petrescu finally decided it was time to bring on fresh players, he had Noboa come on for Sapeta and Semshov come on for Kuranyi. Regardless of what supporters and certain commentators say about Kuranyi's game as of late, Kokorin should have been replaced instead. Several consecutive corners did nothing to enhance Dynamo's chances, despite the fact that Dzsudzsak was not the only one delivering them. After 80 minutes of some of the worst football in the Premier League this season, Dynamo had one shot on goal, Kokorin's only shot during the match, skillfully saved by Krasnodar keeper Sinitsyn. There was tons of time-wasting by the home team, mostly with simulations. The Bulls were content with doing nothing but defending with all ten men in the box - after all, a 1-0 win is enough to get 3 points. After referee Kazmenko graciously added 5 whole minutes to the end of the second half, one would think that the Blue-and-Whites would all be going forward. How often have we seen games that are decided in stoppage time? Instead, the guests kept making crosses to the keeper. Krasnodar had one last opportunity and boy did they make use of it. Konate, who had come on for Wanderson, failed to score from his counter, but made up for it just two minutes later, picking up a long ball and easily outplaying Vladimir Granat. Konate chipped the ball in from just outside the box, right over Shunin's shoulder. A delivery deep into the box gave Márcio Abreu a chance to score himself, but his shot bounced off Shunin, who as usual was rocky on the save. The football gods denied Krasnodar a 3-0 win, but didn't deny them the 3 points. Despite the lack of vice captain Yura Movsisyan, whose injury limited him to watching the game from the stands, Krasnodar moved ahead to a more respectable 9th place in the table. Dynamo have already conceded 23 goals in 14 games and after today's match, the team remains in 11th place with just 15 points.

Wanderson celebrates his goal by tangoing with Vladimir Koman.

"Like dogs often resemble their owners, football teams often resemble their managers", said the commentator. But if that's the case, how come Kuban played far better under Dan Petrescu's management than Dynamo? Does it really take two to tango in football? Surely you can't get by with a talented team and a talent-less manager, nor vice-versa. It's a two-pronged problem. Dan Petrescu needs to forget about the refereeing - whether it's good one match or bad the next should be the RFU's (the Russian FA's) concern. His focus needs to be on the players, motivating them and taking out those who obviously don't want to put in the work. Jantscher and Bakkal are alright for the reserves, but the main team needs players of a different caliber. Kevin Kuranyi may have a goalless streak going, but is anyone really feeding him the ball? A team is a team - he can't score on his own if nobody else is working. If anyone should be sold during the winter transfers, it's Aleksandr Kokorin. Sure, he's talented and occasionally scores great goals, but he's not dedicated to giving his all. He constantly acts like he'd rather be elsewhere, so why should the club deny him that chance? It's time for the Blue-and-Whites to step it up, and in order to do that, they'll need the kind of players that'll be ready and willing to do whatever it takes the kind of players who will always put the club first.



Russian Premier League - 14th Match Week
Sunday, November 4, 2012, 9AM EST* (DST in effect)

Krasnodar vs. Dynamo Moscow - 2:0 (1:0)
Arena: Kuban Stadium (Krasnodar)
Referee: Vladimir Kazmenko (Rostov-on-Don)
Goals:
1:0 Wánderson (37')
2:0 Moussa Konaté (90+2')

Half Time Stats:
Shots (on goal): 3(1) : 4(2)
Corners: 2:2
Fouls: 10:8
Yellow Cards: 1:1
Red Cards: 0:0

Full Time Stats:
Possession: 50:50
Shots (on goal): 9(3) : 11(3)
Corners: 2:6
Fouls: 17:19
Yellow Cards: 3:1
Red Cards: 0:0

One would think that a face-off between the two longest-serving managers in English football would be an exciting match with goals coming from every direction. Sadly, Arsenal's game this season denied us that thrill, and it doesn't look like things will get better anytime soon. In a very predictable manner, Robin van Persie opened up the score for the Reds. Already the forward has contributed to a United tradition - that of scoring first at Old Trafford. The former Gunner netted the ball in after a cross from Rafael and a defensive error by Vermaelen. Though he scored his first goal against his former club, Van Persie's thirst for goals may not have been fully satisfied. He spent much of the game making hasty runs, often getting ahead of himself. In one scenario he shot the ball in even after he had clearly heard the referee's whistle for offside. He had a brilliant chance for a double in the second half, but underestimated the amount of space he had and gave De Gea a relatively simple shot to save. United were lacking in their own way, however. Fergie's team didn't take advantage of Arsenal's failure to make clear attacks, settling down a bit after the goal. United visibly had the advantage and were in control of the ball, but their attacks lacked a sharp final finish, not really threatening Mannone as much as they should have. Arsenal's nightmare worsened when Cazorla's handball gave away a PK. There was no disputing the call, as the ball hit his arm when he covered his face from a shot. Surprisingly, it wasn't RVP who went up to take the kick. Wayne Rooney, who had a great game overall feeding the ball into the box, failed to administer the penalty, his right-footed shot merely grazing the post. The missed chance didn't shatter the Reds, though they weren't too far ahead in possession.

Source: shinjikagawa-baby

Unlike this season's Gunners, United are known for finishing what they started. The Reds followed through with a second goal, a header by Patrice Evra into the near post off of a cross by Rooney. Anderson was in the perfect place to get a third ball in, but sent it high instead. United continued their dominance and Arsenal struggled to come up with ways to inch closer to De Gea's net. Finding the equalizer became even more unlikely after Wilshere earned a second yellow for a reckless challenge on Evra, leaving his team a player down for the rest of the game as well as for the next match against Fulham. An irresponsible move, considering United have never lost a game when leading with two goals. Wenger brought in Arshavin for Lukas Podolski, the latter of which has shown nothing of his abilities at Arsenal thus far. But even Arshavin's involvement in combinations wasn't enough to nab a tie, not when the rest of the team was barely going forward. Giroud finally had a shot on target, perhaps the first for Arsenal in the entire second half. Cazorla seemed to have taken the matter into his own hands during the last seconds of the game, firing off two attempts, one of which finally flew past De Gea into the net. Though the goal relieved United of their clean sheet, it was just too little and too late.

Arsenal fans can't use refereeing as the excuse this time, and if they do, they can safely look up referee Mike Dean's record and his denial of several penalties to both Manchester United and Chelsea in an important match as well as his questionable decision to award Blackburn a penalty in their game against Burnley two years ago. Despite the number of bookings, today's match was aptly officiated, and judging by Arsenal's sloppy game, the loss was well-deserved. Meanwhile, United knock Chelsea off the first place spot, just two points ahead before the Blues' result against Swansea is accounted for. Arsenal are in 6th for the moment. It'll be difficult for them to make it to the top 5 if Spurs and Fulham have a good season. By now it is clear that if every match is a struggle for Arsenal like their comeback against a last-place Reading, something is not right. United are the team to beat, but that's neither here nor there. I'd be a broken record if I said it's not the win that's important, but how you win. But there's another truth that's often overlooked: sometimes it's also important how you lose. You can go down with dignity if you know you've given it your all, especially if you're up against a front-runner. Arsenal are either highly unmotivated or very unfit. Whatever the reason may be, it's sad to see Wenger's team flop this way after last season's performance. RVP's absence can't be the only reason - if Fergie's United is the same with or without him, then why not Arsenal? If one were to put van Persie back in the Gunners' lineup, I am certain they would not be much better off. One commentator mentioned confidence as the issue, but that concept goes hand-in-hand with motivation, and that, my friends, is the manager's job.


Barclays Premier League - 10th Matchweek
Saturday, November 3, 2012, 8:45AM EST

Manchester United vs. Arsenal FC - 2:1 (1:0)
Arena: Old Trafford (Manchester)
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Goals:
1:0 Robin van Persie (4')
2:0 Patrice Evra (Asst. Wayne Rooney) (67')
2:1 Santi Cazorla (90+5')

Half Time Stats:
5(4):2(0) shots (on goal)
7:7 fouls
2:1 corners
2:1 offsides
51:49% possession
2:1 yellow cards
0:0 red cards

Full Time Stats:
13(6) : 7(2) shots (on goal)
15:15 fouls
6:1 corners
5:1 offsides
48:52% possession
5:3 yellow cards
0:1 red cards