The Best Football on Earth?

How good is this 2006-2007 Arsenal side?

From my seat at the Carpenters Arms yesterday afternoon (where were you Matthews, Oliver and Kester?), we were the best side I've seen this year. I had struggled through the *football on display (to apparently 500 million people) at Sold Trafford so I suppose anything after that was always going to look pretty good. And yes I had had quite a few pints to during the Manchester United/Liverpool to dull the pain of watching rubbish football, but the Arsenal were astonishing yesterday any way you look at it.

I went home afterwards and enjoyed some of Real's victory over Barcelona. There was some decent football on display from Robinho mostly but nothing like the movement, technique and pace of Henry, Hleb, Rosicky, Van Persie and Fabregas. Oh, and Barcelona were terrible. Again. They got stuffed by Chelsea midweek and looked even more poor against a good but not great Real Madrid.

Who in the world can play the level of football that we can?

I think Chelsea are a power house. With Shevchenko and Ballack finding some form and the peerless Essien bossing all and sundry in midfield they look very strong. They have power and experience throughout the side. Im not entirely certain that they aren't more reliant on Terry than we are on Henry but that is a debate for another day. In short, Chelsea are brutally efficient and while they tick over victories in all competitions they do lack some style. They cannot do what we did to Reading yesterday. In fact, last week they rather struggled to even get the three points at Reading.

Throughout Europe a fully fit Barcelona might match our performance yesterday but I think the club that most closely challenges us for lovely football is probably Lyon. They are the one side I fear drawing in the Champions League this year. Watching Juninho, Ben Arfa, Fred, Toulalan and company play is truly delicious and very familiar to Arsenal supporters. Never moreso than when Wiltord is on the end of one of their lovely moves.

That said, Arsenal's football is better. And growing. Hleb has only been in the side 14 months and Rosicky has not made 10 appearances for Arsenal yet. Adding to that Cesc's age and the promise of Theo Walcott adding even MORE pace and touch to the side it can only be assumed that the club is improving.

While Im on the subject of "best"... can I please note that Thierry Henry should win the 2006 Ballon D'or. Appearing in both the Champions League and World Cup finals exceeded any other player last year. It is also his crucial role in the lovely football that we play that should be noted. There can never have been another striker who scored 30 and made 20 every season. Many claimed Henry not to be captain material (oh dear) but Henry has surpassed any expectation Gooners have had for him as a captain with the hat trick against Wigan on the final day last year as well as THAT goal against Real Madrid being in the forefront of my mind as evidence. He is the ringleader of the stunning circus that is our football. He is the best player in the world right now. Give him the damn gong. He's deserved it at least three times already... it's time.

Ta.

By the way, Im not one for explitives or bad language at football matches but I could not help laughing when I heard the new Gallas chant being sung at the Emirates.

There's funny and then there's "I'd rather have a Willy than a c£nt"

Good to be a GOONAH!!

p.s. Does anyone know a pub in London that will be showing the Everton match? If so please let me know.