Watto’s Preview: Birmingham City vs Arsenal

The prospect of a return to St Andrews by the precious untouchable Arsenal team and their manager Arsene Wenger has generated an upsurge in ticket sales. If the St Andrew’s faithful expect to hear an apology to Martin Taylor by anyone connected with London outfit then there will be snow in Timbuktu before that happens. We all felt sympathy for Eduardo but the condemnation by Wenger of an honest pro like Martin Taylor was out of proportion to any misdeed that Taylor may or may not have been guilty.

Two years on and Eduardo is still playing for Arsenal, on the verge of a possible Champions League and Premiership Double while Taylor is at Watford battling against relegation to League 2. Taylor’s career suffered far more than Eduardo’s and was never the same player. Martin may never have reached the upper echelon’s that Eduardo aspires but it would be reasonable to expect that he could have been part of Blues so far, great season. Don’t forget Tiny suffered a broken leg too in August but these things happen don’t they?

The Blues are in desperate need of a win and Arsenal’s precious untouchables will be in determined mood. Determination and resilience are qualities that Blues should be able to outdo the Gunners and nullify Arsenal’s perceived technical superiority. The Gunners face Blues and Barcelona over the next week or so and the Catalans have enough to out play and out muscle Arsenal. Blues will just out muscle the Gunners according to the popular media and of course Arsene Wenger.

Well Blues have the skill and technique is some areas to compete with their much vaunted opponents. Blues are a different breed to the side that took on Arsenal two years ago. Arsenal is exactly the same. They are still intimidated by commitment and still complain whenever one of their players is tackled.  The phrase ‘the infamous Ridgewell tackle’ was heard in the media for weeks when Liam fairly and expertly tackled the school boy protégé Theo Walcott at the Emirates. It was such a vicious tackle that Walcott took twenty five minutes to feel the effects and leave the field!

The fact is that Arsenal send out players who are not physically capable of coping with the rigours of a League in which the combatants move around so quickly that collisions are inevitable. Would Wayne Rooney or Drogba have been injured by the Ryan Shawcross tackle which was no more than a strong kick on the shin? I don’t think so.

Arsenal and Eduardo in particular will be coming to St Andrew’s a little fearful and will expect a difficult and physical encounter. Hopefully they will not be disappointed.

By Alan Watton

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