let's hope the serious mistake part doesn't come to pass...
the margin for error between winner and runners up is usually a serious mistake...

perhaps, but like i said, i'm still hoping that it won't be serious mistakes that will cost us the title(s). i'm trying to be optimistic, i suppose. =)
and i agree that mannone has not been put into pressure cooker matches with high stakes. however, in the same way that almunia was given his chance to prove his talent along with his consistency when lehmann starting losing form, i'm hoping that mannone will be given the same opportunity to prove he has what it takes when it comes to consistency and playing games where the stakes are high. besides, healthy competition for the goalkeeping position can only make our keepers improve...

sorry for misunderstanding. it's hard to find a girl who like football and write post regularly. Most of the girl out there support Man Utd because the likes of beckham, ronaldo etc.

Arsenal’s Andrei Arshavin loves London but is baffled by customs
Meet the tough little forward whose foot was sliced open yet he carried on, even scoring as the blood seeped out.

By Henry Winter
Published: 9:00AM BST 17 Oct 2009

Star quality: Andrei Arshavin has lit up the Premier League since he arrived in January Photo: GETTY IMAGES
Meet the athlete who kept pace with Theo Walcott in an 80-yard dash at Anfield. Meet the foreigner who loves British history, especially the red telephone boxes.

Meet the man with an opinion on everything from tax hikes, Barcelona, Chelsea, ale, post-Soviet Russia and fish and chips. Meet Andrei Arshavin, the darling of Arsenal, the Premier League’s latest global icon and five-star character.

“The Premier League needs a star like Arshavin now that Cristiano Ronaldo has gone,’’ observed Arsenal’s manager. “Arshavin stands for all that we love in football.

“He is not only a great player but he has an honest, refreshing attitude. When there’s no penalty, he never complains. He’s not a drama queen. He’s fantastic for the Premier League.

"Four or five years ago, the likes of Messi or Kaka would have come to England [rather than Spain] so it is important we have great players like Arshavin.’’

When this testament is relayed to him, Arshavin smiles politely but shakes his head, responding with a warning. “The Premier League still has enough stars, like Rooney, Fábregas, Adebayor and Tévez, but next year players will leave England,’’ he said.

“They will want to play in Spain because of the tax.’’ The new top 50 per cent band contrasts with the 27 per cent Ronaldo, Kaka and Messi pay in Spain. “For the Premier League that is not good.’’

Bought for £15million from Zenit St Petersburg last January, Arshavin came to England not for the money but for the freedom to express himself under Wenger.

If the Emirates floodlights ever went out, Arshavin’s megawatt smile would illuminate the place.

“If I’m in a team that lets me dribble and create something special of course I smile.’’ But most players don’t smile. “Well, they don’t play for Arsenal,’’ replied Arshavin.

“Arsenal play beautiful football. If I was in a team that kicked the ball long and I had to run, I would never smile.’’

He accepted that purist principles can sustain a professional for only so long.

“Chelsea play very defensively but if I know after a season I have a trophy, OK, I am ready to play football like Chelsea. In modern football you must get results.’’ And Arsenal have not won anything since 2005.

In the past, Arshavin claimed the team needed “two or three’’ new players. Now he argues that Arsenal need a new mentality. With players like him, Fábregas and Robin van Persie, Arsenal boast the technique. A greater collective resolve was required.

“We must improve our character,’’ said Arshavin. “When we played Man United this season, they just showed character and it was enough to beat us. We must have confidence in each other.

"We are very friendly off the pitch but we must be stronger and trust in ourselves a little bit more. We must believe more. The confidence is coming but sometimes it seems to me we don’t have enough.’’

Arsenal need more of Arshavin’s character. “Sometimes I smile when I play but sometimes I am angry. It depends how I connect with my team-mates. I need to have emotion to play. Emotion makes me hungry. I must prove every game that I am still strong.’’

Light of frame, the 28 year-old takes a battering but comes back for more. Needing eight stitches against Blackburn Rovers, he returned to the fray and scored. “I don’t like to miss any minute of any game.’’

Just back from national service with Russia, Arshavin cannot wait for Saturday's meeting with Birmingham City.

“Here football is more physical. When you play against Birmingham or Blackburn, they play very simple: long ball, fight. If you have strong defence, no problem. They intercept the ball and we start to play good football.’’

As a schoolboy in St Petersburg, Arshavin always played good football. “I did not learn dribbling in any special academy. It’s instinct. It’s just from God.’’ But surely he worked on honing his technique. “I’m lazy. I don’t like training a lot.’’

Arshavin insisted that his strong character, essential to his performances, was forged by his mother, who split from his father and worked long hours in a factory to support him.

“Everything I have now,’’ Arshavin reflected, “my mother gave me. She did everything she could for me, not just bringing me new boots, but giving me a good attitude to life.’’

Other childhood influences shaped Arshavin the footballer. “I played chess when I was seven or eight and that taught me to think logically. I can read the game. I can see the spot where I should be before the ball comes there.’’

At 10, he sat transfixed before his television watching Barcelona, the team of Josep Guardiola and Hristo Stoichkov, defeat Sampdoria in the 1992 European Cup final at Wembley.

“Ronald Koeman scored,’’ he reminisced. “I like Barcelona because it doesn’t matter who is coach, which player they have, they always play offensive football. Always.

"For two or three years, Barcelona did not have a good period, losing 2-6 or 7-4. I liked it! They attacked! Probably for results it is ---- but for football it is fantastic! When you are a human who likes football you love Barcelona.

“I did not have idols growing up. There was no one person I bent my knee to. But I loved Romario, Ronaldo [the Brazilian] and Stoichkov, players who played for Barcelona and who can decide a game by themselves. Just take the ball and run like Ronaldo! Run through the whole team! I try to. It’s my skill. That’s why coaches like me.’’

He particularly likes the current Catalan team. “Barcelona show now you can play beautiful football and get results. Of course, I supported Barcelona against Man United in the [Champions League] final [in Rome last May].’’

Does he dream of playing for Barcelona? “It’s difficult. I am just here nine months. I have done nothing for Arsenal. Football here is perfect. It’s the best.’’ Arshavin paused.

“But the lifestyle is very difficult for me. There are a lot of rules I don’t understand. In Russia, you can break any rule. Here you can’t break rules.’’ Like what? Parking?

“My parking is now OK. Look, for example, I need a visa for my family. Here they can give me a visa only for three months. Why? In Russia, I can get a visa for one year. In Russia for players, especially in Zenit, no problem.’’

Privilege untangled red tape in Russia. “It is good that everyone here in England is equal and it doesn’t matter whether you are a bus driver or player, it doesn’t matter how much money you have, you must follow the rules. I like it. It’s democratic.’’

He felt that his post-Soviet homeland was hewn with division. “In Russia, rich people say life is now better, you can buy anything you want. For older people and average workers, it is not a good time for them now. They are not sure of the future, whether they earn a good pension.’’

Coming from the captain of the Russian national team, such criticism of life back home is strong stuff. He does not flinch. “Sometimes, I speak directly and of course it’s about the wrong way of my government. I say we have this wrong, this wrong. But of course, there is more freedom, towns become more modern, more beautiful.’’

While at Zenit, Arshavin would be out about town, meeting friends. Now he spends time at home with his wife and two young children. “They are demanding! For my family, life is good here. It is common to consider it is ---- weather here but it is very similar to St Petersburg and even better in winter because there is no snow here. Of course, my wife likes it here because in London the shopping is the best.

“I like that you keep your history in Britain. You don’t use your red telephone boxes but you keep them. When we went to Scotland [to play Celtic] we stayed in an old castle. I felt it was only yesterday that knights had left the building.

“There are a lot of crazy things here. What does ‘British food’ mean? I heard about fish and chips but I do not eat it. I heard about ales! Ales! A special drink like beer but without gas! I’ve not tried it. And what is porridge? At home, I eat soups and Russian salads.’’

Just the thought of salads set Arshavin off. “If I go to a restaurant in Russia and ask for simple salad, there are lots of cut tomatoes, cut cucumbers and a few leaves. But here? Opposite way! There are a lot of leaves and one cut tomato and two slices of cucumber!’’ Some character, some star.

Sauce

No streaming channels for sopcast, TVU or TVants. Great. Guess they are too busy broadcasting ManUtd and Liverpool's match... *groan*

where did u see tht? heh. wat stream u using?

yep.. i'd say too relax. AW will give them a hella later..