Bleacher Report - Articles by Nurfarhana Miskon

Arsenal Missing the Echoes of Last Season

Nurfarhana Miskon — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:33:58 -0500

Last season was a terrific season for Arsenal Football Club and they were whispers that they might produce the same form when it came to the new Barclay's Premier League season. But the touch has been abandoning the Arsenal team. It all started so well for Arsenal except for the blip against Fulham at Craven Cottage. But they bounce back after the lost and took every chance to win.

It all started at the Emirates Stadium when Hull City visited Arsenal. Predictions from experts were high and even some people said that Arsenal would win that particular match comfortably. Hull was at the Emirates and they were there to get at least a point. But they left with so much more.

After giving Arsenal a one goal lead through an own goal, Giovanni went and surprise all the Arsenal players with his incredible strike from long range and Daniel Cousin’s header ensured that Hull would be leaving the Emirates with all three points and became the second team to ever beat Arsenal at the Emirates.

Flashes of Arsene Wenger’s rage by slamming a water bottle to the ground showed that the Frenchman were agitated and disappointed with his team.

After the Hull incident, Arsenal started to get worse and worse. Losing to Manchester City, Stoke City and Aston Villa. To make matters worse, after taking a 4-2 lead against arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, they lost their concentration and gave Tottenham the chance to equalise to make it 4-4. After that particular match, William Gallas has boldly spoke out his rage against his team and made him to lose the Arsenal captaincy.

But they were lots to cheer for Arsenal after beating Manchester United at the Emirates after the horrific draw against the Lilywhites. Nasri’s double strike made sure Arsenal had all three points in the bag and to prove yet again that they are still in the title race.

The win against Chelsea at the Stamford Bridge also holds a dear place in the hearts of all Arsenal fans. Robin Van Persie’s brilliant double showed that they are a force to be reckoned with.

In these past few weeks, Arsenal had become a mediocre club with successive draws against Everton and West Ham. The loss of key players such as Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott and Eduardo to injuries had dampened their hopes of the title. With whispers that Andrei Arshavin could join Arsenal in January brought a glimpse of hope but even Wenger had said that do not expect Arshavin to be an instant saviour.

Losing Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb to AC Milan and Barcelona respectively could have been a factor why Arsenal lost their touch this season. Flamini is a defensive midfielder who enjoyed playing with Arsenal. He has even said that they might be a possibility of him joining Arsenal if they want him.

His career at AC Milan has been going on well and he looks as though he enjoys the football he’s playing but it’s a different story for Hleb at the Nou Camp. Hleb brings creativity to the Arsenal team and he’s strength are not use by Barcelona completely. He has been a regular on the bench as Pep Guardiola is using Leo Messi on the left wing of the Barcelona team.

Arsenal season in the Premier League is not looking good for them. With successive draws against Everton and West Ham, Arsenal are still five points behind Aston Villa and there is a slight probability that they might not even get a fourth place and the last Champions League spot.

The only silverware that Arsenal has a shot on winning is the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. And that’s if they are able to face Cardiff City on February 16 and AS Roma on February 24.

Is Dimitar Berbatov A Good Signing For Manchester United?

Nurfarhana Miskon — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:12:39 -0400

Surprisingly, Sir Alex Ferguson hasn’t been one of the busiest shoppers in the summer transfer window. But in the wee hours of the end of the transfer window, he has signed one of the top Premier League strikers, Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur for a British record fee of 31 million pounds, cancelling Andriy Shevchenko’s transfer from AC Milan to Chelsea.

But the main question still remains, Is Berbatov good enough for Manchester United to defend their Premier League and Champions League title respectively this season? The Dimitar Berbatov saga has been amongst the many transfer sagas this season and also the cause of chaos at White Hart Lane.

Controversy has followed Berbatov since the off and on season with him desperate for a move to a bigger and better club such as Manchester United.

A picture of Berbatov signing a Manchester United jersey has made the Bulgarian an unpopular figure at North London. Juande Ramos was fumed by Berbatov’s act and left him out of the squad citing that the player is mentally not with the team.

Even his own Spurs teammates have banned him from their radar. Most notably, defender Jonathan Woodgate has spoken out about Berbatov’s action that has made him to say Spurs would be better off without him on the team.

Spurs former goalkeeping coach has said that Manchester United can have Berbatov as he was not at all a team-player at White Hart Lane. He also said that Berbatov is an incredible sulk and take things in training far too lightly. In other words, Berbatov thinks he is good enough to play in every match.

But if he moves to Manchester United, a new regime will be put on him. Sir Alex Ferguson is a shrewd man and he will make sure that Berbatov gives 100% in every match, take part in training, and will try to control and discipline him in every possible way he can.

There is no special treatment at Old Trafford and this was shown when David Beckham was there. The so called “Fergie throws a boot at Becks” controversy made headlines all over the world with a scar near Beckham’s eyebrow as proof.

It is no surprise that Ferguson wanted Berbatov as he is good with the ball and also good in the air. Even though he sometimes looks lazy on the pitch, he does produce goals and is less injury-prone to the other striker Manchester United used to have, Louis Saha, who completed a move to Everton in an undisclosed fee.

Linking Berbatov with either Rooney or Tevez is an astounding prospect and the goals could be double to triple the amount Manchester United had last season.

For Berbatov, being in a top four side of the Premier League is an amazing and ideal opportunity for him to shine and play in Europe's most elite competition. Winning the Premier League and Champions League respectively is a possibility and could challenge Berbatov in many different ways.

Being a Red Devil is hard work and to impress the gaffer is not an easy task. Sir Alex Ferguson has the biggest squad in the Premier League beside Chelsea and he can easily cut Berbatov off from the squad if the performance displayed is not up to the standard he wants.

At last, Dimitar Berbatov got his dream move to Manchester United and I will be waiting to watch him in his first big game against Liverpool at Anfield on 13 September to see if he is worth 31 million pounds or three million pounds.

Going up against an old teammate, Robbie Keane, should prove and exciting afternoon in the Barclays Premier League for him and also for Manchester United fans worldwide.

Does Liverpool Have What It Takes To Win The Premier League This Season?

Nurfarhana Miskon — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:44:29 -0400

Lady Luck was on an unconvincing and scrappy Liverpool side which won their second match of the season against Middlesbrough. Rafa Benitez's side were undoubtedly the lesser of the two teams playing on Saturday and even if he notched up a win, Benitez's side should be worried and careful.

The partnership between Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane has not really been as outstanding as it should have, and mainly because it takes time or just maybe Robbie Keane's style of play is different from Liverpool.

Rafa Benitez decision to sell John Arne Riise to AS Roma could not be that beneficial as the new left-back for Liverpool, Andrea Dossena of Italy has not yet learned to cope with the toughness of the Premier League.

Riise was an outstanding player for Liverpool and his dedication and determination shows everytime he plays. The thought of not seeing Riise play for Liverpool is a strange feeling.

The possibility of losing Xabi Alonso to either Juventus or Arsenal could dent the center midfield of Liverpool. Steven Gerrard recently is out of form and the goal he scored against Middlesbrough was a lucky one.

Xabi Alonso provides that extra pass that no one could have guessed and his awesome long-range shots are always on target. Losing him could be one of the biggest mistakes Benitez could ever make.

Xabi Alonso's current position is mainly filled by the Argentinian Javier Mascherano and though he is definitely good enough for the Premier League and for Liverpool, he has a temper and often has spats with the referees.

The defense of Liverpool have been changed almost every single match day. Benitez can't decide whether to partner Jamie Carragher with Sami Hyppia, or Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger, or even Carragher with Martin Skrtel. This tinkering by Benitez could well weaken his defense.

Benitez should sell those other players that don't provide anything to Liverpool Football Club. Players such as Jermaine Pennant and Andriy Voronin are among them.

The boardroom drama at Liverpool is another interesting topic to discuss. The clash between Rafael Benitez and the Liverpool executive director, Rick Parry has been going on since last season and all because of one player: Gareth Barry.

Gareth Barry has become Rafa Benitez's main priority in the off-season but the transfer still goes on today. The asking price of 18 million pounds by Aston Villa has become one of the main reasons for the clash between Benitez and Parry.

Buying Gareth Barry could provide another Xabi Alonso for Liverpool. He is the same type of player as Alonso and as Benitez said, Barry can play in three different positions.

Although I'm no Liverpool fan, I want to see them challenge for the title. People have gotten bored with Manchester United and Chelsea in a two-horse race and it is time for a new regime.

Liverpool has not won the Premier League title for the past 19 years, but I do see them as real contenders. This season is going to be a four-horse race all the way and the dominance of both Manchester United and Chelsea in English football will come to a halt thanks to Liverpool and Arsenal.

Are Arsenal In Trouble?

Nurfarhana Miskon — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:32:10 -0400

The tea-time kickoff between Arsenal and Fulham at Craven Cottage was supposedly a match that Arsenal should have won easily. But instead, they lost to a header from the Danish defender Hangeland from a Jimmy Bullard corner.

I have never seen Arsenal play so badly, the passes, the chances they had were so minimal that it was not the typical Arsenal side that in normality, should have a lot of chances. The performance of each Arsenal player was average and they were not really playing the Arsenal game.

Most notably, the performance of one of the best left-backs in the Premier League, Gael Clichy was disappointing and he was indeed not at his level best.

The centre midfield partnership between Emmanuel Eboue and Denilson did not have the same chemistry and magic as last season's partnership between Cesc Fabregas and Milan bound Mathieu Flamini.

Indeed losing Cesc Fabregas in the middle is a big loss to Arsenal football club. The man who had become the heartbeat of Arsenal was missing from two games and he was rightfully missed by all the Arsenal fans.

The midfield maestro had a hamstring injury since the Champions League qualifying match between Arsenal and Steve McLaren's FC Twente side in Holland a few weeks ago. According to Wenger, he will be fit for the next game against Twente at the Emirates this week.

Denilson is still a young lad with much talent, but his performance against Fulham was disastrous. He couldn't keep up with the Fulham midfield and did not try to collect the loose balls.

Another player who wasn't at his level best was Theo Walcott. He is one of the emerging young talents that should be watched this season, but his performance against West Brom and Fulham respectively was a typical Walcott performance.

His pace on the ball is incredible but his control is bit sloppy. He tries to challenge the opposition but every time when he does, he fails. The loss of Alexander Hleb (who by the way is a traitor) is sadly to say a big miss.

The partnership between Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie has not yet gelled but mainly I think that the loss of the Croatian international, Eduardo is a big factor in the striking department.

The loss of Eduardo has caused the goals for Arsenal in a bit of a letdown. This is because he is a crucial item in Arsene Wenger's striking force.

Tomas Rosicky's absence from the left-wing is also one of the big factors as he contributes the artistry and creativity as well as goals from midfield. But there is a positive note, he might be ready and fit in September and could be involved in the later stages of September matches.

Chelsea and Liverpool are leading the Premier League table but it is only a matter of time to wait for them to slip up. They are contenders no doubt but they have yet to face Arsenal or Manchester United yet and there is the possibility that they can either win, lose or having a draw.

I adamantly believe that Arsenal is in no real trouble. Sure they lost against Fulham but it is only the second game of the season and there are 36 games to go.

The manager himself believes that his team can win the Premier League this season and as we Arsenal fans say it, "In Arsene We Trust."

Arsenal Are Not Out Of The Equation

Nurfarhana Miskon — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:01:04 -0400

Kevin McCarra's article in the Guardian suggested that both Arsenal and Liverpool are not adequate enough to challenge either Manchester United or Chelsea for the Premier League title this season.

To be honest with you, they have all the firepower to challenge the reigning champions and Roman Abramovich's club.

The start of the new Premier League season saw both Arsenal and Liverpool winning their respective opening day fixtures while Manchester United were held to a draw at Old Trafford against Newcastle.

Manchester United are just the same as any other Premier League teams. Without their superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo and main striker, Wayne Rooney, they will keep firing blanks into goal.

The presence of Carlos Tevez is not enough to produce goals while the injury-prone Louis Saha is not the perfect striker for United.

Arsenal were convincing against West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates with a 1-0 win, with new summer-signing, Samir Nasri on target at the 4th minute. True, they were kind of sloppy in both of the first and second half but they easily produced that sexy football that is easy on the eye.

Critics always tease Arsenal they are never going to win the Premier League with such a young squad, but I believe they will get better by the day. Arsene Wenger himself believes his young team is better than the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea respectively.

The bundles of talent surrounding the club are enough for them to win the league this season. If the critics keep underestimating them, they will only get stronger to prove that they are a force to be reckon with yet again.

The hype surrounding White Hart Lane is another big critics blunder. New signings such as Luka Modric and Giovanni Dos Santos did not shine as the critics expected but yet they are so new to hardness and toughness of the Premier League.

The praises these two Tottenham players are overwhelming, yet they fail to prove the critics right. Their game against Middlesbrough was not the best of start and even David Bentley was not at his levels best.

Critics now should think before they speak about Arsenal as they are not an easy team that can be knocked off the Big Four. In the last 13 seasons, only Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea has won the Premier League and it will be only one of them to win it again.

Robbie Keane: A Perfect Addition To Liverpool?

Nurfarhana Miskon — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 22:41:34 -0400

Luck of the Irish. That's what you call Robbie Keane's 20.3 million pound move to Liverpool.

Keane, a lifelong supporter of Liverpool is the newest addition to the long list of Liverpool strikers. I have not been a big fan of Rafael Benitez's shopping habits but sometimes he does get it right.

Keane's addition to the striking force of Liverpool could be dangerous, fruitful but will it be enough to handle arch-rivals Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal?

After spending six years at White Hart Lane, the Irishman's big budget move was all the talk of town. Many critics believe he will be a great and hard player to face against any opposition.

Who am I to challenge the critics but as a football fan, I think that all this speculation about Robbie Keane being a perfect signing is just the hoorah for the new season.

Liverpool fans please don't hate me. My mother is a die-hard Liverpool fan and she doesn't even know this.

As usual, as the new season beckons, many critics will probably say that Liverpool are going to win the title or at least challenge for it. This was a case of last season, when we thought that Fernando Torres will win the title for Liverpool but at last they didn't even challenge for it except for the early parts of the season.

Torres' exubriance to the Liverpool squad was a breath of fresh air. Yes, there is no denying he can score a whole lot of goals Liverpool and the addition of Robbie Keane is a plus but can these two outstanding strikers gel in time for the new season?

Keane has proven himself many times that he is a top-class striker but at the age of 28, I think the firepower will be missing from the Irishman if he is crippled with injuries. On the other hand, Torres is a mere 25 years of age and he is a good runner with the ball yet he tends to fall easily.

The Irishman has a temper to be dealt with. He has picked fights with his former Tottenham team-mate, Edgar Davids. Guess who came on top?

If the Irishman doesn't control his temper in important games, he could well be on the bench or suspended at the very least.

To finish above Arsenal and Chelsea next season will be tough as these two teams will be likely to challenge the current champions, Manchester United for the title.

Sure Liverpool is a great side in the Champions League but in the Premier League, they are a bit behind and it's been nearly 18 years since the last time they won the Premier League.

Will it be this season, with the addition of Keane? Maybe but it is never easy as there are many teams hungry for the Premier League and the Champions League glory.

Can Tottenham Crack The Arsenal?

Nurfarhana Miskon — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:45:27 -0400

Tottenham Hotspur have been busy buying players this summer and Juande Ramos is not at all a bad shopper. He has a keen and fine eye for quality, with the purchase of young talents such as Luka Modric, Giovanni Dos Santos and the former Arsenal trainee, David Bentley.

Ramos has spent a lot of money on six different players and all of this is to crack the so-called Big Four of the Premier League. But can all these players transform Spurs into a good enough team to be near the Big Four?

Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have been dominating the top four spot since well, forever, and every time before the season starts, some critics will say that a few teams can knock them off.

Teams like Spurs, Everton and Aston Villa are one of them.

Spurs have a terrible history against their arch-rivals and North London counterpart, Arsenal. It's only four kilometres from White Hart Lane to the Emirates but their history is a long enduring battle of which side is the better side of North London.

It has been all Arsenal.

And Spurs fans are getting a bit agitated to never come close to their arch-rivals in the premier League. Last season, the Lilywhites first beat Arsenal in a Carling Cup semi final with a good thrashing of 5-1 en route to win the Carling Cup.

It was a win to savour and I think it has become a defining moment in Spurs history to thrash Arsenal when many believe they couldn't.

The new season is just around the corner and the North London Derby is on October 29. Many Spurs fan are excited to see their side to beat Arsenal in the Premier League since 1999 even the self-confessed Tottenham fan and new signing, David Bentley.

Bentley, a former Arsenal trainee said he can't wait to put a goal past Almunia, the Arsenal new number one.

Spurs fans like to talk big every time the North London derby beckons and yet they fail to prove to the critics that they can beat the Gunners. Every time they come so close but yet they seem so far.

With the arrival of the new signings which include the former PSV Eindhoven goalkeeper, Gomes, who was a thorn in Arsenal's bush at the 2006/2007 Champions League knockout stages with his fine saves to shatter Arsenal's dream into the quarter final, maybe prove a point that well Spurs have been shopping as well as Arsene Wenger.

They even snatch Luka Modric, the Dinamo Zagreb midfielder who has been linked with Arsenal a few times. The midfielder is a tough cookie, having spent loans in the Bosnian league and even Croatia's national coach, Slaven Bilic rates the Croat highly. He is also said to be the Fabregas of Spurs.

For me personally, the arrival of these players scares me but I believe that the Gunners in Arsene Wenger's dressing room are not scared as they can be ruthless and play attractive football and break Spurs hearts once again.

Rafael Nadal: The New King Of Tennis

Nurfarhana Miskon — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:23:26 -0400

Rafael Nadal had been on a 32-match winning streak, but it all ended with the loss to Novak Djokovic in the semifinal at the Cincinnati Masters.

All is good, as he became the man to overthrow Roger Federer as the new world No. 1.

The Spaniard, a holder of five Grand Slam titles, has been unstoppable for the past couple of months. His triumph against Federer at the French Open and also that epic Wimbledon final showed how much he deserves that No. 1 spot.

At 22 years of age, he is a rampaging bull who hits the ball aggressively and yet so accurately.

Federer had held the No. 1 spot for a record of 235 weeks, while Nadal has been the No. 2 player in the world for over three years.

Even though the Swiss maestro has been in a slump lately, that does not mean that it was Nadal's luck or perfect opportunity to be at the top.

For example, the dramatic Wimbledon final shows that Federer was a great champion, as he battled Nadal and pushed the Spaniard to the limit.

This shows that Rafael Nadal is not a player that you can simply beat. His physical and mental condition in every match is at the very highest level. Even if he's plagued by injury, he will try to overcome it so that he can play the game to perfection.

His willingness and spirit to fight for every point makes Rafael Nadal an exceptionally good player. He is a determined lad who loves a big challenge. He makes tennis an enjoyable game with his powerful forehand, wide serves, and improving backhand.

Nadal is constantly improving every aspect of his game, and this sends out a message to all who fancy a career in tennis. You must practice long and hard to be a great champion.

Nadal has been with his coach since he was 4 years old. That coach, who just happens to be his uncle, is one reason why Nadal is such a great champion.

Nadal had won five tournaments in a row. It was a phenomenal run, and he will still continue his good form going into the Olympics with a gold medal in mind.

Maybe he will edge the others for that gold medal, having won five tournaments in three different surfaces. After all, he is the greatest player right now in tennis.

Do Arsenal Have A Real Problem?

Nurfarhana Miskon — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:51:32 -0400

Real Madrid has caused such a nuisance to the world of football recently. Their public pursuit of Manchester United's midfielder, Cristiano Ronaldo has been grabbing headlines all over the sporting world. Now, they are eyeing a creative playmaker, a Spaniard named Cesc Fabregas.

Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal has been the rock, the soul or you could call him the heartbeat of Arsenal Football Club. At 21, he is fast becoming a mature player, who plays attractive football with Arsenal and enjoys it too.

Recently, the Spanish newspaper Marca quoted Fabregas saying, he did not say no to Ramon Calderon but instead he said if Arsenal do not win any trophies this season, he would probably move to Madrid.

Fabregas was angered by that quotation and states that his loyalty is with Arsenal. He also said he wants to succeed and win trophies at Arsenal and this could be also because of the Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger. Wenger, snapped up the playmaker when he was just 16 years old playing at Barcelona. Barcelona, his first club was willing to sell as he was not seen as a potential player in the future.

Arsenal has been troubled with their players, most notably Emmanuel Adebayor who has not yet pledged his loyalty to Arsenal. His demands of salary has been a thorn in the Arsenal bush.

Does the one-hit wonder think he's good enough to be paid like the Arsenal legend, Henry? I don't think so. Sure he scored 30-ish goals last season but that does not mean he will reproduce his same form again next season.

The lost of the two most influential midfield players, Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini respectively could cause the Arsenal attack a little problem. The defensive Flamini plays in front of the back four and he also makes the Arsenal defense solid. The attacking Hleb enjoys dribbling the ball and also passes the ball fluidly. His loss at the Emirates could cause the attack to be a bit sloppy and maybe the assist of goals could be less than before.

Arsene Wenger has brought in two teenagers, the Welsh wonderkid, Aaron Ramsey who has been a target of arch-rivals Manchester United and Everton and also the French international, Samir Nasri who plays the attacking midfield role Hleb uses to play. These two players have not been tested in the Premier League but we will soon see whether they are adequate to play in the finest league in the world.

As an Arsenal fan, I would probably say that Arsenal has every chance of mounting a title bid next season and will prove yet again the critics wrong. To play sexy football and to deliver will be a main target for Arsenal next season and hopefully Arsenal can win all four titles and prove to the public: never underestimate the Gunners.