7-nil to the Arsenal

Here are the 7 goals my favorite football (not the American kind of football!) team Arsenal scored in their Champions League match on Tuesday vs. Slavia Prague. Arsenal's playing the best and most attractive football in the world right now, and it's scary to think that this team's best player, Cesc Fabregas, is all of 20.



After a summer of tumult -- Thierry Henry was sold to Barcelona, Chairman David Dein was forced out of his position on the board due to the Stan Kroenke alliance (and when that alliance cooled off, Dein later allied himself with Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov), no major names were bought by Arsene Wenger to reinforce the team - the footballing world basically wrote off Arsenal as too young and too inexperienced, with no shot at success this year without Henry, the man who has scored the most goals in the club's history.

The young Gunners of Arsenal however are proving the skeptics wrong so far with a blazing start to their domestic and European campaigns. They are playing fast, free flowing, beautiful football which is so sublime and pleasing to watch. The sale of Henry has given the young players the freedom to play the way they want and know how to play. As Cesc said: "Henry intimidated us. He is a great player but it was not easy to play alongside him.We were a bit inhibited by him - dependent on everything he wanted to do and his demands. Now it is different."

Wenger's policy of developing youth the last few years is paying off, as key 1st team players such as Cesc, Theo Walcott (18 years old!), Robin Van Persie, Emmanuel Adebayor, Emmanuel Eboue, Denilson, and Abou Diaby are 24 years old or younger. And at least 2 more potential great ones in teenagers Fran Merida and Carlos Vela are waiting in the wings.

Here's hoping Arsenal continue their fine form all the way to the finish!