Moving On Up

Fix this Mess...oops Mets

The last week was nothing but good news for both the Mets and Arsenal.  While the Mets' season ended in a thud, the off season has gotten off to a good start with the announcement that Sandy Alderson has been hired by the Wilpons as the team's new GM.  While Alderson does not have access to a magic wand that will suddenly transform the Mets in to world beaters, he is an experienced and intelligent baseball executive who said the right things and will aim to fix the mess that he is inheriting.  As a fan I am thinking positive and invoking Tug McGraw's old rallying cry, "You Gotta Belive."

As for Arsenal, the team is currently firing on all cylinders.  Following their 3-0 beating of the great pretenders known as Manchester City last Sunday, the Gunners rolled over Newcastle on the road 4-0 in the Carling Cup.  Arsene Wenger fielded the right mix of youth and experience and saw welcome returns from Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner who both got on the score sheet.  The draw for the final eight was kind as well with Arsenal being handed a home match against Wigan.  With Arsenal fans craving a trophy and the media unfairly beating up Wenger, it seems he is taking this year's Carling Cup tournament a bit more seriously.

This past Saturday, Arsenal hosted bottom of the table West Ham at the Emirates.  On paper it should have been an easy Arsenal win.  Instead, despite owning the majority of possession and creating some decent scoring chances, the team was up against a determined West Ham team that played a strong defensive game.  West Ham didn't look like they were going to score, but thinking of a 0-0 draw at home was gut wrenching.  It would have definitely been two points dropped.  Great teams have to win games like this...and so they did.

In the 88th minute Gael Clichy pushed forward and delivered a spot on cross that Alex Song headed straight in to the back of the net.  1-0 to the Arsenal.  Three points won.  Next up is a trip to the Ukraine and a Champions League meeting with Eduardo and Shakhtar Donetsk. 

More great news today as Arsenal announced the long term signing of 19 year old budding superstar Jack Wilshere.

Random thoughts:

• Loved seeing Manchester City lose to lowly Wolves.
• Wayne Rooney is an idiot.
• Great to see American Clint Dempsey score a brace in Fulham's 2-0 victory over Wigan.

Song uses his head (Clive Rose/Getty Images )