Man Of The Match: Jack Wilshere

In any sport, there are losses I can accept, and there are losses that just make me want to punch things. Generally speaking, a loss I can accept is one in which the team works its ass off, plays as well as it is capable, and still doesn't win; sometimes, the other team is simply better. Losses that make me want to punch things are ones in which the team doesn't seem to give a damn, isn't really working all that hard, and has no business being on the same court/field as their opponent.

For the first half of today's game, for me, it was the latter; Arsenal were down a man, but all in all they just didn't look like they were ready to play, and once they were down 2-0 I had visions of another Manchester-based pasting in my head, and I was punchy. The second half was much better, though; Arsenal realized they needed to fight, and they played like a more spirited team, a team that wanted to win.

Throughout this bifurcated, punchy-then-not-punchy game, though, there was one player who always looked like he gave a damn; Jack Wilshere was the engine that kept the beat-up Robin Reliant that was Arsenal's first half alive, and in the second half he was the only player who looked dangerous for more than a second or two. He found good space, he passed the ball really well, and he was pretty much the only thing consistently worth watching in a game that pretty muchbegged to not be watched.

Congratulations, Jack; now give the rest of your team that same drive, energy, talent, and desire.