This past weekend Arsenal played Tottenham in the North London Derby. They won (as all but Tottenham supporters would have predicted). The match was not a particularly good one with neither of the teams playing the free flowing football that one is known for and the other aspires. The game had four moments of interest with two being backheal passes for goals, one being a great penalty kick save, and lastly Nicklas Bendtner’s game winning goal from a header on a cornerkick. Not playing well and still winning games is a trait that many championship winning teams attain, so Arsenal still has many positives to take away from this game despite not playing well. Additionally the squad players beat a tough Blackburn team on Tuesday and this obvious depth bodes well for the rest of the season. The added experience of the these matches no doubt aided the precocious talents of Nicklas Bendtner for him to come on and score the game winner on Saturday with his first touch of the game. Arsenal had a good week, which I expect to be one of many this season, but strangely the event that truly showed the strength of this club over the weekend had nothing to do with the North London Derby, but one of an Iberian nature.
The day after Arsenal defeated Tottenham another derby with a greater importance to many fans and to the championship race took place. Barcelona hosted Real Madrid in “el clasico” at the Nou Camp with obvious title implications at hand. This match can easily become one of the more volatile in Europe with passions of both sides residing from the Catalan resistance to Franco’s forces during the Spanish Civil War. Barcelona had to win this match since they currently rested four points adrift of Real in the title race. The three points from the victory would leave them only one point behind, but a loss would leave them seven behind and seriously reduce their chances of wrestling the title away from Real, the defending champions. The match was another lackluster affair apart from one moment of brilliance from a player who used to ply his trade with Arsenal, Julio Baptista. Baptista scored a breathtaking goal in Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Barcelona. This is the same Julio Baptista who many Arsenal supporters groan with even the mention of his name. His success in this match may bemuse many, but I was not surprised.
Julio arrived at Arsenal last summer for the 2006-07 season from a loan swap deal from Real Madrid for Jose Antonio Reyes. Reyes desperately wanted to leave Arsenal for Real Madrid, so Real decide to abide by his wishes but could not agree to a transfer fee with Arsenal. Thus the first loan deal in Real Madrid’s history took place and they in turn sent us Julio Baptista, a much heralded striker signed from Sevilla only a season before who sadly had not lived up to expectations in his first season. Arsenal fans were pleased with the loan initially. Reyes had been a constant thorn in the supporter’s sides. Despite having flashes of brilliance he constantly complained about his dislike of London and the English Premier League. Whenever he had half a chance he expressed his passion to return to Spain. He wanted to leave, and we the supporters wanted him to do so. If you do not want to play for Arsenal and learn from a great manager in Arsene Wenger then you should leave regardless of your obvious talent. Baptista could not have been more of the opposite.
Baptista greatly looked forward to playing for Arsene and Arsenal. In 2005 he nearly became an Arsenal player. Arsene Wenger had just sold Arsenal’s captain and midfield general in Patrick Vieira to Juventus and he needed a tough bone crushing midfielder to replace him. Yes Cesc Fabregas looked like he could do the job, but at the time he was only 18 years old, and slight in stature. He was the complete opposite to Vieira, so Arsene’s inclination to swap like for like only made sense. Baptista fit that mold. While playing forward for Sevilla he earned the nickname of “The Beast” for his powerful surging runs down the center of the field. Once he controlled the ball he became very difficult to disposes. In addition to his obvious scoring prowess, and strength Arsene knew he had the skill to play in midfield because Sevilla had initially signed him as a defensive midfielder. His scoring ability eventually saw him moved further and further up the field until he had completely been converted to a striker. In 2005 Real Madrid came calling for his signature and he could not turn it down. The only problem was that Arsenal needed him, and Real Madrid truly did not. Madrid had enough strikers, so Julio played many different positions to a far less potent affect than he had a Sevilla. When Arsenal requested him in the loan for Reyes they were more than happy to offload him. (During that same time Cesc Fabregas rose to the occasion and helped guide Arsenal to the Champions League Final.)
During his one season at Arsenal he created precious few occasions to show his talent. He looked slow and weak. His ball control was abysmal and he hardly posed a goal scoring threat. When Arsenal decided not to extend his loan into a contract few were sad to see him leave. Most would have agreed that he was a horribly overrated player, but it turns out that the fault may not reside with his skill, but with timing. In 2005 we needed Baptista to help replace Vieira, but in 2006 we did not. He still was a good player, but he could not play the position he was best suited for: offensive center midfield. Cesc had used the previous season to make that his spot. Now Julio had to play striker or on the wings to get a game. He was out of position and off the pace of the league. The EPL is the fastest league in the world and can take even the best players a season to adapt. Julio Baptista needed this season, but he could not get it. He was in a handicapped position. He needed more time to learn new positions and adjust to a new league and that time was not available. Of the current Arsenal players, many of them needed a season to become acclimated to Arsene’s style of play and the Premier League. They all got the time, and Julio did not. I contend that his loan was not extended because he really did not fit in with the Arsenal squad, and not because of a lack of skill. In every position he played Arsenal had a young, promising player coming up from the youth ranks that he would have only stunted their development. In midfield there was Diaby, Diarra, and Walcott, and at striker there was Bendtner. He needed to leave to make room for these players, so he left.
Once he returned to Real Madrid they had no plans for how to use him in the squad and tried to sell him. Few teams came calling after having two under par seasons. He stayed at Real Madrid and fought for his spot. When asked about his ill-fated season with Arsenal he said despite it not going as well as he wanted he had become a better player from the experience. Arsene had taught him enough in that season of under performance to make him a better player, and it showed before the season even started. During the South American Copa America in the summer of 2007 “The Beast” had finally become an integral part in Brazil’s attack. He consistently put in great performances.
However, at Real Madrid he would start the season on the bench. The few minutes he would get he would play well. Eventually, he started to start some games, but was not a definite starter. Then his chance came a little over a month ago when Guti, Madrid’s creative midfielder, get a red card. This red card meant that he would be suspended for the next game. Julio Baptista started this match and played great, so the coach could not relegate him back to the bench. He continued to play well in the next games, so Guti stayed on the bench. In my eyes the best part of Baptista’s resurgence is that it comes as an offensive center midfielder. This is the same position Arsene Wenger wanted him to play for Arsenal. This is also a position that he did not have much experience or success. At Sevilla he may have played there a little before becoming a striker, but at Real Madrid he rarely, if ever played this position. He did not have success in this spot and now he does. He spends one season at Arsenal learning about the clubs free-flowing offensive style and his playing ability improves enough for him to have improved success in a previously foreign position. Little realities like this have to make people appreciate Arsenal Football Club. Arsene Wenger is known for finding the best in players and converting them to new positions. Arsenal may not be reaping the benefits of an improved Julio Baptista, but that does not make the improvement any less significant.
The day after Arsenal’s newest talent rose up to score a powerful header in the North London Derby “The Beast” awoke to play some devastating Arsenal style one touch football right down the center of Barcelona’s defense to score a remarkable game winning goal in “el clasico.” Arsenal head into Christmas first in the EPL, their young players are rising to the occasion, and even a former player is grabbing major headlines throughout Europe. This is not a bad position to be in and it makes for an enjoyable weekend.
