when Sochi was awarded the Olympics

**wanglei** 14 дек 2017, 04:33

Is there a Premier League fan base that has been on more of an emotional rollercoaster ride for the last few years than Arsenals? For 80 minutes on Saturday, Arsenal fans were ruing the lack of a “world class” goal scorer, chastising manager Arsene Wenger for failing to address this shortcoming during the transfer window. Trailing 2-0 away to Everton, Arsenal looked on course for yet another failure on the road against a top-five team – venues at which they had not won in their previous 14 attempts, taking only three points from a possible 42. It wasnt just the lack of a natural predator that saw Wenger come under fire; most Gunners feel that the absence of a proven goal scorer, along with a dominant holding midfielder and a commanding central defender is preventing Arsenal from being genuine title challengers this season. Yet the narrative shifted from “we just arent good enough” to “we have tremendous character!” in the final 10 minutes on Saturday. First, Aaron Ramsey side-footed home a teasing cross from second-half substitute Santi Cazorla in the 83rd minute to bring Arsenal to within a goal. Then, in the 90th minute, halftime substitute Olivier Giroud headed home the equalizer from a Nacho Monreal cross. Arsenal fans went from agony to ecstasy in just seven minutes. Despite the result – and many will argue that the draw was down to Evertons inability to kill off the game rather than anything special from Arsenal – the murmurs of discontent will continue for Gunners fans. Olivier Giroud is someone that should be leading the line for Arsenal. I cannot understand why some Arsenal fans do not rate him; he holds the ball up well, bringing Arsenals wealth of midfield talent into play, is an aerial threat and a physical presence, but most importantly, he scores goals. Last season, only five players in the Premier League (Suarez, Sturridge, Toure, Aguero and Rooney) scored more than Girouds 16 league goals. Does Arsenal need another striker to challenge Giroud for a place in the starting lineup? Absolutely – especially if the injury he sustained in the closing minutes of Saturdays game keeps him out for any length of time. But suggesting that Giroud isnt up to the job of being the main man is wide of the mark. More pressing for me is Arsenals lack of power in midfield. One of my favourite teams in the Premier League era was Wengers “Invincibles” – the team that won the Premier League in 2003-04 without suffering a single defeat. While Arsenal teams have always placed a premium on style, that team also had the steel needed to win the title. Look at the spine of that team: Jens Lehmann in goal, Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure at the back, Patrick Vieira and Gilberto in midfield and Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp up top. Just the thought of lining up against that team made opponents shudder, because not only could they play, they were also horrible to play against. That doesnt mean that they ran about simply kicking everything that moved – far from it. It meant that they didnt shirk challenges when they needed to be made, nor do they shirk responsibility when their team needed them to deliver. Henry was never renowned for his tackling ability or for his toughness, but anyone who watched him play for Arsenal would agree that he had ice running through his veins. When it mattered most for Arsenal, he delivered. The same can be said for Bergkamp. In midfield, Vieira had the combination of size, strength, talent and personality that the current Arsenal midfield is most lacking. There isnt a player in Wengers 2014 Arsenal team that even remotely resembles Vieira, and this is where I feel Wengers transfer dealings have fallen short. The additions of Alexis Sanchez, Calum Chambers and Mathieu Debuchy have been good ones for Arsenal, as all three are likely to be heavily involved in Arsenals starting lineup this year. But none of them addresses the most pressing deficiency in Wengers squad - an all-around midfielder in the mould of Vieira. I can live with the three central defenders that Arsenal currently has on the books: Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny and Chambers. But Wenger is faced with a big decision as the end of the transfer window looms: Does he spend big on a holding midfielder and look to add another striker, or does he stay put with what he has. The fact that Wenger hasnt already addressed these deficiencies suggests that he is more likely to take the latter decision than the former. But unfortunately for Gunners fans, this will effectively keep them out of the title chase, as they lack the key ingredients required for a genuine championship push. I simply cannot see an Arsenal side with Mikel Arteta or Mathieu Flamini as the holding midfielder winning the Premier League title. Yet another rollercoaster ride is on the cards for Arsenal supporters this season, Im afraid. 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SOCHI, Russia -- IOC President Thomas Bach accused world leaders Tuesday of using the Sochi Olympics as a political platform "on the backs of the athletes," and of snubbing the games without even being invited. Three days before the opening of Russias first Winter Games, Bach used a hard-hitting speech to call out politicians for using the Olympics to make an "ostentatious gesture" serving their own agendas. Without naming any individuals, Bachs comments appeared directed at President Barack Obama and European politicians who have taken stands against Russias law banning gay "propaganda" among minors. The Olympics, Bach said, should not be "used as a stage for political dissent or for trying to score points in internal or external political contests." "Have the courage to address your disagreements in a peaceful direct political dialogue and not on the backs of the athletes," he said at a ceremony attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. "People have a very good understanding of what it really means to single out the Olympic Games to make an ostentatious gesture which allegedly costs nothing but produces international headlines. "In the extreme, we had to see a few politicians whose contributions to the fight for a good cause consisted of publicly declining invitations they had not even received." The buildup to the Olympics has been overshadowed by Western criticism of the anti-gay law and Russias record on human rights and other issues, making Sochi among the most politically charged games in years. Obama and key European leaders are shunning the Olympics. Obama, in a clear message against the anti-gay laws, has sent a delegation to Sochi made up of three openly gay athletes -- tennis great Billie Jean King, 2006 Olympic hockey medallist Caitlin Cahow and figure skater Brian Boitano. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. delegation to an Olympics will not include a president, vice-president or first lady. Former Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano leads the delegation. German President Joachim GGauck and French President Francois Hollande are also not coming to Sochi.dddddddddddd Neither is British Prime Minister David Cameron. Bach reiterated again that Putin had given the IOC assurances that the Olympic Charter would be upheld during the games and that homosexuals would not be discriminated against. Bach said Olympic values stand against any form of discrimination, including on grounds of sexual orientation. But he stressed the IOC must be "politically neutral without being apolitical" and that athletes must not use the Olympic Village and venues for "political demonstrations." The IOC has come under criticism for not doing more to fight the anti-gay law, but Bach said the committee was a sports organization with limited responsibilities. "We are not a supra-national government," he said. "We are not a superior world-parliament. We do not have a mandate to impose measures on sovereign states." Bachs speech was delivered at a ceremony marking the opening of the IOCs three-day session, or general assembly, ahead of the games. The Germans sharp comments marked a strong contrast with the relatively anodyne, diplomatic speeches of his predecessor, Jacques Rogge. Bach, winner of a fencing gold medal at the 1972 Olympics, was elected in September to succeed Rogge, who served for 12 years. Bach acknowledged there had been "a lot of skepticism in and outside the IOC" when Sochi was awarded the Olympics in 2007. "Now, seven years later, we can see that Sochi, that Russia has delivered," he said. Putin lauded the IOCs decision to bring the games to the Black Sea resort. "We realize what a difficult decision this was to hold the games in a city that barely had 10 to 15 per cent of the necessary infrastructure," he said. "You believed in us, you believed in the Russian character which can overcome all difficulties." "In the space of five years," Putin added, "we built world-class sports venues and city infrastructure that normally takes decades to build." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '