Marouane Receives Award from Bordeaux; Bonne Anniversaire!

How appropriate that Marouane received the Best Player of 2010 award from his former club, Bordeaux.  The fans voted on the award, as it's obvious that they would have liked Marouane to stay...but understood why he left.
A contentious relationship with club president, Jean-Louis Triaud, meant the Aquitaine club lost their best player on a Bosman free transfer last June.  Chamakh had considered staying, but after his ridiculous treatment by Triaud and the club's hierarchy, he decided to skip off to the much more high-profile English Premier League.  He has netted 11 goals for the Gunners, even though a recent dip in form (probably due to the loud mouths in the press of van Persie and Bendtner wanting their spots back) has meant he hasn't started a match since early December.  He has struggled to score from the head with Arsenal, something for which he was renowned at Bordeaux, because quite frankly, the Gunners suck at crossing the ball!  Marouane definitely misses the pinpoint accuracy of Yoann Gourcuff's crosses...as do Bordeaux, since Gourcuff left as well to join Ligue 1 rivals Lyon.
Hopefully Marouane will be able to shut out the pathetic criticisms of Arsenal's official Glass Jaw (van Persie) and Box Choker (Bendtner) and find his winning form that he displayed in the first half of the season.

Arsene Wenger admitted a few weeks ago that Marouane was tired (having started almost every match since the beginning of pre-season).  Used to the break over Christmas enjoyed in Ligue 1, Wenger decided to rest him during the same period this year to let him ease into the harrowing schedule kept by the Premier League.

Marouane will turn 27 on Monday.  Bonne Anniversaire!!!!!

To read the article about his award, click the link below:

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/01/06/2293492/marouane-chamakh-named-bordeauxs-player-of-the-year-for-2010

Marouane and Yoann...Chamcuff!...sniff sniff...I miss these two together!