Arsenal were too good for their own good. As people around Europe glance at this result they will feel only scorn for Braga, a team apparently out of their depth. That will do a grave disservice to the Portuguese club, who got this far by beating Sevilla home and away. Braga's real weakness was a readiness to play in an open manner and so ensure that Arsène Wenger's side had space to show off their glittering movement.
Arsenal's next game can be expected to stand in total contrast – they will face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. With that fixture in mind, there was a protective policy at work when the manager substituted Marouane Chamakh, his one senior centre-forward who is fit.
Carlos Vela, his replacement, snapped up two goals as if to illustrate that at 21 he is a little old to be an understudy. This match alone cannot demonstrate that Arsenal are on the brink of retrieving the status that has slipped away but the Emirates crowd is being persuaded and others could follow suit. Among the habitually prominent clubs Arsenal have the most scope for development and it could be that the potential is being tapped.
In the midst of the merriness it went unnoticed that Braga, who won 4-3 in Seville, had been contained efficiently. That was done in the absence of the injured centre-back Thomas Vermaelen. The newcomers Laurent Koscielny and Sébastien Squillaci will be under greater stress in times to come but these are not youngsters and they were at ease against opponents whose moves, admittedly, were liable to peter out before they got to the 18-yard line.
The influence of Cesc Fábregas was irresistible as he again demonstrated that he is both playmaker and predator. His hunger could not be appeased and as late as the 84th minute he was setting up Vela for the sixth goal. Braga could never have anticipated such devastation. By taking them to second place behind Benfica in the Portuguese League last season their manager, Domingos Paciência, had after all conferred on the club the highest finish in their history.
That counted for nothing against Arsenal. A 3-0 lead had been established when the interval was still 10 minutes away. Fábregas paved the way for the opener when he sent Chamakh through in the ninth minute. The striker was brought down by the goalkeeper, Felipe, and Fábregas slotted away the penalty.
The Spaniard eluded two opponents and set up Andrey Arshavin to score the second after half an hour. There were flickers from Braga. With 23 minutes gone, for instance, Alan shook off Fábregas as he raced down the right but the midfielder's low ball did not find anyone in the goalmouth.
The opposition were as mesmerised as the spectators by the interweaving passes of Arsenal. After 34 minutes Chamakh fired home after combining with Jack Wilshere. Indignant though Wenger would be at the suggestion, this was recreational football from men revelling in their talent and rapport.
This does seem to be a maturing squad and, even if they do not look impregnable, Arsenal denied Braga the scope they had found in the qualifiers. It may be that we are seeing more efficiency in Wenger's developing team. For the Emirates audience it will have been enough simply to appreciate the smooth football that was presented to them.
The greatest obstacle to teams in this kind of form is often the interval but Arsenal returned to the field with the same hunger. In the 53rd minute Fábregas was at the far post to head in a chipped cross from Arshavin for his second goal. By then Wenger's team were barely conscious of their opponents.
Paciência might have taken off just about anyone but he opted first for the former Newcastle United player Hugo Viana. Fábregas could have completed his hat-trick but after going through he attempted a chipped finish that Felipe half-stopped before Moisés hacked the ball away.
Although relief for a side being outclassed often comes through substitutions, Arsenal were unrelenting, regardless of the personnel on the field. Braga were mistaken if they saw any hope of relief when Chamakh made way for Vela.
Any satisfaction the visitors took in the removal of the Moroccan soon faded and they had to wait for Arshavin to leave the field before there was a hint of mercy. Having struck a post in the 67th minute, the Russian unleashed Vela two minutes later and the substitute clipped the ball over the sprawling Felipe.
Occasions of this sort emphasise the richness of technique, imagination and athleticism at Arsenal's disposal. A different sort of game will be needed to establish whether durability is present as well but nobody can deny the supporters' right to their mood of anticipation.
Source: Kevin McCarra, The Guardian on 15 Sep 10
No comments:
Post a Comment