Arsène Wenger will take what he can get at present. This narrow victory over arguably the poorest team in Arsenal's Champions League group sufficed to keep the wolves from the door for another day, although it did little to portray the club as credible contenders.
There was anxiety until the final whistle, as Arsenal made light of a position of early strength to put their supporters through the wringer. Match tickets here ought to come with beta blockers and, on this evidence, there will surely be apprehension ahead of the derby at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Wenger's makeshift defence, which had the midfielder Alex Song pressed into its heart, failed to convince and Olympiakos were left to wonder what might have been had they taken some of their chances. On more than one occasion, they were left to ponder how Wojciech Szczesny's net had not swelled.
Arsenal, though, played up the positives, which included the goals for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and André Santos, together with the form of Szczesny, but, chiefly, took in the primacy of the result. This was a third consecutive victory, following those over Shrewsbury Town in the Carling Cup and Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League. Wenger has always said that confidence evaporates quickly and must be rebuilt slowly. It feels painstaking at the moment.
The manager suffered in the stands, as he served the final match of his touchline ban but he and his players took plenty of solace from a glance at the Group F table, with daylight having emerged between themselves in second and Borussia Dortmund in third. The ties against the leaders, Marseille, now loom large.
Olympiakos had arrived with such a dismal record on their travels in England that it was worth printing: P9 L9 GF1 GA29. They played well, with pace on the counter and in wide areas, but this Arsenal team have the ability to make almost any opposition look threatening.
Pat Rice, Wenger's assistant, admitted Arsenal had lost their way in the first half but their wobbles ran deeper. David Fuster had blown a presentable early chance for the visitors and Rafik Djebbour had been denied by a goalline clearance by Mikel Arteta on 14 minutes, which earned the Spaniard the dubious delight of a smacker from Szczesny. Djebbour put the rebound into the side netting.
Arsenal had drawn first blood to hint at a calmer evening. Early goals in these nervous times feel priceless and it was a moment that Oxlade-Chamberlain, on his Champions League debut, will remember forever.
The 18-year-old took a flighted pass from Song and he skated in from the right, across the edge of the penalty area. His first touch had been assured and his determination bought him a break off the hapless Iván Marcano. When the shooting opportunity presented itself, he remained composed to cut a low left-footed effort through Olof Mellberg's legs and into the bottom corner.
Wenger, who used Robin van Persie and Aaron Ramsey only as late substitutes, was out of his seat again when Santos scored his first goal for the club. Rosicky released the Brazil left-back after neat interplay and he crossed for Marouane Chamakh, who could not get there. Never mind. When the ball came back to Santos, he got a break off Marcano and exposed the goalkeeper, Franco Costanzo, at the near post.
In times gone by, that would have been the end of the matter but there is a brittleness about Wenger's current crop. Fuster's goal was a shambles from an Arsenal point of view. They were caught cold by a short corner and when Ariel Ibagaza crossed, the midfielder got up in yards of space to thump his header home.
Chamakh had snatched at an excellent chance moments earlier, from Andrey Arshavin's chip, and Arsenal were second best for the remainder of the half, their defending marked by disorder and desperation. Szczesny needed to be sharp and Rosicky's hack at Kevin Mirallas on the edge of the area, which earned him a booking, summed up the anxiety.
Olympiakos's defending was hardly of the bolted door variety, either, and the neutral would have enjoyed the helter‑skelter entertainment. Oxlade-Chamberlain might have scored again when he ran on to a throughball from the otherwise frustrating Chamakh yet his touch deserted him and Costanzo blocked. Arshavin would also force the goalkeeper to save.
The game did become tighter as it wore on but nobody in Arsenal colours could relax, least of all Wenger. As the travelling supporters bounced as one, their team probed and the moment that might have placed another dent in Arsenal's season came in the 64th minute.
The right-back Vassilis Torosidis showed that he could centre with menace but his curling left‑footed shot from 25 yards almost got the Greek champions a result. With Szczesny beaten, the ball crashed against the crossbar. Arsenal edged home by the slenderest of margins.
Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 28 Sep 11
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starts to fulfil his potential for Arsenal
When Arsène Wenger introduced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as one of Arsenal's first meaningful forays in the latest transfer market, it was a reflection of a nervy summer that reaction among the faithful was not entirely positive. This, it must be said, was no reflection on the latest whiz-kid who sped up the M3 from Southampton to inject some young, English energy. It was a manifestation of the frustration that when experienced defenders were the order of the day, a teenaged winger showed up. It brought to mind Rafael Benítez's famous complaint when the Valencia board took no notice of his ideas for team strengthening: "I asked for a table, they brought me a lampshade."
Reconstructing Arsenal in this era of financial madness remains a complex business. But the early signs are that in Oxlade-Chamberlain the club have recruited a player whose promise means it was absolutely right to sign him, regardless of whether he was a table or a lampshade. Against Olympiakos, with a smart goal he served notice of worth, becoming the youngest English player – at 18 years and 44 days – to score for Arsenal in the Champions League. Not for nothing are the message boards referring to him as the "Ox in the box".
A normal career path for Oxlade-Chamberlain would have seen him start Carling Cup matches and enjoy bits and pieces of higher-profile games as a substitute. But these are not normal times. So overburdened is the treatment room at London Colney, the kid was granted a Champions League debut just a week after his scoring role in the Carling Cup against Shrewsbury.
It is one thing making your mark on opponents from England's fourth tier, another to take the initiative against the perennial Greek champions. With his first meaningful contribution, Oxlade-Chamberlain gave another demonstration not only of his skill but also his assuredness and willingness to showcase his worth.
With all young talents given opportunities early, the question always boils down to whether they have the personality to express themselves, or prefer to play safe and avoid mistakes. Oxlade-Chamberlain is showing the mettle to seize the day. "He's a very confident boy, a very strong boy," said Pat Rice, standing in for the suspended Wenger. "The Arsenal supporters are going to see a lot of this boy."
The game was in its opening phase when, with a clever run to drift in between Olympiakos's thin blue line, he gave himself a half-chance. Collecting Alex Song's pass, he surged across the face of goal. Ivan Marcano did not do enough to disturb his run, and the youngster measured his chance and drilled a shot through Olof Mellberg's legs and into the far corner. It was his weaker foot, too. His face was a picture, as if he couldn't quite believe he had scored on this stage, that only a few months ago he would have been watching admiringly on the television. Up in the director's box, Wenger was up on his feet, leading the applause.
When André Santos angled in a second, it ought to have made for a comfortable evening. But this being the Arsenal creation that can concede at any moment, Oxlade-Chamberlain found himself less involved as Olympiakos began to force the issue. Five minutes into the second half came another glimpse of goal but this time the teenager was not quite as a decisive, allowing the goalkeeper, Franco Costanzo, to block.
Comparisons with Walcott are easily made – both were highly coveted attacking graduates from the Southampton academy who signed for Arsenal. Oxlade-Chamberlain is a different build to Walcott. He is a couple of inches taller and considerably broader and has strength and control in his game, rather than relying on sheer pace. Walcott, watching on from the stands with his girlfriend, and knowing how much onus there is to produce even in youth, will have been impressed.
"He's very friendly with Theo, who gives him the benefit of his experience," noted Rice. "He's got a big challenge trying to get in front of Theo, who won't give in easy."
Oxlade-Chamberlain's nose for goal, despite his rawness at the top level, is a massive bonus for an Arsenal team who are over-reliant on Robin van Persie. The Dutchman was held back here, rested with half an eye on Sunday's more challenging trip to White Hart Lane. With Wenger's pack shuffled, there was a chance for some of the B-listers to make an impression. For the likes of Marouane Chamakh and Andrey Arshavin form remains elusive.
Oxlade-Chamberlain will not be rushed by Wenger, but it is reassuring for the manager to know he has a talent who is perhaps more ready for the big time than he anticipated. The boy had a debut to forget at Old Trafford. Now the future has begun in earnest.
Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 28 Sep 11
Anxious Arsenal's doubts persist
Arsenal's aim this season, and every season, should Stan Kroenke care to publicly admit it, is the securing of a Champions League place. Beyond that, playing in this competition itself is a bonus, and factored as such in a financial sense too. Reaching the final (as in 2006) looks way beyond the current crop and when Arsene Wenger does take his leave, that balmy Paris evening will be remembered as the night that the club's French revolution began to lose its way and a slow decline began.
Five years on, Arsenal are fighting relegation from the competition that secures the status of a modern-day superclub. They cannot afford not to be in the Champions League. In that regard, a weekend derby with Tottenham Hotspur already has the look of a six-pointer, since Spurs are again capable of challenging for a fourth spot on which hopes already rest. Like any club facing an unthinkable and unpalatable demotion, what Arsenal need to rescue them is unity and belief. Yet such qualities are ebbing at the Emirates and while victory against Olympiakos continued a week of three wins in a row, doubt still casts a long shadow.
There had been an atmosphere of defiance. 'Getting behind the lads' can make football a participation sport, and a new Arsenal needs the fans to carry them over the lines. Yet those fans have about as much faith in their defence as the rest of the EU does in the Greek economy. Rage set in once David Fuster had risen unmarked to head Olympiakos back into the contest.
Goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Andre Santos, both scoring their first for Arsenal, had rendered visions of a bright future, yet Fuster's goal had pricked that bubble of optimism.
Arsene Wenger recently scoffed at talk of a defensive coach. Loyal assistant Pat Rice was once a full-back of distinction yet this Arsenal team do not offer the steadiness he once supplied. All four of Wenger's defensive selection can 'play' yet none of them seem cut out for the type of dirty work that security requires. Rice, standing in for Wenger post-match, was critical of a goal that looked all too familiar. "From a defender's point of view it was really poor," he admitted.
As Manchester United proved the previous evening, an unfamiliar back four is rarely a solid one, and a shaky Bacary Sagna found himself as the senior partner alongside two new boys and converted midfielder Alex Song. Meanwhile, Santos looks like the converted winger he is. His goal, scored off his right foot, was an exercise in adventure, but his defending is too often statuesque. When Vasilis Torosidis rattled the crossbar from distance on the hour, he was offered the freedom of Hornsey in which to take aim from the Gunners' left flank.
And for all his excellence as a shot-stopper Wojciech Szczesny is yet to gain the command of a defence that a more experienced goalkeeper might offer. To give him his due, he is yet to play with an Arsenal defensive organiser with the charisma of leadership. Indeed, Arsenal have not possessed that since Sol Campbell's half-time flit at Upton Park in February 2006; a series of budget-priced defenders have arrived, failed and fled.
The likes of William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre and Sebastien Squillaci have been the experienced hands brought in, yet none added authority. Per Mertesacker must be given more time for a full assessment, yet has arrived at a time of flux and may yet be a victim of circumstance. The signs here were that he possesses poise and is better suited to a European occasion than his recent torrid lunchtime at Ewood Park.
"We lost our way but came back into it. We had to knuckle in, to get our shape right," said Rice and it was true that the visitors were eventually reduced to pot shots where once they had been offered a clear sight of goal. Here, Mertesacker grew into the game and showed that he could take responsibility.
It was with Saturday in mind that current on-field leader Robin van Persie was rested until the 71st minute and he entered the fray to a rousing reception, with the fans keen to show their love for a player already linked with the type of painful departure they have endured from the likes of Henry, Flamini, Hleb, Cesc and Nasri. Plaintive proclamations of love alone will not keep him at the club. Ambition, both in playing and pecuniary terms, will need to be matched.
Currently, he is surrounded by too many team-mates of either unreached potential or diminishing returns. While both Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santos were scoring, Marouane Chamakh, himself in only his second season at the club, cannot relive the first flush of being a Gunner. A misdirected header and a shanked shot when through on Olympiakos keeper Costanzo were efforts that a striker of confidence would snaffle.
Andrei Arshavin and Tomas Rosicky are two players who often boil the blood of the more vociferous Gunners fan. Both were once known for devastating attacking. Nowadays, however, Arshavin invites exasperation whenever play breaks down with him on the scene while Rosicky's explosive shooting looks a thing of the past as he plods in deep midfield. Neither look capable of leading through a new Arsenal that may yet be embodied by the young Oxlade-Chamberlain.
A calm and early finish of the type that Chamakh would probably kill for, and some powerful runs down the right flank, were signs that Theo Walcott now faces a rivalry for his place. "He's very friendly with Theo and Theo can offer him experience," said Rice of old man Walcott, 22. For both to flourish at a resurgent Arsenal, fans, team-mates and ultimately manager and owner in tandem must quell the anxiety that still grips their club.
ARSENAL VERDICT
Getting the job done is the best that can be hoped for at present. They did so here with plenty of anxiety thrown in. The promise of the likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain was not supported by more experienced colleagues though Mikel Arteta looks a fine addition. Marseille's heavy defeat of Borussia Dortmund will serve as a warning of a tougher test ahead.
OLYMPIAKOS VERDICT
Similar to Arsenal in that, defensively, they were suspect while further up the field they created much, they paid for two defensive lapses. Without those, they would not have had to chase this game, and eventually they were held at arm's length once Arsenal recovered their shape.
FATHER OF FOOTBALL
Brian Glanville, the veteran football reporter whose tomes on the World Cup are set texts for the aspiring gentlemen of the press, was presented with a commemorative 'Glanville 80' shirt before the game in the press room to mark a landmark birthday. All those worth their salt - and your scribe - will have read his work in their childhood. A veteran of Arsenal matches since 1940, he is not giving up on this game just yet.
Source: John Brewin, ESPN Soccernet on 28 Sep 11
Pat Rice's reaction to the Arsenal 2-1 Olympiacos match
on the performance…
I think in the first 20-25 minutes we were really in it well. After that for about 15-20 minutes we maybe lost our way and they came back into it. Second half we had to knuckle down, fight and get our shape right which I thought we did better in the second half.
on Arsenal's goals…
It is unfortunate we didn't get the third but we also had opportunities on breakaways in the second half. They came, they waited for us, they broke us up in the middle of the park and in fairness they did well. You can't turn around and say we had all of the game because that would be unfair.
Needless to say I think we will be very, very happy with the three points.
on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain…
He can go inside, he can go outside, he's got that injection of pace and I think what he needs now is to be consistent in his play. I am sure that is something he will be working on because he's certainly not a stupid boy. He has good people around him and they are telling him all the right things.
He is a very confident boy, a strong boy and he listens to what people tell him. I think he makes his own mind up because when you are a professional footballer loads of different coaches tell you lots of different things. What you have to do is pick out the best things that are applicable to you. That is something Alex will no doubt actually do. He is very friendly with Theo and no doubt he will give him the benefit of his experience as well.
From Arsenal supporters' point of view, they are going to be seeing a lot of this boy. Whenever he breaks in permanently he has a big, big challenge to now get in front of Theo. I know that Theo is a very strong-willed guy as well and he won't give in easy. It all bodes well for England anyway.
on a nervous night for himself…
I said before we played Dortmund that it is not the kind of evening I particularly want. It's never actually been an ambition in my career to be a manager. I'm quite happy being a coach. But when decisions go against the manager, which in my personal opinion wasn't right, we have just got to get on with it.
on defensive performance…
I thought that in general they battled very hard. I think that as we went into the second half we were tighter in the second half than we were in the last 20 minutes of the first half. People can have the ball right and left but it wasn't really causing us too many problems. They have actually got a lot of the ball but in actual terms of what Szczesny has had to save I don't think there was all that many chances.
on the goal conceded…
It was soft, yes. From a defender's point of view it was really poor.
on Robin's omission…
Robin's been playing a lot of games lately and it was just a question of Chamakh needing games. We just thought that we would give him a go. You can't say that Marouane didn't try. If he had a little bit more luck he perhaps might have scored a third goal. But you cannot fault him for his work ethic.
on Olympiacos' performance…
I thought Olympiacos played very, very well and whenever we go over there to play, one would like to think we would have qualified.
on whether Oxlade-Chamberlain & Walcott could play together...
What you have to do is see whether the two of them can compliment each other - that is something I don't know, the manager does not know and the England manager does not know either because we have not seen them together.
You can think as much as you like, but until it actually happens you are only formulating an opinion of your own. All good players can play together.
on Tottenham...
That is a completely different ball game at Tottenham The most important thing for us was to win, because it takes us closer to qualifying. We will think more about the Tottenham game when we all get together again on Friday. I am losing track of time - when you get older, that is what happens to you!
Source: Arsenal.com on 28 Sep 11
I think in the first 20-25 minutes we were really in it well. After that for about 15-20 minutes we maybe lost our way and they came back into it. Second half we had to knuckle down, fight and get our shape right which I thought we did better in the second half.
on Arsenal's goals…
It is unfortunate we didn't get the third but we also had opportunities on breakaways in the second half. They came, they waited for us, they broke us up in the middle of the park and in fairness they did well. You can't turn around and say we had all of the game because that would be unfair.
Needless to say I think we will be very, very happy with the three points.
on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain…
He can go inside, he can go outside, he's got that injection of pace and I think what he needs now is to be consistent in his play. I am sure that is something he will be working on because he's certainly not a stupid boy. He has good people around him and they are telling him all the right things.
He is a very confident boy, a strong boy and he listens to what people tell him. I think he makes his own mind up because when you are a professional footballer loads of different coaches tell you lots of different things. What you have to do is pick out the best things that are applicable to you. That is something Alex will no doubt actually do. He is very friendly with Theo and no doubt he will give him the benefit of his experience as well.
From Arsenal supporters' point of view, they are going to be seeing a lot of this boy. Whenever he breaks in permanently he has a big, big challenge to now get in front of Theo. I know that Theo is a very strong-willed guy as well and he won't give in easy. It all bodes well for England anyway.
on a nervous night for himself…
I said before we played Dortmund that it is not the kind of evening I particularly want. It's never actually been an ambition in my career to be a manager. I'm quite happy being a coach. But when decisions go against the manager, which in my personal opinion wasn't right, we have just got to get on with it.
on defensive performance…
I thought that in general they battled very hard. I think that as we went into the second half we were tighter in the second half than we were in the last 20 minutes of the first half. People can have the ball right and left but it wasn't really causing us too many problems. They have actually got a lot of the ball but in actual terms of what Szczesny has had to save I don't think there was all that many chances.
on the goal conceded…
It was soft, yes. From a defender's point of view it was really poor.
on Robin's omission…
Robin's been playing a lot of games lately and it was just a question of Chamakh needing games. We just thought that we would give him a go. You can't say that Marouane didn't try. If he had a little bit more luck he perhaps might have scored a third goal. But you cannot fault him for his work ethic.
on Olympiacos' performance…
I thought Olympiacos played very, very well and whenever we go over there to play, one would like to think we would have qualified.
on whether Oxlade-Chamberlain & Walcott could play together...
What you have to do is see whether the two of them can compliment each other - that is something I don't know, the manager does not know and the England manager does not know either because we have not seen them together.
You can think as much as you like, but until it actually happens you are only formulating an opinion of your own. All good players can play together.
on Tottenham...
That is a completely different ball game at Tottenham The most important thing for us was to win, because it takes us closer to qualifying. We will think more about the Tottenham game when we all get together again on Friday. I am losing track of time - when you get older, that is what happens to you!
Source: Arsenal.com on 28 Sep 11
28 September 2011: Arsenal 2-1 Olympiacos, The Emirates
Arsenal secured their first win in Champions League Group F with a tense 2-1 victory over Olympiacos at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fired home the first in the eighth minute - a goal that made him the Club’s youngest-ever English scorer in the competition. Andre Santos added a second midway through the half.
It was a platform upon which Arsenal might have built. But Olympiacos were never granted planning permission this evening.
The Greek champions were impish and inventive throughout. A clever corner routine saw David Fuster power home a header just before the half-hour and they would worry their hosts for the remainder of the game. They came closest to equalising midway through the second half when Vassilis Torossidis curled a wonderful effort against the bar.
Straight after that let-off, Pat Rice brought on the big guns who had been rested at kick-off. Arsène Wenger, who was seeing out his touchline ban, might have shifted uneasily in his Directors’ Box seat in the final stages but his team got the job done. As Basle proved the previous evening at Manchester United, no-one at this level should be underestimated.
Marseille's win against Dortmund mean they top the Group with six points but Arsenal are tucked in just behind with four.
Wenger’s men take on the French side in their next two ties.
That 180 minutes will have a profound effect on the outcome of Group F.
Before kick-off, Wenger rotated by half-a-turn. Key players were benched - Aaron Ramsey, Kieran Gibbs and, most notably, Robin van Persie. Andre Santos, Marouane Chamakh and Oxlade-Chamberlain came in.
The manager may have had Sunday’s north London derby in mind – although in his final pre-match interview the Frenchman said playing Van Persie might have risked injury.
Laurent Koscielny was already out so Alex Song deputised at centre back alongside Per Mertesacker. Emmanuel Frimpong filled the sizeable hole left by the Cameroonian in front of the back four.
This game had been declared a sell-out earlier on Tuesday and, after the 3-0 win over Bolton at the weekend, a straightforward victory this evening would help build confidence still further ahead of Sunday’s big game.
And it would take Arsenal only eight minutes to break the deadlock.
Song’s diagonal ball was collected by Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right. He took it in his stride, received a stroke of luck when his miscue bounced back into his path off Ivan Marcano but the rest was class.
The 18-year-old raced through, threaded his shot between the legs of Olof Mellberg and into the net off the base of the post. Oxlade-Chamberlain raced off in a carefree celebration that suggested he had somewhat surprised himself with the strike.
No-one who had seen the early stages of this player’s promising Arsenal career would have raised an eyebrow.
After the goal, Mikel Arteta took centre stage for a while. He supplied the corner from which Chamakh thundered a header just wide.
The deadline day signing then threw himself towards the near post to block Rafik Djebbour’s shot following a corner by Ariel Ibagaza.
It had been a reasonable response by the Athens side but they would be stung again in the 20th minute.
Tomas Rosicky sent Andre Santos marauding down the left. His initial cross towards Chamakh was returned to him. The Brazilian cut inside his marker and sneaked a shot inside the near post.
Chamakh might have put clear daylight between the two sides after Arshavin’s chip sent him clear but he shanked his shot wide.
However, just before the half-hour, Olympiacos got the goal they probably deserved. A short corner routine ended with Ibagaza’s pinpoint delivery for the onrushing Fuster, who planted a header into the corner.
In the minutes that followed, the visitors threatened parity. Szczesny tipped over from Djebbour and blocked low at his near post from a Torossidis drive.
Arsenal regained their composure somewhat as half time approached but there remained a nervousness about their game. Olympiacos had been caught out twice but there was an attractive optimism about their offensive game and they were inventive from set-pieces.
Seven minutes from the break, Kevin Mirallas weaved his way down the left-hand channel but his powerful shot bounced off the legs of Sczcesny at the near post.
At the break, Arsenal had the lead but they did not have control of the game.
The points were very much in the balance.
Olympiacos might have stolen an equaliser in the opening minutes of the second half. Ibagaza squared a right-wing free-kick to Fuster five yards outside the area. Despite the attentions of Frimpong and a narrow space for a short backlift, the Belgian crashed a shot just wide.
In reply, Chamakh, who was having one of his most effective games in 2011, played an intelligent ball inside Jose Holebas for Oxlade-Chamberlain to collect.
This time the winger had time to steady himself but his shot could not beat Franco Costanzo.
The game was now end-to-end. The second half had been similar at Dortmund on Matchday One when, again, Arsenal had been defending a one-goal lead.
It seems that Wenger’s side are intent on doing things the hard way in Europe this season.
Just as the early storm began to blow itself out, Olympiacos conjured up a marvelous effort from virtually nothing. Torossidis weaved inside Santos and unleashed a swerving, dipping effort that beat the outstretched hand of Szczesny before battering the bar.
The chance prompted changes. Ramsey replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain and the Welshman immediately prodded Arshavin clear on the breakaway. His shot was half-blocked by Costanzo – but it was enough.
Van Persie replaced Chamakh shortly afterwards as Arsenal tried to end strongly.
The Greek side were now pushing for a point but Frimpong was muscular in midfield and Mertesacker commanding at centre back.
We expected a final push from the visitors – but it never really came.
Arsenal held on and placed another firm footstep on the road to recovery.
Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 28 Sep 11
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fired home the first in the eighth minute - a goal that made him the Club’s youngest-ever English scorer in the competition. Andre Santos added a second midway through the half.
It was a platform upon which Arsenal might have built. But Olympiacos were never granted planning permission this evening.
The Greek champions were impish and inventive throughout. A clever corner routine saw David Fuster power home a header just before the half-hour and they would worry their hosts for the remainder of the game. They came closest to equalising midway through the second half when Vassilis Torossidis curled a wonderful effort against the bar.
Straight after that let-off, Pat Rice brought on the big guns who had been rested at kick-off. Arsène Wenger, who was seeing out his touchline ban, might have shifted uneasily in his Directors’ Box seat in the final stages but his team got the job done. As Basle proved the previous evening at Manchester United, no-one at this level should be underestimated.
Marseille's win against Dortmund mean they top the Group with six points but Arsenal are tucked in just behind with four.
Wenger’s men take on the French side in their next two ties.
That 180 minutes will have a profound effect on the outcome of Group F.
Before kick-off, Wenger rotated by half-a-turn. Key players were benched - Aaron Ramsey, Kieran Gibbs and, most notably, Robin van Persie. Andre Santos, Marouane Chamakh and Oxlade-Chamberlain came in.
The manager may have had Sunday’s north London derby in mind – although in his final pre-match interview the Frenchman said playing Van Persie might have risked injury.
Laurent Koscielny was already out so Alex Song deputised at centre back alongside Per Mertesacker. Emmanuel Frimpong filled the sizeable hole left by the Cameroonian in front of the back four.
This game had been declared a sell-out earlier on Tuesday and, after the 3-0 win over Bolton at the weekend, a straightforward victory this evening would help build confidence still further ahead of Sunday’s big game.
And it would take Arsenal only eight minutes to break the deadlock.
Song’s diagonal ball was collected by Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right. He took it in his stride, received a stroke of luck when his miscue bounced back into his path off Ivan Marcano but the rest was class.
The 18-year-old raced through, threaded his shot between the legs of Olof Mellberg and into the net off the base of the post. Oxlade-Chamberlain raced off in a carefree celebration that suggested he had somewhat surprised himself with the strike.
No-one who had seen the early stages of this player’s promising Arsenal career would have raised an eyebrow.
After the goal, Mikel Arteta took centre stage for a while. He supplied the corner from which Chamakh thundered a header just wide.
The deadline day signing then threw himself towards the near post to block Rafik Djebbour’s shot following a corner by Ariel Ibagaza.
It had been a reasonable response by the Athens side but they would be stung again in the 20th minute.
Tomas Rosicky sent Andre Santos marauding down the left. His initial cross towards Chamakh was returned to him. The Brazilian cut inside his marker and sneaked a shot inside the near post.
Chamakh might have put clear daylight between the two sides after Arshavin’s chip sent him clear but he shanked his shot wide.
However, just before the half-hour, Olympiacos got the goal they probably deserved. A short corner routine ended with Ibagaza’s pinpoint delivery for the onrushing Fuster, who planted a header into the corner.
In the minutes that followed, the visitors threatened parity. Szczesny tipped over from Djebbour and blocked low at his near post from a Torossidis drive.
Arsenal regained their composure somewhat as half time approached but there remained a nervousness about their game. Olympiacos had been caught out twice but there was an attractive optimism about their offensive game and they were inventive from set-pieces.
Seven minutes from the break, Kevin Mirallas weaved his way down the left-hand channel but his powerful shot bounced off the legs of Sczcesny at the near post.
At the break, Arsenal had the lead but they did not have control of the game.
The points were very much in the balance.
Olympiacos might have stolen an equaliser in the opening minutes of the second half. Ibagaza squared a right-wing free-kick to Fuster five yards outside the area. Despite the attentions of Frimpong and a narrow space for a short backlift, the Belgian crashed a shot just wide.
In reply, Chamakh, who was having one of his most effective games in 2011, played an intelligent ball inside Jose Holebas for Oxlade-Chamberlain to collect.
This time the winger had time to steady himself but his shot could not beat Franco Costanzo.
The game was now end-to-end. The second half had been similar at Dortmund on Matchday One when, again, Arsenal had been defending a one-goal lead.
It seems that Wenger’s side are intent on doing things the hard way in Europe this season.
Just as the early storm began to blow itself out, Olympiacos conjured up a marvelous effort from virtually nothing. Torossidis weaved inside Santos and unleashed a swerving, dipping effort that beat the outstretched hand of Szczesny before battering the bar.
The chance prompted changes. Ramsey replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain and the Welshman immediately prodded Arshavin clear on the breakaway. His shot was half-blocked by Costanzo – but it was enough.
Van Persie replaced Chamakh shortly afterwards as Arsenal tried to end strongly.
The Greek side were now pushing for a point but Frimpong was muscular in midfield and Mertesacker commanding at centre back.
We expected a final push from the visitors – but it never really came.
Arsenal held on and placed another firm footstep on the road to recovery.
Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 28 Sep 11
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Arsenal cannot escape conviction deficit despite win over Bolton
Arsène Wenger's team operate as a loose collective of individuals rather than the tight fighting force of old
For more than a minute Robin van Persie was barely visible in a throng of five Bolton players who were clearly not inviting him round for dinner. After an indecent delay, two Arsenal colleagues finally jogged over to offer political assistance.
In Arsenal's pomp the team's best striker would have been joined within seconds by a wild-eyed Martin Keown or Patrick Vieira with a warning for the five Trotters. Instead we saw Arsène Wenger's team operating as a loose collective of individuals rather than the tight fighting force of old. Any analysis of Arsenal's three wins in 16 league fixtures before this 3-0 victory over Bolton would have to mention the shortage of players with a fierce competitive edge.
Wenger rejects this. "I admire our squad's mental qualities and I think they will come out [ie show]," he wrote. "Everything we want to do will start with being determined and united." In this quest small things matter, such as not leaving team-mates to be jostled and pressured alone and not throwing the captain's armband on the floor for Tomas Rosicky to pick up, as Marouane Chamakh did when Van Persie handed it to him as he went off on 86 minutes.
This is an Arsenal side with a conviction deficit, as well as holes where Cesc Fábregas, Samir Nasri and Gaël Clichy used to be. The fans feel it too. Until Van Persie scored at the start of the second half and Bolton's David Wheater was sent off the home supporters displayed an emotional condition that may be called Thierry Ennui.
All across the Emirates there were empty red seats: far more than the thousand or so suggested by the official attendance of 59,000. Wenger blamed "a run of poor results" but also the economic turmoil, which, he claimed, has caused "tickets to be sold more slowly" across the Premier League. "We're heading for a financial crisis," he said.
But the days when Arsenal had nothing to declare but their genius have passed. A neutral wanting a ticket for a game in this palatial stadium would be confronted by multiple membership tiers and box office dead-ends.
That magnetism is no longer there. Managed properly, the faith-drop is temporary. A comprehensive second-half display by Wenger's men brought a second win in six league games following the 1-0 win over Swansea. Aside from an opening draw at Newcastle, they have lost to Liverpool, Manchester United (8-2) and Blackburn (4-3). Already Wenger talks of needing points to avoid falling too far behind. Not the league leaders so much as a top-four place.
"It was a question of nerves at the start of the game," he said after Van Persie's 100th goal for the club (his second on the day) and a third from Alex Song two minutes from time, at the end of a week when Jack Wilshere was booked in for ankle surgery and ruled out until December. Next Sunday's visit to Spurs takes the Gunners into ultra-hostile territory, before a couple of easier home games against Sunderland and Stoke.
There have been times in the past six months when Wenger has appeared to believe that if he contradicts reality often enough it will simply melt away: on the team's defensive frailties, for example, and their lack of mental rigour. He was due a break and it came with the arrival of a Bolton team missing Gary Cahill and with Kevin Davies on the bench after 116 appearances in Bolton's previous 117 matches.
When he joined the action in place of the injured David Ngog 20 minutes in, Davies was a shadow of his old boisterous self and Bolton muscled their way round the pitch without threat. Arsenal, you could say, are a team of conundrums. Judged on the first half alone, their paralysis continues. In the second period there was more of an awakening, led by Van Persie, one of the players Arsenal are already talking to to avoid a repetition of the Nasri contract run-down scenario.
Mikel Arteta, a grand player, took a pay cut to join this show and is already betraying frustration, though his contribution remains high. Gervinho, whose name alone raises expectations, is still fact-finding in English football. Per Mertesacker, meanwhile, has brought a measure of languid assurance to the Arsenal defence and Park Chu-young, the new striker, has yet to appear in the league.
Arsenal have numbers and they have potential, but too many players who shine only intermittently (Aaron Ramsey) or too infrequently when the need is greatest. They lack confidence and they lack a winning mentality. Their predicament is neither as dire as the Wenger-out minority insist or sufficiently promising for the two Manchester giants or Chelsea to fear a resurgence.
After the Swansea game it was felt they ought to cheer up. This time the need was for unity. A captain cannot fight alone.
Source: Paul Hayward, The Guardian on 24 Sep 11
For more than a minute Robin van Persie was barely visible in a throng of five Bolton players who were clearly not inviting him round for dinner. After an indecent delay, two Arsenal colleagues finally jogged over to offer political assistance.
In Arsenal's pomp the team's best striker would have been joined within seconds by a wild-eyed Martin Keown or Patrick Vieira with a warning for the five Trotters. Instead we saw Arsène Wenger's team operating as a loose collective of individuals rather than the tight fighting force of old. Any analysis of Arsenal's three wins in 16 league fixtures before this 3-0 victory over Bolton would have to mention the shortage of players with a fierce competitive edge.
Wenger rejects this. "I admire our squad's mental qualities and I think they will come out [ie show]," he wrote. "Everything we want to do will start with being determined and united." In this quest small things matter, such as not leaving team-mates to be jostled and pressured alone and not throwing the captain's armband on the floor for Tomas Rosicky to pick up, as Marouane Chamakh did when Van Persie handed it to him as he went off on 86 minutes.
This is an Arsenal side with a conviction deficit, as well as holes where Cesc Fábregas, Samir Nasri and Gaël Clichy used to be. The fans feel it too. Until Van Persie scored at the start of the second half and Bolton's David Wheater was sent off the home supporters displayed an emotional condition that may be called Thierry Ennui.
All across the Emirates there were empty red seats: far more than the thousand or so suggested by the official attendance of 59,000. Wenger blamed "a run of poor results" but also the economic turmoil, which, he claimed, has caused "tickets to be sold more slowly" across the Premier League. "We're heading for a financial crisis," he said.
But the days when Arsenal had nothing to declare but their genius have passed. A neutral wanting a ticket for a game in this palatial stadium would be confronted by multiple membership tiers and box office dead-ends.
That magnetism is no longer there. Managed properly, the faith-drop is temporary. A comprehensive second-half display by Wenger's men brought a second win in six league games following the 1-0 win over Swansea. Aside from an opening draw at Newcastle, they have lost to Liverpool, Manchester United (8-2) and Blackburn (4-3). Already Wenger talks of needing points to avoid falling too far behind. Not the league leaders so much as a top-four place.
"It was a question of nerves at the start of the game," he said after Van Persie's 100th goal for the club (his second on the day) and a third from Alex Song two minutes from time, at the end of a week when Jack Wilshere was booked in for ankle surgery and ruled out until December. Next Sunday's visit to Spurs takes the Gunners into ultra-hostile territory, before a couple of easier home games against Sunderland and Stoke.
There have been times in the past six months when Wenger has appeared to believe that if he contradicts reality often enough it will simply melt away: on the team's defensive frailties, for example, and their lack of mental rigour. He was due a break and it came with the arrival of a Bolton team missing Gary Cahill and with Kevin Davies on the bench after 116 appearances in Bolton's previous 117 matches.
When he joined the action in place of the injured David Ngog 20 minutes in, Davies was a shadow of his old boisterous self and Bolton muscled their way round the pitch without threat. Arsenal, you could say, are a team of conundrums. Judged on the first half alone, their paralysis continues. In the second period there was more of an awakening, led by Van Persie, one of the players Arsenal are already talking to to avoid a repetition of the Nasri contract run-down scenario.
Mikel Arteta, a grand player, took a pay cut to join this show and is already betraying frustration, though his contribution remains high. Gervinho, whose name alone raises expectations, is still fact-finding in English football. Per Mertesacker, meanwhile, has brought a measure of languid assurance to the Arsenal defence and Park Chu-young, the new striker, has yet to appear in the league.
Arsenal have numbers and they have potential, but too many players who shine only intermittently (Aaron Ramsey) or too infrequently when the need is greatest. They lack confidence and they lack a winning mentality. Their predicament is neither as dire as the Wenger-out minority insist or sufficiently promising for the two Manchester giants or Chelsea to fear a resurgence.
After the Swansea game it was felt they ought to cheer up. This time the need was for unity. A captain cannot fight alone.
Source: Paul Hayward, The Guardian on 24 Sep 11
Robin van Persie's double for Arsenal helps lift the gloom against Bolton
If the doomsayers were to be believed, at the time of the departures of Cesc Fàbregas and Samir Nasri, the obvious next stellar name to pine for the Arsenal exit door was Robin van Persie. Named club captain when the vacancy for the armband came up (usually a clear sign that a player is not long for these parts) it was understandable that he has suffered over the past few weeks as the team have crumbled around him.
The role of carrying a side high on vulnerability and low on cohesion has involved considerable soul searching, but Van Persie has not shirked responsibility. For 45 minutes against Bolton Arsenal had been purring like a stringy, stray cat who had fallen off one too many walls. They needed somebody to pick them up. Van Persie it was who stepped forward to get them back on their feet. In scoring twice, he was rewarded by reaching his century of goals for Arsenal. The feelgood factor around the Emirates has been hard to summon, but the Dutchman looked genuinely elated.
His scoring record this calendar year, during a dark spell in which his team have been out of sorts, is outstanding. He has struck 21 goals from 23 league games. "He is one of these guys who develops with responsibility," said Wenger, adding that in the great traditions of Dutch football, "he speaks his mind".
Oddly, Arsenal have been in fine fettle at the very front and back of the team all season, with Van Persie and Wojciech Szczesny producing strong individual performances even when the nine players in between capitulated.
Both made vital contributions to the points. Szczesny provided the platform with a second-minute save that prevented another haphazard start. Surprise, surprise, the chance arrived courtesy of a set piece and anxiety-ridden defending, and when Darren Pratley nipped in to hook in a shot another accident was averted thanks to the reflexes of Arsenal's Polish goalkeeper – admirably robust at the moment in spite of the wobbly jelly in front of him.
David Wheater was the next to smell blood, only to see his close-range header deflected behind. Owen Coyle was encouraged by his team's opening, which not only gave Arsenal a fright but also stifled them to the point that Jussi Jaaskelainen had been largely untroubled as he trotted off for a half-time breather.
With confidence battered by recent beatings, Arsenal found it heavy going to find any attacking rhythm. But seconds into the restart Van Persie raised the tempo with a moment of imagination, a spark of inspiration. He latched on to Aaron Ramsey's pass and drove left, surging past Fabrice Muamba's half-hearted challenge, to find a narrow angle through which to lash his shot. Jaaskelainen was slow at his near post and the Arsenal crowd could breathe a little easier.
But with Bolton's form being only fractionally worse than Arsenal's, any aspirations of a recovery were hindered when Wheater was sent off by Mark Clattenburg for a gentle if clumsy tug at Theo Walcott's shoulder. Coyle accepted the decision.
"If David pulled him back and it was a clear goalscoring opportunity, we all know the rules," he said. "I am more disappointed in the goals we lost … Avoidable." All the more so as Gary Cahill had missed the trip having been unwell since Thursday.
There was a thin ray of hope when Chris Eagles scampered off towards Szczesny at one point, but the Pole held comfortably. Most of the traffic by now was headed in the other direction. As Arsenal searched to ease away from Bolton and the visiting defence suffered the shakes, Jaaskelainen was under increasing pressure to keep his team in with a chance. Van Persie was his tormentor in chief and the Dutchman relished the chance to collect his 100th goal when he steered in Walcott's cross with the shin of a balletically outstretched leg.
A more convincing scoreline should have been delivered by Walcott, but he squandered a one against one against Jaaskelainen before hobbling off with a sore knee. It came from Alex Song, who clipped sweetly into the top corner in the 89th minute.
Wenger was understandably pleased with a straightforward victory. "It was a question of nerves at the start, and then of patience and intelligence. A deserved win is welcome for us. We cannot drop too many points any more."
Coyle endeavoured to be philosophical. He was never expecting a flurry of points from a fixture list that unkindly threw Bolton together with both Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in their first seven matches. He will be relieved to get the last of them out of the way next Sunday against André Villas-Boas's side. A fresh start is very much in order.
And so, it finished with the second consecutive clean sheet here. Fortress Emirates? Who'd have thought it.
Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 24 Sep 11
The role of carrying a side high on vulnerability and low on cohesion has involved considerable soul searching, but Van Persie has not shirked responsibility. For 45 minutes against Bolton Arsenal had been purring like a stringy, stray cat who had fallen off one too many walls. They needed somebody to pick them up. Van Persie it was who stepped forward to get them back on their feet. In scoring twice, he was rewarded by reaching his century of goals for Arsenal. The feelgood factor around the Emirates has been hard to summon, but the Dutchman looked genuinely elated.
His scoring record this calendar year, during a dark spell in which his team have been out of sorts, is outstanding. He has struck 21 goals from 23 league games. "He is one of these guys who develops with responsibility," said Wenger, adding that in the great traditions of Dutch football, "he speaks his mind".
Oddly, Arsenal have been in fine fettle at the very front and back of the team all season, with Van Persie and Wojciech Szczesny producing strong individual performances even when the nine players in between capitulated.
Both made vital contributions to the points. Szczesny provided the platform with a second-minute save that prevented another haphazard start. Surprise, surprise, the chance arrived courtesy of a set piece and anxiety-ridden defending, and when Darren Pratley nipped in to hook in a shot another accident was averted thanks to the reflexes of Arsenal's Polish goalkeeper – admirably robust at the moment in spite of the wobbly jelly in front of him.
David Wheater was the next to smell blood, only to see his close-range header deflected behind. Owen Coyle was encouraged by his team's opening, which not only gave Arsenal a fright but also stifled them to the point that Jussi Jaaskelainen had been largely untroubled as he trotted off for a half-time breather.
With confidence battered by recent beatings, Arsenal found it heavy going to find any attacking rhythm. But seconds into the restart Van Persie raised the tempo with a moment of imagination, a spark of inspiration. He latched on to Aaron Ramsey's pass and drove left, surging past Fabrice Muamba's half-hearted challenge, to find a narrow angle through which to lash his shot. Jaaskelainen was slow at his near post and the Arsenal crowd could breathe a little easier.
But with Bolton's form being only fractionally worse than Arsenal's, any aspirations of a recovery were hindered when Wheater was sent off by Mark Clattenburg for a gentle if clumsy tug at Theo Walcott's shoulder. Coyle accepted the decision.
"If David pulled him back and it was a clear goalscoring opportunity, we all know the rules," he said. "I am more disappointed in the goals we lost … Avoidable." All the more so as Gary Cahill had missed the trip having been unwell since Thursday.
There was a thin ray of hope when Chris Eagles scampered off towards Szczesny at one point, but the Pole held comfortably. Most of the traffic by now was headed in the other direction. As Arsenal searched to ease away from Bolton and the visiting defence suffered the shakes, Jaaskelainen was under increasing pressure to keep his team in with a chance. Van Persie was his tormentor in chief and the Dutchman relished the chance to collect his 100th goal when he steered in Walcott's cross with the shin of a balletically outstretched leg.
A more convincing scoreline should have been delivered by Walcott, but he squandered a one against one against Jaaskelainen before hobbling off with a sore knee. It came from Alex Song, who clipped sweetly into the top corner in the 89th minute.
Wenger was understandably pleased with a straightforward victory. "It was a question of nerves at the start, and then of patience and intelligence. A deserved win is welcome for us. We cannot drop too many points any more."
Coyle endeavoured to be philosophical. He was never expecting a flurry of points from a fixture list that unkindly threw Bolton together with both Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in their first seven matches. He will be relieved to get the last of them out of the way next Sunday against André Villas-Boas's side. A fresh start is very much in order.
And so, it finished with the second consecutive clean sheet here. Fortress Emirates? Who'd have thought it.
Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 24 Sep 11
Captain fantastic lifts Gunners
Robin van Persie scored his 100th Arsenal goal as the Gunners put their recent troubles behind them with a comfortable victory over 10-man Bolton at Emirates Stadium.
After a drab first-half display the Gunners sprang in to life in the second and opened the scoring when Van Persie beat Jussi Jaaskelainen at his near post just 40 seconds after the break.
David Wheater then saw red for pulling back Theo Walcott when he was through on goal before Van Persie brought up his ton with a clever flick and Alex Song struck near the death to complete the morale-boosting win.
The win, Arsenal's second of the season, moved them away from the relegation zone and ended a difficult seven days for the club.
After having come from behind to beat League Two Shrewsbury in midweek, and seeing Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis give him his full backing, manager Arsene Wenger will sleep a lot easier than he did last Saturday when his team crumbled against lowly Blackburn.
There were signs at the start of the game that Arsenal were going to put in another poor performance after they started nervously in front of their demanding home support.
Bolton, who left Gary Cahill at home and Kevin Davies on the bench, almost took the lead in the third minute when Wojciech Szczesny pulled off a brilliant save to deny Darren Pratley from six yards.
Wheater then just missed a glancing header from eight yards before Arsenal finally woke up.
Mikel Arteta was given space in midfield and sent Gervinho through with a brilliant slide-rule pass, but the striker's first touch was poor and Jussi Jaaskelainen came out to smother.
Van Persie then came within inches of handing Arsenal the lead in the 10th minute when he picked up Arteta's short pass from a free-kick and lashed a wicked curling shot just wide of the Bolton goal.
Davies' rare spell among the substitutes did not last long as he came on in the 20th minute to replace David Ngog, who had to come off after clashing heads with Laurent Koscielny.
The disjointed passing and failure to pressure Bolton while they were on the ball led to growing frustration among the home support.
Gervinho wasted a good chance when he blasted over from 20 yards before Laurent Koscielny's overhead kick dribbled wide.
Two blocks at the end of the half from Paul Robinson and Wheater ensured that Bolton's defence remained unbreached by the half-time whistle, which was greeted by some boos from the home support.
Arsenal were a completely different team in the second half.
They came out flying after the break and took just 40 seconds to score.
Aaron Ramsey strode forward with the ball and played in Van Persie, the Dutchman held off Fabrice Muamba's strong challenge and fired low past Jaaskelainen at his near post to register his 99th goal for Arsenal.
The goal galvanised Arsenal and Jaaskelainen saved well from Van Persie after the striker had ventured in to the box.
Bolton were on the rack and their task was made much harder in the 55th minute when Wheater pulled Walcott back just outside the box after being played through by Ramsey.
With the England winger being through on goal with only Jaaskelainen to beat, referee Mark Clattenburg had no choice but to send Wheater off.
The Gunners were by now were clearly in the ascendancy and Arteta came close to doubling their lead with a side-footed effort that crept just wide.
Jaaskelainen blocked well from the Spaniard before Bolton hit back on the counter with a rare attack. Chris Eagles raced clear after being played in by Martin Petrov but the former Manchester United man wasted his golden opportunity by hitting a weak shot in to Szczesny's arms.
Jaaskelainen had to scamper across his line to deny Van Persie and was then tested by a powerful Laurent Koscielny volley.
With 20 minutes left Van Persie brought up his Arsenal ton and gave the Gunners the two-goal cushion they needed to feel safe.
Walcott beat his marker down the right and crossed low for the Dutchman, who turned home with a cheeky flick which beat Jaaskelainen from five yards.
Walcott should have made it 3-0 when he raced through after a brilliant ball by Song but Jaaskelainen palmed the winger's weak effort wide.
Only a crucial block from Zat Knight prevented Van Persie from scoring his hat trick with six minutes left before the former Feyenoord man came off to a standing ovation when he was replaced by Marouane Chamakh.
The rout was completed two minutes from time when Bacary Sagna's pull-back was met by Song, who cracked a wonderful curler past Jaaskelainen to make it 3-0.
With victory now guaranteed, the home support broke in to a chant of "there's only one Arsene Wenger'' but there were worrying scenes for the Arsenal boss and the Gunners support at the end of the match when Walcott pulled up and hobbled off through injury.
Source: ESPN Soccernet on 24 Sep 11
After a drab first-half display the Gunners sprang in to life in the second and opened the scoring when Van Persie beat Jussi Jaaskelainen at his near post just 40 seconds after the break.
David Wheater then saw red for pulling back Theo Walcott when he was through on goal before Van Persie brought up his ton with a clever flick and Alex Song struck near the death to complete the morale-boosting win.
The win, Arsenal's second of the season, moved them away from the relegation zone and ended a difficult seven days for the club.
After having come from behind to beat League Two Shrewsbury in midweek, and seeing Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis give him his full backing, manager Arsene Wenger will sleep a lot easier than he did last Saturday when his team crumbled against lowly Blackburn.
There were signs at the start of the game that Arsenal were going to put in another poor performance after they started nervously in front of their demanding home support.
Bolton, who left Gary Cahill at home and Kevin Davies on the bench, almost took the lead in the third minute when Wojciech Szczesny pulled off a brilliant save to deny Darren Pratley from six yards.
Wheater then just missed a glancing header from eight yards before Arsenal finally woke up.
Mikel Arteta was given space in midfield and sent Gervinho through with a brilliant slide-rule pass, but the striker's first touch was poor and Jussi Jaaskelainen came out to smother.
Van Persie then came within inches of handing Arsenal the lead in the 10th minute when he picked up Arteta's short pass from a free-kick and lashed a wicked curling shot just wide of the Bolton goal.
Davies' rare spell among the substitutes did not last long as he came on in the 20th minute to replace David Ngog, who had to come off after clashing heads with Laurent Koscielny.
The disjointed passing and failure to pressure Bolton while they were on the ball led to growing frustration among the home support.
Gervinho wasted a good chance when he blasted over from 20 yards before Laurent Koscielny's overhead kick dribbled wide.
Two blocks at the end of the half from Paul Robinson and Wheater ensured that Bolton's defence remained unbreached by the half-time whistle, which was greeted by some boos from the home support.
Arsenal were a completely different team in the second half.
They came out flying after the break and took just 40 seconds to score.
Aaron Ramsey strode forward with the ball and played in Van Persie, the Dutchman held off Fabrice Muamba's strong challenge and fired low past Jaaskelainen at his near post to register his 99th goal for Arsenal.
The goal galvanised Arsenal and Jaaskelainen saved well from Van Persie after the striker had ventured in to the box.
Bolton were on the rack and their task was made much harder in the 55th minute when Wheater pulled Walcott back just outside the box after being played through by Ramsey.
With the England winger being through on goal with only Jaaskelainen to beat, referee Mark Clattenburg had no choice but to send Wheater off.
The Gunners were by now were clearly in the ascendancy and Arteta came close to doubling their lead with a side-footed effort that crept just wide.
Jaaskelainen blocked well from the Spaniard before Bolton hit back on the counter with a rare attack. Chris Eagles raced clear after being played in by Martin Petrov but the former Manchester United man wasted his golden opportunity by hitting a weak shot in to Szczesny's arms.
Jaaskelainen had to scamper across his line to deny Van Persie and was then tested by a powerful Laurent Koscielny volley.
With 20 minutes left Van Persie brought up his Arsenal ton and gave the Gunners the two-goal cushion they needed to feel safe.
Walcott beat his marker down the right and crossed low for the Dutchman, who turned home with a cheeky flick which beat Jaaskelainen from five yards.
Walcott should have made it 3-0 when he raced through after a brilliant ball by Song but Jaaskelainen palmed the winger's weak effort wide.
Only a crucial block from Zat Knight prevented Van Persie from scoring his hat trick with six minutes left before the former Feyenoord man came off to a standing ovation when he was replaced by Marouane Chamakh.
The rout was completed two minutes from time when Bacary Sagna's pull-back was met by Song, who cracked a wonderful curler past Jaaskelainen to make it 3-0.
With victory now guaranteed, the home support broke in to a chant of "there's only one Arsene Wenger'' but there were worrying scenes for the Arsenal boss and the Gunners support at the end of the match when Walcott pulled up and hobbled off through injury.
Source: ESPN Soccernet on 24 Sep 11
Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 3-0 Bolton Wanderers match
on Theo Walcott's injury...
I don't really know [what is wrong]. I thought it was a classic hamstring but it is not. He felt a sharp pain in his knee and at the moment he is with the doctor. I don't know what the diagnosis will be but it is completely surprising. There was no one near him. I don't know what they will do, whether they will have a scan tonight, I will have to speak to the medical people.'
on a much-needed win...
Yes but you know we will not lose every game like we did at Blackburn. We had 22 shots on goal and we still lost so at the start of this game it was a question of nerves, of patience, of intelligence, and I think we controlled the game well even if Szczesny made a good save at the start of the game. In the second half I could not see Bolton scoring a goal although to their defence they were down to ten men and that made it even more difficult for them.
on Van Persie's emergence as a captain...
I think he is one of these guys who develops with responsibilities. You would think he is not natural at the start but when he has the responsibility he really grows well into the role. I have observed him and he does very well.
on his half-time team talk...
I felt that in the first half we were a bit impatient sometimes, that we didn't move the ball quickly enough, that our midfielders came a bit deep because we were man-marked. That exposed us a bit to counter-attacking and we had less support up front. In the second half, maybe because they were fatigued as well, our midfielders played higher up and we became straight away more dangerous. Bolton lost more balls and after that it was a question of when we would score the second goal. We had plenty of opportunities. It is a deserved win that is welcome for us because we cannot drop many more points.
on the referee playing advantage for the first goal...
I feel that overall he had a good game.
on the nature of Van Persie's captaincy...
He does not talk a lot to the other players because he is not a talker but he speaks his mind.
on whether Inter Milan called him about their manager's job...
I would not say that to you. I think you [the media] were consistent in wanting to get me out and I was consistent in wanting to stay in and to show my commitment to this club. So we have both been consistent.
on lower attendances...
It is linked with a combination of two things. First of all we had disappointing results recently and the second factor is that we are going towards a huge financial crisis which has been already in the society. We will be hit much more and I think football suffers from the consequences as well. You can look at all the clubs in England and the Premier League seats go slower and slower out. The stadiums will be less quickly full and we have noticed that already. We are maybe a special case because we had disappointing results but the other clubs had the same problem.
Source: Arsenal.com on 24 Sep 11
I don't really know [what is wrong]. I thought it was a classic hamstring but it is not. He felt a sharp pain in his knee and at the moment he is with the doctor. I don't know what the diagnosis will be but it is completely surprising. There was no one near him. I don't know what they will do, whether they will have a scan tonight, I will have to speak to the medical people.'
on a much-needed win...
Yes but you know we will not lose every game like we did at Blackburn. We had 22 shots on goal and we still lost so at the start of this game it was a question of nerves, of patience, of intelligence, and I think we controlled the game well even if Szczesny made a good save at the start of the game. In the second half I could not see Bolton scoring a goal although to their defence they were down to ten men and that made it even more difficult for them.
on Van Persie's emergence as a captain...
I think he is one of these guys who develops with responsibilities. You would think he is not natural at the start but when he has the responsibility he really grows well into the role. I have observed him and he does very well.
on his half-time team talk...
I felt that in the first half we were a bit impatient sometimes, that we didn't move the ball quickly enough, that our midfielders came a bit deep because we were man-marked. That exposed us a bit to counter-attacking and we had less support up front. In the second half, maybe because they were fatigued as well, our midfielders played higher up and we became straight away more dangerous. Bolton lost more balls and after that it was a question of when we would score the second goal. We had plenty of opportunities. It is a deserved win that is welcome for us because we cannot drop many more points.
on the referee playing advantage for the first goal...
I feel that overall he had a good game.
on the nature of Van Persie's captaincy...
He does not talk a lot to the other players because he is not a talker but he speaks his mind.
on whether Inter Milan called him about their manager's job...
I would not say that to you. I think you [the media] were consistent in wanting to get me out and I was consistent in wanting to stay in and to show my commitment to this club. So we have both been consistent.
on lower attendances...
It is linked with a combination of two things. First of all we had disappointing results recently and the second factor is that we are going towards a huge financial crisis which has been already in the society. We will be hit much more and I think football suffers from the consequences as well. You can look at all the clubs in England and the Premier League seats go slower and slower out. The stadiums will be less quickly full and we have noticed that already. We are maybe a special case because we had disappointing results but the other clubs had the same problem.
Source: Arsenal.com on 24 Sep 11
24 September 2011: Arsenal 3-0 Bolton Wanderers, The Emirates
Robin van Persie hit the 100th goal of his Arsenal career as Arsène Wenger’s side hit form with a 3-0 win over Bolton on Saturday.
The Dutchman squeezed home the opener a minute after the break to relieve the tension after an uneasy first half.
His second – touched home after low cross from the excellent Theo Walcott – put paid to Bolton. They were already down to 10 men after David Wheater had fouled the Englishman just before the hour.
When Alex Song curled home a gorgeous third in the final minute, Emirates Stadium could relax for perhaps the first time this season.
Van Persie becomes the 17th Arsenal player to hit three figures. His late substitution drew a massive ovation. Those same fans followed that with a rendition of “There’s only one Arsène Wenger” in the final stages.
Arsenal are not back but they might be ‘on the way’.
Before kick-off, there was palpable pressure on Wenger’s side. The mood had been lifted somewhat by the Carling Cup victory over Shrewsbury in midweek. However, when it came to the Premier League, the memories of the 4-3 defeat at Blackburn were lingering.
The manager made two changes from the side beaten at Ewood Park. Both were straight swaps - Kieran Gibbs for Andre Santos at left back, Walcott for Andrey Arshavin on the flanks.
Bolton were below Arsenal in the table and had lost all their League games since that 4-0 win at QPR on the opening day. So, while the build-up had been all about Wenger’s men, both teams at Emirates Stadium were desperate for three points.
And it was Bolton who nearly got off to the best possible start.
In the second minute, Laurent Koscielny gave away a free-kick in midfield which Martin Petrov floated to the far post. Wheater headed it back into the heart of the area and Darren Pratley beat Gibbs to prod goalwards. Szczesny flew to his left to bat the ball away.
Bolton had begun this game in the relegation zone but they were confident in the opening stages. A couple of minutes later, Petrov’s chip skimmed off the head of Wheater and went wide.
The visitors had clearly come to capitalise on any Arsenal anxiety. Wenger's men needed to wrestle the initiative and, in the following five minutes, they did.
Gervinho broke away but a heavy touch allowed Jussi Jaaskelainen to rush out and smother the ball at the crucial moment. In the 10th minute, Van Persie fired wide from a twice-taken free-kick.
Arsenal were in the ascendancy and starting to dictate. Bolton were forced to make a change midway through the half when David Ngog hobbled off and Kevin Davies came on. The latter had been a surprising omission from the visitors’ starting line-up.
The burly former England striker was a different type of threat to Arsenal and, as ever, he made his presence felt. But, by now, the home side seemed to have a measure of control.
Gervinho sent a rasping effort inches over the bar and, just before the break, Walcott’s shot deflected into the path of Koscielny who ‘shinned’ a spectacular effort well wide.
Wenger’s men fancied a goal before the break and poured on the pressure. In the dying seconds, Walcott darted to the byline and, although his cut-back found Van Persie, the Dutchman’s shot was blocked. With the final meaningful kick, the Englishman fired just over.
In truth, it had been a turgid half. Arsenal were superior but it was clear that both teams were lacking confidence.
However, Van Persie would start the rebuilding process within 40 seconds of the restart.
Gretar Steinsson clipped Gervinho in midfield but, after referee Mark Clattenburg had allowed an intelligent advantage, Ramsey stormed through and fed Van Persie. The Dutchman beat Fabrice Muamba on the outside and squeezed his shot between Jaaskelainen and the post. Stunning, stirring stuff.
Shortly afterwards Walcott’s touch sent Van Persie clear again but this time the keeper blocked the Dutchman’s drive.
In the 55th minute, Ramsey slid a pass for Walcott through the middle. Wheater’s touch brought him down and, as it was a clear scoring chance, the Bolton centre-back saw red. Van Persie whipped the free-kick straight at Jaaskelainen.
The game had taken a major swing toward Arsenal. Around the hour, Mikel Arteta tried to make the change irrevocable but first he slid a shot just past the post then a drive was blocked.
A similar effort from Sagna suggested the home side were going for the kill. Chris Eagles nearly caught them on the break but, with no support, Gibbs pushed him wide and Szczesny held his shot safely.
Midway through the half, Arsenal were starting to lay siege on the Bolton goal. Within a minute, Jaaskelainen made look-a-like saves from Van Persie’s far-post header and Koscielny’s cross-shot.
Arsenal sensed this was the time and their captain would seize the moment. Walcott raced into space on the right and Van Persie touched home his cross from close range.
It was a century for the striker but, just as importantly, it was breathing space for the home side. The relief was evident.
Walcott should have eased any lingering tension when Song sent him sprinting clear. He went one-on-one with Jaaskelainen but the keeper stood up well to pull off a fine save.
Bolton were beaten and looking for the final whistle. Just before it sounded, Arsenal did grab a third.
Sagna’s cutback found Song on the edge of the area. He darted inside Pratley and curled a sumptuous effort into the top corner.
Walcott went off with a knee injury late on but its effects are not expected to be long-lasting. All in all, a morale-boosting day for Arsenal.
After a stumbling start this was a massive step in the right direction.
Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 24 Sep 11
The Dutchman squeezed home the opener a minute after the break to relieve the tension after an uneasy first half.
His second – touched home after low cross from the excellent Theo Walcott – put paid to Bolton. They were already down to 10 men after David Wheater had fouled the Englishman just before the hour.
When Alex Song curled home a gorgeous third in the final minute, Emirates Stadium could relax for perhaps the first time this season.
Van Persie becomes the 17th Arsenal player to hit three figures. His late substitution drew a massive ovation. Those same fans followed that with a rendition of “There’s only one Arsène Wenger” in the final stages.
Arsenal are not back but they might be ‘on the way’.
Before kick-off, there was palpable pressure on Wenger’s side. The mood had been lifted somewhat by the Carling Cup victory over Shrewsbury in midweek. However, when it came to the Premier League, the memories of the 4-3 defeat at Blackburn were lingering.
The manager made two changes from the side beaten at Ewood Park. Both were straight swaps - Kieran Gibbs for Andre Santos at left back, Walcott for Andrey Arshavin on the flanks.
Bolton were below Arsenal in the table and had lost all their League games since that 4-0 win at QPR on the opening day. So, while the build-up had been all about Wenger’s men, both teams at Emirates Stadium were desperate for three points.
And it was Bolton who nearly got off to the best possible start.
In the second minute, Laurent Koscielny gave away a free-kick in midfield which Martin Petrov floated to the far post. Wheater headed it back into the heart of the area and Darren Pratley beat Gibbs to prod goalwards. Szczesny flew to his left to bat the ball away.
Bolton had begun this game in the relegation zone but they were confident in the opening stages. A couple of minutes later, Petrov’s chip skimmed off the head of Wheater and went wide.
The visitors had clearly come to capitalise on any Arsenal anxiety. Wenger's men needed to wrestle the initiative and, in the following five minutes, they did.
Gervinho broke away but a heavy touch allowed Jussi Jaaskelainen to rush out and smother the ball at the crucial moment. In the 10th minute, Van Persie fired wide from a twice-taken free-kick.
Arsenal were in the ascendancy and starting to dictate. Bolton were forced to make a change midway through the half when David Ngog hobbled off and Kevin Davies came on. The latter had been a surprising omission from the visitors’ starting line-up.
The burly former England striker was a different type of threat to Arsenal and, as ever, he made his presence felt. But, by now, the home side seemed to have a measure of control.
Gervinho sent a rasping effort inches over the bar and, just before the break, Walcott’s shot deflected into the path of Koscielny who ‘shinned’ a spectacular effort well wide.
Wenger’s men fancied a goal before the break and poured on the pressure. In the dying seconds, Walcott darted to the byline and, although his cut-back found Van Persie, the Dutchman’s shot was blocked. With the final meaningful kick, the Englishman fired just over.
In truth, it had been a turgid half. Arsenal were superior but it was clear that both teams were lacking confidence.
However, Van Persie would start the rebuilding process within 40 seconds of the restart.
Gretar Steinsson clipped Gervinho in midfield but, after referee Mark Clattenburg had allowed an intelligent advantage, Ramsey stormed through and fed Van Persie. The Dutchman beat Fabrice Muamba on the outside and squeezed his shot between Jaaskelainen and the post. Stunning, stirring stuff.
Shortly afterwards Walcott’s touch sent Van Persie clear again but this time the keeper blocked the Dutchman’s drive.
In the 55th minute, Ramsey slid a pass for Walcott through the middle. Wheater’s touch brought him down and, as it was a clear scoring chance, the Bolton centre-back saw red. Van Persie whipped the free-kick straight at Jaaskelainen.
The game had taken a major swing toward Arsenal. Around the hour, Mikel Arteta tried to make the change irrevocable but first he slid a shot just past the post then a drive was blocked.
A similar effort from Sagna suggested the home side were going for the kill. Chris Eagles nearly caught them on the break but, with no support, Gibbs pushed him wide and Szczesny held his shot safely.
Midway through the half, Arsenal were starting to lay siege on the Bolton goal. Within a minute, Jaaskelainen made look-a-like saves from Van Persie’s far-post header and Koscielny’s cross-shot.
Arsenal sensed this was the time and their captain would seize the moment. Walcott raced into space on the right and Van Persie touched home his cross from close range.
It was a century for the striker but, just as importantly, it was breathing space for the home side. The relief was evident.
Walcott should have eased any lingering tension when Song sent him sprinting clear. He went one-on-one with Jaaskelainen but the keeper stood up well to pull off a fine save.
Bolton were beaten and looking for the final whistle. Just before it sounded, Arsenal did grab a third.
Sagna’s cutback found Song on the edge of the area. He darted inside Pratley and curled a sumptuous effort into the top corner.
Walcott went off with a knee injury late on but its effects are not expected to be long-lasting. All in all, a morale-boosting day for Arsenal.
After a stumbling start this was a massive step in the right direction.
Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 24 Sep 11
Friday, September 23, 2011
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain comes to Arsenal's rescue against Shrewsbury
"Sacked in the morning! You're getting sacked in the morning" had been the delirious chant from the visiting support to Wenger after he watched his side go behind during an often shambolic first‑half performance.
Losing his job might not have happened if League Two Town had pulled off arguably the greatest embarrassment of Wenger's tenure. But the inquisition into what precisely his strategy is at the club might have gone off the scale before Bolton Wanderers' visit here on Saturday.
Instead, class eventually showed, a valiant Shrewsbury went down as expected, and Wenger could say of the result: "It was a bit nervy because we played against a good side. They were direct but had good technique. They had a few dangerous positions even after they scored. But we took over in the second half."
If this sounds like a rather generous assessment of Town's qualities it is because Wenger is a man eyeing the visit of Bolton from a position of fourth‑bottom. His team have a goal difference of minus eight, having shipped a barely credible 14 goals in their five league outings. Building morale while denying obvious confidence‑sapping truths is his main game, despite how difficult those numbers make the task.
After the sides had emerged for the second half all-square, a 25-yard shot from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after 58 minutes that slipped under Ben Smith, and a cool late finish from Yossi Benayoun, sent the Arsenal fans home relieved.
They finished as they had started, in the ascendancy. The tie's opening flurry featured Marouane Chamakh, who twice threatened to score. But from this apparently comfortable juncture, Arsenal proceeded to crumble during a hardly credible middle section of the opening half: their inability to deal with the high ball, which has plagued their season, was again the big weakness.
Under an aerial free-kick, Johan Djourou and Chamakh each jumped but somehow missed the ball and it bounced dangerously in the area, though Lukasz Fabianski could gather.
Emboldened, Shrewsbury pressed forward again. This time, Marvin Morgan's pass released Mark Wright. His shot trickled past Fabianksi and hit the post before the keeper recovered to save the follow‑up. From the corner Jenkinson allowed Wright a free header at the far post, which he could not direct.
Arsenal's disarray was about to reach a low point. From a throw in on the right Morgan swung in a diagonal that Djourou merely watched, and to which James Collins rose unchallenged, the striker easily slotting the headed finish past Fabianski.
After 16 minutes Wenger's band had lost the plot. A further catalogue of near-disasters followed. Collins was inches from finishing beyond Fabianski again, and Arsenal's rearguard (a loose term) gazed at another corner, which left the keeper stranded and Reuben Hazell a free header he should have converted.
Kieran Gibbs may have equalised with a 33rd‑minute header from a Jenkinson cross, and Emmanuel Frimpong's later free-kick might have drawn a neat save from Smith, but as the sides walked off for the break the impression was of the Wenger project continuing to list. And list badly.
Earlier in the day Ivan Gazidis, the chief executive, scoffed at any assertion that Wenger was out of touch. Yet the evidence of the opening half suggested that he had been protesting too much with the Frenchman making one unfathomable decision in not selecting a strong bench in case of a scare.
After warning before kick-off that "our season depends on how well we respond to the disappointment", Wenger then gambled with his players' drained spirit by naming Ryo Miyaichi, Chuks Aneke, Daniel Boateng, Oguzhan Ozyakup, Sanchez Watt, Nico Yennaris and Damian Martinez as the go-to options for a starting XI from which one or more of Gibbs, Benayoun, Djourou, Chamakh, and Frimpong might have been held back as insurance.
In Djourou, the captain for the night, Wenger was let down badly, unable to rely on one of his established men to set the correct path for his more junior team-mates. In what should have been the easiest outing of his campaign so far the Swiss floundered to cause Wenger one more concern in a tally that continues to rise.
Source: Jamie Jackson, The Guardian on 20 Sep 11
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 3-1 Shrewsbury match
It was a bit nervy because we played against a good side. I said before the game that the lower divisions have improved in the last five years and you could see that. They were direct but not without technique. They had a direct game but they played it with intelligence and efficiency. They had a few dangerous situations in the first half, even after they scored. So 1-1 was not too bad for us at half time and in the second half we took over, they dropped physically and we played in one half after that.
on whether he was calm at half time…
Yes, I was very calm at half time because panic doesn’t help. I felt that if we maintained the pace in the game we had a good chance to win the game.
on whether Shrewsbury ‘dominated’ the first half…
I’m not sure they dominated the first half, if you look at the numbers again you will see they didn’t dominate the game. They created dangerous situations. It’s always difficult to beat a football team, no matter what division they play in. They knocked Swansea and Derby out and you can see why. They are top of their league.
on whether some of his players are playing with fear…
We played a young team with a mixture of young players and experienced players. We took a gamble and it worked because you could see some players, who we haven’t seen so much of like Oxlade-Chamberlain and Coquelin, have done extremely well and that is positive for the future.
on how to get belief back in the squad…
In the last four games, we have had three good results and the one game we didn’t was Blackburn and that, for me, was a miracle. Look at the numbers; we had 62 per cent of the possession and had 16 shots on goal and we lost 4-3.
on Oxlade-Chamberlain and Coquelin’s performances…
Oxlade-Chamberlain grew through the game and became stronger and stronger. In the first half he was a bit timid and suddenly he grew in stature in the second half. It was unbelievable. What came out, you didn’t expect it after the first half. He became stronger and stronger.
on whether he has staked a claim for a place in the first team…
You could see that he will be a first-team player here, that is for sure. He still has things to work on but, very quickly, he will be knocking on the door.
on Djourou’s performance…
He was very good in the second half. In the first half, he was surprised on the goal. In the second half, he had a good performance.
on whether he will bring in a defensive coach…
I just completed 32 years of coaching. I do not want to answer these types of questions.
On Ryo’s performance…
He did well when he came on. My regret tonight is that he didn’t play long enough to show what he is capable of doing. He will get more opportunities.
on speculation regarding his future…
Whether I work here for the next 10 years or the next day here, I will give my maximum for the Club. I will let other people assess the situation. I focus on doing well for this club, that is all. I am not bothered at all by all this speculation.
I am completely focused on doing well. I can understand that people are unhappy and criticise but people are very quick to go overboard. I accept critics and I don’t say it doesn’t matter. I prefer it if people say I am good but I cannot complain when we lose a game and you are criticised. When we do well, we take all the plaudits so we have to take the blame when it doesn’t go well. But we have, on both sides, to take a little bit of distance.
Source: Arsenal.com on 20 Sep 11
20 September 2011: Arsenal 3-1 Shrewsbury, Emirates Stadium
Arsenal secured a safe passage to the Fourth Round of the Carling Cup with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Shrewsbury Town at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
A shock seemed possible for a period in the first half when James Collins nodded the visitors in front after only 17 minutes. However, Arsenal were level just after the half-hour when Kieran Gibbs headed home the first goal of his career and they took control after the break.
The outstanding Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain crashed home the first goal of his Arsenal career from long range just before the hour and Yossi Benayoun completed the scoring 12 minutes from time.
Shrewsbury did themselves proud but Arsène Wenger’s side cruised home in the end.
They are in the hat for Saturday’s draw.
As ever, Wenger ran the changes for the Carling Cup. He handed full debuts to Ju Young Park and Oxlade-Chamberlain. The likes of Francis Coquelin, Ignasi Miquel, Lukasz Fabianski and Marouane Chamakh also got a run-out. Ryo was left on the bench along with a host of talented youngsters.
All that was expected; perhaps the bigger surprise was the formation. Park and Chamakh seemed to be dual front men with Oxlade-Chamberlain, Emmanuel Frimpong, Coquelin and Benayoun stretched across midfield. This was 4-4-2 once more.
Emirates Stadium was not full this evening – a rarity in itself. But, as usual, this fixture was not included in the season tickets and the Club had priced seats modestly. Of course, the Shrewsbury end was packed. The Shropshire side were riding high in League Two and had nothing to lose. And the visitors would give them something to shout about during the first half.
That said, they could have been 2-0 down inside five minutes – and both chances fell to Chamakh.
First Gibbs sent over a high, hanging cross from the left and the striker’s towering header was expertly tipped over by keeper Ben Smith.
The corner eventually found Coquelin on the far side. He burst to the byline and his cut-back found the Moroccan once again. This time Chamakh chose placement but his sidefoot shot was saved by Smith once again.
It was a confident start but Shrewsbury would respond and then go ahead.
In the 13th minute, Mark Wright darted through and rolled a shot past Fabianski but against the post. The sliding Collins put the rebound into the sidenetting.
Two minutes later they would steal the lead. Marvin Morgan fired over a cross from the right and the unmarked Collins plundered a simple header.
Suddenly the confidence drained from Arsenal while Shrewsbury began to break with speed and intelligence. One such move saw Wright’s cross-shot deflect off Johan Djourou and fly past the diving Fabianski then the far post. Just past the half-hour only an excellent interception from Carl Jenkinson prevented Morgan profiting at the far post.
Coquelin did test Smith from distance but, when the equaliser arrived, Shrewsbury looked as lively as they had all evening.
In the 34th minute, there seemed little on as Jenkinson sent a fizzing, flat cross in to the area and touched on to Gibbs. His header was instant and powerful enough to see Smith fumble the ball into the net at the near post. It was the Englishman’s first goal for Arsenal in his 57th game for the Club.
The goal lifted Arsenal, of course, but it did not dent Shrewsbury too much. Lionel Ainsworth flashed a low pass across the face of goal and the sliding Collins could only deflect the ball just wide.
But a tough half ended with Arsenal on top. Park controlled Coquelin’s 50–yard pass and crashed a shot beyond the far post then Frimpong stung the hands of Smith with a free-kick.
However, the home side went into the break with work to do.
In fairness, their reply was emphatic. In the opening stages of the second half, Frimpong tested Smith once more and Oxlade-Chamberlain’s clipped cross just failed to find Chamakh.
The former Southampton midfielder, just 18, was fast-becoming the stand-out star of the evening. Just before the hour, he pretty much sealed the award.
With little on 25 yards out, Oxlade-Chamberlain let fly with a low shot. Smith allowed it to squirm underneath him and find the net. Like Gibbs, it was his first goal for the Club.
Ten minutes later, Oxlade-Chamberlain tried his luck from an angle. The shot was so powerful it simply bounced off Smith at the near post.
Arsenal had now assumed control though Shrewsbury were still looking for an equaliser on the break.
Wenger replaced Park with Ryo for the final quarter of the game. The Japanese youngster took up his regular role on the left wing and Benayoun moved into a central role.
However, it would be another substitute, Oguzhan Ozyakup, who set up the third for Benayoun. The Isreali stabbed home from the Dutchman’s cut-back.
That finally put paid it Shrewsbury’s challenge. They had performed admirably this evening but Arsenal’s youngsters showed their class in the end.
Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 20 Sep 11
A shock seemed possible for a period in the first half when James Collins nodded the visitors in front after only 17 minutes. However, Arsenal were level just after the half-hour when Kieran Gibbs headed home the first goal of his career and they took control after the break.
The outstanding Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain crashed home the first goal of his Arsenal career from long range just before the hour and Yossi Benayoun completed the scoring 12 minutes from time.
Shrewsbury did themselves proud but Arsène Wenger’s side cruised home in the end.
They are in the hat for Saturday’s draw.
As ever, Wenger ran the changes for the Carling Cup. He handed full debuts to Ju Young Park and Oxlade-Chamberlain. The likes of Francis Coquelin, Ignasi Miquel, Lukasz Fabianski and Marouane Chamakh also got a run-out. Ryo was left on the bench along with a host of talented youngsters.
All that was expected; perhaps the bigger surprise was the formation. Park and Chamakh seemed to be dual front men with Oxlade-Chamberlain, Emmanuel Frimpong, Coquelin and Benayoun stretched across midfield. This was 4-4-2 once more.
Emirates Stadium was not full this evening – a rarity in itself. But, as usual, this fixture was not included in the season tickets and the Club had priced seats modestly. Of course, the Shrewsbury end was packed. The Shropshire side were riding high in League Two and had nothing to lose. And the visitors would give them something to shout about during the first half.
That said, they could have been 2-0 down inside five minutes – and both chances fell to Chamakh.
First Gibbs sent over a high, hanging cross from the left and the striker’s towering header was expertly tipped over by keeper Ben Smith.
The corner eventually found Coquelin on the far side. He burst to the byline and his cut-back found the Moroccan once again. This time Chamakh chose placement but his sidefoot shot was saved by Smith once again.
It was a confident start but Shrewsbury would respond and then go ahead.
In the 13th minute, Mark Wright darted through and rolled a shot past Fabianski but against the post. The sliding Collins put the rebound into the sidenetting.
Two minutes later they would steal the lead. Marvin Morgan fired over a cross from the right and the unmarked Collins plundered a simple header.
Suddenly the confidence drained from Arsenal while Shrewsbury began to break with speed and intelligence. One such move saw Wright’s cross-shot deflect off Johan Djourou and fly past the diving Fabianski then the far post. Just past the half-hour only an excellent interception from Carl Jenkinson prevented Morgan profiting at the far post.
Coquelin did test Smith from distance but, when the equaliser arrived, Shrewsbury looked as lively as they had all evening.
In the 34th minute, there seemed little on as Jenkinson sent a fizzing, flat cross in to the area and touched on to Gibbs. His header was instant and powerful enough to see Smith fumble the ball into the net at the near post. It was the Englishman’s first goal for Arsenal in his 57th game for the Club.
The goal lifted Arsenal, of course, but it did not dent Shrewsbury too much. Lionel Ainsworth flashed a low pass across the face of goal and the sliding Collins could only deflect the ball just wide.
But a tough half ended with Arsenal on top. Park controlled Coquelin’s 50–yard pass and crashed a shot beyond the far post then Frimpong stung the hands of Smith with a free-kick.
However, the home side went into the break with work to do.
In fairness, their reply was emphatic. In the opening stages of the second half, Frimpong tested Smith once more and Oxlade-Chamberlain’s clipped cross just failed to find Chamakh.
The former Southampton midfielder, just 18, was fast-becoming the stand-out star of the evening. Just before the hour, he pretty much sealed the award.
With little on 25 yards out, Oxlade-Chamberlain let fly with a low shot. Smith allowed it to squirm underneath him and find the net. Like Gibbs, it was his first goal for the Club.
Ten minutes later, Oxlade-Chamberlain tried his luck from an angle. The shot was so powerful it simply bounced off Smith at the near post.
Arsenal had now assumed control though Shrewsbury were still looking for an equaliser on the break.
Wenger replaced Park with Ryo for the final quarter of the game. The Japanese youngster took up his regular role on the left wing and Benayoun moved into a central role.
However, it would be another substitute, Oguzhan Ozyakup, who set up the third for Benayoun. The Isreali stabbed home from the Dutchman’s cut-back.
That finally put paid it Shrewsbury’s challenge. They had performed admirably this evening but Arsenal’s youngsters showed their class in the end.
Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 20 Sep 11
Monday, September 19, 2011
Lost in Space
But then sometimes your team loses not because the other team is better but . . . well, for some other reason. And the other reasons vary from sport to sport. A whole baseball team loses confidence at the plate and enters a collective slump; basketball players cease to trust one another and start doing everything one-on-one.
These afflictions - loss of confidence, loss of trust - can happen to soccer teams as well, but there’s also a distinctive way things go all pear-shaped in soccer. Let’s call it spatial disorientation.
Soccer can’t be played well without good spatial awareness, which has three elements: self, teammate, opponent. Only the best players perceive all three with absolute precision: those stunning threaded passes that players like Xavi and Pirlo specialize in depend on the instant and intuitive coordination of all at once. So too the prescient defending that I’ve celebrated in Cannavaro. When Cruyff would do his traffic-cop thing, holding the ball at his feet while irritably waving his teammates to different locations on the pitch, you could tell that he just didn’t understand why they hadn’t assumed the proper positions of their own accord.
But Cruyff was the only one who knew exactly what the chessboard was supposed to look like. For lesser players, it seems, the maintenance of accurate spatial awareness is hard work. Strikers drift offside; midfielders get too close to one another, usually clumped in the middle of the pitch so that two defenders can mark four men, prompting Jonathan Wilson to moan about “lack of width”; defenders fail to keep a straight line and end up playing forwards dangerously onside. Happens all the time.
During the flow of most matches the players’ spatial awareness comes and goes. After a couple of offside flags the striker starts watching the defensive line more closely and adjusting his position11 Unless his name is Ibrahimovic.; the midfielders make proper room for one another; the back four eyeball one another to get their line straight and keep it that way.
As I say, that’s how it goes in most matches. Sometimes the disorientation sets firmly in for a whole match - or even longer. Which brings us to the Arsenal defense.
“Shambolic” is, I believe, the term of art for how Arsenal has been defending for the last couple of years, but especially this season. Eight goals to Manchester United; four to Blackburn - Blackburn - though Arsenal’s defenders managed two of those themselves. It seems that no matter who Arsène Wenger puts in his back four, the selected players are immediately deprived of even the most basic powers of spatial awareness. I suspect that the team doctors, when they examine the newly signed, are using some hypersophisticated technique for removing the exteroceptive faculties. The Daily Mail ought to look into this.
After all, Per Mertesacker has never had much pace or quickness of reaction, but until quite recently, if you looked for him within a few yards of where he was supposed to be on the pitch you would typically find him there. Yet the Blackburn match treated observers to frequent sightings of Mertesacker lumbering towards his own goal, some several yards in arrears of the opposing forwards. In a similar vein, when a Blackburn attacker misplayed a pass and left it at the feet of Johan Djourou standing all alone just outside the box, Djourou just stared at the ball for a few moments as though it were an unfamiliar object before finally deciding that it ought to be kicked. This he did, though only as a Blackburn player arrived on the scene, which led to a collision that left Djourou kneeling on the grass in pain for a few moments.
The strangest and worst moment of all came early in the second half, with Arsenal leading 2-1. Mauro Formica stood over a free kick for Blackburn a couple of yards outside the area on the right wing, and lofted a chip so gentle that, had it landed on a butterfly, it would have done little damage. But it did not land on a butterfly. It landed on the knee of Alex Song, who seemed to have no idea that a game was being played in his vicinity, and rolled peaceably into the net. No Blackburn player was in the neighborhood.
Among Arsenal defenders spatial disorientation has set in with a completeness that I don’t think I have ever seen at the highest levels of soccer. Player after player stands bemused, gaping at his surroundings as though Scotty has just beamed him down to an unknown planet. Where am I? Those people wearing the same shirt I’m wearing — are they related to me in some way? And why are people running past me kicking a ball?
I don’t know how to account for this phenomenon. It is obviously true that injuries and other personnel changes have made life difficult for Arsenal, but that should primarily affect a player’s sense of his teammates’ positioning; it shouldn’t have him chasing down the opposition from a dozen yards behind, or leave him unaware that someone almost within spitting distance is taking a free kick.
So there’s something deeply mysterious, at least to me, about the completeness and universality of Arsenal’s defensive dislocations. I don’t know what Wenger is doing to address these problems, but I hope he’s having his people work on he most elementary of defensive drills, and working on them hour after hour after hour. In addition to that, he needs to think seriously about whether his players are choking or panicking, because the psychologies of the two conditions differ dramatically. And finally, I think it’s time to call in a shaman.
Source: Alan Jacobs, The Run of Play on 17 Sep 11
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny gifts Blackburn Rovers thrilling win
The soggiest Saturday of the season so far all but washed away the protest march against Steve Kean before kick-off. A few hundred bedraggled supporters made their point as they were escorted to the ground by police, and perhaps even succeeded in showing the depth of their feeling by braving a downpour, though there was little sign of dissent inside the ground, and even on the concourses home fans were debating with each other whether the manager deserved more loyalty.
After 90 tumultuous minutes and a rousing first win of the season, the consensus was that he probably did. "We showed what we are all about," Kean said. "We dug in and struck on the break. I was disappointed that people felt the need to demonstrate, but hopefully we sent everyone home happy."
Everyone except Arsenal. Two visits to the north-west have resulted in 12 goals conceded and no points won. The Gunners have four points from their opening five games, and have been beaten three times already. "It is not good enough," Arsène Wenger accepted. "We should not come here and concede four goals, especially from a position where we are 2-1. We do not seem to have the capability to keep our defensive focus for 90 minutes, and you cannot expect to win matches if you give away cheap goals."
It was the Blackburn supporters who had been expecting that, or possibly cheep goals, in view of their low opinion of Venky's, their owners. Yet when a clever ball forward by Alex Song split a statuesque Rovers defence to allow Gervinho to claim his first league goal for Arsenal after 10 minutes there were no dissatisfied rumblings from the terraces, and to their credit Blackburn managed to give their fans something to cheer by getting back on terms midway through the first half. This time it was Yakubu Ayegbeni's turn to score a first goal for his new club, and though the former Everton striker was slightly fortunate to be in the right place for Junior Hoilett's pass as he wandered back from an offside position, there was nothing wrong with the deft single touch that stranded Wojciech Szczesny.
Players were beginning to lose their footing at this point as rain hammered down from a still-darkening sky, though Arsenal produced some of their brightest football and could have scored through Andrey Arshavin and Gervinho in addition to the goal from Mikel Arteta that restored their lead by the interval. Another first-time scorer for a new club, all Arteta had to do was crash the ball home from near the penalty spot after Aaron Ramsey's shrewd run and perfect square ball had created the opportunity.
So Arsenal had little to excuse what befell them at the start of the second half, especially as their inability to defend set pieces reached ludicrous new heights when Song turned Rubén Rochina's free-kick past his own goalkeeper under no particular pressure.
Now trying to weather two storms at once, with the Rovers fans noisily backing their side, Arsenal simply went from bad to worse. Another set piece led to another goal for Yakubu, standing level on the six-yard line to get the crucial last touch to Steven Nzonzi's low cross after collecting a corner at the back of the area, then almost laughably Arsenal contributed a second own goal.
There was not a lot Laurent Koscielny could do to avoid diverting the ball into his own net once Szczesny had failed to cut out Martin Olsson's firmly struck cut-back from the byline, but the way Yakubu, of all people, had sent the substitute skipping down the right to easily evade Johan Djourou's rushed challenge, and enjoy the freedom of an empty Arsenal half to run at, will give Wenger sleepless nights.
Paul Robinson made a couple of good saves before Marouane Chamakh's well-taken goal five minutes from time gave the scoreline some respectability from Arsenal's point of view and a better indication of the balance of the game, though conceding four goals to Blackburn is almost as bad as shipping eight at Old Trafford.
That is not to take anything away from a spirited and energetic Blackburn performance. This always promised to be a day for Kean to remember, and amid frantic scenes at the end, after Per Mertesacker had headed over and Robin van Persie struck a shot at Robinson with stoppage time chances to claim a point, it was.
Source: Paul Wilson, The Guardian on 17 Sep 11
Wenger's reaction to the Blackburn Rovers 4-3 Arsenal match
It's difficult to explain. I feel overall we created many chances, even in the second half. It just looked like we had a lack of focus for what we knew they were good at - corners and free-kicks.
on concerns about Arsenal’s defending...
You cannot say you are not worried when you see the performance we put in today. It's just not defensively solid enough. When you are 2-1 in front against Blackburn and you know that you are solid defensively, we will score goals.
on a disappointing afternoon...
It was not all negative today, that is the frustrating thing. There were a lot of positives as well, we just didn't bring the focus to get anything out of the game. At the moment we do not have the capability to focus defensively for 90 minutes to win games. It is important you do not give cheap goals away like we did.
on Arsenal’s start to the season…
It's just not good enough and, of course, we are very frustrated. The spirit in the team is quite willing but if you look at the number of goals we have conceded it is just not good enough. You cannot come here and concede four goals the way we did today. On the other hand I believe that the group will take off but it is important that we can get results.
on speculation about his future…
Speculation is part of modern life, there is nothing I can do about that. My future is focused on me giving the best for the Club.
Source: Arsenal.com on 17 Sep 11
17 September 2011: Blackburn Rovers 4-3 Arsenal, Ewood Park
At the break, Arsène Wenger’s side seemed set to record a confidence-boosting victory. Gervinho and Mikel Arteta both notched their first goals for the Club; inbetween Yakubu briefly equalised with a cute finish.
However, everything changed after the interval. Alex Song turned a free-kick into his own net, then Yakubu stabbed home from close range. The revival was completed in the 68th minute when Laurent Koscielny conceded another own-goal, this time from Martin Olsson’s cutback.
Substitute Marouane Chamakh steered in a header with six minutes left to set up a grandstand finish.
Robin van Persie and, most notably, Per Mertesacker spurned opportunities in added time. But the equaliser just would not come.
It was another disappointing day for Arsenal.
Ahead of this game, Wenger handed Andre Santos his debut at left lack. Gervinho and Song were back after domestic suspensions. Aaron Ramsey had recovered from his ankle injury and was restored to central midfield. Andrey Arshavin replaced Theo Walcott.
Both these sides were under early-season pressure but while the visitors seemed to be on the rise, Blackburn were rock bottom. The first half did nothing to ease the situation.
The visitors were lively and attacking from the first whistle, exploiting any nervousness in the home dressing room.
It took them just 10 minutes to go ahead. Song was allowed the carry the ball forward in midfield and nudge a perceptive pass to Gervinho inside the area. The Ivorian swiveled and dribbled a low, angled shot across Paul Robinson and into the far corner. All too simple.
It was a blow to Blackburn’s seemingly fragile confidence but they tried to respond via a traditional method when Christopher Samba slid a header wide from Ruben Rochina’s free-kick.
However, overall, Arsenal were in the ascendency. Arshavin’s volley forced the best out of Robinson. The Russian had previously seen a rising drive deflected over. In the 24th minute, Sagna’s cutback found Gervinho in space in the area but this time hasty shot was hacked over the bar.
It seemed that Arsenal were about to take over but, in fact, the visitors got themselves level. In the 25th minute, Junior Hoilett’s clever pass found Yakubu, whose finish was equally adroit. Like Gervinho’s strike it was about placement not power.
The lead would not last long. In the 33rd minute, Ramsey escaped down the right-hand channel – an area Arsenal have already exploited to great effect – and cut the ball back for Arteta.
The midfielder met it with a sweet sidefoot finish high into the net.
Having got the lead again, this time Arsenal were more purposeful about killing off the game.
Ramsey robbed the ball and led a four-on-two breakaway. Had Gervinho’s raking crossfield pass been controlled by the outstretched foot of Arshavin then surely Arsenal would have extended their lead.
But the visitors would spurn an even better chance just before the whistle. Arshavin outpaced Jason Lowe on the left and cut inside before finding Gervinho. The Ivorian went for goal but Scott Dann charged down his effort. The unmarked Van Persie was in a much better position.
Arsenal were on top but it seemed that half-time did them damage.
Blackburn came out with greater intent and, within four minutes, had grabbed another equaliser.
Arshavin fouled Lowe on the right. Ruben Rochina’s chip to the near post hit the inside of Song’s right knee and trickled past the flat-footed Szczesny.
Matters got more difficult for Arsenal when Sagna limped off and Djourou had to fill in at right-back. Left winger Hoilett had been Blackburn’s most effective outlet all afternoon.
The impetus was now with the home side. They went in search of the lead and, eventually, found it.
Mario Formica went through one-on-one and drew a fantastic save from Szczesny and, just before the hour, Blackburn got a third. Hoillet’s long corner fell to Steven Nzonzi way beyond the far post. He drilled a low ball into the area and Yakubu tapped home from close range. Replays suggested he may have been offside.
Walcott replaced Arshavin as Arsenal sought parity. And it was that offensive attitude that saw them concede a fourth.
After an Arsenal attack brokedown in the 68th minute, Nzonzi’s clearance eventually found its way to Olsson on the right. He skipped past the sliding Djourou on the touchline and the Song on the byline. His cutback hit Koscielny at the near post and found the net.
Arsenal were stunned and again went in search of a response. Song was withdrawn in favour of Chamakh.
With 10 minutes left, Robinson tipped over Van Persie’s header from point-blank range. In the 84th, Chamakh rose between two Blackburn defenders to head home the Dutchman's left-wing cross.
It set up a frantic finale and Arsenal might have snatched a point in the first minute of added time when Mertesacker steered a header over the bar from Santos’ deep hanging cross.
Van Persie also saw a shot charged down by Robinson and Chamakh steered a late header wide.
But it was just not Arsenal’s day.
Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 17 Sep 11
Thursday, September 15, 2011
If That Is Arsenal’s Strongest Team Then We Really Are In Trouble
Given the recent run of results for Arsene Wenger’s men, a 1-1 draw in their first Champions League match away to German champions Borussia Dortmund is unfortunately one of the more creditable performances this season. And while Arsenal showed fight, team spirit, and resolve in abundance up until Ivan Perisic’s 88th minute wonder strike earned the Bundesliga side a point at their home ground, their failure to close the deal showcases why this Arsenal side cannot consider themselves a genuine Premier League and European contender. The prolonged departure sagas of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri demoralised the squad, and even a last day spending spree from Arsene Wenger still sees Arsenal with a more threadbare and youthful, inexperienced side than ever under Wenger, one unable to challenge for top honors like in the past.
While undoubtedly of great potential, the simple reality is that the likes of Emmanuel Frimpong, Johan Djorou, Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs, and recently departed players like Denilson and Nicklas Bendtner wouldn’t feature nearly as much at Old Trafford, the San Siro, or the Bernabeu as they have at the Emirates. Ferguson and Villas-Boas have the likes of Berbatov and Anelka, or Carrick and Malouda, to call on, not Marouane Chamakh and Francis Coquelin. Even more worrying is the fact that the side so outplayed by Dortmund, who tallied 23 shots and 57% of possession, is perhaps the strongest one possible for the club in the near future given that Thomas Vermaelen and Jack Wilshere remain injured.
Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta add crucial experience and skill in the midfield, and Per Mertesacker should help to shore up a defence that has been criminal at times in recent years. Brazilian fullback Andre Santos will also provide competition for relatively untested Kieran Gibbs at left back. Wojciech Szczesny has solidified his place as the number one goalkeeper and will surely hold his position between the sticks for a long time, with the Polish stopper showing confidence far beyond his 21 years.
But it seems the hallmark of champions is the ability to grind out results despite a lacklustre performance a la Inter’s heroic defeat of Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals in 2010, or Manchester United’s unlikely comeback win over West Brom in Gary Neville’s last match, subpar performances that still yielded the needed result.
Arsenal finally looked a side capable of doing the business even on an off day, with Robin Van Persie’s strike a potential stepping stone to confidence and belief after a rough start to the campaign, with questions surrounding the team’s ability to finish in the top four and the manager’s grasp of the plot. But the disappointment of yet another late equalizer to throw away all three points has become a hallmark of the side in recent years, and it seems to suggest that Golden Generation Wenger has promised so long is simply not up to the pressure of delivering trophies.
Blow after blow to the collective psyche- the Carling Cup heartbreak, the Barcelona eliminations, the 4-4 draw with Newcastle, and the most recent thrashing at the hands of Sir Alex’s squad are the main highlights of a horror reel that seems to have put the attitude beyond repair. When it begins to go bad against Arsenal, it seems anything that can go wrong, will, and the players panic. The new additions will do their part to settle the side, and the youth injection may unearth future leaders in the way Wilshere and Szczesny have been able to contribute significantly immediately.
Wenger’s reluctance to address key issues in the past few seasons has weakened the squad to the point that the title returning to North London seems an outlandish dream, and the Champions League group stages even looked suspect at one point. Progress from the group stages is surely possible, and only four matches into the season it is impossible to say that Arsenal will not have the quality to qualify for the Champions League for another consecutive year. But what once seemed an string of unlucky coincidences has transformed into a clear pattern of failures when it matters most, with no end in sight.
Source: Andrew McCarten, The Sabotage Times on 13 Sep 11
Arsenal hold nerve in Champions League draw with Borussia Dortmund
There is no cause to be maudlin and Arsenal can be glad that good work by their goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny, ensured that a fine Borussia Dortmund side were denied a victory at the opening of the Champions League group phase. In view of the win over Udinese in the away leg of the qualifier it must be noted that there is spirit in this squad no matter how much they suffered against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
An 8-2 trouncing is not recommended but the least that can be said of Arsenal is that they have been intent on regaining respectability. They did rather more than that here. As matters stand, though, there can be no bragging and Pat Rice, in charge because of Arsène Wenger's touchline ban, was full of compliments for a Dortmund side that squandered almost all of its chances.
"It was like playing us," he said, referring to the slickness of the opposition. "Now we know what it is like whenever we are on form. We stuck to it well. It was extremely strange not having the manager next to me. Usually he is shouting in my ear: 'Why did he do this? Why did he do that?' It has never been one of my ambitions to be the manager, it is too stressful for me."
Rice blamed the earlier upheaval over the uncertainty about the future of footballers such as Cesc Fábregas and Samir Nasri, who did leave the club, but he also strove to hail the newcomers. "We have acquired very good players, contrary to what some people say, and no doubt they will show it, and the team will show it, in the games to come."
Arsenal would have craved such a result beforehand but now it comes as a mild disappointment. Even so, Szczesny had to be sharp in preventing irreparable damage in the final moments of the night. This overall was a Champions League battle that will have pleased Wenger's players in certain respects and it implied improvement to come.
The evening inaugurated another Champions League season but there was nothing tentative about the opening. Roman Weidenfeller was soon saving from Gervinho, with Kevin Grosskreutz firing high over the bar for Dortmund shortly after.
In that spell Bacary Sagna had also cleared a Robert Lewandowski effort from the goal-line. Regardless of the state of either squad or the instructions that had been given, this is a wonderful and clamorous ground that virtually insists on incident.
In Mario Götze Dortmund have a midfielder who looks as if he might cause panic at any moment. Yet the telling last touch did not come readily for either side. When Lukasz Piszczek crossed from the right in the 39th minute, for example, Lewandowski was too far out to apply the sort of force that would have made his header more of a concern to Szczesny.
The gaps could not go unexploited indefinitely, though, and when Theo Walcott linked with Robin van Persie three minutes later the Dutchman had ample space and his shot was too firm to be denied.
It would be wrong to pretend that a match of this order could be kept under perfect control but the action was unlikely to retain a frenzied tone for the entire game. There was relative order for a time as Arsenal at least looked as if they had begun to think about consolidating. That calmness did not prevent Gervinho from bursting clear of the defence but Weidenfeller blocked his effort.
The eventual substitutions by Dortmund spoke more of the strain they were under and the necessity of relieving it. Arsenal's introduction of the combative and promising Emmanuel Frimpong for Walcott was the act of a club yearning to take the vitality out of the fixture. This was not an occasion when either side could dictate play but the tale of the evening appealed to Arsenal as it moved closer to an ending.
A small anti-climax lay before them but it did not feel as if the side was devastated to have succumbed to a leveller in those last few moments. There is much for Arsenal still to do but it is beyond dispute that this was a result to be appreciated. A draw away to Dortmund should always be prized.
Source: Kevin McCarra, The Guardian on 13 Sep 11
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