Laurent Koscielny rescues point for Arsenal at Manchester City

Manchester City are so unaccustomed to dropping points on their own ground that Arsenal are entitled to cite this performance as evidence that, at the very least, they can have more input on the title race than they managed last season. Arsène Wenger's team left it late, Laurent Koscielny lashing the ball past Joe Hart after 82 minutes, but they deserved their equaliser and can be encouraged by the way they matched and frustrated the champions.

City rarely played with the style and control that has established the Etihad as the most formidable territory in the Premier League, with no home defeat for approaching two years. Joleon Lescott's headed goal, from a corner five minutes before half-time, was out of keeping with what had preceded it and an unsatisfactory day was epitomised by those moments in the second half when, first, Sergio Agüero played a simple pass to an opponent and then David Silva rolled the ball straight out of play for a throw-in. It was rare to see revered players suffering this form of carelessness and, coupled with the fact City have not managed a clean sheet this season, Roberto Mancini was justified afterwards in complaining that there must be an improvement.

Wenger's team always displayed a little more poise and, though they also endured periods when their football was not as clean and slick as their manager expects, there were spells when they threatened to wear their opponents down. Santi Cazorla was prominently involved, always wanting the ball and knowing the right thing to do with it. Mikel Arteta played with similar composure and Aaron Ramsey impressed in an unfamiliar wide role. When Jack Wilshere is back playing, this is going to be a delicious midfield.

Their problem is an obvious one, namely how to make do in attack without Robin van Persie. Lukas Podolski was substituted after a peripheral performance while Gervinho is too erratic, his touch frequently poor. One superb pass from Ramsey sent him running clear, at 0-0, but the striker's clumsiness wasted the opportunity, knocking the ball too far ahead and allowing Hart to cut out the danger. Olivier Giroud may solve the problem when he finds some confidence but for now the Frenchman is only on the edges, restricted to 18 minutes as a substitute.

Mancini admitted that Arsenal had dominated in midfield during the first half, compelling him to take off Scott Sinclair at the interval and bring on another of his new players, Jack Rodwell. Sinclair, starting his first home match for City, had been poor and replacing him with a more central player did have an effect on the game early in the second half. City, nonetheless, lacked their usual drive, with Carlos Tevez not in the starting line-up and the fit-again Agüero trying to renew a partnership with Edin Dzeko that has never really existed, almost a year to the day since their last start together.

Agüero worked hard but looked rusty and flashed wide a late chance. The little incident at the end, when Mario Balotelli said something to Mancini and the manager pushed him down the tunnel, compounded a bad day for City and, though these are still early days, there is a legitimate feeling they have temporarily lost some of the impetus that took them to the title. Afterwards, Wenger said a draw was the least his team had deserved.

Arsenal had taken their time to get going in the second half but their goal came from a spell of mounting pressure. Hart had tipped Cazorla's drive over the crossbar and when the Spaniard swung in the corner Lescott could not get enough leverage on his header. Koscielny's first touch controlled the ball, the second was a shot that was still rising when it went into the top corner.

Koscielny was guilty, for Agüero's chance, of giving the ball straight to his opponent inside the penalty area. The early-season improvement in Arsenal's defending was not particularly obvious, too, for Lescott's goal, originating from a Silva corner that the otherwise impressive Kieran Gibbs need not have conceded. Vito Mannone, deputising for the injured Wojciech Szczesny, came off his line but never got close to claiming the ball. Lescott had Podolski and Koscielny in close proximity but still managed to head the ball inside the far post.

It was a soft goal to concede but overall Arsenal restricted their opponents to few clear chances, despite Thomas Vermaelen's illness forcing Wenger to change his back four for the first time this season. Tevez and Balotelli could not bring a new spark to City's attack when they came off the bench, while Silva struggled to find his touch and Sinclair remained quiet with his new club. At least he is getting a game: this was the third successive match James Milner, an England regular, has not even made the bench.

Theo Walcott will have his own frustrations after being omitted in favour of Ramsey, a central midfielder asked to play on the right wing. Arsenal's system, however, was neat and effective. City, with 76 points out of a possible 78 in their home games before this fixture, have still not really got going.

Man of the match: Santi Cazorla (Arsenal)

Source: Daniel Taylor, The Guardian on 23 Sep 12

Henry Takes The Plaudits, But Arteta And Koscielny Are Arsenal’s New Heroes

Thierry Henry himself couldn't have scripted his return to Arsenal any better. But let's hear it for the supporting cast...

It was a moment of glory, a moment of euphoria, almost a moment of fantasy. Thierry himself could not have written it much better.

It almost seemed too good to be true that, on his return to the Emirates Stadium, having been gone five years, Thierry Henry had scored the winner with his fifth involvement after coming on as a substitute. Expectations had needed to be adjusted – surely it was too much to expect a match-winning return from the man who many would back as the greatest player this club has ever seen.

For the time during which he was being put through his paces pre-match, supporters enjoyed his presence, rather than worrying about him spoiling his legacy. 10 minutes into his debut from the bench, those doubts were blown clean out of the water. In fact, it turned out to be quite the opposite – so far, he’s only added to his fantastic Arsenal story.

It was truly a measure of the man and the footballer that the first and only chance he received (and in fact pretty much manufactured himself – more on that later) he took with all the aplomb and clinicality you would have expected of the Henry we saw tear the Premier League apart 8 years ago in that magnificent unbeaten season.

The finish was classic Henry, and the goal just what Arsenal have been looking for without skipper Robin van Persie.

During the home encounter with Leeds from that campaign, Henry put them to the sword with a spectacular four-goal haul, and much was made of that during the pre-game nostalgia. That day the Frenchman destroyed his opponents with his speed – on Monday night, it was his movement and intelligence that did it. His body might not be what it was, but his brain is certainly still working at full capacity.

The knowledge of when to pull away from his marker and when to go into the space cannot be undervalued. He took a quick evaluation of the scenario, and made his move. When Alex Song spotted the pass and executed it to perfection, was there ever any doubt? The footballing gods may not have been kind to Arsenal in recent seasons, but at that moment the stars seemed to align, and the Gunners were not denied their moment.

The finish was classic Henry, and the goal just what Arsenal have been looking for without skipper Robin van Persie. Neither Park Ju-Young or Marouane Chamakh have demonstrated that talent of being able to peel away and find the space effectively, which has been a problem for Arsene Wenger’s side. Thierry Henry showed he has the credentials to play in that van Persie predatory role, and it should be expected that he’ll fill in there whenever needed, and possibly even come in alongside the Dutchman when more firepower is needed – a mouth-watering prospect.

That knack of being able to find the space in which to score is what has been missed in the (so-far rare, touch wood) absences of Robin van Persie for Arsenal this season. Not only does Henry have that ability, but he has the aura which simply demands the ball – if he gets into a good position, you know that if you find him he’ll bury it. Just like he did last night.

Aaron Ramsey showed invention, drive and purpose, although still not quite the composure – he, like many Arsenal players, could and most likely will learn from Henry.

Some words, too, for the supporting cast. Mikel Arteta, captain for the evening, yet again displayed marvellous intelligence and experience, rarely misplacing a single pass. His sublime poise and passing was one of the highlights, once you look past the obvious one. Another continuously solid performer has been Laurent Koscielny, and the French centre-back was once again dominant and didn’t allow Leeds to trouble him.

Alongside him Sebastien Squillaci, much maligned, didn’t cause any (more) heart trauma, and the equally written off Marouane Chamakh and Andrey Arshavin showed tender signs of improvement to any willing to sit up and notice. Chamakh tried to play his own role, instead of attempting to emulate the goal-scoring of van Persie and should perhaps be praised for doing so – he played to his strengths, giving decent lay-offs and helping link-up play. The hunger for goal-scoring still doesn’t quite seem to be there but it’s up to him to find that. Arshavin showed a lot more application and while his final product was still lacking, he showed some tidy play on the ball and threatened Leeds many times.

Aaron Ramsey showed invention, drive and purpose, although still not quite the composure – he, like many Arsenal players, could and most likely will learn from Henry. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was often a worry for Leeds with his power and pace as well as raw talent, while Alex Song did his job well. Nico Yennaris and Ignasi Miquel deputised well on each flank and did well to contain the ever-switching Andros Townsend.

The plaudits will of course, though, go to Thierry Henry. The King returning to his former haunt was always going to have some say on his comeback – luckily for those present and those watching at home, it was a big say. The magic of the FA Cup is still well and truly there. The same can be said for Henry himself.

Source: Sam Drew, The Sabotage Times on 11 Jan 12

How Laurent Koscielny Became Arsenal’s Defensive Lynchpin

Pilloried when he arrived due to some inconsistent performances and notable howlers, the Frenchman has become a vital part of Arsenal's continuing renaissance...

Laurent Koscielny’s debut season in an Arsenal shirt is probably best remembered for the howler which set in motion the collapse of all collapses as Arsenal were sent tumbling out of every competition they were in. The damage this did to Wenger’s team was immeasurable and could still be felt at the start of this season as Arsenal, having lost Fabregas and Nasri, suffered four defeats in their opening seven premier league games and were hovering above the relegation zone in early October.

Robin van Persie’s purple patch and a more settled line up has seen the Gunners emerge from what was the most uncertain period since Wenger took over in 1996. The Dutchman’s golden touch and more importantly sustained fitness is without question the main reason for his team’s resurgence but that howler in the last minute of the Carling Cup final last February is perhaps the reason behind two of Arsenal’s most improved performers this season.

Koscielny’s indecision in the dying embers of that game also featured in form Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, as their breakdown in communication allowed Obafemi Martins to roll the ball into an open net, condemning Arsenal to months of soul searching and even more dropped points. It’s rare these days for an Arsenal centre half to receive praise unless your name is Thomas Vermaelen or one of the stalwarts from years gone by but Koscielny, despite not appearing to have the physical attributes to become a dominant defender in England is really starting to show why Wenger decided to spend £10 million and pluck him from relative obscurity.

Koscielny spent four years in the lower echelons of French football with Guingamp as a right back before moving to Tours for two seasons. In his second year playing as a central defender he was named in the team of the season, Brittany based side Lorient saw the potential and gave him his chance in the French top flight. After completing only one season for Lorient, Arsenal announced his signing in July 2010.

Upon arriving in North London last summer nobody really knew what to expect, appearing a little on the scrawny side with an uncanny resemblance to the early depictions of Bart Simpson, he took time to settle and got sent off on his debut against Liverpool. Koscielny’s season followed a steady pattern where he would produce a couple of excellent performances followed by a mistake which invariably led to conceding a goal.

The player himself has identified improving physically as a reason for his consistency at the back this season. “You don’t have to play differently here, you just have to work on the physical side. I’ve worked a lot to do that.” Despite playing in the 8-2 demolition at Old Trafford and scoring a bizarre own goal in the defeat to Blackburn early this season Koscielny refused to let it affect his game, now one of the first names on Wenger’s team sheet and the player Mertesacker and Vermaelen are fighting to partner.

His performance against Barcelona at the Emirates last season was possibly his finest display in an Arsenal shirt, foiling Messi and co with a slew of impressive interceptions and immaculately timed slide tackles, the sort which are fast becoming his trademark.

Sharp in the tackle with a propensity for reading danger and making well timed interceptions, the French defender with Polish ancestry arrived in London on the back of a season where he had apparently never lost a tackle. What that statistic actually means is vague and how it was calculated is anyone’s guess, but a performance like the one against Manchester City in the Carling Cup on Tuesday evening certainly adds credence to the possibility. Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero despite combining brilliantly to decide the game were all but rendered spectators on the night as Koscielny was first to every ball, picking off each move before it gained any momentum. Surprisingly strong in aerial duels for a man his size he has also managed to cut out his penchant for giving away penalties with a less reckless approach to winning the ball back.

A regular in Laurent Blanc’s French squad Koscielny is yet to make his mark for Les Bleus, starting his first international game against the United States in November. You certainly wouldn’t rule out a starring role for the Arsenal man come Euro 2012 if these performances remain throughout the second half of the season however.

Source: Harry Dillon, The Sabotage Times on 6 Dec 11

Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny gifts Blackburn Rovers thrilling win

Blackburn Rovers quite incredibly ended up delivering on Chris Samba's promise to make Arsenal's life a living hell, all the more surprisingly given that for almost an hour the visitors looked to have only the weather to worry about. Arsenal twice took the lead and should never have lost in such a slapdash manner, yet once again they contributed to their own downfall to the extent that the supposedly unhappy Blackburn fans were speculating before the end that this could be another 8-2.

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

Laurent Koscielny to the rescue as Arsenal turn the tables on Everton

A night of forgettable football may just be remembered for years to come. Arsenal, of all teams, sustained their challenge for the title by winning ugly. They even capped their recovery from 1-0 down by scoring from a Robin van Persie corner, as Laurent Koscielny headed beyond Tim Howard in the 75th minute. The pressure was applied late and Everton could not quite resist it.

The victors had often been pedestrian, even if the goal they conceded was contentious. Samir Nasri, who has a hamstring injury, was missed terribly. A dependence has developed on a player who has been outstanding this season.

Still Arsène Wenger's men stuck together and weathered a long stretch of ineffectiveness before the substitute Andrey Arshavin equalised. It has to be assumed that the attrition took its toll of David Moyes's team later in the game after they allowed themselves to be pinned down. Although Louis Saha scored, the restricted menace in Everton's squad means that they are likely to be dominated eventually by such opponents as these.

No suggestions of that sort can be made regarding Manchester United, who still hold a five-point lead in the table, and when they come to the Emirates on 30 April Arsenal will have to be sure of themselves in every element of the game. This was a chastening fixture for even a prodigy such as Jack Wilshere, who was taken off because too much was at stake for a teenager to be left on the pitch in the hope that he would muddle through.

As challengers Arsenal have reached the stage where there are hopes, if not assumptions, and the level of stress climbs. Just as Wenger's side were settling down here, they suffered the loss of an unusual goal. In the 22nd minute Koscielny, who was the last defender, stretched a leg and deliberately made contact with a pass from Seamus Coleman. That touch nudged the ball on to Saha, who was behind him. The forward took his opportunity impeccably and no flag was raised.

The referee, Lee Mason, seemed to review the episode on the screen at the Emirates; he then consulted an assistant, Stephen Child. The offside law can be tortuous in its modern form and, unusually, both managers agreed afterwards that the goal ought not to have stood. Unsettling as it was for Arsenal, there had been more fundamental difficulties for them in the sluggish start they had made to the match. They might have had superior means to Everton but the hosts were conscious of one absentee.

With Nasri unavailable, Wenger could have been racking his brains over who could possibly assume the Frenchman's responsibilities. The manager might have asked himself if that chap Cesc Fábregas could compensate for the loss of Nasri. Flippancy aside, the Arsenal captain is the club's one player most capable of increasing his contribution and so helping to make this a season of real achievement for the club.

He has scored only three Premier League goals in the current campaign and his marksmanship was dubious here when he pulled a shot wide after he had been set up by a back-heel from Van Persie in the 17th minute. Fábregas is unlikely to come anywhere close to last season's tally of 15 goals in the league alone, which he reached despite having his club season ended by a leg fracture in March.

There was a hint of another sort of impact in this match when he set up Van Persie but the centre-forward could not keep his balance and his attempt went high in the 37th minute. At that point Wenger's men had not subdued the visitors and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov had to be denied by the goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, although the angle was tight.

Bookings for Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky gave the impression that the concentration levels of the Arsenal players were dubious. Everton, with an hour gone, had stopped their opponents from showing the normal grace. The visitors, indeed, were not always pinned down around their own penalty area.

Arshavin took over from Rosicky in the 62nd minute and he levelled the score eight minutes later. Arshavin was standing behind Jack Rodwell but it was the midfielder's header from a chipped pass by Fábregas that set him up to equalise. Belatedly Arsenal were on course for a result that they will find curiously satisfying.

Source: Kevin McCarra, The Guardian on 2 Feb 11

Fabregas returns for Gunners

Arsenal will have captain Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Denilson (groin), Alex Song (calf) and Andrey Arshavin (virus) all back for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash against Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium.

England teenager Jack Wilshere has now completed a three-match domestic ban, while fit-again Theo Walcott is pressing for a start having scored in the midweek Champions League defeat away to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (elbow), centre-half Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles), midfielder Abou Diaby (ankle) and left-back Kieran Gibbs (knee) remain out, while long-term absentees Aaron Ramsey and Robin van Persie are close to a return.

Laurent Koscielny has challenged his Arsenal team-mates to become "unbreakable'' at the Emirates Stadium as Arsene Wenger's men look to keep up the pressure on Chelsea.

Recent domestic encounters at Ashburton Grove have been anything but straightforward, with laboured wins over Birmingham and bottom club West Ham following the shock defeat by West Brom on September 25.

Koscielny, a £10million summer signing from Lorient, admits the result against the Baggies still leaves a "bitter taste'' - and one the French centre-half is determined not to repeat.

"The toughest match for me so far was definitely West Brom,'' the 24-year-old said.

"I had been playing lots of games prior to that one and was at the limit of my physical possibilities.

"When you are not at your physical best, it is hard to mentally give the effort such a game requires.

"To lose against them at the Emirates Stadium left a bitter taste and we have to be unbreakable at home.''

The centre-half added: "Everyone can play his part, go out onto the pitch and do something that benefits the team. That's so important.

"The confidence is good, the atmosphere among everyone is too, everyone is pulling in the same way. Positive feeling like this helps us face matches and win them.''

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton will make a late decision on whether or not to include Sol Campbell against his former club.

The 36-year-old has trained all week after recovering from a thigh injury, but will have to wait until the last moment to discover if he will travel.

Steven Taylor is likely to be included after making the bench for last weekend's derby victory over Sunday following his return from a shoulder problem, while Leon Best (ankle) will resume training on Monday.

However, Steve Harper (shoulder), Hatem Ben Arfa (double leg fracture) and Dan Gosling (knee) remain on the sidelines.

Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton is quietly rebuilding his career after bouncing back from rock bottom.

The 28-year-old will run out to face Arsenal with the rehabilitation process ongoing, but having rediscovered the kind of form which brought him to England prominence during his time at Manchester City.

It is a measure of the extent to which Barton has put his problems behind him that he has won over fans who once reviled him for dragging their club's name through the dirt.

Kevin Nolan and Shola Ameobi, closely followed by Andy Carroll, a youngster who has had his own share of off-the-field problems, claimed most of the headlines in the wake of last Sunday's stunning 5-1 derby demolition of Sunderland.

However, Barton, as he has been so often so far this season, was at the heart of most of what was good about the Magpies, and went about his business with a smile, rather than a snarl on his face.

Hughton said: "Joey is playing and he is playing well, and there is nothing players like more than that.

"People can say whatever they want to say about money and cars and all of these things - what players want more than anything is to be playing and playing well, and Joey is doing both.''

The current season is Barton's fourth on Tyneside since he made his £5.8million switch from City after effectively being shown the door in the wake of his training ground bust-up with Ousmane Dabo.

It has been far from plain sailing since with injuries, a furious bust-up with temporary boss Alan Shearer and, infamously, a spell in prison for assault, having seen him plumb the depths.

But having confronted his demons and worked hard to address them, he has slowly, but surely edged his way back to the point where it is his football and nothing else which is worthy of note.

Hughton said: "He is having a really consistent period at the moment, touch wood, with no injuries.

"He has been a really big player for us this season."

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 6 Nov 10

Laurent Koscielny leads the way as Arsenal's class eventually shows

It feels like years ago that Arsène Wenger put the scoring into boring Arsenal. His team passed a milestone here, having only a few minutes to bask in their 1,000th Premier League goal under their French tutor before swiftly moving on to number 1,001. Arsenal's lust for goals has never been the issue. Not in seasons past and not this term. It is their vague relationship with robustness that keeps the sceptics doubting whether they can be serious contenders for silverware.

Bolton did their utmost to expose Arsenal's famously soft centre, with Kevin Davies, at times, summoning the ghost of Sam Allardyce and those feisty battles of old – but quality prevailed. It helps to have the craft of Cesc Fábregas on your side. The Spaniard is not back to full match sharpness, but still managed to provide three assists. There was also the beginnings of a slightly stronger jaw from Arsenal. As Wenger noted afterwards: "From the two games against Blackburn and Bolton, two years ago we would not have taken six points."

To the newcomers to this hurly-burly division, the Premier League is nothing if not an education. Laurent Koscielny and Sébastien Squillaci, a new partnership at the back, probably exchanged a few choice French words at the end of a game that gave them a crash course in what to expect. For young Jack Wilshere came the realisation that, in some ways, it can be less painful playing for Bolton than against them. All came through some testing moments.

The visiting contingent sang for the boy who had impressed during a loan spell with them last season, but, on the pitch, the rendezvous was less generous and Davies gave the teenager an early whack with a poor, late challenge in the centre circle. Wilshere may not be the biggest boy in the playground, but he has a tough enough streak to suggest he will not let a few hard knocks get in the way of enterprising football.

He was pivotal in Arsenal taking a 24th-minute lead, arcing a pass towards the far post for Fábregas to tuck back to Koscielny. The defender, making his first competitive appearance at the Emirates, was thrilled to mark the occasion with a poked-in goal. On his birthday weekend, how could life get any better?

Oh. In first-half stoppage time, Koscielny wiped the smile off his own face with a casual backpass that gifted Bolton an equaliser. The excellent Lee Chung-yong was alert to the confusion and served up a perfect lofted cross for Johan Elmander to nod in. As per usual, Arsenal's dominance came undone in a moment of defensive inertia.

Bolton had their young goalkeeper Adam Bogdan to thank for half-time parity. The Hungarian saved well on his debut from Andrey Arshavin, Fábregas and Tomas Rosicky. The visitors emerged into the second half determined to tussle with Arsenal on a more equal footing. Wenger must have been all knotted up to see another of his new arrivals from France struggling to adjust to Premier League pace. Marouane Chamakh was caught dithering by Gary Cahill and Bolton caught a glimpse of goal. It seemed to wake up the Moroccan striker. A thumping strike with his left foot was palmed away by Bogdan and he powered in the second with his head. Unsaveable.

The temperature rose. The home crowd bayed for a sending-off when Davies clashed heads with Koscielny, and Paul Robinson escaped even a booking for a reckless lunge that put Abou Diaby out of the game. But so curious was referee Stuart Attwell's analysis of events he brandished his red for a follow-through by Cahill on Chamakh that was far from the worst offence. Bolton's fury was compounded because they felt Lee had been fouled earlier in the move. "It was one of the biggest free-kicks you'll ever see," lamented Owen Coyle, who insisted Cahill's challenge was only worthy of yellow and complained the decision spoiled a well-balanced game.

The pendulum swung towards Arsenal when Alex Song scored a landmark goal, skipping past Zat Knight and dinking the ball over Bogdan before Carlos Vela steered in at the end of a mesmerising move to give the result its gloss.

Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 11 Sep 10

Cole and Koscielny have debuts to forget

By their very nature, debuts tend to be landmark occasions. The novelty factor at Anfield went beyond a sprinkling of new faces, however: none had the chance to ease themselves into their new surroundings on an afternoon of unforeseen events that revolved around the newcomers. Roy Hodgson and Joe Cole, Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny may forget this game, but it is unlikely to be soon.

In the eventual appraisal, Hodgson may have acquitted himself the best, despite the unkind setback Arsenal's late leveller provided. He has located Liverpool's spirit, which seemed lost when they surrendered tamely to Chelsea in their last league outing at Anfield, and injected his own tactical nous. Denied victory, Hodgson's astute deployment of his 10 men in the second half nevertheless suggested he has been able to implement his ideas quickly.

Yet it was his marquee signing who left Liverpool depleted. On his two Anfield appearances, Cole can be described in those twin two clichés, hero and villain. The broader picture is that they are neither triumph nor disaster, but they are wildly different nonetheless. Rapturously received against Rabotnicki, he was man of the match. Otherwise undistinguished in his Premier League bow against Arsenal, he was sent off.

A feature of Cole's cameo was his willingness to tackle, augmenting Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano's efforts in the midfield. It was less admirable when his bid to block Koscielny's clearance left the Frenchman writhing in agony. The Liverpool captain had likened his team-mate to Lionel Messi, but presumably he wasn't referring to the Barcelona player's dismissal on his debut for Argentina; this was an unwanted echo.

''He is not the guy who goes in for blood-curdling tackles,'' said Hodgson. ''He was a little bit unlucky. He didn't dive in front of the player, he dived in front of the ball to try and stop it being played down the line.''

The position of the challenge, near the corner flag, explains Arsene Wenger's habitual inability to witness the incident, but he may form part of the case for the defence. ''Joe Cole is usually a fair player,'' he said. ''He is not one who likes to hurt people. He kicked him accidentally but well. Koscielny had a big knock on his shin, we were scared it might be broken.''

It was not, which permitted the central defender to complete a rare double: stretchered off in one half, sent off in the other. A second booking arrived in injury time for handball, resulting in his exit and absence against Blackpool on Saturday.

By then, the other import from French football had made his impact. Chamakh may prove the target man Arsenal have lacked; for 89 minutes it was not evident as the uncompromising Jamie Carragher provided a forceful introduction to English football. Then the Moroccan rose above Jose Reina, forcing the ball against the woodwork, before it went in when the unfortunate goalkeeper failed to hold on to the ball.

In his manager's mind, Chamakh is off the mark. ''He shows as well by scoring the goal - you don't agree with me that he scores the goal? - that he is not afraid to put his head and body in,'' said Wenger. Sadly for Chamakh, few agreed with his interpretation of events: it is an own goal.

Liverpool had led. Immediately after half-time, Javier Mascherano's pass set David Ngog clear. The man who, to his detractors, isn't Fernando Torres, finished like the World Cup winner. It was a curate's egg of a performance from Ngog - he spent much of the first half straying offside - but one that nevertheless contained evidence of the potential that brought him to Anfield. When Torres belatedly entered the game, the standing ovation, for once, could have been aimed at both men. That said, and while not as culpable as Reina, there was a suspicion that Manuel Almunia could have done better as the Frenchman's shot flew past him.

A memorable win appeared on the cards. Backs-against-the-wall efforts can seem to suit such characters as Carragher while Mascherano seemed intent on compensating for Liverpool's one-man deficit on his own. Then came Arsenal's late riposte. ''To lose it so close to the end was harsh on us,'' said Hodgson. ''We got a deserved equaliser,'' countered Wenger.

Whichever, it meant both sides sustained patterns from last season. Late goals were the bane of Liverpool's lives last season and the reason Arsenal remained in the title race for as long as they did. The faces have changed, but the habits remain.

MAN OF THE MATCH:
Javier Mascherano - ''One of the best in the world at his job,'' said Hodgson. On this evidence, it was hard to disagree. Relentlessly competitive, snapping into challenges and covering plenty of ground, it was hard to reconcile the Argentine's performance with his stated desire to leave. ''The fact is we want to keep him here,'' added his manager. ''We will keep him here unless an offer comes along that is correct, commensurate with his value. At the moment it's not there, not even on the horizon. If these clubs are so interested, it would be nice if they contacted Liverpool.''

LIVERPOOL VERDICT:
Until Reina's late mistake, the spine of the side were excellent: the goalkeeper made several fine saves, Carragher and Martin Skrtel defended with great determination and Mascherano formed a formidable partnership with Gerrard. When Torres is fully fit, that may bode well. Yet it was less auspicious that they spent much of the first half on the back foot when Arsenal's passing was slicker.

ARSENAL VERDICT:
The arrivals of Theo Walcott and Rosicky were reasons for the comeback, with each making his mark. Nonetheless, with Robin van Persie only appearing for the final quarter of an hour and Cesc Fabregas absent altogether, the feeling persisted that their hopes rest with the two talismen. Koscielny's suspension heightens the need for defensive replacements in the next fortnight.

Source: Richard Jolly, ESPN Soccernet on 15 Aug 10