Wenger's reaction to the Marseille 0-1 Arsenal match

on the late victory...
We left it very late but we had a difficult start. We lost some balls in the first half due to the fact Marseille pressed us well.

They didn't find their fluency but in the second half we took over and I don't think Marseille were dangerous at all [after half-time]. Marseille defended very well but you could see in the last 15 minutes we created some chances and were rewarded because we kept going and got an important victory.

on the potential to win the group...
We've made a little step forward but we have to be humble. We are a team who must continue to grow and we have to show that. The next game at home against Marseille is very important."

on growing with confidence…
Yes it will help us but if you look back last five or six games you will see we only have one defeat. We are slowly getting there - that will help tonight.

on Carl Jenkinson's injury…
He has a knee problem. He overstretched his knee and we will check that tomorrow.

on Aaron Ramsey's impact...
It was a great finish, you see Ramsey in front of goal and you know you have a good chance to score. He is a goalscorer. I do not want to overplay him. I have seen in my mind that he had been injured for a year - Wilshere played a lot last year [and is now injured]. I try to be a bit more cautious when I can.

on the question of luck...
We lost two points in Dortmund in the last seconds of the game. We lost a Champions League Final in the last part of the game with 10 men. We are not always lucky but when you face good opposition you need to take your chances.

on the second-half improvement...
I felt like we needed to be patient and intelligent. You could see our midfield had experience - we didn't make stupid mistakes and we didn't play stupid balls. It's an important win but you take any win away from home in the Champions League.

on Marseille's chances of taking second place...
They have a chance to qualify. They are a good team, they were intelligent and disciplined. The game was blocked tactically by two teams. We tried to push Marseille but sometimes this is the way of football, these games happen.
 
Source: Arsenal.com on 19 Oct 11

19 October 2011: Marseille 0-1 Arsenal, Stade Velodrome

An injury-time winner from Aaron Ramsey saw Arsenal snatch a sensational win at Marseille on Wednesday night to take control of Champions League Group F.

A tense, tight stalemate seemed to be meandering to a close when Johan Djourou’s raking cross from the right was nudged on by Gervinho to the unmarked Welshman at the far post.

He took a touch to steady himself then fired his side to the top of the table.

It was a goal out of nothing. Before then both defences had been on top and there had been little to split the sides.

Both had seen solid penalty shouts turned down, as well as enjoying one decent chance apiece – Walcott for Arsenal, Lucho Gonzalez for Marseille.

Still, you get what you grab in the Champions League and Arsenal now lead Group F with seven points. Marseille have six, Olympiacos three and Dortmund one.

With two of their three remaining games at Emirates Stadium, Wenger’s side have the fate firmly in their own hands.

And, as far the 'recovery' goes, this was Arsenal's fifth win in their last six matches.

Wenger had promised to field his strongest possible side in, along with the trip to Dortmund, their toughest fixture in Group F. He made two changes from the team that had edged out Sunderland 2-1 at the weekend.

Kieran Gibbs (stomach muscle) was replaced by Andre Santos at left back while Andrey Arshavin was preferred to Gervinho on the left. With Theo Walcott retained on the right and Rosicky in central midfield, it was an attacking selection.

The Stade Velodrome is known for possessing one of Europe’s most partisan atmospheres. It was loud enough this evening despite one of the stands being empty - apart from the 1,400 travelling supporters. The stadium is in the middle of reconstruction work ahead of Euro 2016.

Uefa’s official previews had described Marseille’s 3-0 over Dortmund last time out as “a counter-attacking masterclass”. Certainly the feeling was that they had ceded ample possession to the German champions, ridden their luck but, most importantly, taken their chances.

There was an indication of that last quality after only three minutes this evening when Loic Remy pounced on hesitation by Alex Song just outside the area. The Arsenal midfielder hauled down the winger in a desperate attempt to regain possession and picked up a booking for his troubles. Andre Ayew barely tested Wojciech Szczesny with the free-kick.

At the other end Van Persie dived to nod wide a Theo Walcott cross, unaware that he had been already flagged offside.

However, it was an isolated effort as Arsenal struggled to settle. Marseille bossed the first quarter-hour. Benoit Cheyrou fired over then a left-wing cross from Jeremy Morel hit the hand of Carl Jenkinson at the near post. On another night, it would have been a penalty - Ayew was booked for protesting the decision.

The let-off only served to inspire Arsenal. They staged a five-minute siege on the Marseille goal midway through the half.

First Arteta’s corner had to be punched clear by Steve Mandanda. Then the Spaniard flung in another that Mertesacker nodded back into the area and Van Persie’s header was cleared off the line by Souleymane Diawara. Replays later confirmed the same defender had clearly handled when the initial ball had been played in.

It was now 1-1 in solid penalty shouts.

On the half-hour, Remy shone again on the left for Marseille. He nudged the ball past Mertesacker on the byline then fooled Jenkinson before sending a deflected effort across the face of Szczesny's goal.

Shortly afterwards, Lucho Gonzalez nudged an effort just beyond the far post from Mathieu Valbuena’s clipped in cross.

They were Marseille’s best efforts so far but, in an open game of many half-chances, neither side had really carved out anything clear-cut.

The second half began in similar fashion. A melee in the goal area on the hour typified a game in which the attacking elements had never quite clicked into place.

Remy hoisted the ball into the area where Ayew and Lucho tussled Jenkinson and Mertesacker for a five-second period in which no-one had control of the ball.

Song stepped in with a fine challenge and eventually Jenkinson hacked the ball clear. However, he injured himself in the process and hobbled off. Johan Djourou replaced him.

In the 63rd minute, Arsenal created perhaps their first clear chance at goal. Walcott squeezed the ball past Alou Diarra but could not prod an angled shot past Mandanda from six yards out.

It was the winger’s last act. Two minutes later he was replaced by Gervinho.

The substitutions had done little for Arsenal going forward. As time ticked away both sides seemed to have settled for a point apiece.

Valbeuna fooled Mertesacker on the right but his cross amounted to nothing. All Gervinho’s energy came to no avail.

Ramsey’s strike came with virtually the last kick of the match and was as unexpected as it was welcome. Djourou's searching ball eventually landed at the feet of the Welshman, who cut inside before finishing coolly to seal the points for Wenger's side.

It seems that all Arsenal’s good fortune is reserved for the Champions League at the moment.

But this was a welcome win for a fast-recovering side.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 19 Oct 11

Robin van Persie gives relieved Arsenal victory over Sunderland

Where would Arsenal be without Robin van Persie? It is a question they dare not contemplate, even if it threatens to become an issue next summer – and the reason was writ large upon this vital but nervous victory.

The captain's contribution from the start was eye-catching, but it was the waft of his left boot with nine minutes remaining that provided the decisive moment, and one that led to an outpouring of relief in this corner of north London.

His team had performed their usual trick of turning a position of strength into one of weakness in what had seemed like no time at all. Sunderland, who dug in for their embattled manager, Steve Bruce, could reflect upon costly misses in the second part of the first half.

Arsenal recovered to control the second period without creating too much of clear-cut note, and it looked as if Sunderland might hang on for a battling point. Van Persie, though, refused to allow that story-line to play out. He won a free-kick from Wes Brown after a surging run and, having placed the ball, sent it spinning over the defensive wall and into the top corner. If his team were just about value for the win, he fully deserved his ovation at full-time.

Van Persie's dream calendar year goes on. His two goals here took his tally for Arsenal to 28 in 34 games. It is little wonder that the club are desperate for him to extend his contract beyond June 2013 and why the Dutchman's preference for waiting until next summer to open talks has prompted such anxiety.

"Unfortunately, the ideal situation does not exist often," said the manager, Arsène Wenger. "The ideal situation is that he extends his length of contract but if he does not, we have to respect that. What is important is that he plays like he plays. For me, commitment is not how long you are at the club, it is as long as you are there, you give 100 per cent until the last day of your contract.

"Robin knows that we are ready to talk. The most important thing is what you do today and how much you are committed to the cause for as long as you are at the club."

Van Persie has grown weary of the furore surrounding his desire to postpone the contract discussions, which has been interpreted as a sign that he does not want to commit long-term just yet. He was asked after the game whether his future was at the club. "I'm committed, as I said," he replied. "This is my eighth year. If you can see one player who is committed, it is me."

Nobody doubts Van Persie's commitment when he crosses the white line and it was his impishness that inspired Arsenal to a fine start. He punished Sunderland for their early sleepwalking with a predator's finish on 29 seconds, which was Arsenal's quickest goal of the Premier League era. The he almost added a gem. Having beaten Kieran Richardson with a languid Cruyff-turn, he chipped sumptuously towards the left top corner: think Eric Cantona for Manchester United against Sunderland in 1996. Unlike Cantona, however, he was denied by the woodwork.

Arsenal were in charge midway through the first-half but by half-time had surrendered the lead and were fortunate not to be trailing. It was a shocking turnaround and they left the field to a smattering of boos. Wenger spoke of a "confidence wobble" and it represented further evidence of his team's brittleness. Sunderland's equaliser came after Mikel Arteta's needless handball gave Sebastien Larsson the opportunity of a free-kick from 25 yards and the former Arsenal midfielder curled the ball to perfection.

Bruce's team went for the jugular and he felt that the result would have been different if Lee Cattermole had converted a header from point-blank range, rather than seen Wojciech Szczesny save sharply. Jack Colback also volleyed over when well placed. Van Persie's brilliance ensured that Arsenal escaped with the three points.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 16 Oct 11

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland match

on Robin van Persie's contribution…
Well, he scored two goals. I think you have to analyse the game a little bit to see how important he is. The first goal was a good display of the team and the second chance he made the difference just because of his skill, which was exceptional.

on the game...
We started well for the first 25 minutes and then when they equalised you could see that we were wobbling a bit with confidence. At half time the team regrouped and then the second half was all us. I have seen a few games over the weekend and I must say that of all the teams away from home Sunderland were 100 per cent committed, played with six midfielders and four defenders and fought for every inch on the pitch. I did not see many teams doing that yesterday so I believe that they deserve a lot of credit. They made life difficult for us.

on free-kick opportunities…
We didn't make enough of our free-kicks, that's an area that we can improve. If you consider the number of free-kicks we had today in interesting zones and the corners we had in offensive positions I feel we have to make more of our set-pieces.

on growing confidence…
We have now won five home games on the trot. If we can put another two or three results together it will help confidence because you can feel that the attitude and spirit of the team is great. Even at half time we had a good response. The motivation is there and the quality too so we should eventually get there.

on Van Persie's captaincy credentials...
Many people question his leadership qualities but I believe he is completely committed for the cause on a daily basis. What's even more important is that he does the job on the football pitch.

on his status as a free-kick taker...
Yes he among the best in the league, with Sebastian Larsson. I think Larsson is maybe the best free-kick taker in the league.

on Van Persie's contract…
It depends what you call commitment. For me commitment is not about how long you are at a club. As long as you are at a club you will give 100 per cent until the last day of your contract. That for me is what you call commitment. The length of a contract is completely different. For me you have players who have ten-year contracts who don't give full commitment, and for me it is not about the length of a contract. He knows that we are ready to talk about it but the most important thing is today and how much you are committed to the cause as long as you are at the Club.

on a new deal for Van Persie being the 'ideal situation'…
Unfortunately the ideal situation in football does not exist often. The ideal situation is that he extends his contract but if he doesn't you have to respect that. You know what is important is that he plays like he plays because we are all here to see special football players and he is a special football player.

on Marseille…
Marseille is a good team but they are under pressure a little bit like we are in the league because they didn't start as strong as they would have expected. That puts more pressure on you. They have done well in the Champions League, certainly, because it is a competition where there is a bit less expectation and they are less under pressure. They are a quality team.

on Kieran Gibbs and Aaron Ramsey…
Gibbs has an inflammation of his stomach muscles. Ramsey has a small chance to be in the squad, he had fatigue of his hamstring but it is a very, very minor one. I wanted to give him a breather. It would have been a gamble to play.

Source: Arsenal.com on 16 Oct 11

16 October 2011: Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland, Emirates Stadium

Robin van Persie reaffirmed his commitment to Arsenal then fired his side to a crucial 2-1 win over Sunderland on Sunday.

Before kick-off this afternoon, the captain used his programme notes to assure the Emirates Stadium faithful that his full focus was on hauling Arsène Wenger’s team back up the table.

Within half a minute of the opening whistle he set about doing just that by putting Arsenal in front. The home side, and Van Persie, looked like grabbing more in the wake of the goal but an excellent free-kick from Seb Larsson on the half-hour undermined their early confidence.

Arsenal went on the offensive after the interval but it looked like being another one of ‘those’ afternoons before Van Persie fired home a late free-kick that matched Larsson’s for quality.

This was not the most convincing victory but, nonetheless, a victory it was.

In the end, it will be those – and only those – that bring Arsenal back into contention at the top of the table.

And three points this afternoon lifts them back into the upper half of that list.

Wenger made three changes from the side beaten at Tottenham a fortnight earlier. Bacary Sagna had suffered a fractured fibula in that game so Carl Jenkinson made only his fourth first-team start at right back.

Aaron Ramsey had suffered a muscular injury playing for Wales in midweek so Tomas Rosicky returned to central midfield. Laurent Koscielny was fit again so Alex Song moved back into his familiar role as the defensive shield. Francis Coquelin had belied his years to fill that role with aplomb at White Hart Lane. This afternoon he dropped out of the squad.

Sunderland were without Nicklas Bendtner due to the terms of his loan spell from Arsenal. Surprisingly Steve Bruce employed midfielder Stephane Sessegnon as his lone front man.

As the home crowd settled down into their seats at Emirates Stadium they may have read the matchday programme – and Van Persie’s notes in particular - with interest.

In the first 15 minutes the Dutchman played like he was making a point.

Inside 30 seconds he put Arsenal ahead by cleverly allowing a pass from Gervinho to run across his body on the edge of the area before firing low past Simon Mignolet.

It was Van Persie’s sixth of the season and he celebrated with relief as much as joy. Then he set about adding to the total.

In the 12th minute he came closest. The captain shielded Arteta’s pass away from his marker down the right-hand channel then, with Mingolet off his line, tried to execute a Bergkamp-style chip over the keeper and into the net. However, his effort hit the inside the of the far post and bounced across the goal-line before Sunderland managed to snaffle away the danger.

A couple of minutes later he thundered a shot just wide from the edge of the area.

On another day Van Persie would have had a hat-trick inside 15 minutes – and a high quality one at that.

In the 21st minute Gervinho muscled in on the skipper’s one-man show by cutting inside from the left and firing over from range.

Up to this point it was all Arsenal. Sunderland were being overrun and in acute danger of conceding more.

However, by the half-hour they would be level. Just before the equaliser, Sessegnon beat the Arsenal offside trap - and then the charging Szczesny - but the hosts managed to get enough bodies back to defend the open goal.

A couple of minutes later Arsenal failed to clear their lines and the jumping Mikel Arteta handled a high, hanging clearance.

Larsson had perfected his free-kick technique as a Reserve-team player with the home side. He displayed just how much he had learnt by curling a pin-point effort past Szczesny from 25 yards.

It was less than Sunderland deserved but the visitors quickly sought to capitalise. Sessegnon found space on the left of the area and he was given enough space to reach Lee Cattermole four yards out. The midfielder’s header was from point-blank range but Szczesny threw himself to his left to make the save. A brilliant and crucial stop.

Suddenly Arsenal looked nervous. They tried to rally but Sunderland carved out another clear chance in injury time when Larsson nodded down for the unmarked Jack Colback to whip a volley inches over the bar.

Wenger sent his side out with a different mentality after the break. In the opening stages, Song had a goal-bound shot charged down then Walcott forced a fine save from Mignolet at the near post.

Although Arsenal lost Kieran Gibbs in the 53rd minute, fortunately they had a direct replacement in Andre Santos.

The change did not upset the home side’s charge for a second goal. As a result, Sunderland picked up a flurry of yellow cards trying to stop Arsenal breaking through.

In the 65th minute, Van Persie’s low effort was kicked away by Mignolet at the near post. Despite dominating territorially, it was the closest Arsenal had come in the second half.

Not surprisingly, Wenger made an attacking change shortly afterwards – Andrey Arshavin for Gervinho. The Russian was quickly in the game.

In the 73rd minute, he weaved through four Sunderland defenders before poking a shot just wide.

After that, Wenger threw on Yossi Benayoun for Rosicky. The pattern of the game was now set – Arsenal attacking, camped in the visitors’ half; Sunderland defending, working hard to snuff out their hosts’ attacks.

It seemed like one of those days when individual brilliance or good fortune would decide the three points.

In the end, it was the former.

Eight minutes from full time, Wes Brown upended Van Persie just outside the area to the right of goal. The Dutchman stepped up to curl home a fine free-kick. Yet again, relief was the only response.

Sunderland substitute Ji Dong-Won had the ball in the net seconds later but was rightly flagged offside. However Arshavin, who was having a fine cameo, stung the hands of Mignolet in reply.

The visitors had now performed an about-face. They were pouring forward and Arsenal were defending for their lives.

But, by hook or by crook, the home side got the win they so needed.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 16 Oct 11

Devastating derby day

The defeat to Liverpool was frustrating, the destruction against Manchester United was horrific, the embarrassment of Blackburn was bad, but losing to Spurs brought pain, anger, anguish, frustration and general lamenting of our season to a completely new level.

I said in my last blog that any progression in the last couple of weeks would seem almost meaningless if we lost to Tottenham. It feels like we’ve gone even further back past the Blackburn defeat. Regardless of whether the performance was good or not, it’s incredibly difficult to accept losing to shadow dwellers.

The performance wasn’t terrible as we controlled long periods of the match, however in the mind of every Arsenal fan it will be, and should be, judged as not good enough. Defensively we were too open again, didn’t convert a couple of great chances and didn’t create enough of them to get a result out of the game.

15th with seven points from seven games tells its own story. Title chances went weeks ago, top four hopes are fading fast, the top six is beginning to look like a challenge, even the top half would be nice at the moment.

To be honest, I don’t want to go into the game in much depth as it was incredibly painful to see us lose to them, plus our problems are much the same as they have been throughout the season. If we are serious about making the top four, Arsene Wenger has no choice but to get tough and be realistic about the side. He needs to be more ruthless about who isn’t performing. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may only be a raw talent but has scored twice in two starts and plays with a freedom that isn’t seen in the rest of the squad. Theo Walcott’s half decent start to the season has dissolved and he looks very light weight going forward. Despite scoring at the weekend, Aaron Ramsey has struggled to impose himself on games. Is it time to try someone else?

The problem is that we’ve had a massive chunk of bad luck with injuries in the last few weeks, so often players haven’t been available to make necessary changes to the starting XI, and that was compounded at the weekend. This is clearly a team in transition, a team in need of stability and a team that is still becoming accustomed to playing with each other. Having so many key players missing from injury has definitely hindered attempts to get momentum into our season.

Having four centre backs out injured would seriously damage all Premier League teams, as would having your best player from the previous season unable to play a game until February. Even if we wanted to make a change in the centre of midfield, Tomas Rosicky’s form has been poor and Abou Diaby is also injured. It’s not like the treatment room is emptying either. Two of our best performers in the season have now gone in as well. Bacary Sagna suffered a fractured fibula at White Hart Lane and will miss at least three months of the season. Given our recent timescales with injuries, we can’t realistically expect to the Sagna play again until February or March. Wojciech Szczesny has got a back problem and will miss at least the international break.

Injuries shouldn’t be used as excuses for our failures, as there are deeper lying problems within the club, but undoubtedly they haven’t helped.

We are now heavily reliant on Carl Jenkinson. He can’t be faulted for effort or commitment in games, but the bare facts are that he is inexperienced and isn’t near the level of our injured right-back. The sale of Emmanuel Eboue is now looking like a mistake. The Ivorian may have divided opinion, but at least we’d be able to rely on him (most of the time) to capably fill in at right-back. I also think his positive attitude and popularity amongst the team is being missed.

Now, having Emmanuel Eboue would in no way solve our numerous problems, as much as I’d like it to or mythically imagine it could do. However it’s an example of what seemed like a minor decision to sell him, combining with other minor decisions that have left us with major issues. The first port of call for blame has to be Arsene Wenger. I’ve said it many times on this blog, I think he is a fantastic manager and I can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for Arsenal Football Club, but the team is now on the verge of a disastrous season. For a club built around our self-sufficient business model, not making the Champions League could have so many negative impacts. Ultimately, to succeed off the pitch in a business sense, we have to have a successful team on the pitch. Few can claim that our current team is successful.

Should we not make the Champions League, I can see Arsene Wenger leaving at the end of the season. I think he has to be given the rest of the season to try and turn it around, because trying to find a manager mid-season would create even more unrest and disruption to the playing squad. Not just for the sake of the club, but for Wenger himself, I’m desperate for him to turn things round. Unfortunately, I’m struggling to see how it’s going to happen at the moment. We absolutely have to make sure the defence is solid, we have to create more chances, and we have to take those we do create. It sounds so simple, but it’s what we need to climb the table. Obviously it’s made harder by our lack of personnel in key positions, but it’s time for the players, manager and coaching staff to look at themselves over the international break and question whether they are giving and doing everything they can to get Arsenal out this substantial hole. I wouldn’t mind betting that in the majority of cases the answer is no.

Having said all of that, we can still have a slight sense of injustice about the game at White Hart Lane. Rafael van der Vaart controlled the ball with his arm in the build-up so the goal shouldn’t have counted. He then ran into the crowd when on a yellow. I think it’s a stupid rule to get booked for going into the crowd, but the rule exists so it should have been applied. It was either no goal, and possibly a second yellow for the handball, or a goal and a second yellow.

The winning goal was another once-in-a-lifetime strike, like Danny Rose’s goal for Spurs against us in 2010. I doubt Kyle Walker will ever a ball in the same way again so as it just serves in front of the goalkeeper. Our defending in the build-up to the goal was abysmal though. Its basic stuff to mark men from a throw in, and we didn’t do it so some could argue we deserved to concede a goal from that situation.

One of the only positives from the game was Francis Coquelin. As at Old Trafford, he stood out above the more established players around him. If Song has to continue as a centre back, Emmanuel Frimpong will have to get past Coquelin to get into the team. However, I could see Coquelin playing as a right back in Bacary Sagna’s absence, especially if Jenkinson struggles with the rigours of regular Premier League and Champions League football.

We now have the boredom of an international break where we’ll all cross everything that we don’t get more injuries. I’m just waiting to hear that Robin van Persie has been kicked when playing for Holland so he disappears for the rest of the season. If that happens, it won’t be unreasonable for most fans to write the season off completely.

I’m worried for the rest of the season. We’re one injury from not even getting near Europe. I don’t want to have to write about another defeat for a number of weeks, and especially not one against Tottenham. It wasn’t the final straw, but it’s fair to say there aren’t many left.

Source: Sam Limbert, ESPN Soccernet on 4 Oct 11

Five things we learned from Tottenham Hotspur's win over Arsenal

Spurs need more steel in midfield, Arsenal are still dozing at set-pieces and Harry Redknapp's side are more equipped to make fourth place

This was no way for Arsène Wenger to celebrate his 15th anniversary in charge
Rarely over Arsène Wenger's lengthy tenure at Arsenal has he taken his team across the capital with the watching world sensing they arrived at White Hart Lane as underdogs. After all, the Frenchman had lost only four of his 36 previous meetings in all competitions with Spurs. Yet, in slipping to defeat, the Arsenal manager's biggest regret might have been that Tottenham Hotspur hardly needed to play well to claim the spoils.

The visitors had enjoyed the majority of first‑half possession, creating clear-cut chances – most notably for Gervinho – and had shown character to recover their deficit and reimpose their poise in the early exchanges of the second period. Yet, despite the tidy performances mustered by the likes of Francis Coquelin and Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal still lost to stretch their winless run away from home to eight games. That is their worst sequence since the winter of 1991‑92.

The reality is that there remains a fragility to this team's defending which is not likely to be swiftly solved and that sense of vulnerability will nag away in tight contests against pedigree opponents. Spurs only clicked sporadically on Sunday but Arsenal always felt the likelier to crack. Wenger had conceded in the build-up that his side were "still in the rebuilding phase with our confidence" after recent away drubbings. This result will not have helped, even if his players' performance, at times, deserved better.

Tottenham needed more steel in midfield to prevail
Harry Redknapp had been bold in his team selection, omitting Sandro and selecting Jermain Defoe to partner Emmanuel Adebayor. But the inclusion of free spirits in Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric in midfield alongside the leggy running of Gareth Bale left only Scott Parker, himself keen to gallivant upfield at times, across the centre as defensive cover. At first glance it appeared a wonderfully attack-minded decision, inviting Tottenham to pour forward at every opportunity and unsettle vulnerable opponents.

But Arsenal actually outnumbered their hosts in the middle, their narrow trio of neat, ball-playing midfielders drifting into pockets of space around their counterparts and enjoyed too much possession for Spurs' comfort. Indeed, the home side's opening goal felt rather against the run of play, with Van der Vaart's inability to track Alex Song's burst after the interval critical in Arsenal's equaliser. Sandro's introduction 64 minutes in felt like an admission that the tactic of all-out attack had rather backfired, with the Brazilian's subsequent contribution to the winning goal labouring the point.

Emmanuel Adebayor's moment came as a provider, not a scorer
There was to be no goal against Arsenal for Emmanuel Adebayor as a Tottenham Hotspur striker but his former team-mates still departed bruised by the Togo forward's contribution. A player who once delighted Arsenal's fans at Tottenham's expense, and was briefly loathed at both north London clubs during his sojourn with Manchester City, is now reinventing himself as a Spur and must have craved personal reward here. Yet the nearest he came to considering how best to celebrate a goal – there would surely not have been a repeat of the end-to-end dash and slide on the knees in front of the visiting support which almost sparked a riot at Eastlands back in 2009 – was an opportunity early in the second half which was choked wonderfully by Wojciech Szczesny. Instead, he became a provider, drifting into space to deliver the precise cross which was dispatched wonderfully by Van der Vaart just before the interval. Adebayor will have an opportunity to make his own mark at the Emirates later in the season. But, as Ledley King had suggested prior to kick-off, "it's just nice to have him finally on our side now because, when he's on his game, he's unplayable".

Arsenal can doze whether they are intent upon man-to-man or zonal marking
Wojciech Szczesny had revealed his team's recent switch from zonal to man-to-man marking in the build-up as Wenger attempted to address far too much lax defending over recent times though, if that had been born of a desire to tighten up at conventional set pieces, then Arsenal are still prone to dawdle, even at throw-ins. The sloppiness Wenger has so grown to fear reared up again 17 minutes from time when Sandro was allowed to charge away from the dawdling Ramsey and Mikel Arteta and collect Benoît Assou-Ekotto's throw, the Brazilian reaching the by-line before delivering his cut-back. In the chaos that ensued, Kyle Walker fizzed his shot from distance into the corner. Szczesny, so excellent in denying Parker, Van der Vaart and Adebayor previously, and subsequently Defoe, will have felt he might have done better, though he should never have been exposed like this.

Tottenham Hotspur may be best equipped to challenge for fourth
These clubs will only be judged properly and accurately at the end of the season but, at present, it seems far likelier that Tottenham's challenge for the fourth Champions League qualification place will be more prolonged and coherent than that offered by Arsenal. The visitors may have impressed at times here but they remain prone to slipping back into bad habits: over-playing in the attacking third, lacking concentration at the back. They lie 15th, already some eight points of fourth-placed Newcastle United, six from a resurgent Liverpool and five from their bitter rivals across London. Spurs, like Arsenal, have been denied key players already this term but they have now recovered from their own dire start to rattle off fourth successive wins. Luka Modric is still theirs, and Adebayor and Parker are fine additions. If they can eke more games from King, and welcome back Michael Dawson as soon as possible, then Harry Redknapp's squad appears to boast far more depth than that of Wenger.

Source: Dominic Fifield, The Guardian on 2 Oct 11

Emmanuel Adebayor's floated pass rises above abuse from Arsenal fans

Striker sets up Tottenham's opening goal to deliver rousing riposte to terrace taunts of gun attack

Emmanuel Adebayor might have thought that he had heard it all in terms of abuse from the terraces. It does not get much worse than hearing your mother and father defamed in the most vitriolic fashion. Or maybe it does?

The Arsenal supporters were always likely to try to get under the skin of their former striker, whose presence in the lily white of Tottenham Hotspur represented the most serious of affronts, yet they managed to excel themselves when they wished that he had died in a gun massacre.

"It should have been you, it should have been you," they sang, at regular intervals in the first-half. "Shot in Angola. It should have been you."

Adebayor will forever be haunted by the terrorist attack on the Togo team bus in January of last year, in which three people were killed. He knows that if he had been sitting two rows further forward, it could have been him. It was charming, then, of the travelling fans to remind him of the trauma and it offered further proof that simply nothing is off-limits in the modern game.

Before the Tottenham crowd feel that they have any claim to the moral high ground, they should remember that it was them who abused Adebayor last season, when he was on loan at Real Madrid. And they gave plenty of airings here to the despicable chant about Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager.

Adebayor poured out the emotion when he set up Rafael van der Vaart for the opening goal with a floated pass. There was no repeat of the infamously provocative celebration from September 2009, when he ran the length of the pitch to slide on his knees in front of the Arsenal supporters after scoring for Manchester City. Instead, there was a frenzied bout of fist pumping and the brief fear that he might self-combust.

But it was easy to wonder whether the simmering fury that he felt had played any part in his gilt-edged miss in the 58th minute. Adebayor had displayed ruthless instincts in his first three matches in Tottenham colours but they deserted him when he was played clean through by Gareth Bale. His finish, when one-on-one with Wojciech Szczesny, was hesitant and the goalkeeper got down to block.

Adebayor and everyone connected to Tottenham could offer their heart-felt thanks to Kyle Walker who, like Danny Rose before him, picked some occasion and some manner to score his first goal for the club.

Rose's once-in-a-lifetime rocket in the White Hart Lane derby two season ago will arguably never be topped but Walker's have-a-go-hero effort from long-range was in the same ballpark. It was viciously struck and swerving but Szczesny blamed himself for not saving it.

The bile from the stands provided the undercurrent to the latest adrenaline‑fuelled instalment of this grudge fixture, in which Tottenham served notice of their intent to knock Arsenal from the perch that they have occupied in north London for so long.

Under Harry Redknapp, Tottenham's Premier League record against their bitter rivals now reads: W3 D3 L1. They had entered the game as the hot favourites, which was telling in itself and, five points clear of Arsenal and with a game in hand, the challenge for them is to build on the advantage.

They look capable of doing so and not only because this Arsenal team appear there for the taking whenever they leave the Emirates Stadium. This was a third consecutive away league defeat and their fourth in total; last season, their fourth league defeat came in mid-December.

Redknapp could be delighted with the performance of the club captain Ledley King, for whom this was a fourth league start in succession. The defender is a one‑man guide to the defiance of science. In front of him, Scott Parker revelled in the derby mayhem and Bale was powerful and spectacular. Arsenal felt that they were worth a draw yet the hard luck stories are becoming repetitive.

Wenger will point, with justification, to Arsenal's presence in the Champions League group stage for the 14th season in succession while Tottenham can only dream of such consistency. And this was only his fifth derby defeat in 15 years and 37 games. He has said that the season is young and judgment must be reserved but the gap between the clubs is closing. Wenger departed in a fury, after a petty squabble with the Tottenham coach Clive Allen. For him, the soul‑searching goes on.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 2 Oct 11

Kyle Walker's goal gives Spurs victory over Arsenal in frantic derby

In normal circumstances victors will be affronted if the losers get all the attention. That, however, is just one aspect of derby fixtures that differs from normal life in football. Much as the home support will prize a victory over Arsenal, which came thanks to Kyle Walker's first goal for the club, they will also revel in schadenfreude since the attempt should have been saved by the goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Tottenham are five points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League with a game in the hand. That lead may not count for much in the longer term but this result reinforced the belief that brittleness is even more conspicuous than usual at Arsenal. Arsène Wenger's team have been beaten before on this derby occasion but each defeat this season feels significant and ominous.

While resilience may have been lacking, Arsenal could be befuddled nowadays by that fact that it is other teams who pose the threat. It is not very long ago that Wenger's side would have days when they would demoralise opponents as much as they defeated them. One of the punishments for mediocrity is the fact that the club still cannot escape the thought of missing talent now that Samir Nasri and Cesc Fábregas are gone.

It was noted that Wenger did not shake hands with the Tottenham assistant coach Clive Allen at full time but that missing piece of protocol does not matter in the least when followers of the club wonder when the side will take a grip of events. Arsenal have been beaten in four of their seven Premier League fixtures. All the same, it would be wrong to dwell on the losers when there was so much to be appreciated in the victors.

This win should be remembered most of all for the promise it held for Spurs. They were superior in all areas and the authority will be all the more marked if Ledley King, a great influence from his post at centre-back, can fulfil his ambition of appearing more regularly despite the knee problems that have threatened to be the context for his entire career. Even so, Scott Parker, in his defensive midfield role, may have been the most important factor in the outcome.

White Hart Lane is inflamed by the thought of new beginnings. Tottenham were not merely bold. They had a belligerence that suggested they were in a hurry to emphasis their intention of replacing Arsenal as the leading club in north London.

Emmanuel Adebayor, a forward on the books of the visitors as recently as two years ago, had the air of a footballer determined to show that his loan move from Manchester City to Tottenham was not a backward step.

He certainly made an impression here by chipping the ball to Rafael van der Vaart, who controlled it with his chest before shooting home as Spurs took the lead in the 40th minute.

Some in the Arsenal ranks believed that the arm of the Dutchman had also been involved but the referee, Mike Dean, saw no offence. Adebayor had given a riposte to the chants directed at him by Tottenham supporters.

The match was entertaining rather than merely antagonistic. Openings were found by both sides, although the frantic tone ensured for a while that there would nearly always be some small flaw. A ball from Gareth Bale after 19 minutes was fractionally misdirected and therefore Van der Vaart could not quite get his shot on target.

Arsenal may have been far from cowed but they were inclined to be wasteful either by misdirecting their chances or making it too simple for Brad Friedel to keep a clean sheet in the first half. Gervinho tried to trick him by aiming for the small space at the near post in the 29th minute and missed the posts entirely.

The second half opened with Arsenal playing in a more concerted manner and Spurs could not contain them. Younès Kaboul sent a clearing header to the opposition's left flank and Kieran Gibbs's low cross was then turned home by Aaron Ramsey for the equaliser in the 51st minute. The occasion still contained the instability of a derby fixture, though, and Tottenham would have regained the lead sooner had Szczesny not tipped Adebayor's shot behind following a through ball from Van der Vart.

The insistence of Harry Redknapp's side was rewarded when the long-range effort by Walker eluded Szczesny. Spurs had enough control and organisation to hold tight to their lead. It does feel as if they are a club in the throes of change. That brings troubles of its own as opponents start to respond by taking a deeper interest in them than before. It has to be borne in mind, too, that the imperfections are sufficiently marked to leave them with a 5-1 beating by Manchester City.

Roberto Mancini's club do have means that appear almost limitless, yet Tottenham have to set their minds to competing with such opponents. That will invite stress of its own and Redknapp will be busy trying to shrink expectations. He cannot succeed entirely, though, when the White Hart Lane crowd is awash with anticipation.

Source: Kevin McCarra, The Guardian on 2 Oct 11

Wenger's reaction to the Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Arsenal match

on a frustrating afternoon…
Yes, because in the first half I felt we played a little but with the handbrake on. Even playing like that we had four chances. At half time we came out and had a go at them and got it back to 1-1. I felt again that we didn't push on enough and let them get back into the game.

We lack a little bit of confidence at the moment, and we just need to protect a result when we have one.

on Tottenham's first goal…
It is frustrating as well because their first goal was handball. I wonder what the linesmen do in these situations. It is a second yellow card as well because he already had one - for handball, on purpose.

on the question of Van deer Vaart going into the crowd and not being booked…
I am not a fan of that. I can understand that when a player scores there has to be some spontaneous reaction to a goal.

on the second goal conceded…
We did not defend properly and we were punished for it. I have to see it again, but yes Sczesny certainly looks disappointed.

on title hopes…
I do not think like that, I think at the moment we have to set ourselves a realistic target and to get in touch with the teams who are fighting for the Champions League positions. If you say today we will win the league it is not realistic.

At the moment we are 12 points behind Manchester United and Manchester City - that's not realistic to say today that we will win the league. We have to fight to come back into a much better position, that's reality.

on the chants from both fans…
We respect everybody and we want to be respected as well.

on Sagna injury…
We are very worried about his injury. He is in hospital at the moment and it is too early to say but the first signs do not look good at all. It is the fibula in the ankle that has to be checked, that is what I have been told. We will know tonight.

I think he was pushed quite hard by Assou-Ekotto and I'm not sure what happened to him. He might have landed the wrong way, I don't know. I will have to see it again. Straight away he wanted to be substituted.

Source: Arsenal.com on 2 Oct 11

2 October 2011: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Arsenal, White Hart Lane

Arsenal went down 2-1 in a thunderous North London derby on Sunday.

Rafael van der Vaart fired the home side in front five minutes from half-time. There was a hint of handball as the Dutchman controlled a chip from Emmanuel Adebayor but the finish was emphatic.

Arsenal were resurgent after the restart and quickly restored parity when great work from Alex Song allowed Aaron Ramsey to crash home from close range. It was his first goal since scoring the winner against Manchester United last season.

The visitors sensed another immediately but, gradually, Tottenham would take control in the latter part of the second half.

Their winner came in the 73rd minute when Song's block fell to Kyle Walker 25 yards out. His low, swerving shot beat Wojciech Szczesny down to his right and found the corner.

It was a bolt from the blue, a rocket-fuelled drive, and reminiscent of Tottenham's last derby win on this ground, which was set up by a similar effort from another young unknown full-back - Danny Rose.

This is another defeat and, given its location, hard to take. But it was not a mismatch as some had predicted.

Arsenal must just lick their wounds over the international fortnight, get their chins back in the air and dig in for the season ahead.

Wenger's team news was always going to be crucial. In all there were six changes from 2-1 win over Olympiacos on Wednesday.

The manager had said Gervinho's muscular injury would tested on the morning of the game if necessary. Whenever the examination was made, the Ivorian clearly passed.

Theo Walcott was also back from a knee problem while Robin van Persie, Aaron Ramsey and Kieran Gibbs returned after being rested in midweek.

Due to injuries elsewhere, Song reprised his centre back role alongside Per Mertesacker. However Francis Coquelin, not Emmanuel Frimpong, was handed the job of protecting the back four from midfield.

As expected, the atmosphere was cooking inside White Hart Lane at kick-off. However a similarly sizzling temperature was unusual for North London in early October.

There is always a special buzz about this game but this afternoon it was multiplied. Arsenal had started the season slowly and the home fans were hoping to capitalise.

A fast start was expected and Tottenham duly delivered.

In the sixth minute, Emmanuel Adebayor escaped from Song the right and reached the byline. Arsenal gave the ball away in trying to clear their lines and Scott Parker went clear one-on-one eight yards out. Thankfully for the visitors his finish was faltering and the effort was blocked by Szczesny at the near post.
But, at the same time, it was a major opportnuity and Arsenal grew in confidence from riding it out.

In the 15th minute, they registered their first chance when Walcott curled a low shot through a crowded area and just beyond the far post. Then, from Arteta's corner, Ramsey sent a backward header across the face of goal.

However, overall, the tide was still with Tottenham. Ramsey gave the ball away in midfield and Bale sprinted clear on the left. His cut back was behind Van der Vaart, who hoisted his effort over the bar.

After 28 minutes, Jermain Defoe fled down the right and his low cross was touched toward goal by Van der Vaart at the near post. Again Szczesny came to Arsenal's rescue, this time with his knee.

By now Arsenal were starting to have more joy going forward and, seconds later, they would carve out their best opportunity of the half.

Van Persie escaped from Younes Kaboul down the left and darted into the area. His cut back found Gervinho just inside the area. However his contact was not confident and the shot flew wide.

Then just past half-hour, Gervinho cut inside and fed the ball to Walcott weaving in from the right. The Englishman's drive had power but he could not keep it down.

Arsenal had evened up the encounter after a difficult start. But derby day is often decided by capitalising on small errors and that is how Tottenham took the lead five minutes before the break.

Adebayor drifted a ball over the head of Mertesacker to the unmarked Van der Vaart. The Dutchman chested the ball down and fired into the corner.

The German claimed the ball had rolled off Van der Vaart's shoulder and he had actually controlled it with his arm. However the goal stood.

Bale crashed a shot wide as Tottenham tried to turn the screw. But, at the break, the hosts were ahead.

They carried that tempo into the second half and, in the opening minutes, the Welshman fizzed a shot just over the bar.

It would not last. Suddenly Arsenal stepped on the gas and grabbed an equaliser.

Song drove into acres of space down the left-hand side. His fierce near-post cross was crashed into the roof of the net from close range by Ramsey. It was not just a goal, it was a tonic.

Arsenal laid a mini-siege to the Tottenham goal in search of a second. But as is the way on derby day, there was nearly a goal against the run of play.

Bale profited from defensive confusion in the centre to put Adebayor clear. It was one-on-one, all the Togolese striker had to do was pull the trigger.

However Szczesny pulled off a stunning save low to his left.

The chance gave Tottenham fresh impetus and, once again, they piled on the pressure. However the keeper was unduly tested.

Midway through the half, Sagna was forced off after damaging his ankle in landing after an aerial challenge with Benoit Assou-Ekotto. Carl Jenkinson came on.

Wenger then withdrew Walcott for Yossi Benayoun and the Isreali took a role on the right to protect the youngster.

Then came the goal. Song blocked a drive from Modric on the edge of the area. It fell to Walker, whose low, rocket-fuelled drive found its way past Szczesny.

Arsenal were rattled and nearly conceded again when Mertesacker's hesitation allowed Bale to steal in and trickle a shot just wide.

Wenger brought on Arshavin and the visitors tried to respond. However Tottenham would carve out the better chances in the final stages.

Bale gave Jenkinson problems down the left and Defoe forced a flying save from Szczesny.

Wenger threw Mertesacker forward in the dying minutes and Szczesny joined him for the final few corners.

But Tottenham held on for victory.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 2 Oct 11

Nervy Gunners hold on

Arsenal's slow revival continued as they laboured to a nervy 2-1 Champions League win over Olympiacos at Emirates Stadium.

With manager Arsene Wenger watching from the stands as he served the final game of his European touchline ban, the Gunners - who started with captain Robin van Persie on the bench - had raced into a 2-0 lead with a fine strike from youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Brazil defender Andre Santos' first goal for his new club.

However, in what has become a trademark of a disappointing start to the season, Arsenal looked anything but convincing at the back, with David Fuster powering in an unmarked header before the break.

The Gunners, who head to arch-rivals Tottenham on Sunday, were happy to sit back on their lead - but were almost caught out when Olympiacos captain Vassilis Torosidis crashed a curling 25-yard effort against the crossbar.

In the end, though, Arsenal did just enough to secure their second victory of the week and restored some much-needed confidence ahead of what is sure to be a testing trip to White Hart Lane.

After a positive start by the Greeks, who had lost all of their nine previous European ties in England, with Fuster sidefooting wide, Arsenal went ahead in the eighth minute.

Alex Song, dropped back into central defence because of mounting injury problems, chipped the ball up to the edge of the Olympiacos area, where Oxlade-Chamberlain was onto it like a flash, before making the most of a ricochet off Ivan Marcano to cut inside and then drive a low shot into the bottom right corner.

Arsenal, though, were fortunate not to concede a quick equaliser when Mikel Arteta had to clear Rafik Djebbour's close-range effort off the line.

The Gunners looked to have given themselves some breathing space when Andre Santos doubled their lead on 20 minutes.

The Brazil full-back, signed ahead of the deadline from Fenerbache, burst down the left before crossing to Marouane Chamakh.

Jose Holebas made a saving tackle in the six-yard box, but the loose ball fell back to Santos, who turned Marcano before rolling his shot inside the near post.

It should have been cruise control from then on in for Wenger's men, but this season, nothing is that simple.

Arsenal failed to defend a short corner, and Ariel Ibagaza pumped the ball back into the penalty area, where Fuster arrived unmarked to plant a header past the stranded Wojciech Szczesny.

Olympiacos - who had only scored once on English soil before tonight, conceding 29 - were soon pressing again as Djebbour found room down the right channel before driving in an angled shot which Szczesny tipped over.

Tomas Rosicky, captain for the night with van Persie on the bench, then tripped Kevin Mirallas just a yard outside the penalty area, and received a yellow card for his thoughtless challenge.

The visitors continued to be positive after the restart, with Mirallas drilling wide from 22 yards.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, playing in England's third tier with Southampton last season, continued to look Arsenal's main threat, as he scampered away down the right and forced Olympiacos goalkeeper Franco Costanzo off his line to make a near-post block.

Arsenal were living dangerously, though, and the Greeks came within inches of drawing level on the hour when Torosidis cut inside to curl a brilliant 25-yard effort over Szczesny, which rattled the crossbar.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was substituted by assistant manager Pat Rice, who was calling the shots in the dugout, and left to a standing ovation on 67 minutes, Wales captain Aaron Ramsey his replacement.

Andrey Arshavin was released down the left and charged into the Olympiacos penalty area, before turning former Villa defender Olof Mellberg and bringing a save out of Costanzo.

With 20 minutes left, van Persie replaced Chamakh as the home side looked for a third to kill off the tie.

After being played at such a frantic pace, it was no surprise to see the tempo drop in the closing stages.

Rice looked to protect Arsenal's lead when he sent on England full-back Kieran Gibbs to replace Arshavin for the final seven minutes.

Despite defending deep, the Gunners were never really threatened and made it four points from their opening two Group F games.

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 28 Sep 11

Wenger still hungry for success

Arsene Wenger marks his 15th anniversary as Arsenal boss on Saturday, and has used the occasion to reveal the pain six years without a trophy has caused him while reflecting on his time in the Premier League.

Wenger last lifted a trophy in 2005 when Arsenal claimed the FA Cup, but says he has lost none of the drive and determination to bring the Gunners further success. Arsenal will take on north London rivals Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday, as the Frenchman looks to lift his side back into the top half of the table after enduring a testing start to the current campaign.

"I miss winning titles," Wenger said. "Very much. You only have one way, to fight and win again.

"I feel part of what is very important for us is to transform the club into a top-level club, into a club that has a fantastic future potential with values that we think are very important in the game.

"The style of play, the way we behave to develop young players, to give a chance to people who deserve it in life. That for me is very important in the history of the club.

"The vision is to make this club the best club in the world, it is as simple as that. I'm very proud of the values I defend in the game and we will try to continue to do that."

When asked how long it might take to put Arsenal on top, 61-year-old Wenger added: "In my life I hope. You may say to me I have to live very long, I don't know. I want to try to give my best because only the best is acceptable and if I don't manage to do it I am very sad."

Does Wenger believe he can stay another 15 years at the club after receiving resounding support from owner Stan Kroenke?

"I am up for it but it depends first of all on my club," he said.

"Do they want me to stay? Then on my health as well because that is something that you consider when you get to my level because it demands a lot of energy."

Meanwhile, in the wake of the Carlos Tevez saga at Manchester City, Wenger has played down the notion that modern-day players are prima donnas. When asked if today's crop are harder to handle than 15 years ago, he said: "Not really no, players are very demanding with themselves.

"Top athletes are demanding with themselves as well as their environments and that creates tensions. Our job is to transform this tension into positive energy - that is why we are here and that is why we are well paid."

When asked how he would react if one of his players refused to go on the pitch, he said: "Every manager has his own personality and I don't want to interfere with that. Life at the top level is not without problems."

Looking toward Sunday's derby, Wenger admits the rise of neighbours Tottenham is one of the challenges which spur him on.

The Arsenal boss is likely to receive a boost ahead of the hostile clash, with Theo Walcott looking set to return following a knee injury, along with striker Gervinho. However, central defender Laurent Koscielny is out, with Alex Song likely to feature at the back.

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 1 Oct 11

Robert Pires stirs memories of Arsenal's lost domination over Tottenham

Spurs have turned the tables in the north London derby. On Sunday Arsenal travel along Seven Sisters Road as underdogs

As Arsène Wenger prepares to pick a team to take into the enemy's lair at White Hart Lane on Sunday, there is one player out on the training pitches of London Colney who must almost torment him by his presence. Robert Pires is back at Arsenal. He turns 38 at the end of the month, and is keeping himself trim for a suitable opportunity to continue his playing career as long as possible because he cannot quite let go of the game he adores. Pires was one of Wenger's most inspired purchases – not least because of a phenomenal record in north London derbies.

Considering this was a player who famously sat on the substitutes' bench for an hour of his first game in English football with his eyes on stalks and a heavy feeling in his stomach as Arsenal lost a bruising encounter at Sunderland, Pires was not an obvious choice to throw himself into the hostile heat of the derby. He was booked in his first north London duel, and with his feathers duly ruffled, went on to score eight times in 12 games. Three times he was the match-winner. Twice he delivered an equaliser to deflate the opposition at White Hart Lane. He has no idea what it feels like to lose one of those loaded encounters.

With such experience on tap, Wenger must feel a tiny bit tempted to at the very least bring him into the dressing room this weekend to build up a team whose wobbles mean they have mislaid the hex they held over Tottenham for years.

For a decade under Wenger Arsenal enjoyed a 21-game unbeaten spell over Spurs in the Premier League. But since that ended in April 2010, Tottenham's two wins and a draw have altered the psychology of the match completely.

Pires was a tanned and enviably relaxed spectator at the Emirates during the week as Arsenal squeaked past Olympiakos. He was grateful for the booster of a win ahead of the derby. "Confidence is vital, and it's true that Arsenal have not had a good start to the Premier League," he said. "This is a complicated game. But for the team to have won against Bolton and Olympiakos in the build-up to the derby is important."

The team's fortitude has been worrying him. As he explained to France Football magazine in the post-mortem of Arsenal's 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford: "I don't like too much to compare teams and players. We had our team, our leaders. This team – and it was already evident last season when you think about the defeat to Birmingham – doesn't have the foundation, the guys who can lift their team-mates back up. Arsène has to build his team like he has always wanted to, with players who love the ball, but with warriors too." He expressed relief to see players such as Per Mertesacker and André Santos arrive with all their experience.

The difference between the team Pires graced and the current group is striking. But so, too, is the difference in Spurs. Consider the players involved when Arsenal won the title at White Hart Lane in 2004, the climax of the Invincibles' season. A couple of minutes into the game, Tottenham had a corner. It was taken by Johnnie Jackson and aimed at Anthony Gardner.

When Ashley Cole won possession, Thierry Henry picked up the ball and ran turbocharged towards the opposite penalty area, he slipped the ball to Dennis Bergkamp, whose cross was driven in by Patrick Vieira. The Spurs line-up that day also included Mauricio Taricco and Michael Brown. Arsenal had Sol Campbell, Gilberto Silva and the other goalscorer – Pires.

Even though Tottenham salvaged a draw, even those with most intense white and blue tinted spectacles would admit there was a gulf in quality. Today, the nature of any discernible gap is such that Arsenal travel along the Seven Sisters Road as underdogs. What they wouldn't do for a younger Pires in the starting XI. "I have big memories of this game," he said last week outside the players' lounge at the Emirates. "Against Spurs it is always special. It has particular meaning, and as players you understand that. It's true that if you have the chance to score against them it is great, as it means so much for the fans."

There is, incidentally, another recent Arsenal player with eight goals from north London derbies. His name is Emmanuel Adebayor.

Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 1 Oct 11

Arsenal thank André Santos for Champions League win v Olympiakos

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

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starts to fulfil his potential for Arsenal

The striker the fans are calling the Ox in the box showed he may be ready for the big time ahead of schedule

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

Anxiety is a difficult emotion to mask, and Arsenal cannot hide theirs. The uncertainty of a torrid start to the season, as a new team is foundered and an old formula is no longer as effective as it once was, means that the calm of consolidation would almost feel like victory in itself once 2011-12 is done. A clear sense of direction would help. It waits in abeyance.

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

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