April 6, 2008 at 9:09 pm (Arsenal, Bendtner, Draw, EPL, Match Review, Premiership)
Crouch (42)
Bendtner (54)
This was the second of our triple header with Liverpool. Too bad about the result really.
Liverpool started with 8 changes from the Champions League side. Us 5. Hoyte, Traore, Walcott, Gilberto, Bendtner came in for Senderos, Clichy, Hleb, Van Persie, Adebayor and we started with a negative 4-5-1. Funny, that. Both teams also had a player who made their full Premier League start. Eboue with us and Plessis for Liverpool.
We were pressed from the start with Liverpool the dominant party in the first half. Almunia made a good save from Crouch and Benayoun dragged a shot wide. We were always losing out in the midfield even without the presence of Gerrard in their side. There was a small spell where we were dominating. Bendtner wasted a clear chance by shooting straight at Reina while Eboue’s cutback found Finnan sliding in to deny Cesc. Their goal came from a long punt from Reina.Crouch cushioned it down to Benayoun who flicked it over. Crouch took it and somehow scuffed a shot in which eluded Almunia and went in. 0-1 and we had it coming to be honest. The players all looked tired apart from Walcott and Traore.
The second half was much better as Toure missed a open header and Traore was causing a few problems for Pennant down the left. One of which created the opening for the equaliser. Cesc lobbed a free kick in and Bendtner found himself in the clear and headed it in. It was game on and Arsene send Adebayor on to replace Hoyte. Bendtner went to the left and Theo back to his normal right position. 4-3-3?
The next 30 minutes or so was exciting as Arsenal continued to press on for the winner while Liverpool was still reeling from the goal. Walcott and Flamini both had good chances. Adebayor was causing disarray in the Liverpool back four and nearly fed Hleb for a open goal only for the Belarussian Wonder to have a very bad touch and lose the chance. Irony. Torres and Gerrard made cameo appearances and Voronin missed a open chance by volleying way over.
After the match, Wenger said something about a clear penalty on Cesc but I didn’t see that. Theo was bullied towards the end but again, I wonder why no one backed him up.
That’s our chances of winning the league up in smoke then. Champions League is the only decent chance we have left. Let’s at least get something other than another 1-1 draw with the Scousers.
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December 23, 2007 at 10:45 am (Adebayor, Arsenal, Bendtner, Cesc, Cesc Fabregas, EPL, Fabregas, Flamini, Kolo, Premiership)
Adebayor (48), Bendtner (75)
Berbatov (66)
Match Gunner: Manuel Almunia (The penalty save was vital for the win)
The old enemy came to town and we started without Van Persie who “picked up a knock”. Otherwise it was our season’s usual 4-4-1-1 lineup.
First half was frustrating. We were more or less played out of the game but somehow we managed more decent chances on goal then Spurs. For all their enterprise, I didn’t see any serious attempt at goal from them. The only danger was averted when Lennon’s cross was headed away in time by Sagna before it reached Keane. It was worrying that we lost possession much too easily and Spurs looked like the home side.
Let’s move on to the second half shall we?
We started with a bang. A nice backheel from Cesc found a charging Adebayor who finished it with style. Credit to Adebayor who started the move at the halfway line. We also had a good shout at a penalty when Kaboul missed the clearance from an Eboue cross and his follow through brought down Rosicky.
We grew slightly comfortable and tried to protect the lead. Spurs woke up and Keane’s shot hit the bar after a cross by Lennon. Soon after, Berbatov hit an absolute peach of a shot into the top of the net following a backheel by Keane. (It could have deflected of Kolo on the way in) In my opinion, Almunia had no chance of saving it even though it was at the near post. I’m sure Jens would disagree.
Berbatov was at the heart of things again when some major scramble saw Kolo give away a penalty when he slid in to dispossess him but Berbatov turned just in time and Kolo caught him. Keane stepped up to take the penalty and our nerves were jangled. Luckily, Keane’s penalty attempt was a weak one to say the least and Almunia saved easily to his right. Cue relief and Spurs impetus was shot down in an instant. The game was ours to win.
In the 73rd minute, we got a corner and Bendtner was brought on for Eboue. Tall man=good idea. His first touch found the net as he lost his marker, rose regally and headed in a bullet(Majestic pic below) It was already in before Robinson could even raise his hand to block it. Cue mayhem. It’s the first Premiership goal for young Nicklas this season and what a time and opposition to score against. They were finished when a penalty appeal was turned down as Sagna brought down a Spurs player after he succesfully nutmegged the “hair extensioned one”.
Once again, a good result even though it wasn’t a vintage performance from the lads. Fabregas, Hleb and Flamini looked rusty after coming back from their recent injuries. Let’s hope that the fixture rush smiles kindly on their match sharpness.
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