Entries Tagged 'Arsenal FC' ↓

I was out this weekend with no access to Fox Soccer Channel, so I haven’t seen this game yet. I can only imagine the frustration level of everyone who did watch it was dangerously high, much like the past several league matches.

What I do know from text messages (Thanks Cam!) and reading other reports is that Boro took the lead thanks to former Gunner Jeremie Aliadiere, and then we were profligate in front of goal until Kolo’s header in the 86th minute. Thank God for that. It’s bad enough to have dropped five points to Boro, but all six? Anyway, ManUre won, Chelsea won, basically everyone but us and Spurs won, meaning we’ve dropped to second on goal-difference behind ManUre, and they’ve got a game in hand. So, as it stands, we’re now in a bit of trouble when it comes to the title race. We’ve got Chelsea away next week, and if we don’t get all three points there, we’ll be in a whole lot of trouble title-race wise.

Looks like I’m going to Anfield.

Arsenal were today drawn against Liverpool for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. The first leg will take place at the Grove on Wednesday April 2, with the second taking place at Anfield on Tuesday the 8th.

Looking at the fixture list, the draw means that the two clubs will face each other three times in as few as eight days, as Liverpool also visit the Grove for a league match on Saturday April 5. I already have tickets for the match on April 5, and we’ve sent in our request for the match at Anfield first thing this morning. Fingers crossed!

Frustrating. If there’s one word to describe yesterday’s draw away to Wigan, it’s “frustrating”.

To say that the team suffered a post-Milan hangover would not be accurate. In fact, they played fairly well. I thought Senderos had a good game, as did Gallas. The problem was the attack. I can’t even remember how many times Adebayor got the ball yesterday. He had that one good chance early on, but were there any others?

I suppose a lot of people will point to the condition of the pitch, and they’re right. It was absolutely pathetic, and certainly not up to the standards that a Premiership club should meet. Perhaps the league should look into stricter regulations regarding the upkeep of pitches. Pitches found not to be up to par would result in fines, match re-location, docked points, something…

Anyway, the other big talking point yesterday will be the return of Robin van Persie. It was always a bit much to ask a man coming off of five months injured to single-handedly win the match, but bless him, he tried, what with the little he saw of the ball.

As for everyone who wants to see Adebayor and Bendtner paired up front, well, you got your wish, and I for one pray that we never see it as a starting combo again.

Anyone reading this might think I was angry with the play yesterday, but that’s not quite right. If anything, yesterday’s match was…

frustrating.

An unbelievable performance by the Gunners, capped by masterful displays by Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini saw Arsenal defeat the defending champions AC Milan 2-0 in the second leg of their round of sixteen tie in Milan last night. It was the first time an English team had ever beaten Milan at the San Siro, and what a time to do it.

The opening minutes of the game were very cagey as both teams felt things out. Milan had the better of the play at that stage, and in the first twenty minutes, had two excellent chances to take an early lead.

However, for the rest of the match, it was all Arsenal. Wave after wave of sustained attack ended up with nothing to show for it apart from a good Adebayor chance that just went wide, and an excellent rising shot by Cesc that unluckily hit the cross bar.  There was also a bit of controversy in the first half.  In the 33rd minute, Alex Hleb was shown a yellow card for diving when it was quite clear (and the replays proved it) that he’d been brought down, if not in the box, then just on the edge.   Thankfully it didn’t come to anything in the end, but it’s a silly yellow for Hleb to have to worry about going into the next round.

In the second half, Arsenal maintained the pressure. The midfield performance was incredible. Milan did get a few breaks on the counter, but it turned out that it was nothing the Gunners couldn’t handle. Still, the sustained pressure by Arsenal in the Milan half was coming to nothing as first Emmanuel Eboue, then Phillip Senderos, and then Theo Walcott all misplayed excellent opportunities to score.

Finally, when it seemed certain that the match would be going into extra time, Cesc Fabregas picked up the ball about 30 yards from goal. Instead of looking for the pass, he instead decided to test the keeper. It was a speculative effort to be sure. The ball skimmed along the pitch - a real daisy cutter - and somehow found it’s way past a diving keeper. Cue pandemonium on the Arsenal bench.

Cesc made his way over to the bench and hugged the boss. Arsene was beaming. However, there were still about five minutes left plus stoppage. It seemed unlikely that Milan would score twice, but that didn’t mean the Gunners could let up. Instead, playing like the Wenger team they are, Arsenal continued to attack. In the second minute of stoppage time, Theo Walcott raced into the box and placed a pin-point pass across the face of goal right into the path of an on-rushing Emmanuel Adebayor. 2-0 on the night, 2-0 on aggregate, and Arsenal on to the quarterfinals. Buona Sera indeed.

A trying match to say the least, as a very organized and determined Aston Villa stymied an Arsenal side that were still obviously effected by last week’s match at Birmingham City.

Villa attacked on the wings, exposing Abou Diaby’s lack of match fitness. The only goal of the first half came off the foot of Philip Senderos. Too bad he put the ball past his own keeper.

1-0 to Villa at half time, and nearly 1-0 to Villa at full time, but this Arsenal side do seem to have a touch of destiny to them. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Emmanuel Adebayor rose to meet an incoming corner kick, headed it down to Nick Bendtner, who coolly slotted it home for the equalizer.

While to pick up a point in that fashion was a great relief, that relief was short lived after finding out that both Man United and Chelsea both won big in their matches against Fulham and West Ham respectively. Arsenal are going to need to win and win big against Wigan and Boro in the coming weeks to leave them in good standing before the key matches against Chelsea, Liverpool and Man United. There’ll be time to discuss the league next week, as this Tuesday all eyes are on the San Siro in Milan to see whether Arsenal will be the first English team in history to beat AC Milan at the San Siro. All the Gunners need to advance to the next round of the Champions League is a score draw, but with both teams having to score in order to advance, it promises to be a great match. ESPN thinks so too, as they’ll be showing the match live and in HD on ESPN2 on Tuesday afternoon at 2:45 PM ET here in the US.

I was away from a PC for most of the past 48 hours, and when I got home last night I was too tired to think of anything useful to say about what happened on Saturday that hasn’t already been said. The horror of Eduardo’s injury still lingers this morning, although reports indicate that it may not be as bad as initially thought. That is definitely good news.

As for the match itself… Well, the team did well to overcome the shock of Dudu’s injury and the added salt of a James McFadden free-kick goal to take a 2-1 lead thanks to a great performance by Theo Walcott. His first goal was bounded in off of a header just moments after the restart, but his second goal, coming a few minutes later was pure class, and hopefully a sign of good things to come.

The final moments of the match left my mouth agape. With just a few seconds to go, and the ball in the Arsenal penalty area, Gael Clichy switched off. Perhaps he didn’t realize there was an attacking player just a few feet to his left. When it was brought to his attention, he quickly challenged for the ball, and despite getting a foot to it, he bundled the Birmingham man over and a penalty was awarded.

As everyone knows, at this point, William Galls marched all the way to the tunnel, shaking his head in disbelief, and cursing the injustice of it all.

I’m glad he’s so passionate, but a captain should stay with his team at all times. He more than anyone else on the pitch represents Arsenal, and that little march is not the Arsenal way.

Anyway, those are just some of my pre-caffeinated thoughts at this early hour.