Arsenal's last minute goal is worth a goal in Milan

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
01 Mar	3:00 PM	P	Aston Villa (H)	1	1	Draw

Sometimes a bad result is not as a bad as it first seems. The last feeling that Arsenal would have had in a game where they dropped 2 points was the euphoria, relief and psychological boost from the rewarding goal after so much effort in the last 65 minutes of a game where Aston Villa played with 11 men behind the ball. That will come in useful in Milan.

Arsenal could see that game as 2 points lost because the Villa goal was an own goal but it could also be seen in perspective as a valuable point. Villa are not mugs. Villa are as difficult to play as Liverpool without Torres. They are organised and disciplined. You only need to see how much defensive tackles, blocks and covers that John Carew made in the second half.

Poor Senderos. Good defender, makes very few mistakes but they always seem decisive when he does.

It was a day when the Arsenal lead was cut but Manchester United and Chelsea will have these kinds of games so the title is still on. The league is tough this year.

Ferguson gave a resounding support for Chelsea's title chances. It was not generosity or praise. It was really a mind game to get Chelsea fired up to beat Arsenal and cut the lead further. Ferguson wants Chelsea in the title race when they meet Arsenal.

Wenger for his part did not spend any time talking about the reduced lead or the dropped 2 points. He said that it was an important point that would count in the title race. It was his own message to Ferguson that Arsenal are ready to battle it out to the last point.

Arsenal played badly in the first half mainly due to Villa's organisation and Abou Diaby's lethargy. Arsenal defend together and attack together. Gaël Clichy and Bacary Sagna come forward to make wingers in attack so the wingers have to cover and the team need to make sure they don't lose the ball in attack because the wingers will be committed.

Diaby lost the ball, slowed the game and was not match fit enough to track back. The result was that Mathieu Flamini had to work twice as much and our wing-backs were exposed. It gave Villa a lot easier time than they would have had.

In the second half, Arsenal did better and really improved when Diaby came off. Alexander Hleb also improved but our accuracy in front of goal and threat on set pieces was as pitiful as it was against Milan. I had backed Eduardo to score against Milan and he uncharacteristically lost his cool on the chance he got. Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner are our most accurate in front of goal.

After a match of misplaced shots and tight passing in narrow spaces, Emmanuel Adebayor finally connected with Bendtner who kept his cool on the 94th minute when the pressure was at its highest and placed his shot nicely. It was the first time Adebayor found his partner and it resulted in a goal.

I tried to watch previous matches and looked at the stats but could not get through all of it before writing this but my recollection is that when Adebayor passes to a strike partner, it nearly always results in a goal.

Adebayor's first touch has improved but the ball still goes about 5 yards away from him on the first touch. When there is space as there was against Milan, he plays his first touch towards the opposition goal and is faster to the ball. In a tight narrow space like it was against Villa, he plays it with his back towards goal and tries to look for a midfielder. He, therefore, loses the ball much more frequently in narrow congested areas.

AC Milan would have noted that and may adapt their defence of Adebayor to that.

Arsenal can be quite amusing to watch sometimes. Only in Arsenal would a player scream for the ball when he is surrounded by six defenders. Hleb, Adebayor, Bendtner and Francesc Fabregas want the ball in impossible situations. It says a lot for their confidence but the down side is that the player with the ball can play the wrong pass to the one that is screaming for it when there is a better option.

Players like theo Walcott, Eduardo or Bendtner who sneak in dangerous places out of sight rarely get the ball because the passer is too focused on the screamer and doesn't look around further, unlike Dennis Bergkamp or Robért Píres.

It was good to see Denilson. He is a balanced player who seems to find time on the ball like Fabregas and could have the same energy as Flamini. He could also play on the wing if we completely run out of options and if Diaby doesn't wake up by Tuesday.

The goal against Villa, against an organised defence and the clean sheet (Villa didn't actually score) will give Arsenal enough courage to generate at least one goal in Milan.

User Comments

Yvonne Bryant

Posted on 26 Mar, 2008 at 11:24 PM - Reply

hupaithric dulcinist arsesmart angiosperm coaming oecophobia metaloscope stereometrically
Scuba Works
http://www.silltrays.co.nz

71ppalxlik

Posted on 7 Mar, 2008 at 09:46 PM - Reply

2rsv096q2 wqried4tvorf 3tkraf3ujvbpn

71ppalxlik

Posted on 7 Mar, 2008 at 09:46 PM - Reply

2rsv096q2 http://www.341996.com/181521.html 3tkraf3ujvbpn

71ppalxlik

Posted on 7 Mar, 2008 at 09:46 PM - Reply

2rsv096q2 [URL=http://www.191715.com/501345.html] 9w0ew1fj01mp5 [/URL] 3tkraf3ujvbpn

71ppalxlik

Posted on 7 Mar, 2008 at 09:46 PM - Reply

2rsv096q2 kvmxeqhtv22d [URL=http://www.191715.com/501345.html] 9w0ew1fj01mp5 [/URL] 3tkraf3ujvbpn

Gooonnneeerrsss

Posted on 5 Mar, 2008 at 09:32 AM - Reply

WELL DONE BOYZ !!! IM STILL BUZZING AND IN UNBELIVABLE SHOCK THAT WE HAVE NOT ONLY BEATEN THEM ON HOME TURF BUT THAT WE R THE ONLY TEAM TO DO IT IM VERY PROUD OF THE LADS COME ON LETS CONCENTRATE AND GO ON AND WIN IT !!!

JohnnyAFC

Posted on 4 Mar, 2008 at 10:20 PM - Reply

Ooh to Ooh to be OOh to be a GOONER!!! Well done lads

Yusuf Bulama

Posted on 4 Mar, 2008 at 03:31 PM - Reply

Fate, blind fate, tells me that the match outcome will depend on the scoreline before the 70th minute, when van Persie comes on. Van Persie would either win it, or minimize damage...Arsenal don't really need a morale-crasher now. I believe it depends on Dutchmaster II (the first being Bergkamp of course).

Samuel, 13

Posted on 4 Mar, 2008 at 10:27 AM - Reply

Arsenal will win this match i m very sure. Wenger has this great confidence too, he says , Ade has not scored in his 14outings in the Champions league but he will in the 15th.

delboy

Posted on 3 Mar, 2008 at 11:45 PM - Reply

the worst news to come out of milan was that nesta is back. he's class and we only really opened them up when he went off injured. Its a massive stage and i think theo has the pace and ability to open them up if the hes's confident enough to do it. Theo we believe in you. I fear however that eboue will get the nod from arsene. So beware fans in row z!!!! Away goal crucial and definitely on the cards. Arsenal to progress on away goals.

liibaan suley

Posted on 3 Mar, 2008 at 05:53 PM - Reply

forget about the past keep going on

Bugzy

Posted on 3 Mar, 2008 at 01:36 PM - Reply

100% Correct. Ade and Bendt need to have better partnership up front, 'coz I still see some resistance between the two.

Against Milan, its a different story. Seeing as Kaka is in and match-fit, and Milan fully organised against the likes of Ade up front, this will be one hell of a fight, considering Milan can only have a chance in the Champion League.

Overall, com' on you Gunners!

User Comments

• Got something to say?
• Read comments

Vs chelsea