Andrey of the Arsenal

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
21 Apr	8:00 PM	P	Liverpool (A)	4	4	Draw

Some observations, then, this afternoon. An afternoon, incidentally that sees me back at work for the first time in two weeks (boo!), but with tickets for Massive Attack's September show at the Brixton Academy in the bag (yayyy!):

Alex Ferguson will be a very happy man this afternoon, here's why:

Liverpool's title challenge has all but ended on the back of the Anfield thriller.

Andrey Arshavin will not be playing in the Champions League semi final against Manchester United

The majority of our "defence" playing last night will be playing in the aforementioned Champions League semi-final with Manchester United.

If you can't enjoy a game like the one against Liverpool, in my view, you have no business watching football. Disappointing as it was to concede another injury time equaliser this season, definitive proof if it was needed that this Arsenal defence needs drilling, it doesn't come close to the "we've blown it!" feelings at the end of the Tottenham and Aston Villa games. Certainly, it's difficult to imagine that Liverpool will be bringing out a DVD of this game any time soon. Though, perhaps someone should.

I guess the thing is that Liverpool did come flying out of the traps and it was only Fabianski's heroics that kept us in it in the first half. To use a boxing analogy, Liverpool shuffled and jabbed and jabbed some more and then, out of nowhere Francesc Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin combined to smash them with an uppercut on the 36th minute flooring them. If we could hold out till half-time, I felt we'd have a chance.

We did, but promptly Liverpool, having raised themselves off the canvas, delivered a 1-2 of their own first through Torres and then Benayoun.

Slumping in front of the telly, I felt something had to change. We were told, when Arshavin signed, that perhaps we didn't realise quite how good this man is. When he took advantage of Aurelio to power home a tremendous strike, rightly compared by the Arseblogger to Thierry Henry's Man City missile and then, displaying a poacher's instinct to hit through Reina for his hat trick, perhaps football watchers the country over began to realise. Was it a decisive 1-2 combination? Not quite.

Torres, almost immediately, produced a carbon copy of his goal in the Champions League quarter final last year, shielding the ball from Sylvestre before smashing the ball on the turn, via Fabianski's outstretched hand into the corner.

As the game opened up and Arsenal began to find spaces that hadn't been available to them before Walcott replaced Denilson, the game looked as if it could go either way. Song played Bendtner in who produced a lovely finish for 4-3. Except that the linesman's flag had gone up. Incorrectly, in my view. But then, like Steven Gerrard admitted at half-time, I'm biased.

Digressing slightly, I found Gerrard's comments, not to say his slouched, legs akimbo out Redkapping Jamie (he even threw in a couple of "top, top player"s) position, somewhat odd. Ok, you'll always say that a marginal decision should be given your way, but to say the officials had been brave in allowing a perfectly legitimate goal just because it was in front of the Kop? Alright, Stevie, whatever.

Anyway, the pace of Walcott, as in that Champions League quarter-final last year, made a telling contribution as the game entered its' last minute. Bursting clear from a corner; he streaked down our right, the excitement in the voice of Martin Tyler as he realised that Arshavin was charging through the midfield was clear, found by a perfect ball by Theo, Andrey smashed home a great goal and - this time - I allowed myself to celebrate, jumping on top of Jo, possibly nearly half killing her. But what's this? Another Howard Webb special? Five minutes of injury time. Andy Gray called it. It wasn't over.

Yossi Benayoun, with two minutes left, took advantage of yet another Arsenal failure to clear their lines to net the 8th goal of an extraordinary game. But this late goal, unlike so many other Liverpool goals against Arsenal, did not produce an orgy of Anfield delight. There was still time for Cesc to pop in what might have been a winning goal, had the linesman's flag not gone up again. Correct decision? Not having seen the replay, I don't know.

I think a winner for us would have been harsh on Liverpool so that's why I'm not too down about the failure to win, well that and we're essentially just playing for pride now. That said, the failure to close this game out, the reduction of our defence to rubble are symptomatic of something not being right in defence. We can put it down to Gallas not being there, and he is a big miss. But he was in the team when we shipped four against Spurs, he was there when we did the same at Anfield last season.

Would Djourou have made a difference? I'm inclined to believe that Djourou and Gallas would have made a better fist of defending then their team mates but who knows for sure? I do know that if our defence was half as well drilled as the Graham era, we would have won that game last night. Perhaps, if we saw anything, it's that Adebayor and van Persie are not the be all and end all of our attack, that it can be built around Arshavin and perhaps we could sell Ade and spend that money, some of it at least, on defenders that can, you know, defend.

As it was, at the final whistle rather than scenes of mass celebration, the Liverpool players went down on their knees. They knew that they had to win this game and despite Steven Gerrard's belief that the point won could be "massive", I think that's more wishful thinking than anything. In many ways, this game summed up all that is very good about Arsenal. And all that is very bad (has Bacary Sagna ever looked so ordinary? Was he still ill?). But we can leave the bad for another day. As, I suspect, the boss may well be doing.

I feel sorry for Arshavin, four goals at the home of one of the best teams in Europe, and despite his Roy of the Rovers style heroics, the team couldn't close out the victory. I wonder what he thought, sitting in the dressing room after the game last night. Actually, I don't wonder, because I know he was "disappointed" the team didn't win. But I do wonder what the rest of the Premier League thought of his display. No point on looking back on it now, but imagine what might have been with him in the squad in August. Imagine what could be to come from next August.

User Comments

Miss B

Posted on 24 Apr, 2009 at 11:30 PM - Reply

Hi Arsenal Boys !. I am sure that all Arsenal Fans will be very happy, if you could win a Trophy this season. You have missed the Carling Cup, The FA cup, as you are aware you have only this forthcoming Champion League coming on to fight for because the season is coming to an end.
I wish you good luck.

Swift

Posted on 24 Apr, 2009 at 12:50 PM - Reply

What, Stevie G admitted you were biased during the half-time break? Friends in high places...

sulazu

Posted on 24 Apr, 2009 at 09:47 AM - Reply

Arshavin's 4 goal display at the Anfield was a statement to question his being benched in the FA Cup semi final against Chelsea. All the 3 Arsenal players that make the difference in the game i.e. Arshavin, Nasri & Song, were left out of that semi. May be Wenger will learn to do the right thing next time else he continue to wallow in trophyless season from his own decisions.

bhit

Posted on 24 Apr, 2009 at 07:39 AM - Reply

arshavin ...legend of arsenal...the 4quad of anfield

sinclair

Posted on 24 Apr, 2009 at 12:11 AM - Reply

I still think theres yet another twist I read that last year United lost 6points from their last 7games plus theres the Arsenal clash being their 2nd last game of the season dont get me wrong they have the title in hand but I hope they are already thinking champions like most hopefully that should work into liverpool hands.

deano

Posted on 23 Apr, 2009 at 02:59 PM - Reply

oh yes im imaginging what might be in store in August, but im sooooo hoping we win the cmapions league!! c'mom you Gunners!!

aj

Posted on 23 Apr, 2009 at 02:04 PM - Reply

Like most Gooners, I think that two or three intelligent signings in the summer could set us up nicely for next season. It is just a shame that I don't think it will happen. I think Wenger will, once again, spurn the opportunity, to avoid getting in the way of the kids.

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