Ally
Active Member
Arsenal 0 Valencia 0
Right, I’ve forgotten most of the game, but anyway, I shall persevere with this;
First Half - Vieira limps off with thigh problem. Bergkamp chips to the back post where Freddie miscontrols. At the other end, Valencia send a wicked low ball into the box which thankfully isn’t deflected in. End of first half.
Honestly, the first 45 was about as poor as anything I’ve seen from Arsenal since Saturday. Worrying. No imagination, except from Pires. No drive, except from Pires and Lauren. No defensive aggression, except from Lauren. Thierry and Dennis? Might as well have been in the stands. A minimal contribution from the Arsenal outfield, Seaman not being tested - although Valencia deserve the plaudits for shutting down with middle channel with an awesome defensive display by Ayala and Pelligrino, and let me tell you, that is some partnership. Cygan was shown up, not communicating properly with Campbell on a couple of occasions - he can be an absolute rock on his day (See Roma, unless you fickle lot have forgotten it already...) but he seems to have a problem forming a solid understanding with whoever he plays with - that will be worked on, and I’ve no doubt it will improve. In the meantime, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Keown takes up the centre back slot alongside Sol, with Pascal dropping to the bench. Behind him of course there is Igors, who may or may not move on in January - if there’s an offer, I have a nagging suspicion that it will be accepted. He tries his heart out, bless him, and he did his bit last year but I’d rather have proven and dependable backup - Igors is up and down.
Oh aye, I was supposed to be reporting on this game, eh? Arsenal came out and looked a different team, and that, unbelievably, was down to one man. The last time I wrote about him, I seem to recall I made some noisy complants of incompetence and space-wasting - this man came out, on for Vieira, and was absolutely stunning, the best player wearing an Arsenal shirt on show. Paddy’s now got an awkward complaint in his thigh, and the Razor will have his chance.
One incident of particular note involved Freddie - Pires passed in, and in one quite, quite sublime movement, Freddie somehow dragged the ball back while spinning 180 degrees - however, brilliant goalkeeping by Palop, Cannizares’ excellent depuy, parried the subsequent shot away.
We seemed to have the initiative when Angulo, in a moment of incomprehensible idiocity, elbowed Cygan in the stomach while three paces away from the referee. I’m still puzzling over exactly what the benfits of this were - answers on a postcard. Did Cygan over-react? You know something? It doesn’t matter. You raise your hands in European football - you walk.
The ten men swiftly decided upon playing Carew up front by himself, challenging for long balls, and it wasn’t too long before the titanic Norwegian burst past Cygan, lacking speed, and screwed across goal - Arsenal went straight down the other end where sub Kanu teed up Wiltord with the keeper on the floor, the erratic Frenchman completely miscuing his shot, which was duly cleared off the line. Suddenly, the match burst to life (89 minutes too late for neutrals expecting, not unreasonably, a decent game of football) and Carew again reached a high cross and lobbed Seaman. Breaths were collectively drawn in, until the dropping ball was volleyed away from under the bar by the back tracking Campbell.
A night of frustration for Arsenal, who really should have won this game, but 4 points from 3 game sees us on top of the group; home and away wins against Ajax will see us through. There were more than a few encouraging points to be taken from tonight too, amongst them Parlour’s showing and the fact that we were able to contain a team who had completely destroyed Liverpool. Good. Pretty good.
Man of the Match
Ayala. Thierry did not have one kick in the second half.
Moment of the Match
The ‘Freddie turn’. If he had scored it would have been one of the greatest goals of recent years.
Moan of the Match
For christs’ sake Arsenal, learn how to cross a football properly! Van Bronckhorst can - he wasn’t even on the bench.
Ally Winford
Right, I’ve forgotten most of the game, but anyway, I shall persevere with this;
First Half - Vieira limps off with thigh problem. Bergkamp chips to the back post where Freddie miscontrols. At the other end, Valencia send a wicked low ball into the box which thankfully isn’t deflected in. End of first half.
Honestly, the first 45 was about as poor as anything I’ve seen from Arsenal since Saturday. Worrying. No imagination, except from Pires. No drive, except from Pires and Lauren. No defensive aggression, except from Lauren. Thierry and Dennis? Might as well have been in the stands. A minimal contribution from the Arsenal outfield, Seaman not being tested - although Valencia deserve the plaudits for shutting down with middle channel with an awesome defensive display by Ayala and Pelligrino, and let me tell you, that is some partnership. Cygan was shown up, not communicating properly with Campbell on a couple of occasions - he can be an absolute rock on his day (See Roma, unless you fickle lot have forgotten it already...) but he seems to have a problem forming a solid understanding with whoever he plays with - that will be worked on, and I’ve no doubt it will improve. In the meantime, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Keown takes up the centre back slot alongside Sol, with Pascal dropping to the bench. Behind him of course there is Igors, who may or may not move on in January - if there’s an offer, I have a nagging suspicion that it will be accepted. He tries his heart out, bless him, and he did his bit last year but I’d rather have proven and dependable backup - Igors is up and down.
Oh aye, I was supposed to be reporting on this game, eh? Arsenal came out and looked a different team, and that, unbelievably, was down to one man. The last time I wrote about him, I seem to recall I made some noisy complants of incompetence and space-wasting - this man came out, on for Vieira, and was absolutely stunning, the best player wearing an Arsenal shirt on show. Paddy’s now got an awkward complaint in his thigh, and the Razor will have his chance.
One incident of particular note involved Freddie - Pires passed in, and in one quite, quite sublime movement, Freddie somehow dragged the ball back while spinning 180 degrees - however, brilliant goalkeeping by Palop, Cannizares’ excellent depuy, parried the subsequent shot away.
We seemed to have the initiative when Angulo, in a moment of incomprehensible idiocity, elbowed Cygan in the stomach while three paces away from the referee. I’m still puzzling over exactly what the benfits of this were - answers on a postcard. Did Cygan over-react? You know something? It doesn’t matter. You raise your hands in European football - you walk.
The ten men swiftly decided upon playing Carew up front by himself, challenging for long balls, and it wasn’t too long before the titanic Norwegian burst past Cygan, lacking speed, and screwed across goal - Arsenal went straight down the other end where sub Kanu teed up Wiltord with the keeper on the floor, the erratic Frenchman completely miscuing his shot, which was duly cleared off the line. Suddenly, the match burst to life (89 minutes too late for neutrals expecting, not unreasonably, a decent game of football) and Carew again reached a high cross and lobbed Seaman. Breaths were collectively drawn in, until the dropping ball was volleyed away from under the bar by the back tracking Campbell.
A night of frustration for Arsenal, who really should have won this game, but 4 points from 3 game sees us on top of the group; home and away wins against Ajax will see us through. There were more than a few encouraging points to be taken from tonight too, amongst them Parlour’s showing and the fact that we were able to contain a team who had completely destroyed Liverpool. Good. Pretty good.
Man of the Match
Ayala. Thierry did not have one kick in the second half.
Moment of the Match
The ‘Freddie turn’. If he had scored it would have been one of the greatest goals of recent years.
Moan of the Match
For christs’ sake Arsenal, learn how to cross a football properly! Van Bronckhorst can - he wasn’t even on the bench.
Ally Winford
