Burnley v. Arsenal 2-0 2/Dec/08

Young guns dreams of advancing in the so-much criticized Carling cup were shattered yesterday at Turf Moor, courtesy of a double pounder by Kevin McDonald. Even when the Clarets showed resilience the young Guns deserve a strong applause as far as their goal was reched; with nine goals in two matches any team of Academy prospects might have never dream in their wildest of reveries. Particular dissapointment was brought from Spaniard Merida, that appart from playing apathetic, seems to have the back of the common reader and the press.
Wigan at home, previous clash in the Carling competition, visits the Emirates next weekend providing several results afar from the desired three points.





The "Capital Punishment III" thus began, in a rather difficult environment. The pitch had been ravaged by rain and snow. Hostilities commenced with an aggresive home side enquiring and putting both possession and speed in the game. A Jansen save on a Bendtner attack proved how moving the match could be, at 5' already. But the quiet night went not favorable for Arsenal as McDonald gave the lead to Burnley at 6'. Certainly a tempestive exit by the young defense lead the Scottish freeway to score. Then on at 10' the Dane failed to put the ball in the back of the net in what now could have appeared to be a two-goal lead for the Gunners.
Ramsey and Wilshere kept the team moving when playing close but the wide variants by the Gunners seemed not to work specially with Vela and Merida. In both wings Arsenal's defense faced strong opposition regarding Eagles and Blake. Pace and tempo obviously diminished and Fabianski was exceedingly nervous. Several aerial arrivals by the Turf Moor side scared the faulty Arsenal full-back. If it were not by Fabianski reflexes Arsenal would be, at least, four-up, at 35'.
Strangely enough Rodgers seemed to play in their right full-back position since his immense thirty-meter gaps between him and his defense partner Silvesttre. Arsenal passing and possession appeared in the last ten minutes of the first half, all attempts ended wide off the mark. All in all Ramsey's attempts to bring an idea on an equalizer were dull due to the solid defending of the Clarets. Jansen became the hero with not even a half of the match playes; a brilliant stop after a Bendtner-Vela combination.




I apologize to you dear reader due to the lack of the next forty five minutes. McDonald scored at 68' the final bummer for the north Londoners. I apologize again dear reader, this beign the first time I review a match not in its entire ninety minutes but from half. I promise that this would never happen again, this also being brought by the poor quality of the second half's transmission and the lack of replay. Again sorry.