Liverpool v. Arsenal 1-2 13/Dec/09

Childish defending gave Liverpool the lead
[Photo: Ian Hodgson via Daily Mail]


This time the "kamikaze football" had to wait as the Gunners finished the Merseyside team in "two halves". The Gunners are assuring a reputation of something like Jekyll and Hyde: sublime attacking prowess with tremendous effective goal-scoring abilities against dismal and depleted lack defending talent. Even when the key word for a successful run of games is consistency and considering external factors -such as injuries- permeate in the final decision it is imperious that the form is sustained.
Whether the halftime rant Wenger gave to his players was as surprise, it seemed to have the effect needed. Maybe one of those techniques from Football Manager really works.



[Photo: Tim Hales/Associated Press via Guardian]


In the "first half" the Liverdpudlians were very much abusing the young visiting team. The first attempt came from a link between Torres and Gerrard, which the Spaniard wasted. Another one came from Liverpool's main striker which ended in Gerrard blatantly diving at the feet of William Gallas. The hectic start of the match was combined with the inability of the visiting defence to cover the spaces left by the defence. Instead Torres kept terrorising the London back over and over, when the twentieth miute mark was approaching.
The hostility that the Gunners put was by far one of the poorest that we had seen in the season: flops, pass misses, poor challenges, no attacking dimension at all. With fifteen minutes to go the threat proposed by the home team was a real worry. Within a space of ten minutes the Reds managed to put their counterparts agaisnt the wall, mainly through the incursions of Glen Johnson. Not a single attacking chance came from the Londoners as the match wore off.
The first attempt was a weak driver from Nasri, in the 36th minute. Obviously Liverpool's efforts paid bountiful dividends within five minutes: Almunia made one of his common timid approaches to the ball and Dirk Kuyt tipped to get the ball in the back of the net after hitting a couple of legs.



Andrey Arshavin, again the saviour as the last season.
[Photo: Getty Images via Soccernet]


Following the late lead and the desperate measures that Wenger took, the Gunners went out with renovated spirits for the second half. Luckily enough for the visitors, the leveller came pretty fast after nearly seven minutes of game. Before Johnson's own goal, the threat of Torres set up several chances for the Gunner defence. The momentum that Liverpool had during the first ten minutes of the first half, was exchanged by the fierce and aggressive style Wenger's men deployed.
The lead came, as Andrey Arshavin grabbed a lost ball before striking it in Reina's net, with a reminiscence of that 4-goal salvo last season. If there was a moment in which the Liverpudlians could have closed the gap it was when Howard Webb booked two Arsenal players for a couple of fair challenges.
As the match wore off and two substitutions were made, the current result was likely to stay due to the absence of a decision by the Liverpool squad. Two more injuries, near the end of the game arrived to the already-depleted London squad. When Sylvestre and Ramsey came in there was a sense of an achievement by many of the visiting players. The final whistle - which came after five minutes of injury time instead of the announced four - was a relief to many supporters and at this stage of the tournament.

Olympiakos v. Arsenal 1-0 9/Dec/09

[Photo: Giorgios Karahalis/Reuters via Guardian]


In another Carling Cup (sorry!) Champions League match, the young Arsenal "reserve" team lost their last game at group stage in Athens. With a place in the last sixteen already secured, the Gunners needed just a draw to end their comfortable group with a perfect record - a thing that it actually did not happen. This math was yet another exercise and a leap of faith from the high ranking officers in London to provide younglings with such an unfathomable test as visitors in Europe. With and average selection of 21 years, Kyle Bartley and Thomas Cruise were among the debutants. ITV commentator Clive Tyldesley asserted in an unmatched way the "unbeaten leaders of the Greek league against Arsenal reserves".



[Photo: Reuters via Daily Mail]


As it seemed that the incredible atmosphere in Athens could break the young guns' hearts, they managed to please the the visitor supporters at least for the first twenty minutes. The fierce Grecian defence led the way from having the London team at their won end, to providing three clear chances in the following ten minutes.
Even though in the first ten minutes the young Gunners posed an outstanding disposition, the impetuous defending and the off-guarded central defenders showed a lack of unity. The visitors travails were acquiesced by the little resistance from the Greek side, such as Ramsey's wide shot in the 34th.
The Welshman, at the heart of every movement, managed to give pace to the Londoners' match. With two yellow cards in the final 6th minutes, they looked to end the half in a high note but instead the home team made a step forward just by winning in possession and confidence.



The best man in the field for the Gunners, just after wasting a valuable chance.
[Photo: Reuters via Daily Mail]


If the first half was outstanding regarding the age of the visiting starting XI, the Gunners let themselves and their travelling supporters down as Leonardo scored just within a minute and a half from start. The London defence was caught off guard and Leonardo just went past through the remaining dummies and finished against Fabianski. In the counterpart Ramsey fed Vela in an incredible opportunity, which was timely saved by Nikopolidis.
With half-hour to go, the Gunners really did not look as if they were able to break the opposition in two, despite the number of opportunities they created. Reaching the 75th minute, luck was running out as Galitsios crashed with Sylvestre, although both players continued; Sunu replaced Jack Wilshere.
As the minutes went, the difference that was established as minimum in the previous half, slowly passed away as the London youngsters proved to be nothing but a "childish" match for the Greek team. One thing is to play every one or two weeks a merely competitive reserve match, and the other is playing week-in week-out for the last three months in such a demanding league as the Greek. Mainly, it was the physical shape of the visitors which kept them aside for contending in the last ten or so minutes. Still, Ramsey managed to deflect a venomous corner into Leonardo's body, who covered the near post.

Arsenal v. Stoke City 2-0 5/Dec/09

Andrey Arshavin scores the opener.
[Photo: Dylan Martinez/Reuters via Guardian]


The celebration for the 100th game at the Grove - with 94 wins - and Arsene's 500th Premier League match seemed perfect as the Gunners edged out the Potters without to much an effort. After two catastrophic defeats, the Londoners restored a little confidence by winning on a fair margin of two-nil. The contrast with other matches was the type of display that Wenger's men made - a sort of ambiguous decrepit offensive array mixed with laziness and a penalty miss, all included.
Probably the ratio between attempts, shot on and shots, made quite a difference since if those numbers would have been counted in, the margin could have been broader in many respects. Whether there was not a gulf in class between the two teams the threat posed by the visitors showed little but no resistance. Certainly this type of arrangements should serve as a preparation for next week's clash against Olympiakos at Greece.



Not a good finisher from the spot.
[Photo: Rob Noyes/Pinnacle via Daily Mail]


Very early in the match, the lone striker Arshavin was blocked by Sorensen. Where the Gunners made a very good start, the northern team managed to recover from a strong possession their opposition handled. It was not until the first quarter of hour that the terror from Delap's long throws diminished.
The Irishman, in a quite sudden frenzy tumbled Arshavin just after the Russian's quick feet made effect. Cesc Fábregas, from the spot, failed to deliver, as Sorensen saved. Whether it was a brilliant save or not, Cesc gave to much of the position rather than saving providentially. Arshavin again flapped one in but it went wide on reaching the 25th minute.
In the following minutes, after a varied series of opportunities, the Russian netted exactly when needed. Past three defenders he flicked the ball to the far post of Sorensen. The response was futile as the Gunners could have gone two up, instead Cesc shot into an empty goal to find Eboue between the ball and the goal. Near the break the only hope for the visitors was to regroup for an eventual comeback in the second half.



[Photo: PA via Daily Mail]


Obviously the comeback was not due to arrive, mainly by the craftsmanship that the Londoners showed in several occasions. The early substitution, probably in relation to a muscular problems, saw the Mexican teenager Vela advancing in Wenger's picking line. Sorensen suffered from the flak, as he saved in two occasions reaching the 53th minute. In that same span, the Welsh international Ramsey replaced Emmanuel Eboué in another injury worry.
With nearly half an hour to go, the Gunners assumed their resilient dominance but still they were not able to finish the match promptly. Shots from Arshavin on woodwork came hitherto in another effort to put Stoke on the edge. Where Arsenal looked frail and threadless, Stoke did not offered much of a fight: the input made by Fuller and Beattie was insignificant.
Instead, the Londoners made a leap forwards when, late in the match, Ramsey scored to double the odds and put Arsenal with all three points. As the Welshman stormed past three defenders, he just strolled outside of the box and netted his second premier league goal, with eleven minutes left.

Man City v. Arsenal 3-0 2/Dec/09

[Photo: Ian Hodgson via Daily Mail]


In a similar fashion of that of last year's, the "reserve" team of the Gunners was minimised to shreds after a proper first team who defeated the Gunners in order, to reach the semifinals of the unimpressive Carling Cup. In no way this should be treated as a failure since focus that Wenger associates to this cup is to prove second string player and youngsters. While this tournament seems as another FA Youth Cup, some of Wenger's kids have to worry about their consistency within the north London ranks. Post match reactions by Arsenal's manager against Hugues have acquired a fairly indiscreet amount of coverage throughout the media.



[Photo: Daily Mail]


The Mancunians started the match with a large run of unanticipated fervour: Tevez shot as Adebayor retaliated with a wide header. Not even ten minutes into the game and the Gunners were facing an anticipation of what the rest of the match was going to be. The defence was shaky starting with Armand Traore. The offensive impression of the Gunners was reduced to a run by Vela, who finished above the bar.
Craig Bellamy ran riot through the right back just as one of his ferocious drivers went just inches from woodwork. Again it was Fabianski who saved a close range effort by Carlos Tevez. Even when the visitors gained possession and tried a bit more than what they were actually making, the attempts were futile as Shaun Wright Phillips still dominated the game on that left side. The second clearest chance for the Gunners was the one by Eboue at 34th minute, digging deep into the box to face Given.



Tevez celebrates his terrific definition that gave the Citizens the second goal.
[Photo: on Super/AP via Guardian]


Four minutes passed until the cracks in the Arsenal defence appeared. Tevez, against the reluctance of three defenders shot past the wall and finished top corner. In an outstanding definition, Arsenal showed some amateur defending. The experience of the home players completely outclassed the fresh, lively initiative of the Gunners' reserves. One could think that the captain in time, Mikaël Sylvestre, could pose some calm. Instead he was booked for some moronic defending worthy of a youngster.
With thirty minutes to end, the panorama did not look as bright as in the previous Carling Cup matches: even when Emmanuel Eboue and Ramsey provided Carlos Vela with chances, the Mexican looked like an ant against a dinosaur in front of two experienced centre-backs. If we come to think about it, there was no actual striker even when positions were reshuffled. As the time wore off there was no actual offensive threat from the Gunners. Sanchez Watt substituted Eastmond, and the momentum of the visitors grew. If there was a point in the match that the Londoners had an upperhand, was for about twenty seconds.
Immediately after Wright Phillips dribbled through two defenders and provided an outstanding volley in the back of the net. Within ten minutes to go there were more bookings made rather than the entire match. The final goal by the Mancunians was when substitute Weiss ended top corner; Merida final shot on woodwork was useless.

Arsenal v. Chelsea 3-0 28/Nov/09

The precise moment in which Arsenal's defence broke down.
[Photo: Getty Images]


With another stunning performance by the Ivorian striker Didier Drogba and the complacency of Arsenal's defence, the Blues won today's contest in a fashion that was nearly a laugh. With eleven points behind the London rivals, the season seems (and only seems) over to Wenger's men as a precious opportunity to close the gap was wasted at the Grove.
The absence of Robin van Persie, Arsenal's best deliverer in the past three seasons, will be a haunting shadow as news from his recovery stressed the exorbitant amount of four to six months. The atmosphere and the build-up was as maniatic as the outrageous scoresheet; even the hideous Ashley Cole dared to put his name in the record. The problem should be passed on in order to regain the wretched confidence and utter disappointment.
If there is a thin ray of light in the Gunners' immediate future in the league, it is that of an absolute crash of the current rivals paired with another of United, and a flawless and magnificent display by the north Londoners. Where in many cases the beautiful game has its turnabouts, there is nothing sure in the nine-month unpredictable ride that is the Premier League.



One of the crosses that killed the Gunners' hopes.
[Photo: John Sibley/Action Images through Guardian]


Possibly between the first twenty five minutes of the first half, Ancelotti's men were slack and showed no real threat to the game the home team was trying to weave. Instead, they played the long dutiful, yet convincing game of growing in confidence and starting from zero. The Gunners' charge, led by Eduardo, did not jeopardise Terry's defence just as the clock reached the 29th minute.
The tense atmosphere between the two sides was escalating as the Gunners only took a weak effort from Nasri in the 24th. As the match wore, the confidence of the team led by Lampard increased to the extent of having the actual grip of the match. In one of those runs, Ashley Cole got himself into the left side and crossed to find a lonesome Drogba in the box. The Ivorian neatly finished as the ball bounced in the crossbar and entered.
As if this quick result was not crushing enough, another effort from the same full-back saw Vermaelen score an own-goal. The defence, in a hapless attempt to chase the ball, looked in line as if some magical intervention would keep the ball out of the way of Drogba; instead it went through the body of the Belgian and Chelsea, suddenly were two-goals up.



[Photo: Daily Mail]


The second half, instead of showing the Gooners the greatest of comebacks, was really a disappointing endeavour that highlighted the areas in which Wenger should invest in the following January. Particularly interesting resulted the fact that Samir Nasri provided the clearest opportunities, opposed to the hapless and off-paced Eduardo. Again the mental strength was a factor in favour of the Russians (I mean, the Blues).
As the match continued Wenger substituted the best man of the team, Nasri, to introduce the crafted player-type of player Rosicky. Whether this was a factor against the fresh inventiveness of the French against the passing of the Czech, it only helped to give certain advantage to Ancelotti's team. Despite some futile attempts of the north Londoners, the suffering did not diminish as Drogba stroke the last punch. A deadly freekick into Almunia's post and the match was virtually over.