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Carling Cup S/F Leg 1

Emirates Stadium - Wednesday, January 09, 2008, 7.45pm


Arsenal Arsenal 1

Walcott 78


Tottenham H. Tottenham H. 1

Jenas 37


Youtube highlights

Analysis by
1970’s Gooner

What was noticeably absent was the lack of a wise hand in the middle of the defence.

Senderos amd Djourou were very square and did not really work as a pair. Berbatov and Keane run them rugged with Berbatov dropping deep to receive the ball and with his trickery dictate play.

If Gallas had been in the line up things would have been a lot different in defence. He would have brought organisation and positional awareness.

Arsene Wenger will need to consider correcting this imbalance between youth and experience for the return leg if we are to go through to the final for a second year in succession.

However who will be fit to play in the return leg in two weeks time and indeed for the Premier League games coming up in between is now debatable.

The imbalance in the line put the whole team and certain players under a lot of physical pressure which inevitably led to injuries.

Robin van Persie, Johan Djourou, Philippe Senderos and Theo Walcott are undergoing scans today. All four are now major doubts for the game against Birmingham City on Saturday.

Senderos injured his medial knee ligaments and Djourou has a groin complaint. With Kolo Touré and Song already departed for the African Cup of Nations only William Gallas is now the remaining available centre-half. Hoyte looked a viable alternative to me.

Arsene Wenger said: We don't know yet how long the injured players willl be out."

Van Persie complained of pain in the thigh he hurt last month. "It might be just scar tissue but we have to respect the injury," said Wenger. Walcott also twisted an ankle late on and was substituted by Randall.

It was a flat performance with a lot of the players playing below par in all areas of the pitch.

As feared the central defensive pairing of Senderos and Djourou was suspect throughout the game and was the weakest link in the Arsenal line up.

In midfield players like Diaby and Denilson were wasteful in possession contributing very little in their respective roles.

And in attack Van Persie did not look match fit and therefore could not link up well with Bendtner or be dangerous enough to bother the Spurs defence.

The draw flattered us.

Here is the player analysis and ratings which was also posted last night.

Fabianski

Overall had a good game and made two good saves. Made a couple of mistakes dropping the ball in the box in front of a bunch of players and once his burst out of the area was not fast enough to catch Berbatov. Due to his inexperience in the Premier League I would be worried if Almunia got injured. 6

Hoyte

Steady and reliable. Impressed me a lot when he had to play centre back. In fact he steadied the middle of the defence something that was missing before Djourou was substituted. 7

Traore

A much better game than at Burnley. Was well positioned and strong in his challenges. Lennon was kept mostly quiet which is a very good compliment to pay for Traore. Got forward a lot more in the second half and put in some useful crosses. 7

Senderos

Has not improved this year. I have to say he is probably the only one of the “younger” players that has not added a lot to his play this season. Was out of position again on a few occasions. Played better in the second half. 5

Djourou

Disappointing. The pairing with Senderos did not work. They did not cover for each other and were both rather flat. His mistake on the header he misplaced was not helped by Senderos lack of cover and Keane was through to lay the ball for Jenas to score. I would be worried if Gallas got injured and we had to pair these two in a league game. From tonight’s performance I would prefer Hoyte instead! 5

Gilberto

Played much better today. Was more combative and commanding in the air. His passing was not at its best and he faded a little in the second half. 6

Denilson

One of his worst games for Arsenal. Passing was off, decision making below average and he go caught with the ball too often as Spurs employed the tactic of pressing from the front and not allowing any space for the midfielders to turn with the ball. It was on one such an occasion that he lost the ball in the middle of the field which led to Spurs getting their goal. 4

Diaby

Pass the ball man! Don’t try and show us that you can play football. He ended up slowing the game up every time he got the ball and held it up selfishly. I can’t remember any occasion where he got passed his man on the wing. Contributed very little for the whole. 3.5

Walcott

Tried to be busy and use his pace but he hardly got any joy on the wing as he kept running into opponents. It was only when he ventured in the middle of the Spurs defence to receive a lovely through pass from Eduardo that he actually scored. 6

Bendtner

Busy and got a lot of headers. Dropped back a little bit in between the midfield and the attack but his passing was not at its best. He wasn’t helped by Van Persie’s lack of mobility. Got into a good position to head Walcott’s cross but Cerny saved it. Was more active in the second half. 6

Van Persie

Unfit and therefore less mobile. Was not able to contribute much and rightly substituted for Eduardo for the second half. Still he had to play so that he could get match fit. 5

Eduardo

I think if he had started he would have probably scored. Gave a delightful assist for Walcott’s goal and generally prowled around sniffing for the goal opportunities. Arsenal’s below average play did not help however. 7

Sagna

Came on at half time for Djourou and had a fine game at right back bringing some experience to bear to what was a beleaguered back four prior to that. Ventured forward putting some dangerous crosses. 7



READ MORE FOR HIGHLIGHTS MATCH, MATCH ANALYSIS ....

FA Cup Round 3

Turf Moor - Sunday, January 06, 2008, 2pm


Burnley Burnley 0

Arsenal Arsenal 2

Eduardo 9, Bendtner 75


Burnley

  • Gabor Kiraly
  • Jon Harley
  • Steve Caldwell Yellow Card
  • Stanislav Varga
  • Graham Alexander
  • Wade Elliott
  • James O`Connor
  • Joey Gudjonsson 76
  • Chris McCann
  • Kyle Lafferty Yellow Card
  • Andy Gray
  • Ade Akinbiyi 79
  • Robbie Blake
  • Steve Jones 79

Subs not used

  • Brian Jensen
  • Stephen Jordan

Attendance

  • 16,709

Referee

  • Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)

Analysis by 1970’s Gooner


It was a scrappy game. There was no rhythm or flow from Arsenal as the players found it difficult to play the passing game as we have come to know it under Arsene Wenger. It was a probably due to a combination of attitude and the state of the pitch.

Attitude, because the Arsenal players looked as though they underestimated the opponent and on many occasions were not playing as a collective or cohesive unit.

Indicative of this was the huddle of all the players just before the kick off…..the Burnley players. I didn’t see the Arsenal players going in a huddle unless the TV ignored it. If you were there can you please let us know.

The state of the pitch did not help Arsenal’s passing game and this may have affected the way the players approached the game choosing on occasion to play the long ball to Bendtner and Eduardo.

It was from such a high ball from steady Kolo that Eduardo run on to from deep to find himself in front of Kiraly, the Hungarian ex Crystal Palace goalkeeper.

Eduardo seems to be able to bend the laws of nature by appearing to elongate time.

There is no other explanation for it. He just waited for the ball to drop at a more convenient height as it bobbled in front of him with a defender on his shoulder putting pressure and then, as he did for his goal at Seville which was very similar in execution, passed it into the net.

This boy is very clinical..I would have said a killer but he did miss a similar chance in the second half when Bendtner laid it on a plate for him with only the goalkeeper to beat. He rolled it just the wrong side of the post. He can be human after all.

But this is the type of player that Arsenal needed for a very long time. A player who when the rest of the team are not playing well, when the game is scrappy and fifty fifty, he can get the goal that will make the difference.

This is more important to Arsenal due to the passing style of football that Arsene Wenger’s teams play which can sometimes go off the boil either because the players are tired or having a bad day at the office. Just as it was for the defeat at Middlesbrough.

That’s when you need to score the scrappy, opportunistic goals. The goals that come out of nothing or against the run of play. Goals that will not necessarily win the Goal of the Month competition.

Eduardo was playing at Boro but had not come to terms with the English game by then. He is finding his feet now alright. And as Wenger continues to field variations of the B team for Arsenal in the Cup competitions the more important Eduardo will become.

He will be important in the race for the title too don't get me wrong....

Lehmann

Did not have much to do. 7

Traore

One of his worst games for Arsenal. Often out of position and hesitant in his clearances. A lot of Burnley’s offensive play came from that side of the pitch. It wasn’t a surprise that Wenger substituted him for Hoyte in the middle of the second half who brought more experience to bear. 4

Sagna

He hasn’t been at his best recently and the rest that Wenger gave him recently did not appear to have helped enough. He was steady and without mistakes don’t get me wrong but he wasn’t at his best. 6

Toure

Did not put a foot wrong and gave the assist for the goal. He was a real leader and with the experience he has now he is one of the best if not the best central defender in the league. 9

Senderos

I wish I could but I can’t say the same for Philip. He had one of those games where he displayed his deficiencies in lack of positional awareness and pace. He came more into his own in the second half where he had a good game because Burnley went more direct with more high balls which suits his style of play. 6

Diaby

He is getting better and better. Opponents find it difficult to get the ball off him (like it was with Vieira). When he beefs himself up a bit more he will be a real tough cookie. Maybe Wenger is waiting for that before he gives him more starts in his natural position in the centre of the field but maybe he will do so when he unloads Gilberto? Faded a little bit in the second half. 7

Denilson

Had a good game with lots of movement and usually accurate passing. If he continues improving like he has he will be a natural successor to Fabregas. 8

Gilberto

Again looked rusty and unfit to me. Performed the basics well but no more than that. He is probably out of the door either in this window or the next. 6

Eboue

After a good game last time out against West ham he reverted to his usual game of being active but without substance or end result. Careless in his passing and frivolous in possession. 5

Bendtner

Won most of the headers but was not able to hold the ball as he has shown he can. His control usually let him down and his passing also suffered. He did however combine well with Eduardo to score the second killer goal which he took well going round the keeper and slotting it home. 6

Eduardo

In addition to what I have written above he was also more in the game holding up the ball and connecting with his fellow players well. He also provided the assist for Bendtner’s goal. 9

Man of the Match: Eduardo


READ MORE FOR HIGHLIGHTS MATCH, MATCH ANALYSIS ....

Barclays Premier League

Emirates Stadium

Tuesday, January 01, 2008, 3pm


West Ham United

West Ham United 0



West Ham United

  • Robert Green
  • Matthew Upson
  • Lucas Neill
  • George McCartney Yellow Card
  • Jonathan Spector
  • John Paintsil
  • Anton Ferdinand
  • Mark Noble Yellow Card
  • Hayden Mullins
  • Henri Camara 77
  • Fredrik Ljungberg
  • Jack Collison 38
  • Carlton Cole Yellow Card
  • Dean Ashton 71

Subs not used

  • James Tomkins
  • Richard Wright

Referee

  • Chris Foy (Merseyside)

READ MORE FOR HIGHLIGHTS MATCH, MATCH ANALYSIS ....

Barclays Premier League

Goodison Park

Saturday, December 29, 2007, 5.15pm


Everton

Everton 1

Cahill 20


Arsenal

Arsenal 4

Eduardo 47

Eduardo 58

Adebayor 78

Rosicky 94


Everton

  • Tim Howard
  • Philip Neville
  • Joleon Lescott
  • Tony Hibbert
  • Andrew Johnson 71
  • Joseph Yobo
  • Phil Jagielka
  • Mikel Arteta Yellow Card
  • Lee Carsley
  • Steven Pienaar
  • Tim Cahill
  • Yakubu

Subs not used

  • Stefan Wessels
  • Nuno Valente
  • James Vaughan
  • Victor Anichebe

Attendance

  • 39,443

Referee

  • Martin Atkinson

READ MORE FOR HIGHLIGHTS MATCH, MATCH ANALYSIS ....

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