By Staff Correspondent
June 5 2005

Lightning never strikes twice, leastwise not for those expecting a 7-0 win again, that is; and there was a certain flatness about this Arsenal performance. Perhaps it deserved a draw, but the team with the most goals wins.

Birmingham 2

Pandiani 80, Heskey 90

Arsenal 1

Bergkamp 88

Wenger wanted 86 points, but teams have a stubborn way of forcing their own agendas independently of managers. There was in all reality little to play for here. If players can get injured in training and miss the cup final, how greater the risk in a real game? If they were saving themselves for the final who can blame them.

Arsenal started without Henry and Reyes in the squad. Wenger played Ljungberg on the left, and Toure at right back.

A fairly scrappy early start, but after 10 minutes Birmingham started to give Arsenal problems. In particular Pennant got past Cole on a few occasions. Van Persie had a reasonable effort blocked, and Lehmann was forced to punch a shot away. Birmingham had a lot of the possession. After 24 minutes Arsenal started to make some better chances, but Birmingham defended well. After 40 minutes there had been only one serious shot apiece. Birmingham had pressed hard and the Gunners defence had to work hard to keep them at bay. Just before half time van Persie had a decent effort saved by Taylor. An unforgettable first half finished 0-0.

Arsenal came back on with Freddy still in the team. On 48 minutes Arsenal won a free kick. Van Persie tried a left-footed curler but his shot went over the bar.Just after that VP nutmegged the Brummie defence, but Bergkamp’s shot went just wide. Pennant failed to score with another free kick. Bergkamp hit a tame shot and on the 60th Minute Van Persie followed up with an effort from the left side of the penalty area that went wide yet again. On 68 minutes Edu and Aliadiere came on for Ljungberg and Van Persie.

Arsenal were playing far better but not finding the net. Aliadiere and Toure also failed to convert chances, Arsenal paid for their missed chances on the 80^th minute when striker Pandiani put Birmingham ahead with a left footed shot from the centre of the penalty area. Meanwhile Fulham had gone 6-0 up against Norwich, condemning the canaries to relegation; and Wednesday night against Everton to a distant memory.

With two minutes to go Bergkamp snatched an equaliser with a solo effort. It looked like Arsenal had earnt a deserved draw. And then Arsenal went napping and conceded a second goal, this time from Heskey. A complete lapse of attention at the back. Too many minds on the cup final, or perhaps not enough senior players at this late stage. But second place was already assured. And for Birmingham it was the highlight of their otherwise mediocre season.

Congratulations to West Brom who have rewritten the record book, a team at the bottom at Xmas no longer "always goes down".