Arsenal
We're shit - but what a wonder goal
By Boris Mellor
January 28 2009
As the match wasn't on TV I decided to take up 02's offer of paying £10 to watch at the Emirates Stadium. It was a 100% sell out, but then there were only 400 seats available. The crowd were cheery, and probably the biggest noise ever heard on club level. It's lovely and warm in the hospitality area, unlike the frozen steppes of the upper tier, no wonder they don't come back after half time.
The first half was fairly even, with both sides making few chances. Indeed Arsenal had started more brightly than I can remember in a long time. They played some very good football, but achieving such heights gave them vertigo and the Gunners soon sunk into bad old ways. After 10 minutes Everton got into the game and began to dominate yet created very little. The game then became a war of attrition until half time put a halt to it.
Everton are well organized and can sap the will to live, and thus they began to squeeze the life out of Arsenal. Arsenal had little answer to it, Denilson can't play wide, Diaby ambled aimlessly, and Song didn't look the worst of a mediocre midfield, which isn't really praise. Nasri and Adebayor could not get round the back of the Everton defence, nor could anyone else. Only one player showed real skill combined with determination, and that was Robin van Persie, but he has two jobs now, midfielder and striker. What he has gained in depth he sometimes loses in incisiveness. You don't get three assists at Goodison.
Up until Cahill's fine header on 61 minutes, and Clichy's poor defending, there had been little between the teams. However as Arsenal grew desperate and threw more and more into attack it seemed more likely that it would be Everton that would score. Indeed Everton now had several shots, whilst Arsenal still struggled to create anything. On about 75 minutes I must admit I had given up hope, and by 92 minutes I saw little reason to change my mind. Arsenal could find no way through Everton's well organized ranks.
Everton were keeping the ball, and even holding it down Arsenal's end, the clock seemed to be ticking far too quickly for the result to be anything else but a defeat. Then at about 92 minutes it exploded, the ball fell to van Persie, it all happened so quickly I am not sure who, or how it got to him. With one seamless effort, he didn't seem to control the ball, he volleyed it from the most oblique of angles, it was in the back of the net before anyone could fathom what had happened. The Emirates crowd erupted and celebrated. It was one of the greatest Arsenal goals I have seen; only a Henry or Bergkamp could do similar. But we all went home fairly quietly for we knew one point was not enough. A draw at Everton is not a bad result, but when you are 5 points behind the 4th place team you need a bit more.
Van Persie showed he is a great player, but there are not enough great players in this side. We were shit, but we got a draw. I have no sympathy for Everton, this is football not strictly come dancing, the game is decided by goals not judges points.
Nonetheless, I assume Wenger didn't judge this performance that highly; without Fabregas I can't see this team winning at Man U or Liverpool. Arsene we need some creativity in midfield now or we could miss out on Europe.
Strange Moments
The whole Emiratescrowd clapped Eboue when he came on, no irony evident, they didn't even groan when he miss passed. In all fairness he played ok in place of Sagna, who was either tired or injured.
Afterwards Adebayor praised his partner RvP, and said that Arsenal were still in the title race. Well might he praise Robin, even better follow his example. However, I wish he would stop talking about the title he is convincing no one.
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Stumbleupon28/01/2009 23:54
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:01:30:22:30:53 by Padre Pio.
Why was Vela not brought on
Quote:Bring back stepanovs!
how come your allowed to swear and we're not!
Exactly!
Good read Padre, and agreed, its all well and good celebrating like its 1999 when RVP equalised, only our second shot on target all night by the way, but when you realise it means we dropped 2 more points against Villa who are 5 points clear then how the @#$%& is there a bright side.
Quote:It's lovely and warm in the hospitality area, unlike the frozen steppes of the upper tier, no wonder they don't come back after half time.
Quote:how come your allowed to swear and we're not!
Quote:Bring back stepanovs!
how come your allowed to swear and we're not!
It's an Arsenal message board, it's all to do with swear policy's and curse structures.
Theodore roosevelt - In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
if something drastic doesn't happen we are heading for doom!!!
But my, what a wonder goal!!!
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