By Boris Mellor
May 5 2006

It was the first time that Sol and Cole had played in the team together since October. It was the first time that Freddy scored in the Premiership this season.

 It was the first time that Reyes had scored in the Premiership this year. It was the first time that an Arsenal player gave the up yours sign to baying away fans this season. It was the … (Enough firsts.Ed).

 

It certainly wasn’t the first time that Henry was man of the match with another exquisite performance that had the away fans applauding. And it wasn’t the first time the defence fouled up to give away a cheap goal. Earlier in the season (especially in the Bermuda Triangle, NW England that is) they would have sunk without trace after conceding such a daft goal.

 

Campbell had a fine performance, but Ashley showed all the ring rust to be expected, after such a long lay off, but he lasted 90 minutes which indicates, whatever he says, that Arsene would like him to play at the Stade de France.

 

 

It was a strange start as Arsenal started as if they were dreaming of the CL final already. Indeed the word pants kept slipping into my brain as much as I tried to exclude it. Man City were making most of the running. Perhaps the Gunners were still in grief over Diaby. But then on 29 minutes the team exploded into life. Henry headed towards goal, but then turned horizontally across field dropping into the hole giving a reverse Bergkampesque pass to Freddy. Ljungberg carefully side footed the ball well beyond James.

 

However within 9 minutes Arsenal surrendered the lead, a mix up between Cole and Freddy led to a corner. After the match Cole admitted he was more to blame than Freddy. Henry rubbed it in a bit as well. I must say I was irritated by it too, at the time, but in fairness to Cole we must learn to defend at corners. We can’t forever not concede a corner. It was a cheap waste of a scruffy goal, but 1-1 probably reflected the balance of play at half time.

 

Arsenal stepped up a gear in the second half, but chances for Henry and RvP did not get converted. Wenger, if not the team, wanted to step up a gear so Fabregas replaced Song on 58 minutes. The match was now developing into a real ding dong – both sides were up for the winner. It was like a cup-tie, except City had nothing to win.

 

However it was still not enough and Wenger brought on Pires for Hleb, and a bit later Reyes for RvP. Now Arsenal really stepped up a gear, or more than one as Henry said after the match. Now the Gunners went at it with a will, on 78 minutes a Pires and Eboue interchange ended with a fine cross by the latter. Reyes swept the ball in under James’s despairing fingers.

 

Six minutes later Henry evaded the City defence, yet again, squaring the ball for Reyes. Jose had plenty of time to tee up the ball and produce a delightful curling shot well beyond James. Game set and match. Oh I forgot, it was the first victory in the North West of England. Arsenal are back.