Arsenal Football Club - The Gunner's Thread
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FooFighter
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It ain't over till the fat lady sings! 
FooFighter
New Member
Liverpool in Champions League quarter-final By Myles Palmer
A Turkish club coached by a Brazilian, Zico.
An Italian club coached by an Italian, Luciano Spalletti.
A Spanish club coached by a Dutchman, Frank Rijkaard.
A west London club coached by an Israeli, Avram Grant.
A north London club coached by a Germanic Frenchman.
A Liverpool club coached by a Spaniard, Rafa Benitez.
A Manchester club coached by a Glaswegian who became a knight of the realm because Arsenal forced his team to become strong enough to win the treble that impressed populist PM Tony Blair.
AND THE DRAW IN LYON IS......
Arsenal v Liverpool
Roma v Man Utd
Schalke 04 v Barcelona
Fenerbahce v Chelsea.
In the semi-final, Arsenal or Liverpool will play Zico's team or Grant's.
Schalke 04 and Fenerbahce are in the quarter-finals for the first time.
Roma suffered a 7-1 defeat at Old Trafford in last year's quarter-final. They played Man Utd in the group stage, losing 1-0 to a Rooney goal at Old Trafford. The Rome game was a 1-1 draw.
Mar 14, 2008
A Turkish club coached by a Brazilian, Zico.
An Italian club coached by an Italian, Luciano Spalletti.
A Spanish club coached by a Dutchman, Frank Rijkaard.
A west London club coached by an Israeli, Avram Grant.
A north London club coached by a Germanic Frenchman.
A Liverpool club coached by a Spaniard, Rafa Benitez.
A Manchester club coached by a Glaswegian who became a knight of the realm because Arsenal forced his team to become strong enough to win the treble that impressed populist PM Tony Blair.
AND THE DRAW IN LYON IS......
Arsenal v Liverpool
Roma v Man Utd
Schalke 04 v Barcelona
Fenerbahce v Chelsea.
In the semi-final, Arsenal or Liverpool will play Zico's team or Grant's.
Schalke 04 and Fenerbahce are in the quarter-finals for the first time.
Roma suffered a 7-1 defeat at Old Trafford in last year's quarter-final. They played Man Utd in the group stage, losing 1-0 to a Rooney goal at Old Trafford. The Rome game was a 1-1 draw.
Mar 14, 2008
FooFighter
New Member
Yeah! Com'on Liverpool! 
I posted in the Liverpool thread, wishin the lpool supporters good luck.. cheeky
Enjoy the game tonite Gooners!
===================
Gallas, Toure or Fabregas goal can beat Chelsea
By Myles Palmer
I've thought about these two games .And I've discussed them with friends.
And its close to midnight on Saturday and I'm previewed out. I haven't heard any insights and haven't developed any insights.
Chelsea v Arsenal, after Man United v Liverpool
There is a serious chance both games could be draws. With most of my friends going for two home wins, I was finding it harder to argue against that than I did two days ago.
I've lost faith in my notion that Liverpool can win 1-0, and while I think Arsenal will be strong late in the game they could be a goal or two down by then, so being strong between 83 and 93 minutes may not be that important. But, of course, it is far easier to score against Chelsea now than when Mourinho was there.
When I look for a goalscorer in the Arsenal team I'm thinking : Gallas, Fabregas, Toure.
The Flamini and Hleb transfer stories do not disturb me at all. If Flamini want to go, he can. He's had a good season but he's not unique, not irreplaceable.
Same with Hleb. If Inter want him, sell him at a good price. I'm Hleb's biggest fan, I liked him from day one, but he can go. There are better players out there. There are wingers who can score goals.
Remember, Arsenal are not paupers. They gross £3.1 million per home game. They needed more experienced players and they never got them and now the kids have buckled under the pressure. They've drawn the last four Prem games because the team is too young to handle the expectations, the disappointments, the criticism.
FACT : Arsenal have the hardest run-in and Man United have the easier run-in.
All along, ever since the 2-2 draw at the Emirates, I've said that Man United would be champions but Arsenal could win it if United mess up. And they might mess up tomorrow. We shall soon see. This time tomorrow we could be talking about next season.
Cristiano Ronaldo has never scored against Liverpool?
Fair enough. But he has never been as hot as he is now. If he gets any hotter hell burst into flames and they.ll have to call the fire brigade. Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo is his strongest team and even if he starts with thos etrhee it will be hard work and few chances.
Ronaldo hasn't done it in big games? He can start today.
Let's face it - nobody knows who will win either game. That's why we watch. It could be anybody's day. Joe Cole's, Ronaldo's, anybody's.
Enjoy !
Mar 22, 2008
I posted in the Liverpool thread, wishin the lpool supporters good luck.. cheeky
Enjoy the game tonite Gooners!
===================
Gallas, Toure or Fabregas goal can beat Chelsea
By Myles Palmer
I've thought about these two games .And I've discussed them with friends.
And its close to midnight on Saturday and I'm previewed out. I haven't heard any insights and haven't developed any insights.
Chelsea v Arsenal, after Man United v Liverpool
There is a serious chance both games could be draws. With most of my friends going for two home wins, I was finding it harder to argue against that than I did two days ago.
I've lost faith in my notion that Liverpool can win 1-0, and while I think Arsenal will be strong late in the game they could be a goal or two down by then, so being strong between 83 and 93 minutes may not be that important. But, of course, it is far easier to score against Chelsea now than when Mourinho was there.
When I look for a goalscorer in the Arsenal team I'm thinking : Gallas, Fabregas, Toure.
The Flamini and Hleb transfer stories do not disturb me at all. If Flamini want to go, he can. He's had a good season but he's not unique, not irreplaceable.
Same with Hleb. If Inter want him, sell him at a good price. I'm Hleb's biggest fan, I liked him from day one, but he can go. There are better players out there. There are wingers who can score goals.
Remember, Arsenal are not paupers. They gross £3.1 million per home game. They needed more experienced players and they never got them and now the kids have buckled under the pressure. They've drawn the last four Prem games because the team is too young to handle the expectations, the disappointments, the criticism.
FACT : Arsenal have the hardest run-in and Man United have the easier run-in.
All along, ever since the 2-2 draw at the Emirates, I've said that Man United would be champions but Arsenal could win it if United mess up. And they might mess up tomorrow. We shall soon see. This time tomorrow we could be talking about next season.
Cristiano Ronaldo has never scored against Liverpool?
Fair enough. But he has never been as hot as he is now. If he gets any hotter hell burst into flames and they.ll have to call the fire brigade. Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo is his strongest team and even if he starts with thos etrhee it will be hard work and few chances.
Ronaldo hasn't done it in big games? He can start today.
Let's face it - nobody knows who will win either game. That's why we watch. It could be anybody's day. Joe Cole's, Ronaldo's, anybody's.
Enjoy !
Mar 22, 2008
FooFighter
New Member
Law of nine as another bad decision costs points
By Ian Grant
Chelsea 2 Arsenal 1
What were the odds another bum decision would change the game? Thought it would.
Like the Birmingham and Middlesbrough games, bad decisions directly affected the result and the points tally, now minus six. But Arsenal have to rise above inadequate officialdom. But appear to have run out of steam at the wrong time.
It is hard enough to have a self imposed £135m-£140m penalty [transfers in] over Man U and Chelsea respectively. But with a smaller, thinner, younger, less experienced squad, are bum decisions proving a bridge too far?
They say things even themselves out over the course of the season. If so, then Arsenal are still in the hunt. So long as they don't feel sorry for themselves.
For 70 minutes there was little to choose between the two teams - [only the £140m or so on paper].
But then the deeper, more expensive, experienced squad power came into play - with the £15m Anelka and Belletti on after 70 - both of whom have scored against Arsenal - starting to affect things. Chelsea went to a 4-4-2 with Essien holding in midfield, Lampard bombing on. And Arsenal found it even harder to cope with two up front, Anelka joining Drogba.
Drogba and Anelka were a yard offside when the long ball came over from Cudicini. But the inadequate linesman, probably a homer [he erroneously gave Gallas offside when he threatened Chelsea's goal in the first half], chose to ignore it.
Gallas tried to jump above Drogba and missed out. The ball pinged back via Lampard and Toure's touch to the Ivory Coast striker who fired past Almunia. Even then during the build up, Anelka was in an offside position, but the linesman ignored that too.
That seemed to fire the Chelsea machine into full power.
The second, from a Belletti free kick, saw Anelka [why isn't he playing for Arsenal?] flick on above Gallas, Toure missing the crossfield flick and Drogba doing enough to turn and power it past Almunia, who should have done better and turned it round the post.
Arsenal conversely ran out of steam after that.
Although they started brightly, with the majority of early possession, Drogba gave a warning when he chested it and turned past the smaller Gallas, who brought him down.
The game had the ebb of flow of beauty versus the beast. Arsenal having more possession, pinging it around, probing for an opening. Chelsea going direct with Drogba the target with Cole, and Kalou coming on wide and Ballack and Lampard central, racing on to any knock-downs and flick-ons - a sort of super sophisticated Bolton style.
Eboue was booked for running too soon to charge a Ballack free kick. A sub-plot developed: Was Eboue to do a Mascherano? He came very close during the game. Almunia saved at the second attempt from the free-kick.
Hleb set up van Persie who dropped his shoulder gaining space but screwing it wide.
Ballack tested Almunia again, who saved low to his right.
Van Persie shot straight at Cudicini.
Drogba burst through from a long ball, but it hit both his knees and went harmlessly to Almunia.
Eboue had a great chance to lob Cudicini on 19 as the keeper headed clear. But quality and composure were lacking.
On the half hour Arsenal's pressure could have told, with a bit more composure. Adebayor mishit in the area to Eboue who mishit, leaving Cudicini to clear with his left.
Ballack burst down the right and fired a dangerous low ball which Toure left, and Lampard missed it.
Joe Cole and Ballack were booked for fouls on Van Persie and Hleb.
Van Persie won a corner. Toure had a clear header on goal, which he should have taken. The ball found Gallas, who should have scored but for a post. That wouldn't have counted anyway. The linesman saw to that OK.
Then Chelsea powered on late in the half. Kalou mishit Ballack's downward header. Ballack fired another shot which Almunia saved. Joe Cole went on another jinking run shadowed successfully by Fabregas, and Toure clattered Kalou, and escaped a penalty decision.
At the start of the second, Flamini had a good chance from a Van Persie block, but Cudicini parried the hard diagonal.
Drogba got ominously free from another long ball on the right of Arsenal's area, but Gallas put him off and he fired into the crowd.
Van Persie won a corner. Fabregas fired it in short, Sagna darted ahead of Lampard and headed a goal - his first - into the near post area. Half an hour left. Memories of last season flood back. Had Arsenal scored too early?
A Joe Cole cross, saw the other Cole head wide.
Sagna twisted awkwardly in the area and limped off. Toure went down needing treatment, the same time as Gallas. Arsenal lost defensive composure at this point and never settled. It was during this time that Drogba netted the offside goal.
After the second on 82, Almunia saved a Drogba hat-trick with a low save to his left.
Although Walcott, Diaby and Bendtner came on for Van Persie, Sagna, and Flamini, the only real chance, after that was a Flamini header which Cudicini easily saved.
Arsene Wenger denied it was the end of Arsenal's title challenge: "We were unlucky today. We were 1-0 in front. Their first goal was offside. It is disappointing. The team gave everything. It is disappointing not to get anything out of the game."
Avram Grant said that he didn't listen to criticism and that sometimes substitutes work, other times they don't. He said Didier Drogba wasn't playing well post African Nations Cup, but now he's back to his best.
For those into numerology it was a game of nines. Before the match, Chelsea had only conceded nine at home this season. And had failed to win in any of the last nine encounters with the top four, drawing six and losing three. After the match, it is Arsenal's worst run for nine years.
There was some bad sportsmanship - Terry kicking the ball into a corner when Eboue put the ball out midway in Chelsea's half for Joe Cole's injury. And one of Chelsea's coaching staff held on to the ball in injury time.
But Avram Grant is a decent man and the warm relationship with Wenger, along with Clattenburg's early warnings to the captains meant this was a clean game, compared to some in the past.
And thanks to Didier Drogba - who does a lot a charity work back in Africa - asking Chelsea fans to respect William Gallas for what he gave to the Chelsea team during his time there.
It was the way he said it that spoke volumes about the man.
Chelsea: Carlo Cudicini, John Terry, A Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Ballack (Juliano Belletti 70) Claude Makelele (Nicolas Anelka 70) Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole (John Obi Mikel 89) Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba Subs not used: Henrique Hilario, Alex
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Bacary Sagna (Abou Diaby 72) Emmanuel Eboue, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini (Nicklas Bendtner 88) Alexander Hleb, Robin Van Persie (Theo Walcott 76) Emmanuel Adebayor. Subs not used: Jens Lehmann, Philippe Senderos
Referee - Mark Clattenburg
Mar 23, 2008
By Ian Grant
Chelsea 2 Arsenal 1
What were the odds another bum decision would change the game? Thought it would.
Like the Birmingham and Middlesbrough games, bad decisions directly affected the result and the points tally, now minus six. But Arsenal have to rise above inadequate officialdom. But appear to have run out of steam at the wrong time.
It is hard enough to have a self imposed £135m-£140m penalty [transfers in] over Man U and Chelsea respectively. But with a smaller, thinner, younger, less experienced squad, are bum decisions proving a bridge too far?
They say things even themselves out over the course of the season. If so, then Arsenal are still in the hunt. So long as they don't feel sorry for themselves.
For 70 minutes there was little to choose between the two teams - [only the £140m or so on paper].
But then the deeper, more expensive, experienced squad power came into play - with the £15m Anelka and Belletti on after 70 - both of whom have scored against Arsenal - starting to affect things. Chelsea went to a 4-4-2 with Essien holding in midfield, Lampard bombing on. And Arsenal found it even harder to cope with two up front, Anelka joining Drogba.
Drogba and Anelka were a yard offside when the long ball came over from Cudicini. But the inadequate linesman, probably a homer [he erroneously gave Gallas offside when he threatened Chelsea's goal in the first half], chose to ignore it.
Gallas tried to jump above Drogba and missed out. The ball pinged back via Lampard and Toure's touch to the Ivory Coast striker who fired past Almunia. Even then during the build up, Anelka was in an offside position, but the linesman ignored that too.
That seemed to fire the Chelsea machine into full power.
The second, from a Belletti free kick, saw Anelka [why isn't he playing for Arsenal?] flick on above Gallas, Toure missing the crossfield flick and Drogba doing enough to turn and power it past Almunia, who should have done better and turned it round the post.
Arsenal conversely ran out of steam after that.
Although they started brightly, with the majority of early possession, Drogba gave a warning when he chested it and turned past the smaller Gallas, who brought him down.
The game had the ebb of flow of beauty versus the beast. Arsenal having more possession, pinging it around, probing for an opening. Chelsea going direct with Drogba the target with Cole, and Kalou coming on wide and Ballack and Lampard central, racing on to any knock-downs and flick-ons - a sort of super sophisticated Bolton style.
Eboue was booked for running too soon to charge a Ballack free kick. A sub-plot developed: Was Eboue to do a Mascherano? He came very close during the game. Almunia saved at the second attempt from the free-kick.
Hleb set up van Persie who dropped his shoulder gaining space but screwing it wide.
Ballack tested Almunia again, who saved low to his right.
Van Persie shot straight at Cudicini.
Drogba burst through from a long ball, but it hit both his knees and went harmlessly to Almunia.
Eboue had a great chance to lob Cudicini on 19 as the keeper headed clear. But quality and composure were lacking.
On the half hour Arsenal's pressure could have told, with a bit more composure. Adebayor mishit in the area to Eboue who mishit, leaving Cudicini to clear with his left.
Ballack burst down the right and fired a dangerous low ball which Toure left, and Lampard missed it.
Joe Cole and Ballack were booked for fouls on Van Persie and Hleb.
Van Persie won a corner. Toure had a clear header on goal, which he should have taken. The ball found Gallas, who should have scored but for a post. That wouldn't have counted anyway. The linesman saw to that OK.
Then Chelsea powered on late in the half. Kalou mishit Ballack's downward header. Ballack fired another shot which Almunia saved. Joe Cole went on another jinking run shadowed successfully by Fabregas, and Toure clattered Kalou, and escaped a penalty decision.
At the start of the second, Flamini had a good chance from a Van Persie block, but Cudicini parried the hard diagonal.
Drogba got ominously free from another long ball on the right of Arsenal's area, but Gallas put him off and he fired into the crowd.
Van Persie won a corner. Fabregas fired it in short, Sagna darted ahead of Lampard and headed a goal - his first - into the near post area. Half an hour left. Memories of last season flood back. Had Arsenal scored too early?
A Joe Cole cross, saw the other Cole head wide.
Sagna twisted awkwardly in the area and limped off. Toure went down needing treatment, the same time as Gallas. Arsenal lost defensive composure at this point and never settled. It was during this time that Drogba netted the offside goal.
After the second on 82, Almunia saved a Drogba hat-trick with a low save to his left.
Although Walcott, Diaby and Bendtner came on for Van Persie, Sagna, and Flamini, the only real chance, after that was a Flamini header which Cudicini easily saved.
Arsene Wenger denied it was the end of Arsenal's title challenge: "We were unlucky today. We were 1-0 in front. Their first goal was offside. It is disappointing. The team gave everything. It is disappointing not to get anything out of the game."
Avram Grant said that he didn't listen to criticism and that sometimes substitutes work, other times they don't. He said Didier Drogba wasn't playing well post African Nations Cup, but now he's back to his best.
For those into numerology it was a game of nines. Before the match, Chelsea had only conceded nine at home this season. And had failed to win in any of the last nine encounters with the top four, drawing six and losing three. After the match, it is Arsenal's worst run for nine years.
There was some bad sportsmanship - Terry kicking the ball into a corner when Eboue put the ball out midway in Chelsea's half for Joe Cole's injury. And one of Chelsea's coaching staff held on to the ball in injury time.
But Avram Grant is a decent man and the warm relationship with Wenger, along with Clattenburg's early warnings to the captains meant this was a clean game, compared to some in the past.
And thanks to Didier Drogba - who does a lot a charity work back in Africa - asking Chelsea fans to respect William Gallas for what he gave to the Chelsea team during his time there.
It was the way he said it that spoke volumes about the man.
Chelsea: Carlo Cudicini, John Terry, A Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Ballack (Juliano Belletti 70) Claude Makelele (Nicolas Anelka 70) Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole (John Obi Mikel 89) Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba Subs not used: Henrique Hilario, Alex
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Bacary Sagna (Abou Diaby 72) Emmanuel Eboue, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini (Nicklas Bendtner 88) Alexander Hleb, Robin Van Persie (Theo Walcott 76) Emmanuel Adebayor. Subs not used: Jens Lehmann, Philippe Senderos
Referee - Mark Clattenburg
Mar 23, 2008
FooFighter
New Member
Law of nine as another bad decision costs points
By Ian Grant
Chelsea 2 Arsenal 1
What were the odds another bum decision would change the game? Thought it would.
Like the Birmingham and Middlesbrough games, bad decisions directly affected the result and the points tally, now minus six. But Arsenal have to rise above inadequate officialdom. But appear to have run out of steam at the wrong time.
It is hard enough to have a self imposed £135m-£140m penalty [transfers in] over Man U and Chelsea respectively. But with a smaller, thinner, younger, less experienced squad, are bum decisions proving a bridge too far?
They say things even themselves out over the course of the season. If so, then Arsenal are still in the hunt. So long as they don't feel sorry for themselves.
For 70 minutes there was little to choose between the two teams - [only the £140m or so on paper].
But then the deeper, more expensive, experienced squad power came into play - with the £15m Anelka and Belletti on after 70 - both of whom have scored against Arsenal - starting to affect things. Chelsea went to a 4-4-2 with Essien holding in midfield, Lampard bombing on. And Arsenal found it even harder to cope with two up front, Anelka joining Drogba.
Drogba and Anelka were a yard offside when the long ball came over from Cudicini. But the inadequate linesman, probably a homer [he erroneously gave Gallas offside when he threatened Chelsea's goal in the first half], chose to ignore it.
Gallas tried to jump above Drogba and missed out. The ball pinged back via Lampard and Toure's touch to the Ivory Coast striker who fired past Almunia. Even then during the build up, Anelka was in an offside position, but the linesman ignored that too.
That seemed to fire the Chelsea machine into full power.
The second, from a Belletti free kick, saw Anelka [why isn't he playing for Arsenal?] flick on above Gallas, Toure missing the crossfield flick and Drogba doing enough to turn and power it past Almunia, who should have done better and turned it round the post.
Arsenal conversely ran out of steam after that.
Although they started brightly, with the majority of early possession, Drogba gave a warning when he chested it and turned past the smaller Gallas, who brought him down.
The game had the ebb of flow of beauty versus the beast. Arsenal having more possession, pinging it around, probing for an opening. Chelsea going direct with Drogba the target with Cole, and Kalou coming on wide and Ballack and Lampard central, racing on to any knock-downs and flick-ons - a sort of super sophisticated Bolton style.
Eboue was booked for running too soon to charge a Ballack free kick. A sub-plot developed: Was Eboue to do a Mascherano? He came very close during the game. Almunia saved at the second attempt from the free-kick.
Hleb set up van Persie who dropped his shoulder gaining space but screwing it wide.
Ballack tested Almunia again, who saved low to his right.
Van Persie shot straight at Cudicini.
Drogba burst through from a long ball, but it hit both his knees and went harmlessly to Almunia.
Eboue had a great chance to lob Cudicini on 19 as the keeper headed clear. But quality and composure were lacking.
On the half hour Arsenal's pressure could have told, with a bit more composure. Adebayor mishit in the area to Eboue who mishit, leaving Cudicini to clear with his left.
Ballack burst down the right and fired a dangerous low ball which Toure left, and Lampard missed it.
Joe Cole and Ballack were booked for fouls on Van Persie and Hleb.
Van Persie won a corner. Toure had a clear header on goal, which he should have taken. The ball found Gallas, who should have scored but for a post. That wouldn't have counted anyway. The linesman saw to that OK.
Then Chelsea powered on late in the half. Kalou mishit Ballack's downward header. Ballack fired another shot which Almunia saved. Joe Cole went on another jinking run shadowed successfully by Fabregas, and Toure clattered Kalou, and escaped a penalty decision.
At the start of the second, Flamini had a good chance from a Van Persie block, but Cudicini parried the hard diagonal.
Drogba got ominously free from another long ball on the right of Arsenal's area, but Gallas put him off and he fired into the crowd.
Van Persie won a corner. Fabregas fired it in short, Sagna darted ahead of Lampard and headed a goal - his first - into the near post area. Half an hour left. Memories of last season flood back. Had Arsenal scored too early?
A Joe Cole cross, saw the other Cole head wide.
Sagna twisted awkwardly in the area and limped off. Toure went down needing treatment, the same time as Gallas. Arsenal lost defensive composure at this point and never settled. It was during this time that Drogba netted the offside goal.
After the second on 82, Almunia saved a Drogba hat-trick with a low save to his left.
Although Walcott, Diaby and Bendtner came on for Van Persie, Sagna, and Flamini, the only real chance, after that was a Flamini header which Cudicini easily saved.
Arsene Wenger denied it was the end of Arsenal's title challenge: "We were unlucky today. We were 1-0 in front. Their first goal was offside. It is disappointing. The team gave everything. It is disappointing not to get anything out of the game."
Avram Grant said that he didn't listen to criticism and that sometimes substitutes work, other times they don't. He said Didier Drogba wasn't playing well post African Nations Cup, but now he's back to his best.
For those into numerology it was a game of nines. Before the match, Chelsea had only conceded nine at home this season. And had failed to win in any of the last nine encounters with the top four, drawing six and losing three. After the match, it is Arsenal's worst run for nine years.
There was some bad sportsmanship - Terry kicking the ball into a corner when Eboue put the ball out midway in Chelsea's half for Joe Cole's injury. And one of Chelsea's coaching staff held on to the ball in injury time.
But Avram Grant is a decent man and the warm relationship with Wenger, along with Clattenburg's early warnings to the captains meant this was a clean game, compared to some in the past.
And thanks to Didier Drogba - who does a lot a charity work back in Africa - asking Chelsea fans to respect William Gallas for what he gave to the Chelsea team during his time there.
It was the way he said it that spoke volumes about the man.
Chelsea: Carlo Cudicini, John Terry, A Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Ballack (Juliano Belletti 70) Claude Makelele (Nicolas Anelka 70) Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole (John Obi Mikel 89) Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba Subs not used: Henrique Hilario, Alex
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Bacary Sagna (Abou Diaby 72) Emmanuel Eboue, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini (Nicklas Bendtner 88) Alexander Hleb, Robin Van Persie (Theo Walcott 76) Emmanuel Adebayor. Subs not used: Jens Lehmann, Philippe Senderos
Referee - Mark Clattenburg
Mar 23, 2008
By Ian Grant
Chelsea 2 Arsenal 1
What were the odds another bum decision would change the game? Thought it would.
Like the Birmingham and Middlesbrough games, bad decisions directly affected the result and the points tally, now minus six. But Arsenal have to rise above inadequate officialdom. But appear to have run out of steam at the wrong time.
It is hard enough to have a self imposed £135m-£140m penalty [transfers in] over Man U and Chelsea respectively. But with a smaller, thinner, younger, less experienced squad, are bum decisions proving a bridge too far?
They say things even themselves out over the course of the season. If so, then Arsenal are still in the hunt. So long as they don't feel sorry for themselves.
For 70 minutes there was little to choose between the two teams - [only the £140m or so on paper].
But then the deeper, more expensive, experienced squad power came into play - with the £15m Anelka and Belletti on after 70 - both of whom have scored against Arsenal - starting to affect things. Chelsea went to a 4-4-2 with Essien holding in midfield, Lampard bombing on. And Arsenal found it even harder to cope with two up front, Anelka joining Drogba.
Drogba and Anelka were a yard offside when the long ball came over from Cudicini. But the inadequate linesman, probably a homer [he erroneously gave Gallas offside when he threatened Chelsea's goal in the first half], chose to ignore it.
Gallas tried to jump above Drogba and missed out. The ball pinged back via Lampard and Toure's touch to the Ivory Coast striker who fired past Almunia. Even then during the build up, Anelka was in an offside position, but the linesman ignored that too.
That seemed to fire the Chelsea machine into full power.
The second, from a Belletti free kick, saw Anelka [why isn't he playing for Arsenal?] flick on above Gallas, Toure missing the crossfield flick and Drogba doing enough to turn and power it past Almunia, who should have done better and turned it round the post.
Arsenal conversely ran out of steam after that.
Although they started brightly, with the majority of early possession, Drogba gave a warning when he chested it and turned past the smaller Gallas, who brought him down.
The game had the ebb of flow of beauty versus the beast. Arsenal having more possession, pinging it around, probing for an opening. Chelsea going direct with Drogba the target with Cole, and Kalou coming on wide and Ballack and Lampard central, racing on to any knock-downs and flick-ons - a sort of super sophisticated Bolton style.
Eboue was booked for running too soon to charge a Ballack free kick. A sub-plot developed: Was Eboue to do a Mascherano? He came very close during the game. Almunia saved at the second attempt from the free-kick.
Hleb set up van Persie who dropped his shoulder gaining space but screwing it wide.
Ballack tested Almunia again, who saved low to his right.
Van Persie shot straight at Cudicini.
Drogba burst through from a long ball, but it hit both his knees and went harmlessly to Almunia.
Eboue had a great chance to lob Cudicini on 19 as the keeper headed clear. But quality and composure were lacking.
On the half hour Arsenal's pressure could have told, with a bit more composure. Adebayor mishit in the area to Eboue who mishit, leaving Cudicini to clear with his left.
Ballack burst down the right and fired a dangerous low ball which Toure left, and Lampard missed it.
Joe Cole and Ballack were booked for fouls on Van Persie and Hleb.
Van Persie won a corner. Toure had a clear header on goal, which he should have taken. The ball found Gallas, who should have scored but for a post. That wouldn't have counted anyway. The linesman saw to that OK.
Then Chelsea powered on late in the half. Kalou mishit Ballack's downward header. Ballack fired another shot which Almunia saved. Joe Cole went on another jinking run shadowed successfully by Fabregas, and Toure clattered Kalou, and escaped a penalty decision.
At the start of the second, Flamini had a good chance from a Van Persie block, but Cudicini parried the hard diagonal.
Drogba got ominously free from another long ball on the right of Arsenal's area, but Gallas put him off and he fired into the crowd.
Van Persie won a corner. Fabregas fired it in short, Sagna darted ahead of Lampard and headed a goal - his first - into the near post area. Half an hour left. Memories of last season flood back. Had Arsenal scored too early?
A Joe Cole cross, saw the other Cole head wide.
Sagna twisted awkwardly in the area and limped off. Toure went down needing treatment, the same time as Gallas. Arsenal lost defensive composure at this point and never settled. It was during this time that Drogba netted the offside goal.
After the second on 82, Almunia saved a Drogba hat-trick with a low save to his left.
Although Walcott, Diaby and Bendtner came on for Van Persie, Sagna, and Flamini, the only real chance, after that was a Flamini header which Cudicini easily saved.
Arsene Wenger denied it was the end of Arsenal's title challenge: "We were unlucky today. We were 1-0 in front. Their first goal was offside. It is disappointing. The team gave everything. It is disappointing not to get anything out of the game."
Avram Grant said that he didn't listen to criticism and that sometimes substitutes work, other times they don't. He said Didier Drogba wasn't playing well post African Nations Cup, but now he's back to his best.
For those into numerology it was a game of nines. Before the match, Chelsea had only conceded nine at home this season. And had failed to win in any of the last nine encounters with the top four, drawing six and losing three. After the match, it is Arsenal's worst run for nine years.
There was some bad sportsmanship - Terry kicking the ball into a corner when Eboue put the ball out midway in Chelsea's half for Joe Cole's injury. And one of Chelsea's coaching staff held on to the ball in injury time.
But Avram Grant is a decent man and the warm relationship with Wenger, along with Clattenburg's early warnings to the captains meant this was a clean game, compared to some in the past.
And thanks to Didier Drogba - who does a lot a charity work back in Africa - asking Chelsea fans to respect William Gallas for what he gave to the Chelsea team during his time there.
It was the way he said it that spoke volumes about the man.
Chelsea: Carlo Cudicini, John Terry, A Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Ballack (Juliano Belletti 70) Claude Makelele (Nicolas Anelka 70) Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole (John Obi Mikel 89) Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba Subs not used: Henrique Hilario, Alex
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Bacary Sagna (Abou Diaby 72) Emmanuel Eboue, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini (Nicklas Bendtner 88) Alexander Hleb, Robin Van Persie (Theo Walcott 76) Emmanuel Adebayor. Subs not used: Jens Lehmann, Philippe Senderos
Referee - Mark Clattenburg
Mar 23, 2008
Well whach the hell out of LFC :thumbsup:
phew...so relieved we woke up after the substituition. before that like zombies. i really felt damn sick after bolton went 2 up. :sweat:
gallas scored a very good goal. quick thinking from flamini to win the penalty. rvp was darn cool with the spot kick. and fab was damn heng to score after playing pinball with the defenders.
:vhappy:
gallas scored a very good goal. quick thinking from flamini to win the penalty. rvp was darn cool with the spot kick. and fab was damn heng to score after playing pinball with the defenders.
:vhappy:
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