Double whammy to start. International break – and six injuries, including the heart and lungs of the first team midfield.
Wigan – on the surface at least looked easy meat. But look what they did with a Lanzaat piledriver last season, and a Jason Roberts goal the season before, depriving Arsenal of a Cup Final appearance. With some seasoned players in their midst, this could be more tricky than at first sight.
It was as cold as Highbury at Ashburton Grove, if not colder with the wider more exposed areas. Some in puffer jackets took a quarter of the space in the next seat giving the appearance of people jammed together like Penguins.
Interesting to see that William Gallas had opted for long sleeves for the team (captain’s prerogative).
Arsenal lined up with Diarra and Denilson in the centre of midfield, with Rosicky and Eboue and Walcott, the three supporting players, with Adebayor up front. Wigan – in a park the bus formation – played a 4-5-1 with Bent as the lone striker.
Pretty stale stuff to start. Arsenal were missing the tempo setting buzz of Flamini. The central piston and forward probing of Fabregas, and the nimble running and fleet feet of Hleb.
Diarra and Denilson are more defensive in nature and both sat fairly parallel in a deeper position which reminded of last season.
Nevertheless Arsenal had several attacks in quick succession with Rosicky and Walcott combining to try to find Adebayor from the left. Then Walcott cut in and tried to find him from the right. Bramble and Granqvist blockced both attempts.
Sagna twisted and found Adebayor who sent it into the area for Walcott who held it tighly for Adebayor whose sidefoot was saved by Pollitt.
Denilson had several long range shots off target – but compared to last season – the long range shots are piling in.
Wigan offered little in attack. But halfway through the first, Boyce found space on the right and fired an inswinger. Had not Toure unbalanced Bent, Arsenal would have gone behind, like last season.
Adebayor set up Walcott in the area, but he was blocked immediately.
Wenger changed it after half-time – and he needed to. It was frustrating stuff in the cold. Rosicky moved forward in the Hleb – in the hole – position, with Walcott switching wings.
Arsenal had more penetration with Diarra moving further forward and Denilson holding back.
Adebayor had the first chance of the half – but Boyce smothered it. Then the Togo forward broke free on the right but sent a ball parallel to the goal-line with no-one following in.
Denilson whipped in a low free kick from the left and Pollitt scrambled it away. Then the impressive Diarra set up Rosicky who fired narrowly over. Then it was Adebayor‘s turn with a shot bending agonisingy wide.
Bent had been trying to wind up Denilson all afternoon with niggling fouls and words in his ear at every opportunity. Mid-way through and he scythed down the Brazilian, which lead to a flurry of push and shove – with Bent, Gallas and Heskey getting booked.
The England forward then scythed Walcott down on the right wing – and should have been off. As it was, it was the youngster who was off on a stretcher.
Some commentators said Heskey was booed because he was part of the England set up. Poppycock. [Some commentators, like Chris Kamara, said the England players should not have been booed and pleaded for the fans to stop. Poppycock too].
Arsenal have scored 41% of their goals in the last fifteen minutes. So those with faith in statistics would have had far less angst than the natural pessimists.
It was down to Willie Gallas’s dynamism, and drive that Arsenal broke the deadlock. Adebayor laid it off to Gallas just in front of Wigan’s 18-yard box. The French international moved it on to Bentdner (who occupied Bramble) and carried on running beyond the defender. The ball found its way out to Sagna, who dinked in a perfect near-side cross, for the on-rushing Gallas to glance it over Pollitt and into the net.
Wigan decided to attack for the last six minutes of normal time. A dangerous thing to do. A Clichy throw in deep in the Arsenal half found Bendtner in the clear. He raced half the length of the pitch before choosing Rosicky on the right.
With just Kilbane to beat, and with the Irishman expecting the Czech to cut back inside, Rosicky attemped a swivel shot into the opposite corner. It was scuffed, but had fortune on its side as it hit the post and went in.
The woman in the next seat jumped up, put her arms round me and kissed my cheek for the second time. Shame I missed the Slavia Prague game.
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Emmanuel Eboue (Eduardo 69) Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy, William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, Lassana Diarra, Denilson, Theo Walcott (Nicklas Bendtner 80) Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Adebayor Subs not used:
Jens Lehmann, Philippe Senderos, Alexandre Song.
Wigan Athletic: Michael Pollitt, Emmerson Boyce, Titus Bramble, Paul Scharner (Josip Skoko 90) Andreas Granqvist, Salomon Olembe (Emile Heskey 69) Kevin Kilbane, Michael Brown, Jason Koumas, Denny Landzaat, Marcus Bent. Subs not used: Chris Kirkland, Fitz Hall, Antoine Sibierski
Referee: Peter Walton