By Myles Palmer
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Auxerre 0 Arsenal 1
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Gilberto 48
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Does the transfer window apply to refs?
Because we need some Champions League refs over here NOW!
This Belgian, Mr Frank De Bleeckere, was great because he let the game flow, just like the guy in Eindhoven last week.
Every ref is Europe is good, and just about every ref here is a jumped-up yellow card waver.
If a good ref is one you dont notice, this guy was very good.
I hope David Elleray, Sundays ref v Sunderland, was watching this game.
Mr de Bleeckere was my man of the match – but Gilberto and Sol were not far behind.
Before the game I thought Arsenal would win 2-0.
Clearly,as the first half unfolded, Thierry was missing Dennis, missing Freddie.
Auxerre, even without their best player, are better than Leeds,Man City or West Brom. They contained Arsenal well.
TOURE started instead of Freddie, who had been ill.
But the Tornado looked a bit raw, a bit naive. But still an audacious player who can run through tackles that would knock anybody else over. He is like Rocky II.
At halftime I didn’t know where a goal was coming from.So I revised my forecast from 2-0 to 1-0.
I figured : If Arsenal get one goal tonight it will be the only one they get.
Toure burst down the left, found Wiltord inside, and his square pass across the box set up Gilberto for a cool finish past keeper Cool, the same keeper beaten by Ian Wright seven years ago in the Cup Winners Cup quarter-final.
Pennant came on the injured Henry, Edu for Toure – and Auxerre started to play well.
Seaman got a fingertip to a Benjani shot which hit the bar. It was hitting the bar anyway.
VERDICT : a different Arsenal tonight: disciplined, confident in their ability to keep a clean sheet, playing more keep-ball than they’ve ever played under Wenger.
I don’t mind that. I admire tight football. One of my themes has been the need to win tight games.
I’ve been saying for years that they can only prosper in the Champions League if they learn how to keep clean sheets and win tight games.
But Wenger’s wonders are still only two thirds of the way up a steep learning curve.
They’ve kept a clean sheet against a team of French
kids who were without Cisse, their most powerful player.
LET’S FACE IT : THE REAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HAS NOT STARTED YET.
Arsenal will now win their group and go in Pot 1 with Real Madrid, Valencia, Milan, Barcelona and Manchester United.
Those clubs will play teams from Pot 2, the runners-up.
Those Second Group Phase games will be tighter than the three Arsenal have just won.
It’s too soon to get carried away and I’m sure the players won’t be carried away.If they are tempted they should look at the date on tomorrow’s newspaper: October 3rd.
Tonight, really, was a pre-season game and to play so well in a pre-season game was just fabulous.
To produce such disciplined, organised defensive play, with two new players, Cygan and Gilberto,was superb.
Remember : Liverpool, Forest, Milan – they all knew how to defend.
Near the end of the updated paperback Professor I note that Arsene last May was getting close to his dream football machine : an athletic, attacking team which could keep clean sheets.
This is what he has been working towards, a marriage of defensive efficiency and attacking flair.
The flair was minimal tonight.They were without Bergkamp, without Pires, without Freddie’s movement.
It was the defence wot won it.
2nd October 2002.