Arsenal 2 Fulham 1
This was deja vu, Groundhog Day.
[Unless of course it was all planned – go a goal down, knacker the opposition in 80 minutes, then go in for the kill with fresh legs, and come out with an entertaining, ‘heroic’ victory, to entertain those new season ticket holders.]
All the pre-season words about not conceding the first goal at the Emirates and about defending tight as a unit were punctured in the first minute by Lehmann‘s feat of knocking the ball from one foot to the other and straight to an international goal poacher. Images of clowns and lead balloons come to mind.
However, anyone reading ANR’s pre-season review of players [Lehmann: “His erratic kicking and occasional lapses on shots from distance may become more noticeable as time marches on.”] may not have been as surprised.
Everyone looking for the new Arsenal – didn’t see it here. Given Gilberto‘s absence and Eduardo and Adebayor injuries, and the Sparta Prague game hanging like the Sword of Damocles over this, it was more a one off. Arsenal needed a couple of bigger players in the midfield/forward line.
Bendtner made a big difference when he came on as a late substitute, winning three aerial balls and showing nifty feet in the area, including a dangerous swivel shot. He showed he can be a great substitute to change the angle of attacks and style of play.
Van Persie looked better and much less isolated with a fellow forward leading the line.
What is noticeable in the PHE (Post Henry Era) is that Hleb is more determined to score, and shooting more than last season. OK he’s playing in the second striker role – but he managed to get most shots on target.
In fact both Rosicky and van Persie pulled the trigger more,as well, instead of passing – a definite change of style post Henry. Whether that was because there was not enough forward runs and options, or whether they were previously magnetically influenced to pass to Henry is open to debate.
Hleb went past Baird on 4, who clearly tripped him without touching the ball. Sanchez calls it simulation. He should take a trip to Specsavers, and swap those designer frame glasses.
As if to emphasise the Goundhog Day feeling, Clichy crossed but no-one was in the area to attack it.
Eboue and Sagna linked up and a dangerous cross saw Rosicky fire just wide.
An identikit move with roles reversed saw Eboue send in a low cross – and Hleb shot – with Knight intercepting it over the bar.
Some flimsy Arsenal defending saw a good ball into Healy and Toure came across to intercept.
Eboue burst forward through the middle and set up Rosicky whose shot was parried by the ever confident Warner.
A subdued van Persie set up Hleb who took a touch, allowing Warner to set himself and save. Van Persie drove in a low whipped shot from the rebound, but Warner tipped it round the post. Another West Ham game?
At the start of the second, Rosicky cut in from the left and fired low – saved by Warner.
Hleb produced a great through ball to Fabregas, running past the high line, in the absence of Thierry Henry, but Warner was too quick.
Steven Davis should have buried a clear chance from a header out by Sagna – but shot straight at Lehmann.
Rosicky set up van Persie and like the Fabregas chance of the first half took too heavy a touch.
The ball broke off van Persie and Rosicky shot instead of chipping and Knight deflected it clear.
Van Persie had a free kick just wide.
Toure had a curler off the line. And a Sagna cross was headed clear by Baird.
Dempsey burst through and pushed it wide using the wrong foot.
Toure grabbed Fulham by the horns and drove through three attempted tackles and was stopped illegally by Bocanegra in the area. Van Persie dispatched it too near to the bar for comfort.
Sagna missed a header which sailed across the area and Toure running on could easily have knocked it into his own net.
Sagna was fouled but Fabregas took over sending a lob to Hleb, who controlled it on his chest moved it to his right, with the help of Baird‘s hand and in typical inside forward style drove it low to Warner’s right – to reach 50% of his last season’s Premier League tally.
Arsenal appeared to panic once more though as Flamini sent it straight out to the wardrobe Diop who fired it straight at Lehmann.
Someone behind kept saying throughout the match: “Get your chequebook out, Wenger.” Just like they did with George Graham in the early to mid-nineties. But given the Gallas inspired final whistle team-spirit huddle, and Wenger‘s post-match comments about mental and physical spirit and team belief, that looks less likely after Hleb’s goal, than before – but not impossible.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Clichy, Eboue (Walcott 63), Toure, Gallas, Sagna, Fabregas, Flamini, Hleb, Rosicky (Bendtner 72), Van Persie (Song 96)
Subs not used: Almunia, Senderos
Fulham: Warner, Konchesky, Knight, Bocanegra, Baird, Steven Davis, Simon Davies, Smertin (Bouba Diop 72), McBride, Healy (Kamara 63), Bouazza (Dempsey 46) Subs not used: Volz, Ehui