If last night’s game had been a 2-2 draw, few Gooners would have complained.
Instead, Matchday 5 was a 3-1 defeat which revealed that Arsene needs another centreback.
He has 26 scouts, I’m told, working globally. Those 26 scouts need to find an experienced centreback of 25-26, who can be available to play against Drogba, Torres, Ibrahimovic and all the dangerous No.9s Arsenal are likely to face between now and May.
In the Second Round, the first knock-out stage, Arsenal could meet Inter Milan.
Last night Arsenal played 4-5-1 again and scored an early goal but could have lost 5-1.
The team was coasting for the first 20 minutes, even with three changes in the back four. But then their 28-match unbeaten record was ended by Senderos and Sevilla.
The game started when Kanoute got onto a knockdown and banged it over the bar, reminding us that Sevilla can be quite direct, quite English.
Then goalmaker Nicklas Bendtner hit a flat Beckhamesque cross to Eduardo, who somehow retained his balance after Dani Alves pushed him in the back, and slotted neatly for 1-0 after 11 minutes.
In 24, Senderos miskicked clumsily, sending the ball to Navas and his cross was cleared by the stretching Gilberto to Mali captain Keita, who rammed in a left foot shot from the D to make it 1-1.
When the rusty Gilberto made another mistake, Luis Fabiano got in on goal but was tackled by Toure.
In 34, Armand Traore fouled Navas and Dani Alves took the free-kick fast and flat and Luis Fabiano scored a typical goal, running across the box to send a fast, glancing header across Almunia. He later said that Sevilla practice those kicks “endlessly”.
Eduardo had a shot saved for a corner, Fabiano had a shot parried, half-time came with the score still 2-1.
Bendtner is a reliable target man, composed and constructive. He can make goals and score them but he faded in the second half because Arsenal faded.
In hindsight, it was naive to play Armand Traore against Navas and Alves, two buzzy flank men who overwhelmed him because Eduardo didn’t track back. Eduardo isn’t Reyes or Pires or Ljungberg. Still, Traore will have enjoyed the experience and learned a lot from it, despite the result.
Rosicky came on for Fabregas, who had a hamstring twinge, a Navas shot hit Toure and flew wide of the far post, then Fabiano outjumped Senderos and sent a header flashing just wide of the post.
In 65, Sagna came on for Traore, with Hoyte switching to left back.
Arsene knew the risk involved in fielding this side and admitted as much before the game. That’s Arsene. He’s a developmental manager who has a twin agenda of winning games and growing his squad at the same time.
Mostly, that strategy works but in Sevilla it failed. He took a calculated risk and got hammered and had to stand there, frustrated and fuming, as Sevilla, always a momentum team in the last three seasons, swarmed all over his side. This was the real Sevilla, not the dim shadow of the side we saw at the Emirates. Here they were busy, fiery, compact, attacking the box, getting stopped, winning the ball back and coming again, led by the feisty Dani Alves. Dynamic and relentless, they slaughtered Arsenal down both flanks, pushed Gilberto back between his centrebacks, and could have easily have scored three more goals. Eboue had a penalty shout at 2-1.
This rout showed, among other things, how much Fabregas needs Hleb and Flamini.
Arsene Wenger, football’s worst loser, had a series of rucks with the fourth official and was sent off.
Sevilla got a penalty when Kanoute was flattened by Toure and Sagna as he ran into the box to meet a cross from the right and he got up and rolled a supercool penalty just inside the post.
VERDICT : Buy a centreback in January and hope Toure & Gallas can play every game in December, especially those five away games.
At 7.30, when I saw the Arsenal and Manchester United teams, I fancied a bet on both home teams, a Sevilla-Manchester double.
But I bottled that and just backed United. Sporting scored an early goal when right back Abel hit an outrageous banana shot inside Kusczak’s near post Tevez didn’t equalise till 61, and I needed an astounding free-kick by Ronaldo to win it in the third minute of stoppage time.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the Garrincha of the 21st century. A six foot-two inch goalscoring gladiator, he keeps delivering when the pressure is on. Has a spectacular winger ever been so productive? Thanks, kid, I’ll keep betting on you.
Manchester United, who were ropey in the first half, are the only team to have won all five Champions League games.
Tonight’s Liverpool v Porto game could go either way.
Liverpool played good football in Newcastle, where they won 3-0 last Saturday lunchtime, but Porto are far, far better than Newcastle.
SEVILLE (4-4-2): Palop; Alves, Fazio, Dragutinovic, Crespo (Mosquera, 64); Navas, Poulsen, Keita, Adriano (Marti, 90); Kanouté, Fabiano (Kerzhakov, 78). Subs not used: De Sanctis (gk), Renato, De Mul, Arouna Kone.
ARSENAL (4-5-1): Almunia; Hoyte (Sagna, 66), Touré, Senderos, Traoré; Eboué (Walcott, 78), Fabregas (Rosicky, 55), Gilberto, Denilson, Eduardo; Bendtner. Subs not used: Lehmann (gk), Diara, Flamini, Song.
Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands).