Arsenal 2 Juventus 0 [first leg, CL quarter final]
You could see the young team emerging from its shell like an embryo as the minutes ticked by here.
Fabregas effectively took over the spiritual mantle from Vieira tonight. It was a sort of rites of passage.
It was a fairly subdued atmosphere pre-match. Not the buzz of Real Madrid. Although the links between the teams – Henry, Platt, Vieira and Brady have all played for both – are greater. Some Arsenal fans were saying “lets enjoy it – take it as it comes”.
But a sight of the black and white shirts seems to generate electricity – and inject a buzz of their own.
Was by the touchline in the Arsenal-Juve match in the early eighties. The scene was very different. The world is a much smaller place, with less tribal differences. Then it was much more of a physical encounter symbolised by Bettega’s raking shin tackle on O’Leary. I remember the sound and sight of the crunched shin pad and the blood on bone. Bettega was here a quarter of a century later as a grey haired man.
I personally heard no song for Vieira from Arsenal fans, and was there in the West Stand 20 minutes before kick off, minus five minutes to get tea.[However around ten or so readers have emailed in to say there were Vieira songs in the Clock End and North Bank at the beginning and at the end – thanks. This MAY be a reason why Highbury is called the Library – as there must be a lot of sound leakage and dispersion, as I certainly didn’t hear them from where I was sitting, and no I’m not DEAF either.]
Arsenal announced a welcome to Patrick Vieira through the public address system – to applause. A classy act. But it was immediately followed by Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal….in Norf London accents. The message for want-aways from the fans as opposed to the press was loud and clear. The team is bigger than the player.
Juve appeared a bit like a coiled King Cobra. They looked bigger all round than Arsenal, and started with poise and pride – their passing crisper. After all experience was on their side. They were on average five years older.
Arsenal had a slight inferiority to their play in comparison.
Juve had an attacking line up with Camoranesi and Mutu joining Ibrahimovic and Trezeguet in attack. Arsenal at times had five in midfield to Juve’s two – Emerson and Vieira.
Vieira sent a good long ball to the right.
A Hleb dribble to Henry to Flamini resulted in a corner.
Vieira was booed for a foul.
Hleb dribbled into the area, Pires backheeled. Fabregas shot wide.
Toure ran forward and had a free kick shot. Reyes, like a bull-fighter beat Vieira in a tackle and two others before being hacked down.
Henry’s free kick went over.
Camoranesi was booked for an unnecessary foul on Fabregas.
Vieira was looking more economical and creative in this side.
Toure made a great tackle on Ibrahimovic.
Hleb passed to Henry who shot over.
Arsenal were missing the runs and penetration of Ljungberg.
Flamini performed a good recovery tackle.
Henry had another free kick over.
Hleb was more nullified than with Real.
But with five minutes to half time, Pires tackled his old mate Vieira on the halfway line and passed to Henry. Fabregas made another penetrative run into the area, and his turn unbalanced Thuram – and the Spaniard poked a low shot through his legs with Buffon unsighted.
Juventus had tried to turn this game into very plain pasta. But Fabregas sprayed Spanish chille sauce all over it.
Soon after Reyes lobbed a ball to Henry who got the better of Thuram and Cannavaro, but his cross shot went just wide of Buffon’s upright.
Soon after half-time, Hleb and Eboue linked up well, but Eboue was tackled in the area.
Toure used his recovery speed well to tackle Ibrahimovic.
Vieira was strutting around looking like a zen master. He should have had a yellow for a foul – and was starting to be increasingly booed by Arsenal fans. Trezeguet fouled Senderos.
Hleb and Eboue linked up well again resulting in a shot.
Reyes made a break and passed to Fabregas who laid the ball to Henry. But the shot was too near Buffon and he saved.
Fabregas’ shot was saved after a ping pong in area.
Then Hleb sent a through ball for Fabregas who cut it back slightly behind Henry who readjusted and fired into the empty goal.
Vieira was finally booked for a foul on Fabregas to chants of: “Who are ya, who are ya”. He will miss the return leg.
In the last 20, Arsenal had succeeded in tiring Juventus out.
Trezeguet made way for Zalayeta.
Reyes ran into Zebina and got him booked.
Robin Van Persie came on for Reyes.
Henry messed around with the ball just outside the area and Camoranesi, Juve’s best player on the night, lobbed just wide, with Lehmann off his goal-line.
However soon after the Italian international came in with a cyncial hack on van Persie’s knee. And was off for a second yellow.
Henry took the ball down the left wing and was hacked down by Zebina – and he was off too with asecond yellow.
At the end, Fabregas had a free kick saved by Buffon.
Wenger said: ” We got everthing we wanted. We were good defensively. Had a good start. The team is enjoying the game
and there is a great team spirit.”
Wenger said there was one more goal in the performance – and that was a slight regret.
On the fact Juve will be missing Camoranesi, Zebina and Vieira for the next leg, Wenger cautioned that Nedved and Del Piero could be back and are dangerous players.
Henry cautioned that it is still half-time and that “they’ll make it difficult out there”.
Fabregas said: “Everyone played 100% but we can improve.”
Toure said the secret was: “Defending together and going forward together. Fabregas did well against Vieira. I’m happy for him.”
Arsenal: Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Senderos, Gilberto, Fabregas, Flamini, Hleb, Pires, Reyes, (Van Persie 82) Thierry Henry Subs not used:Almunia, Djourou, Diaby, Song, Walcott, Bergkamp
Juventus: Buffon, Cannavaro, Zambrotta, Thuram, Zebina, Vieira, Emerson, Camoranesi, Ibrahimovic, Trezeguet (Zalayeta 79) Mutu (Chiellini 71) Subs not used: Abbiati, Kovac, Balzaretti, Giannichedda, Blasi