extremers
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wednesday morning la bro, by thurs we have results and reviews and all that post-match talk...
THE FOOTBALL THREAD Vol 2
- Thread starter fgl
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wednesday morning la bro, by thurs we have results and reviews and all that post-match talk...
fgl
Well-known member
Arsenal
0
Manchester City
- Adebayor 8, 49
Emmanuel Adebayor celebrated his return by bagging both goals in Arsenal’s comprehensive 2-0 victory over Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The Togolese striker capitalised on assists from Cesc Fabregas to net eight minutes into the first half and four minutes in the second as Arsène Wenger’s side extended their unbeaten Premier League run to 17 games.
The Spaniard was also making a comeback after three-and-a-half months out while Theo Walcott returned following a more modest fortnight on the sidelines.
The visitors created a number of clear chances at the end of the first half but, that aside, this was Arsenal at their best.
They left the pitch six points clear of fifth-place Aston Villa. Martin O’Neill’s side have a game in hand but that comes on Sunday when they have to go to Old Trafford to face the Premier League leaders.
They have it all to do.
Wenger brought all his fit-again players into the side as the Premier League returned after the final international break of the season - Fabregas (knee), Adebayor (hamstring) and Walcott (knee). Alex Song was the other addition from the 3-1 win at Newcastle a fortnight ago.
International injuries created the gap to accommodate that quartet. Samir Nasri (flu), Robin van Persie (groin), Abou Diaby (thigh) Nicklas Bendtner (knee) had all picked up problems while they had been with their countries. Only the Dane had recovered enough to be on the bench.
During the break, every English clock had been altered. We were now on “British Summer Time” and, it seemed, British Summer weather too. Emirates Stadium was coatless this afternoon and some brave souls were in shortsleeves. The end of the season was nigh.
Arsenal had been building up to it very nicely. A 16-game unbeaten run in the Premier League had been recently laden with wins not draws. As a result, Wenger's men came into this game three points clear in fourth place and hoping to create some blue sky.
But, of course, first they had to beat a team in sky blue.
Man City would have the opening chance of the game and some clear-cut opportunities towards the break but little would go their way inbetween.
In the fifth minute Craig Bellamy burrowed through the left and his artless ball in the area was hurriedly cleared by Denilson to Nigel de Jong. The midfielder’s low curling shot was foiled by a sprawling stop from Almunia.
Man City had not won away in the Premier League since August and were lacking a little confidence. Arsenal were the opposite and it was no surprise to see them take the lead with their first real attempt. Sagna was fouled near the right-hand touchline by Robinho and Fabregas’ free-kick was floated to the far post for Adebayor to steer a header through a crowded area into the far corner.
Poor defending had created the chance. Two Man City defenders went for the same ball and Adebayor did not have to leave the floor to win it in the air. It was the 24-year-old's first goal since the trip to Hull on January 17, his ninth in the Premier League and his 13th overall this season.
The visitors seemed to feel sorry for themselves after the goal and Arsenal kicked on.
Fabregas had a header held by Shay Given, Denilson and Adebayor saw efforts blocked then Kolo Toure dribbled through on the right only to have his drive batted away by the Irishman at the near post.
Arsenal were having all the play and possession. They seemed to be almost toying with their opponents. But, as the half went on, the visitors did start to have chances. Though you could argue that, initially at least, it was down to sloppiness by the home side rather ingenuity from the visitors.
Shaun Wright-Phillips nearly sneaked home a cross-lovelovelove-shot from the right before Almunia intervened on the line. Then around the half-hour Micah Richards and Gelson Fernandes both went clear in the Arsenal area. The first chance was saved by Almunia’s legs and the second grazed the outside of the post.
Seven minutes before the break, Mark Hughes made his second enforced substitution. Wayne Bridge had been forced off early on for Fernandes now Vincent Kompany also went hobbling from the pitch. His replacement was Elano.
The changes had done nothing to interrupt a fast, flowing game. Almunia raced out to deny Bellamy on the edge of the area then Given dived full length to turn aside a low, angled drive from Arshavin.
At the break, the game was as close as the scoreline suggested.
However that would change four minutes after the restart. Fabregas scooped a tantalising pass over the head of Richard Dunne to Adebayor. The beanpole striker collected, danced past Given and tucked away a simple finish.
Song powered a header over the bar a couple of minutes later as Arsenal started to flex their muscles once again. And the Fabregas-Adebayor axis nearly worked again soon afterwards but Given held on to the striker’s effort. Then Walcott powered a shot wide.
Arsenal were back in their stride.
The one-way traffic would continue before Adebayor and Walcott made way for Bendtner and Eboue midway through the half.
Given was earning overtime, most notably when he turned aside a spectacular drive from Walcott. The Irishman also saw William Gallas thump a cross-shot just over the bar.
Eboue slashed an effort high a couple of minutes after coming on. And when Robinho was substituted shortly afterwards it really summed up Man City’s day.
Fabregas joined him on the sidelines with 12 minutes left but, in contrast, his walk off was cheered to the rafters.
His side would be afforded the same ovation when the whistle went shortly afterwards.
It had been a very satisfying afternoon.
fgl
Well-known member
you better set the alarm clock bro fgl. skali like that time, didn't get to wake up.
i DID set alarm ... wife got up to OFF it & never wake me - sial ...
ANY KIND SOULS WANNA GIMME WAKE UP CALL?
CALL 96909640 - 5 MIN B4 KICK OFF
fgl
Well-known member
ok set, see whether i wake up first or not...
hahahaha now U gimme wake up call or I give u wake up call siak???? :mrgreen:
wylde
New member
ahh...yeah..just checked it up...and liverpool and chelsea is the next day..must wake up for both games..cant wait for it..
fgl
Well-known member
fgl
Well-known member
Villarreal
Arsenal
- Senna 10
- Adebayor 66
A stunning strike from Emmanuel Adebayor left Arsenal with a significant advantage after their Champions League Quarter-Final first leg at Villarreal on Tuesday night.
Arsène Wenger’s side had been second best in the first half. A 10th-minute strike from Marcos Senna was the least the Spanish hosts deserved after flying into the visitors from the first whistle.
However the interval would be Arsenal’s salvation. They dominated Villarreal after the restart and grabbed an exquisite equaliser in the 66th minute when Adebayor chested down a pass from Cesc Fabregas before unleashing a sumptuous overhead kick into the far corner.
Both sides could have forced a winner after that but Arsenal deserved their draw and will be much the happier with this result.
If they avoid a defeat or a high-scoring draw at Emirates Stadium next week they will reach the Champions League Semi-Final for only the second time in their 123-year history.
Given their recent form and the lingering injury to Robin van Persie, Wenger’s team selection was entirely expected. He sent out the same side with Samir Nasri, fit after flu, replacing the ineligible Andrey Arshavin.
It was the now familiar 4-2-3-1. You could argue it was a variant on the 4-5-1 that had seen Arsenal to the Champions League Final with a draw on this ground three years ago.
For their part Villarreal sprang a surprise as Manuel Pellegrini opted to leave Robert Pires on the bench. The pre-match previews had been based around the Frenchman who served Arsenal so well from 2000 to 2006.
An hour or so before kick-off he was happily chatting with current team-mate Pascal Cygan, who had followed him here from North London, Johan Djourou, Emmanuel Eboue and Arsène Wenger.
If, as he had said the night before the game, the Arsenal manager had handed him the “worst moment of his career” when he had replaced him with Manuel Almunia after 18 minutes of the 2006 Final, then there was clearly no lasting bitterness.
The same was probably not true of the Villarreal fans. Wenger’s men had robbed a side that had only entered top flight Spanish football a decade ago of the opportunity to feature in Europe’s top club fixture.
Before kick-off, El Madrigal was swathed in yellow and full of noise. Arsenal were whistled and booed. They were on enemy territory tonight.
Villarreal were quickest off the grid once the game began and, fittingly, it was a man named Senna who got the goal.
In the opening minutes Joseba Llorente had seen a shot blocked and Gonzalo Rodriguez nearly forced home a right-wing corner, colliding with Manuel Almunia in the process. The Spanish side were stalking Arsenal at a tempo the visitors could not match. Theirs was an incessant game based on perpetual motion and crisp passing.
That said, the goal was avoidable. In the 10th minute Senna collected the ball 25 yards out in space. He was not closed down quickly enough so decided to let fly. The ball may have swerved in the wind, clipped a defender or Almunia may have been unsighted – but it still should not have found the top corner of the net.
Arsenal had barely got themselves going and they were 1-0 down
It was a stark reminder of the way Wenger’s men had played on this ground three years ago. Jens Lehmann’s last-minute penalty save has understandably squeezed out the memories of a desperately disjointed display on the night.
Certainly this side have shown themselves to be made of sterner stuff than that since the turn of the year. So it was no surprise to see them respond. In the 18th minute, Nasri’s low shot was turned aside at the near post by Diego Lopez and the keeper then spectacularly tipped wide a header from William Gallas. Neither knew the Frenchman had been adjudged offside.
By the midway point of the half, Arsenal had just about shaken off their bad start. However the same could not be said of Almunia and that early collision.
In the 27th minute the keeper was replaced by Lukasz Fabianski. It was only the second Champions League appearance for the Pole.
Naturally the 23-year-old’s inexperience would be tested early. He dived full length to turn away an angled drive by Senna and recovered to block a follow-up effort from Joan Capdevila at the near post.
Villarreal could now sense insecurity in Arsenal once more and turned the screw. Rossi drove straight towards goal and was brought down by a combination of William Gallas and Alex Song on the edge of the area. The latter got a booking the former got an injury. Kolo Toure deflected Ariel Ibagaza’s free-kick wide and the same player then found Sebastian Eguren from the resulting corner. The centre back nodded inches over the bar.
Four minutes from the break Clichy was turned by Rossi on the right-hand byline and he tapped the ball back into the path of Cani, who blazed over. It was clear to Wenger that Gallas was now struggling so Johan Djourou replaced him two minutes before the break.
On the whistle, Arsenal did have the ball in the net but Cesc Fabregas’ free-kick was deemed too quick by referee Tom Henning Ovrebo who booked the Arsenal captain.
It nearly proved so costly. Eight minutes after the restart, the Spaniard brought down Capdevila and was lucky to escape a second yellow card.
Arsenal had emerged from a break like a new side. For the first time in the game they managed to put Villarreal on the back foot though chances were still at a premium. Nasri nearly weaved his way through and Adebayor steered a header wide, Arsenal were now controlling the game but not testing the keeper.
That was until the 66th minute.
Then again, Lopez was not extended by the equaliser. Like the rest of us he could only stand stock still in admiration.
Fabregas clipped a seven-iron of a pass to Adebayor on the edge of the area. In one fluid movement the Togolese striker chested the ball and hooked an acrobatic shot into the far corner.
It was his 15th goal of the season and, like the brace on Saturday against Manchester City, was expertly supplied by his captain.
It was such a fine strike that even Wenger wanted to shake hands with the scorer as he returned to his own half for the restart.
Now it was Arsenal’s turn to go for the kill. Nasri nearly added another from distance before Pellegrini took action by bringing Pires off the bench.
With 14 minutes left, Fabregas stole the ball in midfield and set up Walcott, who fired over the bar.
Just when Villarreal were starting to look like a spent force, they rallied. Senna sent a Howitzer of a shot inches over the bar then Mati Fernandez escaped in the right of the six-yard box but the waiting strikers could not turn in his shot.
Arsenal looked for a winner until the final whistle. And, when it came, the mute applause told you everything about who had taken the spoils on the night.
This tie is not over but it is leaning one way.
extremers
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