THE FOOTBALL THREAD Vol 2

Its even more classic than Kuyt's goal against Sunderland. Oh and did i mention that Sunderland got thrashed 5-1 by Newcastle? The EPL is crazy this season.
 
quite honestly - nani goes down ... no foul so he shud get booked for a dive or at least a free kick for handball ... Gomes like an idiot places the ball down & nani can ask permission from the ref to score ...

looks like Fergie also doubled the ref's bribe along with doubling rooney's salary
 
No lah .. too many reserves... NO CESC, NO ARSHAVIN, NO SONG,UNKNOWN RESERVES STARTING THE MATCH HOW CAN?
 
afc was shyyte again, Fabianski back to normal screw up self ... sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
 
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wolverhampton.png
0

Wolverhampton W.


arsenal.png
2

Arsenal





  • Chamakh 1, 90



Arsenal

Wolverhampton W.

  • Marcus Hahnemann
  • Kevin Foley
  • Richard Stearman
  • Christophe Berra
  • Stephen Ward
    (87)
  • Michael Mancienne
    (78)
  • Matthew Jarvis
  • Nenad Milijas
  • Karl Henry
  • David Edwards
    (7)
  • Kevin Doyle
  • Substitutes
  • Wayne Hennessey
  • Jelle Van Damme
  • Steven Mouyokolo
  • George Elokobi
  • Stephen Hunt
    (7)
  • Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
    (78)
  • Steven Fletcher
    (87)
official

  • Referee
    Mark Halsey



By Richard Clarke

Arsenal pulled off a highly-welcome win at Wolves on Wednesday night.

Marouane Chamakh scored in the opening seconds and injury time to secure victory but in between the visitors had to survive significant pressure from the home side.

Andrey Arshavin and Cesc Fabregas forced fine saves from Marcus Hahnemann in the opening half-hour but, after the break, Lukasz Fabianski topped that by foiling Kevin Doyle and Christophe Berra as Wolves pressed hard for the equaliser.

A Fabregas foul on Stephen Ward drew derision from the crowd late on but it did not affect the result.

Arsenal had toughed it out to record a significant victory.

Manchester United’s point at Eastlands means Wenger’s side are still third. But tonight at Molineux, in the most trying of circumstances, Arsenal proved a point to themselves.

The manager made three changes from the side beaten by Newcastle on Sunday. Laurent Koscielny was suspended after his late dismissal in that game so Johan Djourou stepped into central defence.

Tomas Rosicky and Arshavin filled the flanks in midfield so Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri dropped to the bench.

These two sides came into this game on the back of very different defeats. Arsenal had been so disappointing against Newcastle while Wolves had gained creditability before falling to a last-gasp goal at Manchester United.

It felt like a crossroads game for Wenger’s side. Sunday’s defeat had left them in need of a win this evening – any colour, any kind – to get back into title race. Mathematically they would still be in the hunt but, mentally, a third straight defeat would be hard cure.

Fortunately, the medicine was administered after exactly 38 seconds this evening.

Rosicky floated into the Wolves half and fed Alex Song on the right. His cross found Chamakh drifting between two defenders at the far post. The Moroccan slid his header past Hahnemann and into the corner. It was his seventh strike in all competitions this season.

The goal was everything Arsenal needed and they immediately pressed home their advantage.

In the sixth minute, Arshavin won the ball from Michael Mancienne in midfield and went clear for a second. He managed to get his shot away but Hahnemann stood up to make the save and the home defence mopped up the loose ball.

The Russian had been Arsenal’s most sparky player on Sunday and built upon that eye-catching cameo this evening. He probed the Wolves defence in the opening half-hour and ran the channels with eagerness.

At this stage it was all Arsenal. Rosicky saw a shot deflect wide and in the 19th minute, Fabregas could have added a second.

Arshavin and Chamakh set up the Spaniard for a snap-shot from the edge of the area through a thicket of legs. The ball hit Hahnemann’s legs and bounced clear. Not that the keeper knew too much about it.
However, after that, Arsenal could not maintain their momentum. Wolves came back in the game and began to threaten. However the created little until the 28th minute when Stephen Hunt floated in a free-kick and the stretching Doyle drifted a header just over the bar.

Five minutes before the break, Sebastien Squillaci deflected a left-wing cross from Nenad Milijas towards the far post and Fabianski threw out his left hand to palm the ball aside from the waiting Stephen Hunt.

Arsenal were still feeling the shot across the bows as they went into the tunnel at the interval.

History nearly repeated itself at the start of the second half. Within seconds of the whistle, Jack Wilshere lost his footing and only a mad scramble at the near post stopped Milijas squeezing home the equaliser.

However three minutes later Arsenal spurned an even better chance themselves. Richard Steadman’s errant pass gave the ball to Rosicky, who instantly fed the unmarked Fabregas in the D. The skipper hooked his shot wide when he should have scored.

As we approached the hour, Wolves had enjoyed more pressure but precious few chances. In fact, at this point, Fabianski’s most important influence on the game had been saving from his own defender.

That would rapidly change. In the 57th minute, Doyle turned and sent a ferocious shot toward the top corner. Fabianski gymnastically tipped over.

The corner found Stearman at the far post and Rosicky had to hurriedly hack the ball off the line.
Seconds later, Hunt fired in a free-kick from the right and the stooping Kevin Foley sent a header on to the top of the net.

They were all credible chances and, unless the visitors broke the shackles, they would be conceding pretty soon.

In the 65th minute, Arshavin did his best to alleviate the pressure. The midfielder scurried in from the left and fired a daisy-cutter against the base of the post. Shortly afterwards the same player had a piledriver blocked in the area.

Those chances hardly quelled Wolves’ ambitions but at least the home side’s pressure was not calling Fabianski into action any more.

And, as the game entered its latter stages, Arsenal began to assert themselves again.

Ten minutes from time, an unmarked Squillaci could not turn home a corner and Djourou’s follow-up was deflected wide. A stupefying miss.

As the seconds ticked by, Wolves chanced their arm for the final time. Doyle drove forward and fired wide and, after a Fabregas foul forced Ward to be stretchered off, they created arguably their clearest chance of the night.

The ball fell to Berra on the edge of the area and the centre back’s contact was clean. His low shot flew to Fabianski’s left but the Pole thrust out his hand and clutched on to the ball.

Chamakh’s late breakaway sealed the victory but, in reality, a couple of key stops from Fabianski, combined with a committed if not water-tight performance, had been enough take the points.

It had been a night for gutsy, not classy, Arsenal.
 
alamak looks like pool kena stroke at stoke ... together with their mid week draw -so much for the pool resurrection man ...

man u also drew last night & in mid week - so here's AFC's chance to progress..I hope ..
 
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1

Everton


arsenal.png
2

Arsenal





  • Cahill 89
  • Sagna 35,
  • Fabregas 47



Arsenal

Everton

  • Tim Howard
  • Phil Neville
    (68)
  • Phil Jagielka
  • Sylvain Distin
  • Leighton Baines
  • Seamus Coleman
  • Johnny Heitinga
    (46)
  • Tim Cahill
  • Steven Pienaar
  • Mikel Arteta
    (68)
  • Louis Saha
  • Substitutes
  • Jan Mucha
  • Tony Hibbert
  • Diniyar Bilyaletdinov
  • Jack Rodwell
    (46)
  • Jermaine Beckford
    (68)
  • Magaye Gueye
  • Ayegbeni Yakubu
    (68)
official

  • Referee
    Howard Webb



By Richard Clarke

Arsenal returned to second place in the Premier League with a hard-fought but richly-deserved 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday.

Bacary Sagna thumped the visitors in front nine minutes before half-time – his second strike in 147 games for the Club – and Cesc Fabregas cracked home another just after the restart.
The home team put pressure on Arsène Wenger’s side for the remainder of the game but, as they had at Wolves in midweek, Arsenal rolled up their sleeves. The defence was largely stoic and, when it wasn’t, Lukasz Fabianski bailed them out with a string of late saves.

In the dying seconds, Tim Cahill did force the ball home from close range to set up four frantic minutes of injury time. But the comeback was never really on.

Arsenal were full value for their win this afternoon and it means that now more than half of their points have come away from Emirates Stadium

If Wenger’s men are going to win the title this season, it seems they are happy to win it on the road.

The manager made one change from the side that had toughed out a 2-0 win at Wolves on Wednesday. Samir Nasri returned to replace Tomas Rosicky. The Frenchman started on the right hand side to allow Andrey Arshavin to stay on the left.

Having lost so lamely against Newcastle at Emirates Stadium last Sunday, this game would determine the ‘feel’ of the week. Six points and a return to second place would be a reasonable response in the circumstances.

But, with Everton unbeaten in their last seven games, this was likely to be a similar kind of gritty scrap to Wednesday night.

And so it proved.

The opening minutes were muted. The hosts had the edge but created nothing.

The first chance fell to Arsenal in the tenth minute. The visiting defence backed off the advancing Nasri until the Frenchman was 12 yards from goal and eventually, Sylvain Distin threw himself in to block.

Everton immediately flew down the other end and created, what turned out to be, their best chance of the half. Seamus Coleman advanced on the right and picked out the unmarked Cahill at the far post. The Australian is known for his excellence in the air but this time he got everything wrong. The midfielder tried to guide the ball back inside the near post. In fact he put it over the bar. A huge miss.

Midway through the half, Arshavin weaved inside and thumped over. Then Marouane Chamakh’s backflick set Jack Wilshere traversing the area. Just as the youngster got his shot away, Phil Jagielka flew in to deflect his effort wide.

It was evidence that Arsenal had finally found their feet. This was no advert for the quality of Premier League football but the visitors were now the better side.

Arshavin and Alex Song thumped wide of the woodwork and, just past the half-hour, a flowing move saw Fabregas cut the ball back towards Chamakh at the near post. The Moroccan’s dummy was wasteful.

These were not great opportunities but they were more than Everton were creating. Nine minutes before the half-time whistle Arsenal finally put it all together.

Nasri’s shot was turned aside by Tim Howard and the ball eventually fell to Sagna, who beat the keeper with a powerful shot from the narrowest of angles.

The crowd tried to roar an Everton response but the home side lacked guile in the final third.

Arsenal had not been at their best but they were worth their lead.
Both sides made changes at the start of the second half. Denilson replaced Wilshere, who had needed treatment in the first period. Jack Rodwell came on for Johnny Heitinga.

Within two minutes of the kick-off, the visitors doubled their advantage. Denilson lead a breakaway and fed Chamakh just inside the area. In heavy traffic, the striker slipped the ball to Fabregas whose snapshot found the far corner. It was the Spaniard’s fifth goal of the season.

Everton might have replied immediately when Squillaci brought down Louis Saha and Leighton Baines floated his free-kick into the midriff of Fabianski.

After the early set-back, the home side were now chasing a foothold in the game. It meant Arsenal were both under pressure and threatening a third on the break. Just before the hour, the visitors had two clear-cut chances to score a killer third.

First, Nasri breezed past Jagielka to go one-on-one with Howard. The Everton keeper stood up well to repel his shot.

Seconds later, Fabregas fired an inviting ball across the face of goal to the unmarked Chamakh at the far post. Somehow the sliding striker contrived to slice the ball over the bar from three yards.

A contender for miss of the season.

With 21 minutes remaining, Everton manager David Moyes brought off two midfielders – Phil Neville and Mikael Arteta – for two strikers – Yakubu and Jermaine Beckford. His tactics were now crystal clear.

But the expected pressure on the Arsenal goal did not really materialise. The home side’s next chance came nine minutes from time when Beckford hooked a snapshot towards the far post. Fabianski made an excellent save.

A couple of minutes later, the Pole made another stunning stop from Steven Pienaar’s drive.

As full time approached Everton turned the screw. Three minutes from the end the ball fell to Saha’s feet just outside the area. Again Fabianski was equal to the effort.

The home side did find the net in the final minute of normal time. Saha nodded the ball down at the far post for Cahill to poke home from close range.

It sparked Everton into real urgency at last but, barring a few optimistic crosses, Arsenal were comfortable.

The visiting fans were in good voice at the final whistle – and rightly so. This was a massive win for Wenger’s men. One that sends them in to the international break in the ascendancy.

And, of course, they entertain Tottenham next Saturday.
 
chelski 0 SUNDERLAND 3 - FREAKIN UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Chelsea suffered a shock defeat and their first home loss in the Premier League this season when Sunderland beat them 3-0 thanks to goals from Nedum Onuoha, Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck on Sunday.

Onuoha became the first opponent to score against Chelsea in the league at Stamford Bridge [ Images ] this season with a memorable goal just before halftime when he weaved past three Chelsea defenders and fired wide of goalkeeper Petr Cech [ Images ].
Sunderland, beaten 7-2 at Chelsea last season, doubled their lead after 52 minutes when a brilliant move involving Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, called up to the England [ Images ] squad for the first time, found record signing Gyan who gave Cech no chance.
Welbeck added the third in the 87th minute after a rare mistake by Ashley Cole [ Images ] who overhit a backpass to Cech, completing one of the most unexpected scorelines of the season.
The upset left champions Chelsea, who were without first-choice centre-backs John Terry [ Images ] and Alex, top of the table on 28 points, two ahead of Arsenal [ Images ] who won 2-1 at Everton.
15onuoha.jpg
Manchester United [ Images ], who fought back to draw 2-2 at Aston Villa [ Images ] on Saturday after trailing 2-0, are third on 25 points.
Sunderland moved up to sixth after ending a run of 11 successive defeats by Chelsea dating back to 2001.
Arsenal move up to second spot
Goals from Bacary Sagna and Cesc Fabregas [ Images ] gave Arsenal a 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday to lift them above Manchester United into second place in the Premier League.
Fullback Sagna, with only his second goal for Arsenal in more than 140 matches, opened the scoring when he fired past Tim Howard at the near post after 36 minutes. Fabregas added the second goal three minutes into the second half.
Arsenal, who thrashed Everton 6-1 at Goodison Park on the opening day of last season, dominated for much of the game but had to hang on at the end after Tim Cahill scored for Everton in the dying minutes.
It was Everton's first defeat for eight League matches. They had plenty of chances of their own with Cahill missing a good opportunity with an early header and Jermaine Beckford thwarted after coming on as a 69th-minute substitute for Phil Neville.
Everton's late rally had Arsenal rocking but goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski also saved well from Steven Pienaar and Louis Saha to prevent the home side equalising.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger [ Images ] told the BBC: "It's always very difficult to come here and that is three very important points, based on great spirit, great resilience, more than style.
"These are very important ingredients to be successful. You need those qualities to win the title. The team deserves a lot of credit," he added.
Everton boss David Moyes said: "Overall I can't have any complaints. One or two decisions could have gone the other way but it didn't go for us. I don't think either team were at their best but we never really got hold of the game and we weren't able to generate an atmosphere inside the ground which we normally do."
 
AFC WERE PLAYING CHAMPIONS -ELECT IN THE FIRST HALF & PLAYED LIKE ABSOLUTE SHYTE IN THE 2nd half ..... AND CHELSKI LOST AGAIN - WTF - WUD HAVE BEEN A GREAT CHANCE TO GO TOP.....
 
Eh why you give Spuds a chance to get hairdryer and coagulate into a team into the 2nd half? Now Liverpool got a more difficult task..........
 
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