THE FOOTBALL THREAD Vol 2
- Thread starter fgl
- Start date
fgl
Well-known member
Match Report
Barclays Premier League
Goodison Park
Saturday, December 29, 2007, 5.15pm
Everton1Cahill 20
Arsenal4Eduardo 47, 58, Adebayor 78, Rosicky 94
By Richard Clarke
Arsenal are back on top of the Premier League.
They were restored to the summit thanks to Manchester United’s defeat and then their own remarkable 4-1 comeback in a tempestuous game at Goodison Park on Saturday evening that saw both sides reduced to 10 men.
Tim Cahill’s goal deservedly gave the home side the advantage at the break. But within 12 minutes of the restart Arsenal had snatched the lead thanks to a fine brace from Eduardo, his first strikes in the Premier League.
Nicklas Bendtner’s dismissal in the 73rd minute threatened to unsettle the visitors as they started to look to the final whistle. But, in the end, they were handed a third goal when Emmanuel Abedayor profited from hesitancy between Joseph Yobo and Tim Howard.
Mikel Arteta threw out an arm at Cesc Fabregas in the 84th minute and also saw red. It undermined Everton’s late rally and substitute Tomas Rosicky added a fourth in injury time.
This was far from Arsenal’s best performance of the season but it did illustrate, perhaps more than any other game this term, the type of qualities they will need to win the title.
And, of course, they are now clear at the top by two points.
Wenger made three changes from the side held to a 0-0 draw at Portsmouth on Boxing Day. All smacked of rotation in order to accommodate the busy Christmas period. Emmanuel Eboue was rested entirely while Adebayor and Rosicky were left on the bench. As a result Bendtner and Eduardo were paired up front while Abou Diaby came in on the left. Alex Hleb went from support striker to right midfielder.
Just before kick-off, the visiting Arsenal supporters heard confirmation of Manchester United’s defeat at West Ham. It meant Wenger’s men would resume the lead of the Premier League with victory this evening. That was no formality however. They faced an Everton side who had a record of W12 D2 L1 in their last 15 games.
The start was scrappy. Arsenal were lively and inquisitive in the opening minutes however the best chance they conjured up was a goal-bound Fabregas shot that was blocked on the edge of the area. In fact Everton keeper Tim Howard would have worry-free first half.
As the game wore on, the home side took over - though Almunia was hardly overworked either. Gradually Arteta and Cahill started to find space in midfield while Yakubu’s muscle was proving a handful for the Arsenal defence. In the 19th minute the Nigerian went shoulder to shoulder with Kolo Toure, the visitors’ strongest player, and won a corner on the left-hand side.
Arteta whipped it into the six-yard box and the Arsenal defence hesitated. That was all that was required. The ball bobbled to the far post where a combination of Yakubu’s head and Cahill’s foot turned it home off the post. Eventually the strike was credited to the Australian but, from an Arsenal perspective, it had been all too easy.
Everton had been rightly confident before the goal. Afterwards they were full of vigour and determination. Steven Pienaar pulled an effort six yards wide of goal, Phil Neville drove over following a flowing move and, just before the whistle, Arteta forced a low save from Almunia.
Arsenal rallied briefly as the seconds ticked away but they could hardly argue with the scoreline at the interval.
But what a change after the restart.
Three minutes in, Clichy’s long ball forward caught the home defence napping. It flew over the backtracking Phil Jagielka and fell to the scampering Eduardo who showed commendable nerve to steer home his shot under pressure from three recovering defenders.
It was the Croatian’s first goal in 10 Premier League appearances and Arsenal’s 800th in the competition under Wenger.
Everton were suddenly subdued while the visitors had a spring in their step and a bite in their challenge.
However just before Arsenal took the lead, the home side spurned a superb chance to score a second themselves. Joleon Lescott fired over a cross from the left and Yakubu escaped from Toure to steer a powerful header wide.
Still Everton had already paid painful witness to Eduardo’s poaching ability and, in the 58th minute, he added a second. The 24-year-old collected Bendtner’s flick on the edge of the area, nudged the ball past Jagielka, ran around the other side and then slipped the ball past Howard.
A wonderful finish from an expert poacher.
Everton were stung. They did not deserve to be losing on the balance of play while Arsenal were attempting to pull off to a classic snatch-and-grab — the staple diet of Premier League champions.
However their chances of a clean getaway were dented in the 73rd minute when Bendtner picked up a second booking for a foul on Andy Johnson.
It was certainly a rash challenge but the dismissal was all the more distressing as Adebayor had been waiting to come on for a couple of minutes. With Eduardo on a hat-trick, it would seem safe to assume the Dane was about to be substituted.
The red card only added to the mounting Everton momentum. Almunia saved from both Johnson’s flick-on and Lee Carsley’s low shot in the 76th minute.
However for all their reputation for flowing football, it was a route-one goal that sealed the game two minutes later. Adebayor nipped in as Joseph Yobo tried to shepherd Almunia’s long punt forward towards his keeper. The Togolese striker’s touch bounced off Howard’s leg and fell kindly for him to race clear and tap the ball into the empty net.
The drama was not over. Six minutes from time Arteta received a straight red card for lashing out at Fabregas. The second dismissal brought a simmering game to the boil in the final few minutes
Rosicky fired in a fourth at the death. That was harsh on Everton who had bossed the game for much of the first half.
But, as well as a fluent side, Arsenal are a ruthless side these days.
And they are all the better for it.
Barclays Premier League
Goodison Park
Saturday, December 29, 2007, 5.15pm
Everton1Cahill 20
Arsenal4Eduardo 47, 58, Adebayor 78, Rosicky 94
By Richard Clarke
Arsenal are back on top of the Premier League.
They were restored to the summit thanks to Manchester United’s defeat and then their own remarkable 4-1 comeback in a tempestuous game at Goodison Park on Saturday evening that saw both sides reduced to 10 men.
Tim Cahill’s goal deservedly gave the home side the advantage at the break. But within 12 minutes of the restart Arsenal had snatched the lead thanks to a fine brace from Eduardo, his first strikes in the Premier League.
Nicklas Bendtner’s dismissal in the 73rd minute threatened to unsettle the visitors as they started to look to the final whistle. But, in the end, they were handed a third goal when Emmanuel Abedayor profited from hesitancy between Joseph Yobo and Tim Howard.
Mikel Arteta threw out an arm at Cesc Fabregas in the 84th minute and also saw red. It undermined Everton’s late rally and substitute Tomas Rosicky added a fourth in injury time.
This was far from Arsenal’s best performance of the season but it did illustrate, perhaps more than any other game this term, the type of qualities they will need to win the title.
And, of course, they are now clear at the top by two points.
Wenger made three changes from the side held to a 0-0 draw at Portsmouth on Boxing Day. All smacked of rotation in order to accommodate the busy Christmas period. Emmanuel Eboue was rested entirely while Adebayor and Rosicky were left on the bench. As a result Bendtner and Eduardo were paired up front while Abou Diaby came in on the left. Alex Hleb went from support striker to right midfielder.
Just before kick-off, the visiting Arsenal supporters heard confirmation of Manchester United’s defeat at West Ham. It meant Wenger’s men would resume the lead of the Premier League with victory this evening. That was no formality however. They faced an Everton side who had a record of W12 D2 L1 in their last 15 games.
The start was scrappy. Arsenal were lively and inquisitive in the opening minutes however the best chance they conjured up was a goal-bound Fabregas shot that was blocked on the edge of the area. In fact Everton keeper Tim Howard would have worry-free first half.
As the game wore on, the home side took over - though Almunia was hardly overworked either. Gradually Arteta and Cahill started to find space in midfield while Yakubu’s muscle was proving a handful for the Arsenal defence. In the 19th minute the Nigerian went shoulder to shoulder with Kolo Toure, the visitors’ strongest player, and won a corner on the left-hand side.
Arteta whipped it into the six-yard box and the Arsenal defence hesitated. That was all that was required. The ball bobbled to the far post where a combination of Yakubu’s head and Cahill’s foot turned it home off the post. Eventually the strike was credited to the Australian but, from an Arsenal perspective, it had been all too easy.
Everton had been rightly confident before the goal. Afterwards they were full of vigour and determination. Steven Pienaar pulled an effort six yards wide of goal, Phil Neville drove over following a flowing move and, just before the whistle, Arteta forced a low save from Almunia.
Arsenal rallied briefly as the seconds ticked away but they could hardly argue with the scoreline at the interval.
But what a change after the restart.
Three minutes in, Clichy’s long ball forward caught the home defence napping. It flew over the backtracking Phil Jagielka and fell to the scampering Eduardo who showed commendable nerve to steer home his shot under pressure from three recovering defenders.
It was the Croatian’s first goal in 10 Premier League appearances and Arsenal’s 800th in the competition under Wenger.
Everton were suddenly subdued while the visitors had a spring in their step and a bite in their challenge.
However just before Arsenal took the lead, the home side spurned a superb chance to score a second themselves. Joleon Lescott fired over a cross from the left and Yakubu escaped from Toure to steer a powerful header wide.
Still Everton had already paid painful witness to Eduardo’s poaching ability and, in the 58th minute, he added a second. The 24-year-old collected Bendtner’s flick on the edge of the area, nudged the ball past Jagielka, ran around the other side and then slipped the ball past Howard.
A wonderful finish from an expert poacher.
Everton were stung. They did not deserve to be losing on the balance of play while Arsenal were attempting to pull off to a classic snatch-and-grab — the staple diet of Premier League champions.
However their chances of a clean getaway were dented in the 73rd minute when Bendtner picked up a second booking for a foul on Andy Johnson.
It was certainly a rash challenge but the dismissal was all the more distressing as Adebayor had been waiting to come on for a couple of minutes. With Eduardo on a hat-trick, it would seem safe to assume the Dane was about to be substituted.
The red card only added to the mounting Everton momentum. Almunia saved from both Johnson’s flick-on and Lee Carsley’s low shot in the 76th minute.
However for all their reputation for flowing football, it was a route-one goal that sealed the game two minutes later. Adebayor nipped in as Joseph Yobo tried to shepherd Almunia’s long punt forward towards his keeper. The Togolese striker’s touch bounced off Howard’s leg and fell kindly for him to race clear and tap the ball into the empty net.
The drama was not over. Six minutes from time Arteta received a straight red card for lashing out at Fabregas. The second dismissal brought a simmering game to the boil in the final few minutes
Rosicky fired in a fourth at the death. That was harsh on Everton who had bossed the game for much of the first half.
But, as well as a fluent side, Arsenal are a ruthless side these days.
And they are all the better for it.
fgl
Well-known member
Wenger: 'We battled for the three points, we had to'
Everton 1-4 Arsenal
Barclays Premier League
Goodison Park
Sat, Dec 29, 2007, 5.15pm
on the three points and going top...
"For us it is a great result. We have showed that we can battle and we have a great spirit. We can cope with all the problems we face and that is always the sign of a very good side."
on the vital moments...
"The turning point was that we played well on set-pieces in the second half and also the spell where we had 10 men and they had 11 but we did not concede. Then they made the mistake that killed their game. I think 4-1 is hard on Everton, the difference was not as big as that. But when they were 3-1 down they lost a player and from then on it was impossible."
on making changes at the break...
"I was tempted yes but I felt the reason was that we were a bit nervous after the Manchester United result. We were against a good Everton side who stopped us playing. They did well. It was up to us to get the ball down and play more positive. And to be less nervous because we lost too many balls in the first half. After the break maybe we had the luck to score straight away, 1-1, and that changed the game. From then on we looked dangerous, Everton dropped physically maybe and the 2-1 came quickly."
on the red cards...
"Both were not completely obvious from the outside. I did not see the foul of Bendtner. It was certainly not malicious but clumsy. If it was a second yellow then we have to accept it. Arteta touched Cesc Fabregas because I asked him but I have not seen it on the tape."
on facing up to the physical battle...
"We battled, we had to. Last season here, Everton played a very physical game and they were very direct. And we lost. So I can understand that they repeated this tactic. We won today, but it was very close. I saw tapes of Everton before today and they played a completely different type of game. They were more direct than they were against Bolton, for example, when they were passing short all along the ground. It was strange for us. But we have faced so many teams in that style that it has made us stronger to face it. Maybe 18 months ago we would be beaten easily but we have had practice in this kind of game. Today we are less in danger."
on adapting Arsenal's style...
"When we do not win, many times people have questioned the way we play. When you want to play a different style first they fight it, then they accept it and, if you win, they love it. I hope we are in the third stage. But our style has to be convincing efficiency-wise because if you don’t win then people will always question you. We want to win and play the football we love. I am convinced that is the best way for us."
Everton 1-4 Arsenal
Barclays Premier League
Goodison Park
Sat, Dec 29, 2007, 5.15pm
on the three points and going top...
"For us it is a great result. We have showed that we can battle and we have a great spirit. We can cope with all the problems we face and that is always the sign of a very good side."
on the vital moments...
"The turning point was that we played well on set-pieces in the second half and also the spell where we had 10 men and they had 11 but we did not concede. Then they made the mistake that killed their game. I think 4-1 is hard on Everton, the difference was not as big as that. But when they were 3-1 down they lost a player and from then on it was impossible."
on making changes at the break...
"I was tempted yes but I felt the reason was that we were a bit nervous after the Manchester United result. We were against a good Everton side who stopped us playing. They did well. It was up to us to get the ball down and play more positive. And to be less nervous because we lost too many balls in the first half. After the break maybe we had the luck to score straight away, 1-1, and that changed the game. From then on we looked dangerous, Everton dropped physically maybe and the 2-1 came quickly."
on the red cards...
"Both were not completely obvious from the outside. I did not see the foul of Bendtner. It was certainly not malicious but clumsy. If it was a second yellow then we have to accept it. Arteta touched Cesc Fabregas because I asked him but I have not seen it on the tape."
on facing up to the physical battle...
"We battled, we had to. Last season here, Everton played a very physical game and they were very direct. And we lost. So I can understand that they repeated this tactic. We won today, but it was very close. I saw tapes of Everton before today and they played a completely different type of game. They were more direct than they were against Bolton, for example, when they were passing short all along the ground. It was strange for us. But we have faced so many teams in that style that it has made us stronger to face it. Maybe 18 months ago we would be beaten easily but we have had practice in this kind of game. Today we are less in danger."
on adapting Arsenal's style...
"When we do not win, many times people have questioned the way we play. When you want to play a different style first they fight it, then they accept it and, if you win, they love it. I hope we are in the third stage. But our style has to be convincing efficiency-wise because if you don’t win then people will always question you. We want to win and play the football we love. I am convinced that is the best way for us."
fgl
Well-known member
errr...maybe he still had Ibiza on his mind?
fuzztremecho
New member
killinghall
New member
LONG LIVE THE ARSENAL!!!
Champions we will be!
Champions we will be!
subversion
Moderator
at the twilight of 2007, Wenger is having the last laugh.
but the real last laugh would be on the final day of the EPL, the laughing bloke may/ may not be Wenger.
but the real last laugh would be on the final day of the EPL, the laughing bloke may/ may not be Wenger.
fgl
Well-known member
I'm pretty much a closeted arsenal fan as well.
But they have a tendency to overplay, sure the football's pretty but they need someone to apply the finishing touch. Someone apart from Adebayor. He's on a lucky streak now, but he just seems to lose the ball too often for my liking. Quite frustrating to watch him play. Yesterday's match against Everton was much ended as an contest after the red card, and that was when arsenal started to play their normal passing game.
But they have a tendency to overplay, sure the football's pretty but they need someone to apply the finishing touch. Someone apart from Adebayor. He's on a lucky streak now, but he just seems to lose the ball too often for my liking. Quite frustrating to watch him play. Yesterday's match against Everton was much ended as an contest after the red card, and that was when arsenal started to play their normal passing game.
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