FA Premier Academy League, under-19Saturday 24 March 2001Arsenal 4 (1) Charlton Athletic 1 (1)Arsenal: Craig Holloway; Alex Bailey, Sebastian Svard, Ben Chorley,
Nicky Nicolau; Steven Sidwell, Moritz Volz,
Jerome Thomas, Jermaine Brown; Jeremie Aliadiere, Carlin Itonga Scorers: Sidwell 35 (pen), Aliadiere 64,85, Itonga 69 Arsenal eventually won this game with a rampant second half performance, after struggling somewhat in the first half to impose themselves on supposedly inferior opposition. The Gunners fielded what could have been an under-18 team, with 3 under-17s in defence and the rest regulars in the FA youth cup squad for this season. The more experienced U19s like Pennant, Noble, Barrett et al seemed to be having a reserve team training session on one of other pitches, and having played for the England U18s the previous Thursday, Rohan Ricketts was rested on the bench. On an immaculate pitch, the game nonetheless started off fairly scrappily, and goalmouth incident was at a premium early on. The first incidents of note were successive penalty appeal at either end. First one of the Charlton midfielders broke down the right and went past Nicolau and Svard before Chorley came across and executed what might be termed a robust tackle in the area. He got the ball but quite a lot else besides. Anyway, the ref let it go, Arsenal broke up the other end and Thomas went on a mazy run into the area before a defender slid in and tripped him. Looked a fairly obvious penalty to me but the ref again waved play on. Thomas was the player who stood out in the first half, and soon afterwards despite still limping following the earlier incident went on another run in from the left past a couple of players, ending it with a shot which drifted wide of the near post. However, it was Charlton who took the lead about midway through the half. The winger got free down the right again and whipped over a dangerous low cross which flew across the 6yd area without anyone getting a significant touch. The loose ball was eventually picked up by Charlton on the other side of the pitch and crossed in again. Charlton's portly no 8 was unmarked in the middle and directed his header into the far corner to give the keeper no chance. It was another Thomas run which resulted in Arsenal's equaliser about 10 minutes from half time. He again went past a couple of defenders outside the area to leave himself one on one with the keeper. Thomas touched the ball past him and went over as the keeper obligingly dived at his feet. As Thomas had pushed the ball too far, somewhat less clear a claim than the previous one, but perhaps with that in mind the ref this time pointed to the spot. Sidwell took the spot kick and put the ball more or less down the middle, but the keeper had committed himself to his right. As the half drew to a close, Itonga looked to be getting away chasing a long ball down the middle but was pulled back by the shirt, which wasn't spotted by the referee. Another chase after a long pass was nearly more fruitful as Itonga held it up well in the right side of the area before clipping it into the middle to pick out Aliadiere, but his first time shot drifted just wide of the far post. The second half was a different story. Arsenal came out, probably with a Howe tongue lashing ringing in their ears, and were all over Charlton from the off. Itonga's pace in particular caused the visitors all sorts of problems early on. First Brown sent him away down the right, and he returned the favour, cutting the ball back for Brown but unfortunately the midfielder slipped as he shaped to shoot. Itonga then had another run, down the left this time, got round a defender on the goal line before cutting the ball back again, this time into Thomas' path, but he blazed a tremendous shot just over the bar. Another Itonga run down the left then set up Aliadiere for a shot, but the keeper made a great save. Nicolau smashed the rebound back goalwards, but the keeper recovered to make an even better save. Then in a lovely move down the left, Nicolau passed inside to Volz and his through ball sent Aliadiere clear into the left of the area. He pulled the ball across goal, but it went just behind Itonga with an empty net gaping. Eventually about 20 minutes into the half Arsenal did get the deserved breakthrough. Nicolau and Volz again exchanged passes down the left and the young fullback crossed into the middle where Aliadiere hit a crisp first time shot into the far bottom corner with his left foot, giving the keeper no chance. Five minutes later the young Gunners were 2 up. Chorley's header out of defence found Brown a few yards outside the area, and he sent a long pass towards Itonga who'd been left with only one marker in the Charlton half as the visitors had been pressing for an equaliser. The defender misjudged the flight of the ball and allowed Itonga to get away with only the keeper to beat, and he finished cooly, slipping the ball past the keeper as he came out. Aliadiere then almost profitted from the keeper dallying over a clearance, disposessing him but then being forced wide and not finding a teammate with his ball into the middle. At the other end Holloway also erred, misjudging a high bouncing ball but he too got away with it. Charlton were though gradually coming back into it as the game neared an end. The no 8 almost got a 2nd, drifting right to left outside the area before firing in a left foot shot which was only a foot or so wide. However, Arsenal made the game completely safe with a fourth. Itonga made a nuisance of himself as a defender failed to deal with a deflected clearance which looped into the air on the edge of the area, and Aliadiere nipped in to claim the loose ball and then clipped it over the keeper as he came out to get his second goal. As the game petered out, Charlton did their best to get a goal back, coming closest when one of the substitutes hit a tremendous 25 yard shot which clipped the top of the crossbar with the keeper helpless. All in all an enjoyable game despite the biting easterly wind, and the young Gunners played pretty well in the second half. Not entirely sure who the keeper was, though I think it was Holloway rather than Stack, but he didn't have a great deal to do. The two 17 year olds at fullback did pretty well, Nicolau in particular getting forward well. Svard seemed a little uncertain defensively early on, but got better as the game went on, and the captain Chorley was as committed and determined as ever, constantly cajoling his teammates. In midfield Sidwell and Volz generally controlled things well, the latter proving his versatility. Thomas was consistently dangerous, probably the best game I've seen from him, and Brown also quietly impressed - I thought he showed a good footballing brain. Itonga had an excellent second half after not really getting into the game in the first. He's got the skill and pace to go far if he has the desire to do so. Aliadiere also had a pretty good game, his finishing was particularly clinical. Derek
copyright belongs to original author where credited. otherwise © Rupert Ward, ArseWeb MMV ArseWeb is NOT the official Arsenal site. The (excellent) official site is here |