Teams Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Linighan, Winterburn, Morrow, Hillier, Jensen, Parlour, Campbell, Wright Subs: Adams (Keown 65), Flatts (Jensen 79), Bartram
Millwall: Keller, Dawes, Witter, Stevens, Van Blerk, Beard, Rae, Roberts, Kennedy, Edwards, Mitchell Subs: Savage (Edwards 82), Webber (Mitchell 66), Carter
Result : Arsenal (0) 0 Millwall (1) 2 Scorers : Beard 10, Kennedy 90
Bookings: Wright, Keown, Jensen Edwards, Witter, Keller, Kennedy
Att : 32319 Referee : S Lodge (Barnsley)
Bearded by the Lions in our own den, you might say. I'm afraid I'm too depressed to do much more than comment on the main incidents in the match as I saw it. Apologies to those who might have expected more.
The goal was probably a clear indication that it wasn't going to be our night. An attempted one-two down the Millwall left was mishit, but the ball spun through to another blue shirt on the edge of the area. Linighan stretched quite well to tackle him, but in the process took himself, the Millwall player and Dixon out of the game to leave the intended recipient of the original one-two, the full back Van Blerk, free to skip through into the area. With Keown coming across to close him down he attempted a shot, but mishit it so that the ball went through Keown's legs and reached Beard at the far post. Completely unmarked he couldn't really miss from six yards.
Soon afterwards Campbell had a creditable effort with an instinctive volley from about 10 yards, but Keller reacted superbly to tip it over the bar. Then Wright was booked after colliding fairly harmlessly with the keeper. He'd dribbled into the area and been pushed off his stride by Stephens, and there wasn't really any menace in the challenge so he was a bit unlucky to be booked I thought. The Millwall players tried to inflame the situation by rushing up and pushing him around.
Towards the end of the half Wright missed a chance he normally puts away with his eyes closed. Hillier played in a diagonal ball from the edge of the area which was missed by all the defenders to leave Wright alone at the far post. The ball was perhaps spinning and bouncing a bit unkindly, but from 6 or 7 yards he doesn't normally miss those.
Early in the 2nd half we almost got back into it. Wright did superbly on the right to pull back a cross to the near post which Campbell, Keller and a defender reached at roughly the same time. The ball squirted narrowly wide of the post, coming off one of the Millwall players last. The ref gave a goal kick.
Most of the rest of the half was the familiar story of lots of Arsenal possession and pressure but few openings, while at the other end Millwall had several breaks where they could or should have scored but wasted each one. Kennedy scored the second a couple of minutes into injury time when it was really all over anyway.
About midway through the half a long punt from Seaman carried through to Keller. With Wright bearing down on him, and the ball not quite carrying far enough, the keeper lept and caught the ball high over his head and landed a yard or two outside the area. For reasons known only to himself the referee merely booked him. Given Arsenal's record against 10 men this season it probably wouldn't have made any difference anyway.
Keown injured himself making a great last ditch tackle and Adams came on to a hero's reception. He looked somewhat rusty at times and a few minutes from time missed Arsenal's best chance. A misdirected defensive header reached him in space about 12 yards out with only the keeper to beat. Somehow he sliced the shot wide of the right hand post.
Millwall deserved to win. They were consistently quicker to the ball and made better use of it. For the most part Arsenal looked completely lacking in confidence or cohesion, and a more plodding midfield has rarely been seen on a football pitch. The only likely game winner for the Gunners was Ian Wright, and he was trying too hard most of the time.
I suppose it leaves us free to concentrate on avoiding relegation and defending the Cup Winners Cup. Maybe there is some hope if Merson's confidence hasn't been permanently scarred by his recent trials, if Schwarz can regain his form and if Hartson lives up to the potential he showed last Saturday. Maybe
Report by Derek Brownjohn