Arsenal (0) 0 - 0 (0) LiverpoolHighbury, Wednesday 1st May 1996FA Carling Premiership
Teams
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Linighan, Marshall, Winterburn, Platt,
Parlour, Merson, Bergkamp, Hartson
Subs: Morrow, Rose, Shaw
Liverpool: James, Ruddock, Scales, Babb, McAteer, Redknapp, Barnes,
Jones, McManaman, Collymore, Fowler
Subs: Rush (Collymore 67), Thomas, Kennedy
Result : Arsenal (0) 0 Liverpool (0) 0
Scorers:
Bookings: Marshall McAteer
Att : 38323
Referee : G Ashby (Worcester)
Another somewhat frustrating night at Highbury, as Arsenal made enough
chances to have gained the win which would have all but guaranteed a
UEFA Cup place next year, but failed to put any of them away. Liverpool
for the most part were clearly intent on getting through the game
unscathed, and the Gunners' failure to take advantage of this in the
first half contributed to a rather crap first 45 minutes. However things
improved after the break as Arsenal stepped up the pressure and
dominated the game without quite making the breakthrough.
Having said that Arsenal were cack in the first half, we still should have gone in a couple of goals up as Keown and Hartson both missed virtually open goals. After a pretty low key opening few minutes the game eventually stuttered into life when Merson released Bergkamp from the halfway line with a lovely flick. The Dutchman ran on down the right before cutting the ball back from the byline to Hartson as he ran in at the near post. I think Bergkamp delayed a little too long before passing because Scales just managed to get back and block Hartson's shot. In the next few minutes Arsenal might have scored a couple more times as Liverpool's marking at corners went completely awry. First Marshall, and then Hartson were given free headers at the back post from Merse place kicks, but unfortunately both were put straight at James in goal. A well worked free kick then should have give Arsenal the lead. While all the big men made a run to the near post, Bergkamp swung in the free kick to pick out Merson at the far post. He headed back into the middle where there were 3 red shirts unmarked. Keown was the first of them and he tried to stop the ball before shooting. Unfortunately it was on his left foot, and with a defender bearing down on him, his first swing missed completely. A second attempt (I thought from Keown again, but it may have been Platt running in behind him) connected but he could only hit it fairly tamely straight at the keeper. At the other end Liverpool threatened briefly when McAteer put in a dangerous cross from the right which Collymore, under pressure from Keown, couldn't quite get a meaningful touch to, and Dixon cleared another dangerous cross at full tilt, putting the ball a matter of inches past the post. Seaman's only save of the half came when Barnes was allowed space to drive in a shot from 20 yards which Spunky held on to fairly comfortably. Liverpool were allowed periods of sustained possession in the first half and their neat passing had the Gunners chasing shadows on occasion, but the visitors seemed reluctant to commit too much in attack. They did get the ball in the net when Collymore headed a Fowler cross home at the near post, but the linesman's flag was up immediately. Eventually, towards the end of the half Arsenal did begin to pick things up a bit. Merson and Parlour combined well down the right, and Pizza swung in a wicked cross which just eluded Dixon at the near post, and was cleared on the stretch by Scales at the far post, just in front of Hartson. The ball only just went wide of goal. Then just before halftime a poor clearance out of the Liverpool defence was intercepted by Winterburn and he fed Merson. A mazy run took Merse along the edge of the area before he spotted Hartson all on his own in the area to the right of goal. A short pass set the Welshman up with time and space to beat James. He seemed to have done it well, chipping the ball cooly over the keeper's dive, but somehow the ball drifted wide of the far post. Arsenal showed significantly more commitment and desire in the second half, dominating possession, and with a bit more composure in front of goal might have ended up comfortable winners. David James also excelled in the Liverpool goal with two brilliant saves. The first was from Bergkamp who dispossessed Ruddock as he dallied just outside his own area, and then fired in a snap shot as the Liverpool defender came back at him. James reacted superbly to get down to his right and block the shot. On the second occasion, about 15 minutes from time, Merson went on a typical run into the area, was dispossessed by Hartson who then jinked past Babb to leave himself with a clear shot at goal. He hit it pretty well but James reacted with a blinding save, somehow getting an arm to the ball which spun up into the air. Winterburn looked to be favourite to head it over the line but McAteer (I think) hooked it clear from off his head. Platt then volleyed the clearance back in and it was again cleared off the line by a defender. Dixon knocked the rebound square to Merson who volleyed wide. In between times Arsenal continued to press forward with Bergkamp having an increasing influence. He twice did well wide on the right, whipping in crosses which were just deflected out for a corner, one of them by Ruddock had the whole Clock End going up for a penalty as he appeared to use an arm to make sure the ball didn't get past him. Bergkamp was also unlucky when Merson broke through the middle with the Dutchman in support. Merse's pass had just a little too much on it though, which meant Bergkamp had to stretch to control it and James was able to come out to block his effort. Merson lashed the rebound wide of the far post. At the other end Liverpool only occasionally threatened, though they did come very close on a couple of occasions. Collymore cut in from the left and drifted along the edge of the area before laying the ball off to McAteer, and his drive went inches wide of the far post. Barnes (I think, can't really remember) also went close with another shot from 20 yards which Seaman was a full stretch to tip round the post. Late on McManaman broke dangerously down the left but shot straight at Seaman when he probably should have pulled it back into the middle. Meanwhile Arsenal were still grinding away at the other end. Hartson had a couple of good runs down the left, on one of them he seemed to get clear but dithered over the shot and was dispossessed. The other clear cut chance I can recall came I think from a Dixon cross to the far post which Keown was always stretching to get his head to and put it over, when Hartson seemed to be better placed just behind him. In the final minute or two a succession of shot were stopped by last ditch blocks until the final chance fell to Bergkamp just outside the area, and he uncharacteristically blasted it way over the bar. Overall, I'd say it was a disappointing rather than poor performance from Arsenal. It certainly wasn't the worst game I've seen this season, so it sounds like the R5 commentators were being malicious as usual. I thought Arsenal played reasonably well in the 2nd half, though I do find it rather worrying that we've only picked up 3 points and scored one goal (a penalty) in the last four games. The main failing last night was the finishing. Hartson did quite well on occasion but I still think he is far too static and ponderous most of the time, and I'll be relieved if Wrighty is back on Sunday. Merson had quite a good game I thought. A lot of the time, particularly in the first half, he seemed to be playing more or less alongside Hartson with Bergkamp behind them. I didn't notice that was the case in the 2nd so maybe Rioch told him to drop back a bit. Bergkamp had a quiet first half but seemed more determined and got quite well stuck in, in the second. In midfield Parlour did a lot of chasing and covering, and generally had a reasonable game though I wish his passing and touch was better. Platt was rather so-so - it's a bit annoying that he seems to play better for England than for Arsenal. The defence again looked pretty solid and Seaman only really had two difficult saves to make, both from shots from outside the area, though I guess things may have been different had Liverpool needed to get anything out of the game. report by Derek Brownjohn 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 |