Arsenal vs Middlesborough 20/08/95

Teams
Arsenal:  Seaman, Dixon, Adams, Bould, Winterburn, Keown, Parlour,
          Platt, Merson, Bergkamp, Wright
          Subs: Helder (Parlour 71), Hartson, Bartram 

Middlesborough: Miller, Morris, Cox, Vickers, Pearson, Whyte, Barmby, 
                Pollock, Fjortoft, Mustoe, Hignett
                Subs: Whelan (Pollock 85), Moreno, Walsh
           
Result  : Arsenal               (1) 1   Middlesborough         (1) 1
Scorers:  Wright 36                     Barmby 31

Bookings: Adams, Dixon                  Morris, Pearson, Whyte
                                     
Att     : 37308
Referee : G R Ashby (Worcester)

Somewhat disappointed but not discouraged would best sum up my feelings at the end of this match. A fairly even first half, with perhaps the away side looking marginally more dangerous, was followed by a virtually totally dominant second half from the Gunners. Of Arsenal's star debutants, I thought Bergkamp looked definitely promising, particularly after the break, while Platt playing more of a holding role had a quieter game, with his passing looking quite poor at times.

It was certainly Middlesborough who started the brighter. Barmby appears to have been successfully cloned by 'MOM' Robson - Hignett is an absolute dead ringer, both in shape and movement. Certainly fooled sections of the Highbury crowd who must have thought Barby was everywhere because both players kept getting booed. Anyway, the former Sperz favourite played well off Fjortoft, though I think it was in fact Hignett who had the first chance when put through early on, but his shot was dragged wide of the far post.

Arsenal began to get more into it, though still it was Middlesborough who looked the more threatening. Another good move down the left end with Barmby left clear to slot the ball into the left, but the offside flag was already up. Arsenal hit back with a couple of good moves ending with shots from just outside the box from Platt and Bergkamp, both of which were comfortably gathered by Miller.

The former Arsenal keeper then distinguished himself with a brilliant save following Arsenal's best move so far. Bergkamp beat the offside trap and ran onto Keown's chip through down the right. His cross sailed over the head's of the inrushing Wright, Platt and defenders to find the unmarked Merson beyond the far post. Merse's volley wasn't quite truly struck but was still heading just inside the post before Miller hurtled across to turn it round the post for a corner. From that corner, I think, Platt headed forcefully towards goal from the 18-yard line, but the attempt was blocked and Parlour screwed the rebound wide of the post.

Minutes later the Teesiders were ahead. A ball played in down the middle to the feet of Fjortoft was either dummied or helped on it's way into the path of Barmby, completely fooling the Arsenal defence. Barby was left alone to slot the ball under Seaman's body and into the far corner.

Fortunately we only had to wait four minutes for the equaliser. Dixon lobbed a throw from close to the corner flag in for Parlour to muscle past the static Morris and chip-volley a cross from the byline onto Wright's head about 10 yards out. With Miller guarding the near post Wrighty's header was well timed enough to sail unchallenged into the new Euro-style net. We didn't get the usual Wright celebration because he got a bang on the head from a defender's desperate attempts to get in front of him.

Arsenal came close to taking the lead a couple of times before half time. A nicely worked free kick between Merson and Bergkamp almost put Wright through for a shot but he couldn't quite gather the ball. Then Merson tried a lovely chip from outside the area which had Miller well beaten but just clipped the top of the crossbar.

The second half was played almost entirely in Middlesborough's half. Only a couple of superb saves by Miller prevented Arsenal from taking 3 points. Bergkamp came much more to life with some nice touches and a couple of lovely runs. An early one of these ended with him striking a vicious shot from 25 yards which dipped and bounced just in front of Miller, requiring a great save to tip it round the post.

Then another run across the field ended when he played the ball out to Winterburn on the left, carried on into the area to receive the return pass, and then laid the ball off beautifully for Nutty who had continued his run. Winterburn's shot was blocked and I think it was Platt who drove the rebound just wide of the far post. Merson also had a good run down the left, cutting into the area to drive a shot just past the far post.

From one of Arsenal's numerous corners, a flick on fell to Keown but he was stretching and volleyed over the bar from about 10 yards. A good move down the right between Parlour and Dixon culminated in Parlour finally getting in another decent cross which was met at the near post by Platt making a forward run. I don't think he quite time the header which was blocked for a corner by the covering defender.

On a couple of occasions Bergkamp drifted wide to the right and almost manufactured a goal. A long cross beyond the far post was headed back into the middle by Wright where a defender just beat Parlour to the header. Then Bergkamp harassed a defender near the right byline and stole the ball. His first attempt from an acute angle was beaten out by Miller and his instinctive shot from the rebound screwed across the face of goal with no-one there to apply the finish.

Meanwhile I can only recall Middlesborough threatening once in the 2nd half, towards the end of the game. Winterburn lunged into a nutty challenge on his opposing full-back Cox which came nowhere near either the ball or the man. This left Cox free to run on down the right and get to the byline, and his pull-back beat Seaman and all defenders to bounce across the face of goal with Barby just too far behind play to reach it.

Arsenal could still have got the winner a couple of times in the closing minutes. A good move through the middle ended with Bergkamp laying the ball off to Dixon on the edge of the area, but the full-back's shot, though beautifully struck passed a couple of feet wide of the far post. Another good move down the left ended with Keown crossing to the far post where Wright rose to nod the ball back over Miller. The keeper recovered though to fingertip superbly over the bar. Then in injury time, following a corner I think, Parlour had an effort which also went over the bar.

As others have said, the promise of better things to come was there. After a quiet 1st half, Bergkamp showed more in the 2nd, which leads me to think that he may do better away from home where he may be given more space. Yesterday, with 'Boro's spare man at the back there were always at least two players on him. Platt was disappointing, though he may not yet be fully fit.

I would also agree that we do need a more creative influence in midfield. Parlour, hard though he tries, just doesn't have the guile or speed of thought necessary to consistently beat Premiership defenders. I thought Keown, in relative terms at least, had a reasonably good game and Merson also sparked from time to time.

report by Derek Brownjohn

"Not 3 points but at least we are off the mark".

They were the words of our new manager, emphasis on the word NEW. Although for the quote hungry, transfer speculating, FA qualified coach gooners out there it seems Rioch has been around for ages but he has actually only had just over 4 weeks to work with the players now under his command. We all want to see great things from the team but I think a little patience is called for. I, for one, am just pleased to say it will be interesting going to Highbury this season.

A few of you have already rasied the point of Bergkamp playing behind a front two of Hartson and Wright. I agree Wrighty sometimes looks isolated up front on his own but I agree with Rioch here. He wants Wrighty to play as far up the field as possible, on the last man's shoulder, not venturing out wide too often, just saving his goalscoring instincts for in and around the penalty area. Wright to say the least is an instinctive player, very hard to read, and maybe lacks intelligence or 'team play attitude' to make runs for his strike partner when he knows he is not likely to get the ball. When Wrighty makes a gut busting run he better get the ball or he'll let you know about it in no uncertain terms. To make the current formation work Rioch needs to buy a midfield playmaker and a genuine right-sided player.

The playmaker is needed because at present Merson is playing too deep as he is shouldering much of the playmaking duties at present, simply because he can pass the ball. But by doing this he is not only not supporting our lone striker but also he is not far enough up-field to give Bergkamp another passing option apart from Wright. There are many simularities to the way Bergkamp and Cantona play the game. Both players are excellent at finding space when there seems to be none, but the reason why Cantona shone at ManU is that when he drops deep to receive the ball he has more than one option. He can turn and play in one of two lightining fast wingers Giggs/Kanchelskis, he can lay the ball off to the technically proficient midfield runners Ince/Keane or he can just play off is strike partner. Bergkamp however has no natural wide man to play in dangerously due to Parlour and Merson not being far enough up the park and Platt is still finding his feet and Keown is being asked to do a job in midfield, no matter how willing, he is not good enough for. Therefore we immediately only have the Bergkamp to Wright option which is not bad but I feel this is the time to stop the over-reliance on Wrighty.

You could see many promising signs there today, but the players are not quite playing blind yet, and in that split second of deliberation the chance of the killer pass is gone. I for one am prepared to wait for the future glories that will come and in the mean time take pleasure in having two world class forwards, a midfield player who actually makes forward runs but it is going to take time to teach old dogs new tricks. When Parlour was substituted against Borough the youngest Arsenal players were Helder and Bergkamp at 26yrs, that alone shows you how much rebuilding is needed over the next couple of seasons.

comments by Clive Palmer.

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