Arsenal (2) 2 - 0 (0)Highbury, Wednesday 25th August 1999FA Carling Premiershippreview
Arsenal (2) 2 - 0 (0)Highbury, Wednesday 25th August 1999FA Carling Premiership
Scorers: Vieira 7 Kanu 17 (pen)
Arsenal:
Manninger
Vivas Keown (c) Grimandi Silvinho
Parlour Ljungberg Vieira Henry (Overmars)
Bergkamp (Suker) Kanu (Upson)
One could look at the fact that we were 2 up after 17
minutes, but didn't convert any more of our 29
attempts on goal, and worry that our goalscoring
"problem" is continuing. Big wins towards the end of
last season notwithstanding, for the last year we've
repeatedly failed to score as many as we ought
(given the number of chances we create) and
tonight's match encapsulated that and amplified it.
But I prefer to look at the team that Arsenal fielded, with many new players, players in unusual positions, players not long back from lay-offs, and suggest that things are looking rather good. I guess only time will tell. Having wondered if Tony Adams would be back at all, it was a shock to see an Arsenal defence that looked less familiar rather than more so. Adams appears to be being kept back for the weekend, and understandably so, but was the absence of Dixon and Upson on top of the expected Winterburn also to do with that? Upson at least was fit enough for the bench, and interestingly he came on late in the game to play on the left wing in front of the more attack-minded Silvinho. Shocked but not worried. The defence did all that was asked of it, with Keown outstanding as ever but the other 3 doing their share too. We opened the scoring with our second attack, the first having ended with a minor injury to Henry, who appeared to be having trouble in the first half staying on his feet on the wet surface. Kanu went on a break down the middle and slipped the ball right to Parlour on the overlap. From inside the area he angled a shot across Walsh in the City goal and the keeper did well to push it wide for a corner. Vivas swung the corner in from the left and Vieira climbed to head the ball in at the far side. When he managed to stay on his feet, Henry did some excellent work down the wing. Immediately after the goal he went on a run and fed Ljungberg whose shot was saved for another corner. Again it was on Vivas's side and this time it was Ljungberg who found the ball with a low flying header, but the header went nearer to the Clock End executive boxes than the goal. Things went quiet for a while, punctuated by a speculative Bradford shot from distance, and a more worrying moment when Vivas lost possession but Silvinho saved the day with a great block inside our penalty area. Then on 17 minutes Parlour ran onto a ball chipped behind the defence. He chested it down and as he entered the box a defender rather clumsily ran into the back of him for a clearcut penalty. Kanu sauntered up to take it, and although Walsh dived the right way it was too well placed just inside and halfway up the right hand post. Parlour played a delightful 1-2 with Kanu on the edge of the box which was again saved for a corner. The ball came to Keown who kept it nicely on the edge of the box and pushed it out to Vieira on the left. He whipped in a cross towards the head of Parlour in the middle but it was just too high for him. Bergkamp was a little under par still when it came to the chances which fell his way, but he was orchestrating things nicely from the middle, spraying the ball wide for Ray and Thierry. Generally, and especially in the first half, the standard of our crosses was much better. For example, on 25 minutes Dennis played the ball wide for Parlour, whose excellent cross was headed over by Kanu. A few minutes later he pushed one left for Henry who put in a low cross. It was Kanu again, but bouncing up at him this time and he did well to get a shot on target which Walsh saved. Kanu almost got to the rebound but the combination of Walsh and a defender denied him. Half an hour gone, and Bergkamp ran onto a ball down our right. He took it to the goal-line just inside the area but lost control under pressure. It spilled back to Parlour outside the box and his drive in was deflected out for a corner. Silvinho (he was taking them from the right) found Kanu's head in the middle of the box. He flicked it on to Henry at the far post and Walsh blocked his close range shot. 5 minutes on, and Vivas was unlucky to see a cross to Henry intercepted in the air. But Henry, clear on the left side of the area, had slipped again anyway. Then a Parlour cross found Henry who chested it down on the penalty spot but this took the ball into Kanu and they kind of got in each others way. Bradford managed another attack, bless 'em, but the shot from the edge of the area was blocked by one of their own men, and offside was given anyway. As the half drew to a close Henry had a couple more chances. A great 1-2 with Dennis gave him a close-range chance but again Walsh was equal to it, and then Dennis fed him again on the wing. Henry cut inside nicely, made some space, but again his shot was saved. No changes for the second half. 5 minutes in and Vieira, who followed his goal with a majestic display of total midfield football (attacking and defending like a god), did an extraordinary piece of chasing down on our right wing. He won the ball, took it forward, and passed it up the wing for Bergkamp to chase. Walsh had to come out of his goal to clear just before Dennis got there. On 54 minutes, Bradford had another shot. Fantastic wing play from Henry, showing close control to trick his way round a player righton the line then speed away from him. He took it to the touchline and pulled it back for Dennis in the crowded box. His shot was saved, rebounded to Nelson on the edge of the area, and his goal bound shot was also blocked. City got a free-kick wide on their right, which was floated to the far post and headed back (twice) to the other side of the goal. It was volleyed goalwards at point-blank range but Vieira made a superb block. On half and hour Ljungberg broke and played a 1-2 with Bergkamp but again Walsh made the save. Then Henry came off (to a great ovation, the press may make a meal of his lack of goals so far but the fans have clearly warmed to him quickly) to be replaced by Overmars. Silvinho stopped a Bradford attack and a quick break via Ljungberg and Overmars saw yet another Bergkamp shot blocked. Then Manninger had to come out to claim ahead of Saunders. On 67, Suker came on for Bergkamp. Bradford came into it a bit more for the closing stages, but never looked very dangerous. Grimandi did a great diving defensive header to snuff out one attack. Kanu ran onto a ball into the box but was blocked by the keeper, the ball fell wide to Suker and his shot from a narrow angle on the left was goalbound but blocked at the near post. Kanu, already hurt by a scything tackle a few minutes earlier (I think this was what Wetherall was booked for), had to go off for a while after the clash with the keeper. While Kanu was down Vieira and Silvinho had some fun with the crowd. We were singing Vieira's name and he just turned to look at us. Maybe he was smling but from the halfway line it was too far for me to see. Silvinho gestured at him and then turned to applaud the crowd himself. It's a shame we haven't got much of a song for Silvinho yet! 15 minutes to go and a good shot from a City player whizzed just wide of the far post. I should point out that what with their disgusting "humbug" design purple and butterscotch shirts nding) keeper Walsh it was impossible to read the City shirt numbers, the instantly recognisable "Peter Pan of underachieving diminutive welsh strikers" that is Dean Saunders, and of course the (outstanding) keeper Walsh, I couldn't tell who any of their players were! Then Kanu went even closer with a shot that just missed the far angle of the goal. Overmars was put clear on the left of the area by a superb Suker pass, the keeper challenged and the ball spilled out. Overmars tried to slot it in at the near post with the keeper out of position but rushed the shot and hit it hopelessly wide of the near post when there was a red shirt clear square of him. 77 minutes gone, and Upson came on for Kanu, still troubled by the injury from before and apparently now doubtful for the Liverpool game on Saturday with a damaged thigh. In true Tony Adams style, Upson went onto the wing leaving Silvinho in the left back position (intriguing given that Silvinho is much much more of an attacking player). Overmars moved up front alongside Suker. Saunders did really well to make space for himself, but blazed well over from a clear position in the D. Vieira put a slight downer on his otherwise immaculate performance byt getting booked for a blatant, stupid, and unnecessary trip on a City player bringing the ball forward just a few yards inside our half. About 5 minutes to go, and Silvinho got to the bye line and put in a lobbed cross which Suker headed straight at Walsh. In injury time, Suker fed Overmars who cut inside, dummied a couple of defenders to create space for himself (instead of feeding Suker who was waiting on the penalty spot), and clipepd the top of the bar with his shot. Then Keown showed great skill going forward and the attack ended with a beautiful Suker shot curled into the net from outside the box, but the whistle had already gone for a foul. Suker tried to do the same with the free-kick but it hit the wall. We had 29 shots on goal. After the match Gary Walsh said "we're not stupid, we know it could have been a lot more". If not for you, Gary. His efforts in keeping the score so low get him my man of the match vote, just ahead Vieira. But really, all the Arsenal team were excellent.
To get our own back on Walsh, we reproduce the following story supplied
by Simon....
more coming....
Result : Arsenal (2) 2 Bradford City (0) 0
Scorers: Vieira 8, Kanu 17 (p)
Arsenal: Manninger, Vivas, Silvinho, Keown, Grimandi; Vieira, Parlour,
Ljungberg, Henry; Bergkamp, Kanu
Subs: Overmars (Henry 61), Suker (Bergkamp 67),
Upson (Kanu 78),Dixon, Lukic
Booked: Vieira
Bradford: Walsh, Lawrence, Wetherall, Dreyer, Jacobs,
Halle, Whalley, O'Brien, Beagrie, Windass, Saunders
Subs: McCall (Halle 45), Blake (Lawrence 63),
Myers, Clarke, Moore
Booked: Wetherall, Dreyer
Att: 38073
Ref: Alan Wiley (Burntwood)
A game at Highbury last night which to me had a rather surreal feeling
to it. At times it seemed almost like a practice match, with Arsenal
creating bucketloads of chances without really trying. To be fair the
Gunners did play some sublime stuff particularly in the 1st half when
Bergkamp and Kanu were in great form, though I don't think Bradford
defended very well, apart from the last ditch stuff. The 2nd half was
rather frustrating as Arsenal failed to press home their advantage.
Wenger made the expected changes, though it was in defence rather than attack, with Vivas and Grimandi replacing Dixon and Upson. Slightly puzzling, the latter change - maybe he's intending to play Upson on Saturday? Further forward the only change was Parlour and Ljungberg swapping positions, with the Swede playing in the middle and Parlour restored to his usual position on the right. Early on it looked as though Arsenal would run up a big score, as they went two goals up inside the first 20 minutes. A lovely Bergkamp flick on the half way line sent Kanu off on a run down the middle, and he rode about 3 tackles before laying the ball off to Parlour running into space on his right. His shot was low and hard, and heading for the far bottom corner until Walsh pulled off a brilliant save, somehow getting a hand down to deflect it wide. From the corner though Arsenal took the lead, Vieira sending a well timed header from Vivas' corner inside the far post. Something of a rarity. Soon afterwards Henry sent Ljungberg through into the left side of the area, but Walsh came out well and made a good block from Ljungberg's attempt from an acute angle. However, we didn't have long to wait for the 2nd goal. Parlour played the ball in from the right to Bergkamp and then raced forward to break clear onto the Dutch master's delicious first time return chip. The left back Jacobs clumsily barged into him from behind and the ref pointed to the spot. Kanu stepped languidly up and sent a firm shot just inside Walsh's left hand post. In between the 2 goals Bradford did have a glimmer of a chance when Beagrie got past Grimandi to set up Windass on the edge of the area, but Silvinho got back and made a great block. The rest of the half was a catalogue of missed chances at the other end. Kanu sent a bullet header from 12 yards skimming over the bar from a superb Parlour cross. Henry got away down the left and cut the ball back for Kanu in the middle. It was slightly behind the Nigerian but he still mananged to hook a left foot shot goalwards and Walsh made another good save. A Silvinho corner reached Henry unmarked at the far post just outside the 6yd box, but his shot hit a defender on the line. Soon afterwards the Frenchman drifted along the edge of the area before firing in a waspish shot which Walsh again saved superbly. He then had another good chance when Bergkamp's quite brilliant return pass put him clear in the left side of the area, but Walsh again made a wonderful save as he shot with his right foot from an acute angle. Arsenal eased off somewhat in the 2nd half. Early on Kanu sent another terrific 25 yard shot just over the bar, and then Henry tricked his way past a couple of defenders out on the left hand touchline before cutting into the area and laying back a pass into the middle. It deflected off a defender to Bergkamp on the edge of the area, and he took a touch to control it before firing in a shot which Walsh once more blocked superbly. The rebound fell to Ljungberg and he seemed certain to score, but a defender threw himself in the way and somehow blocked the goal bound shot. 15 minutes in Overmars replaced Henry, and was followed a few minutes later by Suker coming on for Bergkamp. A Parlour interception just inside his own half set up Kanu for another run down the middle, and he burst through into the area and was brought down by a combination of keeper and defender. Looked a pretty good shout for a penalty but the ball rolled on and Suker latched onto it to fire in a shot from an acute angle which a defender, Jacobs I think, somehow cleared off the line. Kanu, injured in the tackle, carried on after some treatment but was clearly struggling and was replaced soon afterwards by Upson who surprisingly went out onto the left wing. He did a pretty good job there too, turning a couple of defenders on one occasion to get to the byline, and later producing another good cross which Ljungberg just failed to get on the end of. It was Silvinho though who produced Arsenal's next good chance, running onto Upson's pass to curl over a cross which found Suker in the middle. The Croat's header from about 8 yards went straight at Walsh though. Overmars had moved into the middle when Kanu went off, and a lovely long ball down the middle from Suker sent him clear. Walsh came out of his area to meet him, but the ball broke for Overmars wide in the left of the area. He had two defenders between him and the empty goal but produced a rather woeful attempt to chip it in, with Keown waiting unmarked on the edge of the area. As the Gunners sauntered about even more casually towards the end Bradford had a bit more possession and had a couple of reasonable chances. Windass hit a snap shot from the edge of the area straight at Manninger to give the Arsenal keeper his only save of the night, and then Beagrie dribbled in from the right to make himself a chance, but Vieira was there to make a great block. The visitor's best chance though came late on when Saunders found himself in space just in side the area, but he sliced a shot woefully high and wide. Meanwhile Arsenal did finally manage to get the ball in the net again when Suker whipped in a tremendous shot from 20 yards, but the whistle had gone just before for a trip on Vieira. There seemed to be a bit a disagreement between Suker and Silvinho over who should take the free kick, but the former prevailed and put it into the wall. In injury time Arsenal missed their best chance yet. Overmars cut in from the left, and skipped past a couple of defenders. A simple layoff would have left Suker with a virtual tap in but the flying Dutchman chose to take on the shot himself with only Walsh to beat from 12 yards, and his shot cannoned over via the top of the crossbar. It was disappointing that Arsenal didn't score more goals, but they were playing well within themselves in the 2nd half, I suspect partly with a view to Saturday's game.
Manninger 7.5 Hardly anything to do.
Silvinho 7.5 Another good game, though had little to do defensively.
Vivas 6.5 Most of his passing was pretty dire, though he did put
over some good corners and didn't do too badly in
defence where he was up against Bradford's biggest
threat in Beagrie.
Grimandi 7.0 Had a so-so game. I'd like to know why Wenger put him
in instead of Upson.
Keown 7.5 Solid as ever at the back, and got forward quite a lot
though he seemed to have delusions of grandeur in that
respect and tried and failed with a number of overly
ambitious passes.
Vieira 8.0 Superb again, though I think he was only in 2nd gear a
lot of the time. Picked up another needless booking
though, with a needless trip late in the game.
Parlour 7.0 Looked a bit happier on the right, though overall I
didn't think he played very well again.
Henry 7.5 Possibly his best game thus far.
Bergkamp 8.0 Looked in superb touch at times, with some sublime
touches.
Kanu 8.0 Also looked good again.
Ljungberg 7.5 Had a reasonably good game, always busy.
Overmars Selfish? Overmars? Perish the thought. Seemed
determined to score.
Suker Looked quite good again I thought, and got his head to
a couple of crosses. A striker who can head the ball!
Upson Did amazingly well as a left winger.
Derek
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