Posts filed under 'Champions League'
March 7th, 2012
Match Report | Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
Last night, for an enthralling ninety minutes, Arsenal dreamed an impossible dream. Laurent Koscielny’s header turned the preposterous in to the improbable. Tomas Rosicky’s sidefoot transformed the improbable to the enticingly plausible. And then Robin van Pesie’s penalty set up a second half laced with that cruelest of baits: hope. In the end, sadly, it wasn’t to be. The dream was no more than that, and exhaustion took its inevitable toll on Arsenal limbs, minds and voices as Milan survived to lick their wounds and fight another day.
As the full-time whistle blew, an exhausted Arsenal side collectively fell to their knees, shedding sweat and, in some cases, tears. Rarely, however, can a team have lost a tie and been met with such a resounding chorus of approval. The vast majority of supporters remained behind to salute a heroic effort. Arsenal failed to claw back the prize of a Champions League quarter-final, but did recapture an enormous amount of pride.
In the past fortnight, Arsenal have beaten arch-rivals Tottenham, cup-winners Liverpool, and the champions of Italy – in two cases by a margin of three goals. It is a run that has done much to heal the wounds in the relationship between players and supporters. Last night they stood together, and their combined efforts did much to repair the club’s bruised reputation.
It was an extraordinary team performance, but it would be wrong to overlook the contribution of certain individuals. In his post-match press conference, Arsene Wenger reserved special praise for Tomas Rosicky, who has typified our recent resurgence. After the North London Derby, many called his performance his best in an Arsenal shirt. I would say that last-night’s display leapfrogged even that showing. He was everywhere, chasing, harrying, and knitting up the gaps between midfield and attack with a tireless combination of artistry and application. One wonders if, finally, he is beginning to return to the heights he hit prior to spending almost two years on the sideline with injury.
Beside him in central midfield, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain showed incredible maturity. His progress from Championship to Champions League has been seamless – at every level his talent has shone through. It’s not just that, though: he’s gutsy. His run to win the penalty told you everything: he picked up the ball and drove at Milan, daring them to try and stop him. Everytime he is in possession, he is determined to make something happen. And he is 18 years old.
Robin van Persie’s excellence is so consistent that one almost forgets to mention it. Alex Song was dogged, and Theo Walcott covered an enormous amount of ground on the right-flank. The entire defence, too, deserve credit. Chasing goals left us exposed to the counter-attack, and the defenders and Szczesny all showed tremendous awareness and commitment to the cause to keep the clean sheet that made our progression even remotely achievable. I was particularly staggered by the performance of Vermaelen, who several times in the space of one game put his body on the line to get to the ball first.
In the end we suffered from not having the required quality on the bench to freshen up the side. After an hour we looked spent, but a midfield injury list that reads Wilshere, Arteta, Diaby, Ramsey, Benayoun, Coquelin, and Frimpong meant our options were limited. Park and Chamakh were thrown on, and whilst the Moroccan did put in the required leg work, there was to be no late miracle.
However, this remained an undoubtedly great night – and the sort that only the Champions League can provide. There is something electric about the atmosphere, something spine-tingling about the anthem, and a grand sense of occasion that only European football’s great names can provide. When Arsenal’s league form has faltered, I’ve read some fans suggesting that finishing outside the top four doesn’t matter as there is no point qualifying for a competition that you are not going to win. I can say with absolute conviction that I’ve never felt more opposed to that statement than I did last night. At the risk of sounding like I’ve bought in to UEFA’s marketing strategy, the Champions League is the World Cup of club football. It’s a glamour-filled, continental party, and I want Arsenal to be there. If we lose our seat at Europe’s top table, it might be some time before we muster the money and the might to be there again. We all want to push on and challenge for silverware, but will be that much easier to do is we have occasions like this to keep the likes of Van Persie at the club, and inspire others to join him.
I was bowled over by what I saw last night. Arsenal may have lost the tie, but I couldn’t have been more proud. Proud of the performance, and proud of the club. Lesser men would have given up before kick-off. Lesser clubs, I would argue, would have crumbled after what we have been through this season. And yet there we were, putting the sword to one of Europe’s finest. The fans who sang so loudly, the players who worked so hard – they all need to know that if they show similar levels of commitment between now and May, they will be back on that stage, with a chance to put things right. Let’s make it happen.
March 6th, 2012
I don’t know if I speak for all Arsenal fans, but I’m rather looking forward to tonight. Â A couple of big wins in the league have changed the mood in the camp, and what previously looked like a humiliating dead rubber now feels like an opportunity to face glamorous opposition with, really, nothing to lose. Â No one has ever over-turned a four-goal deficit in Europe and the Champions League betting reflects the uphill task Arsenal face. Â To all intents and purposes, we’re already out, but any sort of positive result would be catalytic fuel on the fire of our momentum. Â And if – IF – we were to score a couple of early goals… well, you just never know.
Possible team to face Milan
A succession of injuries in midfield means we have little option but to be gung-ho about our attacking intent. Â We’re without Arteta, Ramsey, Wilshere, Frimpong, Diaby, Benayoun and Coquelin, whilst doubts persist over Tomas Rosicky. Â If the Czech is fit, he’s certain to partner Alex Song at the base of our midfield.
Ahead of that, I think Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may be afforded a start in the roaming central role he briefly occupied against Liverpool, with Gervinho and Theo Walcott on the flanks.
Some have suggested the possibility of switching to 4-4-2, but we’re perhaps the only team in the world for whom introducing a second striker (Park or Chamakh) probably makes us a weaker attacking force.
Robin van Persie will, of course, play. Â Some fans are already quaking with fear about the possibility of Robin picking up an injury. Â I don’t think you can go through a season, or indeed a life, with that sort of attitude. Â He might get a knock, but it’s no more likely to happen tonight than in any other game – or arguably even a training session. Â And the idea that we have any chance of getting a decent result without him is more fantastical than our hopes of qualification.
As I said though, you never know. Â Football can be a strange and miraculous sport, and the likelihood of going out is not a reason not to bother qualifying. Â I admire Arsene’s guts here. Â He could written it off, and said: “Yeah, we’re out, I’m going to play the Reserves”. Â Instead, he is rallying the troops:
 “When you are a top-level competitor, even if statistically we have a 5% chance, what is important is that we believe that we can be in this 5%. That is what is at stake for us. Let’s make sure that we do not miss out because we did not believe in it.”
Well put. Â Arsene and Arsenal were deeply hurt by the 4-0 hammering in Milan, and tonight is, in the first place, about restoring some pride. Â Any kind of win would undoubtedly be a good thing. Â If it’s by the margin of a few goals, and close enough to get us excited about the remote possibility of reigning the Italians in… well, then it’ll have been a very exciting night indeed.
Come On You Gunners. Â You never know, this might be our last night in the Champions League for a while. Â Let’s enjoy it.
February 17th, 2012
Kevin Prince Boateng opens the scoring in regal fashion
AC MILAN 4 – 0 ARSENAL
Match Report | Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
Arsenal have suffered a few significant defeats this season. There was the obvious example of the thrashing at Old Trafford, the collapse at Blackburn, and the capitulation in Greece. In all of those instances, there were mitigating circumstances: teams weakened due to transfer activity, injuries, or rotation. The reason the 4-0 defeat to Milan cuts particularly deep is that this is a game in which Arsenal were bereft of excuses. We had a strong side, a massive incentive, and we were hugely disappointing. Make no mistake about it: on Europe’s biggest stage, this was a humiliation.
When Milan were drawn out of the hat as our second round opponents, I think most Arsenal fans were quietly confident. In recent seasons they’ve gone out of the competition to both North London sides, and there is a general suspicion in England that Serie A is a league on the slide. Milan are perceived as an aging side who struggle to cope with the vibrancy of youth.
What we witnessed instead was one of Europe’s great names idly swatting away a feeble challenger. If ever evidence was required of Arsenal’s regression, on Wednesday night it was there in abundance. Almost exactly a year after beating Barcelona and the Emirates, we were dismantled by a Milan side that who are nowhere near the level of La Liga’s finest.
There were familiar mistakes, particularly in defence. Per Mertesacker’s absence was more crucial than many anticipated. All season long there has been clamour for a Vermaelen and Koscielny partnership at the back, but Milan exposed the problem with that pairing. Both players try to win the ball high up the pitch, meaning that any error leaves a terrifying amount of room in behind. On the night, Vermaelen put in a disastrous display, and Koscielny couldn’t do enough to recover the situation. When the Frenchman departed due to injury and was replaced by Johan Djourou, things went from bad to worse.
The mistakes made on each goal were clear. Wojciech Szczesny’s poor clearance allowed Milan to win the ball back and play in Boateng for the opener, whilst unusually lazy tracking from Bacary Sagna allowed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to skip the byline and cross for Robinho to nod home the second.
At half-time Thierry Henry was introduced for the anonymous Theo Walcott, and with him came the hope for a miracle. That hope soon evaporated, when a Vermaelen slip left Robinho plenty of time to fire home for the edge of the box. Whilst Zlatan Ibrahimovic clearly played for the penalty that sealed the victory, it was a clumsy challenge from Johan Djourou that made the Swede’s deception all the more easy.
Let’s make no bones about it: the tie is over. I’m not even going to discuss the possibility of 5-0 second leg victory; that game is now just about attempting to recover a modicum of pride.
Milan gave us a lesson. It’s hard to name a single Arsenal player who played ‘well’. Aside from our disastrous ‘defending’, I could not believe that in a game of this magnitude the men charged with being our creative hub were Tomas Rosicky and Aaron Ramsey. Both good men and fine players, but both some years off their peak, albeit in opposite directions.
The FA Cup is now our only chance of silverware – although that is a distant second to our primary aim of qualifying for the Champions League. The gap between us and Milan was vast. Even a single year spent out of Europe’s glamour competition will widen that chasm even further.
–
Finally, a quick note to say: Thankyou Thierry. The guy risked his legacy to help out the club he loves in their hour of need. And yet, he managed to enhance his legend. Take care, old friend.
November 24th, 2011
- Robin van Persie celebrates opening the scoring against Dortmund
Match Report | Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
When the Champions League draw was made, a lot of hullabaloo was made about the perceived difficulty of Manchester City’s group. So much so that our treacherous passage passed almost without mention, which was even surprising considering that, lest we forget, we were a club ‘in crisis’.
As United and Chelsea geared up for predictable processions, a shaken Arsenal side were set to face the Champions of both Germany and Greece. City’s ‘group of death’, it should be noticed, does not contain a single domestic Champion.
And yet this morning, Arsenal are the only English side qualified for the knockout phase. Not only that, but we can play our final group game away to Olympiacos safe in the knowledge that whatever happens, we will win the group, thus avoiding the likes of Bayern, Inter, Madrid and Barca in the last 16.
I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling tremendously proud, which is something that was difficult to envisage in the dark days of August. So much credit is due to Arsene Wenger and the team for the way in which they’ve turned things around. Hopefully reaching this milestone will provide a significant confidence boost as we chase our goals for the rest of the season: principally, making sure we’re back in the competition next season.
Dortmund started brightly, but their plans were disrupted by two injuries in quick succession. First, Sven Bender launched a tackle at Thomas Vermaelen. Against a mere human, Bender would doubtless have walked away unscathed. After tangling with The Verminator, however, he found himself with a jaw that was broken in two places. Ouch.
Moments later, Mario Götze came off worse in a clash with the imposing Alex Song, and limped off. The playmaker had started brightly, and was naturally a big loss to a Dortmund side whose work ethic and incisive passing had made them a real threat early on.
Arsenal didn’t manage to carve out any clear-cut chances in the first-half, but within four minutes of the second they were ahead. Alex Song seemed possessed by the spirit of Thierry Henry, who was looking on from the upper tier, as he picked up the ball on the left-hand side and waltzed past four defenders before looping a wonderful cross to the back post. Predictably, the man there to meet it was Robin van Persie, who planted a firm header beyond the goalkeeper.
It was a fantastic piece of individual play by Song, and a telling contribution towards his man of the match performance. It’s somewhat ironic, however, that his most memorable moment was a piece of attacking play, because it was on the defensive side that he really excelled. He played deeper than usual, and did some superb work covering the forward forays of Andre Santos. It’s no coincidence that on a night where Song patrolled in front of the back-line so effectively, Santos had his best game in an Arsenal shirt.
The same should have been sealed shortly after. Aaron Ramsey, inventive and industrious in midfield, played in Gervinho. However, the Ivorian is clearly yet to find the shooting boots he mislaid so spectacularly at Carrow Road, and he rounded the keeper only to hesitate and allow the chance to go by. His finishing simply has to improve: at some point, misses like this will cost us.
Not last night, however – thanks again to that man, Robin van Persie. I had pleaded in my preview for someone else to step up to the goalscoring mantle, but it wasn’t to be. The Dutchman just cannot stop scoring. The goal that clinched the game typified the groove he is in – stepping away from his marker early to reach a Thomas Vermaelen near-post flick on and tap in to an unguarded net. He now has more than four times as many goals as our next highest scorer. And, at last, we’ve managed to score from a corner.
There was a late consolation for Dortmund, with Kagawa side-footing home after some slack defending from substitute Johan Djourou. Hearteningly, Thomas Vermaelen was furious and berated his team-mates. We’re beginning to take pride in the game’s less glamorous elements. Their fans deserved to see a goal. They were superb throughout the ninety minutes, even managing a chorus of “You only sing when you’re winning†in perfect English.
In recognition, Arsenal fans concurred “we only sing when we’re winningâ€. But last night, we had plenty to sing about. And, after all, we only needed One Song.
Click to get your Song t-shirt at special sale price
November 23rd, 2011
It will be a cold, crisp night at the Emirates as Arsenal play host to Borussia Dortmund. The Champions of Germany are in terrific form, and it promises to be the sort of evening that makes this competition so alluring. The objective for Arsenal is simple: win, and achieve qualification. Failure to do so could leave us needing a result in Greece when we face Olympiacos: hardly a reassuring prospect. After the ill-fortune of drawing Barca last season, our focus should be not just on qualification, but on topping the group to ensure an easier passage in the next round.
Dortmund have plenty to play for too. Defeat could put them out of the competition; victory would leave them facing what would effectively be a play-off against Marseille. Like us, they had a slow start to the season but have recently found an impressive level of consistency, culminating with a 1-0 win away to rivals Bayern Munich at the weekend.
As a consequence of our own good form, I don’t expect Arsene to make any changes to the team that beat Norwich at the weekend. In the interim period, we have lost Tomas Rosicky to injury, but that bad news is tempered by the surprise inclusion of Abou Diaby in a matchday squad for the first time this season. I had genuinely begun to forget that he even played for us, so having him back as an option is a pleasant surprise.
Naming the same team will mean that Per Mertesacker will come up against a familiar foe. Arsene has yet again moved to defend his summer signing, saying:
“When Per came here he was not completely fit. But now he is getting stronger and stronger. I felt on Saturday he had not recovered from Germany’s game with Holland and looked tired. He has recovered now and will play tomorrow.
In England, when you’re in front of the striker you have not won the battle. In many countries you have. But they fight till the last second here.
Of course he is under pressure and scrutiny. Yet you don’t feel sorry for a situation like that because it’s what happens at a big club.
However he is intelligent and he will adapt quickly. He is very responsible as well. He didn’t complain about a possible free-kick [on the Morison goal] because he was pulled down. He just said he should have cleared it earlier.”
I have to say I think that, for the most part, Mertesacker has done very well. The Morison incident was undoubtedly a major error but all defenders are prone to that kind of nightmare once in a blue moon. In fact, I don’t think Arsene would be wise to carry on talking about the German’s ‘critics’ – it is reinforcing the idea of him as a dubious signing and potentially damaging the player’s confidence.
However you evaluate the acquisition of Mertesacker, it seems Arsene has his heart set on doing some more shopping in the Bundesliga. After Raphael Honigstein reported earlier this week that Arsenal had not yet abandoned their pursuit of Mario Götze, Arsene indicated to the German press yesterday that he might hold an interest in the Dortmund playmaker. I don’t expect any movement in January, but I can envisage us lining up an unusually high-profile attacking signing for next summer, to replace Fabregas and Nasri and allay the fears of Robin van Persie. Götze or Lille’s Eden Hazard would certainly fit the bill.
What both players would potentially add is goals from a source other than our skipper. Whilst it has been enthralling to watch him hammer the ball in to the net at such an alarming rate, it does slightly mask a dearth of goals from other attacking players in the team. RVP currently has 15, and our next highest goalscorer is Theo Walcott with 4. Gervinho, the third striker in our line-up, has just two – although he should have at least doubled that tally on Saturday alone. If we are to win tonight, it would be nice to share the goalscoring responsibility around somewhat.
That said, any win will do. Come on you Gunners.
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