Adebayor magical in El Madrigal
76 comments April 8th, 2009
My view last night was almost as spectacular as Emmanuel Adebayor’s equalising goal.
Villarreal 1 – 1 Arsenal (Senna 10, Adebayor 66)
Highlights here; Arsene’s reaction here
Well I don’t know about you, but I had a thoroughly good evening, and will return to London on Friday with a result I would have gladly taken before the game and a goal I’d travel any distance to see.
The day didn’t go as smoothly as perhaps I’d hoped. I’ll tell you all about it in full when I get back to Blighty, but I spent two rather stressful hours in the office of the car rental place I had used, making several frantic phone-calls and calling in favours from people without whom I might not have got to the game. Or back. So thanks to them.
I’ve managed to read a few newspaper reports and forum posts on the match, and I find it amazing how negative many of them appear to be. The general feeling seems to be that we were lucky to get away with a 1-1 draw, which I couldn’t disagree with more. Yes, Villarreal troubled us in the first half, but they’re an excellent side with a mesmerising South American-style passing and movement game. Having a few chances carved out against you by them, especially in a half in which you lose your goalkeeper and first-choice centre-half, is no disgrace.
At half-time I thought we were doing OK when we did have the ball, and insisted to my travelling companions that one goal would turn it into a good result. And what a goal it was – Cesc clipping a pass into Adebayor, who received the ball on his chest, before swivelling and executing an acrobatic volley into the far corner. That Cesc-Adebayor combination (which was so successful last season) has now produced three goals in two games. It bodes well for the rest of the run-in.
A more comprehensive write-up will be available upon my return, with a greater degree of anecdotal goodness, but I embarked on the three hour drive back to Barcelona last night a happy man. Injuries to Gallas and Almunia are a concern, but there were some really encouraging performances last night. Kolo Toure was brave and strong at the back, Theo Walcott ever available and dangerous on the wing, and Cesc Fabregas simply outstanding in his playmaking role.
I’m off to enjoy the sights of Barcelona. More as and when.
GS
