Little Trouble in Big London – NLD I As It Happened

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Good afternoon everybody! I thought it would be a good opportunity to do another live match report as this is naturally such an important match. The big news to start off with is that we’re playing in a 4-3-3 again with an attacking trident of Bentley, Crouch and Keano. The midfield will certainly have their work cut out for them today.

1- We’re off in the first derby of the season. Arsenal kick off and will be looking to hold the ball for as long as it takes to make an attacking move. Palacios concedes a freekick. Arsenal seem very hungry today; we’ll have to match that to have any chance of taking the game. They pass through our middle Bendtner manages to take an opportunity that flies over the upright.

3 – Song concedes a corner under pressure from our midfield trio. Early chance to capitalize. Not the best delivery from Bentley and the play fizzes out. Suggestion of handball on his part also ignored.

5 – Arshavin runs down the left flank and offers a few problems with his pace and trickery. We’ll have to keep an eye on him; as he is capable of anything at anytime. Arshavin’s strength continues to cause problems. God damn you Zenit. If we would have bought Pavlyuchenko AND him who knows how good that striking partnership would be with a chance to gel.

8 – Bentley with a bit of a ridiculous tackle runs the risk of receiving a card here. Seems he might be talking himself out of a hole though; should probably have received one to be brutally honest. ONe man down in defense for next phase of play. They’re compressing our play loads; as Bentley goes for another wondergoal. Didn’t go in.

11- Our movement doesnt look as deft as Arsenal’s but we are moving the ball well. Will have to make sure that we break through their back four somehow.

13- Arshavin has a shot at Gomes after a run from Clichy down the left. Could have been far worse if we’d have made some real contact with it.

15 – Assou Ekotto receives a warning from the ref for a pretty crazy barge; leads to a fre kick which Van Persie loopes in. Misses everyone and nearly finds it’s way in at the  far post. Arsenal’s play seems really compressed too; with the majority of action seeming to happen in the centre third. Saying this they managed well to bring the play forward; primarily due to their centreback’s insistence to support their winers. We need to follow suit as our attacking options are looking increasingly isolated.

18- Bentley throws a long ball up to Crouch who threads a header through to Keano; just a foot’s length away from getting a foot on the shot. Arshavin breaks from an intercepted pass; his cross finds Fabregas who is denied by the Octopus! That’s quite enough of that thank you.

21- Ledley breaks through and sets up a move. Runs forward to support the attack as the ball is given to Bentley. Strong cross that troubles Almunia but no dice. A goal for them might damage us; but a goal for us I feel at this stage would only send them into overdrive. Perhaps a bit too early. Wouldn’t complain though.

25- Very scrappy indeed from Fabregas; but nerves seem to be taking over in this early kick off. He loses the ball to Palacios who sets up Bentley for a wasted cross. Perhaps a bit too anxious to get the ball away.

26 – Keano manages to get his head to the ball from a throw in play. Not troubling Almunia though. Could this be the first boring NLD? I hope not. Sagna breaks down the right sets up Van Persie; sloppy clearance from BAE leads to a chance for Van Persie at a very tight angle. Wide of the upright.

30- The main positive to take at this stage is that we’re taking the best possession, though the main issue is that we’re not exactly doing any thing with it. A goal before the break would be a godsend.

31- The right hand side is a flashpoint; Keano isnt looking too good defensively and BAE is visibly nervous about this. They’re able to get up there far too easily. They dominate a spell of possession just outside of our box; Arshavin has a crack which goes wide. The differance I feel is that their attacking play is very slow and methodical whereas we’re too eager  to run at them without any back up. A wasp without a sting at the moment I’m afraid. Lennon could have perhaps made a big differance today.

35- Corluka gets the idea and runs on the overlap, latches onto a ball from Bentley. The cross was good but intercepted and taken by Almunia. Arshavin is getting way too much of the ball; how is he so much stronger than Keano. Eduardo comes on for the injured Bendtner. Perhaps a blessing in disguise after his recent form?

37 – Great play from Spurs; really good passing move nearly results in Keano getting a break on goal. Would Pavlyuchenko have had that? Assou Ekotto puts a shocking cross in which is then taken by Bentley and redistributed into a dangerous area; Almunia collects.

39- Van Persie nearly gets on the end of a ball again from the right hand side; BAE is looking increasingly anxious. Might not be his day today.

41- GOAL ARSENAL – Van Persie scores from a throw in; Gomes possibly showing error for a lack of a reaction save.

43- GOAL ARSENAL. – Fabregas runs through the midfield as he latches onto a pass from kickoff. Nightmare situation; but a call to arms nonetheless.

45- The play peters out to half time.

Half Time Analysis: Serious lapses on the right hand side and after the first goal would suggest more than a few chinks in the armour. What’s worse is that we’re only just looking like we have any kind of attacking threat. Something special will be needed to bring us back into this one. Safe to say we shouldn’t be too aggrieved due to the fact that we’re missing key players; but the lack of mental strength after going one down; is never more evident than today. Especially when you have players like Arshavin and Fabregas running at you.

45- Slight system change by the looks of it as well as an increase in urgency. Bentley is now playing his trade on the left hand side of the pitch; with Keano taking a more central role. Redknapp obviously feel he needs a bit of bite down the centre. Keane for me has lost that yard now though that made him the player he was. Prove me wrong Rob, prove me wrong.

48- Spells of possession going either way. We’re playing a bit like we’re feeling sorry for ourselves. Adds ammunition to the fact that I believe that mentality is our main issue. Arsenal have another break on goal after Bassong falls over. Lucky to get away with that one.

52- Gomes deals well with a one on one with Eduardo; leads to an opportunity that we could have taken. Gallas cool and collected under pressure takes the ball away from Keano at the very last second. Bale comes on for Huddlestone to solidify our play into a 4-4-2. Looking alot more comfortable in this system. A hand to the face of Crouch give us a free kick.

57- Bentley and Bake over it. Bentley takes! Almunia with a great save denies Bentley; though it wasn’t destined for the top corner. Corner quickly taken and we have plenty more players up the pitch. We’ll need to make the most of this spell though.

59- GOAL ARSENAL. BAE’s wreckless challenge leads to an advantage. Everyone asleep. Including Gomes. The less said about it the better to be honest.

61- Crouch receives a yellow card for throwing the ball away; frustrated isn’t even the word for it. A break on goal leads to an oppurtunity which is ruled as offside. Keano looking more likely now.

64- Pavlyuchenko comes on for Keano. Masterstroke or desperation from the gaffer. Time will tell. He certainly will enjoy the opportunity to prove himself. Loses the ball with his first touch. certainly looking out of sorts.

66- Eduardo breaks one on one with Gomes; places the ball around him but wide. We’re really looking very flawed at this stage. Probably shaping up to be one that we won’t want to talk about let alone write player ratings for.

73 – Bentley and Crouch seem to be putting a shift in; nice opportunity leads to a header which is taken by Almunia again. We’ve not exactly been testing him too much though apart from a couple of chances.

75- Pavlyuchenko leads a couple of defenders up the garden path and then takes a chance from an acute angle. Good play from the wayward russian. Hoping he gets a goal today there’s something good to take from the game.

77- Vermaelen with a cynical challenge on Charlie. Yellow card. Perhaps a bit of impatience from Arsenal. Arshavin taken off for Eboue. Mind games by isolating Pavlyuchenko perhaps? Probably not.

83- Pressure mounting on us. Could be another before the whistle as Hutton comes on for Charlie in our final throw of the dice. Every opportunity they’ve had they’ve been looking to score. Consolidation in the next few games will be key before we hit the winter window.

87- Some great work from Bale who finds himself caught offiside. Goal disallowed from Pavlyuchenko. Maybe. he’ll still take some heart from it. I’ll be brutally honest; we’re looking like West Ham here. Really, really bad football, (albeit with spells of fluency).

90- BAE reminds us of how badly he’s played today by smashing the ball into row z. The match couldn’t end sooner today. Bentley whips in a free kick Almunia punches. Freekick in a bit of a dangerous area for us. Dealt with by Arsenal for our throw. Bassong falls and will need treatment on his hamstring; seems ok. The perfect end to an absolutely ghoulish game. You wouldn’t know it’s Halloween today would you? Down to ten men too for the final seconds.

FINAL WHISTLE

My god that was awful. Probably one of the worst performances I’ve seen from our team. Singling out anyone in particular for blame would be a disservice to the complete inadequacy of the team on the whole. If we’re really looking at playing the top level; we’re certainly going to have to banish performances like that (despite the result) to the catacombs. A little bit of defensive cohesion and we could have taken a point from the game.

Sunderland at home next; and a return for the focused and inform prodigal son that is Darren Bent. We’ll have to shape up before then or really suffer a setback to this season’s hopes.