Arsenal v Blackburn

[Jon 0]

Philippe Senderos and Emmanuel Adebayor struck to give Arsenal a comfortable 2-0 victory over Blackburn at the Emirates.

 

The Gunners started in fine fashion and were rewarded for their positive start when Senderos headed home Eduardo da Silva's corner with just four minutes played.

 

Arsene Wenger's side continued to press in the first half, although a crucial killer second goal consistently eluded them.

 

In the second half Alexander Hleb struck a post, but it took until injury-time for the league leaders to wrap up the win.

 

Free-scoring Adebayor was fed by Hleb and he skipped inside Zurab Khizanishvili before lashing a right-footed drive past the outstanding Brad Friedel to clinch the win.

 

Arsenal's opener arrived early on after Tugay received a poor pass in midfield, with Eduardo racing through but getting denied through a combination of Andre Ooijer and then Khizanishvili.

 

There were tame calls for a penalty but it mattered little as Senderos headed Eduardo's corner powerfully beyond Friedel after slipping the attentions of Benni McCarthy.

 

It was Senderos' second goal of the season, sparking robust celebrations from the Switzerland centre-back with his team-mates.

 

Adebayor could have added a second shortly after but headed wide from Eduardo's free-kick, while Steven Reid glanced a header well wide at the other end.

 

Saved

Mathieu Flamini should have added a second midway through the first half. Adebayor's crossfield ball was headed beyond the Blackburn defence by Cesc Fabregas, who was deployed on the right flank, but Flamini's effort was saved by Friedel with his legs.

 

Arsenal threats came from all areas, with Hleb going on a mazy run past three defenders but getting halted in the penalty area.

 

Skipper William Gallas also went on a powerful but his effort was deflected wide after exchanging passes with Eduardo.

 

Arsenal have been guilty of failing to kill off teams in the past, and without a second goal for the hosts, Blackburn edged their way back into the game.

 

Blackburn's threat came from the delivery of David Bentley, who Arsenal knew so well from his time at the club before heading north two years ago.

 

Wenger thought Bentley's future was as a central playmaker and he stood little chance at Arsenal while Dennis Bergkamp was still there, but it is on the wings where he causes damage.

 

With Franco Baldini and Stuart Pearce from England's backroom staff watching in the stands, Bentley caused problems with his crosses but the visitors still struggled for clear chances.

 

Brett Emerton's cross from the right pierced the Arsenal defence but McCarthy and Roque Santa Cruz could only glance their headers when power was required.

 

Santa Cruz also hooked over the crossbar from Stephen Warnock's cross late in the first half.

 

Embarassed

Sensing a way back into the game, Bentley almost embarrassed Jens Lehmann early in the second period with a free-kick around the blindside of the defensive wall.

 

Lehmann was down at his near post to scramble clear in only his second Premier League game since his blunder against Rovers at the start of the season.

 

After his save, Arsenal looked in search for a second goal.

 

Hleb struck the post at the other end in the next move after Eduardo picked him out on the edge of the area, then Friedel was forced to save with his legs again when Adebayor sped past Ooijer and got a shot away.

 

Adebayor also went down in the area but the shouts for a penalty were mainly from a restless crowd who wanted to see the points wrapped up.

 

Fabregas almost did it in the 67th minute, drilling just wide from the edge of the area after Adebayor's cushioned pass.

 

Adebayor then went close himself, cutting inside and unleashing a shot that Friedel was down sharply to save. He then forced the American to block at his feet.

 

Friedel also saved from a swerving effort from Hleb to keep the visitors in the game.

 

The second came in stoppage time, Adebayor rifling into the bottom corner from Hleb's pass.

 

Seems there's no stopping Arsenal at the moment. Adebeyor seems to be a revalation since Henry has left and the fact Henry's absense is only mentioned in the fact that it seems to have brought Fabregas an Adebayor's game on only seems to add to this

[Gribz 743]

Henry leaving was a masterstroke. He was holding the team back with his moods and demands and wanting everything to go through him.

 

Wenger is a genius and i hope they go on and do back to back titles this season and next to prove he is up there with the best.

[Jon 0]

I agree about Wenger, not sure about the genius part. It would be interesting to see an unbiased view on who was actually the better manager, Sir Alex or Arsen.

 

AF has done it all IMO, came cose to getting the sack in the early days at ManU an now look at him, nobody can argue with the good he has done for that club and probably more importantly his players.

 

Thats what Wenger seems to bring too. He reminds me of Fergie if that makes sesne. In the way he protects his playres and shows faith (maybe moreso) in his youngsters.

 

Maybe needs a new thread for this discussion, just one that interests me as to everyones opinions

[Gribz 743]

I agree about Wenger, not sure about the genius part. It would be interesting to see an unbiased view on who was actually the better manager, Sir Alex or Arsen.

 

AF has done it all IMO, came cose to getting the sack in the early days at ManU an now look at him, nobody can argue with the good he has done for that club and probably more importantly his players.

 

Thats what Wenger seems to bring too. He reminds me of Fergie if that makes sesne. In the way he protects his playres and shows faith (maybe moreso) in his youngsters.

 

Maybe needs a new thread for this discussion, just one that interests me as to everyones opinions

 

Its difficult to compare because Sir Awex has been in charge an extra 10 years. But Sir Awex struggled for 3-4 years before winning a trophy. Wenger came in a won the double in his first full season.

 

Wenger has been in charge for 11 and a bit years and if he wins the league this season it will be his 4th title. If you look back and count how many titles Ferguson won in his first 11-12 years then its the same - 4 (93,94,96,97).

 

FA Cups: Sir Alex has won the FA cup 5 times in 22 years, Wenger has won it 4 times in 11 years, so Years to ratio - Wenger leads although AF has won more.

 

CL - They have both made 1 final each with AF winning and AW runner up.

 

So at the moment it depends how you look at it. AF has won more but Percentage / time wise they are pretty much level. But they are both legends and will go down as the very best IMO.

 

They have both produced amazing teams playing top class football but Wengers style is too easy on the eye. He also produced the invinceables by going a season unbeaten. But Ferguson pulled off a treble.

 

Only once they have both moved on we will be able to give a definate answer as to who was more successful.

[Gazza_8 233]

Wenger is a genuis. Look at what he's done at Arsenal - totally transformed the club from top to bottom, buys players who are unknowns yet turns them into world class players. I'm sure Eightball will back me up.

 

As for last night, fuckin' yeeehaaa!!

 

Right now Fergie is the better manager, simply because he's won more. But a wee CL winners medal for Wenger and that would significantly close the gap between the two.

 

Adebayor has scored 12 goals in 9 EPL games, scoring in 7 consecutive matches. If he can score in the next 2 EPL games then he'll have equalled the record set by Ruud van Needestroy.

[Gribz 743]

Wenger is a genuis. Look at what he's done at Arsenal - totally transformed the club from top to bottom, buys players who are unknowns yet turns them into world class players. I'm sure Eightball will back me up.

 

 

This is another thing Wenger does brilliantly, but this shows he is a bit of a businessman aswell, and is away from team matters. He has transformed the club inside out with youth etc.

 

But Ferguson has done this also, although not to the scale Wenger did. Ferguson won the double with kids and took Giggs, Neville(s), Butt, Scholes, Becham through and won the league.

[craig 5,199]

Glad Senderos scored first last night - I was planning on betting Adebatyor to score first with the score being 2-0. When I found out it was 2-0 I thought "uh-oh" !

 

Would have paid 18/1 had Adebayor scored first, and I dont like correct score bets.

[craig 5,199]

This is another thing Wenger does brilliantly, but this shows he is a bit of a businessman aswell, and is away from team matters. He has transformed the club inside out with youth etc.

 

But Ferguson has done this also, although not to the scale Wenger did. Ferguson won the double with kids and took Giggs, Neville(s), Butt, Scholes, Becham through and won the league.

 

Agreed that they have both done this.

 

I think when SAF created a team from his youth set up it was what transformed Man U into the dominant team they became.

 

They were already a very strong team at the time but when Giggs, Neville, Neville, Beckham, Scholes, Butt came into the team at such a young age he got the core of a team which stayed together, and improved together, for the better part of 10 years.

 

They didn't have to spend a ton of money as they had a nucleus of a formidable squad (and when you add in that Roy keane was in his prime too you have a great team).

 

Wenger seems to be doing the same thing at Arsenal and some of the younger players he has in the team have improved tremendously this season (Flamini for me is the prime example - last year or a couple of years ago looked no better than a squad player but this year seems to have made a starting slot his own - at the expense of Gilberto, who is no slouch).

 

Comparing their records is very difficult, especially with time served and the fact that they both took sleeping giants and turned them round so well.

 

What is beyond doubt though IMO is that they are BOTH geniuses.

[eightball 0]

Arsene Wenger gets his team to play attractive attacking football. All the players are skillful and with good technical abilities. He can take a rough raw talent and within a couple of season he can turn them into a real gem. He also has an good eye for spotting talented youngsters and nurturing them (Fabregas, Flamini, Toure etc).

 

The guy is a genius!

 

I'm not an Arsenal fan, but I do remember Arsenal during the George Graham days, and they were awful. 1-0 to the Arsenal, with Donkey Adams booting everything that came near him into touch. Wenger came in and changed the whole mentality of the team, and the club.

 

Now I'm not saying that Fergie is shit, but Wenger has now got Arsenal churning out talented youngsters every season. Whereas ManYoo's conveyor belt of talent seems to have slowed down, and Fergie tneds to spend a fortune on players (Hargreaves, Tevez, Carrick etc). Wenger dips into the transfer funds very rarely and only occassionaly gets it wrong (Baptista & Reyes).

[Gribz 743]

Wenger dips into the transfer funds very rarely and only occassionaly gets it wrong (Baptista & Reyes).

 

I'll throw Jeffers and Richard Wright in there aswell. But he knows when to get rid of a player.

 

Agreed with you and Craig above though.