Jan 24
(Ed. Note - If Spurs take a two goals - nil lead and they still can’t peg us back, the Spursenfreude icon must be displayed. I think Nelson from the Simpsons said it best, “Ha ha!” It’s bad enough that poor lass supports (supported?) Spurs, but they even make her cry.)
After a dire opening twenty minutes, the gulf in class shone through as two goals from The Beast earned Arsenal a draw in the first leg of the League Cup Semi-Final at Shite Hart Lane this afternoon.
Those away goals will be a nice cushion going into next Wednesday’s return leg at the Grove. It’ll be interesting to see if Arsene names the same side as today’s match, or if he decides to start some more first-team players.
46 Responses to “Spuds 2 - 2 Arsenal”
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January 24th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
We looked good today. I wish it'd have been a win, but we'll take the Spuds next match 2-0, I'm calling it now. Henry is taking one of em!
January 24th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
was wondering, if we do get the result we need next wednesday and get to the final………..which kinda team do we play in against chelsea? kids or full team??
for sure chelsea will play their full team….since they did just that against the mighty wycombe!!
in a possible final i will want only almunia, hoyte and baptista to retain their place. with bench spots for diaby and denilson.
i hope we go thru next week………which is funny really, cos normally i dont give a flying f-ck about this cup … lol.
January 24th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Seems to me that Baptista is doing his damnedest to force his way into the first 11.
January 24th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
I hope the kids play. They deserve it. But first, we must win in the return leg.
January 24th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
He needs to translate his CC form into league, CL and FA Cup games. With RvP injured, he should get enough chances to do so.
January 24th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Can see from his on-field demeanour that he is a very determined player. But it also appears he takes some time to warm up during a game. Which may explain why he does not do well coming on as a sub. Wenger shud consider starting him against Bolton this weekend.
January 24th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
The first goal was Toure’s fault - if he just headed it away no-one would say anything about Almunia not coming to get it. Toure just assumed Almunia would come, and that assumption was fatal. Toure has been great this season - but he does not impress me on crosses, his marking is poor. You see Senderos, Gilberto and even strikers heading more corners and crosses away than Toure does.
January 24th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
A good result for us.
Down 2-0, we could have folded up the tent… gone home… and everyone still would have been proud of the “kids”.
In reality, we had a good mix of players out there, and the comeback / fightback was excellent… 2-2 on the road … take the road goals… and we have every chance to get to the finals against the Chavs.
Baptista continues to impress… he too could have hung his head after the miss and the own goal… but he made amends.
Well done. Let’s hope the injuries weren’t serious.
Big match this weekend.
January 24th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Read that Helb will be out for a few weeks with hamstring injury. So he will not be available for this Sunday’s game. Hopefully Eboue and Aliadiere will be available for the next game.
January 24th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
‘The Beast’ continues to prove the doubters wrong. After the own goal he had a great chance to score which he blew it and the people around me started with: “He is just not good enough… That’s why you are not playing…” But he proved them wrong with a second half brace to ensure that we are going in the 2nd leg as a favourites for the Final.
As for the game, we were just very poor, and I don’t know how the game would have ended if Wenger didn’t put on the pitch Hleb and Eboue. When they came on, we started to control the midfield and Spurs didn’t see much of the ball. Walcott was bellow average, Senderos was shakey and Traore didn’t look comfortable, but who will against Aaron Lennon. The others did OK, especially Diaby, who has started his first game after 9 months out and played wide left, I think he was good. And ofcourse there was the fabulous Cesc who was Man of the Match once again.
It’s a good result for the kids, but the day could have been better if Hleb and Eboue didn’t get injured. Hope it’s not serious and they will be fit very soon.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:34 am
That traffic delay really put Arsenal off at the start. They couldn’t find their game for the first 20 min. Lennon was zipping around like a water bug and had Traore under pressure most of the game. Berbatov’s groin injury was our first turning point in the game as Sp*rs lost their target man and could no longer control the ball in the final third. This is a positive for the return leg.
Sp*rs can thank Poll for their 2nd goal as the free kick was given for a legal shoulder challenge.
As a defender, Toure must know he should have taken charge of that ball.
Hleb’s hamstring injury could mean a loss of up to 4 weeks. Damn. Consider Lungberg and Gallas. This is a negative for our season.
Denilson had some nice touches. Not afraid to shoot either. Diaby looked good depite the ring rust. He is way better than Song.
Except for the final touch to set up Baptista’s first goal, Walcott was very disappointing. Eboue did more in 10 min on that (R) wing than Walcott did in 90+ min. Walcott beat no one, lost the ball alot, got push off the ball alot and didn’t make any good crosses. Wow. Two starts, and two poor games in a row.
MOTM: He gave Sp*rs false hope and then crushed it with clinical precision. If he had scored that sitter in the first half, if… He is the striker I said last year Arsenal needed. Someone who knows where the six yd box is and is prepared to live there despite the rough and tumble. He can also go one-on-one as he showed when he left Chimbonda holding his jockstrap. I now don’t care if his touch can be poor at times, he can score and that is what really matters. Julio Baptista is coming to your stadium and you’d better hide your defenders because he’s looking for snacks.
Fabregas was superb as usual. Who the f**k is Tom Huddleston. Don’t even go there.
Someone on here once suggested Eboue as a wide MF. I thought that was an exciting idea. He sure as hell is a more direct threat than Hleb at that position. Case closed.
I thought Aliadiere was looking decent until his hamstring blew up. Kid just can’t catch a break.
Why should Wenger change the team mix that’s got them to this point. Those who argue for a more senior team should put their sunglasses on so as not to be blinded by the glare from the cup. You should also be cheering for Sp*rs/Chelsea who don’t have the balls to go with a youthful squad. Wow the mighty Shevchenko is now hot to trot after scoring TWO goals against, against, what were their names and how many places are they beloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow (that should be 48 ‘o’).
Arsenal continue to impress with another character building preformance. Now even the reserves will have the bit between their teeth. That’s what a competition like this teaches a young team. It’s learning value is immeasurable.
On the transfer front, it would appear that we have our new (L) winger to replace Lungberg coming in the summer (http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premiership/article2183792.ece).
Yes, it’s, it’s, it’s Riber…naw, it’s Ryan Guno Babel (WF/CF).
January 25th, 2007 at 12:51 am
Agreed– this happens waaaay too often with Toure… it used to happen with Senderos, too, last year, but it doesn’t seem to happen as much to him this year– did we do away with the zonal marking that seemed to be killing us last year?
Too bad we can’t get Senderos’ heading in a package with more speed– I’m still not comfortable at all with the Big Whiffer back there.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:04 am
Isn’t that team Chelsea beat the same team that Tony Adams managed to coach into relegation, in about a third of a season of trying out football managing, before resigning? Tony didn’t cover himself in glory coaching a team that gave Chelsea a pretty good run for their money, for about 120 minutes over the last week.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:18 am
The reason the League Cup is exciting, for me at least, is BECAUSE of the side and philosophy AW sticks with for this competition. One of the comments above was how Fred was excited about this competition when otherwise he didn’t give a twig. I mean, FSC’s sports report lead off with the story about “Arsenal Junior”. How cool is this?!?
If we go on through to Cardiff (we will), I hope AW sticks to his guns, win or lose. I would be disappointed if he trotted out the ‘first’ team against the Russians, win or lose.
AW - Stick to the Carling Darlings!
January 25th, 2007 at 1:38 am
A decent performance overall. A poor first half and a great second half. Spurs bombarded us in the first half specially in the first 20 minutes when they went 2-0 up.
We offered nothing going forward for the first 45 apart from a corner which Baptista fluffed right at the end..kinda summed it up.
The second half was very very good..Fabregas ran rings around the Spurs midfield and Denilson showed some great presence and touches in midfield showing why AW paid 4 million for a 19 year old. Baptista showed great physical and mental strength to score the 2 goals , specially the first goal when he fell over but got up and stroked the ball past Robinson. We could’ve won it at the end with Theo but he missed a volley which he will put away with ease in the next 2 years.
Miscommunication btw Toure n Almunia for the first goal but any criticism of Toure is unwarranted specially since he’s been playing literally every game apart from the Chelsea game.Sendy and Hoyte had great games and slowly Hoyte is showing that he can provide AW with a solid and effective presence at right back and also offer something going forward.
Lennon ran around Traore quite a bit but I thought the 17 year old had a decent game and gave us quite a bit going forward.
Walcott had a poor game…a very poor game…on the wing and upfront when he still played like a winger..he will improve as he grows up .. we forget he’s only 17 and still a raw talent.
Ali was bad , hardly touched the ball till he got injured and offered us nothing up front. The whole team though played so badly first half ,that I wouldnt want to blame him too much.
Overall we should be fine… and win the return leg as well.. with the kids… Spurs will not score 2 at The Grove .. and we should nick it 4-1 overall and set up a final against Chelsea…
January 25th, 2007 at 1:42 am
Oops forgot.. Diaby looked a bit rusty before he was subbed. Dunno why he started wide left though…maybe AW wanted to protect him from the physicality in central midfield.. a few nice touches.. and passes(Does he remind you of someone .. specially in his passing style with those long legs??)
Great to see him back though.. so great…
January 25th, 2007 at 10:25 am
Just a timely note…
ESPN Soccernet is reporting that Sp*rs are now officially getting a bye into the next round of UEFA Cup (the last 16), subject to a possible appeal by Feyenoord to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and will play Braga or Parma.
Feyenrood was expelled from the tournament following crowd trouble earlier in the season.
A statement from UEFA read: ‘Tottenham have received a bye into the UEFA Cup round of 16 following the exclusion of opponents Feyenoord from the competition.’
While Spuds will lose revenue from gate receipts and television money, they gain prize money for getting closer to the final.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
With tongue in cheek, I cannot help but be amused at Baptista?s second hat trick in a gunner jersey.
All I could think was the poor bastard, when I read the OG, following the game ?live? on the internet.
I thought it only fitting that he should score and then level the game again with another goal. You have to admire a player with that type of determination: brush off the dust, lick the wounds, get up, and keep trying. It paid off and maybe that is why he should be known as the ?beast?.
When seeing the highlights later on TV, I could only think that the second goal was a gift to Baptista from Hoyte / Cesc. Like some kind of poetic justice after Baptista?s gift to the Spuds.
Also after last year, when if Arsenal went down by a goal, it seemed people put there heads down and got frustrated. This year they have changed to clawing their way back. I realize two games don?t a season make but I?m still very happy to see the team try harder instead of getting flustered
January 25th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Wenger today confirmed the injury status of Hleb (4 weeks), RVP (6-10 weeks), Aliadiere (? Bolton but he should be ok), and Eboue (? Bolton). So who replaces Hleb in the line up against Bolton. Walcott will never see the light of that day based on his Sp*rs performance. FIamini offers little going forward. I think Baptista should have a shot. He played that position as a sub for his national team against Argentina. I would doubt that Eboue will play because that (L) ankle was a big problem at Shite Hart Lane and he couldn't come off because he was the third sub. We have issues.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I think he will get his chance now since RVP is out and it appears that Aliadiere picked up an injury (again) in the game. Now he just needs to make the best of his chance.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
If a soccer team goes down a goal or two, the announcer/pundit are already conceding the three points. You can’t do that with this Arsenal team because you will look like an ass. This is the grit and determination we’ve all long for. This is what Wenger was patiently praying for. Wenger knows.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
According to Arsenal’s web site Ali and Eboue will be out for the game this weekend but should be available for the return leg with Sp*rs.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
And with the showing last match, it seems he deserves a spot in the 11…He’s got my vote.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
SpursenFreude icon is classic….
January 25th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I agree we have issues due to the injuries but I don’t think the solution is playing Baptista in midfield, either as a right or left winger. In fact, I think playing him there will undermine the confidence he has built up playing in the Carling Cup as a striker. That’s where he’s had real success. As for who will play at Bolton, Hoyte will substitute for Eboue and Flamini will replace Gilberto. Who replaces Hleb is more interesting given that Aliadiere and Ljunberg will both miss Bolton game with injuries. Your guess is as good as mine.
January 25th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Maybe it’s just coincidence, maybe it’s just the determination of the younger players but one thing that makes it easier for us to come back from deficits more than last year is that we don’t have Reyes giving the ball to the opposition time & again.
Maybe I just like Baptista better but I kind of think Reyes would’ve laid on the ground looking for a penalty on Baptista’s 2nd goal instead of getting up & perservering to knock in the tying goal.
I forgot who posted it but my answer is an emphatic- NO! I do not miss Reyes at all. Sell Aliadiere, sell Bendtner, keep The Beast.
January 25th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Hey! Romford Pele is back in training with Arsenal after being released by Boro. Maybe Wenger can sign him till end of the season to fill the void left by Helb’s injury.
January 25th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Spuds away form in the EPL has been very poor this season. I think we can count on them to continue that trend at AG next week.
January 25th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Wenger has made it clear that he will not be giving Parlour a contract.
Sometime back, the same happened with Petit (when he was released by Chelsea?).
Wenger is not into short term solutions (as we should all know by now).
January 25th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Who should replace Hleb? Well, Walcott is the obvious choice, but I say we should give Denilson another run in the first team. He deserves that, and Walcott is out of form. My vote goes for the young Brazilian.
January 25th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Sell Bendtner? You got to be kidding me. He is wanted by the Europe’s biggest clubs and that means he is a GREAT talent. Yes, I agree on Aliadiere though, we should sell him in the summer and bring Bendtner back from loan to be that 5th striker that Ali is now. He would play in the Carling and FA Cup and in the Premiership if we have too many injuries and suspensions. Don’t forget that he is 19.
January 25th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Yes, it’s kinda cool if “first blood” doesn’t mean “last to bleed”.
Speaking honestly, last year when the team went down a goal and I watched opposing teams pull back down the pitch in defense, my shoulders would slouch as I wondered how Arsenal where going to pull out of this.
Being able to control the game whether your opponent is in a defensive or offensive posture sure makes for better watching as a fan - our team looks the better for it.
I’ve been clinching onto my sofa for some of these last games, cherishing every last minute of time. Worrying, but not succumbed to a futile feeling of hope lost. The last ManUre game was just incredible for that.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
If Ljundberg is available, he will start on the right side. Don’t think Walcott is ready to start other than in the Carling cup. Certainly not base on his current form. Denilson is too raw IMO to start for the senior team. If Ljundberg is not available, there are less obvious options but Eboue can certainly play there with Hoyte as right back. And when Gilberto is back, Wenger will probably play Cesc on the right with Flamini and Gilberto in the middle. Not exactly optimal.
January 26th, 2007 at 2:25 am
Just saw the game highlights.
Youngsters did great. Both goals were due to seniors - Toure and Bap.
Toure needs a rest.
Denilson has an eye for goal. He has a good shot.
Baptista gets into the box. That makes for an interest combo of strikers - Henry the genius, RvP the talented, Ade the hard working and Baptista the fox?
January 26th, 2007 at 7:29 am
Blackburn (A) - 10 men for 80 minutes, 2-0
Man U (H) - 1-0 down with 7 minutes left, 2-1
Tottenham (A) - 2-0 after 20 mins, 2-2
3 big character building games in a row and now our biggest test against the bogey side…Bolton. If we win this the confidence will be sky high.
January 26th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Are you kidding me? Put Flamini on the (R) so he’s ‘out of the way’. Denilson played (L)MF in the Liverpool CC game and wasn’t terrible. But Bolton are a different kettle of fish. He certainly would be stronger on the ball than Walcott. The problem is we need someone capable of linking up with the FB and doing those quick trianular passing/movement without the ball type plays. Parlour? He can’t bring his walker onto the field nor can he use a golf cart. Seriously, because of a 9 min span(Hleb’s time on the field), we are in another crisis. Walcott has shot himself in the foot with these last two games. Baptista shouldn’t lose confidence because he’s starting as a RMF. The key is for Wenger not to anchor him to the wide position as he does Walcott. He’s the best option IMO unless the Professor sees someone/something else in training.
January 26th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Sell Bendtner! You’re s******g me, right? Have you watched him play. I caught about 25min of a game where BC were getting smoked. They couldn’t get their heads out of their a**, let alone their own zone. He set up the first goal with a brilliant touch. BC went on to get an undeserve tie. He was the best player on the pitch. He already has that Henry ‘je nes se qua’ thing going when he has the ball. You don’t SELL that. You harness that because he’s our FUTURE.
January 26th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Yes, b/c I’m sure if he is such a great talent & if big clubs really want him, he’ll love playing 5th striker at Arsenal & getting 10 games a year.
January 26th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
25 minutes? Wow. I’ve only seen 12 minutes of him.
If he’s so great & if big clubs really are after him then I doubt he’ll love riding the bench when he comes back & only playing cup matches or waiting another 2 to 3 years before getting his full 1st team chance.
I’m just saying if Europe’s clubs are that much after Bendtner I’d really consider selling him, take the money & find the next one for the “FUTURE.”
So to answer your question, I guess I am sh*tting you even though you’re it must be you sh*tting yourself since I am pretty sure I am not lying about my opinion.
January 26th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Even if he goes to sime big club, there is no chance he would be first choice. They all want him for the future. And why would you sell a player with great future and then search around the world for the next big thing when all you should do is to keep the player you got. Think twice before you say something.
January 26th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
They should move Eboue to the midfield along with Adebayor (who does amazing work anywhere on the pitch) and pair Henry with Baptista. See how that works.
January 26th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Ummmmm, b/c as you said there’s no guarantee he’d be 1st choice here either b/c he won’t be. So we’d have several extra million in the bank with 4 strikers & the luxury of searching for the next prospect since he’ll sit on the bench behind Henry, RvP, Adebayor & Baptista or have to wait a few years before he becomes 1st choice in which time his market value would most likely drop by being 5th choice.
Don’t lecture me on thinking b/c your post is logically flawed to begin with b/c 1st of all, Bendtner has already stated he would not like coming back to Arsenal if it means reserve team football or sitting on the bench & secondly b/c of the above mentioned reasons in the 1st paragraph. So you sell a young player while his value is at it’s best & you already have wealth in reserve (already having 4 world class or near world class strikers). It’s called good business, maybe you should learn it.
So please, take offense to this since you made it personal- f*ck you, I always think before I say something, in fact, I use my 138 borderline genius IQ when I do it.
January 26th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Aliadiere is available for the game on Sunday according to Arsenal.com. So, it’ll either be him or Walcott. If Eboue was healthy, perhaps it should be himm. But I really do believe it’d be a mistake to start Baptista as a winger.
January 26th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Hey, chill out man. I didn’t mean to offend you. But I do think that there is no need in selling Bendtner. And he already said that he would like to play some minutes like Walcott did this season, so I think he would be happy with that. So I sorry man if I hurt your feelings.
January 26th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
AW says -
?The only one to go out could be Song because I want him to play somewhere,? said Wenger. ?Diaby is back and Denilson has shown that he is ready to play so, in central midfield, we are a bit congested with Flamini, Denilson, Diaby, Fabregas and Gilberto.?
Great news.