Arsenal had already qualified for the latter stages of The Champions League, so the result was fairly irrelevant. Win, and Arsenal top the table and avoid the bigger names, lose and there is still a chance of that happening, but either way, to win the biggest competition in domestic football, you have to beat the best to be the best.
So, Arsenal travel to Seville, no real pressure, nothing much to lose, yet after ninety minutes that long unbeaten run had gone. Whether that will unbalance the team remains to be seen, a victory at Aston Villa will soon put this game into the distance.
Arsene Wenger rang the changes, and allowed several players to have a rest, and fielded a team without the like of Captain, William Gallas, and Adebayor not even travelling, and Flamini plus Hleb not even making the pitch. Gilberto was recalled, and Niklas Bendtner was given a rare start.
Croatian International Eduardo was given the job up front, possibly as a result of his performance against England, and rewarded with an early strike, set up by strike partner Bendtner, and all seemed to be going well for Arsenal. It was at around this time that The Spaniards seemed to have difficulty keeping their feet. Indeed some of their more elaborant diving would not have looked out of place in an Olympic swimming pool! That said, the goal seemed to push Seville on, and although they knocked at the door several times, it seemed almost certain that an equaliser was to follow, and so it happened. Phillipe Senderos miscued a clearance, and despite the lunging challenges, it was 1-1.
Worse was to follow, as Seville began to take control, with quite a helping hand from a referee who couldn't quite see past the diving. Eventually it was a freekick awarded after yet another dive, that resulted to Seville taking a 2-1 lead into the break. We can blame sloppy defending, in fact we can blame whatever we want. The fact was that although a terrible decision was given, Arsenal seemed to switch off, and allow the goal to be scored.
In truth it could have been worse, but Arsenal kept themselves in the match, especially after the introduction of Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky and Sagna.
Then came the most bizarre thing I have seen in many a year. Senderos cleanly took the ball in the box, but the referee thought he saw a hand and awarded a penalty. Arsenal, and in particular Senderos was irate to say the least. Somehow the official was forced into consulting his linesman, who cleared Senderos. The penalty decision was then reversed, and a drop ball outside the box was awarded. For me, it reflected the nature of the officials over the course of the game.
The game by now had become a more even affair, but with Arsenal squandering chances, and Seville unable to hit the target, it was looking to stifle out. However, the referee much at the centre of some quite awful decisions finally stabbed Arsenal in the back with a penalty award at the very end of the game. Replays suggest he was wrong, but then replays suggested that most of the decisions given over the ninety minutes were wrong..... Ex-Spud, Kanoute netted from the spot, and the proud unbeaten record was at an end.
On wards, and upwards, players will be returning for the trip to Villa this weekend, and as long as the defeat does not affect the players too greatly, the unbeaten run in The Premiership can continue.