Birmingham Vs Arsenal | Premiership 23/02/08

[arseman]

On a different note, I hope Wenger sits all our attacking players down, and makes them watch endless replays of Theo's second goal, not only did he take a shot from outside the penalty area but he did so with what, if I'm not mistaken, is his weaker foot.

[Inchpräctice]

On a different note, I hope Wenger sits all our attacking players down, and makes them watch endless replays of Theo's second goal, not only did he take a shot from outside the penalty area but he did so with what, if I'm not mistaken, is his weaker foot.

Yeah good point.
Hleb take note.

[rodney]

Gael Clichy what the absolute f**k were you doing. Jesus f***ing christ what the f**k was that. I cannot how someone who has been so good this season can make such a bloody awful error. He looked for fucks sake, what the f**k he was doing, then he sticks a stupid leg out and he got part of the ball and part of the player. We were so bloody comfortable and were just seeing out the end of the match and why the f**k he did it I just don't know. That could cost us the title.

Line up was to be expected and I knew this would be a tough game after the game against Birmingham and their previous results against the big four. A few minutes in though a complete and utter disgraceful challenge has taken Eduardo out. Seeing the pictures just shows what an utter awful challenge it was and how bad the injury is. With Robin out Eddy has been extremely important to us and that's his season over and the European championships over for him. Hopefully he will return to full fitness and Taylor should serve a further ban than three bloody matches for a tackle like that.

The game was very quiet over the last 15 minutes and the players seem shocked and it was clear to see the severity of the tackle. Bendtner had come on for Eddy and Hleb switched to the left flank. Theo was extremely wasteful with a few chances that he had to deliver a cross or pass. We then gave away a free kick, well the ref gave them a free kick which as McFdden didn't even have control of the ball and Flamini just blocked him from going forward I don't see how it was a free kick. McFadden curled the ball in beautifully and it was a great free kick, but imo Almunia should have got a stronger hand to it.

We then became frustrated and were caught offside too many times. Ade managed to keep onside after a wonderful 50 yard ball from Cesc and he should have done a lot better. It was a poor finish and I really expected a lot better from him. We continued pressing and a good ball into the box from Hleb was headed wide from Ade. Clichy had a long shot at goal that went miles wide that sumed up how poor we'd been in the first half. We won a free kick after Ridgewell fouled Flamini and Cesc hit a poor free kick against the wall and another poor cross from Theo. It's in situations like that where we really miss Robin, as he gives us something special at set pieces. With Eduardo's season now over he needs to get back to bloody fitness now and start playing.

We wasted more chances with Cesc and Senderos wasting chances and McFadden nearly caught us on the break and only a last ditch tackle from Senderos put McFadden off. Going into half time we needed Wenger to sort the players out and let them know that despite Eduardo's injury we needed to focus on the title and get back on track.

The second half began and we were immediately straight at Birmingham and looking to get ourselves level. Hleb and Cesc exchanged some lovely passing and Cesc curled a lovely shot which was the start of numerous brilliant saves from Maik Taylor. From the corner Hleb had another shot which Taylor tipped over the bar. From our second corner Ade headed the ball down before Taylor got there, usually given as a foul and Theo stabbed it home. Delighted for Theo to get his first goal and a great leap from Ade to win the ball.

Flamini who as usual was bloody brilliant won the ball off two Birmingham players and played the ball across to Hleb who's shot was again saved by Taylor. The second goal was coming and Theo went on another run, gave the ball to Sagna who crossed for Ade and his header down fell to Cesc and his shot hit the post. We didn't have to wait much longer though for our second, as a long ball was poorly controlled by Ridgewell. Theo picked up the ball ran at the Brum defence and fired a left foot shot into the bottom corner. f***ing superb, where the f**k that has been for the past two seasons I don't know, but hopefully he can start doing things like that on a regular occassion.

Theo was again at the start of another good move and he again gave the ball to Sagna who crossed for Ade who again headed down for Theo this time who should have done a lot better. We needed the third goal to put an end to the game and Ade had that chance as he broke through the Birmingham defence, all he had to do was roll it into Bendtner who could have rolled the ball into an empty net, instead he chose to shoot and Taylor pulled off another very good save. We then had another bloody chance after Ade held the ball up and Bendtner fired just wide.

Then in the third f***ing minute of injury time Clichy f***ked up big time. People can say we should have taken our chances and finished the game by then, but in the 93rd minute your full back shouldn't make a mistake like that. Gallas walked off and people can again criticise him they like, but to be honest he was doing what every gooner was doing, so f***ing pissed off that we'd just blown two points. McFadden stepped up and fired home.

Simply an awful day and I'm worried about the team after today. Just can't f***ing believe it.

[arseman]

Hats off to the guardians minute-by-minute reporters for having a decent sense of perspective.

And we're off again: The half-time chat re Eduardo on Sky was a bit risible. Pundit - if you can call him that - David Platt didn't really want to talk about the challenge, changing the subject at every given opportunity. The tackle was shown at full speed, though in no detail, and much was made of how innocuous it initially looked. Which is neither here nor there. So just to reiterate: it really was an awful challenge by Taylor - who at least had the decency to leave the field looking shocked with his head in his hands. "Platt doesn't want to condemn Martin Taylor - so even that utterly disgraceful foul didn't penetrate his Media Training mantra: never say anything controversial," writes Gary Naylor. Preach on, brother.

Full time: Birmingham City 2 - 2 Arsenal. Wow, what a finish. Gallas crumples to the turf in tears. This is going to sound like the hoariest of clichés - so sue me - but you can tell the Arsenal captain really wanted that result for his team-mate Eduardo. He refuses to budge for three or four minutes, eventually being persuaded to get up by Arsene Wenger. Richard Keys, meanwhile, growls "get up son, sort yourself out". It's quite revealing that Sky's anchor has slipped into more of a sanctimonious funk over Gallas's minor tantrum than he did about the horror tackle which could easily have ended a talented young player's career, but that's the way it seems to be.

[tonyrampanttiger]

i think robbed 2 points is more like it

[arseman]

Then in the third f***ing minute of injury time Clichy f***ked up big time. People can say we should have taken our chances and finished the game by then, but in the 93rd minute your full back shouldn't make a mistake like that. Gallas walked off and people can again criticise him they like, but to be honest he was doing what every gooner was doing, so f***ing pissed off that we'd just blown two points. McFadden stepped up and fired home.

I agree to an extent Rod, but it wasn't just the missed chances, it was the lazy nature of our attacks once we went 2-1 up, As I've already mentioned, once we went in front we didn't have the same urgency that brought us into that position. My viewpoint is that the whole team, not just Clichy, let our opponents back into the game. A game is never safe when you're leading by just one goal.

[Inchpräctice]

I'm wondering whether under these highly unusual circumstances the match should've been called off.
Half the players on the pitch were in shock.
Cesc and Hleb went white as did some of the Birmingham players.
A team can't be expected to be played properly under those circumstances. Someone should ask for a rematch.

[tonyrampanttiger]

arseman imho speaks sense

[Good_Eye_Sniper]

I'm wondering whether under these highly unusual circumstances the match should've been called off.
Half the players on the pitch were in shock.
Cesc and Hleb went white as did some of the Birmingham players.
A team can't be expected to be played properly under those circumstances. Someone should ask for a rematch.

Interesting idea. Has that happened before in this sort of situation mate?

[Trina]

I'm wondering whether under these highly unusual circumstances the match should've been called off.
Half the players on the pitch were in shock.
Cesc and Hleb went white as did some of the Birmingham players.
A team can't be expected to be played properly under those circumstances. Someone should ask for a rematch.

You know it's funny you should say that because after it happened I thought the same.

I have felt physically sick all afternoon seeing the pictures on the net from it (and I still do) and I am sat at home. God knows how the players who saw it felt.

But other games have gone ahead if I remember rightly. The main one that springs to mind is the Larsson one.

[Inchpräctice]

I'm wondering whether under these highly unusual circumstances the match should've been called off.
Half the players on the pitch were in shock.
Cesc and Hleb went white as did some of the Birmingham players.
A team can't be expected to be played properly under those circumstances. Someone should ask for a rematch.

Interesting idea. Has that happened before in this sort of situation mate?

Not that I know of but I think this situation was special because of the state of his leg afterwards.
Even Alan Smith didn't look this bad when he broke his leg.

[Fabrestuta]

Just saw the highlights on FSC. Almunia was a bit at fault for the free kick imo, he was too far across his line (something he does all too often), and Ade should have stuck the ball away when we were 2-1 up, although under the circumstances you can't blame any of the lads for not being 100% in the game.

[Trina]

Is it just me or does anyone else think Ade has been a little selfish lately?

[arseman]

Is it just me or does anyone else think Ade has been a little selfish lately?

It's not just you, though strikers do sometimes have to be selfish. Ade should've passed to Nic though.

[SuperDumbassman]

I don't think it's so much being selfish, as being confident.