Reading 1-3 Arsenal (Royals bow down before the kings)

Reading 1-3 Arsenal (Royals bow down before the kings)

Postby Reverend Gooner » Thu Nov 15, 2007 4:52 pm

Watching arsenal is usually considered a pleasure by neutral fans and this match did not disappoint in that sense but the neutral viewer probably expected more from this match than it actually produced. This should also have been a pleasure to watch in the sense of tightness in play and in score-line between the two teams, but unfortunately it was not to be so.

Reading have showed themselves to be full of sprightly flair and fearless attacking endeavour which produces results since they joined the premier league last season, especially at the Madejski stadium . This year, despite picking up a decent amount of points so far, the play on the field has failed to live up to last season for the royals. Whether that is due to second season syndrome or the loss of Sidwell and Seol Ki-Hyeon in their midfield something is amiss and it has not been more apparent than in this match.

This was a match Arsenal totally dominated and they did not have to put much effort in to do so. Reading paved the way for Arsenals possession game to shine, every pass between two arsenal players should have had a red carpet laid under it such was the attitude of the Reading players.

The match kicked off and the Royals went into defensive mode straight away, sitting back and waiting to see what the gunners were going to throw at them. Arsenal started as they finished, in second gear, neither resorting to lethargy nor increasing the intensity to anything but a small fire even though a furnace is within them. The match did not require anything else.

Adebayor had the first big chance of the game and planted a shot onto the post early on which if gone in should have been the first of a quality hat trick. The rest of the half was a case of Arsenal musing around the pitch trying to find a killer ball which they could be forgiven for not finding again quickly considering Reading had 10 men behind the ball. Apart from a well hit strike from Gunnarsson on the half hour which Almunia saved theatrically Reading did not show a sniff of a threat to the gunners defence.

The Arsenal fans though not at all worried were slightly frustrated at the lack of a breakthrough as the end of the first half came to a close due to the total domination of the half but in the nick of time new found hero Mathieu Flamini popped up with the opening goal. It was a great move from the Arsenal attack, a quick sharp, rapier like goal. Kolo Toure played a nifty through ball to Adebayor who was about 35 yards out, he then looked up and saw Hleb overlapping on the right side and played a through ball for him inside the area. The run from Hleb was perfectly timed to receive the ball in space and he squared it to the onrushing Flamini who finished the ball under pressure into the corner of the net.

Flamini was clearly delighted and so was every Arsenal fan watching. His fantastic performances this season have deserved a goal and to finish off this move was a great reward for his endeavours.

It was an ice cold night and the reading fans would have like to have seen some burning passion from their team to heat their spirits but unfortunately the Reading players did not oblige. Instead it was more of the same and another underperforming half for the Royals let the gunners take control again.

This half Arsenal was much more capable of stretching the packed Reading defence and penetrating the ball into dangerous areas. On 52 minutes Adebayor finished off a brilliant move to make it 2-0. He took the ball on the left wing and ran it to the edge of the area where he played a through ball down the left to Rosicky who played it into the box to Cesc Fabregas. Fabregas who has been on fine goal scoring form this year could have tried to turn and shoot, however he acted faster than most minds would think to do it and laid the ball back into the path of Adebayor who finished into the bottom corner. It was a top quality goal that should appear in the November GOTM competition.

It should have been 3-0 a few minutes later when a swift counter to a rare reading attack ended with the ball in the net. Hleb collected the ball on the right hand side near his own box and ran it up to the half way line and played a smashing diagonal through ball along the ground to Rosicky on the left. The ball was perfect and Rosicky was running parallel with the last defender with Adebayor holding the line the other side of him. It looked ominous for Reading and no sooner had Rosicky played through Ade who ran clear, the ball was round the keeper and slotted in. Adebayor wheeled off but the linesman raised his flag for offside, completely incorrectly as the Togan was clearly onside. Adebayor was gracious though and did not complain much, he was having too much fun.

10 minutes later it was 3-0 when the imperious Hleb latched on to a piece of poor defending by the royals. A Fabregas through ball was intercepted by a sliding tackle but the tackle produced a great through ball for Hleb to run onto which he did and consequently took the ball to within half a metre of the keeper. Most players would have buckled from here but Hleb’s close control skills saw him cheekily drag the ball past the keeper and blast the ball with the aid of a deflection into the back to the net.

Wenger then bought n Diarra, Bendtner and Walcott to give them a run out and rest some players. Diarra had a good chance to score Arsenals fourth goal which he shot just wide but in the end the final goal of the game went to Reading in the 86th minute.

It was a comical goal in truth. A poor defensive header from a cross was headed onto the post and back to the feet of a Reading attacker whose shot was deflected by Gallas into the path of Nicky Shorey who finished into an empty net due to Almunia being taken out of the play diving for the header which hit the post. It was a ridiculous goal which the gunners will not be too disappointed about because they just happen every now and again.

One more goal from Reading would have taken top spot from Arsenal and the quality of Readings play did increase for a while and teased some pressure onto the Arsenal defence but in the end the whistle blew on a comfortable but nevertheless impressive victory for Arsenal who took top spot back and increased their goals scored tally over Man United.

So a great win for Arsenal and next game up is Wigan. The corresponding tie last year saw two late goals from Fitz Hall (OG) and Rosicky overturn a potential 1-0 defeat into a win. That game was really tense and frustrating for the gunners and they will hope to have the game under control long before 85th minute this time as they seek to keep top spot from United.

No longer able to be criticised for their results and performances the anti-Arsenal brigade has turned to attacking the foreign contingency at the club. A poor argument that is an insult to everything that has improved the premier league so much over the last ten years and which ever side a person takes they cannot deny that these foreigners are talented, they are class, they are number one and deserve to be there. Up the gunners
:flag:
Last edited by Reverend Gooner on Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Reverend Gooner
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 14237
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:23 pm
Location: London

Re: Reading 1-3 Arsenal (Royals bow down before the kings)

Postby StLGooner » Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:01 pm

Good work Rev.
Formerly ChVint22
User avatar
StLGooner
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 35991
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:07 pm
Location: St. Louis, Mo USA

Re: Reading 1-3 Arsenal (Royals bow down before the kings)

Postby Fordy » Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:07 pm

as always top stuff mate
Fordy
 

Re: Reading 1-3 Arsenal (Royals bow down before the kings)

Postby Cheese » Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:13 pm

Great stuff once again Rev :cool:

Reverend Gooner wrote:Flamini was clearly delighted and so was every Arsenal fan watching. His fantastic performances this season have deserved a goal and to finish off this move was a great reward for his endeavours.
Yes he has finally got the goal the his perfomances deserved :D
“What a great day for football, all we need is some green grass and a ball.”
Cheese
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
 
Posts: 15075
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:48 pm

Re: Reading 1-3 Arsenal (Royals bow down before the kings)

Postby Libertine » Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:18 pm

Great report Rev :h:


Are you thinking of getting into journalism?
I would, if i could write like that.
Libertine
Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Bergkamp
 
Posts: 7734
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 2:17 pm

Re: Reading 1-3 Arsenal (Royals bow down before the kings)

Postby Reverend Gooner » Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:39 am

Libertine wrote:Great report Rev :h:


Are you thinking of getting into journalism?
I would, if i could write like that.


Cheers mate, glad you like my writing style. I don't know what i want to do, i am happy to do my ambiguous course and procrastinate to my hearts content :cool: However i will be 25 soon so i must get my skates on deciding :lol:
User avatar
Reverend Gooner
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 14237
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:23 pm
Location: London

Re: Reading 1-3 Arsenal (Royals bow down before the kings)

Postby Git » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:13 am

Nice metaphors. ;-)

Top notch as always Reverend.
MML
User avatar
Git
Herbert Chapman
Herbert Chapman
 
Posts: 11825
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:55 am
Location: West Sussex, UK

Re: Reading 1-3 Arsenal (Royals bow down before the kings)

Postby rvtheace » Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:08 pm

Only just read it. Top class stuff!
Image
User avatar
rvtheace
David Rocastle
David Rocastle
 
Posts: 2735
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:43 pm


Return to Match Reports 07/08

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests