Saturday, July 28, 2007

Arsenal lead PSG at the half

Arsenal fielded a weakened team against PSG with the following players starting the match.

Almunia
Sagna Toure Senderos Clichy
Flamini Fabregas Denilson Diaby
van Persie Bendtner

The defence is only one player short of the strongest possible but in midfield Wenger fielded four central midfielders. Obviously, there was very little width, with Clichy's dynamic forward runs providing the only real use of the wings.

Sagna looks solid but doesn't provide the offensive threat of Eboue.
Van Persie looks hungry as ever but has been battling Armand for the entire first half and is lucky not to have been booked as yet. I admire his passion but he needs to be smart too and curb his enthusiasm at times. He can only be Arsenal's number one striker if he's on the pitch and needless bookings from silly tackles will only get him suspensions and increase his chance of injury.

Arsenal had little threat on the PSG goal in the first half but broke the deadlock with only seconds to go. Clichy played a long cross ontpo the right corner of the penalty box where Bendtner chested down the ball into the path of Flamini who took the ball well and slid it into the bottom right hand corner of the goal.

Arsenal need a spark of inventiveness in the second half and an injection of pace as Clichy is the only player apart from van Persie who looks up to full speed.

The Gunners have the following players unavailable for this match:
Walcott
Adebayor
Rosicky
Djourou
Song
Eduardo
Gilberto

And these players are on the bench:
Fabianski
Gallas Hoyte Traore Eboue
Barazite Gibbs Randall Lansbury Hleb
Murphy


The following players started the second half:
Almunia
Hoyte Gallas Senderos Traore
Eboue Denilson Diaby Clichy
Hleb Bendtner

And Denilson just sprained his ankle... great!? It's ok, he's running it off?