Tag: Arsenal News

Mathieu Flamini tore into Mesut Ozil in the middle of Arsenal’s Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, apparently accusing the German of a lack of effort.

The flashpoint came in the second half after a Bayern move broke down and the ball is collected from behind the goal by Lukas Fabianski.

Ozil points his finger accusingly in the direction of defender Laurent Koscielny but is given a stern rebuke by Flamini, leading to a little bit of pushing and shoving between the pair.

The exchange of words summed up Arsenal’s frustrations on a night when they were once again outclassed by the German champions, who took a firm grip on the last 16 tie with a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium.

And £42.5million man Ozil was especially disappointing – bought to influence matches such as this, he was largely anonymous and drew a heap of criticism from fans on Twitter.

His heat map from the first leg match showed up Ozil’s lack of perspiration, but accusations of laziness were dispelled by the fact he ran 11.69km during the 90 minutes – the third highest on the pitch.

However, Flamini covered an impressive 13.53km – the highest of anyone – and was so vindicated in his stinging criticism of Ozil.

Ozil’s bad night was compounded when he saw a poor penalty saved by Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in the opening stages of the game.

Arsenal would rue the miss, as goals from Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller gave Bayern a comfortable advantage to take back to Germany after Gunners goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had been sent off four a foul on Arjen Robben.

-Daily Mail

Arsenal 0 – 0 Manchester United : February 12th 2014

The Emirates Stadium crowd was left frustrated on Wednesday night after Arsenal failed to beat Man Utd at its worst with the game ending on a stalemate.

The hard aspect for United, and David Moyes, to take was that while a draw was much better than the worst case scenario, they slipped further away from fourth place. A win for Liverpool increased the gap to United in seventh to 11 points and Tottenham’s victory against Newcastle meant that they too moved further ahead. The problems get worse for United in that respect. Defeat would have been unthinkable.

Since Arsenal opened their new stadium in 2006, United have won three of the nine games they have played there, including that Champions League semi-final second leg in 2009 in which their superiority meant a 3-1 humbling for the home team. Arsenal have won three of those nine games and tonight was the third draw. It was very far from a classic and it said plenty about how both these sides are stuttering.

United are stumbling when they need to pick up momentum. Arsenal have been spooked by that 5-1 thrashing at Anfield and are struggling to re-establish themselves. “A little bit nervous” was the assessment of his team by Arsene Wenger, in the light of the result at Anfield. His team are still in the title race but they are showing vulnerability when they should have been capitalising on Chelsea’s failure to beat West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday.

There was a frantic ending although it was a long way from those days when these two sides divided up the spoils in English football at the turn of the millennium. By the end of the game United were forced to cling on as Arsenal, the better team on the night, whipped up a storm of attacks to try to win the match.

At the other end, Robin Van Persie had the opportunity to nick a victory for United with a header that Wojciech Szczesny saved well. United defended better but their attacking fluency is still absent. Moyes stayed with the same back four that had creaked badly at times against Fulham three days earlier. They could not afford the same lapses in concentration.

– independent

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hit a second-half double as Arsenal returned to the top of the Barclays Premier League with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.

The 20-year-old England midfielder – fit again following five months out with a serious knee injury suffered on the first day of the season – finally ended Palace’s stubborn resistance when he chipped in a fine pass from Santi Cazorla just after the restart.

After Cameron Jerome’s diving header was saved by Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny, Oxlade-Chamberlain struck again to make sure of victory when he combined with Olivier Giroud before running clear to beat Julian Speroni after 73 minutes.

Arsenal now move two points above Manchester City, who host third-placed Chelsea on Monday night, while the Eagles remain in a dogfight for survival, just a point above 18th-placed West Ham.

Arsenal moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Southampton at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Olivier Giroud grabbed both goals. A late second from the penalty spot would seal the game but the first set up the victory.

And that was entirely his own work.

In the 22nd minute the Frenchman hassled Artur Boruc into an error as the keeper tried to dribble the ball out and then tapped into an empty net.

FIRST HALF

The early stages were sedate. Southampton had arrived with the best defensive record in the Premier League – five goals conceded in their first 11 games.

They set up in an organised fashion and onus was on Arsenal to break them down.

And that is what they did.

Arsenal grabbed the lead in the first half through sheer will.

In the 11th minute, Aaron Ramsey intercepted on the edge of the area and his pass deflected into the path of Wilshere on the right. He reached the byline and dinked a wonderful chip over Boruc. It drifted on to the far post and into the hands of the grateful keeper.

Then, five minutes later, Arsenal hit the same upright when Mesut Ozil’s cross picked out Ramsey with a pin-point cross and the Welshman produced a clever back-flick.

Arsenal were full of controlled creativity. They were prepared to chase and harry Southampton out of their stride then use their guile to prise them apart.

The epitome of that was the opening goal.

In the 22nd minute Giroud chased a regulation pass back to Boruc. The keeper tried the trick his way out of trouble rather than clear. The Frenchman robbed him and gleefully prodded his ninth goal of the season into the empty net.

However Southampton would muscle soon their way back into the game in response to going behind.

They pressured down their right and came close when Mikel Arteta sliced a clearance to Adam Lallana on the edge of the area. The England international unleashed a volley that Szczesny had to tip over.

Six minutes before the break Jay Rodriguez forced the keeper to make another fine save away to his left.

At the break, Arsenal had the lead but Southampton were making it hard for them to retain that advantage.

SECOND HALF

The visitors continued to pressure after half-time. The impressive Morgan Schneiderlin expertly set up Lallana to drive straight at Szczesny early on.

It was a measure of Southampton’s confidence. Despite the scoreline, they were happy to press for an equaliser straight away.

At this point, the raw statistics suggested they were enjoying greater possession than the home team and passing marginally better. Both were unusual for an away side at Emirates Stadium.

Ozil fired into the arms of Boruc on the hour as Arsenal relieved some of the pressure on their goal. Then, just before Theo Walcott came on, Wilshere headed straight at the keeper.

However Arsenal had not regained full control and their cause was hindered further when Arteta had to go off 16 minutes from time.

But Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny stood firm as Arsenal wore down Southampton and blunted their attack.

By now the visitors were becoming desperate and Walcott was the perfect player to capitalise. In the 82nd minute he drove just wide after a counterattack.

Shortly afterwards Jose Fonte hauled back Mertesacker at a corner and Giroud stroked home from the spot.

A forgettable game perhaps but a crucial three points.

Arsenal opened up a five-point gap at the top of the Premier League thanks to an impressive 2-0 win over Liverpool at Emirates Stadium.

Before kick-off, there were questions of Arsène Wenger’s side. They were leading the pack but could they beat their fellow title-chasers?

Over this 90 minutes they provided an emphatic, undeniable answer.

Santi Cazorla scored the first on 19 minutes by firing home after his own header had hit the post.

Then Aaron Ramsey – who else? – sealed the victory with a thunderous effort from 20 yards.

Liverpool did not under-perform. In fact, they were fluent and dangerous. It is just that the home side smothered the significant threat they posed and took the chances that came to them.

That sounds simplistic but, in reality, it was underpinned with sweat, skill and steel.

It was a massive victory for this Arsenal team.

They WILL have a major part to play in the title race this season.

SETTING THE SCENE

Arsène Wenger made seven changes from the side eliminated from the Capital One Cup by Chelsea in midweek.

But in comparison to the XI that had won 2-0 at Crystal Palace last weekend, there was only one change. Tomas Rosicky came in for the injured Mathieu Flamini.

Bacary Sagna made his 250th appearance for the Club,Jack Wilshere was out of the squad with an ankle injury.

Mikel Arteta had been sent off at Selhurst Park but sat out his suspension on Tuesday against Jose Mourinho’s men.

Chelsea’s defeat at Newcastle at lunchtime opened up the opportunity for the home side to go five points clear with victory in this evening fixture.

Emirates Stadium was eager, excited and expectant and in equal measure.

FIRST HALF

The opening stages were perhaps too important to be fluent. Both sides had so much resting on the game.

The first sight of goal fell to Rosicky. He exchanged passes with Cazorla and rifled a shot across the face of goal. Simon Mignolet touched it wide.

However Liverpool had looked lethal in recent games and they would respond.

Jordan Henderson was given too much space and was almost in sight of goal before Sagna slid in to dispossess.

Then a Luis Suarez corner was flicked over the Arsenal defence to the far post by Steven Gerrard and the ball seemed destined for the corner before Rosicky cleared his lines.

Liverpool appeared to have settled.

Then Arsenal scored.

Sagna roared down the right and sent a deep cross into the area. Cazorla’s header beat Mignolet but bounced back off the post. It fell to the Spaniard again and he had the poise to return a rasping shot into the empty net.

It was Cazorla’s first goal of the season. He raced to the corner flag, got down on his knees and beat the ground in celebration.

Seconds later he nearly beat Mignolet but the flying Belgian keeper clung on to his shot.

Liverpool tried to respond. Their speed and fluidity hushed the home crowd whenever they attacked. However, Arsenal had the clearer chances.

Mignolet made an unconvincing save from Ramsey’s shot and before the whistle Cazorla rolled a shot just wide.

Arsenal went into the dressing room at half time with the edge in the play and in the scoreline.

SECOND HALF

Liverpool went on the offensive after the restart. They pushed back Arsenal and might have equalised when Suarez found an unmarked Henderson at the far post.

He fired over when he should have hit the target and could have scored.

Again Arsenal would respond with better chances. Giroud intercepted when Kolo Toure tried to find Martin Skrtel and the Frenchman went one-on-one with Mignolet.

He clipped his shot over the keeper but wide of the post.

Then Rosicky and Cazorla combined to find the Frenchman but he could only toe-poke an effort at Mignolet.

Arsenal were building momentum and it would culminate with a goal.

That said, the strike itself came out of nothing. Ramsey collected the ball 20 yards out, teed himself up and fired a vicious shot just over Mignolet and just under the bar.

Even by the standards of his stellar season, it was an incredible goal.

Liverpool were not beaten yet. Having digested the goal, they went on the search for a way back. They began peppering the Arsenal area with corners and crosses. From one, Suarez bent a low cross-shot against the outside of the post.

Wenger brought on Nacho Monreal for Rosicky to shore up the left side. After the Spaniard set up Ozil to shoot, Wenger was forced into another change when Gibbs went down holding his calf.  Thomas Vermaelen replaced him at left back.

With eight minutes left, Szczesny made crucial saves from Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho.

While Arsenal had been winning, conceding needless goals was a problem. But the Arsenal keeper seemed destined to preserve a clean sheet this afternoon.

Even in the final seconds when Per Mertesacker passed the ball to Suarez and he curled an effort inches past the far post.

Source :  Arsenal.com