Report: AZ Alkmaar 1-1 Arsenal
Arsenal managed a point in their Champions League trip to Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar but drew the match in rueful fashion.
Wenger’s men conceded a 93rd minute strike at the hands of David Mendes da Silva to settle for a mere result after seemingly doing enough to earn a fine victory.
Three changes in today’s line-up saw Gibbs replaced by a fit-again Clichy while Walcott and Rosicky’s absences were compensated with Eboue and Arshavin.
Having won their opening two games of the group, Arsene Wenger’s side looked on course to make it three successes in as many games against a side that had only ever lost one European match at home.
Arsenal were well in charge for the majority of the encounter and what could have been the decisive goal came on 36 minutes.
A mixture Alkmaar’s defensive flaws and the Gunners’ fluid movement saw Arshavin combine with Robin van Persie who squared the ball for Fabregas to finish off and hand Arsenal a lead which would last for nearly the entire rest of the game.
However, as the Gunners largely coasted for the remainder of the fixture, AZ rallied and deep into stoppage time, a long free-kick into the area was worked and then smashed home by Mendes da Silva to share the points.
Arsenal had been on a seven-game winning streak prior to this encounter and hopefully Tuesday night’s defeat-like draw makes no difference in their still blistering form.
We were unlucky but its not a bad result away in europe to a pretty decent side.
This shows, yet again, that Diaby is not fit mentally to play 90 minutes. While his on the ball defending has improved, his ability to switch off in the defensive third is appalling. He was terribly out of position to challenge that header at a time when everyone knew that the long ball was coming in. We’ve been susceptible to the long ball for too long now (Keane’s goal when he was with ‘Pool stand out) and it’s staggering to me that it still happens so often.
I thought that Diaby was actually one of our stronger players…someone just needs to teach him that balls into our box should not be cleared straight at our own net…I thought that we were going to have a repeat of the Man United game for a minute
disappointing result especially since it happened in the final seconds but still I don’t think that it will change anything having already gotten 2 of the 3 away fixtures (which are always going to be difficult in the Champions league) out the way we should win the group with 2 more games at the emirates. So just as long as we get past this little snag kick it into gear against West Ham, I don’t think that the result will matter much at all. Better to drop points in this CL group stage than in the League in my opinion…
I just hope that this doesn’t affect team spirit or belief in any way and I don’t think that it will. We didn’t control our possession the way we can and we struggled to win the ball back at times but we still created a fistful of clear oppurtunities that should have ended up in the back of the net…who didn’t expect to see the back of the net bulge in the first half when Rvp found himself free 8 yards out?
I’ll attribute our lack of sharpness to the international break and the fact that this was a Tuesday game so our squad has not gotten much of a rest in a while. Now we need to come out strong against West Ham since we have until Sunday to get some rest and prepare for that game.
I wonder if Nasri will make an appearance on the bench for the West Ham match. It sounds like he had a fairly impressive 60 minute run out with the reserves where he tallied an assist.
tough break for our boys. It could be worse we could be pool, Inter or Barc who now are in must win situations.
I just wish Wegner would have rotated some of the fringe players. Maybe give Verm or Gallas a break. I like the fact he’s keeping Vito in, if you pull him now he’s just going to lose his confidence and we will be back to square one. It’s time we find out if Ramsey can play with Cesc.
Let’s put this behind us and take the positives from it.
1. RVP is on FIRE
2. We didn’t lose
3. Nobody got seriously injured (let’s hope Song is alright)
4. The gaffer is turning 60!
Bring on West Ham and roll into the weekend with the Spuds.
Up the gunners
also Liverpool lost again..let’s not jump down their skin because we were at their crossroads last year remember?
Its not a bad game anyway. Thank God we didnt lost like other big teams did. We just make a silly mistake and we pay 4 it. I just hope we can finish everything at D Emirate when they come around. West Ham game is another game we need to be serious about.Goodluck Gunners and happy birthday prof.
Yes a disappointing result but lets give credit where it is due AZ played well (similar possession style to Aesenal) and the result is not unjust. Looking forward to the return game a Emirates. I was particularly impressed with Dembele and wouldn’t mind seeing him in an Arsenal shirt.
did we get a new kit? It looked black and it looked pretty bad ass! Anyone know where I can get one?
I’ve never been so upset!..I don’t care if we didn’t lose. I’m happy AZ tied the game, because we continue to give away games. Lazy at times. AA, probably was the only one trying to get in a 2nd goal in 2nd half. We should’ve put AZ to sleep in the 1st half. The free kick that then was followed by a goal by ZZ…you know what I have no more comments. If Arsenal display this in the knockout stages adios CL trophy! We need to show no mercy!
Go Arsenal!
im BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sorry i went missing for a week my internet was messed up. nice post randy,how are u all loft, nz,usa,karlos,randy????
relax loft, it’s a tie on the road in champions league, grated we did give it away. If anything Wegner should realize that he has three subs..WHY NOT USE THEM in the end to get some fresh legs in? I never got why coachs don’t use them, especially when you got quick players like Jacky, Vella and hopefully soon Theo.
I kind of like the fact he keeps sticking with the same squad because it gives them the chance to grow and they all seem to know where one another is going to be. I give him credit for that, but he needs to start playing some of his subs when he’s up. Inject some pace into the team and inject some life. These subs coming off the bench should be chomping at the bit to get in adn show what they can do.
Still love this team, this coach and this style of play. Now lets go on to Ham and take the three and keep rolling. As I predicted awhile back these last 6 games all needed to be wins going in the Spuds game.
Up the Guns.
USAG, yeah I might’ve gone off the edge a bit, BUT when you have a game in the bag there is no need to let it go! It already happened to us vs. Man U.
Vela, came in as a sub..he didn’t do anything except run into defenders. Ramsey, I’m not sure what he did.
I’m not trying to be hard on the boys but come on we have to win these games. We can’t be too confident, just go in there and take care of business.
Go Gunners!
I think we didnt deserve to win the game, exactly because we didnt try our hardest our not even close to it, as well as in the birmingham game we fell asleep in the defence and conceded we have to concentrate for the whole 93 minutes !! And I’m really bitter at arshavin who could have passed the ball to a teammate so many times when we were getting in the box, he wanted badly to score and was greedy if he had passed the ball we most likely wouldn’t have drawn the fucking match !
im hurt no one says hi.. ahem ahem ahem hhhh
LOL Usama, heeey bro!!!! 🙂
I’ve just been busy these days!
Usama, sorry bro. I was just a bit upset a couple of days ago from the loss. I hope you are well man. You can always get at me at Facebook. I’ll prob see you here on Sunday. Peace man.
BTW, strange you didn’t comment on the AZ game.
no problem guys i was kidding, but thanks anyway……