Arsenal 2-0 Porto - 26/09/06 - (Champions League) 27 September, 2006
Posted by lasagnechef in Champions League.trackback
No Problemo.
Porto didn’t cause us anywhere near as much trouble as I thought they might and we ran out comfortable 2-0 winners. I was about 5 minutes late for the game as I was getting The Beast 9 on the back of my new shirt (pic below). I just asked some bloke in the Arsenal shop what they’re doing about the peeling logos. He just tells me to go and get a new one the same size and he just gave me it taking my old one in return. Easy Peasy. I didn’t even buy my shirt off Arsenal; so now you know what to do if your shirt is buggered.
Anyways when I finally got inside I saw lots of attacking football from the Gunners and it didn’t stop for the rest of the game. I seriously cannot remember a single threatening attack Porto made. Oh there was that one near the end where Lehmann spilled it but that was no trouble. Most of the game was us attacking, not necessarily well, but we still were on top. Alot of the time RVP drifted wide and there was nobody in the box for when he crossed it in. This happened alot, not only with Van Persie but with anyone who made a run down the wing. When they got in a position to cross there was nobody in the box to aim for; this is something Arsene needs to sort out.
One of the attacks resulted in a disallowed goal for Toure. A cross came in and was going off wide and Cesc played in back into the 6 yard box and Kolo was there to tap it in. It was disallowed because the lino said it’d gone off when Cesc was trying to keep it in, I personally don’t think it went off. I had a pretty good view of it in the South/West corner and even seeing it in a slow-mo replay on the TV I still believe Cescy kept it in. I was going mad at the ref who was total shit again, the one for Sheff Utd was shite and this one was bollocks too. What’s going on? It didn’t matter too much anyway because we scored not long after that.
For the goal Eboue made a good run down the right and only had Henry in the middle to aim for but he managed to pull off a pin-point cross which Titi headed (yes headed again!!!) into the far corner. 1-0 to the Arsenal, a really nice simple goal and it shut those bastarding Porto fans up. One day I want to sit right next to the away section, I’d absolutely love that. I shout at them wherever I am but it would make more sense if I was actually near them. For the FA cup final I was right next to the Man USA fans, that was funny, waving them goodbye haha. Also I want to sit in the North/West corner of the Grove, aka the singing section. Looks so much more fun over there.
And then some other stuff happened and it was half time.
During the interval they showed the goals from the Real Madrid match and one of them was another tap in from Ruud Van Nistelcunt, and another was a volley form Reyes on the edge of the box. A really nice goal and honestly I wish him all the best in Madrid. He got booed when he scored, I don’t think he really deserved that, I mean cAshley Cole yeah, but Reyes didn’t do that much. Oh well, don’t really care.
The second half started well and we’d gone two up before most people were back from buying their ₤6 pies. Would you believe it Hleb actually shot and it paid off! Credit must go to Gallas though: he picked up the ball in their half and drove past the Porto defence skilfully and almost Beast-esque. Then he cut it across to Henry who drew some defenders out of the way before squaring it to Hleb who hit a first time shot nutmegging a Porto defender on it’s way to the far bottom corner. A really nicely worked goal and I thought there was going to be more to come but it ended up two nil.
The only bad point from the game was Billy Gallas picking up a hamstring injury in the last few minutes. Arsene said that it is a scare for us but he won’t know any details until today, last night he said it looks like a hamstring strain and could be out for three weeks. Bad news for us but we should be able to cope, The back four will change to Hoyte, Djourou, Toure and Eboue which isn’t that bad and will do us fine for now.
Anyways, must dash. See ya later
Alright Lasagnechef, I want to know where you’re getting your pics form - are you taking them yourself or getting them form various web sites? They’re some of the nicest pics I’ve seen.
Nice shirt by the way, still think mine looks better in the away colour though!
Now, back to your studies!
the cannon on the jersey the players wear is on the back of the collar… thot id point that out…
isnt Freddie a bit disappointing? Henry provided a marvellous cross last night which i thot he’d take before it bounced but he didnt do nothing with it..
wish Walcott had come on instead of Freddie… when Wally did come on he looked out of sorts on the right hand side.. well five minutes is not that long to judge him but still…
I reckon the Beast will start against Charlton. I expected to see him come on from the bench last night but he didnt. Wenger keeping him sharp to scare the bejasus outa the boys down the valley ??
Must say, I think this is a better site now than Gunnerblog… …as it is updated normally, I like the Arseblog the best… …but for some reason I do not like the arses.
Where do you get those pictures… ..are they yours or Getty Images?
I see Amos and Deise on here, all we need is Little Dutch and you have the best 3 on Gunnerblog. Plus no Gelbs
Keep up the good work… …here were my thoughts on the game and my player ratings.
Great Game last night and the Atmosphere is starting at the Grove… …a bit quiet until the second half but the place was rocking from the early goal… …not only was there singing, but some good ole foot stomping.
Lehmann 7 didn’t have to do much, but was great when he diid, funny miss kick
Eboue 8 I think he has a great engine, always looking for the deep pass… …2 crossed assists in 2 games
Toure 7 Solid as usual
Gallas 8 he is just so good, the reason that Hoyte didn’t look shit, he saved him several times. I hope the injury is not serious.
Hoyte 5 I am sorry but his attacking runs aside he was pants, every time he recieved the ball in defence he conceded a corner. Needed Gallas to save his arse
Hleb 8 The rest did him well and was unlucky not to have 2 goals… …underated by most of you, but he causes problems
Silva 6 Covered the corners well, especially Eboue and then Gallas w/the injury… …but a couple of bad stray passes
Fabregas 7 needs a rest, but he is not going to get it
Rosicky 7 what a motor, for such a great shot… …he needs to practice
RvP 6 why can he not reproduce his dutch form for us… …he is a great player but he took far too long on his passes and was the major culprit in the 10 crosses with no one near the box!
TH14 7 Great Goal and assist, but HE IS BY NO MEANS FIT! he was walking much of the second half and was not fighting for the balls… …he needs to not play for France, but he will (fucking Domenech)
Freddie 6 he just is not capable of getting past players anymore, but the fans still love him
Theo 5 not enought time on the pitch… …and the one trick he tried did not come off… …but if it did!
Song 5 no goal conceded, job done in 3 minute cameo
I prefer the number and name design on the champions league shirts than the premier league one. It suits the shirt more i feel. ah well
Cheers ppl!
Yeah I got those pictures from someone off arseblog, I think he has getty access.
I like the champoins league numbers too, I should have got them instead but not that bothered.
Didn’t I tell you that you will see a different game and strategy for this fixture and that we will win this one? I loved the formations, which looked like (at least in TV) 4-5-1, at times 4-4-2, then 4-1-4-1, with players swopping positions like nobody’s business, CB’s playmaking at the edge of opposition penalties, a few nice crosses thrown in to mix up the variety, headed goals….great stuff.
Finally we are convinced that this Arsenal team is at home in Europe. The way Arsenal controlled the game, you had this belief that we are never going to give Porto even a consolation goal in the later stages of the game. 3 or 4 seasons ago, we would have started with a rigid 4-4-2 and at a higher tempo and could have had a nail biting finish. But now we gave the impression that if we want, we could have more goals but kinda took the pedal off the gas and finished the game with little incidents & professionally.
I am sure the trophy is heading in our direction in the very near future… maybe even this season. Well done guys and thanks very much Mr Wenger! Hope you stay for at least another couple of decades.
thanks alot foe the site despite the studies it makes my morning
we use many formations, I do not think that you can even put one down on paper… …it is just TOTAL FOOTBALL a joy to watch, Arsenal play it even better than barca (although they have better all round personel at the moment)
It is not 4-4-2, 4-5-1, 4-1-4-1, 4-1-4-2, 4-3-3, or even 3-4-3
IT IS THE ARSENE-AL STYLE
Happy Aniversary AW
Can you get the CL numbers on your shirt? Where?
i think they do CL numbers at the club shop.
no blog this morning, sorry. i’m writing this comment from college…
maybe one this pm though. laters