Post by brian on Oct 5, 2003 11:33:06 GMT
Arsenal dig in for victory
At the start of play 8th placed Liverpool badly needed three points to stay in touch with the leaders
Arsenal. In eleven Premiership matches at Anfield we'd only previously won two but the bookies rated both
team's chances as 9-4 for a win. The only changes for Arsenal from the side that drew on our long trip to
Moscow were the introduction of Aliadiere to replace Wiltord and Campbell who was in for Keown. A cool wet
day saw some sunshine prior to kick-off at Anfield and also saw Ray Parlour lead the team out as captain on
the day.
With the fussy Graham Barber in charge, his poncy hair ruined by rain, Arsenal opened with some good early
passes but after a brief early flurry Liverpool then bossed the half. Kewell was partnering Owen up front
and they looked good in combo. A sharp Owen shot along the slick surface was finger-tipped round by Lehmann
and Edu brought it away from the corner. A good shot by Smicer was also saved. Liverpool pressure mounted
and on a slick wet surface an Edu deflection off another Arsenal man landed close enough to Kewell, on the
right, for him to plant a well controlled strike past Lehmann into the far corner of the net. A well-taken
goal by the new boy, his first for Pool at Anfield. Thirteen minutes gone, 1-0 Liverpool, having taken the
lead their pressure increased.
We were both rocky and lucky not to go further behind as the red Scousers mounted a succession of attacks.
Riise broke well and Kewell blasted over. Henry had a shot on the turn tipped round the post by Dudek while
Diao was down injured following an Aliadiere tackle. Edu found Toure from the corner but Kolo blasted over.
Owen was then put through by a flicked Kewell header, the England striker lobbed Lehmann but also,
thankfully, the bar. Campbell and Toure were in the thick of the action while Cole was having a good tussle
with Diouf who likes to spend a lot of time on the floor. Liverpool pressure continued when Owen headed over
from a free kick, our marking for this one being pretty well non-existent. A rare spell of Arsenal passing
saw Parlour win a debatable free kick, but then again Barber was making joke decisions against both teams.
Pires took the kick and Edu headed the ball down off the shin of Hyypia into the net. Thirty minutes gone
1-1 and we hadn't really been in it up until this point.
Aliadiere was putting himself about and giving his all. Cole was stopping Diouf any way he could and on one
such occasion the exaggerated rolling around on the floor was enough for Cole to earn a yellow card. The
match was competitive but not dirty. Kolo cleared again. Parlour chopped Gerrard to earn a yellow card. Cole
fouled Diouf again and Edu headed the free kick clear, Campbell headed away, Lehmann conceded a corner,
Campbell headed away, a great cross was cleared by Campbell and then another. It was one way traffic at this
point, with just an occasional break as when Pires fed Parlour for a powerful drive wide of the post. While
Diouf was rolling around the turf once more Smicer was really hurt and replaced by Le Tallec a
nineteen-year-old.
Lehmann was out fast all game acting as a sweeper whenever required to do so. Another rare Arsenal break and
our French youngster had his leg removed when going clear by Biscan, an obvious foul and a possible red
card, although there may possibly have been another defender in with a shout. Barber ignored it; Arsene was
seriously pissed off. Rightly so. Toure headed a fine Henry cross past their post. Half time came and we
might have been three down but we were hanging in there. In all a ragged and rather unimpressive display by
Arsenal, and a very good half from an impressive Liverpool.
An Owen cross for a Diouf header but Kewell shoved Cole over as he went to clear. A decent Owen header from
a fine Finnan cross went over. Toure fouled Kewell and Gerrard fired well over from an ambitious 35 yards
out. Arsenal broke with Henry but Liverpool came straight back. Kewell and Diouf were both overdoing the
theatrics as the match went form end to end. Good shot from Parlour was saved despite the deflection.
Parlour then won a corner as we battled our way back into the match, it was hard work but we were gradually
getting there. Pires did well, Kolo stopped an Owen break, and then a good Arsenal move ended with a poor
Lauren cross. A shame that because we had plenty of players forward for once.
Henry axed by Biscan for a yellow, which should have been his second. Henry then hit one on the turn but it
lacked power. Owen blocked a Cole clearance but landed badly, Cole knew he was badly hurt immediately.
Another Arsenal break precedes Owen's return but he's clearly not going to last. A good Cole cross follows
fine stuff from Henry. Our possession is improving as the game progresses and we're beginning to look the
part. Aliadiere chases down well, gets the ball to Edu who goes forward but is driven wide. He laid it back
to Pires coming in from the left who cut inside and shot. The shot from 28 yards out was hit with power and
a tremendous curve starting well outside the far post but bending back perfectly to end just inside the far
post. A brilliant goal, 1-2 Arsenal and with sixty-eight minutes played this could well be the start of Bob'
s season. His play was much improved after this fine confidence booster. At long last Arsenal looked the
part.
The match was still fairly open in the closing stages but the travelling Gooners sung 'We shall not be moved
' and they were right. Kewell had a shot that lacked power and Gerrard put a good ball in, but Liverpool
lacked their earlier conviction while Arsenal now looked in control. Heskey replaced the injured Owen while
Wiltord came on for Aliadiere with eighteen to play. A good break ended with a Henry cross. It was still
anyone's game as Wiltord shot at one end Cole cleared from Kewell at the other. Arsenal were trying to
retain possession now and mostly succeeded. A goal-line clearance from one of Pires, Cole or Toure followed
some ping-pong in a packed area when Lehmann was unable to reach the ball with conviction.
Henry was upended on a solo run, nothing given. Henry tripped again and tried his luck from the free kick
but Dudek caught it with ease. Campbell beaten by Heskey but Lauren was quick to see the danger, then Le
Tallec fired just wide. Welsh came on to replace Diao. 'Good old Arsenal, we're proud to say that name,
while we sing this song we'll we the game'. Welsh fouled Parlour with his first tackle of the match and
Barber booked him to prove what a senseless prat of a referee he is. The player had just come on and hadn't
quite got the pace of the game, it was a foul but so what, it wasn't nasty or vicious. The Premiership would
be well rid of refs who make such insensitive decisions.
Meanwhile back at the game we were keeping the play in their half and bossing the match. Henry, Pires,
Parlour and Wiltord were all working hard and keeping control. Gerrard did get to force his way into our box
but the cover was good. Three minutes added time saw Lauren head calmly back to Lehmann under pressure.
Wiltord and Henry worked away at the other end as we played down the clock. Final score 1-2 to Arsenal.
This was a hard fought win where we had an uphill struggle to get into the match. Had Liverpool finished
more effectively in the first half things might have been very different. But as Sol said after the match
'We dug in'. Indeed we did, and very effectively too. Pires' winner was superb and with any luck it will
turn his season around.
Brian - One life, one game, one team, three doubles
At the start of play 8th placed Liverpool badly needed three points to stay in touch with the leaders
Arsenal. In eleven Premiership matches at Anfield we'd only previously won two but the bookies rated both
team's chances as 9-4 for a win. The only changes for Arsenal from the side that drew on our long trip to
Moscow were the introduction of Aliadiere to replace Wiltord and Campbell who was in for Keown. A cool wet
day saw some sunshine prior to kick-off at Anfield and also saw Ray Parlour lead the team out as captain on
the day.
With the fussy Graham Barber in charge, his poncy hair ruined by rain, Arsenal opened with some good early
passes but after a brief early flurry Liverpool then bossed the half. Kewell was partnering Owen up front
and they looked good in combo. A sharp Owen shot along the slick surface was finger-tipped round by Lehmann
and Edu brought it away from the corner. A good shot by Smicer was also saved. Liverpool pressure mounted
and on a slick wet surface an Edu deflection off another Arsenal man landed close enough to Kewell, on the
right, for him to plant a well controlled strike past Lehmann into the far corner of the net. A well-taken
goal by the new boy, his first for Pool at Anfield. Thirteen minutes gone, 1-0 Liverpool, having taken the
lead their pressure increased.
We were both rocky and lucky not to go further behind as the red Scousers mounted a succession of attacks.
Riise broke well and Kewell blasted over. Henry had a shot on the turn tipped round the post by Dudek while
Diao was down injured following an Aliadiere tackle. Edu found Toure from the corner but Kolo blasted over.
Owen was then put through by a flicked Kewell header, the England striker lobbed Lehmann but also,
thankfully, the bar. Campbell and Toure were in the thick of the action while Cole was having a good tussle
with Diouf who likes to spend a lot of time on the floor. Liverpool pressure continued when Owen headed over
from a free kick, our marking for this one being pretty well non-existent. A rare spell of Arsenal passing
saw Parlour win a debatable free kick, but then again Barber was making joke decisions against both teams.
Pires took the kick and Edu headed the ball down off the shin of Hyypia into the net. Thirty minutes gone
1-1 and we hadn't really been in it up until this point.
Aliadiere was putting himself about and giving his all. Cole was stopping Diouf any way he could and on one
such occasion the exaggerated rolling around on the floor was enough for Cole to earn a yellow card. The
match was competitive but not dirty. Kolo cleared again. Parlour chopped Gerrard to earn a yellow card. Cole
fouled Diouf again and Edu headed the free kick clear, Campbell headed away, Lehmann conceded a corner,
Campbell headed away, a great cross was cleared by Campbell and then another. It was one way traffic at this
point, with just an occasional break as when Pires fed Parlour for a powerful drive wide of the post. While
Diouf was rolling around the turf once more Smicer was really hurt and replaced by Le Tallec a
nineteen-year-old.
Lehmann was out fast all game acting as a sweeper whenever required to do so. Another rare Arsenal break and
our French youngster had his leg removed when going clear by Biscan, an obvious foul and a possible red
card, although there may possibly have been another defender in with a shout. Barber ignored it; Arsene was
seriously pissed off. Rightly so. Toure headed a fine Henry cross past their post. Half time came and we
might have been three down but we were hanging in there. In all a ragged and rather unimpressive display by
Arsenal, and a very good half from an impressive Liverpool.
An Owen cross for a Diouf header but Kewell shoved Cole over as he went to clear. A decent Owen header from
a fine Finnan cross went over. Toure fouled Kewell and Gerrard fired well over from an ambitious 35 yards
out. Arsenal broke with Henry but Liverpool came straight back. Kewell and Diouf were both overdoing the
theatrics as the match went form end to end. Good shot from Parlour was saved despite the deflection.
Parlour then won a corner as we battled our way back into the match, it was hard work but we were gradually
getting there. Pires did well, Kolo stopped an Owen break, and then a good Arsenal move ended with a poor
Lauren cross. A shame that because we had plenty of players forward for once.
Henry axed by Biscan for a yellow, which should have been his second. Henry then hit one on the turn but it
lacked power. Owen blocked a Cole clearance but landed badly, Cole knew he was badly hurt immediately.
Another Arsenal break precedes Owen's return but he's clearly not going to last. A good Cole cross follows
fine stuff from Henry. Our possession is improving as the game progresses and we're beginning to look the
part. Aliadiere chases down well, gets the ball to Edu who goes forward but is driven wide. He laid it back
to Pires coming in from the left who cut inside and shot. The shot from 28 yards out was hit with power and
a tremendous curve starting well outside the far post but bending back perfectly to end just inside the far
post. A brilliant goal, 1-2 Arsenal and with sixty-eight minutes played this could well be the start of Bob'
s season. His play was much improved after this fine confidence booster. At long last Arsenal looked the
part.
The match was still fairly open in the closing stages but the travelling Gooners sung 'We shall not be moved
' and they were right. Kewell had a shot that lacked power and Gerrard put a good ball in, but Liverpool
lacked their earlier conviction while Arsenal now looked in control. Heskey replaced the injured Owen while
Wiltord came on for Aliadiere with eighteen to play. A good break ended with a Henry cross. It was still
anyone's game as Wiltord shot at one end Cole cleared from Kewell at the other. Arsenal were trying to
retain possession now and mostly succeeded. A goal-line clearance from one of Pires, Cole or Toure followed
some ping-pong in a packed area when Lehmann was unable to reach the ball with conviction.
Henry was upended on a solo run, nothing given. Henry tripped again and tried his luck from the free kick
but Dudek caught it with ease. Campbell beaten by Heskey but Lauren was quick to see the danger, then Le
Tallec fired just wide. Welsh came on to replace Diao. 'Good old Arsenal, we're proud to say that name,
while we sing this song we'll we the game'. Welsh fouled Parlour with his first tackle of the match and
Barber booked him to prove what a senseless prat of a referee he is. The player had just come on and hadn't
quite got the pace of the game, it was a foul but so what, it wasn't nasty or vicious. The Premiership would
be well rid of refs who make such insensitive decisions.
Meanwhile back at the game we were keeping the play in their half and bossing the match. Henry, Pires,
Parlour and Wiltord were all working hard and keeping control. Gerrard did get to force his way into our box
but the cover was good. Three minutes added time saw Lauren head calmly back to Lehmann under pressure.
Wiltord and Henry worked away at the other end as we played down the clock. Final score 1-2 to Arsenal.
This was a hard fought win where we had an uphill struggle to get into the match. Had Liverpool finished
more effectively in the first half things might have been very different. But as Sol said after the match
'We dug in'. Indeed we did, and very effectively too. Pires' winner was superb and with any luck it will
turn his season around.
Brian - One life, one game, one team, three doubles
