Post by brian on Oct 23, 2003 10:29:30 GMT
Mistakes prove costly in Kiev
Ray Parlour led out the same the team that started against Chelsea only this time we were wearing the long
sleeved yellow kit. Ljungberg and Vieira where deemed to be only fit enough to warm the bench. It was a damp
night on a slippery pitch in front of some 80,000 fans of whom only about 200 were Gooners.
The match was fairly open with neither side dominating proceedings early on. Our first good chance came when
a Pires header came back off the bar from a corner, this was the first of numerous corners and about as
close as we came to converting one. Gusev had an overhead kick in our box during a dangerous little spell
for Kiev. The game was opening up even more as Cole played a brilliant ball through to Pires although I
thought that generally the home side made more use of wing play on the large pitch. Parlour had a shot from
range, not far away but the keeper had it covered.
Kiev were closing us down quickly on the slick surface. Difficult to tell if the programme editor was
rubbish or the cameramen, either way the product that reached my screen was reminiscent of the sort of poor
coverage we used to get in the 70's. A Pires cutback to Parlour saw his shot deflected for a corner.
Campbell to Wiltord to Henry and almost to Pires, our best move to date. It wasn't one way as was instanced
when Kolo flattened Dmytrulin in our box from a corner. We were doing ok but there had been no killer balls
in the last third. A brilliant run by Lauren playing one, two's en route as he cut inside to win another
corner.
A poor headed clearance by Kolo, indecision by Edu and Gilberto, a ball played in, a lucky deflection off
the back of a heel and Shatskikh was left in space with a clear shot at goal. He buried it, 1-0 to Dynamo
against the run of play and they started to play now.
An Edu pass sent Henry on his way but he slipped as he shot. The injured Dmytrulin off Sablic on. A fine
tip-over save by Jens from Ghioane. Cole won good ball and flattened Peev in the process. Kolo deflected
back to Lehmann. A Wiltord solo with no support won a corner. Just as in our previous match our front men
looked rather isolated during the first half. Fine play from Cole coming out of defence. More good moves
followed and Henry won a free kick. Pires took it and found Edu who headed into the ground which made it
easier for the keeper to save. The keeper punched out from a corner and Ray drove it back wide. End of the
half, Arsene needed to liven it up while I needed to choose between Vodka and Scotch in order to endure the
second half.
We looked better after the break. Sol found Ash with a great ball but he too lost his footing as he shot,
resulting in a wild looking effort. Dynamo meanwhile hit one right across the face of our goal in a crowded
box. Henry won a corner from a narrow angle. A poor Campbell pass set up Kiev for a shot. We were also
nearly caught by quick throws a couple of times, which was a bit slack. Pires almost wriggled through with
neat footwork but could only stab at his shot. Vieira on for Edu after 61 minutes but Pat looked off the
pace. Arsene on the bench looked tense. Goal kicks are the best time to refill a glass but it's far easier
if the bottle is by the side of your armchair rather than in another room.
A brilliant run by Toure saw Wiltord caught offside as my Vodka bottle remained under more pressure than
Kiev. I've said this before and I'll say it again, being caught offside is a total waste of possession.
Wiltord gets caught every single match, it's pathetic, if he can't stay onside he shouldn't be allowed to
play up front, it's not as if he can play off the shoulder of the last defender anyway.
Lehmann then threw the match away whist playing as a sweeper. A ball he should have hammered upfield was
totally screwed up, the end result being an open goal and 2-0 to Kiev. Gusev off Rincon on. Arsenal now
played the sort of give it your all football that wins matches. Henry and Parlour both went down on the edge
of their area but nothing was given by the ref Konrad Plaut (I think) who to be fair had a good game.
The keeper did well once more with a save at his near post, seventy minutes gone and it was one way traffic
as Arsenal piled forward. Kolo was still called upon to help us out with some great defending though.
Ljungberg and Kanu on for Gilberto and Parlour. Freddie also showed his lack of match practice and given
Kanu's fine performance against Chelsea I was expecting to see him earlier. Campbell headed wide from a
corner, which he seemed to see late. Ghioane replaced by Khatskevitch. A Lauren throw to Kanu who cuts back
from their line to find Pires, he in turn laid it on a plate for Henry as stroked it home 2-1 and a glimmer
of hope. Our first European goal in five hours of play, how sad is that?
A good Kanu free kick was not anticipated by anyone. Rincon blasted over. Cole had a really naff
right-footed shot, which should have been a great opportunity to at least hit the target. Wiltord shot
straight at the keeper. Kolo was playing up front as often as he could. Shatskikh shot just wide in Kiev's
first decent move for ages. Pires had a free kick headed clear. Kolo won our millionth corner, which was
punched clear. 4 minutes of added time, which was time enough for a great ball to Kanu who's shot was saved.
Henry had a shot blocked and Kolo hit the bar with a snatched chance, he looked devastated. So close.
So no joy in Kiev, we'd used our luck against Chelski it seems but we didn't deserve to loose this one. Had
we played as well as we did late on from the very start I reckon we have taken three points, instead we are
floundering at the bottom of the League. I've no idea what it about Europe or why we can't convert corners
more often. Two cock-ups by us, two goals to Kiev and the Vodka failed to dull the pain.
Brian - One life, one game, one team, three doubles
The Jack Kelsey Fan Club www.arsenalarsenal.co.uk
Ray Parlour led out the same the team that started against Chelsea only this time we were wearing the long
sleeved yellow kit. Ljungberg and Vieira where deemed to be only fit enough to warm the bench. It was a damp
night on a slippery pitch in front of some 80,000 fans of whom only about 200 were Gooners.
The match was fairly open with neither side dominating proceedings early on. Our first good chance came when
a Pires header came back off the bar from a corner, this was the first of numerous corners and about as
close as we came to converting one. Gusev had an overhead kick in our box during a dangerous little spell
for Kiev. The game was opening up even more as Cole played a brilliant ball through to Pires although I
thought that generally the home side made more use of wing play on the large pitch. Parlour had a shot from
range, not far away but the keeper had it covered.
Kiev were closing us down quickly on the slick surface. Difficult to tell if the programme editor was
rubbish or the cameramen, either way the product that reached my screen was reminiscent of the sort of poor
coverage we used to get in the 70's. A Pires cutback to Parlour saw his shot deflected for a corner.
Campbell to Wiltord to Henry and almost to Pires, our best move to date. It wasn't one way as was instanced
when Kolo flattened Dmytrulin in our box from a corner. We were doing ok but there had been no killer balls
in the last third. A brilliant run by Lauren playing one, two's en route as he cut inside to win another
corner.
A poor headed clearance by Kolo, indecision by Edu and Gilberto, a ball played in, a lucky deflection off
the back of a heel and Shatskikh was left in space with a clear shot at goal. He buried it, 1-0 to Dynamo
against the run of play and they started to play now.
An Edu pass sent Henry on his way but he slipped as he shot. The injured Dmytrulin off Sablic on. A fine
tip-over save by Jens from Ghioane. Cole won good ball and flattened Peev in the process. Kolo deflected
back to Lehmann. A Wiltord solo with no support won a corner. Just as in our previous match our front men
looked rather isolated during the first half. Fine play from Cole coming out of defence. More good moves
followed and Henry won a free kick. Pires took it and found Edu who headed into the ground which made it
easier for the keeper to save. The keeper punched out from a corner and Ray drove it back wide. End of the
half, Arsene needed to liven it up while I needed to choose between Vodka and Scotch in order to endure the
second half.
We looked better after the break. Sol found Ash with a great ball but he too lost his footing as he shot,
resulting in a wild looking effort. Dynamo meanwhile hit one right across the face of our goal in a crowded
box. Henry won a corner from a narrow angle. A poor Campbell pass set up Kiev for a shot. We were also
nearly caught by quick throws a couple of times, which was a bit slack. Pires almost wriggled through with
neat footwork but could only stab at his shot. Vieira on for Edu after 61 minutes but Pat looked off the
pace. Arsene on the bench looked tense. Goal kicks are the best time to refill a glass but it's far easier
if the bottle is by the side of your armchair rather than in another room.
A brilliant run by Toure saw Wiltord caught offside as my Vodka bottle remained under more pressure than
Kiev. I've said this before and I'll say it again, being caught offside is a total waste of possession.
Wiltord gets caught every single match, it's pathetic, if he can't stay onside he shouldn't be allowed to
play up front, it's not as if he can play off the shoulder of the last defender anyway.
Lehmann then threw the match away whist playing as a sweeper. A ball he should have hammered upfield was
totally screwed up, the end result being an open goal and 2-0 to Kiev. Gusev off Rincon on. Arsenal now
played the sort of give it your all football that wins matches. Henry and Parlour both went down on the edge
of their area but nothing was given by the ref Konrad Plaut (I think) who to be fair had a good game.
The keeper did well once more with a save at his near post, seventy minutes gone and it was one way traffic
as Arsenal piled forward. Kolo was still called upon to help us out with some great defending though.
Ljungberg and Kanu on for Gilberto and Parlour. Freddie also showed his lack of match practice and given
Kanu's fine performance against Chelsea I was expecting to see him earlier. Campbell headed wide from a
corner, which he seemed to see late. Ghioane replaced by Khatskevitch. A Lauren throw to Kanu who cuts back
from their line to find Pires, he in turn laid it on a plate for Henry as stroked it home 2-1 and a glimmer
of hope. Our first European goal in five hours of play, how sad is that?
A good Kanu free kick was not anticipated by anyone. Rincon blasted over. Cole had a really naff
right-footed shot, which should have been a great opportunity to at least hit the target. Wiltord shot
straight at the keeper. Kolo was playing up front as often as he could. Shatskikh shot just wide in Kiev's
first decent move for ages. Pires had a free kick headed clear. Kolo won our millionth corner, which was
punched clear. 4 minutes of added time, which was time enough for a great ball to Kanu who's shot was saved.
Henry had a shot blocked and Kolo hit the bar with a snatched chance, he looked devastated. So close.
So no joy in Kiev, we'd used our luck against Chelski it seems but we didn't deserve to loose this one. Had
we played as well as we did late on from the very start I reckon we have taken three points, instead we are
floundering at the bottom of the League. I've no idea what it about Europe or why we can't convert corners
more often. Two cock-ups by us, two goals to Kiev and the Vodka failed to dull the pain.
Brian - One life, one game, one team, three doubles
The Jack Kelsey Fan Club www.arsenalarsenal.co.uk
