Late shock: Sebastien Squillaci was the guilty
man as Arsenal let slip a one-goal lead
Arsenal's title credentials do not always bear the
closest scrutiny and failing to accept the offer of three
gift-wrapped points from relegation-threatened opponents hardly
made them look any more convincing at the DW Stadium last
night.
Lowly Wigan could scarcely have done more to aid Arsenal’s
rise towards the top of the Barclays Premier League than allow them
back into the game, after taking a deserved 18th-minute lead, then
hand them the initiative by losing their outstanding performer to a
senseless sending off 12 minutes from time.
Arsenal had roared back with goals from Andrey Arshavin
and Nicklas Bendtner and looked sure to climb to within goal
difference of the summit when Wigan danger man Charles N’Zogbia
marred an eye-catching display of purposeful, pacey running with a
straight red card for a head butt on Jack Wilshere.
Yet, instead of stepping back and admiring further
evidence of an authentic title challenge, Arsene Wenger was left
pacing the technical area and remonstrating with the fourth
official, as Wigan stunned his side with an 81st-minute
equaliser.
Ben Watson swung over a deep corner and when Hugo
Rodallega headed it back from beyond the far post, Gary Caldwell
and Sebastien Squillaci leaped into a goalline duel that sent the
ball bobbling over the line. Caldwell took the plaudits, but
television replays suggested the Arsenal centre-back got the final
touch.
Going swimming? Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia tumbles
over the leg of Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny
From Russia with love: Andrey Arshavin (right)
slides the ball beyond Ali Al-Habsi to equalise
Either way, Wenger refused to condemn
the careless loss of two points and was just as insistent that his
decision to make eight changes from the side that beat Chelsea on
Monday could not be blamed.
He said: ‘We just didn’t do enough in the second half.
There is no rule about how many changes you make and I felt we were
at a disadvantage after playing only 48 hours ago. There was not as
much recovery time as some other teams had, but the changes did not
cause the problem.
‘I am not too downhearted. Manchester United dropped
points at Birmingham, just as we did here. Let’s see the effect at
the end of the season. You could say we should have been in a
winning position when they went down to 10 men, but to be fair,
conceding from a corner has nothing to do with how many players you
have on the pitch.’.
After sending on Wilshere as substitute for the injured
Abou Diaby, Wenger withdrew him near the end, in the wake of
mounting criticism from home fans for his role in N’Zogbia’s
dismissal. Wilshere appeared blameless, as N’Zogbia squared up to
him and made contact with his forehead, but was still jeered every
time he touched the ball.
Wenger said: ‘I felt he was becoming controversial and
that he looked a bit tired after the Chelsea game. I didn’t want to
expose him to any more. As to N’Zogbia’s actions, you will have to
ask him why he did that.’
Wigan were good value for their lead, given them by Watson
from the spot after N’Zogbia cut in from the left and was hauled
down by Laurent Koscielny.
Great Dane: Nicklas Bendtner wheels away in delight
after handing Arsenal the lead
But the initiative turned Arsenal’s way, as
Bendtner began to demonstrate why he constantly reminds Wenger that
he ought to be playing on a more regular basis. The Arsenal striker
finally made his first League start of the season and made the most
of it by inspiring a fightback.
They were level in the 39th minute, as Bendtner ran on to
a Marouane Chamakh pass and tested Ali Al Habsi with an angled
shot. The Wigan keeper might have thought he had quelled the danger
with a sprawling save, but Arshavin had other ideas, as he
swivelled and executed a spectacular waist-high volley into the far
corner.
Bendtner’s claims to a starting place are based mainly on
his finishing skills and they came to the fore five minutes later,
as Arsenal went ahead. Arshavin threaded the ball through to
Bendtner, who still had plenty to do with Caldwell and Antolin
Alcaraz on the edge of the area but a smart turn took him between
the two flat-footed defenders and an assured finish did the
rest..
Marching orders: Referee Lee Probert dismisses
N'Zogbia for his head-butt on Jack Wilshere in the closing
stages
There seemed to be no way back for Wigan,
particularly when N’Zogbia, who had tormented Arsenal all night
with his lightning acceleration, took exception to an observation
from Wilshere off the ball and left the England midfielder poleaxed
with an unforgiveable head butt. Fourth official Mike Dean saw the
offence and brought it to the attention of referee Lee Probert, who
wasted no time producing a red card.
Three minutes later, Wigan were level, as Arsenal failed
to deal with Watson’s corner, and Squillaci only succeeded in
helping the ball over his own line.
There was still time for substitute Sami Nasri to fire a
free-kick into the wall and lead penalty claims for handball that
were echoed by Wenger. With Arsenal frittering away more points,
and having no-one but themselves to blame, it sounded distinctly
hollow.