A late header from Didier Drogba brought an unhappy end to
Arsenal's Carling Cup adventure after an intoxicating Final at the
Millennium Stadium.
Theo Walcott chose the perfect stage to break his duck for Arsenal,
slotting past Petr Cech after 12 minutes. It was no more than
Arsène Wenger's side deserved after a blistering start to the
match. Drogba equalised eight minutes later and then landed the
cruellest of blows with six minutes remaining.
Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor were dismissed in stoppage time
after a clash between Toure and Jon Obi Mikel. Hopefully the
quality of this contest, rather than the red cards, will hog the
headlines.
Ultimately, the result was harsh on the young Gunners, who showed
their class once more and held the upper hand for much of the game.
But after seeing off West Brom, Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham,
this was a bridge too far for Wenger's new generation.
The Arsenal manager had pledged to keep faith with the players who
carried Arsenal to their first League Cup Final for 14 years and
the Frenchman was true to his word. Once again he opted for a mix
of first-teamers, fringe players and talented teenagers.
Justin Hoyte was passed fit after shrugging off a hamstring problem
but Gael Clichy (foot) was ruled out. Emmanuel Eboue, who only
returned to full training on Friday after a persistent ankle
injury, was named among the substitutes. With Thierry Henry and
Gilberto absent, Toure had the honour of leading Arsenal out.
The average age of Arsenal's outfield players was just under 21.
This would be the ultimate test for Wenger's fledglings against
Chelsea's expensively-assembled collection of superstars.
As you'd expect this game was a sell-out but it kicked off with
plenty of vacant seats around the Millennium Stadium. Severe train
delays had left many supporters stranded miles outside the Welsh
capital. The latecomers missed a magnificent start by
Arsenal.
The youngest Gunners could have been forgiven a few nerves on the
biggest day of their careers but it certainly didn't show. From the
off Wenger's team popped the ball around with confidence and
panache. Chelsea were chasing shadows for the first 20
minutes.
Cech was called into action as early as the fifth minute. Walcott's
attempted one-two with Abou Diaby was cut out but the ball was only
cleared as far as Cesc Fabregas on the edge of the box. The
Spaniard's first-time shot warmed the hands of Chelsea's
keeper.
The signs looked good. Arsenal looked assured, Walcott looked
lively, Diaby and Denilson were bossing the midfield alongside
Fabregas and Baptista was in the mood. 'The Beast' brushed aside
two muscular challenges in the opening stages and linked play well
in his deep-lying striker's role.
Baptista almost broke the deadlock himself in the seventh minute,
collecting Denilson's pass on the edge of the box and turning his
opponent before scuffing a left-foot shot across the box. Jeremie
Aliadiere was inches away from converting the loose ball.
Shortly afterwards Baptista's stinging shot was tipped past the
post by Cech. In stark contrast, Manuel Almunia was a spectator at
the other end. An Arsenal goal looked very much on the cards and it
duly arrived after 12 minutes.
Walcott started and finished the move. Collecting a half-cleared
corner, the 17-year-old found Diaby. The Frenchman evaded a
challenge and slipped the ball towards Baptista. He smuggled it
past his marker and Walcott slammed a shot into the corner. Walcott
talked this week about how he doesn't feel pressure. His finish
underlined that - what a way for the former Chelsea ballboy to open
his account for Arsenal.
Chelsea just weren't at the races. Three minutes after his goal
Walcott raced down the right and cut the ball back for Baptista
inside the box. The Brazilian got there first and then tumbled
under a challenge. Referee Howard Webb waved away Arsenal's penalty
appeals.
It could have been two or even three-nil at that point. Then, in a
flash, it was all square. A minute or so after Philippe Senderos
brilliantly blocked Frank Lampard's shot in Chelsea's first attack
of note, Drogba latched onto Ballack's lofted pass in the right
channel. The Ivorian looked suspiciously offside but his nonchalent
finish was all Chelsea cared about.
Arsenal were rocked. Chelsea, sensing their opportunity, pushed
forward. Toure made two vital interceptions as Lassana Diarra and
Michael Essien made inroads on the right flank. Clearly Chelsea
were looking to exploit Armand Traore's inexperience at left back
but the Frenchman gave as good as he got. Traore even got forward
to pose problems of his own, bundling past two challenges before
shooting weakly at Cech after Fabregas had found him with a return
pass on the half-hour mark.
After weathering that brief Chelsea storm, Arsenal regrouped.
Denilson's outstanding turn left Lampard for dead and a perfect
pass set Aliadiere free down the right. Baptista and Diaby raced
into the box screaming for a pass but Aliadiere was denied by
Ricardo Carvalho as he tried to jink past the Portuguese
defender.
The second half was just as pulsating and just as open. Arsenal, as
they did in the first half, started strongly. Cech made a
tremendous save to deny Diaby after Baptista's pass inside the full
back had sent the Frenchman through on goal. Then Fabregas flashed
a shot across goal which missed Cech's far post by a matter of
inches.
The ebb and flow was halted for six minutes after a sickening
injury to John Terry. The England captain stooped for a header
inside the Arsenal six-yard box and took a boot in the face. A
worried hush descended on the Millennium Stadium but, thankfully,
Terry's condition did not seem too grave as he was stretchered from
the pitch.
Drogba forced a smart stop from Almunia when play restarted and
Wenger made his first change - Eboue for Traore. Shortly afterwards
Alexander Hleb replaced Diaby. The two subs changed the game when
they emerged from the bench at Tottenham in the first leg of the
Semi-Final. Sadly, they didn't have the same impact on this
occasion.
As the clocked ticked down, the game tightened up. Lampard almost
gave Chelsea the edge with a thunderous drive which cannoned off
the crossbar with 18 minutes left. Then Fabregas picked out Toure
from a corner but the Arsenal captain misdirected his header.
With 10 minutes left Wenger played his final card - Adebayor. But
it was another centre forward who stole the show as Drogba nodded
Robben's left-wing cross firmly past Almunia. Andrei Shevchenko
rattled the bar shortly afterwards as Arsenal went for broke.
Seven minutes of injury time were added on, courtesy of Terry's
injury and, with time running out, a huge melee broke out after a
Mikel's foul on Toure. Red cards followed for Mikel, Adebayor and
Toure himself. It shouldn't be allowed to tarnish the memory of a
fabulous Cup Final.
And so Arsenal's final visit to the Millennium Stadium ends in
defeat - their fourth in 10 trips to Cardiff. With Wembley poised
to open its doors, this trip represents the end of an era. But in a
losing cause, Wenger's young stars proved that this is also a new
dawn.
