Nicklas Bendtner preserved Arsenal's lead in the Premier League
with a vital injury-time equaliser against Aston Villa on
Saturday.
Last week, a late, late leveller had cost Arsène Wenger's side
two points on a nightmare afternoon at Birmingham City. This
afternoon, the Second City's other side arrived at Emirates Stadium
armed with determination and a game-plan -they so nearly pulled off
a fine win.
Arsenal were bright enough in the opening stages but they fell
behind in the 27th minute when Gabriel Agbonlahor's cross was
turned in by Philippe Senderos. Shaun Maloney rattled the woodwork
just before the break and, though Arsenal improved in the second
half, Villa were in an indomitable mood. Scott Carson did make a
couple of decent saves but Manuel Almunia was forced into more
eye-catching action this afternoon.
It seemed to be an afternoon in which insult would be added to
Eduardo's injury. However, in the last move of the match,
Gael Clichy crossed deep to the far post, Emmanuel Adebayor nodded
down and Bendtner stabbed in a crucial goal from close-range.
With Manchester United thrashing Fulham, Arsenal's lead is now
cut to a point but, after this game, perhaps they must be grateful
for small mercies.
Eight days ago, a last-gasp goal made for a draw that felt like
a defeat. This one did not really feel like a victory, Arsenal had
not played well enough for that.
And in the cold light of day, this performance may be given as
further evidence that Wenger's men are wobbling. However, a glance
at the table will tell you Arsenal are still in pole position.
Albeit only by the slenderest of margins now.
Despite its bitter finale, there had been much to like about
Arsenal's second-half display at St Andrews last Saturday and so
Wenger stuck with that side. Obviously Eduardo was absent and the
manager started to fill the void by pushing Theo Walcott, scorer of
both goals at Birmingham, into the attack alongside Emmanuel
Adebayor. The fit-again Abou Diaby returned on the left and Alex
Hleb switched to the right.
Villa arrived armed with three dangerous and different attacking
threats - John Carew, Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor - plus a
burgeoning reputation in the Premier League. Wenger said he side
need a mind-focussing challenge after last week's events, some of
us would have preferred a 'gimme'
The opening minutes were all Arsenal. Whatever the rights and
wrongs of last week, Wenger's men had suffered after it. Their
opening attacks this afternoon made you think they were going to
make two wrongs (Eduardo's injury and Birmingham's penalty) into a
right.
In the seventh minute, Adebayor's flick fell to Walcott who
stole a yard on his marker and fired a low shot across the face of
goal. Scott Carson threw himself to his right to palm the ball
aside.
Arsenal continued to pressure but, in the 12th minute, Villa
showed their renowned pace on the break. Agbonlahor went clear and
raced almost half the length of the pitch until he could see the
whites of Manuel Almunia's eyes. However in doing that he had not
spotted William Gallas.
The Arsenal captain timed his sliding challenge to perfection.
Walcott was starting to make his pace count. On a couple of
occasions he burst into the area only to be crowded out by a clutch
of white shirts.
However Villa were still having their moments. In the 20th minute,
Agbonlahor muscled off Senderos and, had his pass reached Shaun
Maloney more quickly, then the Irishman would have surely given the
visitors the lead - as he had when the two sides met in Birmingham
exactly five months earlier.
Still, the flow of the game was still generally with Arsenal.
Midway through the half, a Fabregas corner was deflected out to
Senderos however the Swiss defender hacked the ball over the
bar.
And worse would follow for the 23-year-old in the 27th minute.
Agbonlahor, who was becoming a growing threat, teased his marker on
the left of the six-yard area and his low shot was deflected home
at the near post by Senderos.
Another cruel blow in a week filled with ill-fortune for
Arsenal
Suddenly Emirates Stadium was shrouded by anxiety - and it never
really lifted before the break.
Villa would have to make two changes before the whistle. Nigel
Reo-Coker made way for Zat Knight and then Curtis Davies was
stretchered off and Isaiah Osbourne came on.
However the changes barely seemed to affect Villa. They looked
comfortable and two minutes before the break, Maloney let fly from
just outside the area. His rising drive may have crept in had
Almunia not fingertipped it onto the post.
In injury time, Senderos redeemed himself by clearing Wilfred
Bouma's dangerous low cross. The ball flew up the other end via
Walcott and
Adebayor's touch gave Fabregas an opening eight yards out.
Like Arsenal's performance in the first half, his chip was
nervous and hesitant. Wenger's men went into the break looking
anything but title contenders.
An early response was essential. Walcott did his best by
stinging Carson's hands with a rasping near-post drive after only
25 seconds.
However the revival did not last. Villa turned the screw once more
and in the 54th minute Arsenal were indebted to Almunia once more
when he expertly turned aside a low shot from Young.
Arsenal now had to force the issue and, with that in mind,
Wenger brought on Nicklas Bendtner. Almost immediately the Dane
nodded a Fabregas free-kick over the bar.
At least the game was now opening up but there were chances at
both ends. Clichy and Hleb had long-range efforts saved by Carson.
In between Agbonlahor again bulldozered through only to shoot
straight at Almunia.
O'Neill brought on Marlon Harwood and the former West Ham
striker gave the Villa attack more of the same. He forced a decent
save out of Almunia with 15 minutes left.
Adebayor nodded over then Hleb set up Flamini to sidefoot an
effort over the bar however the visitors still looked
resilient.
Wenger threw on his two Brazilians - Gilberto filled in at
centre back while Denilson was in his usual midfield role. And, as
the game entered the final 10 minutes, Villa were now penned back
while Arsenal were prowling their half in search of an opening.
They banged on the door and, though energetic, they looked spent
of ideas until the final nano-seconds of injury time when Bendtner
struck.
