Barnet 0 - 2
Arsenal
[b]Scorers: Adebayor 18, Barazite 66 (both Arsenal)
Goals from Emmanuel Adebayor and Nacer Barazite helped Arsenal to a
comfortable 2-0 victory at Barnet on Saturday as Arsène Wengers
side got their pre-season campaign underway.
The Emirates Stadium side controlled the game virtually from start
to finish and were buoyed by goals in each half. Adebayor screwed
home a shot in the 18th minute and Barazite completed the scoring
just past the hour with a thunderbolt from distance.
Denilson was stretchered off in pain just before the goal but later
his injury was reported to be minor.
Otherwise this was the most satisfying - and friendly - of
friendlies.
Arsenal named a relatively strong side for this now traditional
game against the side who play host to the Clubs Reserve fixtures.
In fact, Wengers starting XI would not have looked out of place in
the Carling Cup or even FA Cup. Kolo Toure captained the team and
the front pairing, fit-again Robin van Persie and Adebayor, may
well be employed when Fulham visit Emirates Stadium on August 12.
Alex Song was given a run out at centre back and 17-year-old Mark
Randall started on the left side of midfield.
New signing Eduardo was present but only in the stands. Debutants
Havard Nordveit and Lukasz Fabianksi were named on the bench. There
was also a first run-out for the new white away kit.
Barnet included a couple of former Arsenal professionals in their
line-up Nicky Nicolau and Adam Birchall. The Bees also named
Richard Evans on the bench. The doctor, in his late 40s and from
Wembley, had paid £10,000 for the privilege of coming on during
that latter stages of the game.
Crowd congestion meant there was a five-minute delay to the
kick-off. It did nothing to dampen the party atmosphere. However
the opening stages were high on intensity yet low on chances.
Jason Puncheon looked dangerous cutting in from the Barnet left and
Robin van Persie fired in a couple of pot-shots. Adebayor got the
glimpse of an opening only to be denied by Ismail Yakubu. That was
the sum result of the first quarter-hour.
The opening goal arrived in the 18th minute. Van Persie surprised
the Barnet defence with a low corner to Walcott at the near post.
He clipped a cross to the far side where Adebayor hooked home a
half-volley through a crowded area. On the balance of play it was
hard on the home side.
Barnet had an excellent chance to equalise two minutes later when a
cute header from Liam Hatch sent Puncheon clear in the left-hand
channel. Almunia was out quickly to smother the shot.
The game was opening up. Van Persies right-wing free-kick was
nodded on by Barnet striker Liam Hatch and a sliding Adebayor just
failed to convert at the far post. Then, in the 25th minute,
Walcotts deep cross was met by the head of Van Persie. The ball
beat the keeper, hit the bar and bounced down but, by then, the
referee had blown for offside.
Unsurprisingly given that this was the first pre-season friendly,
the pace could not be maintained. Before half time, Denilson let
fly from distance and Gael Clichy charged down a clearance from
keeper Lee Harrison only for the ball to trickle wide.
Barnet were nearly rewarded for a half of genuine endeavour when
Hatch poked a shot goalwards as Song and Almunia dithered. Again
the chance came to nothing.
Arsenal made six changes at the break and Barnet made five. Often
wholesale substitutions unsettle a game however in this instance
they seemed to improve it. Walcott made one penetrative run in the
opening minutes then Kieron Gibbs flicked wide from Adebayors
knock back.
In the 53rd minute, Flamini clipped a perceptive ball to the
Togolese striker on the edge of the area. He had plenty of time and
the ball was sitting up nicely, however he dragged his shot
wide.
A couple of minutes later, Denilson came off worse in a challenge
with Puncheon and, after lengthy treatment, was stretchered off.
Henri Lansbury replaced him. Later, it was announced over the
tannoy that the injury was not serious.
Arsenal were now looking to seal the victory. Adebayor failed to
connect with an inviting cross from Walcott then, in the 66th
minute, Barazite doubled the advantage with a rocket shot into the
far corner of the net.
There seemed little danger when the former Dutch youth
international collected the ball in the right-hand channel. But his
fierce drive flew into the net, leaving Harrison helpless.
The goal killed the game as a contest. Traore arrowed a shot
towards the top corner but substitute keeper Dave Blackmore palmed
the ball aside. In the dying minutes, the dangerous Puncheon
whistled a rising drive past the angle of post and bar.
Dr Evans made his appearance late on, much to the amusement of the
crowd. He seemed to enjoy his moment - as did the crowd of
5,091.
