Report: Arsenal 3-0 Villarreal
By Randy Osae
Arsene Wenger’s latest crop of youth have scaled new heights.
For only the second time in history, Arsenal ensured a Champions League semi-final berth in resounding fashion at the expense of Villarreal tonight.
Clinical touches from Walcott and Adebayor, then glossed by Van Persie’s conversion from the penalty spot, secured an easy route through to the last four.
The riches of a once rueful campaign is gradually being undermined.
Starting line-up (not necessarily exact formation)
The opening stages were very typical of on-song Arsenal. The Gunners had their flair, the Emirates Stadium had its voice and so the early advantage was deserved.
Within ten minutes, Theo Walcott produced a sublime chip right on the money after Fabregas’ penetrative flick had set him through.
Arsenal had really set themselves through in this quarter-final.
They owned the ascendancy and Van Persie’s poised free-kick nearly made it count dividends before Adebayor’s follow-up was almost helped home by Robert Pires with Gonzalo Rodriguez making a dubious off-line clearance.
But with the magic of away goals, Villarreal could still turn the tables against the home side at any given time. Rossi caught Arsenal in sixes and sevens before Pires shot with positive sight at goal but saw his targeted effort blocked away from a muddling Fabianski.
Godin hinted of a lingering yellow submarines when he headed just over from a corner during injury time of the first-half. Manuel Pellegrini’s men were resurrecting after the interval until one of various Van Persie provisions finally found Adebayor arriving right in danger zone.
The Togolese clinically side-footed the ball past Diego Lopez to send an already electrified Emirates Stadium into ecstasy.
Arsenal were booking a semi-final ticket now.
There was confirmation of a passage into the last and fantastic four of the competition when Godin was adjudged to have tripped down a sprinting Walcott.
Sebastian Eguren appeared most sickened by referee Wolfgang Stark’s decision, but could not win over the middle-man in the dispute and as result, was dismissed by a second caution.
And when Van Persie expertly converted the spot-kick, the daylight between the Gunners and yellow submarines beamed as bright as Villarreal’s out-fit.
Walcott, Van Persie and Adebayor were withdrawn for Diaby, Denilson and Bendtner respectively before former north London darling, Robert Pires absorbed some sympathy as well as appreciation from the warm crowd at the ground.
For the Gunners though, they might just be escalating the plaudits stage by stage in this competition with a familiar Mancunian trial to follow.
yessss!!!!
arsenal!!!
song was brilliant as was walcott. 1st
yessss!!!!
arsenal!!!
song was brilliant as was walcott. 1st
was eddie on the bench today
was eddie on the bench today
MOTM= SONG, and he had idiots on him in the early season..how does Wenger look now for not paying Flimini 65k a week?
MOTM= SONG, and he had idiots on him in the early season..how does Wenger look now for not paying Flimini 65k a week?
Song was man of the match AGAIN in my view.
Great performances as well from theo, toure, silvestre and fabregas. Adebayor was really great (when he was onside) also.
Gibbs had a good game, hes got good technical ability and pace, and I really rate his attitude. Not afraid to take people on or have a shot, his long range passing is very accurate and he never lets mistakes affect his performance negatively. Just needs to get a bit stronger and we got ourselves another top player there i think
Song was man of the match AGAIN in my view.
Great performances as well from theo, toure, silvestre and fabregas. Adebayor was really great (when he was onside) also.
Gibbs had a good game, hes got good technical ability and pace, and I really rate his attitude. Not afraid to take people on or have a shot, his long range passing is very accurate and he never lets mistakes affect his performance negatively. Just needs to get a bit stronger and we got ourselves another top player there i think
Piken79 – absolutely agree that song is looking the business now, but if we Had kept flamini we wouldn’t have had to wait for song to get to the level he is now. Its still a mistake on wenger’s part – but its great to see song come good.
I think denilson will be about as good as song in a couple of years also.
Piken79 – absolutely agree that song is looking the business now, but if we Had kept flamini we wouldn’t have had to wait for song to get to the level he is now. Its still a mistake on wenger’s part – but its great to see song come good.
I think denilson will be about as good as song in a couple of years also.
fun game to watch. good performance by the arsenal. Walcott had a very impressive first half. Fabianski was very confident and comfortable in goal and then Song, Fabergas and Eboue all had very solid games. Now lets beat Chelsea in the F.A cup.
fun game to watch. good performance by the arsenal. Walcott had a very impressive first half. Fabianski was very confident and comfortable in goal and then Song, Fabergas and Eboue all had very solid games. Now lets beat Chelsea in the F.A cup.
Great performance. Fabianski (the “other” Fab) played great today.
Great performance. Fabianski (the “other” Fab) played great today.
Once again you are all getting it wrong song was chasing shadows the whole evening. The talking point is the 4-4-2 formation that freed up the midfield gave us width and space and decreased the pressure on our fragile defence that even mistakes made by song and eboue poor final balls were rendered insignificant. Don’t force the MOTM on song it makes you sound funny it belongs to walcott surelly. Good game gunners bring on manu.
Once again you are all getting it wrong song was chasing shadows the whole evening. The talking point is the 4-4-2 formation that freed up the midfield gave us width and space and decreased the pressure on our fragile defence that even mistakes made by song and eboue poor final balls were rendered insignificant. Don’t force the MOTM on song it makes you sound funny it belongs to walcott surelly. Good game gunners bring on manu.
well i sugested we play song instead of denilson and it worked.he kept winning the ball,looks like we dont need a CDM after all. great game,cant wait for your match reaction KARLOS!!
well i sugested we play song instead of denilson and it worked.he kept winning the ball,looks like we dont need a CDM after all. great game,cant wait for your match reaction KARLOS!!
great review randy,,hope we beat chelsea
great review randy,,hope we beat chelsea
Couple of things… Randy, can you bring up previous posts from people who were asking for Wegner’s, Song’s, Ady’s and the rest of the teams head?
All it took was a little time till this team got going. now look at them. I just hope you all aren’t here and on the bandwagon looking for a free ride.
What did I say a couple weeks back??? Everything will be alright, have faith in this team and have faith in Wegner!
Now let’s face a red hot Chelsea team and see what we can do. I wouldn’t be surprised if you see mixed lineup for the FA Cup
Fab
Sagna, Toure, Silveste, Gibbs
AA, Song, Cesc, Vella
Eduardo
Bendtner
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!!
Couple of things… Randy, can you bring up previous posts from people who were asking for Wegner’s, Song’s, Ady’s and the rest of the teams head?
All it took was a little time till this team got going. now look at them. I just hope you all aren’t here and on the bandwagon looking for a free ride.
What did I say a couple weeks back??? Everything will be alright, have faith in this team and have faith in Wegner!
Now let’s face a red hot Chelsea team and see what we can do. I wouldn’t be surprised if you see mixed lineup for the FA Cup
Fab
Sagna, Toure, Silveste, Gibbs
AA, Song, Cesc, Vella
Eduardo
Bendtner
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!!
Great job especially the rearguards playing in the absence of the regulars like Almunia,Gallas, Clichy,Djourou and Sagna. Well done Gibbs, silvestre, Toure,Eboue and Fabiansky.
Great job especially the rearguards playing in the absence of the regulars like Almunia,Gallas, Clichy,Djourou and Sagna. Well done Gibbs, silvestre, Toure,Eboue and Fabiansky.