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ARSENAL 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 - MATCH REPORT
Barclays Premier League, Saturday 15th March, The Emirates
Andy Morgan
Boro went into the game at the Emirates on the back of a positive 1-1 draw at Aston Villa in mid-week.
The main team news saw the return of former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere to the Boro side after a four game ban. He was to partner Tuncay Sanli.
In midfield, Southgate kept faith with Mohamed Shawky and George Boateng in the centre. Gary O'Neil and Stewart Downing were on the right and left respectively.
The manager kept faith with the same defence that only conceded a penalty at Villa Park. So Luke Young, Robert Huth, David Wheater and Emmanuel Pogatetz were the line up at the back.
Schwarzer, Young, Huth, Wheater, Pogatetz, O'Neil, Shawky (Cattermole 46), Boateng, Downing, Tuncay (Taylor 69), Aliadiere (Mido 79), Turnbull, Arca
THE FIRST HALF
The Boro started off positively, with Tuncay and Downing terrorising Sagna on the left-wing in the opening minute. This led to Boro's first corner, a corner which Almunia punched away.
Arsenal's movement was starting to terrorise the Boro though and on four Adebayor had the ball in the back of the net. Thankfully he was flagged for being offside but as the ball came off Boateng, should he have been? It was a massive let off for Boro.
The Gunners were streaming forward faster than a British military campaign but unlike the French, the Boro were standing firm. On seven however, Eboue hit the top of the crossbar with an attempted cross. It wasn't looking good for the Boro.
On ten Fabregas, Adebayor and Eboue almost contrived to embarrass Boro in their own penalty area but their game of head tennis was eventually cleared.
,br> A minute later the Gunners split through the Boro again but Huth was alert in defence. This was getting concerning though as Arsenal were cutting through us like a chainsaw through some helpless victim in one of those God-awful Saw movies.
On thirteen Eboue picked up a nosebleed and so did Boro as they ventured into the opposition's half. This culiminated in a Downing throw that Pogatetz headed out for a goal kick.
Toure's fantastic ball found Van Persie but he took his eye off the ball in the final second, fluffing his effort.
But Arsenal refused to give up, their fluency in attack in stark contrast to Boro's desperate defending. Their next move ended in an Eboue shot that almost outfoxed Schwarzer. The ball cannoned off the goalkeeper's chest and it took a Young clearance to alleviate the danger.
Nothing came from Van Persie's corner and from it, the Boro broke. Tuncay robbed the Arsenal midfield and he set up O'Neil who tried the snatch shot from twenty yards. It sailed high, wide and handsome over the bar.
Tuncay tried to set up Aliadiere on eighteen but his pass did not have enough weight on it and Arsenal passed the ball back to Almunia.
At the other end, Eboue darted into the box and passed to Fabregas, who tried the snatch shot from the edge of the eighteen yard box. Under a challenge from Huth, it was a relatively easy save for Bananaman in goal.
Fabregas took the direct route to Adebayor on twenty-one as the Arsenal striker got behind Boro's two centre backs. He managed to get a shot on goal but it was rushed and Schwarzer caught.
And then the unlikeliest of events happened. From a Schwarzer long ball, Tuncay darted down the left and his cross was perfect for Alaidiere. The former Arsenal man could make no mistake from seven yards and the Boro were in front. However it was a frivolous goal to concede for Arsenal as Aliadiere was initially offside and quite clearly interfering with play...
ARSENAL 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Aliadiere, 25)
Van Persie's slice on twenty-eight once again demonstrated the home side's threat, particularly in the way he pulled away from the last defender. His effort went woefully wide though and the Boro breathed again.
Sagna's burst on the half hour was a testament to his strength. As he headed into the box, he was trying to tempt the challenge to win a penalty but all he did was win a corner. From it, Schwarzer punched and the danger was cleared.
The Boro had started to run down the clock on twenty-six minutes and this was frustrating the home fans.
On thirty-one van Persie darted into the box but Wheater kicked the ball off him for a goal kick.
A minute later Eboue took a dive that of which the Olympic Swimming Team would be proud under a challenge from Pogatetz but the referee was having none of it and signalled a goal kick.
On thirty-four Boro gifted Arsenal a corner and Fabregas' whipped ball was headed over for another set-play by Huth. Nothing came from this either and Arsenal regrouped.
On forty Hleb and Adebayor combined well but the Boro's defence was becoming more assured and they stood firm.
This didn't stop Arsenal from coming back at the Boro though and Eboue slipped on his way into the box. This meant he passed to Adebayor who fizzed the cross into Fabregas. His long range shot was held on to by Schwarzer.
Luke Young recovered in the nick of time on forty-two as his slip almost let Fabregas in. He just got enough on the ball to pass back to Schwarzer though, and up-ended the Arsenal man in the process.
The Arsenal fans were getting desperate and a minute later they tried to convince the referee into giving a handball against Luke Young when Adebayor crossed the ball in. He turned down all appeals, largely because the ball struck the Boro man's side and not his arm.
Towards half-time Tuncay set up Downing who tried the early ball into the box. The Boro won a throw-in and very little else as the move broke down all too quickly.
The Gunners were getting desperate too and Adebayor attempted the long range shot that cannoned off Wheter deep into stoppage time.
A minute later, Hleb should have shot but didn't. Adebayor had a flick and Schwarzer caught. This was the last action of the half.
THE SECOND HALF
Boro made a time-wasting substitution before the half had even kicked off, replacing Shawky for Lee Cattermole. Only forty-five minutes left to waste.
Boro started brightly after Downing cut in on the left. He sliced the ball back to O'Neil but his equally sliced shot was like the average nuclear scientist - completely impotent.
Normal service resumed almost immediately though and two minutes in, Van Persie had a long range effort that skidded narrowly wide.
Arsenal's intricacy was making and breaking them as Boro held them to the eighteen yard line. This patient play allowed the defence to nick the ball off Arsenal and frustrate them some more.
A Downing free kick on forty-nine dropped harmlessly for Almunia after Wheater headed it tamely towards goal.
Fabregas snuck the ball in on a free kick on fifty-one and Gallas had a free header. He headed it over the bar but he was in an offside position anyway so meh.
Boro's dogged defence got the better of Van Persie on fifty-five as his cross fell harmlessly to Schwarzer.
Fabregas played it long to Adebayor thirty seconds later but Schwarzer comfortably collected.
A Young challenge on Van Persie conceded a corner on fifty-nine. Toure's header was woeful.
A quick Arsenal shot resulted in a corner to Arsenal but again their intricate play let them down. This was often due to Boro's excellent closing down. Arsenal knew they had to change things so Bentdner came on for Sagna and Walcott replaced Van Persie. This was a a statement of intent - Arsenal were to attack.
On sixty-four Eboue launched a cross into the box from the right hand side and Bendtner connected with it. He was crowded out by the Boro defence and his header went over the bar.
Walcott showed his predatory threat as he darted past the Boro backline. His cross was accurate, but only if he was aiming for Schwarzer's hands.
A lovely ball from Hleb sliced through the static Boro defence and presented Fabregas with a one-on-one with Schwarzer. The big Aussie was up to the challenge though and saved with his leg. Perhaps Fabregas should have opted for the lift over Schwarzer rather than the side-foot past him but the Boro were just thankful that the keeper got the save.
Downing's strike on sixty-eight worried Arsenal. Granted it was from distance but it wasn't a bad effort.
Boro's time wasting techniques elevated to new levels on sixty-nine as Tuncay was replaced with Andrew Taylor. This was a clear statement of intent from Southgate that he wanted to shut up shop in a game where Arsenal were already coming at us. Now all that is needed is a deflection...
On seventy-four, Arsenal's seven hundredth long range shot was struck by Toure. The ball cannoned off Wheater but Eboue's cross found an unmarked Fabregas fourteen yards out. His header struck the post and went out, with Schwarzer scrambling.
Two minutes later Eboue's cross cannoned off a Boro defender and went behind for a corner. Fabregas swung it in but the Boro's defence was too commanding. Fabregas gave it a second attempt but Schwarzer grabbed under pressure.
The problem for Boro is since the Taylor/Tuncay substitution, there was no one up field. This meant that every time Middlesbrough won the ball in defence, all that was happening was the ball was coming straight back at us.
Southgate tried to rectify this by replacing Aliadiere with Mido. Whether it was the former Arsenal or former Spurs player who was booed in this change, is open to interpretation.
A Clichy handball went unnoticed on seventy-nine and despite Downing's jinky footwork, the Boro lacked penetration.
Schwarzer wasn't too convincing on eighty-one after he tried to punch Eboue's poor ball. He still won the goal kick however.
Another Arsenal corner was awarded on eighty-three and from it Hleb found Toure lurking. He got the ball in but Schwarzer was alert to the catch on the floor.
Boateng conceded a corner on eighty-six when perhaps he should have been awarded a free-kick. And from it, Arsenal finally scored. Toure was left unmarked twelve yards out and he powered the header towards goal. Taylor and Schwarzer got in the way of each other and the keeper flapped the ball on to the defender's back. Ultimately, though, Arsenal were level.
ARSENAL 1 (Toure, 86) MIDDLESBROUGH 1
A minute later it went from bad to worse as Mido was sent off for a high challenge on Clichy. He had only been on the pitch for nine minutes. He quite clearly tried to win the ball but, like against Liverpool a few weeks ago, again the referee seemed to favour one of the "Big Four". The Boro were now truly hanging on.
Four minutes of added on time were allotted and still the Gunners came at the Boro. The referee got in the way of play for the fifth time today and a minute later, Walcott's cross was icked away from the Arsenal man.
At this stage it was a game of any clearance will do but there was still three minutes to go. Hleb set up Bendtner on ninety-two but an excellent block from Huth prevented him from scoring from four yards out.
Arsenal were hungry. Very hungry. But the Boro were doggedly hanging on, albeit tenuously. Walcott tried the shot on ninety-two but Boro got bodies in the way. Hleb tried to cross in shortly after this but Cattermole blocked to concede a corner.
A good ball from the set-play saw three Arsenal players go for the same ball and finally a goal kick was awarded.
In the final seconds it was a case of any clearance will do and Huth cleared for a corner. But there was no time to take it and the Boro had picked up a very creditable point at the Emirates.
The Arsenal fans were lambasting the referee but in actuality, considering he sent Mido off for next to nothing, they had little cause for complaint.
In return, no doubt Mido's three game ban will be increased to four on account of a "frivolous" appeal that we are about to launch. Joy of joys.
It may have been a good point but were the tactics right? Allowing Arsenal to come at us for most of the game may have been bad tactically as whenever we got the ball away, all that happened was that it came straight back at us.
Despite their possession, Arsenal rarely threatened. They resorted to playing tippy-tappy football on the edge of the area and lacked a lot of penetration. Title winning side? Not on this showing.
Man of the Match: George Boateng. He dominated the midfield, won tackle after tackle and supported the defence superbly. He fully deserves his recall.
FAN REACTION
"Held out well against the French, reinforcements needed Gareth"
Westham
"Still sick about Cardiff!!"
Monty
"Happy with the result but we were robbed"
DEENO
ARSENAL FANSONLINE HERE...
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