Arsenal (4) 5 - 0 (0)Highbury, Saturday 20th February 1999FA Carling Premiershipsee below for reports by: Rupe, Derek, PaulPreview
Arsenal (4) 5 - 0 (0)Highbury, Saturday 20th February 1999FA Carling Premiership
Scorers: Anelka 3 Parlour 2
Arsenal:
Seaman
Dixon Adams Grimandi Vivas
Parlour Vieira Garde Overmars
Bergkamp Anelka
Hopefully, Leicester are saving themselves for the Worthless Cup final
against Tottenham!
Wouldn't you know it, stuck at home with a cold on the day we record our biggest win of the season so far. There should be eye-witness accounts here before too long. In the meantime... Basically, it sounds like we were well worth the scoreline, with Bergkamp at something like his best - not scoring but involved in 4 of the goals.
This included the first, Anelka fed by a great pass from Dennis,
but still needing to skin both Sinclair and Elliott before shooting.
The woodwork denied us a 6th when Bergkamp's best pass yet put Vieira in, and his shot was tipped onto the woodwork by Keller. Unfortunately Man United managed to scrape a late win at Coventry (with Ferguson havign a cheeky dig at the Highfield Rd pitch!), and Chelsea beat Forest. But we're well up with the pace (see table), playing brilliantly (without Petit, Keown, and Winterburn), and both those other clubs are about the restart their European campaigns.
Result : Arsenal (4) 5 Leicester City (0) 0
Scorers: Anelka 23,27,44, Parlour 42,48
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Vivas, Grimandi, Adams; Vieira, Garde,
Parlour, Overmars; Bergkamp, Anelka
Subs: Diawara (Overmars 67), Kanu (Anelka 67),
Hughes (Vieira 71), Bould, Manninger
Leicester: Keller, Sinclair, Kaamark, Elliott, Ullathorne, Savage,
Lennon, Zagorakis, Izzet, Guppy, Gunnlaugsson
Subs: Impey (Kaamark 45), Walsh (Zagorakis h-t),
Fenton (Gunnlaugsson 84), Marshall, Arphexad
Att: 38069
Ref: Paul Durkin (Portland)
Arsenal's unbeaten home league run continues, and on this evidence is
gathering momentum at just the right time. 23 games since the Gunners
have lost a league match at Highbury, and on Saturday their attack
clicked into top gear, particularly in a rampant 25 minute spell at the
end of the first half. Bergkamp's inspired passing and Anelka's pace and
finishing gave Arsenal a 4-0 half time lead which ended the game as a
contest.
Leicester were somewhat handicapped by the loss of Heskey, and Cottee was apparently rested which meant O'Neill partnered recent signing Gunnlaugsson with Izzet in attack, but they were more or less full strength in defence and midfield. In fact Arsenal didn't start particularly well, and in the opening 20 minutes struggled to create much, while Leicester had a share of possession and a couple of corners without directly threatening Seaman's goal. It was Bergkamp who looked likeliest to score in the opening spell. First he battled and dribbled his way through about 3 challenges on the edge of the area before Keller came out quickly to make a good block at his feet. Then Parlour's stabbed pass forward ran for him to get free in the right side of the area, but the Dutchman dragged his shot wide of the far post. Midway through the half though the floodgates opened. Grimandi's header found Bergkamp a few yards inside his own half. A quick turn and look was enough for him to spot Anelka's run, and the lobbed pass forward was perfectly placed for the Frenchman to run onto. Outpacing Sinclair he chested the ball forward into the area, and then stroked a right foot half-volley past the stranded Keller and into the far corner of the net. A few minutes later the same combination made it two. Grimandi again won the ball in the Arsenal half, Anelka latched quickly onto it, passed forward to Bergkamp and set off at blistering pace through the Leicester defence in expectation of the return pass. The Dutch master duly delivered, slipping the ball through for Anelka to run clear and he again finished accurately from a similar position, striking the ball across Keller from just inside the area and into the far corner. Arsenal now flooded forward, slicing open the bemused Leicester defence time and again. Bergkamp should have added the 3rd after Vieira had hustled Izzet out of possession in his own half and strode forward before slipping a pass through Elliot's legs to find Bergkamp in space in the right of the area. The Dutchman's hooked shot beat Keller but also cleared the bar by inches. Vieira was then twice nearly played in after characteristic surges forward, first by Anelka and then I think when he dribbled his way through, but both times Keller came out quickly and made good saves at his feet. We also saw some lovely showboating from Bergkamp, with a couple of shuffles to bemuse his marker, and Anelka with a volleyed backheeled flick to knock the ball down on one occasion it was played forward to him. It was Bergkamp again though who set up the 3rd goal. Garde fed him near the half way line and he broke forward with Anelka and Parlour in support. Anelka had to check his run to stop running offside so Bergkamp held the ball a bit longer before slipping the ball outside to Parlour who was unmarked on his right. One touch took the midfielder just into the area, and from a similar position to Anelka for his goals he struck a shot across Keller, and though the keeper got a faint touch he couldn't stop it rolling inside the far post. Just before halftime Anelka completed his hattrick and made it 4-0 to the Arsenal at the end of a superb move. Bergkamp touched the ball back to Vieira in midfield and the Frenchman played a brilliant first time pass through to pick out Overmars' run down the left. The winger outpaced Kaamark and ran in towards Keller's goal. He seemed to have a reasonable chance to have a shot himself so it was to the surprise of many that he looked up before rolling the ball across the 6yd box where the inrushing Anelka had a simple job of stabbing it home. Leicester reorganised for the second half, Walsh and Impey replacing Borbokis and Kaamark. Walsh went into central defence which allowed Elliot to move up front to join Gunnlaugsson and Izzet to move back into his preferred midfield position. Early on it made little difference though as Arsenal picked up where they'd left off, and within 3 minutes had scored again. Bergkamp again set up the goal, his pass down the middle picked out Parlour's forward run. Anelka's run across distracted the Leicester defence and allowed Parlour to knock the ball through and run clear before producing a surprisingly clinical finish with his left foot to beat Keller at his near post from just inside the area. A few minutes later it was very nearly six, and it was Bergkamp again whose chip forward found Vieira beating the offside trap to run clear into the left side of the area. He had time to steady himself before hitting a vicious left foot half-volley which seemed goalbound, but Keller brilliantly got a touch to the ball to deflect it onto the inside of the near post and it bounced out to be cleared by a defender. The Gunners then eased off somewhat and midway through the half Wenger took off Anelka and Overmars to give Kanu and Diawara another run out. The latter moved onto the left wing and probably should have scored soon after coming on when Garde's pass deflected off Bergkamp's attempted flick to leave the French striker with a clear shot, but from an angle he fired a foot or two wide of the near post and into the side netting. At the other end early in the half Leicester had finally raised a big cheer from their supporters when Izzet got their first shot on target, but his well hit shot from 20 yards was straight at Seaman. The visitors' best chance of the game came towards the end when Gunnlaugsson muscled his way past Adams and then Grimandi to run clear down the left, but with Elliot unmarked in the middle he choose to shoot from an angle and dragged it wide of the far post. Meanwhile Hughes had replaced Vieira and soon afterwards Bergkamp was presented with a gilt-edged chance to embellish his performance with a goal. Vivas chipped a lovely diagonal ball in from the left which picked out Bergkamp unmarked at the far post about 8 yards out, but he misdirected an attempt to side foot a volley past Keller and put it tamely straight at the keeper. He had a more difficult chance a few minutes before time when Diawara did well on the left and whipped over a cross which Bergkamp stretched to get his head to just outside the 6yd box but only got a faint deflection which took it out for a thrown in on the opposite side. Overall it was a superb attacking display by Arsenal brilliantly orchestrated by the Dutch maestro, though perhaps having got to the Worthington cup final in midweek Leicester didn't have their minds entirely on the job in hand. Certainly the best performance we've seen this season. The defence were rarely tested and despite having two changes from midweek kept their 9th clean sheet in the league at Highbury this season. Only 4 goals conceded in 13 home league games now.
Seaman 7.5 Really had very little to do. One routine save and one
good catch from a cross that I can recall.
Dixon 7.5 Competent as ever at the back and keen as ever getting
forward.
Vivas 7.5 Another good game, showing some nice touches.
Adams 7.5 Commanding and reliable as normal.
Grimandi 7.5 Also had a competent and confident game.
Vieira 8.0 Dominated midfield again and got forward frequently.
Garde 8.0 Another really competent performance.
Hughes Only on for 15 minutes or so and didn't see a great deal
of the ball, but didn't do much wrong.
Parlour 7.5 Strangely mixed game. I thought his touch and passing was
often poor particularly in the 1st half, but unusually
accurate finishing gave him 2 goals.
Overmars 7.5 A much better and typically lively game. And a pass to set
up a goal for Anelka!
Bergkamp 9.0 Right back at his best, and the only thing lacking to cap
a superbly creative game was a goal.
Anelka 8.5 His first hattrick for Arsenal, and in supremely confident
form at the moment after 7 goals in his last 4 games.
Kanu Again had some lovely touches and was unlucky with one or
two half chances late on.
Diawara Looked pretty lively again and had some good runs down the
left.
Derek
Are You Watching Tottenham ? I must confess to a little part of me being upset around 3.45pm on Saturday. You must be wondering why ? After all, we were 4-0 ahead, including a fine Anelka hat-trick, Dennis was producing one of his all time great displays and Parlour had managed to score (again) ! My concern was that the forthcoming Reserve Team Cup Final might provide the 'mighty' Sperz with some not-overdue-at-all in my honest opinion silverware judging by the oppositions lacklustre display. Let's hope Heskey recovers from injury and Cottee keeps scoring otherwise they will have to arrange a parade down Tottenham High Road ! Back to the match. I would say that was Bergy's best display at THOF since his arrival. His passing was faultless, his vision marvellous and his selection of dummies and stepovers baffling to the opposition. If only his finishing was on par with the rest of his display - it could have been another Leicester hat-trick for himself. If Dennis can continue this form for the next few weeks we must have a reasonable chance of retaining the title. Just like last season, we appear to be clicking into top gear at exactly the right time. The passing and movement of the side on Saturday was superb. I would be the first to admit that the Foxes were poor on the day but it was a top drawer performance from us. Leicester were lucky to keep it at 5-0. Anelka now seems to be more assured in front of goal. He appears to have watched a few Ian Wright videos as he has learnt to shoot across the goalkeeper, just like IWWW at his best, as well as managing to get caught offside less often. I suppose it also helps to have Overmars willing to pass to him, as he did on Saturday for his third goal ! It looks as though the goals he scored in the friendly against England has given him an real confidence boost judging by the way he has performed since. I am sure we are all fed up with the constant speculation regarding Nic's life away from the football club - "I've got no friends, I just watch Tv all day...etc,etc...." Well Nic, if you are reading this at home one evening and you are bored, my better half is French and she is more than willing to rustle up some Francais home cooking ! I look forward to your call ! We are now in arguably the most vital part of the season. Games are comingthick and fast, and each and every one carries importance for the remainder of the campaign. The European competitions start up again next week so it's important that we keep the momentum going whilst Moan U and Chelsea become distracted. Let's make sure we all help by getting right behind the team during those games at Highbury where the opponents will stick ten men behind the ball and will happily settle for a draw. Until next time..... Other reports
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