See also
Highbury, Sunday 28th November 1999. kick-off 4pm
FA Carling Premiership
scorers: Henry 12, 50 Sturridge 2
Arsenal:
Manninger
Luzhny Adams Upson Winterburn
Parlour Petit Grimandi Overmars (Malz 80)
Bergkamp (Kanu 62) Henry (Suker 72)
A well-deserved but edgy win. Derby accepted the lead when Arsenal
gifted it to them within 2 minutes, and although we were well on top
from then on the lack of a cushion kept alive the possibility of a
Derby equaliser against the run of play.
I got to the ground just in time for kick-off, so I was still trying
to take in the team selection when they went ahead. Not a lot I can
say about the latter except that Nimni poked the ball through a square
defence, an Arsenal arm or two went up, and Sturridge accepted the
present gratefully firing low past Manninger.
As for the team: I don't know if Seaman was being rested or if he
was injured. Apart from that it was interesting to see Luzhny taking
Dixon's place (which had gone to Vivas in midweek), and nice to see
fiath being placed in Upson in defence, leaving Grimandi available
for one of the centre midfield roles. The big surprise was the
availability of Emmanuel Petit (after Wenger had given him a 10%
chance of playing). This time the decision looked right. Unlike his
last match, this time Petit never looked in trouble fitness-wise.
Arsenal were fired up by the goal, and went on the attack immediately
when Henry set off on a great run. Unfortunately he stumbled as he shot
but it came loose to Bergkamp and his shot was deflecetd wide.
On 7 Petit won the ball deep in our half, kept his feet despite being hacked
at from behind, rode or evaded a couple more challenges, and passed
forward to Henry who was felled from behind as he recieved it just outside
the box. Petit curled the free-kick over the wall towards the top
right corner but it just passed over the bar to land on the roof.
Then after about 11 minutes Overmars broke from our half, appearing
to duck under a Derby
player on the way, and slipped the ball forward from a few yards into
their half. Henry ran onto it with a defender in his wake and fired
home low at the near post for the equaliser. Very nice to see us using
our pace men so well, and somewhat reminiscent of Thierry's pal Nic.
Before long Henry was pressuring Poom again as the keeper dithered with
a back-pass. Bergkamp was chasing too and got hold of the forced
rushed clearance but a defender had got back too and got it out for
a throw. Luzhny combined with Bergkamp, the Dutchman slipping a nice
ball into space for the Ukrainian down the right wing, and Oleg's
cross came to Henry at the far post. He couldn't get behind the
header well enough to direct it with purpose, and it came out to
Parlour and Overmars in the middle of the box but unfortunately
fell between them and the opening was lost.
On 15 minutes Adams went on a long run, but didn't seem to know what to do
when he got to the edge of the box. He ended up slipping it forward
but Parlour didn't make the run (somehow the officials managed to call
him offside though).
Delap brought Overmars down with a late challenge but the ref waved play
on as he saw that Marc had got the ball away to Henry down the left.
Thierry skinned Prior to get into the box, deep on the left, and then
cut back to try to get a shot in. Can't blame him for having a go,
as although Bergkamp was trying to make himself available further back
there were plenty of Derby shirts around in the way, but Henry really should
have done better than to hit the ball softly short of the near post from
a few yards out.
On 25 Grimandi won the ball ont he half way line and fed Petit a few
yards ahead, then stormed past into the area which created space for
a shot from his compatriot, but it whizzed over the bar.
Bergkamp got himself booked stupidly. After being put clear on the keeper
he chipped it into the net ages after the whistle had gone for offside.
Many in the Arsenal crowd joined Dennis in complaining, but to be frank
just because he gets away with it usually (he does it a lot) doesn't
mean he shouldn't get booked for it: it is one of those automatic
yellow card offences after all. Someone like Dennis doesn't need to
show off like that - he gets plenty of chances to show his skills.
On 35 minutes Derby had their next opportunity (it really was
one-way traffic for most of the game) when Nimni scooped a
half-chance over way the bar.
Then Henry showed some wonderful skill on the left touchline to
trick his way past an opponent, and raced to ther goal line. But
his cut-back was soft and intercepted.
Someone escaped a clear bookable offence when he hacked through the back
of Petit's legs. A real test for his fitness and a challenge which
surely would have seen Petit out of the match on Thursday. Whatever
he's taking for that leg, I want some. Anyway the free-kick was given and
Bergkamp's shot was deflected for a corner. Henry took it from the left
and found Parlour's head on the near side of the box but he got too
much on it and missed at the near post.
On 40 Parlour was shoved over by Dorigo on the right. Petit took it,
a few yards in from the corner flag, and whipped it to Overmars who
he'd spotted creeping into space at the far post. For reasons known
only to himself Marc stopped to try to head it home, when everyone
else knows he's usually rather more effective with his feet.
The last 5 minutes were peppered with more Arsenal chances. Parlour
nodded a ball on for Henry who ran on and firfed 2 yards wide of the far
post from the edge of the area. Then Henry hit another shot from long-range
which might have troubled Poom if it hadn't curled straight into his midriff.
Then Overmars, dribbling across the edge of the crowded box, whipped in a low
shot which forcing Poom to dive smartly down to his right to stop.
Bergkamp won another throw chasing the keeper down after a backpass and
again combined well with Luzhny to set up a crossing chance for the
full-back. It came out to Grimandi but was rising as
he struck it and he couldn't keep the shot under the bar.
Derby must have been well pleased to go into the half time break
on level terms. But it wasn't to last long. 5 minutes into the
second half Overmars cut in from the left and passed forward to
Henry on the edge of the D. He took it into the box with 2 defenders
in attention, and poked the ball past Poom for his and Aresnal's
richly deserved second.
Ovemars tried to flick a ball through with his head on the left
wing and missed it, but it turend into a very effective dummy as Winterburn
ran onto the loose ball. He slipped it forward for Bergkamp and his
cross found Henry in the box. He created an opening pushing the ball to
his left but rather snatched at the shot and it went high.
We had a few more chances, notably for Bergkamp and Parlour, and then
15 minutes into the half Derby had another dangerous moment when Sturridge
was allowed to get his head to a diagonal cross from left to right into
the box. But he was stretching for it and couldn't get enough
contact to turn it back towards goal. As if encouraged by the
outrageous thought that they could get a point from this, Jim Smith
sent on new signing Girogi Kikladze (bringing off the other new boy
Nimni, who'd done nothing since putting Sturridge through
for the opening goal).
Kinkladze immediately showed his skill, stepping around 2 or 3 challenges
in the middle of the pitch before spraying the ball wide to Sturridge.
But as if stunned by the appearance of another skilful player in a
yellow and blue (yuk) shirt, the striker wasted the chance.
Then Kanu came on for Bergkamp, who had had another very impressive
game. By contrast, and unusually, Kanu didn't look on top of his game
at all.
A great header out of defence from Luzhny was directed purposefully
into space ahead of Overmars, who ran onto it and took it up field,
but ran out of space on the deg of the area.
Henry won a free-kick outside the area on the right. Overmars appeared
arther keen to take it, as he raced across the pitch to retrieve the ball
and set it up for himself. Petit and Parlour was ober the ball too in
an attempt to make it look less obvious but to no avail: Marc
chipped it over the bar.
Kinkladze's presence was creating openings for Derby at last, and with
only a one goal lead it stayed dodgy till the end. The Georgian
fed Sturridge again on the right. He got to the goal-line and
passed it back for Dorigo whose shot was blocked.
Parlour got int a nice position after chasing the ball down the right,
and chipped it back to the edge of the box where Kanu laid it off
superbly for Petit. But sadlt the Frenchman had slipped over.
A couple more substitutions saw Suker and Malz on for Henry and Overmars.
Given that Derby were attacking a bit more this seemed strange, as
suddenly our ability to sting them on the break had all but gone.
Still, Malz seemed keen to seize the rare chance to show what he
can do (this was his first outing in the Premiership). He played a nice
one-two with Suker on the edge of the box and found himself clear on
Poom on the left. It may have been a bit of an angle but still, no-one
would have blamed him for shooting. Instead he tried to pull it back
and the penalty area proved too crowded for that. He got into another
good position on the left but crossed too close to the keeper. And
with minutes to go Parlour crossed from the right and Suker set it
up for a shot which Malz struck sweetly and was unfortunate to
see it crash down and out off the underside of the crossbar.
report by Rupe.
Result : Arsenal (1) 2 Derby (1) 1
Scorers: Henry 11,51
Arsenal: Manninger, Luzhny, Winterburn, Upson, Adams; Petit, Grimandi,
Parlour, Overmars; Bergkamp, Henry
Subs: Parlour (Petit 37), Henry (Ljungberg 70),
Suker (Kanu 70), Luzhny, Malz, Upson, Manninger
Booked: Grimandi, Overmars
Derby: Poom, Prior, Carbonari, Laursen, Delap, Johnson, Powell,
Nimni, Dorigo, Sturridge, Burton
Subs: Kinkladze (Nimni 60), Robinson (Burton 73),
Hoult, Elliott, Murray
Booked: Delap, Dorigo, Johnson
Att: 37964
Ref: Andy D'urso (Billericay)
A fairly comfortable Sunday afternoon stroll for Arsenal, after the mild
annoyance of conceding a 2nd minute start to Derby, though there were
moments of concern towards the end caused by the failure to add to the
comfort with a 3rd goal. There might too have been mild concern before
kickoff, with Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Vieira and Ljungberg all missing,
and Wenger also shuffling his deck of strikers, Henry being given his
turn to partner Bergkamp. Any fears though were assuaged, first by the
unexpected appearance of Petit in the starting line-up, and then by the
blossoming of Henry as a true replacement for Anelka.
The match started in somewhat unexpected fashion, as the Arsenal defence
got their characteristic cock-up out of the way early on. The Israeli
debutant Nimni stabbed the ball forward after Grimandi and Adams missed
their challenges on him, Burton in turn slipped it forward towards
Sturridge, Upson's attempt to intercept succeeded only in turning a
speculative pass into a perfect one, and Sturridge took it on and
clipped the ball neatly past Manninger and into the far corner with his
left foot.
Highbury settled back in mild shock, fully expecting Arsenal to hit back
without too much delay. Such confidence soon seemed justified as Henry
was chopped down on the edge of the box, and Petit curled the free kick
over the wall, over the bar and onto the roof of the net, the 3rd time
in recent games he's done so.
Not long afterwards Arsenal did equalise. Overmars brilliantly turned
Delap just inside his own half, and sped forward down the left before
releasing a pass for Henry to run onto down the inside left channel. He
seemed to still have a lot to do, but easily outpaced Carbonari and
cooly sidefooted a left foot shot from an acute angle past Poom and
inside the far post.
Arsenal were now playing some nice football, even Adams joining in with
one mazy run which ended nowhere. The Gunners should have taken the lead
when Overmars flicked the ball on towards Henry despite being hacked
down by Delap. The ref played advantage (and later booked Delap) with
Henry running clear onto Overmars' pass down the left. He turned Prior,
to work the ball onto his right foot, but then scuffed his attempt to
beat Poom at his near post and put it into the side netting.
Petit then had a tremendous 25 yarder after good work by Grimandi, which
I thought Poom just got a fingertip to, though the ref gave a goal kick.
Bergkamp did get the ball in the net, but his only reward was a yellow
card as the whistle had gone for offside.
Henry then showed either fantastic skill or good luck when he somehow
turned past about 3 Derby players on the left hand touchline to get
clear, but with a couple of red shirts in the area he spoiled it with a
woeful attempt to find them.
Arsenal were unlucky not to have gone in at half time a goal up, with
several good chances in the last few minutes. First we had the rather
bizarre sight of Petit's free kick finding none other than Overmars
running in unmarked at the far post, but unsurprisingly he put a free
header weakly wide, when he might even have had time to chest it down.
Parlour then did really well, heading a difficult ball forward for Henry
to run onto down the middle. The striker opted to go for a spectacular
volley from 20 yards which flew a yard or two wide of the post when a
ball across the area would have found Parlour unmarked at the far post.
Overmars then did one of his trademark cut ins from the left and fired
in a right foot shot from just outside the area which Poom seemed to see
late, but nevertheless still got down well to just deflect it past the
post. Finally, another good Luzhny cross from the right fell to Grimandi
in the area, but he snatched at his volley and blazed it over the bar
from about 15 yards.
A few minutes after half time however, Arsenal did take the overdue
lead with almost a carbon copy of their first goal. Overmars again broke
down the left before playing another pass forward to Henry, this time
making a more central run. The Frenchman took the difficult ball
perfectly into his stride with his first touch, and placed a right foot
shot past the outrushing Poom and into the corner of the net with his
second.
Not long afterwards Henry might have had his hattrick. Bergkamp got away
down the left and played the ball across the area to find Henry and the
unlikely Winterburn getting somewhat in his way. Henry took a couple of
touches to work himself some space for a shot, but snatched at it with
his left foot and slashed it wide.
Derby did then briefly begin to look a bit threatening when Kinkladze
came on and worried the Arsenal defence on occasion with some lovely
dribbling and a couple of good passes. One of them round Sturridge
running into the area, but it was just too far ahead of him and he could
only put a diving header wide.
Arsenal also made substitutions midway through the half, Kanu, Suker and
Malz coming on for Bergkamp, Henry and Overmars. And in the final 10
minutes or so it was Malz who came closest to adding to Arsenal's lead.
First he played a lovely one-two with Suker on the edge of the box which
took him clear into the area to the left of goal. However, with only
Poom to beat albeit from a tight angle he chose to cut it back into the
middle where Suker was the only red shirt surrounded by defenders, and
Derby duly cleared.
He had a more creditable effort soon afterwards when Parlour's cross
from the right was laid back to him by Suker on the edge of the box, but
his tremendous 20 yarder crashed back off the underside of the crossbar
and bounced down a foot or so in front of the line. It was eventually
cleared but Winterburn intercepted and played it out to Parlour on the
right. He cut in and turned past a defender into the area before hitting
another great shot, which Poom again did well to turn round his near
post.
Arsenal did score a 3rd in injury time, when Malz I think played Petit
into the left side of the area. Again Petit seemed to have a chance for
a shot but chose instead to play the ball square for the unmarked Kanu
in the middle to tap into the empty net. The flag went up for offside,
though it must have been tight.
All in all a reasonably satisfactory performance from Arsenal, with it
being somewhat less of a battle than most recent games against the Rams
have been. Quite heartening as well, given the number of 1st choice
players out, and particularly good to see Henry get a couple of well
finished goals.
Manninger 7.5 Don't recall him making a save of any note.
Luzhny 7.5 Probably the most impressive game I've seen him
play, though he still looks to lack a little pace on
occasion. Much better at crossing the ball than Dixon.
Winterburn 7.5 Another good game for the hardy perennial.
Adams 7.5 Not tested much in defence, and his normal self
driving and venturing forward on occasion.
Upson 7.0 Somewhat mixed game I thought. Looked rather more
solid than against Middlesborough, apart from a
couple of loose moments. Did particularly well in the
air, but also played a couple of dreadful passes.
Petit 8.0 Looked much like the normal all action, be everywhere
Petit, and seemed less troubled by the knee.
Parlour 8.0 Had a pretty good game overall I thought.
Grimandi 7.5 Didn't think he played as well as usual in the 1st
half, but looked better again in the 2nd.
Overmars 8.0 Now looking much like the Overmars we saw for much of
the double year.
Bergkamp 7.5 Maintained his recent good form, though with Henry
and Overmars doing so well, was less prominent.
Henry 8.0 Looked much more comfortable in the central striking
role.
Kanu His normal superb touch wasn't quite there.
Suker Got involved as normal to the extent of getting
needlessly booked for dissent.
Malz Did pretty well in the short time he was on.
Derek
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