Thursday, September 17, 2009

STAND LIEGE v ARSENAL MINUTE-BY-MINUTE

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Mad football match that one. Hard to say if Arsenal deserved that. Thank you for your company. Cheerio.

90+2: Clichy makes a crucial intervention to prevent another dramatic twist.

90: Three minutes of injury time will be played. This has been a crazy match, if truth be told.

86: Wilshere is to make a cameo as he replaces Eduardo.

84: Traore is on for Witsel.

82: Goodness. I am struggling to keep up here! Eduardo completes Arsenal's comeback as he pokes home from a corner. Madness as my fingers cramp up. Bizarre yet brilliant entertainment.

81: GOAL EDUARDO. Eduardo scores for Arsenal

79: Change for Arsenal as Sagna comes on. Seconds later, Vermaelen sees a shot hacked off the line. Of the leveller, it appears Song hand-balled in the build up. Controversial...

78: Fabregas floats in a free-kick and it somehow ends up in the back of the net. There are cries for a handball from Liege but nothing is given. It appears that Vermaelen got the final touch to tap home.

78: GOAL VERMAELEN. Arsenal are level.

76: Nicaise is booked for a cheeky foul on Mannone.

73: Gallas makes a vital headed clearance to ensure Liege don't regain their two-goal lead.

71: Ramsey tries his luck with a daisy-cutter but it is easy for the keeper.

70: Ramsey enters the fray in play of the impressive Rosicky.

67: Booking for Witsel after a tug on Bendtner. Ref might have let the move play on there.

66: Arsenal win two consecutive corners but Eduardo's delivery from both is dreadful.

64: The Gunners have yet to really create anything of note in this second half. Wenger will no doubt take a draw now.

61: Liege are looking a little tired now, but their numbers behind the ball are causing Arsenal problems.

59: Jovanovic is replaced by Nicaise.

58: Eboue breathes a huge sigh of relief as his sliding clearance from a Dalmat cross goes over his own cross bar, instead of under it.

56: Song has been largely disappointing. A number of his forward passes have been extremely wasteful.

53: Mistakes are still abound for the Gunners. It will be interesting to see their pass completion come the end of the game.

50: Arsenal put together some neat passing with Rosicky involved. The move just breaks down. Better from the visitors.

48: Massive tackle from Mangala. Rosicky floats a brilliant pass into the path of Bendtner, who winds up to shoot but Mangala slides in superbly.

47: Another massive error as a short pass from Song allows Liege to attack. They should score but Clichy tracks back to block.

46: Arsenal get the second half under way.

Will that late goal hand Arsenal a much-needed boost? It couldn't have gone much worse for them in the first period. Expect the hair-dryer treatment from assistant Pat Rice.

Half-time. Standard Liege 2 Arsenal 1

45: GOAL BENDTNER> Bendtner scores for Arsenal. Just when Liege thought they had held out until half-time, Arsenal score. Diaby shows the good side of his game with a brilliant turn and run before sliding in Bendtner. The Dane finishes coolly across goal to pull one back for the Gunners.

44: Bolat has picked up a booking. No explanation for that one.

43: Appeals for a penalty from some of the Arsenal players. Nothing doing from the referee though.

41: Clichy is specifically having a torrid outing. His passing has been awful.

39: Fabregas sees a shot blocked and then Eboue slips when trying to cross. Nothing has gone right for Arsenal.

37: Arsenal take a quick free-kick and Clichy powers a cross in from the left but Bendtner is not there to meet it and Bolat claims.

34: Yellow for Clichy as he swings a boot through the back of his man.

32: Bendtner does well to skin his man down the left but his cross is rather hopeful and it finds no-one.

30: Arsenal again string some passes together but the move is over when Diaby's attempted cross zooms out for a goal kick.

27: Fabregas has a chance to deliver a dangerous free-kick but the ball is too floaty and easy for the Liege keeper, whose name I have yet to mention. His name is Bolat, by the way.

25: Arsene Wenger looks like he has been sucking on a lemon. His side's display so far has been just awful.

23: Arsenal finally enjoy some possession as they pen Liege back in their own half. The Gunners are not really getting anywhere near goal though.

21: Another mistake as Clichy passes behind Eduardo and then Gallas heads poorly under no pressure.

19: You will rarely see Arsenal misplace so many passes.

17: This really has been a rotten opening to the game for Arsenal. Their performance has been riddled with mistakes.

15: Dalmat bends in a cross from the right but Mannone is there to smother. Neat take by the Italian.

13: Arsenal finally get their passing game going but they just overwork it as the move breaks down only 15 yards from goal.

11: Arsenal are struggling. They cannot keep possession and look very rattled from their nightmare beginning.

9: Replays are inconclusive as to whether Gallas' foul for the penalty came just outside the area.

8: Mannone gets his first touch that doesn't involve picking the ball out of the back of the net. It is shaky as he slices out of play.

Good grief. Okay, the first goal came following a shocking attempt at a flick by Eduardo on the edge of the area. Mangala gained possession and he fired home in the bottom corner. Then just a few seconds later Gallas committed a foul in the box and Jovanovic duly slotted home. Horror start for the Gunners.

5: GOAL JOVANOVIC. Jovanovic scores for Liege with Mannone going the wrong way.

4: PENALTY LIEGE. Just a few seconds later Gallas commits a foul in the box and Jovanovic duly slots home. Horror start for the Gunners

3: GOAL MANGALA. Mangala scores for Liege. A shocking attempt at a flick by Eduardo on the edge of the area. Mangala gained possession and he fires home in the bottom corner.

3: Bright start to the game regarding the tempo. Liege win an early corner as Song deflects wide.

1: Liege get the game under way, kicking from right to left as I see it.

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