Champions League: Arsenal vs. Partizan Beograd - Arsenal stumble past impressive Partizan (Part 1)
Arsenal took on Partizan Beograd in what was must win game for the North London based team. Arsenal had opened their Champions League season on a high, by securing a hundred percent record from the first three games in the tournament. However the team then
managed to lose two away fixtures and as a result were stuck in a very tricky situation.
If Arsenal were to not leave anything to chance, they needed to pick up the three points. On the other hand if Braga were to beat Shakhtar Donetsk and Arsenal were to draw, then Arsenal could be eliminated. This was clearly something that Arsene Wenger had
in mind when he put together the team for the game.
The manager went on to field what was quite possibly one of the most attacking line-up’s that he had fielded so far this season as Marouane Chamakh, Robin Van Persie, Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin were all a part of the starting eleven.
The teams on the night were as follows: Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Gibbs, Nasri, Song, Denilson, Arshavin, van Persie, Chamakh
Subs: Szczesny, Rosicky, Vela, Walcott, Wilshere, Eboue, Bendtner
Partizan Belgrade: Stojkovic, Krstajic, Jovanovic, Medo, Lazevski, Savic, Sasa Ilic, Petrovic, Babovic, Moreira, Cleo
Subs: Radisa Ilic, Stankovic, Brasanac, Davidov, Kizito, Iliev, Smiljanic
Arsenal’s centre back Laurent Koscielny was a surprise addition to the squad. The player had picked up a serious head injury this past weekend, in the teams match against Fulham and was initially rumored to be out for a month at least. On the other hand
Johan Djourou was forced to sit out the game due to a minor thigh injury and he was joined by Captain Cesc Fabregas and long term injury victims, Thomas Vermaelen, Abou Diaby and Manuel Almunia.
Prior to the game Arsenal’s Russian Assassin, Arshavin was reported to have grown rather concerned about the team’s defensive lapses and was reported to have said: "We struggle all the time in defense. We have to score more than we concede. That's it"
"It is very frustrating. We are trying to improve, but we can't. We don't just blame our defenders. Sometimes I can't run, and let defenders cross so the forwards score a goal. It doesn't always depend on defenders. As a team we need to improve defensively."
However on the flipside, what Arsenal did have going for them was the fact that the team’s offensive line-up was in breath taking form, especially the team’s talismanic and prolific midfielder Samir Nasri. Nasri had been asked by Wenger to step his game
up in the recent weeks to cover for the injured Fabregas and Nasri has made it his personal mission to do as was asked of him and produced some of the best performances that the Premier League had seen all season.
With everything in order the head referee on the night, Paolo Tagliavento blew his whistle and things were off to a start, on a bitterly cold night in London.
Continued in part 2...
Tags: