Excellent. To be honest, this 2nd XI played better and kept Arsenal off their game much more efficiently than in midweek. I think it may have been because most of those lads realised they had such little to lose, and could just go out and play. Which is exactly what we did, and the first half we bossed them all around and thoroughly deserved the goal. Second half they were better, but that was always going to happen considering Arsenal needed to get points so badly, so they were going to come at us. At the same time, that opened up opportunities for us at the other end on the break, and had Voronin had a little composure he could have slotted his chance, and pulled one back for an easy Torres tap in.
I thought Plessis was excellent, and but for a few nervy passes, he was solid, made very few mistakes, and was in hard on all the Arsenal players. I can't remember them breaking one of his tackles, and he was all over the pitch. Great debut lad, and well done.
Crouch was excellent also, but I think a mention has to go to the players that got forward supporting him. Lucas, Riise, Yossi and Pennant all strained to get in positions for his knockdowns, and it really paid off with the goal, as Crouchie got the knockdown, Benayoun kept it alive, and the big man did the rest.
A bit nervy at the back at times, but when you have a team like Arsenal coming at you, you're always going to be under pressure at the back. Saying that, Carra was never caught out and he was strong in the challenge. Never let a player get around him to use their pace, and that was especially evident when Walcott tried to take him on.
Lucas was okay, he made some okay passes and was generally busy in the middle. Just a mediocre game, nothing special. I thought our worst player was Voronin when he came on. I had such hopes for this guy after his good pre-season, but he's just not up to playing in a top top Premiership team. He lacks composure, doesn't work hard enough to justify a place over Kuyt and he's clumsy. Not good enough I think.
As for the goal, it really makes me nervous for the game at Anfield. I hold my breath whenever we concede set pieces that they can cross from now, because combining Reina's somewhat dubious decision making for crosses with the aerial power of some of Arsenal's players is a recipe for disaster. Let's hope we can sort it out in some training sessions between now and Tuesday.
Anyway, overall an excellent result considering our starting lineup, and it sets us up nicely for the next CL leg at Anfield. Both sides could have won it, but 1-1 against Arsenal at Emirates is not a result to be scorned. Well done lads.
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