And We're Live at Highbury, it's the FA Cup
5:17 am Good morning everyone, we're halfway through Arsenal's cup tie versus a Coca Cola Championshsip team, Sheffield United. I'm just starting the minute by minute updates, but I've been watching from the first whistle. I would have started posting earlier but it's mighty difficult getting motivated to get up at 4:30 in the morning, much less getting up and writing. That's one of the obstacles to being a fan of English soccer in the Pacific time zone.
5:22 As the newly minted Fox Soccer Channel's Nick Webster tells us at the close of the first half, "this is what the FA Cup is all about." It's been a great 45 minutes of football, muted only by the fact that the Highbury crowd is so quiet. They are used to seeing the likes of Chelsea and European titans visit their stadium, and I guess they just can't get very fired up for a match against a lower division team. The players have been up for it though. Arsenal has fielded a squad laced with youngsters (Fabregas, Flamini, van Persie, Reyes, Eboue, Clichy) and, unlike myself, they have had no problems getting up for this game. If there is one quality that the Arsenal tykes all share, it is speed. Arsene clearly has his scouts on the lookout for players with lightning speed--he feels he can teach them the rest. To fit into Arsenal's fast-break game plans, speed is the first requirement.
As quick as the Arsenal players are, Sheffield United did not come to Highbury to watch the Arsenal players run quickly, they came to win. I confess I don't think I know a single Sheffield player's name, but please forgive me--there is not exactly a whole lot of first division soccer on ESPN in the U.S..
The two most dramatic highlights of the first half involved referee mistakes. That's quite a surprise, I know. Dennis Bergkamp was sent off for a rather innocuous confrontation with a Sheffield player late in the half, so Arsenal are down to ten men for the remainder. In the way of apologizing to the Highbury faithful for his rash decision, the ref disallowed a clear Sheffield goal off a sharp header that beat Almunia. The score should be 1-0 to the Sheffield, but we'll start the second half on even terms, except for Arsenal being down a man.
Some other first half notes: the Sheffield gaffer Neil Warnock has been extremely animated on the sidelines, and, with Bergkamp out, Freddie Ljundberg is Arsenal's captain.
5:40 Alright the second half is underway. We'll see what Arsenal's next generation of starters are made of over the next 45 minutes.
5:42 Right away Arsenal are on the attack, with Lauren's right back replacement, Aboue, nearly cutting in for a goal, but it was a great reaction by the keeper.
5:43 Freddie goes down in the box. Strike that. Freddie dives in the box. Freddie has a good diving technique: at the first moment of minimal contact with the opposition, stop moving your legs forward and just fall to ground. Next, roll like you're in a fire drill at least 3 times. Finish with a look of disgust aimed at the ref.
5:46 One of the Sheffield players is cramping on the pitch. Keeping up with Arsenal's pace can wear on a lad.
5:52 Sheffield are really throwing men forward when they are on the attack, as they should with their advantage in numbers. Can little Sheffield take down the mighty Gunners of London? Arsenal may be an English team, but, for the second game in a row, there are no English players wearing their shirt today. There are two players from Africa's Ivory Coast, though. What is the opposite of 'xenephobia'? Arsenism?
5:57 Jose Antonio Reyes picks up a yellow.
5:58 Robert Pires comes on for van Persie.
6:01 It appears Sheffield is playing a 3-3-1-3. This is always a dangerous tactic against Arsenal, ten men or not.
6:04 Reyes almost scores on a strong strike of the goal that narrowly misses slipping in between the crossbar and post.
6:05 Toure almost scores on a rocket of a free kick. But it went straight to Kenny, the United keeper.
6:10 There are fifteen minutes left to play and the Highbury crowd is starting to sound a bit restless.
6:11 GOALLLL! And it is Robert Pires who plays the role of super sub, scoring after Kenny couldn't hang onto a short range strike.
6:15 Just ten minutes to go and things are looking bleak for Sheffield. Arsenal is controlling the ball. Sheffield United make a few substitutions. Too bad they don't have the depth of Arsenal.
6:18 Almunia looks a bit tentative taking care of a cross. An Almunia mistake may be Sheffield United's best chance of salvaging a replay at this late stage of the game.
6:19 And in comes the amazing Pascal Cygan. Strike that last note. A Pascal Cygan mistake might be Sheffield United's best chance of salvaging a replay at this late stage of the game.
6:23 WOWWWWW. ARSENAL HAND BALL IN THE BOX. PENALTY! It's Senderos who made the mistake. Senderos? Never heard of him. Didn't even know he was on the pitch. This is probably his last Arsenal game.
6:24 GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! Sheffield United equalizes. It's 1-1 thanks to Andy Gray's cool shot that sends Almunia the wrong way as stoppage time begins. Little Sheffield gets the miracle it needs. And it was well deserved. They've really played hard today and kept up with the speedy Gunners.
6:27 GAME OVER. That's the beauty of the FA cup. A little team gets some glory against one of the biggest squads in Europe. This one will be decided in a replay, with Sheffield hosting. See you then.
5:22 As the newly minted Fox Soccer Channel's Nick Webster tells us at the close of the first half, "this is what the FA Cup is all about." It's been a great 45 minutes of football, muted only by the fact that the Highbury crowd is so quiet. They are used to seeing the likes of Chelsea and European titans visit their stadium, and I guess they just can't get very fired up for a match against a lower division team. The players have been up for it though. Arsenal has fielded a squad laced with youngsters (Fabregas, Flamini, van Persie, Reyes, Eboue, Clichy) and, unlike myself, they have had no problems getting up for this game. If there is one quality that the Arsenal tykes all share, it is speed. Arsene clearly has his scouts on the lookout for players with lightning speed--he feels he can teach them the rest. To fit into Arsenal's fast-break game plans, speed is the first requirement.
As quick as the Arsenal players are, Sheffield United did not come to Highbury to watch the Arsenal players run quickly, they came to win. I confess I don't think I know a single Sheffield player's name, but please forgive me--there is not exactly a whole lot of first division soccer on ESPN in the U.S..
The two most dramatic highlights of the first half involved referee mistakes. That's quite a surprise, I know. Dennis Bergkamp was sent off for a rather innocuous confrontation with a Sheffield player late in the half, so Arsenal are down to ten men for the remainder. In the way of apologizing to the Highbury faithful for his rash decision, the ref disallowed a clear Sheffield goal off a sharp header that beat Almunia. The score should be 1-0 to the Sheffield, but we'll start the second half on even terms, except for Arsenal being down a man.
Some other first half notes: the Sheffield gaffer Neil Warnock has been extremely animated on the sidelines, and, with Bergkamp out, Freddie Ljundberg is Arsenal's captain.
5:40 Alright the second half is underway. We'll see what Arsenal's next generation of starters are made of over the next 45 minutes.
5:42 Right away Arsenal are on the attack, with Lauren's right back replacement, Aboue, nearly cutting in for a goal, but it was a great reaction by the keeper.
5:43 Freddie goes down in the box. Strike that. Freddie dives in the box. Freddie has a good diving technique: at the first moment of minimal contact with the opposition, stop moving your legs forward and just fall to ground. Next, roll like you're in a fire drill at least 3 times. Finish with a look of disgust aimed at the ref.
5:46 One of the Sheffield players is cramping on the pitch. Keeping up with Arsenal's pace can wear on a lad.
5:52 Sheffield are really throwing men forward when they are on the attack, as they should with their advantage in numbers. Can little Sheffield take down the mighty Gunners of London? Arsenal may be an English team, but, for the second game in a row, there are no English players wearing their shirt today. There are two players from Africa's Ivory Coast, though. What is the opposite of 'xenephobia'? Arsenism?
5:57 Jose Antonio Reyes picks up a yellow.
5:58 Robert Pires comes on for van Persie.
6:01 It appears Sheffield is playing a 3-3-1-3. This is always a dangerous tactic against Arsenal, ten men or not.
6:04 Reyes almost scores on a strong strike of the goal that narrowly misses slipping in between the crossbar and post.
6:05 Toure almost scores on a rocket of a free kick. But it went straight to Kenny, the United keeper.
6:10 There are fifteen minutes left to play and the Highbury crowd is starting to sound a bit restless.
6:11 GOALLLL! And it is Robert Pires who plays the role of super sub, scoring after Kenny couldn't hang onto a short range strike.
6:15 Just ten minutes to go and things are looking bleak for Sheffield. Arsenal is controlling the ball. Sheffield United make a few substitutions. Too bad they don't have the depth of Arsenal.
6:18 Almunia looks a bit tentative taking care of a cross. An Almunia mistake may be Sheffield United's best chance of salvaging a replay at this late stage of the game.
6:19 And in comes the amazing Pascal Cygan. Strike that last note. A Pascal Cygan mistake might be Sheffield United's best chance of salvaging a replay at this late stage of the game.
6:23 WOWWWWW. ARSENAL HAND BALL IN THE BOX. PENALTY! It's Senderos who made the mistake. Senderos? Never heard of him. Didn't even know he was on the pitch. This is probably his last Arsenal game.
6:24 GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! Sheffield United equalizes. It's 1-1 thanks to Andy Gray's cool shot that sends Almunia the wrong way as stoppage time begins. Little Sheffield gets the miracle it needs. And it was well deserved. They've really played hard today and kept up with the speedy Gunners.
6:27 GAME OVER. That's the beauty of the FA cup. A little team gets some glory against one of the biggest squads in Europe. This one will be decided in a replay, with Sheffield hosting. See you then.
posted by The Soccer Writer at 5:17 AM
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