Partizan Belgrade 1 – 3 Arsenal (Report + Highlights + Some News)

This is a good win, and the team is showing the ability to bounce back from a bad defeat against WBA and be ready to face the oil-funded, cunts infested team next Sunday.  We started them match pretty well, with Arshavin looking to be on fire.  The first goal came when Wilshere and Arshavin decided that it was time to take the Belgrade defense on their own.  A lovely Wilshere back heel setup AA to shoot with aplomb into the net, past the keeper.  Just for the records, that’s the second goal Wilshere setups this season with a back heel.

Then Arsenal had many occasions to score, but a combination of good goalkeeping from the Belgrade keeper and poor finishing meant the score stayed as it is until Denilson’s mind went numb when he allowed the ball to hit his hand inside the box.  Evidently that was a penalty, which was dispatched by Cleo, while sending Fabianski the wrong way.  Some fans started to call Fabianski names for not saving that penalty.  That should tell you a lot about them and how they feel about the club and its players.

Next, AA was again at it with a delightful through ball to Chamakh.  The latter was brought down by a Belgrade defender and obviously, since being the last man, he got red carded.  AA stepped up since our captain of the day (TR7) doesn’t know how to score from the spot.  However, it turns out that even AA can miss a penalty.  So again here, we could see the lack of killer instinct from Arsenal.

The extra man on the field for Arsenal though would make the difference,  Chamakh scored a header after missing the first headed attempt.  Then Squillaci thumped another header to make it 3.  First goal for Squillaci for the club, so congratulations to him.

In the closing stages of the match, Partizan were again awarded a penalty, when Gibbs brought down one of their players.  Cleo again stepped up to take the penalty, however, this time Fabianski stood big and saved it wonderfully.  He also made another astounding save in the match, by pushing the ball around the post from a Partizan shot.  on another day, that would have gone in, but the confidence exuding from him was there to see for us all.  Here’s what Wenger had to say after the match:

Partizan gave us the game we expected – [they were] full of commitment, full of power on every break. We had a lot of the ball and created a lot of chances. However, we could not kill the game off and then we were always under threat. They came back with the penalty – afterwards we needed to keep the pace high and when we got the second goal I thought we looked comfortable.

Fabianski had a good game, we have seen the player tonight who we see in training. He had a faultless game. I know it is in him. He got it out in the game tonight and hopefully that will give him the needed belief and confidence. I am confident he will come out as a great keeper, I have always said that. We have to keep confidence in him and he needs to gain experience from games like this. At the moment Almunia is injured, we will have to see how his injury goes but at the moment it is too early to say.

[Jack Wilshere] got a few knocks and I decided to be cautious with him. Especially in the first half Jack, Arshavin and Chamakh were a constant threat. I like what he did on the goal because it is quick, instant reaction.

In other news, Kyle Bartley, who is on load to Sheffield was injured seriously in a match.  He’s got a fractured cheekbone and will be out for 6 to 8 weeks according  to his manager.  It also seems that Essien might miss the match against Arsenal after he was found to be limping after the CL match yesterday.  Chelsea will provide more news on that during the week.  Si I leave you here with the highlights, courtesy of Arsenalist.com: