A tale of two halves at Underhill on Saturday ended with Arsenal emerging victorious from their traditional pre-season curtain-raiser.
Kenny Gillet had handed Barnet a shock lead at half-time against a more recognisable Gunners XI, but last season's League One Player of the Year Jay Simpson (he spent the campaign with Millwall) and Dutchman Nacer Barazite hit back in the second half to earn the win.
Barnet's compact stadium was full this afternoon. Tickets had sold out sometime ago for the visit of the side who use Underhill for their second-string fixtures. In that sense, then, many of the young Gunners on show would be in familiar surroundings.
The list of substitutes contained just one player with a taste of Premier League action - Mark Randall. Barring Vito Mannone, the rest were all teenagers and Reserve team regulars. The starting XI was similarly awash with youth. Aaron Ramsey, 17, was handed his first start since moving to the Emirates from Cardiff City. Havard Nordtveit, also 17, partnered Justin Hoyte in the heart of the Gunners' defence.
Neither Nacer Barazite nor Emmanuel Adebayor, scorers in last season's 2-0 win over the Bees, started the match. The Togo international absent altogether. Along with the rest of those who swapped the red of Arsenal for their countries colours over the summer, he will meet the team in Austria for further pre-season training.
For the hosts, former Arsenal youngster Adam Birchall led the line alongside Cliff Akurang, with the Albert Adomah given licence to roam in from the right. The powerful midfielder had been ear-marked by Barnet manager Paul Fairclough as the one to watch and he certainly impressed with a series of raids down the flank in the first half.
Despite the overwhelming roars of support for the visitors, it was Barnet who started the brightest. Adomah was afforded too much space outside the box and, with the outside of his boot, drew a full-stretch stop from Manuel Almunia.
But Arsenal soon began to assert themselves and half-chances came and went for Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott. Ramsey's delicate through ball showcased what might be expected of the creative Welshman, and Armand Traore, too, was exhibiting some examples of why Wenger sees him as a winger rather than a full-back.
Then all of a sudden the majority of the ground fell silent, as, after Nordtveit had mis-timed a tackle, Gillet unleashed a vicious free-kick from 25-yards that flew blindside round the wall and inside Almunia's near post. Arsenal were shocked and it took until the 35th minute from them to produce anything like a shot at goal. However Ramsey scuffed wide from just outside the box.
Bendtner then applied the finishing touch to a sweeping move only to see the ball trickle the wrong side of the upright, and Walcott saw a curling effort flicked away by Rob Beckwith. Clichy had the final act of the half, but his rasping drive was too high. Arsenal needed to improve.
But as expected there were wholesale changes at the break with Arsenal fielding 11 different players. On came the likes of Randall, Barazite and Simspon. All three would have a telling impact by the hour.
First Randall forced substitute 'keeper Lee Harrison into a sprawling save from a free-kick, then Barazite sent a fizzing drive just over the bar before Simpson got the breakthrough, applying a thumping finish to Jack Wilshere's through ball.
Honours even, then, but the Gunners looked the side most likely to seize control; Rui Fonte and Paul Rodgers went close.
Arsenal were in charge soon enough with Wilshere the instigator once again. The talented youngster wrestled possession in midfield and surged into the heart of Barnet's final third before slipping Simpson into the right channel. In turn, Simpson bided his time and picked out the marauding run of Barazite who coolly slotted home beneath Harrison.
From that point on impetus dropped and neither goalkeeper was unduly troubled before the end; in fact, the majority of time was spent noting Barnet substitutions.
A successful start to things for Arsène Wenger's men then, and the Frenchman will certainly be pleased with the application of his younger stars. |
發表於 2008-7-20 03:32 AM
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Aaron Ramsey on the ball
Simpson celebrates his goal