Charlton 0 Arsenal 3. Match report.
Kolo Toure got a deserved start today and began right side midfield although he swapped wings with Sylvain throughout. As ever his enthusiasm was great to see and infectious. Martin and Sol were total rocks at the back and vying for man of the match. Seaman with little to do enjoyed some banter with the travelling Gooners and also managed to take anything thrown his way with ease. Oleg was solid, Ashley was fabulous going forward and is now more aware in defence. Vieira looked like he'd been resting up all week and was
once more keen to show how good he is. Gilberto is not only getting fitter but also starting to express himself going forward. Wiltord is perpetual motion with a dynamite finish, Dennis is just oozing total class these days and Henry is sometimes just so fast it's hard to believe your own eyes. When we finally got on top we were brilliant.
once more keen to show how good he is. Gilberto is not only getting fitter but also starting to express himself going forward. Wiltord is perpetual motion with a dynamite finish, Dennis is just oozing total class these days and Henry is sometimes just so fast it's hard to believe your own eyes. When we finally got on top we were brilliant.
Last season we'd slaughtered Charlton before half time, it wasn't like that today but there was only ever going to be one winner. Early Wiltord pressure told us that we were not about to ease off any throttles. Henry took some early stick from the home fans but I' ve no idea what for. The end to end football started almost from the kick off with Arsenal attacking the travelling Gooners end but the defences bossed the majority of the first half. Seaman sliced an early clearance into touch and it's a habit that he needs to break, he did it more than once today. Toure was clearly pulled back following a neat break by Thierry but the pitiful Dunn didn't want to know. Dennis nearly set up Henry as the Gooners chanted 'You've only come to see the Arsenal'. Oleg was getting well stuck in, our central defenders were dominant and good work by Pat was followed by some magical control by Kolo. Keown picked up a yellow for what I believe was his first tackle, emphasis on tackle. Charlton could have gone ahead but a shed shot was badly sliced. Seaman caught a corner while under pressure but we were countering like lightning and one such break almost saw get Cole in on goal. Kolo was held back again but Dunn has no conception of shirt pulling.
A shot from Lisbie indicated that Charlton were still up for it but at the other end Toure played a sweet ball inside the fullback for Oleg to cross. The rare site of Wiltord taking a corner was shortly followed by a tasty Henry run but he ran out of room. The Scum reject Young hit Cole with a rather bad foul which should have been an obvious yellow but wasn't. Shortly after a half tackle on Young by Cole saw a yellow gleefully flashed at Ashley by the fat controller. Pitiful refereeing. 'The referee 's a w*nker' was the chant that followed from behind the goal. Good pressure from Toure came to nothing then the incident I mentioned at the start, Keown picking up the ball after an obvious foul on Bergkamp, not given. 'You're a fecking disgrace' was chanted with much feeling. Seaman saved a good cross from their left wing. Great ball by Sylv to Dennis but it wasn't quite controlled as he'd have wanted. Vieira on the right found Sylv with a perfect cross but the shot was saved at the expense of a corner. Kolo fired a super pass in across the face of goal, it was begging for a tap in but none came. Kolo was then slammed in the back, nothing, so he won the ball back and it's a free kick to Charlton. Dunn only provoked further pressure from the boys though. Keown to Henry, a neat cut back to Wiltord and we win another corner. Charlton respond with a good header that's not too far past the post from Jason Euell, I'm not sure who hit the cross but it was a good one.
Oleg was caught offside in a slick move down our right flank. The pressure was kept up and paid off just before the break as Dennis cut the perfect ball back from the right hand channel for Henry to drill home low from outside the area. 0-1 to the Arsenal and we just knew that was it really. A great finish from the ever-improving Thierry Henry. One minute added time saw more pressure from Henry and another sliced clearance by Charlton. Arsenal left the field with a lead that was just about deserved and Dunn left to a chant of 'You' re just a fecking disgrace'. There are no screens, no clock and the tannoy system can't be heard unless everyone stops talking at once, an unlikely scenario amongst Arsenal fans. Apart from that it's a nice little ground.
A shot from Lisbie indicated that Charlton were still up for it but at the other end Toure played a sweet ball inside the fullback for Oleg to cross. The rare site of Wiltord taking a corner was shortly followed by a tasty Henry run but he ran out of room. The Scum reject Young hit Cole with a rather bad foul which should have been an obvious yellow but wasn't. Shortly after a half tackle on Young by Cole saw a yellow gleefully flashed at Ashley by the fat controller. Pitiful refereeing. 'The referee 's a w*nker' was the chant that followed from behind the goal. Good pressure from Toure came to nothing then the incident I mentioned at the start, Keown picking up the ball after an obvious foul on Bergkamp, not given. 'You're a fecking disgrace' was chanted with much feeling. Seaman saved a good cross from their left wing. Great ball by Sylv to Dennis but it wasn't quite controlled as he'd have wanted. Vieira on the right found Sylv with a perfect cross but the shot was saved at the expense of a corner. Kolo fired a super pass in across the face of goal, it was begging for a tap in but none came. Kolo was then slammed in the back, nothing, so he won the ball back and it's a free kick to Charlton. Dunn only provoked further pressure from the boys though. Keown to Henry, a neat cut back to Wiltord and we win another corner. Charlton respond with a good header that's not too far past the post from Jason Euell, I'm not sure who hit the cross but it was a good one.
Oleg was caught offside in a slick move down our right flank. The pressure was kept up and paid off just before the break as Dennis cut the perfect ball back from the right hand channel for Henry to drill home low from outside the area. 0-1 to the Arsenal and we just knew that was it really. A great finish from the ever-improving Thierry Henry. One minute added time saw more pressure from Henry and another sliced clearance by Charlton. Arsenal left the field with a lead that was just about deserved and Dunn left to a chant of 'You' re just a fecking disgrace'. There are no screens, no clock and the tannoy system can't be heard unless everyone stops talking at once, an unlikely scenario amongst Arsenal fans. Apart from that it's a nice little ground.
Dunn started the second half were he left off by awarding a free kick against Cole that wasn't even close to being one. Arsenal started the second half with a stunning move that flowed from Seaman to Wiltord to Bergkamp to Henry to Wiltord to Toure who hit it against the post. Wiltord had a shot saved for a corner almost immediately after. Charlton broke well following a rare error from Sylvain but Keown cleared. Campbell and Cole were both called upon to defend well before Dave sliced another one into touch. Johansson pissed off Martin with one in the back but Dunn maintained his white stick pose.
Vieira lined one up to blast but Wiltord was running across the line of fire and got whacked by the shot. Henry was shoved in the back but by now Dunn has lost his guide dog. Vieira having got the taste charged forward again and set up Dennis who fired over. Arsenal fans continued to take the piss out of Dunn so he gave a free kick against the perplexed Dennis. 'Champions' is followed by 'You'll never sing that song'. Both the fans and the team are firing on all cylinders by now. Great run and cross by Cole before shock horror exclusive Dunn awarded Bergkamp a free kick, and I'll swear this was the first free kick Dennis has ever been awarded in any match with Dunn officiating. 'Seaman, Seaman give us a wave' he responded with two fingers behind his back and a grin. 'England's number One' got the thumbs up. 'Get a haircut' got a grin and a finger pointing at the shouter. Oleg blatantly fouled Robinson and yet won the free kick. Euell again went close and almost immediately Johansson missed a close range chance. Dennis appealed for a penalty at the far end but it was difficult to see how serious he was. Campbell continued to dominate. Edu replaced the popular Toure and this was shortly followed by some more brilliance.
Dave was out well to catch high and threw quickly to Edu who hit a great pass to Vieira on the left, who in turn put a fine cross in the path of Wiltord who fired home for our second. A lightning move, 0-2 to Arsenal and we are scoring some peachy goals these days. What happened next is best described as keep ball at speed. It's a development of a game we play when we've secured the points and have just scored. Simply put we don't let the opposition back into the match, in fact we go further than just not letting them back because we punish them with some procession power play. It's beautiful to watch, the number of passes involved is phenomenal and the quick fire movement a joy to behold.
Cole and Henry both attacked like the world class sprinters they might have been. Henry fired in a cross with four in the box hoping to get on the end of it.
At the other end Jensen scuffed a shot. The immaculate Dennis was replaced by Kanu who looked in superb form and was playing 20 yard one, twos with Edu. Henry went into overdrive down the left and just as I was waiting for Dunn to give him a speeding ticket he rifled a cross that was cut out before reaching Kanu. Brilliant close control of the type only Kanu is capable won us another corner. Campbell sliced a left foot shot he won't want to remember but we sang his double song anyway.
The only double for Charlton was a double substitution but they were not on the same planet as us by this time. Another delightful run from Kanu, a neat cushioned header from Keown to Seaman and we were just oozing class everywhere on the pitch. We broke Wiltord was hauled down by Svensson, using both hands, on the half way line. Dunn waved play on and pointed at their man. Then failed to book him when play stopped. Svensson also fouled Seaman but that one was spotted. Henry and Kanu combined well but Oleg got a yellow card for a foul on Lisbie. Pat then won a ball from Robinson but was penalised for not only being the greatest midfield player in the Premiership but for wearing the wrong shirt. Henry to Kanu but his shot was held by Kiely. Kiely was beaten outside his area by Wiltord but Henry failed to capitalise.
The only double for Charlton was a double substitution but they were not on the same planet as us by this time. Another delightful run from Kanu, a neat cushioned header from Keown to Seaman and we were just oozing class everywhere on the pitch. We broke Wiltord was hauled down by Svensson, using both hands, on the half way line. Dunn waved play on and pointed at their man. Then failed to book him when play stopped. Svensson also fouled Seaman but that one was spotted. Henry and Kanu combined well but Oleg got a yellow card for a foul on Lisbie. Pat then won a ball from Robinson but was penalised for not only being the greatest midfield player in the Premiership but for wearing the wrong shirt. Henry to Kanu but his shot was held by Kiely. Kiely was beaten outside his area by Wiltord but Henry failed to capitalise.
Wiltord was replaced by Cygan who went left side midfield.
Another fabulous move down the left, Henry centred and Edu headed home. 0-3 Arsenal. 'That's why we're the Champions' 'Say we are top of the League'. It was beautiful stuff to watch almost an art form. Edu netted again but the assistant ref had his flag raised so it didn't count. When we're on song it's a truly beautiful sight. A couple more records in our staggering run fell today
but it's the football that is truly remarkable. Charlton matched our play for a while but once we were on top we mesmerised them. Gooners have never, ever watched a better Arsenal side and they just keep getting even better.
Another fabulous move down the left, Henry centred and Edu headed home. 0-3 Arsenal. 'That's why we're the Champions' 'Say we are top of the League'. It was beautiful stuff to watch almost an art form. Edu netted again but the assistant ref had his flag raised so it didn't count. When we're on song it's a truly beautiful sight. A couple more records in our staggering run fell today
but it's the football that is truly remarkable. Charlton matched our play for a while but once we were on top we mesmerised them. Gooners have never, ever watched a better Arsenal side and they just keep getting even better.
That's 15 goals in 6 games - so what was it Fergusmoan was pratting on about last season. Manure still being the top goalscorers and playing the best football wasn't it? Don't make me laugh, we're already 10 goals and six points ahead of them. True no team is invincible, or are we? Right now I could almost believe Arsene was serious about us going the entire season unbeaten.
Brian - One Life, one game, one team - three doubles.