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So there we all were at the ridiculous kick off time of 5.15 on a Saturday at the other end of the country. If like Bernard you got the train up to Boro there was no way you could return the same way unless you left before the end of the match. So as ever I'd like to extend our utmost thanks to the consideration afforded fans by the Premiership match organisers. There were 7,000 empty seats at the Riverside, so if you want half-empty grounds lacking atmosphere keep up the good work.
The weather was grey, very grey; the travelling Gooners were mostly wearing Cherry and an assortment of past yellow shirts when Boro kicked off towards us. With Henry injured and Freddie rested the starting line-up included our freshest old boys in Bergkamp and Pires, also starting were players unaffected by the midweek internationals which included Lauren, Reyes and Cygan. Campbell was still deemed to be not ‘match sharp’ as yet, is that 'Wengerspeak' for overweight or am I reading too much into it?
Dennis was captain and our favourite ref: Mike Riley was the man in the middle. Reyes looked impressive early on and opened with a shot that was saved low by Schwarzer. Pires found Ash with a killer ball that was given offside. Our passing was reasonably well tuned given the lack of practice due to internationals and at it’s sweetest when Flamini(?) put Reyes in to smack one against the inside of the post. Had that gone in Boro’s confidence which looked rocky at best in the early stages, because Arsenal dominated the midfield early doors, would have collapsed. But what ifs don’t win a game.
We were winning free kicks and corners and the Boro fans seemed not to appreciate the fact that if you upend someone it tends to be a free kick even if the referee is Riley. They particularly didn’t like the way that Hleb, whose skills were too much for Boro, went down when kicked. One corner saw Cygan’s header cleared as far as Reyes who shot over.
A long range shot from Kolo form yet another free kick. Queudrue should have been booked when he took out Hleb on a break but Boateng picked up the card for kicking the ball away. Hleb was then upended but Riley was oblivious. Ehiogu blocked a Bergkamp free kick. A rare Boro attack ended when Lehmann, who had a great game today, caught a Queudrue cross. Cole had to head clear another good cross. The lino helped Boro get back in it by waving for a foul against Cole, right in front of us when clearly no contact was made. Our best move and a fine chance went begging when a great cross from Reyes found Dennis in space but he shot over the bar.
A good run by Parlour was well received by the Gooners before the lump Yakubu was seriously late on Lauren. Reyes had another cross but it fell behind the advancing Pires and at the other end Boro crossed deep to win a corner. Reyes was on a very promising break when he was taken out but not so much as a free kick from Riley who failed to understand that players in the clear have no need to go down for no reason. Wenger went apeshit on the line. Lauren slipped in defence and Gilberto made a great tackle to recover. A fast break from Reyes became a total solo with a shot that was saved at the end of it.
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Arsenal kicked off the second half but did very little else. Cesc was warming up from the off as young Johnson had a fine run that ended with Cygan intervening. Reyes had a shot blocked but Arsenal were still trying to walk the bloody thing into the back of the net, as the travelling Gooners became a tad impatient. A brilliant save by Lehmann to save a certain goal from I’ve no idea whom. Lehmann saved again at his near post. An Arsenal corner was given as offside as the lino with the yellow and red flag maintained his low standards. Why can’t programmes indicate which official is which. I’d like to know the name of the official’s responsible.
Flamini was booked for preventing a free kick being taken quickly. Hleb went down in their box as we played one-twos into it, he was clearly fouled even though he wasn’t going to get the ball. Riley has given loads of penalties for far less, especially at Old Trafford, but not for Arsenal. Instead Boro broke away as Arsenal appealed, Cygan failed to head clear properly then goodness knows what was going through his head as he stood and watched a ball played into Maccarone who placed it perfectly past Jens. 2-0 we were gutted and our team had been.
We hadn’t deserved to be behind in the first place but from here on in we played second fiddle as Boro passed with confidence and we chased around like headless chickens. Our fans had been shouting for van Persie since half time to no avail. Cesc replaced Mathieu. A free kick against Dennis for nothing before Johnson was replaced by a filthy bastard called Pogatetz who ran onto the pitch and knocked Hleb over off the ball. Clearly under instructions to put himself about, which he did very well. That wasn’t seen by Riley but his next foul on Hleb was. Cygan tidied up as Boro broke.
Things went from bad to worse as Lauren won the ball cleanly but was booked. Cesc then seemed to inadvertently run into Riley and was carded what I assume was interference with an official. I know a lot of fans who would like to seriously ‘interfere’ with Riley. Van Persie finally came on for Pires who had started well but we’d totally forgotten he was even on the pitch at this stage. A yellow card was flashed for a dive for Rochemback(?). The floodlights came on as the lights went out for Arsenal. We didn’t look to be at the races for most of the second half. Hleb moved central to spray passes around but Boro were solid and we lacked our first half initiative. Pat Rice meantime was screaming for the defence to move further forward as Doriva replaced Maccarone.
The filthy runt Pogatetz jumped into Cesc with the sole aim of injuring him, which he succeeded in doing. Cesc stayed down. Riley and the lino, who had been crap, were unmoved. Robin won a corner following a brief solo but I’ve long since stopped becoming excited by Arsenal’s inept corners. Parlour fouled Reyes and Cygan got on the end of the free kick but put it wide. Doriva had a shot blocked, Reyes had a shot saved but like most travelling Gooners I’d lost interest as Reyes had another shot saved. Yakubu replaced by Graham as Boro span out time.
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Boro were due to beat us if only because we've had a long run of good results at the Riverside but they in fact beat us because be didn’t capitalise on our early good play and we failed to match them in spirit, physical muscle and resolve once they went ahead. Their goal against the run of play lifted their crowd, sparse though it was, and we were never at the races after this. I believe our fast passing game, beautiful though it is to watch, only works well when it can be fine-tuned which is why international weeks screw us up so much.
Back to the drawing board please Mr Wenger, we’ve lost some physical power and are therefore unable to win the fight that entitles us to play the world class football we so enjoy watching. Our fast passing game can overcome anything and anyone when it works, but right now it’s not always working to it’s ultimate degree.