Arsenal 1-1 AZ Alkmaar: no sir, this was not ‘typical Arsenal’

Argh.

I was previously three-quarter way through quite a detailed match review of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with AZ Alkmaar when my internet browser suddenly closed and all was lost.

Obviously I can’t be arsed to write it all up again (I have dinner to prepare, after all) so I thought I’d quickly run through my  thoughts from the game:

The late goal we conceded was not ‘typical Arsenal’ as so many pundits have labeled it (see video below). This is the first time we’ve thrown away a lead late in the game this season and only the fourth goal we’ve conceded from a set-piece. Two of those have been Abou Diaby’s own goal against United and Manuel Almunia’s post bungle against City so the media’s tendency to call last night ‘typical Arsenal’ is lazy and statistically incorrect.

In saying that we were a little shaky from set-pieces last night. A blameless Diaby shouldered onto his own bar from one corner while Alkmaar defender Hector Moreno should have scored from another free-kick. Wenger will want this improved to the standard of the actual ‘typical Arsenal’ for the clash with West Ham at Upton Park.

1-1 was probably a fair result given the chances that Alkmaar created, although we should have been awarded a penalty when Carlos Vela was clearly fouled in the box. Another joke decision and how much longer will this kind of rubbish go on until we’ve received sufficient punishment from the Eduardo debacle.

One of the main reasons we failed to add a second goal was a distinct lack of striking options on the bench with Nicklas Bendtner and Eduardo out. However when you consider that the one out-and-out striker who was brought on, Vela, probably would have scored had he not been brought down, you could say that our options were probably good enough after all.

Alex Song was again superb tonight while Andrey Arshavin  showed his class on a number of occasions. Robin van Persie was in everything and had three shots saved by the goalkeeper whilst also providing our only assist for the night for Cesc Fabregas’ opener.

Seven points from the opening three games means a home win against Alkmaar in the next game will see us through. Not a bad position to be really, especially when you look at the likes of Liverpool and Inter Milan.

Anyway that’s it.

Enjoy your Wednesday and if you’re yet to read the Arsenal FC Blog’s exclusive interview with Cesc Fabregas be sure to check it out here.

Have your say on Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Alkmaar by leaving a comment.

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Comments

  1. wat match were u watching. we were all rubbish. should have asked cesc why this big time charlie attitude comes on and we dont show teams like alkmaar any respect when this team has won zilch. win something then act the jack the lads. dont embarress urselvesthinking we will just turn up and win. paid for that stinking lazy attitude at the end last nite and rightly so. thats why utd are champs and we are not

  2. great video, thanks !! ❗ , so interesting to hear ‘Juergen’ speak English like an origin Englishman

  3. Doesn’t matter what people say,lets just pray 4 success.Cos,we’re almost d most consistent now,take it or leave it.

  4. lethargic i think.
    just came back from internationals, game on Saturday and now Tuesday.

    the real question is, is Mr Spaniard going out? Vito a third choice is playing, Fabrianski just got his contract renewed.

    The fact that it’s a late goal made it frustrating but it is a point, and if im not mistaken, a point ahead of Olympiakos. Plenty of games to go.

  5. nb, thats the kind of talk a stupid guy gives. u have a deafitist attitude and u should not write rubbish. u say thats why united are champs and we are not. did you watch united nearly being humuliate in the premier league? so what do you say about that.

    wake up u lazy brat. if u got nothing to say dont say it here.

  6. It was disappointing because of the late goal. Apart from that we nearly won from playing the whole game in ‘first gear’. We remian unbeaten, will qualify and will be top of the group.

    Let’s just hope that the lads learned (or re-learned) an important lesson from the late goal and be thankful that it didn’t happen in the league.

    Nasri was back last night for reserves!

  7. @nb. I agree with you post about attitude. It’s bang on . While it’s the first time this season we have conceded a late goal it’s all too familiar when you think about the last couple of seasons . I was beginning to think they were at last learning to play to the final whistle but it seems Im’ wrong. The attitude last night WAS “big time charlie” and it needs to be sorted .You don’t see your Mancs and Chelskis relaxing before the final whistle is blown and you’re dead right – that’s why they’re more successful than us lately. Arsene needs to kick some ass there and I don’t understand why he has’nt done it before now – because it’s not the first time – nor the second !!

  8. ah bad luck it never good to see work go away like that
    to bad for the late goal at az but I really am not disappointed about I mean we can go on and win the group still even thou we not be with 100% but it is always hard to keep 100% records but oh well. One more thing how is this typical arsenal thought that was using with free flowing football with great attacking stlye

  9. … but it was a typical Arsenal goal … I’m delighted with those goals all time again, 8)

  10. I thought it was a typical goal for us to concede. No danger, a simple hoof down the middle that we fail to defend. The ball was in the air for ages yet nobody managed to get a head on it and teh keeper was too indecisive to come for it.

    There was no urgency or determination to win the game we, played the whole game in first gear.

    We should have been comfortable at the top of the CL table but now we will have to put out very good teams in at least the next 2 if not 3 CL games in order to win the group when we should have been resting players. Sheer fucking madness to play so lazily in the second half. How the players can’t see that i will never know.

  11. IMO, we played well,and we failed to get all three points because of injuries, the game changed when alkmaar brought pele into the game,and he won three heading duels against vermalen,now if bendtner had been fit, he would have been the player marking pele on set pieces,unfortunately abou diaby so happens to be the tallest at that point in the game,so he got the task of marking the tall pele,and the rest as they, say is history. I take nothing away from this team, we played good,but for two games now, the team has had to rely on just one striker,and i´m hoping either big nick or eduardo gets fit before the game against WHU,apart from that we looked rusty but,were never really in dificulty.

  12. I was very disappointed watching the match yesterday at AZ. Those are the types of teams we should dominate, and we did nothing of the sort. The attitude of our players and their effort all seemed LAZY at best. We should beat teams like AZ, even away, at least 2-0. I don’t really think anyone played well. Arshavin created a few chances going forward near the box, but other than that he looked lazy. Van Persie played OK and should have capitalized on his first shot of the game. I do think we got hosed on the penalty missed agains Vela once again. Overall though I was not impressed at all.

    Let’s hope a different attitude and sense of urgency shows back up for the match at WHU this weekend.

    That was one of the worst games I have seen us play in a while and certainly the laziest!

  13. @nb, did u say Chelsea and Man Utd dont conceed late goals? Try and watch Man City Vs Man Utd, then Wigan Vs Chelsea.

  14. Some pretty idiotic commentary there on the video. Apparently we don’t have a good ratio converting chances?? This is a team that has scored how many goals this year??? And they admitted that there was a stonewall penalty on Vela.

    Anyhow, it’s hard to be too upset. We will take this group, and the tough tie will make the team stronger, more determined. Rolling over teams is fun, but it is good that the team keep their feet on the ground and are motivated to keep improving as well.

  15. We shouldn’t be heart broken as this is something we can redress to win the group. But this kind of game always determines what type of mentality you have. Regardless of how we have been doing so far, winning mentality comes from winning something which is in short supply in our team. If you win something, you know what it takes to win, and develop a never die attitude. This group has to win something first to appreciate that every game counts. I’m just praying that we win something this season so that it gives all the players a belief in themselves.

  16. The team seemed to have very little consistant spark. Its strange when it seems to happen to almost every player at once. Must have something to do with the international matches. I had a feeling in the pit of my gut that they would equalise the longer the game went on. The team found it very difficult to cope with the physical attributes of Pele who was very quick and strong with the ball on the ground and in the air. Arsenal still require a big strong player at the back. This player can start games depending on the type of tactics the aposing team adopted. Hopefully Arsenal will win the home tie. It is true what is said about Man u. They always seem to find a way of getting the 3 points. Its a sign of a true champ.

  17. @icehammer
    i think vermaelen is a seriously strong and physical player,he has a great low centre of gravity and a serious spring with great balance to match and iv yet to see him pushed off a ball,he flattened song in an accidental collision in the first half and that takes some doing….gallas is tenacious and never lies down so i think at the moment wer ok in this respect.
    the goal last nite was typical and i agree with those who said we showed the opposition a lack of respect,in fairness our goal came becuase of a ridiculous error on their defenders part and honsetly i dont think we deserved to get 3pts on the balance of it.as for their goal wel it was a smashing finish but once again diabys poor aerial ability and his poor concentration was exposed

  18. diaby loves to score own goals i guess….as usual no pressure..he is tall..always find the ball first when it comes to an air ball…but he loves to head the ball to his own net..poor diaby..lol

  19. I don’t want to think about what I would have done had Diaby knocked it into our own net again.

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