Arsenal 1 Hull 2: Gallas guilty, Hull outstanding - report and ratings
Playa Ratings
1 - Almunia, 7
3 - Sagna, 6.5
22 - Clichy, 6.5
5 - Toure, 6.5
10 - Gallas, 5
15 - Denilson, 6.5
4 - Cesc, 6.5
27 - Eboué, 6.5
14 - Walcott, 6.5
11 - van Persie, 6.5
25 - Adebayor, 6
26 - Bendtner, 6
12 - Vela, 6.5
But not yesterday. Outstanding Hull rendered us speechless and for the first time in 19 years of going to Arsenal (not to anything like every game admittedly), thousands of home fans clapped the opposition off.
And this was not even the kind of applause you might reserve for a lowly cup side who put up a decent fight but were ultimately downed. Nope, this was applause through the bitterness of possibly the most astonishing defeat of Arsene’s entire 12 year reign.
Lose a game such as this and the obvious reaction is to lash out at what must have been a terrible performance. The manager – so distraught post game he apparently muddled the name of the opposition – did just that.
I don’t completely buy that and nor, I think, did the majority of the Emirates crowd who clapped Hull. People say our first half was poor. Fine, we started slowly and did not blow them away like we have recent league opponents. But Hull were well organised and when they won the ball, it moved neatly out of their feet, in contrast to the more primitive skills of some other recent visitors to the Emirates.
Then we began to turn the screw. Cesc dragged wide when it should have been on target, Adebayor had one flagged out. Then Theo controlled like a pub player from Comrade’s left footed cross and the first of many superb blocks denied Adebayor.
We lulled for a while, but then rallied again a little before the break, while Hull did not so much offer little (their formation suggested they wanted to) as manage little. 0-0 at the break – these things happen.
Almunia was beaten from almost 40 yards and yet no blame could be attached to him. It was that brilliant.
There was an early warning when Cesc scooped a follow-up to a corner over our bar. But then Theo, who at once was our most dangerous and most out of sorts player, sped to the byline and when it looked as if he may have run out of space, pulled it back.
On another morning we would be celebrating the continued deHlebification of the side following Theo’s pacey, direct run and Cesc’s dart into the box to force the ball home almost David Platt like. There was a time not so long ago when neither of those things would have happened.
In fairness, our foot remained on the pedal. Adebayor – an easy target for the boo boys – did not enjoy his best afternoon but was unlucky to see a shot blocked, while another was dragged wide when he should have done better. RVP was terrific at times but one toe poke wide and one curler over the bar summed up his fortunes in front of goal.
For the manager to protest we are being killed by corners is bizarre.
And then it came. Geovanni collected miles out and I turned to my girlfriend (at her first game) and said “I don’t like this”. From the first minute he had looked their danger man and we should have closed him down. But every time you see a replay, the better that goal becomes. Almunia was beaten from almost 40 yards and yet no blame could be attached to him. It was that brilliant.
Then suddenly we were behind. I’ve lauded William Gallas for his timely Adamsesque goals this season. But for every one, there has been one at the other end where he has failed to jump properly. Once is unfortunate, twice careless and three teetering on unacceptable. For the manager to protest we are being killed by corners is bizarre. This is the third year of Gallas-Kolo and far less astute men than him identified their failings long ago.
That said: this corner was miles harder to defend than the ones that undid us at Craven Cottage or the Reebok. Outswinging, Cousin leapt brilliantly and sent his header so perfectly into the top corner that even a tall man on the post would have struggled to keep it out.
Chances followed. A cross shot banged against Bendtner’s head a couple of yards out and away. Cesc had two turned away, Gallas hit the bar and Vela could not convert. Then RVP hit an absolute howitzer that easily beat the keeper – but also the bar.
Sub wise, Bendtner for Comrade seemed logical but Vela for Theo slightly less so. It left us with four strikers and no wide men and deprived us of probably our most dangerous outlet. Denilson was seeing plenty of the ball but not uprooting any trees and Cesc got forward to support the strikers well enough but too often telegraphed balls to the flanks. Even Clichy was not his usual buccaneering second half self, though perhaps being paired initially with Comrade (out of position on the left) and then whichever striker happened to drop wide, had something to do with that.
There is some validity to the criticism our crossing was poor. But at least there was crossing – that has not always been the case. Nothing quite fell our way, Hull defended stoically and took their chances.
For them, everything worked a treat, for us nothing did. Such is football.
Table wise, we have lost to Fulham and Hull in our opening six games. Not good. The only saving grace is that United (at home to Newcastle), Liverpool (at home to Stoke) and Chelsea (at home to Spurs) have all dropped bad points too. Would three wins and three draws have left us in a better frame of mind? Probably. But we wouldn’t have any more points.
You can lament our failure to plunder an equaliser when we went behind, but frankly that is hardly a persistent failing. How many times have we performed far worse and still managed to rescue something from the game?
The concerns remain the defence (and if we’re being blunt, Gallas) and central midfield, where Denilson is industrious enough but still mostly a Cesc-lite at the moment.
I can barely remember a result like it. Yes, there was frustration in the stands. But the final whistle was not greeted with the boos that would have been heard had the Fulham game been at home. It was incredulity rather than anger. For me, what will be most telling now is our reaction.
28 September 2008 at 1:58 pm
How would Gallas react to being dropped? That is the best thing that could happen to the team - punishing mistakes like Arsene punished Jens Lehmann will send the message that complacency will not be allowed to set in with impunity. Drop William Gallas.
28 September 2008 at 2:03 pm
We will draw & lose many games this season coz we cant always outscore the oppposition and as it stands every team that can win more than 3 corners against us will score a goal.
Two defeats already and Wenger keeps talking about going one better than last season when we only lost 3 games. We need to step up to stay in the mix although I cant see us challenging for the league with our defensive limitations compared to the rest of the top 3
28 September 2008 at 2:33 pm
I clapped Hull off the pitch - they had a go and didnt even kick us. However, to say thousands is stretching the truth. As usual, loads left the game early, most left in shocked silence at the final whistle and I heard some booing which I found unacceptable - this was our first home defeat of 2008. Some Arsenal fans dont know how lucky we are.
Also quite a funny incident - there were a couple of Hull fans who managed to get seats and who got violent when the stewards dragged them away.
28 September 2008 at 2:58 pm
Perfect synopsis of the match. We expected the points and had a hard lesson in humility. I’m glad I applauded Hull City off the pitch as they showed ambition, endeavour and skill, which are rarities for any side visiting Arsenal. I don’t know what has happened to RvP’s shooting ability but it has been woeful this season. We also now know why Mourinho saw Gallas as a utility defender behind Terry and Carvalho. On the plus side, we have the superb Djourou waiting in the wings. Would Song have been a better neutraliser than Denilson yesterday? Does Cesc need a rest? Does Theo think he’s made it? Should Bendtner start v. Porto?
28 September 2008 at 3:02 pm
Steve - I agree that thousands had left early and thousands more had left before the Hull players left the pitch. But there were still thousands there who did applaud Hull.
28 September 2008 at 3:10 pm
Who cares how Gallas would react to being dropped, he should be released from club making mistakes even 11 year olds don’t make, and Gallas have done it 3 times in 5 games… Embarrasing of Gunners and playing like that they wold have tought time staying in to 10 this season
28 September 2008 at 3:19 pm
i think you gave van persie too good a rating ,he performed like a one trick pony needing 8 touches to get the ball onto his left foot slowing down the attacks every time,missed the target 6 times and was guilty of shooting from an impossible angle and not even hitting the side netting wen he could have picked out half the arsenal team in the 6 yard box!
28 September 2008 at 3:24 pm
Wow. All i can believe is that you are so shocked you are just numb to what happened yesterday. We were beaten at home by Hull. Everyone keeps saying they were great. Thats nonsense. They didn’t even press us successfully in midfield or even at corners where RVP and Cesc had time to pass the ball backwards and forwards between themselves under no pressure at all. We were simply appallingly bad. The front two were disgracefully poor. The sheer lack of effort is what was most astonishing. Watching Ade laughing and high fiving Cousins at the the end of the game as they swapped shirts almost made me puke. He could not give a shit that we lost and that attitude ran through the whole team yesterday and was why we lost. Cesc broke into a sprint no more than 2 or 3 times the whole game. Wtf is going on there? We had so much time we didn’t know what to do with it. RVP was completely anonymous. Based on your ratings you would think the team played averagely. Thats just not true they were individually and collectively awful and played with absolutely no heart. The two Hull goals were perfectly taken no matter about the defending but where was our desire to win that game? Even with their two well taken goals we were at home with lots of possession and we should have been able to out score them.
28 September 2008 at 3:27 pm
Totally agree with bergkamp RVP was shit yesterday any other manager would have swapped him for vela or nik at half time
28 September 2008 at 3:36 pm
It fuckin baffles me how are esteemed manager and so called “professer of football” can’t see or accept that we’ve got 2 centre halfs who can’t play together or indeed defend set pieces. Its been obvious now for 12months. I knew in the summer when we did’nt sign a big ugly tall centre half that we’d be leaking dopey goals again and here we go again. We can’t even drop that prick Gallas because for some God knows reason he’s our captain. Last night was truly turgid.
28 September 2008 at 3:53 pm
Great post Goodplaya. Let’s see if the team can give a reaction on Tuesday and on next Saturday. I still feel that the leadership issue is a problem. Not just the captain but just someone, anyone, talking to people and egging them on, like a Flamini.
28 September 2008 at 4:42 pm
Just to clarify, I didn’t mean the majority of the Emirates crowd applauded Hull, I meant that the majority of those who did realised something more than just us playing badly had gone on.
28 September 2008 at 5:48 pm
Disappointed is an understatement - but half expected it. Defensive frailties are always going to catch us out whilst we have Gallas in the centre of defence. I don’t believe Arsenal have ever really had a defence like the Adams, Winterburn, Dixon, Keown defence and unless some serious time money and effort is expended in another similar back four, we may as well forget this season and wait for the next. Living up north, I only ever get to see the team at places like Blackburn, Bolton, Manchester - and having been at Ewood park this season again, the defence looked blancmange like in terms of stability. IF we play like that this week, Porto will have a field day.
28 September 2008 at 9:44 pm
All of this ‘Hull played really well’ is a load of crap, as is the ‘Gallas is to blame’. Hull created nothing and spent most of the day chasing shadows, on another day they lose 5-2. Arsenal were guilty of failing to take advantage of their many many chances as is too often the case and in failing to kill off the game when they had the lead, as is also too often the case. I understand the sentiment behind congratulating ‘plucky old Hull’ but the fact is that they were crap and will be lucky to avoid relegation at the end of the year.
What is a concern is the amount of goals or near goals that are being conceded from set plays. But the issue here is not Gallas, who played very well as is almost always the case, but the lack of height in midfield, where all 4 players yesterday were 5′8″ or so. Effectively we’ve got Gallas and Toure trying to win the ball against 3 or 4 targets for the opponents. I like Denilson, but I think its got to be Alex Song as first choice partner for Fabregas to add a bit more physical presence in midfield.
28 September 2008 at 10:03 pm
Agree with Don Howe it seems Gallas has joined Eboue as a hate figure, I thought he played well his partnership with Toure isn’t the strongest Senderos and Gallas formed a strong bond until the CL QF. Hull’s 2 best efforts scored and unlike loads of games at the Emirates we weren’t able to get the equaliser. I don’t see RvP in the side once Eduardo gets back, the side already misses Nasri and I think the Porto game loomed large in the players thoughts. I clapped the Hull players with the majority of those in block 100 who were leaving. That was despite the fracas earlier with the 2 Hull Fans being ejected by Stewards amid punches from Arsenal fans. The stat that I find so startling and have mentioned elsewhere is we have had 30+ corners in the last 2 games and not scored from one.
28 September 2008 at 11:48 pm
donhowe - I disagree. Of course they might have lost. But the point is they scored two very decent goals, defended well and with a little luck were worthy of their victory.
vivb - You’ve read this blog for ages and you will know I have nothing against Gallas. But the fact is three times this season he has been outjumped when the opposition have scored.
Yes, we miss Nasri. But corners are no guarantee of goals and 30+ without scoring is not inconceivable really.
29 September 2008 at 6:48 am
First goal conceded: Walcott neglected his defensive duties. It’s criminal to let a player let fly from that distance with no midfielder closing him down. In that are of the pitch, blame should go to the midfield and not the defence.
Second goal conceded: We’re poor at organisg to face corners, and our players don’t attack the ball with intensity.
A disappointing game and result. Hull deserved the win for defending very well and taking their chances. They had more than a few chances and they can play. I disagree that they are crap. Their results so far say how effective they can play. Week before they were leading Everton by two goals to none before conceding 2 late goals in the last 20 mins.
29 September 2008 at 6:57 am
RvP: Enough to say that his shooting was woeful. He had so many shots at goal, and probably none on target.
29 September 2008 at 10:23 am
Just a thought but would we have conceded those goals if Senderos had been there instead of Gallas, I seriously doubt it. Gallas should be dropped, his head isn’t on the game at the moment and we are conceding too many goals because of his lack of marking. We must not forget Gallas is an experienced international who should not be making mistakes like this, something is not right!
Big Phil must be wondering why he was shipped out, we should bring him home at the end of the season and play him and Djourou, together those two would be great I think.
30 September 2008 at 12:42 pm
Gallas being dropped would be one of the happiest days of my life. The cunt cant defend and ruined Senderos’ career with us. What a fuckin gowl!
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