Arsenal -v- Chelsea *Spoilers*

eirebhoy

Just over 40 minutes gone and its desrvedly 1-0 to Chelsea, Mutu with the goal. Only 5 minutes before that Gronkjaer scored and he was flagged offside when he was clearly on. Theres about 6 yellow cards already.

Pepe LeFrits

Great game so far, Chelsea just about deserve the lead considering Gronkjaers goal was perfectly legit. Strangely Lampard who seems to be Chelsea's key man hasn't really gotten into the game.

Bergkamp and Vieira playing very well for Arsenal though, Cole is really getting forward well too, its all to play for yet. Watching Chelsea though, they are soooooo much better than in the corresponding FA cup fixture last season.

Pepe LeFrits

REYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what a fucking goal!

eirebhoy

What a goal by Reyes. As a neutral he is the player I was most hoping to score as I hate to see young players with low morale. We will get to see what he is really like now.

Strangely Lampard who seems to be Chelsea's key man hasn't really gotten into the game.

I have Chelsea TV in my house as my brother is a Chelsea fan so I have seen probably 90% of there matches this season. A lot of people say Lamps is Chelsea's most consistant player but that is bollox.

Reyes again 2-1.

Pepe LeFrits

Reyes again, 2-1 Arsenal!

Hyzepher

Henry who?

Who says Arsenal are a one man team eh?

Arsenal play absolutely fantasic today - apart from 10 mins at the end of the 1st half Chelsea weren't at the races. Reyes looked great today but probably still a little early to get too worked up about.

Hyzepher

zAbbo

Jebus, give that man Reyes the ball, he looked very dangerous everytime he got the ball. Well Played

radiospan

Amazing to see his confidence shoot up after that first goal.

This is just what he needed to get over the stick he's been getting for that own goal against Middlesbrough.

Pepe LeFrits

That game reminded me of England - Brazil in WC02, as soon as Chelsea went 2-1 down they never really came back into the game. Lampard wasn't at the races at all, Parker was the dominant force in Chelsea's midfield. Vieira and Bergkamp were masterful, Toure & Campbell again excellent in defence.

Reyes first goal: http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~noikz/arsenal_chelsea/reyes_1-1.AVI

mike65

Should have been 2-2 the Gronkear "goal" was a perfectly good one.

Mike.

gandalf

Joy Joy Happy Happy !!!!

Now the big decision is do I ring the sisters hubby and gloat (he is a lifelong Chelsea fan). Naw I'll be good and take the high moral ground.

And as for Reyes, he look all at sea before he got the goal and then he was changed player. I am delighted for him and as an Arsenal fan

Gandalf.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by mike65
Should have been 2-2 the Gronkear "goal" was a perfectly good one.

Mike.

If Gronkjaer's goal was allowed it would have been 1-0, the game would have completely changed therefore you cannot predict that it would have ended 2-2.

smuckers

CFC'S lack of fight after Arsenal scored their second goal was disappointing. Parker and Terry were the best players for Chels today.
Frank had a v poor game and The Gronk goal was a perfectly good goal.
Superb goal by Reyes.

mr_angry

I felt sorry for John Terry on Reyes' second goal - he must have had a face like a chess board after ending up in the net like that.

Edu should have been playing all game - he was excellent when he came on in the second half. Campbell and Toure were excellent again in defence. Referee was a bit dodgy - both sides seemed pretty miffed with him. Particularly the way he booked Viera.

The Muppet

Originally posted by smuckers

Frank had a v poor game and The Gronk goal was a perfectly good goal.
Superb goal by Reyes.

Was there a Frank playing? Reyes was invisible up until he scored his first Goal which was an excellent strike but he had all day to take it. Chelsea didn't come out in the second half but fair dues to the Gunners they came back from I down to do the job, you can't ask more than that. Interesting game next saturday as if the chelsea players have any heart they should be up for it big time. Lose and its the end of their season.

Nice to see Laurens spotmanship in the Hasselbank incident too, he could have easily got him sent off but to his credit he got up and made light of the two footed challenge, he deserves credit for that.

smuckers

The only tackle that Parker didn't make was the second Arse goal when Viera threaded it through, Melchiot should have done better.:mad:

TwoShedsJackson

Lampard was totally anonymous and Hasselbaink was atrocious today, all he did was moan at the ref and the other players. Actually that's all he does most of the time anyway.

Great first goal from Reyes, and good bit of opportunism for the second one, great ball in from Viera for it, nice to see Reyes score and get his morale up.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by TwoShedsJackson
Hasselbaink was atrocious today, all he did was moan at the ref and the other players. Actually that's all he does most of the time anyway.

I'd say he's a bloody eejit off the field too. I've often seen Duff swing a few smashing crosses and Hasslebaink would get on the end of them and score, Duff would run over and Hasslebaink ignores him and tries to dance.

BKtje

reyes foprst goal was magnificent but i think he was lucky with the second hat cudicini wasnt on the field. Those two goals will do him the world of good

gandalf

Yep Chelsea are really missing Duff at the moment. Hopefully for their sakes and Irelands the lad is back soon.

Now all I want is to get United in the next round from the draw tomorrow. No more phoney war lets just get it on !!!

Gandalf.

Harry2001

Originally posted by TwoShedsJackson
and Hasselbaink was atrocious today,

In the last minute of injury time when Chelsea won that corner I could not believe the way he sauntered over to take it and then delivered one of the most pathetic corners of all time.

If someone had run on the pitch and booted him up the arse it would have been justified.

ether

I think the difference today was Arsenal were able to change their game when it

mattered. Chelsea were ahead for 60 odd mins of the match, Arsenal got the

equaliser, then went 2-1 up. Why Ranieri brought on Cole is questionable, surely the

key was scoring, wasn't Crespo there and Mutu who scored Chelseas only goal

taken off?

GuanYin

Well Reyes certainly showed his potential, be scary to see what he and Henry will be like when he settles in.... The first goal reminds me of Bergkamp at his peak (remember *that* hatrick againts leicster?)

Chelsea just don't have the winning mentality that the Gunners and Utd have, which is what will separate them from the top two this season.

I think Ranieri sees Cole as a potential English Duff. *snigger*

Pacifico

What a performance from Reyes. An excellent team victory. Defence was excellent also. Cole and Campbell especially.

James R

I wouldn't say it was a great performance by Reyes. He did little or nothing up until the first goal and lets be fair he had a week and a half to hit it, I thought Matthew Taylor's goal for Pompey (although closer) was better because he was under pressure and it was a similar type of unstoppable shot. Chelsea unlucky as Gronkjaers goal was legit and to have Reyes nip in just after Cudicini was subbed.

Saw on teletxt there that Campbell has pulled out of the England squad with injury so if he and Henry are missing for Saturdays game at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal could be in trouble.

I think Chelsea were very poor today and Schmeicheal was right when he said only about 3 of their players came out for the second half.

kida

Reyes was totally anonymous in the first half- in fact I only started back watching it just before he scored and when I saw Edu I was sure it was Reyes who had gone off.
Sullivan should have easily made the second one ahead of him, was far too slow and even still the finish was very close to him and just sneaked over the line.

Hyzepher

Originally posted by kida
Reyes was totally anonymous in the first half- in fact I only started back watching it just before he scored and when I saw Edu I was sure it was Reyes who had gone off.
Sullivan should have easily made the second one ahead of him, was far too slow and even still the finish was very close to him and just sneaked over the line.

You are absolutely right - and yet he managed to swing the game in Arsenal's favour - can we imagine what he will be able to do when he settles in and becomes alot more comfortable and confident??

Hyzepher

Big Ears

the same peopl who say nistelrooy is a better player than henry ( becasue he only scores goals and nothing else ) are now saying reyes did nothing before he got his goal, i doubt that argument ever comes up with Van horse .

kida

Arsenal fans here and the TV pundits all admit he did nothing before the goal. Its just stating facts. In the first half he didn't get involved in any build up play and lost the ball easily any time he did get it.

The Muppet

Originally posted by Big Ears
the same peopl who say nistelrooy is a better player than henry ( becasue he only scores goals and nothing else ) are now saying reyes did nothing before he got his goal, i doubt that argument ever comes up with Van horse .

Did you see the game.? If you did tell us what impact he had on ot before his goal.

Hyzepher

Originally posted by The Muppet
Did you see the game.? If you did tell us what impact he had on ot before his goal.

Maybe he's not there to have an impact - just to score goals. I'd take that any day.

Hyzepher

gandalf

Errr he did nothing really before his goal. He looked like he had no self confidence at all which tbh is hardly surprising given he cannot speak the langauge, he scored a OG in a previous game and it was only his third game. However after the goal he looked a totally different player, he was hungry, wanted the ball and looked very very dangerous around the box.

As for the goal yeah he was given too much time by the Chelsea defense can't see them making the same mistake this Saturday

Gandalf.

MrJoeSoap

I agree that Reyes did nothing up until the goal, but it was a cracker (Even if he did have time to tie his laces and still have ten yards of space). I think the second one was just as good. It shows he can get in behind defenses like Henry does so well. Other than the goals, he did very little... Seems he could be a Michael Owen type player, 16 seconds of possesion in a game, but lethal when he is.

The Arsenal deserved to win for their second half performance.

eirebhoy

I agree with Gandalf. I believe that confidence can play about 90% of a part in a players performance AT TIMES. Where he came from (Spain), players get booed by their own fans for scoring OG's and playing badly so there was an awful lot of pressure on his shoulders as he wouldn't have expected English fans to be much different. I'm delighted he got his confidence up to see how he does with Henry. Wenger rearly makes a bad buy anyway and he seemed to be keeping track of Reyes for a long time.

Pacifico

Originally posted by eirebhoy
Wenger rearly makes a bad buy anyway and he seemed to be keeping track of Reyes for a long time.

2 years

The Muppet

Originally posted by eirebhoy
I agree with Gandalf. I believe that confidence can play about 90% of a part in a players performance AT TIMES. Where he came from (Spain), players get booed by their own fans for scoring OG's and playing badly so there was an awful lot of pressure on his shoulders as he wouldn't have expected English fans to be much different. I'm delighted he got his confidence up to see how he does with Henry. Wenger rearly makes a bad buy anyway and he seemed to be keeping track of Reyes for a long time.

I would agreee with that too and I,ve very little doubt that Reyes will be an influential player for the gunners in seasons to come.


I do not agree with the "what a performance from Reyes" Merchants on the evidence of yeterdays 80 minutes from him. As the more balanced Arsenal fans have already stated he had very little if any influence on the game up until the time he scored.

GuanYin

Originally posted by The Muppet
I do not agree with the "what a performance from Reyes" Merchants on the evidence of yeterdays 80 minutes from him. As the more balanced Arsenal fans have already stated he had very little if any influence on the game up until the time he scored.

Nope, but he showed alot of potential. From when he scored he seemed very threathening.....

Dustaz

Great game all round I thought and no sendings off!

The most interesting thing about the whole match was the offside goal. There clearly was a player offside but not the player who scored (i think it was hasslebank). Has the referee given a reason why he called it offside? Maybe he went on a one man protest against the latest 'gaining an advantage' interpretation debacle. This confusion will cause a major controversy yet if the FA dont clarify it.

Chelsea will be disapointed they folded so easily. Viera was the best player on the pitch by a mile and deserved his MoM.

Im laughing at the people who said that the player who scored both the equaliser and the winner in a knockout compeition had no influence. Reyes did nothing really in the match. Well, apart from get arsenal back in it and win it for them. Not a lot really.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by Dustaz
The most interesting thing about the whole match was the offside goal. There clearly was a player offside but not the player who scored (i think it was hasslebank). Has the referee given a reason why he called it offside?

It was the linesman that flagged it offside. From what I seen, the flag was up before the the ball was in the back of the net. I actually think the flag was up before Gronks headed it therefore the linesman flagged Hasslebaink offside. It had to be that as Gronks was clearly onside.

The Muppet

Originally posted by syke
Nope, but he showed alot of potential. From when he scored he seemed very threathening.....

I would agree for about 10 minutes after he scored his first goal he came into the game and looked really good but then he faded again and ended up being substituted.

kida

regarding the offside - Hasselbaink was actually level which made it a doubly awful decision.

jank

anybody see the red nose Dane make a fool of himself on the bbc
even bertie would make a better comentater than him, he is so anti arsenal it beggers belif and he gave harldy any credit to arsenal at the end of the game

hanson was just looking at him thinking how stuipid is he!

afcdave

Gilberto and Cole injured in poxy friendlies.....if it was 2 manc players Fergie wud be out for blood, blaming FA conspiracies etc etc

I imagine Clichy and Edu will come into the side for saturdays game, chelsea will exploit the inexperience at left back for sure.

Pepe LeFrits

It's not definite they'll be out yet. Henry, Campbell, Gilberto, Ljungberg and Cole may all be out or may all be in the team. I reckon the first two are definate starters, with 1 or 2 of the remaining 3 starting too.

afcdave

It varies according to different sources but I'm led to believe that Henry, Lungberg and Kanu are confirmed fit to play

Pepe LeFrits

SkySports are reporting that Ashley Cole is definately out , big chance for Clichy to impress at LB.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by kaids
SkySports are reporting that Ashley Cole is definately out , big chance for Clichy to impress at LB.

It won't make a difference if Duff plays.;)

The Muppet

Will Duff be fit? Chelase are very poor without him but if he plays I would expect a better showing from chelski than in the cup match.

GuanYin

Originally posted by afcdave
Gilberto and Cole injured in poxy friendlies.....if it was 2 manc players Fergie wud be out for blood, blaming FA conspiracies etc etc

I imagine Clichy and Edu will come into the side for saturdays game, chelsea will exploit the inexperience at left back for sure.

Edu has been much better than Gilberto recently so its not as big a loss as people make out.

I have an irrational hatred of Ashley Cole......

James R

Originally posted by The Muppet
Will Duff be fit? Chelase are very poor without him but if he plays I would expect a better showing from chelski than in the cup match.

Well he had a half-chance up until about Monday of making the Ireland squad and he probably only pulled out as a precaution so I'm sure he'll be ready, at least for a spot on the bench. I don't like the way Chelsea are leaving his shoulder op though. It could turn out nasty, I mean a similar injury was a major problem for Bryan Robson in his career!

afcdave

Arsenal not to lose I'd say but i hope clichy does a good job filling in for cole else Duff could have a field day.

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