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Arsenal ride a bit of luck against Standard Liege
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AP Photo/Yves Logghe
The irony of Arsenal going down two goals on a penalty kick wasn't lost on anyone watching the Gunners' 3-2 victory at Standard Liege. And Eduardo (who would have been sitting at home in London watching this match on TV if not for his ban being rescinded), of course, was the natural to score the winner.
What looked like a terrible run of luck and basically crap defending in the first five minutes for Arsenal saw the Gunners possess most of the ball for the rest of the game. Build-up, as usual, was crisp, precise and beautifully triangular. And, as usual, it was the final ball that was lacking, and attempting to penetrate a Liege side shocked to be up two goals was far from easy. But it was Arsenal's equalizer, with an Alex Song handball and a handful of players offside, that seemed far more shocking.
Another big club getting the benefit of a "deserved" goal? Perhaps. It would be difficult to argue that Arsenal were unlucky in this one. Sure, they held the ball and created some chances. But just as they faltered against Manchester United and Manchester City, what little possession their opponents had was seemingly more meaningful. Just as Gooners can breathe a sigh of relief, or even laud their team's ability to come back, they must realize its shortcomings.
A Gunner side without Andrei Arshavin is seemingly lacking in sparkle and incisiveness. There is still little depth in key positions, and not having Johann Djourou, Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott merely shows how difficult it will be in the late slog of the season with such a small side. Eduardo's possible ban didn't seem like much when it first dominated the headlines, but obviously his availability was key to this match.
While Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshire (and, uh, Vito Mannone) may be the future of the club, it's on those League Cup nights Gooners want to see them on the bench or starting, not against a gritty European team with experience. Perhaps it was Standard Liege's lack of recent experience in this competition that may have cost them three points today. Or perhaps more so down to Arsenal's luck.
[Daily Mail]
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