Arsenal Cruise Into Group Stage
Arsenal 4-0 FC Twente (6-0 on aggregate).
Arsenal made easy work of Steve McClaren’s FC Twente with an emphatic 4-0 victory at the Emirates in which Theo Walcott shone, setting up one and scoring another. Samir Nasri, William Gallas and Nicklas Bendtner were also on target for the Gunners, whose comfortable win should boost confidence after last Saturday’s low.
Arsenal dominated the first half against a poor FC Twente side bereft of ideas and incision, who struggled to get out of their own half of the pitch. But the Gunners only had one goal to show for all their possession at the break, a delightfully constructed move converted by Samir Nasri - his second in as many games at the Emirates.
The Gunners went into the game leading 2-0 from the first leg in Arnhem, and with just a few minutes gone it was clear that the question of the night was not whether Arsenal could bounce back from their dismal showing at Fulham, but by how many they would beat their Dutch visitors.
Arsene Wenger had made three changes to the side that lost at Craven Cottage, Emmanuel Eboue, Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure being rested for Cesc Fabregas, Nicklas Bendtner and Johan Djourou, respectively.
Twente’s former England boss Steve McClaren had an opportunity to restore some personal pride following his oddly accented press interview ahead of the first leg.
The Gunners took control of the game from the start with Theo Walcott’s pace causing problems for Twente down Arsenal’s right wing. Walcott won an early corner which Robin Van Persie whipped in menacingly, but no-one in a red and white shirt got a touch on it.
Fabregas, who’d understandably got a huge ovation from the Arsenal fans, produced a superb run and precise cut-back for Van Persie but the Dutchman can’t blazrd thew ball over with a first-time shot.
Twente were being run ragged, and tended to respond physically, breaking up the play with a rash of fouls. From one, their captain Rob Wielaert got the first yellow card of the night when he body-checked Bendtner. Djourou headed the free-kick wide.
But the Gunners took the lead with a well-crafted goal on 27 minutes. Walcott’s pace set up the chance, his centre being laid off by Van Persie to Nasri, who sold a dummy to three Dutch defenders before planting the ball deftly into the net. The goal all but guaranteed Arsenal’s place in the group stages, but they had chances to add to the score before the break.
Edson Braafheid followed his skipper into the book for another foul before Denilson wasted a chance to make it 2-0 when his shot was blocked by the legs of Mihailov.
The Gunners were soon queuing up to score, but Bendtner got the ball stuck under his feet and Van Persie missed an absolute sitter after Walcott tore the Twente defence apart again. Walcott’s decision to remain on his feet when after a clumsy challenge on him in the area was commendable, but his subsequent shot lacked composure and drifted beyond the far post.
Goalscorer Nasri made way at the start of the second-half for Eboue, while McClaren sent on Wellenberg to add a bit of steel to their defence. Arsenal’s under-pressure skipper William Gallas tried his luck from 40 yards with a shot five minutes after the re-start but his ambitious shot flew wide. However, two minutes later he was on the score sheet for the second time in the tie. Having surged forward he was in the right place to tap in after Bendtner’s shot was blocked.
Elia went down in the Arsenal area as Twente mounted a rare attack, but no penalty was given for Djourou’s challenge. They were entering their best spell of the game, winning their first corner, from which they were allowed a free header that Tiote couldn’t capitalise on, then earning a free-kick on the edge of the Arsenal box when Clichy tripped Denneboom. Walcott in the wall headed the kick to safety.
On 66 minutes, Arsenal changed gear again and made it three with the goal that Walcott’s performance head earned him. He linked with Bendtner as he cut in from the left wing, curling his shot Henry-style across the keeper and just inside the far post from 18 yards.
Adebayor had come on for Van Persie just before the goal, and after it Fabregas was withdrawn in favour of Song.
Clichy was booked for pulling back Denneboom, before Bendtner - who had not enjoyed much luck all evening, finally got a break and slammed the ball into the back of the net to make it 4-0 on the night and 6-0 on aggregate. So Arsenal go into the Champions League group stage for the eleventh successive campaign, and McClaren takes his side into the Uefa Cup.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Djourou, Clichy, Walcott, Fabregas, Denilson, Nasri, Van Persie, Bendtner.
FC Twente: Mihailov, Wielaert, Tiote, Franco, Braafheid, Denneboom, Heubach, Brama, Janssen, Elia, Huysegems.
Ref From goal.com
