The Champions League game between Arsenal and Standard Liège at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday Nov 24 2009.
In the riches of the Champions League, Arsenal progressed once more to the knockout stages. But at a price. Their 20 year-old left-back Kieran Gibbs will be absent for the next three months after fracturing the first metatarsal in his left foot. The injury came in injury-time, and in a wild challenge, with Gibbs due to have an operation later today.
How galling for Arsène Wenger. Already without Gael Clichy - not due back for another three weeks - he will go into Sunday’s meeting against Chelsea understaffed in defence and will also desperately hope that his initial prognosis that William Gallas, who departed at half-time with a sore head, a bruised ankle and his eye swollen and closed, will be patched up and pushed out against his old club.
The Arsenal manager was angry at Gibbs’ injury. “He has a hole in his leg,” he said somewhat alarmingly after a “bad challenge” from Standard’s Eliaquim Mangala. “And it was not his first try,” Wenger ruefully added.
Indeed there were several hefty tackles from Standard who ended the match with 10 men after Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez was dismissed, with a straight red card, for stupidly motioning to headbutt Cesc Fàbregas after the Arsenal captain reacted angrily following a trip. Fàbregas was cautioned.
At one stage, Arsenal had just nine. Andrei Arshavin was also off the field at the same time as Gallas after the pair clashed heads and later had to have staples inserted into his scalp to stem the flow of blood.
The injuries proved a distraction. Against Standard, Arsenal set the standard - and a gold standard at that, in the first half, at least. Arsenal were quicksilver, quick-witted and quickly qualified from Group H. There was no need for expletives from Wenger after this one although he may have muttered some choice language at some of his team’s defensive lapses - the Belgian champions twice hit the woodwork - and some of the visitors’ crude tactics.
It was a tetchy affair although there was also rich satisfaction for Wenger at a 10th straight season of reaching the knockout stages. “It’s not been easy. If you put the 10 years together you can say we have been consistent.” They have indeed. Fàbregas agreed. “We can relax a little bit and give a rest to some players,” he said.
The Spaniard was involved immediately last night. It was from his corner that an extraordinary sequence of events unfolded. Firstly Arshavin had a header blocked on the goal-line with the rebound met by Carlos Vela, whose shot cannoned off a post to Gallas. His effort struck a defender on the line with the ball finally landing at Thomas Vermaelen’s feet and his goal-bound drive was deflected off the prone - and now dazed - Arshavin. Amazing.
Arsenal continued to press. Samir Nasri and Vela, selected ahead of Eduardo, were wasteful. Then Fàbregas swung in another cross and both Gallas and Arshavin threw themselves at it. They clashed heads. Arsenal were depleted.
Not that it stopped them. As Gallas, clearly dazed, stumbled back into the fray - wearing a gum-shield - his defensive partner Vermaelen launched a rugby-style punt in the direction of Nasri. Standard’s Landry Mulemo should have intervened, but slipped and suddenly the Frenchman was through to strike a first-time shot, right-footed, across Sinan Bolat to ripple the net and open the scoring.
It stung Standard. They were penned back but, in an impressive, rapid movement, Dieudonne Mbokani turned Vermaelen with alarming ease and struck a fierce, angled right-foot shot that thumped against the crossbar with Manuel Almunia beaten. Gallas was struggling and as Reginal Goreuz burst into the area he was clipped by the defender, although the referee wrongly ignored the penalty appeals.
Back came Arsenal and on the stroke of half-time, Arsenal had their second goal and nerves were calmed. Denilson collected the ball 25 yards out and struck a swerving, dipping right-foot shot that flew past Bolat. What did Wenger think? There was an idiosyncratic answer. “A typical Brazilian shot, a floating ball,” he said. “I think he has shorter ankles. But I have never checked it.” Off came Gallas. The tempo slackened, the chances dried up and it was Standard who should have struck.
The impressive Axel Witsel flicked the ball weakly at Almunia when he should have scored. They then went even closer. Substitute Gohi Bi Cyriac struck a first-time shot that rebounded off the post. Arsenal had the win - but no left-back.
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