Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea – Reserves – Match Report

Arsenal’s Reserves drew 1-1 With Chelsea’s Reserves this evening at Barnet’s Underhill stadium, in Reserves League South.

A Crowd of 903 people took their seats, as the two London rivals played out a scrappy draw, with Arsenal scoring on 20 minutes, with a stunning long range effort through Alexandre Song, before Franco Di Santo smashed home an equaliser on the hour mark.

The Teams

ARSENAL RESERVES

Mannone
J. Hoyte – G.Hoyte – Nordtveit (c) – Steer
Dunne – Djourou – Song – Traore
Fonte – Murphy

Subs – Shea, – Rodgers, – Ogogo, – Ayling, – Emmanuel-Thomas.

Subs- Heimann, Ofori-Twumasi, Fernandes, Woods, Phillip.

 Match Report

So to the kick off, the pitch was that of a typical lower League team, and Arsenal struggled to impose their passing game in the early moments, and Chelsea settled the quicker of the teams, however it took 9 minutes before the games first real chance came, after Rene Steer had fouled Ferreira on the right hand side, Sergio Tejera whipped a free kick deep into the box, and under pressure, Mannone flapped and took a kick in the head from Di Santo, but after a short period of treatment, the Italian was ready to continue. 

The Gunners experience in the middle of the park, stood them in good stead, with Alex Song looking impressive, he tried to get a foot on the ball, and get us going, but his team mates let him down, with both sides giving possession away cheaply in the early exchanges, with the midfield becoming crowded, Havard Nordtveit caused havoc in the Blues back-line, as he hit a long ball up to Rhys Murphy, but the ball ran clear.

Then followed a period of Chelsea pressure, Tejera found Younghusband, who hit a shot from the edge of the box, it stuck Gavin Hoyte and came back to him, Gavin then had to block Younghusband’s follow up, but Arsenal then broke out, Song took the ball into his stride, and played in Armand Traore, on the left, 15 yards inside the Chelsea half, Cummings stepped across him and gave away the free kick, Arsenal loaded the box with Nordtveit and Hoyte, but Dunne caught everybody off guard by rolling the ball to the unmarked Alex Song in the centre of the midfield, he took a touch, and from 25 yards, with his side foot, placed the ball beyond Stuart Searle, to hand the Gunners a 20th minute lead, Song seemed less than happy with his strike, however his team mates were clearly delighted.

The Blues then came storming back into the contest, 6 foot 4 wonder-kid Franco Di Santo fired over from the the edge of the box, then Sergio Tejera was next to try his luck, but found Mannone in the Arsenal goal a difficult object to beat, the game then under went a period of sloppy play. Despite our experience in the centre of the park, we failed to keep the ball with any conviction, with both sides looking shaky at the back, it promised more goals.

Then the game sprung into life again, James Dunne rolled former PSV defender Patrick van Aanholt wide on the right, after skipping forward he then played Fonte in but from close range clipped it wide, the ball in from Dunne had a little too much power for him to control, but promising signs from Neil Banfield’s men. Then Dunne had a similar chance, this time getting his cross better, it found Murphy who’s shot flicked through for Fonte who was barged off the ball, Arsenal had begun to step up the tempo.

The defensive issues were still their for all to see, and after Nordtveit gave possession straight to Smith, he played in Di Santo who from the edge of the area crashed high into the stand, the young guns would come back though, Dunne’s corner was excellent and found an un-marked Rhys Murphy, who just had to guide the ball in for 2-0, but he headed wide, he might well have held his head in shame.

Chelsea were then caught cold, Cummings stepped forward from right-back and tried a cross field ball to Tejera, Justin Hoyte stormed forward and caught the ball mid-air on the half way line, and raced forward, but with the angle disappearing quickly, he tried a shot from the edge of the box, easy save for Chelsea’s Searle.

As half time drew closer, the game fizzled out, with the Traore V Cummings battle an interesting one to watch, but at Half time, Arsenal had the lead thanks to that Alex Song goal.

Half Time – Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea. 

Chelsea made a change at half time, with Fabio Ferreira coming off, and Adam Phillip, the striker who netted the winner on Saturday against the Under 18’s coming on, Rene Steer would have his work cut out.

The second period started in almost the same fashion as the first, with poor passing between the sides, and the first action of the half was again an injury, this time Rui Fonte had his foot stamped on as he took possession of the edge of the box, and after treatment returned.

Alex Song then kicked Arsenal into gear, he rolled his marker and played in Traore, on the left, he took a touch, and sliced his cross/shot high and into the stand on a disappointing night for the Frenchman. Arsenal had created little, but nor had Chelsea, with Havard Nordtviet bossing the back-line, heading, kicking and clearing everything that was thrown forward, one of his clearances found Djourou on the half way line, he turned the power on and raced forward, but was kicked just outside the D.

Traore, Djourou and Song were all keen on the angle, but with Armand already having a Reserves goal from a free-kick he took the mantle, Song flicked it out for him, but Smith came racing out and blocked it, a huge waste.

Song was play-making again a few minutes later, he found Fonte who rolled his marker with class and style, as he skipped in to the box, his touch was heavy, and the keeper grabbed it, disappointing moment after great build up play. But all Arsenal’s work would be un-done, when Rene Steer tried to beat Di Santo on the half way line, he robbed it from the left back and Chelsea had three players to our two, Gavin Hoyte did enough to force Di Santo wide, but he crashed an effort from just inside the box, it flew in off Mannone and the Blues were level on the hour mark, poor play from Steer, and questions will be asked of Mannone.

The game then changed in favour of Chelsea, but after Tejera clamped Traore in a tangle of legs, it disrupted the rhythm of the game, and Banfield made a change.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas > Rui Fonte (68)

The Under 18’s captain Thomas, had been playing as a central defender, but now found himself leading the line with Fonte, who was replaced with Abu Ogogo 10 minutes later.

In between the changes, came another horror show from Steer, after being turned by Santo, Rene kicked his legs out on the edge of the box, earning himself a yellow card, Jimmy Smith blazed the kick over.

Steer was then turned on his own dead-ball line, and after a cross from Phillip, Mannone came, and flapped it out to D, where Smith fired wide.

With just minutes left, it seemed nobody would get a winner, with Arsenal now playing two defenders up front, but Ogogo did have two chances, first a header which he got wrong, and then a flicked shot, which went behind for a corner which Traore could have scored from.

There was just time for James Dunne to pick up his customary yellow card for a poor tackle of Smith, and then with second left, Song twisted and turned on the edge of the box, and curled a left footed shot in to the arms of the Chelsea keeper, and that was it, the game finished like we predicted in the match preview 1-1.

Arsenal’s Reserves are becoming very watchable. 

Full Time – : Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea 

Goals – Alex Song (20) – Franco Di Santo (60) 

Article By – J.Sanderson