Arsenal’s Premier Reserve League title bid was dealt a huge blow this afternoon, as the Gunners lost 2-1 to Wigan Athletic. A second half Callum McManaman strike combined with a late Joe Holt effort gave the Latics the win, despite a Rhys Murphy penalty.
Neil Banfield was able to call upon considerable experience for the game, with 41-year-old Jens Lehmann dropping down from the first-team. Jérémie Aliadière, back training with the club, was granted a Reserves registration and also started.
ARSENAL: Lehmann; Hajrovic, Boateng, Miquel, Meade; Rees, Ebecilio; Murphy, Henderson, Freeman; Aliadière.
WIGAN: Welsby; Buxton, Mustoe, Chow, Golobart; Robinson, Myler, Breeze, Rugg; Redmond, McManaman.
Arsenal may have had renewed optimism after their 2-1 win over Liverpool, but it was Wigan who snapped out of the traps quicker, forcing an early corner. Lehmann got his first touch as he punched clear.
The visitors then began to settle, and hit Wigan on the break for their opening chance. A flowing move saw Aliadière and Freeman combine, until a cynical foul from Buxton ended the move. Henderson’s resulting free-kick lashed against the wall.
Wigan had a set piece of their shortly after. Redmond showed Henderson how its done, as his curling ball picked out McManaman in the box. He pulled off his man and headed beyond Lehmann and into the net. The offside flag came to Arsenal’s rescue. Jens reacted by bellowing instructions to the young defence in front of him.
The messages didn’t seem to be taken on board, as moments later Arsenal were carved open. Miquel panicked and clipped down Myler, and a the referee adjudged he was the last man. A straight red card for the captain.
Lehmann was then involved in the final two incidents of the half. He first saved brilliantly from a Rugg effort from a yard out, then he kicked thin air when attempting to lash a back pass up field. It proved to be an eventful end to a half of few chances.
The second period promised to be the same, but on 53 minutes, Wigan found a break through. Lehmann again sliced a back pass and the hosts won a corner. After keeping possession well, Redmond slipped in McManaman, and he finished well beyond the on rushing German for 1-0.
McManaman almost had a second three minutes later, but the cross bar came to Arsenal’s rescue, after a powerful drive from inside the box. The Gunners were holding on, and should have been 2-0 down when Lehmann came racing out and lost the ball, only for Breeze to have his shot blocked on the line by Boateng.
Freeman and Aliadière had half chances, but the win was sealed in the 83rd minute, then Holt rounded Lehmann and tapped home. 2-0. It was a bitter blow.
A stoppage time penalty from Murphy made it 2-1, but the defeat leaves Arsenal needing an almost flawless finish to the season if they want to win the Premier Reserve League title.
You think a couple more Reseve games would help Jens be match fit to jump in if Almunia does another, well, Almunia against Blackburn?
Any chance we can just tell Chezzers to man up and play :P
Sounded like a frustrating game for the more experienced players judging from the feeds I was following.
awwww… how was jens and aliadiere? i hope they would do well..
If Aliadiere is struggling at this level, at 27 he’s dreaming about getting a new Arsenal deal.
Almunia is so bad. He had two good games against Barca and Man Utd, but he has performed so poorly since then, and before then.
Lehmann is just way too old. We should have brought in Shey Given on loan. I think he’s injured now…
The Wigan team seems to be mostly home bred whilst Arsenal have a more international brigade. All this lot and 16 out on loan! A so called fancy name Academy going on 10 years and how many players of Premier league standard has it produced? Cole and Wilshere. Is it all worth while? Is,nt there a few more Dixons and Boulds out there in the UK who would jump at a chance at Arsenal and probably end up better than all the 50 or 60 players now at Arsenal who are or were all going to be worldbeaters at one time or another!
Cole, wilshere, djourou, song, gibbs, B52.
Do you mean English? In that case; wilshere, cole, gibbs, bentley, and a few more too. What’s your point?
I doubt Wigan will ever produce as many PL-players as Arsenal. I doub we’ll see so many of those that beat our reserves in the PL either.
Also you can’t judge our recruits on this line up when we got more than one starting eleven out on lone. Put JET, Lansbury, Afobe, Galindo, Botelho, Wellington, Myachi, Frimpong ++ in this line up and i” bet you’ll see a different result.
JS: Could you give us some info on Freemans progress and chances of breaking into the first team? Since he has signed a new contract theres gotta be something to him. But he’s getting to that age where something has got to be shown…
y take aliadiere when vela is on loan, and the boss never lets him play. aliadiere has had tons more chances than carlos has had
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Did anyone know their position on the league table.miquel shouldn’t be relied upon he said he is not ready for first team action,it means he is not sure of himself.he got no skil,speed height even strength.
AW should have signed this fulham boy before joining man ure
may be because we played with 10 against 11?
Omishore d kid is tall but i also think he is not got it at least not yet btw for those asking about d kid in d ferroli cup alexander iwobi Jay said he’s our very own jay jay okocha’s nephew.We can only hope he got a little of jay jay in him fantastic player in his days a pity he didnt get d african best he deserved b4 he retired
No Aneke?
Bunjaku is 16 right? good to see him in our reserves
I mean ferolli cup squad
I mean ferolli cup squad & jay u can also do a little digging as u use to & tell us where his dad his from i.e which country he will like to play for
Does Miquel’s sending off mean he’s suspended for Saturday’s game? If so whose next in line for CB cover?
i was thinking the same thing … it said that arsenal have the best youth academy init?
i havnt seen much worldclass players coming out of the academy
yes we have 16 players on loan but how many are ganna make our first team?
Even though many won’t make the first team many players have passed through the academy and ply their trade in the PL/Championship.
We produce some good players. Not every player coming out of an academy can be expected to be world class.
We’ve nurtured Cesc for longer than he was at Barca. We brought up Wilshere more or less his whole career. We brought up Cole and on top of that have the likes of Bentley, Pennant, Larsson still about in the PL among others.
We’ve not done a bad job. If you draw the conclusion that every year or 2 will spin out one or 2 good players then it’s a good investment.
Danny Boateng had a terrible game, watch him for the second goal on the highlights. Terrible cover as last man and then just stands there watching as Holt took it around Lehmann making Hajrovic chase back instead.
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Boateng didnt play great but Miguel was up to his old tricks. No pace and no positional sense definite 1st team material.