Arsenal crashed out of the Dallas Cup at the semi-final stage this morning, losing 2-0 to Eintracht Frankfurt. An early goal from Okan Durci set the Germans on their way, before a late Dustin Ernst strike wrapped it up, on a frustrating night in America.
Steve Bould was rocked by a late injury to Luke Freeman before kick off, but looked to compensate by bringing Jeffrey Monakana in for his first start of the competition. Roarie Deacon led the line, while Josh Rees was surprisingly left on the bench.
ARSENAL: Martínez; Hajrovic, Boateng, Angha; Brislen-Hall; Frimpong, Ebecilio; Monakana, Ozyakup, Henderson; Deacon.
Arsenal began slowly in every one of their group games, and continued that trend against a defensive and well organised Frankfurt side. Okan Durci almost opened the scoring seconds in, when he collected a sloppy Ozyakup pass and curled a left foot shot that just went over Martínez’s cross bar.
The Gunners tried to press forward, but found their German opponents a difficult match, with their quick and aggressive way of closing the ball down. Deacon then created space in the box after a successful passing move, but after he lost possession, Frankfurt broke away, and grabbed the opener. Schmidt burst away from Hajrovic down the right, and crossed for Durci to turn home from close range. 1-0.
Martínez denied Durci a second shortly after, as he saved brilliantly as the winger tried to go around him. Angha then hacked a header off the line, as Arsenal battled back from the brink. The ineffective Monakana was replaced with Ansah before half time, and it payed instant dividends.
Ansah’s clever lay off on the edge of the box found Frimpong, and he lashed a pile driver that flew just wide. It was a significant chance in a half of few opportunities for Steve Bould’s boys.
A half time re-shuffle saw Montiero replace Frimpong, and the early signs were positive. Arsenal began to pass the ball better, but as the minutes ticked on, they struggled to create any clear chances.
A Henderson free-kick caused panic at the back, but it was cleared, and Frankfurt broke again. The resulting move almost made it 2-0, when a cross-shot from Schmidt looked to have caught Martínez out, only for it to bounce over.
Ansah then headed an Ebecilio cross onto the roof of the net, but the Dallas heat began to get to the players in the closing stages. The coaching staff and impressive gathering of American Gooners tried to urge the team on, but it was to no avail. Substitute Dustin Ernst sealed the win late on, when he finished confidently beyond Martínez. 2-0.
The late strike confirmed the result on a hugely disappointing evening. The loss of Freeman to injury before kick off was no doubt a bitter blow, but Arsenal proved to be one-dimensional against the well organised Germans.
Henderson was extremely poor. Shame, when he’s meant to be destined for the first team. Though, I wonder how much comments like those affect someone’s performances.
Thanks Jamie. Very disappointing had high hopes coming into this game. Freeman big loss to the attacking output. Feel Bould failed to respond to his lack of fire power when other options were available to him at the start and throughout the game. Still they’ll learn much about themselves and the coaches about their abilities.
I agree with you. I felt he got the initial selection wrong, then failed to make changes quick enough.
Frimpong, Ozyakup, Hajrovic were all pretty poor, especially the latter two. Impressed by Deacon and Angha again. Both Gooners, both battled for the cause.
Very flat performance from the Arsenal. Martinez was our best player, brought off some fine saves. Angha was accomplished at the back, Hajrovic very poor, got caught in possession and slow to get back. Frimpong and Henderson nice touches, but did not take control, as they should be able to, with first team aspirations. Lack of movement between midfield and attack, very similar to the first team in recent weeks. Overall a great experience, hopefully they’ll learn from it and grow from here.
Arsenal players seemed much less up for it than Frankfurt. It looked like the first team playing ManU away from home. Too cool to be seen battling for the cause. Frankfurt with 11 players in their own half, wait for Arsenal to run out of ideas, then counter attack at pace just to see if the pressure tells, and their offensive movement was better than the final ball, thankfully or it could have been 5-0.
Arsenal completely devoid of width. The first half down the right they didn’t even play it out to Hajrovic, who never moves beyond the midfielders anyway, and neither Monakana nor Deacon got any joy. Henderson not going past anyone out left. What’s the point of him out there? To send in lovely left footed crosses to, er, three defenders, the goalkeeper, and Rory Deacon?
Next problem no creativity through the center for the first half: Frimpong was playing the Cesc position – LOL! Ozykup of course looking better there but he’s no Aneke and needs two options to make the defenders less certain. Besides, by then they were parking the bus and just like the first team the players don’t move the ball fast enough from side to side to pull defenders out of position. We don’t play for free kicks. They can’t get heads on the ones we do win. When chasing the game we rarely have two players in the box b/c we stick to a 4-2-1-2-1, sometimes shaping up in a 4-3-2-1. But the 1 never sees the ball.
Except once, when Ansah missed a header, then the other time we actually got numbers in the penalty area with the ball out wide Ansah doesn’t run hard enough to the near post to free up the space behind him for the onrushing (unmarked) midfielders and Ansah’s[!] defender makes an easy clearance just behind the penalty spot.
For both goals (and several other scary moments) our defenders got caught in possession on the halfway line.
Overall a performance very familiar to a burned out first team. In the end, the much more balanced side that put in the much better team performance won.
It is no surprise really.The youth team is just like the first team.I do no mean they are a bunch of bottlers.The problem is in the tactics.If we play against a defensive and disciplined sides we will always lose just like Barca vs Inter and real madrid.Making 30 or 40 pointless passes in midfielder and in the end going wide then crossing and the opposition clearing is not working.Making 4-5 quick moves and then shooting is better.The management is at fault for that not the players.
Seems like the first time we met a proper team in the comp we frooze.J S does banfield also have a knock,i didnt see his name in ur tweet
I think the players where a bit tired and look burn out because they didn’t pass the ball as quick as possible to create chance and the loss of freeman before the game was a big blow because he could have made the forwards look more dangerous and he could also create chance or score like he has been doing in the last 3 game of the group stage so they just have to learn from their mistake and get better.
This was a good experience for the lads, but the same applies with our first team coaches. Get to know your opponents and arrange your squad accordingly. Not one suit fits all!
All arsenal teams are the same. When it comes to the big games. We just ain’t good enough.
@thebearman exactly what we dont.We rarely study our opponents b4 playing them & only if u know them that u dont get too amazed by their play.@Gabriel isiah did u see d match
Only a few players have a chance of breaking through our best crop was the fa youth cup winning one ie Lansbury, wilshere, Bartley
The arsenal defence is a shambles and the midfield is too central orientated. We don’t have wingers and so we look predictable and teams can shut us out. Why was Henderson playing left wing? He’s better central. Kyle ebecillio he’s another dreadful midfielder why did we buy him aneke and jack jebb are better
I remember you saying why buy CM when we already had Webb and Rees. As you can see webb has not reach the expectation, only Rees did and Ebecilio who we bought has also reach the expectations and even had adopt faster than we thought he would They both have an awful long way to go before we can see them for the first team.
Nothing is for sure and I also hope that Jebb will leap frog a couple of years like wilshere did. So far Rees is looking to do so and maybe we will see him sooner than we expect.
Ebecilio had a really decent game even in a packed midfield. With no width the middle gets crowded and he coped well.
Josh rees looked brilliant as a central midfielder.
But ever since hes been playing as a right back, right winger dodnt get it.
callum webb is awful never rated him to be honest. Rees has always been the better footballer.
Kyle ebecillio is terrible. Hes slow, misplaces passes, touch is awful i cant believe we signed him.
Surely we need to sign some fast, pacy players.
Phil roberts is an exiciting talent we need more players like him.
Ozyakup isnt good enough, frimpong isnt good enough we need to produce better players or recruit players.
We are arsenal football club not leyton orient.
The standard of players should get better each year.
Ever since the fa youth cuo winning side most of these youth teams have been crap
why do you think we buy players? its because some is not good enough and needs to be replaced. But we can’t bring in and produce world class youths all the time. and to produce players for league 1 football is not a bad merit. at youth level things change very very fast. being bad at one year doesn’t mean you can’t be good next year and then end up being world class. How many knew who zidane was when he was 18-19?
“But arsneal proved to be one-dimensional against thw well organised [insert team here]”.
That statement applies to all the team at arsenal, unfortunately.
We are recruiting rubbish players alot of money has been wasted. Liam Brady has done a fantastic job maybe it’s time for a change. Bring someone younger alot of arsenal coaches, scouts have had problems with Brady maybe it’s time we replace him
almost everyone in the first team is brought in by a young age. only few success. and what if everything just went wrong? its not like we can rewind time and do everything the like it used to be. just because we don’t bring many english players from the academy to the first team doesn’t mean we have to replace him and suddenly we will bring up many many english players… just stupid to think so.
off topic guys!
i just read news and hope its true, ryo miyaichi could be called to play for japan in copa america in july and that could earn him a work permit.
also galindo for bolivia if he gets games at salamanca.
Japan has pulled out of the Copa America so miyaichi wont be playing then.
2010-2011 season R.I.P
Push the headstone over and jump up and down on the grave !!! :)
where is alban bonjaku why he is not in this cup for arsenal team…..