Sport-Blog.com

Saturday 16 Dec 2006

Arsenal 2 Portsmouth 2
Arsene Wenger's plan of resting Emmanuel Adebayor nearly back fired big time. With Thierry Henry injured, Wenger opted to start Jeremie Aliadiere instead of Adebayor, but the Frenchman was almost anonymous and did not have an impact at all. Soon, Portsmouth were up two goals. With the home fans booing during half time, Wenger had no choice but to play Adebayor. His introduction changed the game, as he scored within minutes on coming on, thanks to a superb assist by Cesc Fabregas. Theo Walcott came on early in the first half when Freddie Ljungberg was injured. Walcott's pace definitely caused some problems for Portsmouth's defence.

It was another case of poor set piece defending from Arsenal that once again caused them to go behind, this time two goals behind, at home. It was to their credits that they could come back to preserve their unbeaten home record. But when will they learn?

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said, "After we went two goals down we had to show we are a special team and show special character and determination. We did and I can't praise my players enough. We showed how good we are, but I thought we should have won the game in the end because we created so many chances. I was sent from the dug-out because I spoke to the officials at half-time and suggested it was not a free-kick that led to their first goal. I just couldn't see how that was a free-kick and to be punished in that way by conceding a goal was hard to take."
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp said, "At two up I thought we were sitting comfortably, but in the end we will settle for a point. It is a fantastic result for us and the Portsmouth players have been fantastic this season. Arsenal put pressure on us after they got back in the game, but we hung in there and I'm delighted. To be in the top four alongside teams like Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal is incredible."

Arsenal
Jens Lehmann, Gael Clichy, Johan Djourou, Emmanuel Eboue (Mathieu Flamini), Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Aleksandr Hleb, Fredrik Ljungberg (Theo Walcott), Gilberto Silva, Jeremie Aliadiere (Emmanuel Adebayor), Robin van Persie
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Senderos
Goals: Adebayor 58, Silva 60

Portsmouth
David James, Sol Campbell, Glen Johnson, Noe Pamarot, Linvoy Primus, Matthew Taylor, Sean Davis, Gary O'Neil, Miguel Pedro Mendes, David Thompson (Niko Kranjcar), Nwankwo Kanu (Richard Hughes)
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, O'Brien, Douala
Booked: Johnson, O'Neil
Goals: Pamarot 45, Taylor 47

Referee: Bennett, S
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Attendance: 60,037

Newcastle 2 Watford 1
Even in the defeat by Chelsea, one could sense that this Newcastle team has a renewed sense of determination. Despite all their injury problems, they have been playing better and better. More importantly, they are getting results. Obafemi Martins is fast becoming one of the deadliest strikers in the Premiership, scoring his 8th and his 9th goals of the season against Watford.

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder said, "We had to pull out all the stops to get the victory. Watford are difficult to play against and they made it hard for us but we just about deserved the three points. But we coped with them well and when we had the chance we played some good stuff. We're delighted to have got our home form back on track."
Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd said, "The performance was good and there were a lot of positives that point to us winning. We have improved since we have come into this division and we need to keep doing that. When we play as well as we have in this game you expect to win but we didn't. I am surrounded by a tough group of players and we have to keep going and keep fighting."

Newcastle
Shay Given, Celestine Babayaro, Paul Huntington, Peter Ramage, Nicky Butt (Scott Parker), Kieron Dyer, Belozoglu Emre (Damien Duff), James Milner, Antoine Sibierski, Steven Taylor, Obafemi Martins
Subs Not Used: Srnicek, Rossi, Pattison.
Goals: Martins 49, 85

Watford
Richard Lee, James Chambers (Adrian Mariappa), Jay DeMerit, Danny Shittu, Jordan Stewart, Alhassan Bangura, Gavin Mahon, Hameur Bouazza, Darius Henderson, Tommy Smith (Damien Francis), Ashley Young
Subs Not Used: Chamberlain, Powell, McNamee
Goals: Bouazza 57

Referee: Atkinson, M
Venue: St James' Park
Attendance: 49,231