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Lukas Podolski’s late strike gives Arsenal win over Anderlecht Lukas Podolski’s late strike gives Arsenal win over Anderlecht
(about 11 hours later)
Arsene Wenger had wanted something to warm his cockles on the occasion of his 65th birthday and after plenty of suffering, he got it. When Andy Najar exposed Arsenal’s worrying habit of switching off at the back to ignite this occasion, it had looked as if Wenger was set to add another worry line to his brow. For Arsène Wenger, on the occasion of his 65th birthday, and everybody connected to Arsenal, the beauty was in the scale of the surprise. The club’s number had looked up as this contest ticked down towards the bitter end and no-one was under any illusions as to what a defeat would have meant. Arsenal have an incredible record of navigating their way out of Champions League groups but their escapology stood to face the acid test.
Make no mistake, Arsenal’s Champions League future was in peril. But the response was stunning. Kieran Gibbs does not score many and he may never score a better one than the late first-time volley from Calum Chambers’ cross. The connection was a thing of beauty. Everything changed inside the last two minutes and Wenger could go from feeling another worry line in his brow to creasing into broad smiles afterwards. He suggested that it had been all about making it into the last-chance saloon of those finals minutes while still within touching distance – the dying embers of a top-level tie can play havoc with the nerves, he noted – and, having narrowly done so, his players started swinging.
But there was more. To Anderlecht’s fury, the referee ruled that there was no foul from Arsenal in the build-up to the decisive moment and, after a scramble, Alexis Sánchez crossed low and hard from the right. Kieran Gibbs does not score many and he may never score a better one than this. The run to meet Calum Chambers’ deep cross from the right was well timed but the first-time volley was a thing of high quality and the ball fizzed into the bottom corner of Silvio Proto’s net.
The ball ricocheted inside the six-yard box before it fell to Lukas Podolski, the substitute, who had only been on the field for a matter of minutes. The German showed no sign of any rust, and he fired what amounted to virtually his first touch past the despairing Silvio Proto. There was more, and it came against a backdrop of Anderlecht fury. The defending Belgian champions complained loudly about a foul on the midfielder Steven Defour but it went unpunished and Arsenal duly swept into their area. On the second phase of the move, Alexís Sanchez got the ball on the right and his low cross ricocheted before it fell to Lukas Podolski, the substitute, inside the six-yard box. He had been on the field for a matter of minutes and it was practically his first involvement but he fired with ruthless cool beyond Proto.
It was quite the dramatic intervention and it sparked delirious celebrations and, to a large, extent, it allowed the general torpor of what had gone before, particularly in the first-half, to be forgotten. Arsenal have a much-needed tonic. This was only Podolski’s sixth appearance of the season for Arsenal and it was his fifth as a late substitute. (His only start came in the Capital One Cup loss to Southampton). At one point in the summer, it looked as though he might leave the club and even Wenger has admitted that Podolski has been deeply frustrated. But the vastly experienced Germany striker showed those dead-eyed instincts when hearts are leaping all around him to spark wild celebrations among the travelling supporters.
Wenger’s birthday had provided a nice line for the occasion, with scribes duty-bound to report that he can now pick up his bus pass and the travelling supporters given more reason to chant about how he was having a party. They have a couple of suggestions about what to bring to it. Poor Anderlecht. They had conceded a last-gasp equaliser in their opening tie away to Galatasaray and they looked broken here. Never mind the protestations about the foul on Defour, they had created the chances to have made the points safe.
Arsenal knew that they needed to bring their A-game, which is something that has not happened with any great frequency so far this season. They arrived in Brussels having fired only in fits and starts, and to a backdrop of much soul-searching which, of course, is the standard setting of the football fan. After Andy Najar had scored the opening goal, Anthony Vanden Borre looped a slightly mis-hit shot against the crossbar after a slick Anderlecht incision while the substitute, Matias Suarez, was let down by a heavy first touch when he looked set to be clean through. Defour also had a shooting opportunity only for Emiliano Martinez to plunge low and make an impressive reflex save. It was a big moment for the rookie goalkeeper, on only his third Arsenal start and it looked even bigger when Gibbs and Podolski landed their punches.
Anderlecht had been scarred by their previous Group D tie, at home to Borussia Dortmund, when the swell of pre-match optimism had proved misplaced. And yet this was still a night when Arsenal’s shortcomings were apparent and there was the sense that the late drama had papered over the cracks. The pre-match talk had been about the need to maintain the defensive focus but the concession to Najar represented yet another dreadful lapse. Dennis Praet was allowed to cross from the right and Najar eluded what passed for the marking to guide his header past Martinez. Chambers had to be tighter.
The Germans won 3-0 and Anderlecht were left to lament a reality check and, also, the perils of over-confidence. Anderlecht were well organised, tough and extremely quick in the transition. Their pace in wide areas and in the shape of the centre-forward, Cyriac, troubled Arsenal’s patched-up back-line, which once again featured the left-back, Nacho Monreal, at centre-half. Monreal was booked for a first-half body check on Cyriac, which he had to make after Sanchez had lost possession cheaply to avoid being beaten for pace.
They were more cautious here, more measured at the outset and they settled into a first-half groove, with their speed in wide areas and up front causing problems. It was not only Ibrahima Conte on the left but the full-back Frank Acheampong – who is a defender in name only – who were asking the questions. Arsenal were disjointed and error-strewn; their passing was often careless. Despite the promptings of Jack Wilshere and the hard running of Sanchez and Danny Welbeck, they struggled to knit together anything of attacking note in the first-half. Their best moment of the half came at the very outset, when Sanchez beat Frank Acheampong with a trick and cut a low cross into the area for Santi Cazorla. The Spaniard, though, miscued his shot horribly. Cazorla also thumped a free-kick into the defensive wall after Welbeck had been tripped.
Wenger had stuck with the left-back, Nacho Monreal, in central defence, as he made ends meet in response to his thread-bare options at the back and the Spaniard saw his wings clipped early on when, after Alexis Sánchez had lost the ball cheaply, he was forced to check Cyriac to avoid being beaten for pace. He was booked. Wenger’s team did enjoy a purple patch in the second-half, when they created a brief flurry of chances, with arguably the clearest being for Sanchez. He stole onto a Cazorla free-kick but mis-judged his header, the ball coming off his back and allowing Proto to save. The below-par Aaron Ramsey took a touch and dragged wide while Cazorla shot weakly at Proto from Gibbs’ pass.
There was a disjointedness to Arsenal in the first half, with Mathieu Flamini sailing close to a yellow card, as ever, and losing his bearings in alarming fashion on one occasion, when an ill-advised dummy almost allowed Anderlecht in for a chance. Despite the promptings of Jack Wilshere and the hard running of Sánchez and Danny Welbeck, Arsenal struggled to knit together much in the final third. Arsenal were the likelier scorers at that point but a familiar narrative looked set to play out when they switched off to fall behind. This small and atmospheric stadium rocked to a delirious beat. Gibbs and Podolski, though, fashioned the sting.
Their best moment of the half came at the very outset, when Sánchez beat Acheampong with a trick and cut a low cross into the area for Santi Cazorla, who had timed his arrival.
Cazorla, though, miscued his shot horribly. He also thumped a free-kick into the defensive wall after Welbeck had been tripped. The pickings were slim, and Arsenal could enter the interval pleased at having kept Emiliano Martínez well-protected. He was barely extended.
Wenger’s team enjoyed a purple patch in the second-half, when they created a brief flurry of chances, with arguably the best being when Sanchez stole unmarked onto a Cazorla free-kick in front of goal. He misjudged the header, though, the back coming off his back and allowing Proto to palm to safety.
Aaron Ramsey took a touch and shot wide while Gibbs played in Cazorla only for him to shoot weakly at Proto. Cazorla knew that he should have done better.
Arsenal looked the likelier scorers at that point but they were rocked by Najar’s header.
Chambers ought to have been tighter and Najar was allowed the time for direct his header inside the far corner.
It was the prompt for a chaotic finish. Anthony Vanden Borre scooped a shot against the crossbar after a slick Anderlecht incision while the substitute Matias Suarez was let down by a heavy touch and Steven Defour drew a smart save out of Martínez.
For Arsenal, Sánchez curled a free-kick inches wide and all seemed lost as the minutes ticked down. Gibbs and Podolski had other ideas.