Wenger’s surprise as long bad November ends

Champions
By Boris Mellor
December 4 2004

As Arsenal Times predicted Wenger was not panicked by the Press or the "results crisis" into breaking faith with his team. Some pundits had been vitriolic about Henry and Vieira.

 It is also the case that Reyes has been off form, but the main criticism was aimed at the "duo".Wenger stayed loyal to these criticised players, but there was one surprise, and that was the resting, or dropping of Jens Lehmann, the news trickled out too late for most of the press to react by this Saturday morning. After the match Wenger refused to elaborate on his motives – but could the dropping of Jens be linked to Arsene's statement that he had solved the weakness at dead ball situations?

However Birmingham were no real test of any goalkeepers ability, and the only one real shot Almunia had to save nearly went over the line as the keeper flapped at it. As for the rest of the game our defence or the ineptitude of the Brummie attack offered no real test of goalkeeping ability.

The match was hardly memorable but Arsenal played some good football in patches, however Birmingham smothered our midfield effectively enough to restrict any meaningful shots. But after 33 minutes Pires broke into the area and the Brummie keeper helped a softly hit curving shot into the net.

Arsenal now took control of the game, and Ljunberg was immense for the whole of play. Vieira improved as the game went on, as did Henry and Pires, Reyes made little impact and was replaced by Clichy halfway through the second half. Although Arsenal dominated the past weighs like a nightmare on the minds of the living, and whilst only 1-0 up, the fear for the crowd was that we would lose the lead. At eighty minutes Henry removed all doubts by getting the ball on the left and getting behind the Blues defence, he passed the ball over the top of the approaching, and diving, keeper to make it 2-0

Now the crowd celebrated, November was finished, its long dark shadow lifted. Freddy did not ease up, and in the role of second striker, a few minutes later, turned up on the right side of the area to give an exquisite cross that Henry nodded past the keeper to make it 3-0.

As the game ended the "we love you Freddy" song reverberated around the ground – followed by chants of "Champions". According to the press this week will define our season, balls, but a good start to an important week nonetheless.