Tonight we started our first game against Celtic in the champions league qualifiers with £20m at stake for both teams progression to the group rounds. The Arsenal team that started was not different to that which demolished Everton at Goodison park on saturday.
Manuel Almunia
Bacary Sagna
Thomas Vermaelen
William Gallas
Gael Clichy
Denilson
Alex Song
Cesc Fabregas
Andrey Arshavin
Robin Van Persie
Nicklas Bendtner
Subs: Vito Mannone
Abou Diaby
Eduardo
Aaron Ramsey
Mikael Silvestre
Emmanuel Eboue
Kieran Gibbs
The start was as to be expected as both teams came out and tried to play good possesion football and each had a number of half chances within the first ten minutes. One the 11th minute Arsenal looked to have scored the opener with Arshavin but he was deemed to be offside . The game still was at a lull until the 18th minute where a a van persie foul was not given and this seemed to liven up the game on the physical side. Celtic still pressed and caused problems for the defence but new recruit Thomas vermaelen was on hand to spurn the majority of Celtic chances.
The teams were locked together at most points during the first 30 minutes and both seemded to give little chance to the other of scoring. Arsenal did look the more likely of the two to score however and they continued to press the Celtic defence with Alex Song defending well as the defensive midfielder blocking the counterattacks. One criticism I would say of the team at half time was that we did have a lot of loose passing around the field and on another day some of those could have been converted to goal chances. The pressure was piling on Celtic but they were the next ones to have their shot at breaking the deadlock on the 40th minute but Almunia was on hand to make sure it wasn't going in. Arsenal However broke from the resulting chance and a Rifled Fabregas free kick got a deflection of Gallas' back and bent into the bottom corner. That was the last real instance of the first half and Arsenal did well to get an away goal.
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