Charlton Athletic 0 Arsenal 1: Three points will do me

Sol chases down Darren Bent

We played five in midfield in an opening half where not surprisingly the play was none too impressive from either team. There was a major lack of confidence from both teams and Curbishley had made half a dozen changes in an attempt to cure Charlton’s poor form. Steve Bennett was today’s ref – a man who has a nil understanding of the game as he proved yet again today.

Lehmann was the first keeper into action but nothing too severe. Jens did well enough today, catching a number of high balls, taking in the entire area when required and distributing sensibly. Gilberto had our opening shot but the term shot might just be a tad over generous. The opening half was messy, passes went astray from both teams, confidence was lacking and good quality football, to use a Wenger phrase, was at a premium. Holland had a crap shot and Murphy had an attempted chip for Charlton while Campbell might have sneaked an own goal rather than a corner as the team in red exploited our frailties down our left flank.

Best move of the half started deep with Reyes and comprised a series of first time one-twos that took Reyes upfield to lay one on for Freddie in space. Myhre, their keeper, saved with his feet when a goal looked certain. Rain was coming down when Campbell headed wide from a corner. Sorondo should have had a card for my money but Bennett was as inept as ever.

A ball into Thierry saw him head goalwards, the keeper got a touch and Fortune cleared off the line. Bennett’s next piece of useless play occurred when Hleb was clearly fouled but the ball was through to Henry in space and bearing down on goal. Playing advantage is not difficult if you have any understanding of what the game is all about, only a prat would pull play back for a free kick and he did, together with a card for Sorondo. Henry took out his frustration by firing in a seriously crap free kick from about 40 yards. A total waste.

Gilberto screwed up and Murphy had time to say thank you before getting in a shot that went wide. Henry and Gilberto combined to give Freddie a quarter chance that hit the side netting. Campbell came to the rescue as a Bartlett ball to Bent saw him through on goal; Sol’s tackle was crucial. Granted Murphy had a hack but Young made the foul on Hleb that saw Murphy get a yellow card just before the break. A tedious half of football had seen little to impress apart from one blinding move, some half chances and some poor decisions by Bennett.

After the break Reyes did well to get behind Charlton but his cut back stuck under Thierry’s feet. We were still giving the ball away but had gone up a gear with Jose taking it to them now. More crosses from Lauren and Reyes before a deflected Henry shot won a corner. We were now working moves but were still narrow at times with little by way of a killer ball. Young took out Reyes and kicked the ball away but there was no card. Lauren made a tackle and got some of the ball but got carded.

Campbell was forward and found Freddie wide right who cut inside, slipped Titi a reverse ball which saw his first shot blocked. Quick feet by Tel saw him have another go that fell to Reyes on his right foot and he steered it home from close range in front of the travelling Gooners. A scrappy goal but did we care? Of course not, 0-1 to the Arsenal. We’d had more than enough possession after the break to deserve the lead.

1-0, Cue celebrations

Fabregas blocked a Sorondo clearance and the Charlton man kicked Cesc’s studs. Today it was the 50th game already for young Cesc, who is still just 18 years of age. Sorondo limped around after treatment but was replaced by Spector. An angled shot from Henry at one end and a possible handball by Cygan from a dropping out the sky ball in our box followed. It would have been a joke penalty if given but how many joke refs have we seen give them? More Arsenal pressure as we gained momentum and solidified our grip on the game with some much improved passing.

More crap refereeing as Hreidarson kneed Henry in the back, a free kick and words instead of a yellow for the Charlton number 3. But Murphy was upset and chucked the ball into the ground, he didn’t chuck it away and he didn’t tell the ref to feck-off as they do at Old Trollop, but he got a second yellow anyway. Bennett is just a carp ref who has no feeling for the game when all is said and done.

Cygan with a good interception and a pass to Freddie whose cross saw Reyes have his shot blocked. Pires on for Hleb and a difficult chance went wide from Bent. We were pretty much in total control as Flamini replaced Reyes. One of Mathieu’s first acts was to win a free kick just outside the D but Myhre saved well from Henry’s free kick. The possession stats for the second half must by now have been extreme in Arsenal’s favour and the game just sort of petered out despite a yellow card for Sol for being unnecessarily late on Bent. Lehmann punched clear Charlton’s last hoisted ball in the 92^nd minute and it was game over.

We didn’t set the world on fire but we did get the required result – so a belated Merry Christmas from the team and myself.