EYEWITNESS: ARSENAL 3 CELTIC 2 EMIRATES CUP
EMIRATES CUP: ARSENAL 3 CELTIC 2
EYEWITNESS REPORT from the EMIRATES STADIUM
By RICHARD OSLEY
YOU know you have problems when defender Bacary Sagna, not one known for his goals, strokes a shot past you from 20 yards. Celtic, despite all the noisy support they could muster underneath the new Clock End at Ashburton Grove this afternoon, were abysmal against Arsenal this afternoon. And yet, and yet, oh deary me, and yet, they almost came away from this annual pre-season tournament as winners of the Emirates Cup. One more goal would have done it and, watch out Arsenal, they missed a penalty in there.
Arsene Wenger's team were home and dry at 3-0, but clicked the sleepy standby red button and snoozed away, daydreaming about whether Josie and John-James will ever properly get it on in Big Brother or if they would be home in time for Sherlock. And in this muggy mid-afternoon doze, Celtic dragged it all back to 3-2, a whisker from an unlikely turnaround. It was, of course, an example of Arsenal's weakness, capturing the frustrations of recent seasons where good work has been unpicked by lapses in concentration. It would have been a crime if Celtic had recovered the deficit and walked away with the trophy and firework salute. They would struggle to compete if they were teleportted to the English Premiership. Within minutes of this final leg of a tournament in which AC Milan and Lyon made up the numbers with a couple of draws between them, the only dispute seemed to be how many the Gunners would score.
A replica of the famous old Highbury clock is now pinned to the top girders of Arsenal's stadium, which is increasingly feeling like a worthy home as every season pa es. It will not offically tick until the first home league match against Blackpool later this month and time today stood still for Celtic's defence in the first half. They may have been willing the final whistle from the moment Carlos Vela converted Theo Walcott's misdirected shot on three minutes.
The goal of course masked Walcott's impotency in front of goal. Full of enthusiatic runs and clever dribbles, this season the man who missed out on the World Cup England squad must start seizing his chances. Without Vela's quick reaction, the opportunity would have been lost.
Today - and this must be tempered by the fact it was played in the casual atmosphere of a pre-season fitness test - Jack Wilshere looked more likely to grab the chance to shine. At one stage during the first half, he rattled the crossbar with a flying volley executed Van Persie-style from the edge of the box. It would have been one of the greatest goals ever scored in this arena and Wenger might use Wilshere's potential as an excuse for not pressing the signing of free agent Joe Cole later this season.
That said, the teenager's inexperience was exposed with a barmy moment in the second period. Stuck in possession in his own box, he inexplicably tugged away at Celtic striker Marc-Antoine Fortune and conceded a penalty. Georgios Samaras spared his blushes this time by thrashing his penalty close to that new clock up there; he didn't even give Manuel Almunia the chance to remind Arsene Wenger of how good he is at saving penalties as the Arsenal chief mulls over who will be his preferred goalkeeper this season. A flying one-handed save was good in the second half from Almunia - captain today - but the fans seem to want a new face back there.
Sagna, the reliable right back, seemed to have sealed the win in first half injury time with his whipped shot from the fringes of the penalty area. Lukasz Zaluska, in goal for Celtic, will claim he saw it late. With a big grin, Sagna sped off as if he had scored a World Cup winner, which of course is the last thing any Frenchman came close to this summer.
Samir Nasri, who wasn't picked for France and is probably glad about that, scored a simple soon into the second half. He is another player that needs to be full pelt this season if Arsenal are to keep up with the leaders.
Three to the good, all over, but then the Gunners clicked back through the gears and almost found reverse. There was the wasted Samaras penalty and then Daryl Murphy converted a spot of penalty area to narrow the gap. Ki Sung-Yong's 82 minute finish for the Bhoys set up the prospect of what had looked so unlikely all afternoon: Celtic avoiding defeat and winning the trophy. In the final seconds, home fans whistled with a desperation that shouldn't have been necessary. As the silverware was finally collected, there was a sense that this won't be the last match that Arsenal's sloppiness will give the home fans a scare.
RATINGS
MANUEL ALMUNIA 7 Good shot-stopping but still looks nervous at corners.
BACARY SAGNA (Eboue 63) 7 A rare goal to celebrate. Never troubled in defence.
GAEL CLICHY (Gibbs 63) 7 Tougher tests await.
JOHAN DJOUROU 7 Confident performance but must wait to see if he is a first choice.
THOMAS VERMAELEN (Kosceilny 74) 8 Looking more and more Adams-like by the match.
EMMANUEL FRIMPONG 6 Short of the stability offered by Alex Song. Loan deal likely.
JACK WILSHERE 8 Silly foul gave away penalty but clearly a top talent. Needs a chance.
THEO WALCOTT 7 Frustrating end product.
TOMAS ROSICKY (Nasri 45) 6 Flicks and tricks but not at the races.
JAY EMMANUEL-THOMAS (Vela 45) 6 Missed the chance to impress here.
CARLOS VELA (Arshavin) 7 Touches of class seen today but consistency needed.
SUBS
SAMIR NASRI 8 Came off the bench and scored within minutes
MAROUANE CHAMAKH 6 Anonymous second half from new signing.
ANDREY ARSHAVIN 7 Clearly not at full throttle but always a threat.
EMMANUEL EBOUE 7 Committed.
KIERAN GIBBS 7 A primosing understudy.
LAURENT KOSCIELNY 6 Mugged for the ball by Samaras once or twice.
MAN OF THE MATCH: JACK WILSHERE