Slavia Prague vs Arsenal, 2007/08 UEFA Champions League, 2007 First Phase

· UEFA Champions League

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Slavia Prague are hosting Arsenal at Evzena Rosickeho Stadium, , Czechia, starting on . The match is a part of the UEFA Champions League.

Match Commentary

0': Interesting line-up from Arsenal tonight. Diarra playing at right-back. Song and Gallas in defence and Denilson paired with Gilberto in the middle of midfield. Bendtner and Eduardo up front.
0': Arsenal need a point to qualify, but surely they'll go all out for the win. After last game's 7-0, perhaps they'll be looking to outdo Liverpool and hit them for nine!
0': Arsenal are out in their third kit, a horrible redcurrent and purple number. They're certainly not going to win in style!
0': Kick off on a cold night. 100th Champions League game for Arsene Wenger gets underway.
1': Scrappy start, as you would expect. Slavia set out in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
2': Arsenal getting everyone on the ball early on. Knocking it around easily and making sure that every player gets a touch. Looks like Eduardo is starting on the left, with Walcott on the right and Bendtner through the middle.
2': Diaby does well down the left wing. Great quick feet and persistent play from the rangy midfielder.
4': Walcott gets his first touch, but Diarra gives it away. Clichy wins it back and goes on the burst. Bendtner gives it away. Poor from the Dane up front.
4': Clichy unleashes a shot from 50 yards. Really funny to see it fly over. Thierry Henry wouldn't have done that, and he's just scored for Barca at home to Rangers.
6': Messy in the middle, nobody seems to have settled yet. Walcott and Diaby are seeing a lot of the ball, lots of clever football, but nothing that has penetrated the Slavia defence yet.
7': Pretty dull so far. No chances, a very long shot and lots of passing for Arsenal. This would be appear to be a training session.
8': Bendtner goes down theatrically in the right hand corner. Free-kick is way overhit by Walcott. Terrible.
9': Lots of tall players in the box there for the Gunners, but even three Peter Crouchs wouldn't have got anywhere near that cross.
10': Slavia must have touched the ball about twice so far and we're into the tenth minute.
11': Now they might do something, trying to get it in to Krajcik. But Diarra does well and breaks up the move with good use of his body.
13': Decent turn of pace there from Senkerik. Forces the corner from Song, and here is where the Czech side could come up with a goal.
13': And they really should! Song leaves his man and Tavaras heads over. It was a clear header and Almunia is shouting at his defenders!
14': Diaby seems to be playing a central role, looking for space. It always seemed like he was more of a Vieira type, but it looks as if he's filling Cesc Fabregas' boots tonight.
16': Arsenal continuing to hold possession, Diaby linking well with Bendtner and he breaks free. Walcott should have gone near post but he stayed back and it was cleared.
17': Gallas nearly fooled by some incredible skills by Senkerik. He is muscled out of it, but that'll be on youtube later on!
19': Slavia getting back into the game, but after a first 10 mins where they hardly touched the ball it couldn't get much worse.
20': Diaby plays a great one-two with Bendtner, he bursts into the space ahead of him, but his control lets him down and he loses it. Walcott was free on the right, but good defending there.
20': Diaby is the hub of all of Arsenal's attacking play so far. Haven't seen Denilson once.
21': Eduardo and Bendtner get mixed up and Slavia break. Senkerik strays offside though, there was a lot of space behind the defence, but the striker couldn't get through.
23': Denilson plays Gilberto into trouble. The Brazilian hasn't had much room in the middle to do anything so far. It doesn't look like another 7-0 is on the cards.
26': This certainly isn't the classic that we watched last time. Arsenal are now giving the ball away more than they usually do, and notably neither keeper has had a save to make.
27': Surely as time ticks on, Arsenal will come out on top. Slavia are chasing the ball around at all times, and it's bound to have an effect.
27': No penetration again from the Gunners. They're happy to play it around, but there's nothing happening in the final third.
29': The crowd are resorting to a Father Christmas playing a drum to keep them occupied.
31': Brabec and Denilson clash down on the Slavia left. Nothing, I repeat, nothing, is happening...
32': They had a lot to live up to from the 7-0 drubbing, but it's not happening. Man Utd have taken the lead, and there's a shock in Milan as CSKA dominate.
33': Eduardo doesn't look comfortable on the left. They should really resort to the tried and tested 4-4-2, maybe after half-time.
33': Slavia are growing in confidence, but neither side can break through. Walcott uses his pace, but is out muscled by three Slavia players.
35': Finally Almunia is called into question, great quick feet by Senkerik. He took advantage of a slip by Gallas and the Spaniard tipped it over.
36': United are now two up, Tevez with the goal. If only this game could somehow find a goal from somewhere...
37': Another Arsenal attack comes to nothing, Clichy this time, bursting down the left and over-running the ball.
38': The tempo is flat. From seeing the Gunners play against United and Liverpool, this really does pale in comparison. Gallas wins the header in defence to stop a Slavia attack.
41': The pitch seems to be slippery, as a lot of players are losing their footing. The ref books Tavaras after he brings down Diaby. Slavia have started to foul a lot, possibly hoping for half-time.
42': Walcott goes down again, but this time doesn't get the foul. He's not happy, but the young lad hasn't impressed as he did last game.
44': Diaby has been the biggest threat for Arsenal, which says it all really. This has been a poor half of football.
45': Thank goodness for that. Half time is called.
45': Kick off. And over half-time there seems to have been a flood. The rain is crashing down and it's awful out there.
46': Eboue was warming up during the break, and if he was going to come on for anyone it would have been Walcott. But he's still there.
47': Svec cynically brought Eduardo down and got booked straight away. Looks like that'll be the gameplan this half. Nothing has changed.
47': It can't be stressed enough how wet it is out there. Anything can happen in these kinds of conditions.
48': Arsenal's brand of one touch football looks like it will take a hit here. Adebayor could be called upon to hit a few long balls for soon.
48': Great play by Slavia. They break at Arsenal and the ball finds its way across the box to Senkerik. He goes down under a challenge by Diarra. No pen, although it really could have gone either way.
50': Bendtner has a crack, but it deflects wide for a corner.
51': Now Diarra is booked after a hefty challenge on Svec. He seemed to slip there, but it will hurt the Slavia player. Expect a few more like that before the whistle blows.
51': Svec looks hurt and is stretchered off.
52': Suchy does well to deny Diaby. The ball really has a mind of its own now. At least the formation has changed for the Gunners. Bendtner has Eduardo for company and Diaby is now on the left wing.
54': Slavia have pushed Smicer forward now as well. Both sides looking to change something, which is about time!
55': Gilberto wastes possession attempting a through ball. Even Walcott couldn't catch it.
55': Tavaras loses out and Eduardo picks up the ball. Walcott finds space, but again his delivery is rubbish.
57': No Arsenal player was going to the near post, but Walcott's crossing has not been very good at all. Not that any of his team-mates have done much better. Vorel in the Slavia goal could quite easily have a cup of tea.
58': Another through ball, another waste. Bouncing off the slippery surface, it's just not working for the Gunners.
59': The rain is still coming down, so Arsenal need to change their gameplan or rent a canoe.
60': Denilson tries his best Bruce Lee impression as he catches Pudil in the chest with his studs. The match has a bit of an edge to it, but that's mainly because nobody can time their tackles in this weather.
61': Svec would have been in with a chance of shooting there is he'd been able to control the pass. Hubacek ends up having a dig, but it's nowhere near the net.
62': The Arsenal subs look like eskimos in the freezing cold. But Adebayor gets the nod to warm up. Smicer has run himself out and is replaced.
64': Slavia look pretty content with life at the moment, not surprising considering that Steaua are losing. They'd be quite happy to go through to the UEFA Cup.
65': Diaby finds some space!!! All he has to do is shoot, surely, he turns inside, tries to thread it through to Eduardo who can't get there. Finally a goalscoring chance, but nothing comes from it.
66': Eduardo is hurt now as well. Poor play from Diaby. Perhaps he's more suited to defensive work...
67': Yet again, the through ball is too long. Arsenal struggling to cope with the greasy surface..
68': A real chance for Slavia again! Diarra breaks it up with an excellent challenge, but that could have been close. The Czechs have looked more likely of scoring.
71': Walcott again, showing great pace to get away from his marker. But he's over-run it! Not for the first time. The youngster has to make sure he makes the right decision, so far, he hasn't.
72': Arsene Wenger looks worried on the bench, and it's not surprising. Arsenal look below par, but they have worked hard. Vorel, still, has not had a single shot to save.
73': Diaby great skill, but he's taken too many touches. Loses out, and a great through ball to Senkerik, he's through... Almunia comes crashing out and does really well to block it.
75': Great save on his first real test. The Spaniard took a blow to the head, but showed great bravery to come out there. Arsenal owe him!
75': Up the other end Diarra has a go, but Prague closed him down. Adebayor looks ready to come on for Bendtner. Senkerik is off as well, as he's been Slavia's best player.
77': Good chance for Gilberto, the ball bobbled around the box, but again the finish was missing.
78': You would expect Slavia to tire now, with Arsenal's kids picking up the tempo, but nothing so far. The Gunners have scored in their last 18 games, could they be about to be held to a 0-0?
79': Suchy miscues, but Slavia get the decision. Eduardo is brought off with Eboue on. Walcott will go up front and try to improve on his performance so far.
81': Slavia have had the better of things, and the sub Ivana works himself a free-kick against Denilson on the edge of the box. Good chance this...
83': Suchy swings in across and that would have found the bottom corner if it hadn't hit the heel of Pudil. Almunia would have had a tough save to make if he was going to keep that one out.
83': Slavia have really held their own here. Arsenal yet to mount a serious attack. Pudil brings down Eboue, just as the Gunners were pouring forward. Not the first time either...
85': First shot on goal for Arsenal. Adebayor gets a header in, but it's easily gathered by Vorel. Incredible that the Czechs haven't been broken down until now. What a contrast to the first game!
87': Diaby and Denilson try and work something, but that's the way it's been all game for Arsenal. They lose it, and Slavia clear.
87': Arsenal have bossed most of the possession, but Slavia have certainly had the best of the chances. Terrible weather hasn't helped, but Wenger will be disappointed with the performance!
88': A point is enough to qualify, but after winning so well at the Emirates, more was expected here.
88': Hardly ever do Arsenal go 85 mins without putting a shot on their opponents' goal. They have here tonight and Slavia, to their credit, have worked very hard to make that happen!
89': United are comfortably through, 4-0 at home, and Arsenal look like making it through as well - although less convincingly.
90': Five minutes of extra time?? Where did that come from?
90': After the way the players have bust a gut all night, they won't want to see five more minutes appear. But they have. Arsenal's young players have lived with the Slavia physical threat, but haven't been on fire with their passing.
91': Time is running out, but both teams will be quite happy with the point.
91': And the supporters will be happy to get in the warm as well!
93': Clichy still bombing on, even at this time in the game. Incredible fitness!
94': Free-kick for Arsenal, last chance maybe? The ball is allowed to drop, but Tavaras brings it away.
95': Whistles blowing around the ground, Adebayor was about half a yard onside, but called back.
95': Full-time.
95': Arsenal are through with a point, but they'll be disappointed not to have scored. Poor performance in rainy Prague, but they're through along with Man Utd.

Statistics

ARS		SLP
19	Fouls	27
2	Yellow Cards	4
0	Red Cards	0
3	Offsides	6
6	Corner Kicks	3
2	Saves	1
63.1	Possession	36.9
6	SHOTS	6
1	ON GOAL	2
0.2	On Target %	0.3
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	0
405	Accurate Passes	185
475	Passes	278
0.9	Pass Completion %	0.7
3	Accurate Crosses	2
18	Crosses	10
0.2	Cross %	0.2
61	Long Balls	50
45	Accurate Long Balls	19
0.7	Long Balls %	0.4
0	Blocked Shots	0
20	Effective Tackles	46
25	Tackles	60
0.8	Tackle %	0.8
0	Interceptions	0
22	Effective Clearances	19
36	Clearances	26

Game Information

Competition: UEFA Champions League

Venue: Evzena Rosickeho Stadium
Location: , Czechia

Line-Ups

Slavia Prague

No.	Name
1	Michal Vorel (GK)
12	Frantisek Drizdal
3	Erich Brabec
4	David Hubacek
19	Matej Krajcik
5	Michal Svec
17	Marek Suchy
2	Mickaël Tavares
16	Daniel Pudil
11	Vladimir Smicer
14	Zdenek Senkerik

Slavia Prague Substitutes:

Milan Ivana, Martin Vaniak, Ondrej Sourek, Tomas Jablonsky, Rodjerio Gaucho, David Kalivoda, Tijani Belaid.

Arsenal

No.	Name
24	Manuel Almunia (GK)
22	Gaël Clichy
10	William Gallas
17	Alex Song
15	Denílson
19	Gilberto Silva
32	Theo Walcott
8	Lassana Diarra
2	Abou Diaby
26	Nicklas Bendtner
9	Eduardo

Arsenal Substitutes:

Mathieu Flamini, Justin Hoyte, Bacary Sagna, Armand Traore, Jens Lehmann, Emmanuel Eboué, Emmanuel Adebayor.

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