Birmingham City can only dream until cash is spent after defeat to Arsenal
Oct 19 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Post
After former Arsenal trainee Sebastian Larsson had forced Vito Mannone into his first save of the match from a free-kick, the visitors grabbed their consolation in the 38th minute courtesy of a goalkeeping mistake.
Barry Ferguson’s delivery from the left looped up off the head of Diaby and looked to have been comfortably caught by Mannone. However, under pressure from Larsson, the Arsenal goalkeeper spilled the ball at the feet of Lee Bowyer who drove home his third of the season from seven yards.
Arsenal remained comfortable, however, and looked well worth a third.
Arshavin fired wide from six yards, although there was a suggestion that the Russian had fouled Roger Johnson, while Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas stabbed into the side of the netting after picking up a stray Hart pass.
Referee Lee Probert had the Birmingham players cursing in the 57th minute by harshly awarding a free-kick for a pass back. Larsson had done well to track back and make a sliding block on a Fabregas pass in the Birmingham area, but as Hart scooped up the afters, the match official blew for a free-kick from eight yards. Van Persie struck the set-piece off the top of the upright.
Moments later Van Persie sent a free-kick narrowly wide after Hart had saved from goal-scoring centre-half Thomas Vermaelen’s close-range header.
Over a period of 18 minutes, McLeish introduced Garry O’Connor, Gary McSheffrey and Kevin Phillips, which resulted in Birmingham looking capable of stealing a point.
The best chance of that happened arrived in the 80th minute. Liam Ridgewell’s low cross across the six yard box was searching for either the boot of McSheffrey or O’Connor but Mannone got down well to avert the danger.
The game was over with five minutes of normal time remaining. From a counter-attack, Arshavin broke and casually slotted home into Hart’s far corner.
In fairness, after a shaky start, Birmingham’s defence had grown in confidence before Arshavin’s killer blow – Scott Dann most notably producing two outstanding challenges – but Arsenal were deserving of the scoreline, if not by more.
Scorers: Van Persie (16) 1-0, Diaby (18) 2-0, Bowyer (38) 2-1, Arshavin (85) 3-1.
ARSENAL (4-5-1): Mannone; Eboue (Wilshere 90+1), Gallas, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Walcott (Arshavin, 33), Song, Fabregas, Diaby, Rosicky (Sagna, 73); Van Persie. Substitutes: Almunia, Ramsey, Silvestre, Traore.
BIRMINGHAM CITY (4-5-1): Hart; Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Carsley (Phillips, 79), Bowyer, McFadden (McSheffrey, 71); Jerome (O’Connor, 61). Substitutes: Maik Taylor, Damien Johnson, Bent, O’Shea.
Referee: Lee Probert (Gloucestershire).
Bookings: Arsenal – Song (foul); Birmingham – Hart and Ridgewell (both dissent).
Attendance: 60,082.
Birmingham City man of the match: Lee Bowyer – continued to battle for the cause despite Arsenal’s superiority and fast becoming a contender for the club’s golden boot.
