From Young GunsArsenal began 2011 with a crushing defeat at the hands of Aston Villa in the Premier Reserve League this evening. Five goals in each half added to an early red card for George Brislen-Hall saw the champions put themselves in the driving seat for a fourth successive title.Neil Banfield was without a selection of his usual first choice options, including captain Ignasi Miquel, so rotated. Rookie centre back Elton Monteiro made his first start at this level alongside Danny Boateng, while Nico Yennaris was forced to fill in at full back.Villa on the other hand boasted solid experience at this level, with American international Eric Lichaj starting alongside first team players Chris Herd, Isaiah Osbourne and Nathan Delfouneso. Manager Kevin MacDonald also fielded a number of players who are on the fringes of Gérard Houllier’s team.ARSENAL: Shea; Eastmond, Boateng, Monteiro, Brislen-Hall; Ozyakup, Yennaris, Henderson; Aneke, Sunu, Emmanuel-Thomas.Subs: Martinez (GK), Angha, Rees, Deacon, Freeman.Arsenal went straight for their hosts right from the offset. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas surged onto the ball and, after cutting inside, he flashed a warning shot just wide of Parish’s goal. It would prove to be the only real chance of the first half for the boys in yellow.Aston Villa then found their feet and grabbed a stunning opener from nowhere. James Shea’s hacked clearance went straight to Gary Gardner, and from all of 40 yards, he smashed the ball into the empty net. 1-0.It shelled shocked the Gunners, but they reacted in the worst possible way. George Brislen-Hall went in hard on Jonathan Hogg in the middle of the park. A coming together from both sets of players ensued, and Brislen-Hall was dismissed with little complaints. It was massive challenge for Banfield boys from here on.Villa pressed on and were soon out of sight. Weimann side footed home from close range for 2-0, then Gardner’s free kick was headed in by Chris Herd for 3-0, and before Arsenal could even react, Hogg cracked home a fourth in epic fashion. 4-0 and Arsenal were heading for a mauling.Just before half time, things went from bad to worse. Özyakup handled Gardner’s corner for a penalty, and Gardner stepped up and stroke the ball home. 5-0 at half time.Banfield switched the team at the break, bringing on Josh Rees and Freeman, and it appeared to work. Arsenal improved and showed good defensive quality but eventually Villa got their sixth. Herd turned in Harry Forrester’s ball and then Weimann took the ball off the awful Monteiro and picked out Delfouneso for 7-0.The same man made it 8-0 shortly after, turning in Berry’s cross. Roarie Deacon pulled one back with a header from an Emmanuel-Thomas free-kick, but it made little difference.Chris Herd wrapped up his hat-trick by bagging the ninth, then Delfouneso joined Herd on a hat-trick with a quality finish for number 10.There was just time for a nasty looking brawl on the far side of the pitch before the game came to a close, but nobody was booked. A crushing night for Arsenal, which leaves Neil Banfield with work to do with his latest crop.
From Jeorge Bird's Arsenal youthArsenal Reserves suffered perhaps their most harrowing defeat in history this evening, going down 10-1 away to their Aston Villa counterparts. Neil Banfield’s side had entered the fixture top of the Southern Section and possessing genuine title-winning aims. Such a prosperous outlook now appears unlikely after this result, with the early sending off of George Brislen-Hall a key reason as to Banfield’s side’s decline.SheaBoateng-Yennaris-Monteiro-Brislen HallEastmond-HendersonOzyakup-Aneke-SunuEmmanuel Thomassubs: Martinez, Angha, Rees, Freeman, DeaconArsenal signalled their intent early on, with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas exchanging passes with Chuks Aneke before firing a drilled effort straight at Elliott Parish from distance. Villa, however, responded almost immediately, with Andreas Weimann striking the post of James Shea’s goal.A slight lull then occurred before two moments which threatened to shape the outcome of the game took place within seconds of eachother. First James Shea mis-judged a pass and Gary Gardner capitalised, beating the stranded goalkeeper from 35 yards. Then, just moments later, George Brislen-Hall, making just his second start at this level, was shown a straight red card for a vicious challenge on Jonathan Hogg.At that point it was felt that Brislen-Hall’s recklnessness could cost Arsenal the game. Any such fears were compounded when Villa lashed home a quickfire second. Gardner was involved again, receiving a pass from Nathan Delfouneso before teeing up Weimann to finish past Shea and double the home side’s lead.As well as the deficit in terms of goals, Arsenal’s lack of numbers had to be compensated for by Conor Henderson switching to left-back, thus culling his attacking passing instincts. The Gunners subsequently struggled to gain a foothold in the game, although they did come close to creating a chance following a neat interchange between Emmanuel-Thomas and captain for the day Gilles Sunu. Villa, though, were always a threat, with Delfouneso immediately coming close at the other end with a powerful effort.From then on, Arsenal’s misery was compounded as Villa added two more goals in quick succession. First, debutant Swiss centre-back Elton Monteiro was booked for a foul on Isaiah Osbourne and, from Gardner’s resultant free-kick, Nathan Baker nodded the ball down for Chris Herd, who has enjoyed some first-team game time this campaign, to tuck home. The fourth followed shortly afterwards, with the same combination of a Gardner ball in and a Baker header this time allowing Hogg to convert.It was five before the break when Oguzhan Ozyakup handled Gardner’s corner in the penalty area and it was somewhat fitting therefore that the latter, who had been prominent throughout the first period, stepped up to beat the hapless Shea from twelve yards.Arsenal attempted to salvage some pride in the second period, with Neil Banfield introducing Josh Rees and Luke Freeman for Ozyakup and Henderson, before bringing on Roarie Deacon in place of Chuks Aneke. Chances, though, remained hard to come by, with Emmanuel-Thomas hitting a free-kick over from distance in frustration.That, however, proved only to be a brief respite, as Villa soon regained their imperious first-half form. The dangerous Steiber had a shot cleared off the line before Herd found the net again with a header from Harry Forrester’s corner. As if that wasn’t enough, Shane Lowry then rattled the Arsenal crossbar before a rare Gunners break culminated in Deacon shooting straight at Parish.It wasn’t long, though, until Villa go their seventh, with Weimann crossing on this occasion for Delfouneso to tuck home. The latter then made it eight with another calm finish after being played through by substitute Durrell Berry. Deacon grabbed the merest of consolations for Arsenal when he headed home Emmanuel-Thomas’ free-kick but Herd and Delfouneso struck again late on to add an even more emphatic nature to the scoreline.
What a result This may even make the BBC sport site. 10! Wow.
No reports yet on the OS and two coming in from the Arse, so thanks for putting the updates on here tonight
Quote from: The Left Side on January 10, 2011, 09:29:42 PMNo reports yet on the OS and two coming in from the Arse, so thanks for putting the updates on here tonight To be fair, all of the goal descriptions I posted were from the OS.
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Topic: Reserves v The Arse (Read 35533 times)
