16/4/2004
Friday Night Football
English Premier League
Arsenal vs Leeds United (Highbury)
I am a die hard fan of Arsenal Football Club. I follow the football they play as well as well as other football action at every possible instant. Cricket being a major sport in India overhauls football in the television rights. So I do not get to see all the great matches taking place all over the world especially a majority of them in Europe.
The Gunners as usual began with their fluent self on the Friday evening. They passed themselves into the game. Their passing game was too much for Leeds United. I’m a great admirer of their passing game as everyone else in the world is. In the 6th minute, Robert Pires flushed home a Dennis Bergkamp’s through ball. The Gunners showed what ONE TOUCH football meant. 4 ONE TOUCHES and the ball ended at the back of the net.
After the initial outbust by Arsenal, Leeds United dominated the play during which time Mark Viduka’s shot on the turn brought up a decent save by Jens Lehmann. But this domination of possession didnt result in any changes on the score sheet which could prove fatal in the near future of the game. This was to happen in the 27th minute when the Leeds United center half Duberry stepped up to a Gilberto through ball which did nothing but help Henry to slot the ball in the back of the net. Duberry coulnt just do that and believe to recover against Henry’s pace.
In the 33rd minute Leeds United defence couldnt decipher Bergkamp’s dribbling in the penalty box and Urrah Rennie pointed to the spot. It was Henry’s turn again to increase his individual goal tally. He came from a couple of paces and chipped behind the goalkeeper Paul Robinson. You can call it sheer belligerence which had given Thierry Henry the brace. In the remaining minutes of the first half it looked ominous that he would score his hatrick but he was denied of that.
When the second half began, it didnt take much long for Thierry Henry to score his hatrick in the 50th minute. Gilberto’s release of the ball at the right moment was the creator for Henry’s third goal. A verve emcompassed the stadium of Highbury at this moment.
Every football pundit is skeptic about Leeds United defence and that was the case tonight. The case for Elland Roaders became worse when Thierry Henry went on to score his 4th goal of the night. Robert Pires held the ball until Henry took the ball on the burst from the half line and scored which illustrated Henry’s prowess in technique and pace which he possessed. Leeds United performance was lack lustre.
At the end of the day the diligent and dexterous Arsenal’s strike force made the Highbury faithfuls pround, whereas the discrepant and desultory Leed’s back force made the relegation avoiding Elland Roaders despondent.
A couple of lines at the end to mark the respect and appreciation of the skills of Thierry Henry from a Highbury faithful.
’’Boredom notsoever but a perennial awe encompasses THIERRY HENRY, whereas mere mortals are like a FIERCE RAINSQUALL on a sunny day’’