Match Report: Barnet 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal got their pre-season campaign off to a great start with a 2-1 win over League 2 side Barnet at Underhill.

A fantastic second half display won it for the Gunners with youngsters such as Jack Wilshere and Jay Simpson impressing the 5,500 crowd watching on.

Arséne Wenger fielded a strong team for the first half, with new-signing Aaron Ramsey starting along with inexperienced centre back pairing Havard Nordtveit and Justin Hoyte.

Barnet Starting XI:

Beckwith

Carew – Yakubu – Devera – Gillet

Adomah – Porter – Bishop – St Aimie

Birchall – Akurang

Arsenal Starting XI:

Almunia

Sagna – Nordtveit – J.Hoyte – Clichy (c)

Lansbury – Denilson – Ramsey – Traore

Walcott – Bendtner

First Half

Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott got the ball rolling at Underhill as the Gunners looked for an impressive start to their pre-season campaign.

Denilson was fouled early on as Arsenal worked the ball around well with Aaron Ramsey mastering the midfield along with surprise starter Henri Lansbury.

Barnet had the first chance of the match through Kieron St Aimee. He controlled the ball well before getting hold of a smashing shot which went inches wide of Manuel Almunia’s goal.

The League 2 side passed it around nicely but ultimately got caught out a couple of times with Nicklas Bendtner sneaking up behind defenders before heading over with a looping header.

Former Harrow striker Albert Adomah struck a shot wide and showed that Barnet weren’t to be no pushovers in the match.

Norwegian centre half Nordtveit put in some good challenges and kept strong at the back as did new-signing Aaron Ramsey.

Ever-willing on the overlap, Bacary Sagna aimed several crosses in at Bendtner, the Danish forward failed to get on the end of the majority balls, a compliment to Barnet’s defender.

Then, unbelievably, Gael Clichy’s close pal in Kenny Gillet won a free kick outside the edge of the ‘D’ before smashing it past the stranded Almunia.

Arsenal needed to come back from the early blow, memories of the Gunners’ 10-1 comeback over the Bee’s came to mind, was this to happen again three years on?

England youngster Lansbury switched positions in midfield, the 18-year-old started on the right before moving back to the centre.

Crude chants concerning Emmanuel Adebayor were being sung by the Arsenal crowd as frustration grew for the away side who made a few more chances within strike pair Walcott and Bendtner.

Finally, the team in red and white got started, Aaron Ramsey found Bendtner with a pin-point ball before linking up with Lansbury who struck wide – much better football from the Ashburton Grove club, a possibly sign of better things to come.

Bees forward St Aimee volleyed a strong effort at Spaniard Almunia who was contained the shot well. Theo Walcott then went down the other end before setting himself up with a volley which flew over the Arsenal fans and probably back on the M25.

Wenger looked on in disappointment as his side failed to conjer up an equaliser before the half time whistle, which the referee blew seconds later. Arsenal needed a top second half performance or Barnet were set to spring up a surprise at Underhill.

Second Half

A whole host of changes were made for the second half, Vito Mannone, Paul Rodgers, Rui Fonte, Abu Ogogo, Jay Simpson, Jack Wilshere, Gavin Hoyte, Rene Steer, Mark Randall and new signing Francis Coquelin came on as second half substitutes, just like Gooner Talk exclusively told you several hours before the match.

The youngsters that lined up were being closely watched by Reserves coach Neil Banfield who’s new season starts in a few weeks time.

Francis Coquelin showed a couple of good touches and highly-rated Jack Wilshere showed his class on the left hand side with several silky runs.

Barnet’s Adomah troubled Italian keeper’ Mannone with a well-struck shot, and fo Arsenal youth star Adam Birchall troubled Gavin Hoyte in defence.

Nacer Barazite was definitely one to watch during the second half, the Reserves top goal scorer from last season dribbled in and out of Barnet’s defence and looked to cause the Bee’s plenty of problems.

The Gunners’ ’second string’ then forced keeper’ Lee Harrison to save with Mark Randall striking a free kick into the corner, the goalie managed to get a finger tip to it though, with Barazite also forcing Harrison to save from a tight angle.

And what did we tell you earlier this morning? This is Jay Simpson’s chance to prove himself, and he did, an emphatic finish from the Tottenham-born frontman after receiving Jack Wilshere’s perfect ball. Arsenal were back in the game thanks to Simpson, but it was really English youngster Wilshere who impressed the most.

Coquelin, Fonte and Randall were all presented with late opportunties but failed to get on the end of them with either shots going over the bar, or Lee Harrison keeping them out.

Frenchman Coquelin took the ball from Barnet’s midfield on several occasions and really did look a fantastic prospect for the coming Reserves’ campaign.

A goal mouth scramble followed, with Rui Fonte blazing over from 15 yards out, the ex-Sporting Lisbon prodigy was not a pivotal figure as Simpson was during the second half.

Arsenal completed their comeback thanks to a goal from Nacer Barazite, Simpson provided the ball this time, and the shot hit the post before going over the line.

With less than ten minutes to go, Polish keeper’ Wojciech Szczesny came on for Mannone, the latter managing to keep a fantastic clean sheet against a stern test in the League 2 side.

Coquelin, Randall and Fonte were presented with late opportunities, but all three were blocked out by the controlled Barnet defence.

The full time whistle went, a decent work out for Arséne Wenger’s men and not a bad start to their pre-season campaign either.

Full Time Result: Barnet 1-2 Arsenal

Goalscorers:

Kenny Gillet (15)

Jay Simpson (63)

Nacer Barazite (74)

Player Ratings

Almunia – 5 – Did okay, but should of done better on first goal.

Sagna – 6 – Still looks rusty, some good balls in the box though.

Nordtveit – 6.5 – A strong performance from the Norwegian centre half.

J.Hoyte – 6 – Controlled the game well from the back

Clichy – 6 -Typical athletic performance, great running down the channels.

Lansbury – 5.5 – Decent but was played in the wrong position

Denilson – 4 – Wasn’t at his best, poor passing as well.

Ramsey – 9 – Debutant ran the first half single handedly, great performance.

Traore – 5 – Didn’t provide enough ammunition for the strikers.

Walcott – 5 – Silky running, but wasn’t anything special.

Bendtner – 4 – Possibly his worst performance in an Arsenal shirt?

Subs:

Mannone – 6 – Clean sheet for the highly-rated Italian and a couple of great stops.

Ogogo – 6 – The fullback seemed nervous at the start but eventually got into the game.

G.Hoyte – 6.5 – Composed at the back, one for the future.

Rodgers – 6 – A Carling Cup player definitely, very athletic and knows where the ball is.

Steer – 6 – Like Rodgers, one to look out for, blessed with blistering pace.

Wilshere – 8 – Silky running, like Hleb but can shoot as well, involved in both goals.

Randall – 6 – Seemed lazy to me, didn’t seem too bothered about the game itself.

Coquelin – 7 – New recruit Coquelin reminded me of Gilberto, great tackling.

Barazite – 8 – Scored the second and was technically asure of himself.

Simpson – 8 – Really did impress, fantastic first goal and was involved in the second as well.

Fonte – 5.5 – Wasted several opportunities, he’s meant to be a striker but he just can’t finish.

Gooner Talk’s Man of the Match – Aaron Ramsey - The newly-signed midfielder looked up for this tie and his hard work ethic almost paid off when he set up Nicklas Bendtner. Very assured and composed, typical Wenger signing.