Premier League - Middlesbrough hold Arsenal

Eurosport - Sun, 14 Dec 05:03:00 2008

Former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere scored against his former club to secure a 1-1 Premier League draw for Middlesbrough at The Riverside Stadium.

2008-2009 Middlesbrough-Arsenal Abou Diaby Tony McMahon - 0

Emmanuel Adebayor had put the Gunners ahead before Aliadiere's equaliser secured a share of the points for Boro.

Adebayor opened the scoring with Arsenal's first corner of the game, as Abou Diaby's run drew marker Robert Huth away, giving the Togo striker space to nod a header past goalkeeper Ross Turnbull.

The lead was cancelled out just before the half-hour mark when - after Gunners full-back Gael Clichy had his clearance charged down - Tuncay Sanli fired in a cross that allowed Aliadiere to steer a solid header that was too quick for Manuel Almunia.

Gareth Southgate's side felt that they should have had the chance to take the lead five minutes later, when winger Adam Johnson was tripped in the Arsenal area by Clichy, but referee Peter Walton saw nothing wrong with the challenge.

Boro - who had beaten the Gunners twice in their last three meetings on Teesside - began the match the stronger of the two sides, with Johnson finding time and space in the box from an eighth-minute corner but firing his half-volleyed effort over the bar.

After a quarter of an hour, Arsenal finally had their first meaningful attacking spell, with Adebayor setting up Diaby for a shot which Turnbull saved well at the near post.

The resulting corner led to the opening goal, and only after that did Arsenal begin to pass the ball around with some degree of confidence.

The most open spell of the game followed the equaliser, and after Boro saw some good build-up play come to nothing, Cesc Fabregas's accurate long ball initiated an Arsenal break but Adebayor's cross went through the legs of Robin van Persie with the Dutchman on the edge of the six-yard box.

The second half began in quieter fashion, until the hour mark when the previously anonymous Stewart Downing's well-struck half-volley was saved well by Almunia at his near post.

Both sides took their turns to push for a winner, but it was the visitors who looked more likely to score.

Fabregas, Adebayor, Bacary Sagna and William Gallas all had efforts blocked by defenders before substitute Nicklas Bendtner was denied by an excellent near-post parry from Turnbull to ensure the two sides shared the points.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

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  1. Well done Arsenal still without Rosicky, Nasri, walcott­ and Eduardo u guys can hold your own. I've been a­ supporter since Frank Mclintock was captain and still­ will be and dont worry about post 51's comment...­ for Chelsea to win it all.. u have to at least win at­ home especially against West Ham ....after last­ yesterday's game they are luckkkyyy to salvage a­ point.

    From hisham n, on Mon 15 Dec 4:56AM

  2. Post 21 & 24,

    What if wenger does what he has been­ doing for the last 4 years in the january transfer­ window i.e buy only inexperienced and or expired­ players, what do we fans do?

    My take is that if they­ fail to fortify the squad there should be a massive­ boycott of games to show our displeasure. As i have­ said consistently, if this policy is not changed,­ arsenal will continue to be trophyless

    From akinremi, on Sun 14 Dec 7:12PM

  3. I AGREE WITH "MADGOONER" I HAVE BEEN AN­ ARSENAL SUPPORTER SINCE 1950 LIVED IN BAALBEC ROAD,­ (ANYONE STILL LIVE IN OR AROUND THEIR? ).. 10 MINS WALK­ TO HIGHBURY...DESPITE ARSENAL AGAIN DROPPING POINTS, I­ HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT OTHER TEAMS ALWAYS RAISE THEIR­ GAME WHEN PLAYING ARSENAL, IF ONLY THOSE TEAMS COULD­ MAINTANE THE PERFORMANCE THEY SHOW AGAINST ARSENAL THEY­ WOULD BE UP IN THE TOP 4 REGULARLY, SO WHY DON'T­ THESE "OCCASIONAL TEAMS" PLAY LIKE THAT­ AGAINST OTHER TEAMS MORE OFTEN?.. THEY ARE LETTING­ THEIR SUPPORTERS DOWN AND THE CLUB BY THEIR INDIFFERENT­ PLAY..ARSENAL? YES IT'S ABOUT TIME THEY STARTED­ STRINGING WINS TOGETHER. HOPE THAT EDUARDO DOESN'T­ TAKE TOO LONG TO GET BACK INTO SCORING MODE, WOULD HE­ INSPIRE ROBIN V.P. OR ADEBAYOR TO GET BACK TO THE­ LETHAL STRIKERS THEY WERE BEFORE EDUARDO WAS INJURED,­ LETS HOPE SO. NO MATTER WHAT ARSENALS FUTURE HOLDS, I­ WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT THEM...OLD GOONER.

    From esther.melvyn, on Sun 14 Dec 1:22PM

  4. let's wait until Eduardo comes back. One week now!

    From alex1stef2, on Sun 14 Dec 1:14PM

  5. Well done Arsene Wenger....Top 7 and 8 are waiting for­ U
    HHAHAHAHAH
    Yor Season Are Out

    From kk, on Sun 14 Dec 8:34AM

  6. Wheres my vote comment?

    From Nathan, on Sun 14 Dec 7:20AM

  7. If gooners can't field more than a skool boy team­ what do you expect :-)

    From art_tidesco, on Sun 14 Dec 2:38AM

  8. Nah, this time it's not the season for Arsenal.­ They are drawing too much and are far too inconsistent­ to fill the trophy cabinet this time. They will have­ done well to just get a Champions League placement for­ the next season.

    From sappercommando25, on Sat 13 Dec 10:15PM

  9. every one moaning about arsnal but give credit were its­ due boro matched them in every department

    From Terry G, on Sat 13 Dec 9:23PM

  10. 5th or 6th this season for Arsenal, time is right for­ them to be replaced in the top 4

    From go forth and, on Sat 13 Dec 8:17PM

  11. goodbyee.....................­ arsenal....................get lost arsene wenger

    From mbaqir_chapter2, on Sat 13 Dec 7:36PM

  12. chelseachelseachelseachelseachelseachelseachelseachelse­ achelseachelseachelseachelseachelseachelseachelseachels­ eachelseachelseachelseachelseachelseachelsea gonna win­ it all

    From robierto87, on Sat 13 Dec 7:21PM

  13. Well done Arsenal, / keep going, we gonna get there

    From goldfluffycat, on Sat 13 Dec 7:13PM

  14. butchkins:
    FYI, i never said 'the boro' was a­ city; so please do not mis-quote me and btw, your­ catchment area is absolutely massive . . . so stop­ telling blatant lies! Tuncay AND Downing to leave this­ two-bob outfit in January.

    From cameron w, on Sat 13 Dec 6:39PM

  15. haha

    From mike, on Sat 13 Dec 6:29PM

  16. Thoroughly agree with billy b comments (29). I am a­ Gooner and have been since 1969 when I went to my 1st­ match at Highbury. Is funny how the most­ "Fickle" comments all seem to come from­ people with very little grasp of the english language­ and who next week after a win, will be abck on here­ shouting "Gooner 4 Life" again. They aint­ nothing but moron's with very little grasp of­ reality let alone the game. They just like seeing their­ names up on screen & thinking they funny &­ famous for 30 seconds!

    From Madgooner62, on Sat 13 Dec 6:18PM

  17. come on the boro

    From chris, on Sat 13 Dec 6:03PM

  18. WELL DONE ARSENALLLLL LIKE THAT

    From Wilson-M, on Sat 13 Dec 5:32PM

  19. D Maymid - are you accusing the officials of causing­ arsenal to drop yet more points

    From Mike S, on Sat 13 Dec 5:12PM

  20. hohoho its a merry xmass assnil below villa hohoho

    From steve h, on Sat 13 Dec 5:12PM
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