Saturday February 11, 2012 Day 25 Finished Stadium of Light

Sunderland 1 - 2 Arsenal

  • McClean 70’
  • Ramsey 75’
  • Henry 90’

212 comments | Write your comment

  1. Henry claims late winner for Arsenal

    Henry claims late winner for Arsenal

    Thierry Henry brought the curtain down on his Premier League career with Arsenal when scoring in injury time to beat Sunderland 2-1 away. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Sunderland
    • Arsenal
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with every Premier League game, from 00:01 on Monday morning (UK only).
    • - Let me know what you thought of that match, and Henry's winner, on Twitter now. Follow Tom Adams on Twitter
    • 90+5' FULL TIME. Henry wins it for Arsenal! What a way to mark his final Premier League game for the club.
    • 90+4' Sessegnon flies in on Arteta when the Spaniard is on the ground and angers his opponent. Tempers briefly flare.
    • 90+2' GOAL! Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal! Thierry Henry! On his final Premier League appearance! In injury time! Arshavin with the cross from the left and Henry got ahead of his man to steer the ball in from about three yards out.
    • 90+1' We will have four added minutes.
    • 90' Now Ji with a late chance but he drags his shot wide after the pass from Sessegnon!
    • 89' Chance! Arshavin delivers a cross from the left and Van Persie rises to meet it well, only to see his header fly into the hands of Mignolet.
    • 87' Now Campbell comes off, to be replaced by Ji Dong-won.
    • 86' Andrei Arshavin replaces Walcott for Arsenal.
    • 85' Henry really hasn't got into the game at all since coming on. Five minutes remaining of his Premier League career.
    • 84' By the way, Everton are winning 2-0 at home to Chelsea at present and, with Liverpool also losing, a win here would do Arsenal the world of good.
    • 82' Arsenal are certainly making no bones about the fact they want a winner here and they look a bit more hungry than Sunderland at present.
    • 80' Action at both ends as the penalty boxes are assailed by a series of crosses but both defences stand firm for now. This is so finely balanced.
    • 78' The set-piece causes havoc in the Arsenal ox but ultimately O'Shea and Colback both fail to get a proper shot away.
    • 77' Rosicky goes into the book for a reacting badly when Vermaelen is penalised for bringing down Campbell on the edge of the box.
    • 75' GOAL! Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal! Fantastic strike from Ramsey, the substitute! The ball deflects into his path 20 yards from goal and the Welshman sees his low drive come off the inside of the post, roll across the goal and go in off the other post!
    • 74' Mertesacker looked in real pain when going off and Arsenal won't want to lose him for any prolonged period of time. At present they have to focus on getting back into this game though.
    • 72' The injury has done for Mertesacker and Aaron Ramsey is on in his place.
    • 71' I say contentious because there is an argument that carrying on may be unsporting - after all Paolo Di Canio once stopped in similar circumstances. However, you can't really blame the young man, and it was a tidy finish.
    • 70' GOAL! Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal! The home side take the lead in somewhat contentious circumstances. Mertesacker is in possession of the ball and pulls up in real pain. McClean has to take advantage really and does so, hammering home a fine finish from a tight angle.
    • 69' The Arsenal fans are certainly enthused by Henry's arrival and it is worth reiterating that this will be his last Premier League game for Arsenal.
    • 67' A change for Arsenal as Thierry Henry comes on for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has been very quiet today. Wenger doesn't often make changes that early.
    • 65' Sunderland have really upped the ante in the past 10 minutes or so and Arsenal are struggling to contain them at present.
    • 64' Arsenal are forced to clear from a succession of high balls into the box before a header loops up and into the box of Gardner, who sees Szczesny dive to his right to save his dipping volley from the edge of the box!
    • 62' Superb save from Szczesny! A corner from the left is cleared into the path of Gardner and the keeper throws himself full-length to his left to get a palm to the midfielder's low effort.
    • 60' Colback slips in a neat pass to Campbell and the striker tries to get a shot away from a tight angle, only to see his weak effort drift across the face of goal.
    • 58' Sunderland soak up more pressure as they clear from a Sagna cross. Now Walcott takes a touch from another Sagna cross and appears to be shaping up for an over-head kick, only for his marker to intervene.
    • 57' Nice work from McClean as he comes across and prevents Sagna from breaking down the right with a fine sliding tackle.
    • 56' Song - as he does so often - wastes possession in the final third when trying to pick out Walcott and putting too much on the pass.
    • 55' Arteta again looks for Rosicky through the middle of the pitch but the Czech Republic international's subsequent square pass for Van Persie lacks direction.
    • 53' Mertesacker pings a pass out to Walcott but the forward fails to control as it comes off his instep and out for a throw.
    • 52' Arteta is penalised for a foul on Gardner. The midfielder then sees his free-kick blocked before the ball drops to John O'Shea and he thumps a shot over the bar. That's the closest Sunderland have gone.
    • 51' Excellent from Koscielny as he brings down an awkward high ball and takes it away from Sessegnon in one swift movement. He has been fantastic this season.
    • 50' Van Persie drags the ball across the face of goal and forces Sunderland defender Turner into a messy clearance that goes behind for a corner. Sunderland clear from the set-piece though.
    • 48' Gardner is penalised for a foul on Van Persie. The set-piece is rolled into the path of Vermaelen but his hammer shot is blocked.
    • 47' Oxlade-Chamberlain proves persistent when battling for the ball in the box and for a second appears to have wrestled control of it. However, Sunderland do well to clear.
    • 46' A heavy touch from Mertesacker and Campbell is ready to pounce, but the German recovers to find a team-mate, in his usual languid style.
    • 46' KICK OFF!
    • - Got anything to say on that first half? Get in contact with me on Twitter now. Follow @tomEurosport
    • 45+2' Sunderland fail to make anything of the set piece and the half-time whistle blows, to boos around the Stadium of Light. They aren't happy with the match officials.
    • 45+1' Campbell demands a square pass from Colback on the edge of the box but finds Vermaelen to be a big barrier to goal. However, he wins a corner for his side.
    • 45' Arteta is the man tasked with taking the free kick and thumps his effort against the wall. Disappointing.
    • 43' Now Sunderland's players are furious when Fraizer Campbell is penalised for a foul on Van Persie. He knocked him to the ground and then kicked the ball away to earn a booking.
    • 41' The Sunderland fans appear to be getting a touch restless with a succession of decisions that have gone against their side but they have been correct.
    • 39' Excellent work from Sessegnon as he exchanges passes with Craig Gardner and bursts into the box. He is brought to ground as he collides into an Arsenal player but there's nothing in it.
    • 38' A cross from Colback bounces off Mertesacker's chest, into the turf and back onto his arm, but no penalty is given as there is no way that could be construed as deliberate.
    • 37' Sunderland fail to properly clear from a Vermalen cross but when Van Persie plays in Sagna the defender's cross is blocked by Richardson.
    • 35' Stat from Opta: "Only two of the 14 goals Sunderland have scored against Arsenal in the Premier League era has been netted in the first half."
    • 33' Rosicky looks to find Walcott with a return pass but puts too much on it and the ball runs out for a goal-kick. Walcott is becoming more and more influential though.
    • 32' Arsenal have been the better side so far and have restricted Sunderland to nothing more than a couple of half-chances, if that. It has been a decent performance from the visitors so far.
    • 30' Walcott lashes a volley over the bar after Song dinks a ball over the top of the defence to find the forward on the right of the box and at a tight angle.
    • 29' Rosicky turns the ball into the path of Oxlade-Chamberlain with a fine first-time pass and then receives it back. The Czech slips in Van Persie, who goes to ground in the box when the ball squirms off his boot, but there was nothing in it.
    • 27' Arsenal have won just five of their last 22 away games in domestic competitions (W5 D7 L10).
    • 26' Stat from Opta: "Arsenal have won just five of their last 22 away games in domestic competitions (W5 D7 L10)."
    • 24' On that last chance, replays showed that Oxlade-Chamberlain was in space in the centre and was absolutely furious that Walcott didn't seek to find him with a cross. He could have tapped it home.
    • 23' Chance for Arsenal! Theo Walcott, for the first time in game, enjoys a bit of space on the right and after collecting a through-ball from Van Persie he fizzes a shot across goal and just wide of the far post.
    • 22' Oxlade-Chamberlain embarks on a run from the left into the centre of the pitch but just loses control as he drifts into a dangerous position.
    • 21' Stat from Opta: "The Black Cats have kept three clean sheets in a row at the Stadium of Light. If they keep one in this game, it’ll equal their best run since December 2001 when they kept four in a row."
    • 19' Van Persie takes the subsequent free-kick and both Per Mertesacker and Vermaelen fail to get decent contact on the ball, allowing Sunderland to clear.
    • 18' Kieran Richardson goes into the book for a bodycheck on Sagna then sends the Arsenal man hurtling to the floor.
    • 17' Szczesny and Koscielny make a bit of a mess dealing with a high ball over the top but in the end the keeper is decisive when booting it clear.
    • 16' Sunderland are playing with a lot of confidence at present and Arsenal's early momentum has certainly slowed.
    • 15' Larsson displays fine technique when executing a volleyed pass out to McClean on the left but the winger has strayed into an offside position.
    • 14' Panic in the Arsenal box as Sunderland swarm and force a corner through a deflected Campbell shot. Colback's delivery is again too close to Szczesny, who catches the ball on his line.
    • 13' So the best chance of the game so far has fallen to Van Persie, who has 40 goals in his past 41 Premier League games. Not yet today though.
    • 11' Sunderland step up the tempo and win another corner. Former Gunner Seb Larsson with the delivery from the left. McClean gets his head to the ball at the near post to flick it on but his header flies off target.
    • 9' Song plays in Van Persie and he gets a snap-shot away as Sunderland fail to cut out the pass, but his low effort is saved by Mignolet. That was poor from the Sunderland backline.
    • 7' Now Sunderland win a corner and Jack Colback swings it into the box. Wojciech Szczesny looks to be poorly positioned but the keeper claims it.
    • 6' Arteta threads an excellent pass through the centre of the pitch for Rosicky, he takes a touch and sees his low effort blocked by a Sunderland shirt.
    • 5' Arsenal win a second corner of the match, Van Persie again with the delivery and Thomas Vermaelen rises to meet it, only for Simon Mignolet to stretch out an arm and get the necessary touch to the ball.
    • 4' Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is fed the ball for the first time wide on the left but he is forced to check back and play a cross-field pass to Sagna.
    • 3' Arsenal win a corner and Robin van Persie swings it in from the left, only for Michael Turner to meet the ball with a firm clearing header.
    • 2' Arsenal stroke the ball around confidently in the opening stages, with Alex Song, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky all involved in the centre of midfield.
    • 1' KICK OFF!
    • 14.55 Want to get in touch during today's game? You can get in contact with me on Twitter and I will try and use your comments here if I get the chance. Don't be shy now. Follow Tom Adams on Twitter
    • 14.50 One of Sunderland's best performers under O'Neill has been young Irishman James McClean, who has thrived in midfield. However, he was strangely overlooked by Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni despite scoring three times and claiming three assists in his past eight games. Trapattoni snubs McClean
    • 14.45 Arsenal tried to extend Henry's loan deal ahead of this game but New York Red Bulls wanted their captain back in the States and now Wednesday's game against Milan in the Champions League will prove his last outing. He has scored twice since his return - against Leeds in the FA Cup and Blackburn in the league. Arsenal fail with Henry bid
    • 14.40 When the two sides met at Emirates Stadium earlier in the season, Robin van Persie scored Arsenal’s fastest-ever Premier League goal (29 seconds), before Seb Larsson struck a fantastic free kick and then Van Persie notched one of his own as the Gunners won 2-1.
    • 14.35 Arsenal make just one change from the team that beat Blackburn as Bacary Sagna comes in for Francis Coquelin at right-back. Kieran Gibbs also returns to the bench for the first time since October, while Thierry Henry is a sub and could make his final Premier League appearance for Arsenal, unless he returns on loan again in the future of course. Sunderland are unchanged after beating Middlesbrough in the cup in midweek.
    • 14.30 Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Song, Arteta, Rosicky, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Van Persie. Subs: Fabianski, Gibbs, Coquelin, Ramsey, Arshavin, Benayoun, Henry. /// Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, Turner, O'Shea, Richardson, Larsson, Gardner, Colback, McClean, Sessegnon, Campbell. Subs: Westwood, Bridge, Krygiakos, Elmohamady, Meyler, Dong, Wickham.
    • 14.25 Arsenal's form since the turn of the year has been decidedly ropey but a 7-1 thumping of Blackburn last time out ended a run of four games without a win. The Gunners have won only two of their 12 league visits to the north east though, and Sunderland have lost only once in 10 at home. This could be a close one.
    • 14.20 Sunderland are, remarkably, the form side in the Premier League with eight wins and two draws in 12 games since Martin O'Neill took over. They have risen to eighth place as a result and face an Arsenal side only seven points above them in sixth.
    • 14.15 Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Premier League game between Sunderland and Arsenal at the Stadium of Light.

  • Summary

    • 90+2' GOAL! Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal! Thierry Henry! On his final Premier League appearance! In injury time! Arshavin with the cross from the left and Henry got ahead of his man to steer the ball in from about three yards out.
    • 90' Now Ji with a late chance but he drags his shot wide after the pass from Sessegnon!
    • 89' Chance! Arshavin delivers a cross from the left and Van Persie rises to meet it well, only to see his header fly into the hands of Mignolet.
    • 75' GOAL! Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal! Fantastic strike from Ramsey, the substitute! The ball deflects into his path 20 yards from goal and the Welshman sees his low drive come off the inside of the post, roll across the goal and go in off the other post!
    • 70' GOAL! Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal! The home side take the lead in somewhat contentious circumstances. Mertesacker is in possession of the ball and pulls up in real pain. McClean has to take advantage really and does so, hammering home a fine finish from a tight angle.
    • 64' Arsenal are forced to clear from a succession of high balls into the box before a header loops up and into the box of Gardner, who sees Szczesny dive to his right to save his dipping volley from the edge of the box!
    • 62' Superb save from Szczesny! A corner from the left is cleared into the path of Gardner and the keeper throws himself full-length to his left to get a palm to the midfielder's low effort.
    • 52' Arteta is penalised for a foul on Gardner. The midfielder then sees his free-kick blocked before the ball drops to John O'Shea and he thumps a shot over the bar. That's the closest Sunderland have gone.
    • 23' Chance for Arsenal! Theo Walcott, for the first time in game, enjoys a bit of space on the right and after collecting a through-ball from Van Persie he fizzes a shot across goal and just wide of the far post.
    • 9' Song plays in Van Persie and he gets a snap-shot away as Sunderland fail to cut out the pass, but his low effort is saved by Mignolet. That was poor from the Sunderland backline.
    • 14.30 Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Song, Arteta, Rosicky, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Van Persie. Subs: Fabianski, Gibbs, Coquelin, Ramsey, Arshavin, Benayoun, Henry. /// Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, Turner, O'Shea, Richardson, Larsson, Gardner, Colback, McClean, Sessegnon, Campbell. Subs: Westwood, Bridge, Krygiakos, Elmohamady, Meyler, Dong, Wickham.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

    Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account.

    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      4.7 6
      Defenders
      4.5 6
      4.5 6
      4.5 7
      Yellow Card 4.4 6
      Midfielders
      4.8 7
      4.5 6
      5 5
      Goal 5.3 8
      Strikers
      Yellow Card Substitution Out87′ 4.2 6
      5.6 6
      Subs
      Substitution In87′ 3 6
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.3 7
      Defenders
      6.5 6
      Substitution Out72′ 6 6
      6.6 8
      7 7
      Midfielders
      6.7 6
      6.8 6
      Substitution Out87′ 6.2 6
      Yellow Card 6.6 6
      Substitution Out66′ 7.5 5
      Strikers
      7.6 6
      Subs
      Substitution In66′ Goal 8.9 7
      Substitution In87′ 7.3 7
      Substitution In72′ Goal 8.5 7

Comment 193 - 212 of 212

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. Nice to see arsenal lose, about time they got paid back­ for all the diving & wegleface whinging about other­ teams, hehehehehe championship for them next year you­ watch hehehe.

    From Andrew, on Sun 19 Feb 7:11

  2. arsenal. Oops i just said the swear word.

    From Faris, on Sat 18 Feb 20:31

  3. i'm going off to have a bar of ice cream. When i­ come back this comment will better be on top for likes.

    From Faris, on Sat 18 Feb 19:58

  4. OMG you dumb guys henry not arshavin YOU SUCK to all­ the arshavin fans out there.

    From Faris, on Sat 18 Feb 19:52

  5. from my last comment i meant 1-1 sunderland arsenal fa­ cup.For those of you who did not understand.

    From Faris, on Sat 18 Feb 19:45

  6. So basiclly sunderland vs arsenal is today (but it is­ not tomorrow so just like for my opinion in the game).­ First of all ai hate that ugly wenger for making us­ lose 4 - 0 to ac milan and not playing van persie nor­ oxlade chamberlain. My opinion is 1 - 1 but in­ penalties 5-4 arsenal. ARSENAL­ FAN.AAAAAARRRRRSSSSEEEEEENNNNNAAAAALLLLLLL!

    From Faris, on Sat 18 Feb 15:48

  7. this is the best arsenal team ever

    From callum.unsworth1, on Mon 13 Feb 22:58

  8. just keep the faith

    From Idris, on Mon 13 Feb 17:34

  9. Slumberland .....where were you ?

    From JohnnyGurkha, on Sun 12 Feb 21:57

  10. the speed of play by arsenal is too low. i hope wenger­ watched spurs run like antelopes. even adebayor has­ increased his speed at spurs. he used to walk around­ the pitch while at arsenal!

    From Lawrence-Right, on Sun 12 Feb 16:49

  11. Mr EB you are 50 right of course, supporting a small­ team just outside Gateshead.

    From mackem, on Sun 12 Feb 16:10

  12. ftm

    From sirblobbyrobson, on Sun 12 Feb 11:24
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Where's all the maccems comments. Instead of going­ on the Magies site slagging them off, make some­ comments about your own s**t team. Still 9 points­ behind. Newcastle are playing s**t football and still­ you can't catch them. I saw a man planting seed­ potatoes around the stadium of sh**e, he said if I­ plant them now we'll have something to lift at the­ end of the season. I noticed they have arranged the­ seating to make the place look full........TOSSERS

    From Mr.E.B., on Sun 12 Feb 8:38

  14. We the BIGGEST GUNS in Monrovia Liberia have our hats­ off for Wenger and his boys, Now that both "the­ BLUES and NEW CASTLE"have made way for us.SO­ FORWARD MATCH ARSENAL ON - ON - WE­ GOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Start at the 4th ­ Position on the table then next we munch the 3rd and­ maybe end at 2nd. We are not trying to be over­ ambitious here but rather facing the fact. The­ Arsenal squad is presently RIPE to send Bullets­ from our GUNS through any defense. Take it or Leave­ it... Gunners for life Oyeah!!!!!! Oyeah!!!!!!!! Med­ & James are here with other fans fully supporting­ them at the Emirates.

    From Mohamed Gbessekoh, on Sun 12 Feb 5:36

  15. spurs are thinking about bringing back les ferdinand­ for the arsenal game for a bit of nostalgia as well

    From Carl Baker, on Sun 12 Feb 4:52
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    lucky arsenal again. martin o neil for england. coys

    From Carl Baker, on Sun 12 Feb 4:34

  17. Simply the best Thank you Henry we will miss you­ please stay a little longer. You have made my day x

    From caleysonia, on Sun 12 Feb 3:45

  18. Let us go for the Season winner unles Ref stops us­ again. Henry stays or bring players from African Cup­ of Nations. I saw many players who can help maintain­ Arsenal form.

    From Jack C, on Sun 12 Feb 3:32

  19. What Neo said, to Ed with sweet dedication!­
    -----
    -----
    We already are on 4th position, on­ alphabetical criteria! ROFLMAO!

    From Johnny D, on Sun 12 Feb 3:14

  20. Marti1700. Yep, Newcastle are certainly holding­ Spurs!!! COYS!!!!!!!!!

    From Hymer, on Sun 12 Feb 3:06
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account