Wild American Gooner

When Sports Are More Than Just Sports


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The Definition of Nervy – Player Ratings for Besiktas vs. Arsenal

It was as nervy as it could have possibly been. But for the 17th straight year, Arsenal are through to the Champions League Group Stage. Arsenal won 1-0, but the story became so much more complicated when Mathieu Debuchy was sent off with a quarter of an hour to play.

I don’t know why I was never that nervous about this match going in. I probably should have been when Aaron Ramsey got his red card, when the 0-0 draw in Istanbul meant an opening goal from Besiktas would make Arsenal need two goals, and when Olivier Giroud went down with a long-term leg injury. But strangely, I was never as worried as I should have been before the match. Those worries would soon manifest themselves

The first half played out as I expected. Arsenal took command of the match from the start, but aside from a chance or two, never looked likely to score a goal. It was Besiktas that had the better chances, or at least more calls for a penalty, and a few Arsenal tackles led to some nervy seconds waiting for the referee’s whistle. But the Gunners were chipping away at the Besiktas defense, probing throughout. It was physica, and not all that pretty. But a late goal that came from almost nothing by new-boy Alexis Sanchez sent Arsenal into the break ahead.

I do think Arsenal got lucky in the first half as the Turkish side easily could have had two penalties. Mathieu Debuchy probably should have been sent off for a tackle in the box that was not deemed a foul. A goal from the spot then and the red card would have put Arsenal in a terrible position. And Jack Wilshere too was very fortunate not to give away a penalty with a challenge that was so poorly timed, he hardly reached the attacker, much less the ball. A lot of decisions go against Arsenal, but these ones certainly went in our favor.

The match could have been put to bed in the second half, as Sanchez and Mathieu Debuchy both had good chances right next to goal. As the game opened up, Jack Wilshere and Mesut Özil linked up well. There was one shaky moment when Mathieu Flamini’s failed clearance led to a Demba Ba shot that hit the side netting, but Arsenal looked a lot more likely to score.

Besiktas committed hordes of men forward, and Arsenal had two or three gilt-edged chances around the 70th minute to get the important second goal. But then came Debuchy’s second yellow card that saw Arsenal have to play the last 15 minutes with only ten men. The nerves that had evaded me became all too real then.

From an objective standpoint, I’m sure the last 15 minutes were wonderful to watch. But for a fan of one of the teams involved, it was agonizing. Tackles were flying in from left and right, yellow cards were coming at an alarming rate for both sides, and the game remained far too open for my liking whenever the referee wasn’t blowing his whistle. Demba Ba’s header that went just wide in the 89th minute nearly caused me to pull out all my hair.

But the defense held up thankfully. Everybody did their part in the end, admirably stepping up when they needed to. It was certainly nervy in the end. And Arsenal’s players put in such a heavy shift that many of them will need a rest this coming weekend. But Arsenal are through. Phew…

Player Ratings (1-10)

Alexis Sanchez – 8/10 – It was a fantastic sight to see Sanchez get on the score sheet for Arsenal. The goal wasn’t splendidly struck, but no one will care. He hadn’t been at his best before that and missed another good chance in the second half, but had put in a great shift. When he lost the ball, he usually fought until he got the ball back. He certainly looked capable of playing the central striker role today.

Santi Cazorla – 8.5/10 – Cazorla put in another hard-working shift, hounding the Besiktas midfielders and defenders when they got on the ball. Offensively, he played a few excellent long range through balls, especially when the match opened up. He lacked the final ball at times, but he was terrific in possession and made a lot of timely runs. His set pieces were also excellent today.

Mesut Özil – 7/10 – Özil drifted in and out of play, but it was he who played in Sanchez on the opening goal with a decisive pass that might have set up Wilshere as well. He read play well and looked threatening when he got on the ball. He might have been a little more decisive once the game opened up though.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 7/10 – The Ox looked lively down the right from the start, as he and Debuchy began to form an understanding that was so clearly lacking in the previous matches. His desire to run at the Besiktas defenders caused a lot of problems, and he had his head up, finding a number of teammates with clever passing. He really should have scored right before Debuchy was sent off.

Jack Wilshere – 9/10 – Wilshere put himself in a lot of good positions today, having a lively game in midfield while showing off his physicality and vision with driving runs. But he made a rash challenge in the box that probably should have been a penalty, and he didn’t take the big chance that he created early in the first half. Overall, he had a sensational match, but it could easily have been disastrous or even better. He sets an incredibly high standard with much of his play that he doesn’t always match. But this match was definitely two steps in the right direction.

Mathieu Flamini – 7/10 – Flamini had a better game today than he did this past weekend. Besiktas didn’t have a whole lot going through the middle, but Flamini held firm for the most part when called upon. He also had a key block near the penalty area early in the first half when Besiktas looked threatening. But his failed clearance in the 63rd minute gifted Ba a great chance at goal. He, like many others, stepped up at the end.

Nacho Monreal 7/10 – Monreal appeared more at ease today. Besiktas didn’t have much going down Arsenal’s left side, and when they did Monreal was usually there to cut it out. He also got around to cover Debuchy a time or two. He also sent in a great cross to the Ox which should have given Arsenal its second goal. And in the final minutes, the left back didn’t put a foot wrong.

Laurent Koscielny – 7/10 – It was odd how many times the defense had a man break the line throughout the first half. I’ve rarely seen the offside trap fail like that with Koscielny and Mertesacker in the middle. This was their first match together of the season, and it showed. Thankfully, they got it together at half time. Koscielny did well individually, especially when he needed to do everything possible at the end. He stepped up big time when Arsenal needed all hands on deck.

Per Mertesacker – 7.5/10 – Mertesacker struggled with the pace of Demba Ba whenever he got caught too far forward, but in general, he did well. As always, his reading of the game saw him cover admirably for his fellow defenders. And he made some vital clearances late on. As exciting as Calum Chambers has been, the defense becomes less erratic with the veteran German in the middle.

Mathieu Debuchy – 6/10 – Debuchy flirted with disaster in this match before finding it, picking up an early yellow that set the tone for the right back. He probably should have been sent off soon after as I talked about above. He got his red card with a quarter of an hour left, one that although fair, he probably should have done without. It left his team in a horrible position with Besiktas needing only the one goal. But aside from that, he was pretty good today. His other tackles were well timed, and offensively he got forward with a lot of vigor.

Wojciech Szczesny – 7/10 – Szczesny had next to nothing to do until the final minutes. The few times he was involved though, he claimed crosses well. But when the game changed in the final minutes, Szczesny did his part, catching one ball in traffic at an impressive height. It was a good clean sheet.

Substitutes

Calum Chambers (76th) – 7/10 – He saw a yellow card before he took the field officially, putting himself in a precarious position as yellow cards were flying. But he performed admirably in such a high intensity situation. Chambers has maturity and composure well beyond his years.


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Rusney Castillo, My U.S. Open Prediction and Some EPL Thoughts

With classes beginning tomorrow morning, I thought I’d get a post up tonight before I’m swamped with back to school meetings and work. This post will be a collection of some sports related thoughts from the last few days.

I’ll start with the Red Sox’s signing of Cuban defector Rusney Castillo over the weekend to a seven-year, $72.5 million deal. Having never seen him play, my gut reaction to the deal is that it seems like an awful lot of money for a player who has yet to prove himself at this level. I know most of the recent Cuban arrivals have worked out, but there is no guarantee that Castillo will do the same. This signing also doesn’t fit the mold of a team that has declared itself a frugal spender on the free agent market. Should he struggle, I expect to hear a lot of  people asking why this money couldn’t have been added on to an extension for Jon Lester earlier this summer.

The new center fielder is described as having a plus bat, but with middling levels of power. He’s a slightly above average defender but he certainly won’t be Jackie Bradley Jr. out there. (For the record, watching Bradley play center field has probably been my favorite part of this season.) And Castillo’s not a speed demon either. All in all, he sounds like a good player, but not a superstar. Yet comparisons are made to Yasiel Puig, and Yoenis Cespedes himself said Castillo is a better player than he. Based on the scouting reports I’ve read, something has to give.

But don’t get me wrong. I do like the deal, as I think it puts the Red Sox in a position of power this offseason, with an abundance of talented players they can use as trade bait in potential deals for the Giancarlo Stanton or Cole Hamels types. The outfield now includes Castillo, Cespedes and Allen Craig, three talented hitters, plus Shane Victorino, Daniel Nava, Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts. All of these players carry value. My guess at this point is that Craig, Nava and Bradley Jr. won’t be around next year, but it could easily be Cespedes and Victorino making way.

This signing is yet another statement from the Red Sox management that they will make all the effort they can to put a World Series contending team on the field next year. Worst to first to worst to first might be within reach. Adding frontline pitching remains a must, but the offense looks like it will be much improved. It’s not often a team struggling as badly as the Red Sox can have such reason for optimism. I hope we get our first taste of Castillo in Boston soon.

Switching to tennis, the U.S. Open starts tomorrow. I say this about a lot of things, but the event is truly one of my favorites. It will be tough for me to watch a lot of the action in the early going, but I will tune in when I can. Night tennis in Arthur Ashe Stadium is spectacular. And the music on the ESPN U.S. Open commercials gets me every time. It must be love.

I’ll have more to say in the next two weeks about the tennis itself, potentially picking the results of the later matches, but today I’m just going to offer my prediction for the winners. On the women’s side, I like Simona Halep to win it all. She has been climbing the ladder to stardom recently, and I think she will find it in New York.

On the men’s side, I think Roger Federer will finally get another Grand Slam title. Playing in front of the sport’s biggest crowds that will be on his side at all times, Federer will ride the wave of support all the way to title. He will look young again. As long as I’ve followed tennis, it feels like veteran, big name players have performed better in the U.S. Open than in any other major. There might be early upsets, but the stars are always there in the end. Federer has been playing well recently, and he won’t have to play Novak Djokovic until the final in this tournament. Without Rafael Nadal in his way this time, I think we’ll see Roger lifting the trophy in a fortnight.

And now to the EPL. This morning, I tuned in to the Sunderland-Manchester United match to check up on the relegation battle. To me, there was no question that Sunderland looked the better side today. United were sloppy and had no spark to their play. Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney were largely invisible up front, and defensively, the storied side were a joke. I don’t understand why the supposed tactical genius that is van Gaal is forcing the 3-5-2 on his team. They are simply not built for it, as they neither possess any true wing backs at the moment nor any talent at center back. If the defense is so bad they need a back five against Sunderland, how many will they need back against the likes of Chelsea?

Watching United drop points has become as regular as my trips to the grocery store. It’s getting increasingly funny. The seemingly imminent arrival of Angel di Maria adds a fantastic player to their squad, but it doesn’t address any of their problems right now. Van Gaal’s system also will see di Maria moved away from areas of the pitch in which he is most comfortable – assuming van Persie and Rooney remain up top with Juan Mata in the hole behind them. United will have spent an astounding amount of money this summer without addressing any of their biggest needs.

Tomorrow’s Liverpool-Manchester City match should be a fascinating one. Neither team was particularly impressive in their wins last weekend, and each will be looking to lay their claim as the league’s best side. With Mario Balotelli joining up with Liverpool, Daniel Sturridge has a point to prove. He and Balotelli would make an odd pairing up front, one I don’t expect to succeed long term. Sturridge has been on fire in the last year and should have the starting spot locked down going forward should Liverpool elect to play with a lone striker. But he’ll need to do a lot today to quiet all of the Balotelli fans out there. My prediction for this match is a 2-2 draw.

And lastly, the more I thought about the Arsenal game yesterday, the more satisfied I became with the result. We are incredibly lucky to be at four points after these first two Premier League matches. Things could easily be a lot worse. It was always going to be a tough stretch with players coming back late due to the World Cup. But as long as they get through Wednesday’s vital Champions League match, the team should come out of it fine. Arsene Wenger could be breathing a large sigh of relief soon.

 


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A Comeback From Nowhere – Player Ratings and Analysis from Everton Arsenal

Somehow, someway, Arsenal rescued a point on the road against Everton, scoring two late goals to earn a 2-2 draw. It will amount to what is a pretty good point at Goodison Point, but it was as strange a game as I’ve watched. The first half performance was abysmal, and for much of the match, Arsenal looked as lost as they were on the road all of last year. But then something changed. The introduction of Santi Cazorla and Joel Campbell in the 74th minute injected some urgency in the side. And the two necessary goals came, but not as you’d expect.

The goals weren’t your typical Arsenal goals. The first came almost at a stand still, as Cazorla sort of walked into the box before driving a low cross at the feet of Aaron Ramsey. Then the second came from a horribly overhit cross that Nacho Monreal tracked down near the corner. Monreal, who’d been overhitting crosses all day, picked out a perfect one that Oliver Giroud headed home. They weren’t beautiful goals. They didn’t come from added pace or creativity. They came from patience and determination.

The first half performance was sickening to watch. Arsenal’s demons from a year ago were back, and in a big way. The defense and midfield were unorganized, letting Everton run free all over the park. And offensively, with Alexis Sanchez up top, there was no outlet to hold the ball. Everton’s first was the result of Mesut Özil not marking his man, but it was a goal that was always going to come for the Toffees.

Playing without a physical striker against Everton probably wasn’t the best decision. It may have worked had Arsenal developed an element of cohesion this year, but with nothing going in the midfield due to Everton’s constant pressure, they needed a vertical outlet that Sanchez couldn’t provide. It wasn’t his fault, and to his credit, he worked hard hard in possession as he dropped deeper and deeper. But today wasn’t the time to experiment, even if this is the ultimate solution.

Everton’s second goal was offside, and the assistant referee’s non-call was atrocious. However, as rough as the call was, the Toffees deserved a second goal for the way they dominated the first half. The spaces Arsenal were leaving all throughout the midfield saw Everton do whatever they wanted when Arsenal lost the ball. The only defensive successes for Arsenal came as a result of gambling – be it Mathieu Flamini or Calum Chambers going in hard one-on-one – and when they missed a tackle, there was even more space for Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku. The second goal exposed that directly, as both Per Mertesacker and Calum Chambers gambled on Lukaku upfield and missed.

Arsenal were far too narrow for the first seventy minutes. There was nothing happening out wide for much of the match, so the passing game in the midfield became all the more difficult with extra bodies around. And near the box, there was no space to do anything. Mesut Özil should not play out wide, as his creativity gets stunted in that position and he constantly falls asleep as he did on Everton’s first goal. Things were looking bad.

The introduction of Santi Cazorla and Joel Campbell came just in time though. The two of them provided the width and energy that was so badly needed, and Campbell also added the ability to hold up the ball a little bit, creating a second outlet. Cazorla’s work rate was evident right away, a stark contrast to those that had been on the wings earlier in the match. One can only wonder what would have happened had the two of them come on ten minutes earlier.

It will be easy after to freak out about what happened in the first half, but I urge everyone to have patience. The talent is there, but the cohesion is not at the moment. It’s worth remembering that Mesut Özil and Per Mertesacker have not had a preseason game before today. The transfer window closes in a little more than a week, and today’s defensive struggles might see Arsene Wenger go back in on some of his targets. But none of them will come unless Arsenal advances in the Champions League on Wednesday. That game holds immense importance.

With ten minutes to play, not a single person watching the game around the globe would have seen the comeback coming. But it came nonetheless, and Arsenal grabbed a point on the road against a top side. The has been no shortage of struggles so far this season, but the late goals have saved the team. Spirits can be lifted with big late goals, and comebacks like this do a lot for morale. Down the road, we could be looking at this comeback as a big point in the title race.

Player Ratings (1-10)

Alexis Sanchez – 5.5/10 – Sanchez was given an impossible task today as I wrote above. It seemed harsh to take him off after the first half, as he was working hard and making good runs, but it was necessary to put on a physical focal point in the second half. His runs weren’t often spotted, and he needs to develop a better understanding with his teammates.

Mesut Özil – 5.5/10 – Asking Özil to start straightaway without any preseason didn’t set the World Cup winner up for greatness today. He was noticeably quiet on the wing in the first half, except for his defensive lapse. It wasn’t until he drifted inside in the second half that he began to pick out a few nice balls. Expect his form to pick up in a week or two, as it is still preseason for Mesut/

Aaron Ramsey – 6.5/10 – Ramsey found a way to score another big late goal, making a wonderful run into the box to get on the end of Cazorla’s cross for Arsenal’s first. But for much of the game, he was a frustrated figure, skewing shots and overhitting passes. He and Wilshere got in each other’s way, and Ramsey wasn’t finding any space to shoot in the final third. He did alright defensively, but he doesn’t look as eager to go into tackles this year as he was a year ago.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 6/10 – The Ox had a better game than most Arsenal players, especially in the first half. He had a little bit of success down the right, and looked most likely to score in the first half. He might have done better with the shot he got from a poor Everton clearance early on though. He faded in the second half, and was rightfully replaced.

Jack Wilshere – 5/10 – Wilshere hardly did anything today. Defensively, he didn’t help Flamini out in any great way, and he got knocked off the ball a lot in the final third. I don’t like the setup of having him and Ramsey next to each other in the midfield, as they seem to want to make the same runs. His team in the starting XI would seem to be running thin.

Mathieu Flamini – 6/10 – Flamini had a rough first half, as his fellow midfielders and defenders left him with a ton of space to cover. He also was careless in possession in his own half, which his manager won’t appreciate. Many will say he needs to be replaced in the transfer market, but the truth was that he didn’t get the necessary help today to stop Everton’s counter attacks. He made a few good, hard tackles as always, and towards the end of the match, he looked much more assured. A bit of a mixed bag from the Frenchman today

Nacho Monreal – 6/10 – Right as my frustration with Monreal was boiling over, he sent in the perfect cross for the equalizer. Were it not for that ball, I probably would have given him a 4.5. He looked shaky defensively again, although to be fair, he had very little help from Mesut Özil. Offensively, his passing was poor, and he didn’t provide much width to a side badly needing it. But then he hit that cross, and all was forgotten.

Per Mertesacker – 5.5/10 – Mertesacker shifted over to the left side of the defensive, and he looked uncomfortable over there. He was caught off balance once or twice, and he needed to do a lot better with Lukaku on the second goal. His early yellow card prevented him from halting play with a foul in that situation, and it was a good example of why players need to avoid cheap yellows.

Calum Chambers – 6/10 – Chambers gambled a lot today, and generally, he won the ball. But he was way off on the second goal, not coming anywhere close to Lukaku in his attempted tackle. Aside from that though, he had a decent game. He definitely seemed less comfortable with Mertesacker than he does with Laurent Koscielny.

Mathieu Debuchy – 6/10 – It seems pretty clear at this point that Debuchy has very little understanding with his teammates in the final third. He has been noticeably quiet going forward, but yet still got caught out of position a few times today, leaving loads of space behind him. His one-on-one defending hasn’t been horrible, but he needs to get his offensive game going soon. He got forward a little bit at the end of the game, but he needs to do more.

Wojciech Szczesny – 5.5/10 – Szczesny had very little action today aside from the two goals. He wasn’t at fault for either, but I felt he could have saved both. The first header would have been a tough save, but Szczesny did get a hand on it and was just a tad slow to react. On the second goal, I thought he wasn’t quick enough off his line, and he left his legs wide open as he often does when he goes out. Many goalkeepers would have saved that one.

Substitutes

Olivier Giroud (46th) – 7/10 – Giroud changed the game when he stepped on the pitch at the start of the second half, as he allowed Arsenal to hold possession. He could have scored three times before Arsenal eventually got on the board, and probably should have got at least one of those. But he deservedly got the tying goal with a well-taken header. This performance was certainly a large step up from Tuesday for Giroud.

Santi Cazorla (74th) – 7.5/10 – As soon as he got on the field, Cazorla was buzzing everywhere, picking up the ball deep and bringing it forward. He was good in possession, and posed a different sort of threat to Everton going forward. His cross to Ramsey for the first goal was superbly hit, and it showed Cazorla’s quality. Quite simply, Arsenal would not have gotten that point had Cazorla not been on the field late on.

Joel Campbell (74th) – 6.5/10 – In his first Premier League action, Campbell made an impact. He was all over the field, showing off his touch. He looked at home in Arsenal’s passing game. He wasn’t involved in either goal, but he made a difference in the momentum of the game. And he sent in a pretty decent cross late on might have led to a winner had anyone gotten on the end of it.

What were your thoughts on that strange game? Are you satisfied with the comeback? Or angry about the first half? Please comment below.


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Saying Goodbye to the 2014 Red Sox As I Head Back to College

Today marks the end of summer for me, as I begin my drive back down to school. It’s been a good one. The first few weeks were dedicated to watching Lost, a life-changing odyssey for sure. Then came the fantastic World Cup and the inception of this blog. When people ask if my summer has been a success, I’ll say a resounding yes, pointing to the blog as the main reason. Writing so much has made me a lot more comfortable putting my thoughts down, and I’ll be all the better for it as I sit down to write essays for class and articles for my school newspaper.

But I have no intention of shutting the blog down. I obviously won’t have the time to watch Boston sports every night, so content will be a little more sporadic on that front. But I will certainly have something for every Arsenal game, and probably one or two other pieces each week. I might have to do some North Carolina sports coverage. Expect no fewer than four posts a week for now, however that could change as I get a feel for my new schedule this semester. Keeping the blog alive and well remains a high priority of mine, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

A year ago when I left in August, I knew there was a pretty good chance I’d be back for some October baseball. Even when I was at school, the soon to be World Series Champs were a must watch. I made it back for a playoff game, and the rest I watched as intently as ever. My Red Sox goodbye wasn’t really a goodbye at all last year. Check out an entertaining piece I wrote for my school paper about my Red Sox fandom last October to get the full sense.

But on Monday night at Fenway, I said my goodbyes to the 2014 Red Sox. With no postseason baseball ahead of us, and a roster that will look an awful lot like the Paw Sox the rest of the way, I don’t think I’ll be making the return trip to Fenway in October. I will absolutely follow the team, but this just isn’t our year. At least there won’t be any heartbreak. I can sit back and enjoy baseball as a neutral, something I haven’t had to do too often.

There are a few intriguing Red Sox story lines for the last month or so of the season though. David Ortiz’s quest for 500 home runs is officially on, as he now stands at 461 after another one last night. He has quietly put together another 30 home run season already, and if he stays hot, he could get to 40 for the year. That would leave him needing only 29 next year, which would be very doable. With retirement on the horizon as his contract expires next year, Ortiz will be eager to join the 500 home run club as soon as possible. There is no way he will retire if he’s anywhere close, but I have a feeling he might get there next year.

The other thing to watch will be the struggling players. Us fans can forget this horrible year of baseball once Tom Brady heats up, but players like Xander Bogaerts, Will Middlebrooks and Jackie Bradley Jr. will not be in good places this offseason if they don’t right their own ships. Their loss of confidence has affected their play recently, and that can’t drag into next year. But those who could use a late season boost are not just restricted to young players. Dustin Pedroia too will be much better off next year if he has a good September. And from GM Ben Cherington’s standpoint, he wants players to snap out of season long funks to prove to potential trade partners that the funks are nothing more than that.

And lastly, the starting pitchers are all auditioning for a role in the 2015 rotation at this point in the season. Joe Kelly has a spot locked down, as does Clay Buchholz presumably. But between Allen Webster, Rubby de la Rose and Brandon Workman, there probably aren’t three places next year. All three have all performed well at times, going through the expected ups and downs of a young pitcher, but nobody has guaranteed themselves a spot next year. More than anyone else, those three pitchers have incentive to be at their best through the end of the year. De la Rosa probably has the advantage right now, but it’s anyone’s game.

So while I won’t be returning to Fenway until next year, it’ll still be worth my time to check in on the grainy internet feeds of Red Sox games every once in a while. And considering my dismal record at games this year – I must have been 2-8 or something like that – the team might be better off without me there. Regardless of where I am, my team is never far from my heart. So long, summer.


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Giroud’s Clumsy Feet – Player Ratings From the First Leg of Besiktas vs Arsenal

The Fox announcers called today’s 0-0 draw between Arsenal and Besiktas in the first leg of the Champions League qualifier a “good 0-0.”  While I don’t necessarily agree with that assessment, there were certainly chances for both sides. However, neither team had the quality today to put anything away. Once Arsenal went down a man due to Aaron Ramsey’s second yellow, the game could have turned towards the Turkish side, but the best chance instead fell to Arsenal. The teams will meet again next Wednesday at The Emirates for the second leg.

Arsenal were forced to play a different sort of game today, something that may prove beneficial down the road. The pitch presented some problems for Arsenal’s passing game, and Besiktas’s style also hindered things for Arsene Wenger’s men. Instead of knocking the ball around the midfield, with runs coming from the fullbacks, Arsenal played a more direct style. There was a lot more one-on-one attacking and long balls over the top. It didn’t always work out, but it was nice to see that Arsenal could create chances even without the majority of the possession.

The chances that Arsenal did create however, were not taken with any sort of vigor, and Arsenal wasted quite a few opportunities. Oliver Giroud in particular struggled to sort out his feet, wasting a number of great moves started by Alexis Sanchez. The best chance came very late on when a Besiktas miss-kick set up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The substitute struck the ball well, but Besiktas keeper Tolga Zengin made an incredible save to push the ball onto the post.

On the other side, Demba Ba presented a lot of challenges for the Arsenal defense, and he nearly found the net in spectacular fashion on the first kick of the game. For the most part though, the defense was there to handle any pressure, with Calum Chambers particularly impressing when he was behind the ball. The problems came when Chambers had to run backwards, as his error led to a chance Ba should have put away late in the first half.

Playing just three days after Saturday’s Premier League Opener, there was clearly a high degree of fatigue in the Arsenal side. Many of the players are still lacking fitness due to the short preseason, so this game was always going to present a challenge. That this match came on a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday will be beneficial for Saturday’s game against Everton, as players will have a little more time to recover.

Arsenal didn’t necessarily need a win to take back to London ahead of the second leg next week, but the pressure will be higher at The Emirates knowing Besiktas only need one goal to hold the away goal advantage. However, Arsenal should be confident knowing the pitch will be more suited to their style of play. Besiktas are also considerably better at home than on the road, and have struggled mightily in England in the past, so Arsenal fans should not be too afraid about qualification even with the sides level after the first leg.

The late Aaron Ramsey red card does complicate things though. In this match, it meant Arsenal were forced to abandon their pursuit of a winner. However, a mistake from Besiktas nearly gifted the Gunners one anyway. But it also complicates things in the second leg, as Ramsey will miss through suspension. I would imagine Mesut Özil won’t be ready by next Wednesday, so it could be Tomas Rosicky stepping in to fill the creative role.

Overall, it was a pretty drab affair. The result shouldn’t scare anyone, but this match certainly doesn’t guarantee qualification for the group stage by any means. Arsenal are still behind on the fitness, and could use a boost from the Germans when they become match-fit.

Player Ratings (1-10)

Olivier Giroud – 5/10 – Giroud was well off the mark today, as his clumsiness on the ball cost Arsenal all match. Had he been able to sort out his feet, the Gunners would have been in on goal a few times. He needed to be a lot stronger when holding up play too. Having said all that though, he did find himself in a few good positions, so that’s one positive I guess. He clearly needed a longer preseason.

Santi Cazorla – 6.5/10 – Cazorla struggled a bit in the early going, but picked up his play as the match wore on. He was all over the place defensively, helping out Arteta and Flamini time after time. His work rate made up today helped make up for his poor play over the weekend. He could have done better with a late free-kick, but he nearly worked the bumpy pitch to his advantage with his bouncing effort.

Aaron Ramsey – 6/10 – Ramsey’s late dismissal for a second yellow was silly, if not a tad unlucky. It typified his day in many ways though. He created a couple of chances going forward, notably a gorgeous chip over the top for Giroud, but overall, he wasn’t as effective as he normally is. And when he found himself in a shooting position, he was slow with the trigger, and never got anything off. He will rue missing the second leg due to suspension. It was a day to forget for Ramsey.

Alexis Sanchez – 7/10 – The end product may still be lacking from the new signing, but Sanchez had a great game by all other standards. Down the right, he was Arsenal’s best option going forward, blowing by defenders with sheer pace. But what impressed me today was his defensive work. He seemed quite willing to track back when it was needed, and he cleverly nicked the ball off Besiktas players a couple of times. Had Giroud been better, Sanchez might have had a couple of assists. He faded late, and was withdrawn with twenty minutes to go.

Jack Wilshere – 6.5/10 – Wilshere didn’t have his best game in possession, giving the ball away a few times, but his work on the ball should quiet many of his critics for the time being. He was great when he picked up his head and drove forward into the final third. Able to get by defenders with bits of skill, Wilshere got himself into terrific positions, and nearly found the net with a curling effort on one occasion. Defensively, he was lucky to get away with a sliding challenge in the first half.

Mikel Arteta – 5.5/10 – Leaving with an injury early in the second half, Arteta didn’t have a spectacular game. He was solid in possession, but Besiktas caught him out of position a number of times, easily passing around him on occasion. He needed extra cover from Santi Cazorla behind him far too many times.

Nacho Monreal – 5.5/10 – Monreal was beaten a few too many times tonight. He shouldn’t be getting nutmegged from ten yards away, and it almost resulted in a Besiktas goal. He barely got forward, and didn’t make much of an impact offensively. He did earn a free kick late on in a great spot though.

Laurent Koscielny – 7/10 – Koscielny overcame injury to make the starting XI, and quietly went about his business. Most of the attacking came down the opposite side, so there wasn’t a whole lot for the Frenchman to do, but he dealt with any problems that came his way. At this pint in his career, Koscielny is as solid as they come.

Calum Chambers – 7.5/10 – Chambers is spectacular at cutting out any danger in the back, quickly making him a favorite of mine. He was everywhere, confidently heading everything away and strongly tackling any attackers that came near him. He seemed up for physicality with Ba as well. But where he struggled was when he was caught out and had to turn his back. His mistake late in the first half let Ba in on goal, and he was lucky to get away with it.

Mathieu Debuchy – 6/10 – Debuchy hardly got forward at all today, something Wenger will surely be out to change in the second leg. His defending was pretty solid, but once or twice he was out of position, letting his man find space behind him. For Debuchy to make a bigger impact, he needs to be involved in the attacking half, which he wasn’t today.

Wojciech Szczesny – 8/10 – Every time Arsenal plays on Fox, analyst Eric Wynalda is quick to remind everyone that he thinks Szczesny isn’t good enough. I disagree. While his save in the opening seconds on Ba’s long-range effort was unorthodox, it got the job done on a spectacular shot. The Pole made more than a few confident saves today, and handled anything that went his diction. He was lucky Besiktas missed the net on their best chances, but overall Szczesny deserved the clean sheet.

Substitutes

Mathieu Flamini (50th) – 6.5/10 – Flamini’s introduction helped Arsenal settle into the second half when the game was getting away from them. His physicality and hard tackling halted a few attacks, and he helped keep Arsenal composed and disciplined defensively once Ramsey was sent off. With Arteta leaving with some sort of injury, albeit one that looks nothing too serious, Flamini might have earned himself a start against Everton this weekend. However, he will need to be better about not picking up unnecessary yellow cards. His one today soon after he got on the pitch put him and his team in a needlessly bad position for the rest of the game.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (73rd) – 6/10 – Aside from his shot on target late on that should have won the game for Arsenal were it not for a spectacular save, the Ox was pretty quiet. He’ll want a start soon.

Tomas Rosicky (90th) – N/A – Rosicky’s late cameo was nothing more than a time wasting exercise. Expect the veteran midfielder to see more of the field in the next couple of matches.

What did you think about the match? Please comment below.