VfB Stuttgart 1 - 3 Arsenal

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Mercedes-Benz Arena
Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 8.15pm


VfB Stuttgart: Bastürk 51

Arsenal: Vela 58, Bendtner 65, Wilshere 73


Arsenal welcomed back their ‘Big Guns’ for the trip to Stuttgart on Wednesday night but it was the ‘bright young things’ who secured a fine 3-1 victory.

Arsčne Wenger chose this evening’s prestige friendly to select Robin van Persie, William Gallas, Johan Djourou, Emmanuel Adebayor and Emmanuel Eboue for the first time this summer while the manager also handed Samir Nasir his first start for the Club.

All benefitted from at least 45 minutes of ‘competitive friendly’ action. However, after Yildiray Basturk had given the hosts a surprise lead just after the break, it was the young attackers who prompted Arsenal’s comeback.

Carlos Vela and Nicklas Bendtner produced excellent finishes to give the visitors the lead by the 65th minute. Then Jack Wilshere boosted his already burgeoning reputation with a crisp strike with 17 minutes to go.

It was another fine work-out and handy win before the competition increases dramatically at the Emirates Cup on Saturday.

This was certainly Arsenal’s most serious warm-up game so far and it was no surprise to see the more experienced players return.

The visitors lined up in a 4-4-1-1 formation with Van Persie supporting Adebayor up front and Eboue alongside Denilson in central midfield. They were flanked by Nasri on the left and Walcott on the right.

Arsenal also debuted their new yellow and blue away kit. It is based on the one the team wore when they won the League title in 1989 and will go on sale at the Emirates Cup on Saturday.

This game was arranged to celebrate the re-naming of Stuttgart’s stadium to the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The 2007 Bundasliga champions had a number of Euro 2008 stars on show — Khalid Boulahrouz, Mario Gomez, Thomas Hiszlsperger and, of course, Jens Lehmann.

Before the game, the entire Stuttgart squad were welcomed on to the pitch one-by-one. For each, the announcer shouted, the crowd cheered and six flares lining their entrance ignited.

Lehmann got the biggest ovation of all and, as he had at Emirates on his final appearance last season, saluted all four corners of the ground. However he was momentarily startled when the flames kicked-in!

The early stages were very ‘pre-season’. Arsenal were the passing crisply but to little effect. Stuttgart’s main weapon was the long ball and it caused few real concerns for the visiting centre backs.

The first chance came in the eighth minute. Adebayor’s angled ball split the Stuttgart defence and found Van Persie onside just on the edge of the area. He had ample time to slip the ball past Lehmann but he attempted an extravagant chip. Perhaps a little inside knowledge helped the new Stuttgart keeper anticipate the move. Lehmann stretched high and held on to the ball by his fingertips.

Shortly afterward, Marica Ciprian wriggled past Gael Clichy and only an astute near-post interception by Emmanuel Eboue prevented Stuttgart going in front.

In the 17th minute, Ciprian’s rasping shot worried Almunia enough for the keeper to fling himself towards the near post. The Spaniard’s touch was sufficient to turn the ball into the sidenetting.

Stuttgart were starting to flex their muscles but it would not last. In the 26th minute, a sweeping Arsenal move ended with Van Persie laying a neat pass into the path of the onrushing Walcott six yards out. The winger’s contact was clean but his shot was too close to Lehmann, who pulled off an excellent one-handed save.

After that the game rather fell into its earlier ‘pre-season’ rut. If football is game of tiny percentages then these players need some maths revision. Both sides were shaking the rust out of their systems.

As usual, Wenger made a flurry of substitutions at the break. However it was a Stuttgart change who broke the deadlock in the 51st minute. Boulahrouz found Martin Laing and his well-weighted pass allowed Basturk to steady himself before driving the ball low past Lukasz Fabianski.

The lead would last only seven minutes. Bendtner clipped a clever pass forward from the right-hand byline and, while the returning Theo Walcott was offside, Vela, the intended target, was not. The Mexican still had much to do however. He held off Boulahrouz, skipped past Lehmann and fired high into the net from the tightest of angles. It was a high-quality finish from a player who could turn out to be a world class finisher.

Nasri and Eboue were brought off shortly afterwards. Indeed, throughout the second half, Wenger would continue to substitute those who were playing their first games back.

Of course those coming on had more minutes under their belt and that showed for Arsenal’s second goal in the 65 minute. Bendtner collected the ball midway inside the Stuttgart half and clipped a ball to Vela. The Mexican’s return was first-time but high yet Bendtner won the ball in the air, held off Boulahrouz and clipped his shot past Lehmann from close range.

If Stuttgart were a little stunned, they would be seeing stars (or perhaps that should be stars of the future) when the third went in after 73 minutes. Clichy pirouetted past a couple of defenders on the left and sent over a raking cross that Wilshere finished with precision.

It sucked the final signs of life from a Stuttgart side who had struggled to cope with Arsenal in the second half. Their only chance of a second goal came in injury time when substitute Danijel Ljuboja scuffed a shot at Fabianski following a corner.



Arsenal:
Manuel Almunia
Lukasz Fabianski 45
Gael Clichy
Johan Djourou
William Gallas
Bacary Sagna
Gavin Hoyte 78
Samir Nasri
Jack Wilshere 61
Denilson
Henri Lansbury 85
Emmanuel Eboue
Aaron Ramsey 61
Theo Walcott
Mark Randall 78
Robin Van Persie
Carlos Vela 45
Jay Simpson 85
Emmanuel Adebayor
Nicklas Bendtner 45

Subs not used
Justin Hoyte

I've watched the match, and have to say that it was a good performance from the new signings and young players

Yea I know.... I saw it too.... and that is great.