UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Group H:Arsenal 3 Partizan Belgrade1: NO GAME is entirely dead while an emerging Arsenal still search for full authority.
There was disquiet here when Partizan Belgrade equalised, but the substitute Theo Walcott reinstated the lead with some aplomb. The third goal came from Samir Nasri, after Alex Song and Nicklas Bendtner had combined, but Arsenal remained skittish enough for Bacary Sagna to be sent off for a last-man foul on Stefan Savic in the 86th minute.
It had been a troublesome occasion and Arsenal go on to the last 16 of the Champions League with matters to ponder.
The apparent challenge of the match was at so low a level Arsenal could hardly bring themselves to rise above the ordinary. They may have been justified in supposing that a goal for them was unavoidable. The opportunity eventually came after Sagna’s cross had deflected to Robin Van Persie, who was then brought down needlessly by a challenge from Marko Jovanovic. The Dutchman converted the penalty after 30 minutes with a confidence appropriate in a match where the opposition was so limited.
If there was any misgiving, it lay in the pedestrian tone that marked Arsenal’s display on a night that was of consequence even if Partizan did not bring a keen competitiveness to London. Arsene Wenger’s side have developed the habit of casting itself themselves in an unnecessary drama.
Arsenal needed a win to be certain of going through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, but victory seemed to verge on the unavoidable. At the moment Partizan Belgrade might almost exist to demonstrate how great a difference there can be between domestic and European competition.
They lead the Serbian Super League by five points after scoring 41 goals in 15 games. In the Champions League Partizan had been beaten in all five group matches, scoring one goal just to confirm that they really had taken part. MSK Zilina were the only other club yet to take a point. Even for Arsenal, beaten three times at home already in the Premier League, it looked impossible to go wrong.
If they were peeved, it may have been when the left back, Kieran Gibbs, caught his foot in the pitch and eventually had to make way for Emmanuel Eboue. Credit did have to go to Partizan for denying Arsenal total contentment before the interval. They defended with more purpose than anyone could have anticipated as they strove to complete their Champions League campaign in a dignified way.
There was no suggestion of a spree for Arsenal before half-time. The moves tended to have marginal flaws. After linking with Sagna, Samir Nasri’s delivery could not be exploited because Van Persie had put himself in a position where the angle was too tight for him to do anything more than shoot into the side netting.
Wenger himself had not introduced any complacency. The selection confirmed this was an encounter that had to be treated with the utmost seriousness. The line-up, however, still have the potential to improve and their leadership of the Premier League is a particularly pleasing piece of encouragement for Wenger’s latest team-building project.
The side, all the same, is under development and the flaws still apparent are in temperament rather than in instinct. There had been too few sightings of ruthlessness. When Arsenal re-emerged it was apparent that they wanted to raise the pace, but before they could establish that approach Partizan had equalised.
Their endeavour did them much credit after the miseries that had been endured until now. Their second goal in the group was perhaps a surprise to them as well as a trauma for Arsenal. Cleo was more than 20 yards from goal and the defenders were complacently listless as he was allowed to attempt a drive. It deflected off Sebastien Squillaci and left Lukasz Fabianski helpless.
The reaction was not immediately ferocious. It was Partizan, with nothing to lose, showing ambition and moments of style that had looked beyond them until now.
This continues to be a line-up of much potential that cannot be counted to show the efficiency that would make rivals fear them more. Anxiety had instead entered the minds of the Arsenal side who continued to be faced by a disciplined Partizan.
Arsenal did not regain the lead until the 74th minute when Sagna’s delivery was headed poorly by Marko Jovanovic and Walcott capitalised with neat chest control and a measured finish. Arsenal were secure at last.
Guardian Service
ARSENAL: Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Gibbs (Eboue 23), Nasri, Song, Denilson, Arshavin (Walcott 67), van Persie, Chamakh (Bendtner 76). Subs not used: Szczesny, Rosicky, Vela, Wilshere.
PARTIZAN BELGRADE:Stojkovic, Krstajic, Jovanovic, Medo, Lazevski, Savic, Sasa Ilic, Petrovic, Babovic (Davidov 80), Moreira (Brasanac 90), Cleo. Subs not used: Radisa Ilic, Stankovic, Kizito, Iliev, Smiljanic. Booked: Krstajic.
Referee:Paolo Tagliavento (Italy).
