Arsenal 1 Hull CIty 2:GOOD TO know that in a modern football plutocracy the odd aristo can still get the chop. Even Arsène Wenger, who has an air of the sea-green incorruptible about him, may have had a sneaking regard for the way Hull City cut his team down to size on Saturday in a match which said more about the visitors' chances of staying in the Premier League this season than the likelihood of Arsenal winning it.
On the game's Richter scale, newly-promoted Hull's win at the Emirates registered slightly higher than the 1-0 victory achieved by Bristol City at Highbury on the opening day of the 1976-77 season.
For once Wenger and his players were outwitted tactically since Phil Brown's game plan, while it allowed for Arsenal having the bulk of the possession and passing the ball prettily, ensured their movements were directed into areas that would do the least harm. Cesc Fabregas could stroke the ball around in midfield as much as he liked, but he was denied the usual channels in the approaches to goal.
Meanwhile, Theo Walcott was lured into cul-de-sacs on the right where, for all his superior pace, the end product was disappointing. Similarly Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor found themselves trying to force a way through the middle of a packed defence in which the Hull centre-backs, Michael Turner and Kamil Zayatte, maintained calm throughout. In addition, Arsenal's finishing was generally awry.
The goal which gave Arsenal the lead six minutes into the second half was an untypically scrambled affair, Adebayor touching on Walcott's low cross to Fabregas whose close-range lunge was helped over the line by Paul McShane's attempt to keep it out. Hull's equaliser six minutes later was rather better, a wonderful shot from beyond the left-hand corner of the area by Geovanni.
Another four minutes and the match was won and lost. Corners are to Arsenal what kryptonite is to Superman, and from Andy Dawson's cross Daniel Cousin rose above the defence to nod the ball high into the far side of the net.
Hull had their let-offs: a header from Adebayor in the first half was disallowed for a shove and after the striker's pass had sent Van Persie clear the Dutchman was pulled up for offside when the replay showed he was level. Late on, the crossbar denied William Gallas a headed equaliser yet the match stats showed that Arsenal achieved only four shots on target to Hull's five.
It was hard to escape the feeling Wenger's players went into the game expecting an undemanding warm-up for tomorrow's Champions League encounter with Porto. They should have known better. It was not so much Hull had won at Newcastle but they had also taken a point from Blackburn and, apart from losing 5-0 at home to Wigan, had shown determination not to be overwhelmed by Premier League opposition.
Afterwards Wenger as good as admitted his team had underestimated Brown's side. "We weren't completely switched . . ." he said. "After we went 1-0 up we were a bit careless in not pushing on to score the second goal. Hull were committed and it was a good lesson for us."
Brown confessed to being disappointed by Hull's performance in the first half. "I wanted to win," he said. "To say I was harsh in my half-time criticism would be an understatement."
Guardian Service
