The Londoners - having to field a weakened team missing players through injury, suspension or lack of fitness, and without the likes of Henry - still comfortably beat a good Dinamo Zagreb team in this hostile atmosphere in Croatia in their Champions League Third Qualifying Round, 1st Leg. They now take a 3-0 lead on aggegrate to the Emirates Stadium in North London for the 2nd Leg, which will be the first European game in their new stadium.
If Arsenal, who reached the Champions League Final last season, can put on a performance like this fielding a weakened side and against opponents who were the toughest side that they could have possibly faced in these qualifiers, then how will they play when they field their strongest side?
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Zagreb are zapped by Cesc and Van Persie
NEIL ASHTON reports from Zagreb, Daily Mail
9th August 2006
Driven man: Cesc Fabregas angles in a low drive to open the scoring as Cvitanovic looks on
Dinamo Zagreb 0 Arsenal 3
..................Fabregas 63, 79, Van Persie 64.
Back in their familiar shirts, Arsenal are back in business. While talks over the futures of Ashley Cole and Jose Antonio Reyes continue to trouble manager Arsene Wenger, the club's old colours were raised by Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie.
Victory in this qualifying tie was secured with two second-half goals from Fabregas and one from Van Persie but, by the time Dinamo Zagreb visit London for the return leg in two weeks' time, it will be all-change at the Emirates Stadium.
Wenger by then will have released Cole to Chelsea and resolved the Reyes situation.
Reyes' likely departure was brought into focus twice.
Firstly, when he was kept on the bench by the selection of new signing Tomas Rosicky, who had played only 30 minutes of football in pre-season.
Secondly, when Fabregas — wearing the No 4 shirt donned with such distinction by Patrick Vieira — ran over to his fellow Spaniard and embraced him on the touchline after scoring their 63rd-minute opener.
Although Reyes is one of the club's most talented players, his fractious relationship with Thierry Henry — on and off the field — should help speed up his move to Madrid, especially as he is not now cup-tied.
Wenger said: "Reyes is unsettled by all the speculation and he did not have the right concentration to play.
"I just came to the conclusion that it would be better if Rosicky started. I put teams out to win matches — I have no intention of selling Reyes and that is why I gave him a new contract last season. There is a reason behind every decision."
Henry was among seven senior Arsenal stars missing from the 28,500-capacity Makismir Stadium — Jens Lehmann, Freddie Ljungberg, Cole, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy and Abou Diaby were the others — but the Gunners were still peppered with experience.
The oustanding Fabregas — along with Kolo Toure, Van Persie and Gilberto Silva — were all veterans of the club's run to last season's Champions League Final against Barcelona, but Athens — the venue of next year's showpiece — remains a nine-month slog away.
Although their defence lacked the big-match experience of Sol Campbell, who scored in the Champions League Final, and Cole, they carried their customary confidence.
Toure thrives in his role as Arsenal's senior central defender and, despite being surrounded by inexperience at the back, he kept Dinamo's dangerman Eduardo quiet.
With Fabregas full of running in the centre of Arsenal's four-man midfield, Arsenal controlled a potentially tricky tie.
Van Persie wasted a free-kick in the opening minutes as Arsenal displayed a lack of penetration in the final third of the field.
Rosicky, the £6.8million Czech midfielder, then sent a 25-yard drive straight into Dinamo goalkeeper Ivan Turina's arms. Toure's free-kick from a similar distance was easily deflected from danger and Emmanuel Adebayor's long-range effort flashed wide.
Despite Arsenal's domination, Dinamo created chances of their own. Assisted by the frightening pace of Etto on the right, the Croatian champions opened the door for Luka Modric, but the Dinamo midfielder sent a trio of chances wide of Manuel Almunia's post.
Those chances forced Arsenal to step up a gear after the break. Fabregas put them in front when he controlled Van Persie's flick before slipping the ball past the Dinamo keeper.
Van Persie got the goal that his performance merited when he slipped through the Dinamo defence before despatching his effort beyond Turina just over a minute later.
That was enough to put some breathing space between the two teams, but Fabregas was not finished, dancing past two defenders to hit a low shot beyond Turina 11 minutes from time.
Wenger, who has been linked with a move for Marseille winger Franck Ribery, said: "Nothing is certain, but a lot depends on whether someone stays or not. Even if they do go, nothing is certain.
"I'm happy with the squad I have got. To think that Fabregas is only 19 years old is unbelievable. He has started to score goals and that it why he can become the complete midfielder."
Fabregas's second was a classy goal from a classy player and it should be enough to ensure that Arsenal qualify for the Champions League group stage.
In fact, Wenger can put his shirt on it.
Van Persie - lively
Adebayor - worked tirelessly
Rosicky - encouraging start
MATCH FACTS
DINAMO (4-3-2-1): Turina; Corluka, Nowotny, Cvitanovic, Cale (Carlos 90min); Buljat (Vukojevic 90), Mamic, Modric; Etto, Vugrinec (Agic 27); Eduardo. Booked: Corluka.
ARSENAL (4-4-2): Almunia; Eboue, Toure, Djourou, Hoyte; Hleb, Gilberto, Fabregas, Rosicky (Flamini 83); Van Persie, Adebayor (Aliadiere 83). Booked: Hleb, Hoyte.
Scorers: Fabregas 63, 79, Van Persie 64.
Man of the match: Fabregas.
Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece).
Liverpool, who won the Champions League in 2005, will play Maccabi Haifa tonight in their qualifying game.
dailymail.co.uk
If Arsenal, who reached the Champions League Final last season, can put on a performance like this fielding a weakened side and against opponents who were the toughest side that they could have possibly faced in these qualifiers, then how will they play when they field their strongest side?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zagreb are zapped by Cesc and Van Persie
NEIL ASHTON reports from Zagreb, Daily Mail
9th August 2006
Driven man: Cesc Fabregas angles in a low drive to open the scoring as Cvitanovic looks on
Dinamo Zagreb 0 Arsenal 3
..................Fabregas 63, 79, Van Persie 64.
Back in their familiar shirts, Arsenal are back in business. While talks over the futures of Ashley Cole and Jose Antonio Reyes continue to trouble manager Arsene Wenger, the club's old colours were raised by Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie.
Victory in this qualifying tie was secured with two second-half goals from Fabregas and one from Van Persie but, by the time Dinamo Zagreb visit London for the return leg in two weeks' time, it will be all-change at the Emirates Stadium.
Wenger by then will have released Cole to Chelsea and resolved the Reyes situation.
Reyes' likely departure was brought into focus twice.
Firstly, when he was kept on the bench by the selection of new signing Tomas Rosicky, who had played only 30 minutes of football in pre-season.
Secondly, when Fabregas — wearing the No 4 shirt donned with such distinction by Patrick Vieira — ran over to his fellow Spaniard and embraced him on the touchline after scoring their 63rd-minute opener.
Although Reyes is one of the club's most talented players, his fractious relationship with Thierry Henry — on and off the field — should help speed up his move to Madrid, especially as he is not now cup-tied.
Wenger said: "Reyes is unsettled by all the speculation and he did not have the right concentration to play.
"I just came to the conclusion that it would be better if Rosicky started. I put teams out to win matches — I have no intention of selling Reyes and that is why I gave him a new contract last season. There is a reason behind every decision."
Henry was among seven senior Arsenal stars missing from the 28,500-capacity Makismir Stadium — Jens Lehmann, Freddie Ljungberg, Cole, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy and Abou Diaby were the others — but the Gunners were still peppered with experience.
The oustanding Fabregas — along with Kolo Toure, Van Persie and Gilberto Silva — were all veterans of the club's run to last season's Champions League Final against Barcelona, but Athens — the venue of next year's showpiece — remains a nine-month slog away.
Although their defence lacked the big-match experience of Sol Campbell, who scored in the Champions League Final, and Cole, they carried their customary confidence.
Toure thrives in his role as Arsenal's senior central defender and, despite being surrounded by inexperience at the back, he kept Dinamo's dangerman Eduardo quiet.
With Fabregas full of running in the centre of Arsenal's four-man midfield, Arsenal controlled a potentially tricky tie.
Van Persie wasted a free-kick in the opening minutes as Arsenal displayed a lack of penetration in the final third of the field.
Rosicky, the £6.8million Czech midfielder, then sent a 25-yard drive straight into Dinamo goalkeeper Ivan Turina's arms. Toure's free-kick from a similar distance was easily deflected from danger and Emmanuel Adebayor's long-range effort flashed wide.
Despite Arsenal's domination, Dinamo created chances of their own. Assisted by the frightening pace of Etto on the right, the Croatian champions opened the door for Luka Modric, but the Dinamo midfielder sent a trio of chances wide of Manuel Almunia's post.
Those chances forced Arsenal to step up a gear after the break. Fabregas put them in front when he controlled Van Persie's flick before slipping the ball past the Dinamo keeper.
Van Persie got the goal that his performance merited when he slipped through the Dinamo defence before despatching his effort beyond Turina just over a minute later.
That was enough to put some breathing space between the two teams, but Fabregas was not finished, dancing past two defenders to hit a low shot beyond Turina 11 minutes from time.
Wenger, who has been linked with a move for Marseille winger Franck Ribery, said: "Nothing is certain, but a lot depends on whether someone stays or not. Even if they do go, nothing is certain.
"I'm happy with the squad I have got. To think that Fabregas is only 19 years old is unbelievable. He has started to score goals and that it why he can become the complete midfielder."
Fabregas's second was a classy goal from a classy player and it should be enough to ensure that Arsenal qualify for the Champions League group stage.
In fact, Wenger can put his shirt on it.
Van Persie - lively
Adebayor - worked tirelessly
Rosicky - encouraging start
MATCH FACTS
DINAMO (4-3-2-1): Turina; Corluka, Nowotny, Cvitanovic, Cale (Carlos 90min); Buljat (Vukojevic 90), Mamic, Modric; Etto, Vugrinec (Agic 27); Eduardo. Booked: Corluka.
ARSENAL (4-4-2): Almunia; Eboue, Toure, Djourou, Hoyte; Hleb, Gilberto, Fabregas, Rosicky (Flamini 83); Van Persie, Adebayor (Aliadiere 83). Booked: Hleb, Hoyte.
Scorers: Fabregas 63, 79, Van Persie 64.
Man of the match: Fabregas.
Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece).
Liverpool, who won the Champions League in 2005, will play Maccabi Haifa tonight in their qualifying game.
dailymail.co.uk