Diawara's first start is eclipsed
by Myles Palmer
FEATURES
THE ARSENAL AGM - FULL WRITE UP
FIVE REASONS: ARSENAL COULD WIN IN BARCELONA
CARLTON AND ITV UPSET US AGAIN
JEKYLL AND HYDE PLAY THE NOU CAMP
Kaba Diawara made his first start against Sheffield United in the FA Cup 5th Round tie.
It was an unlucky 13th February for Arsenal's new striker.
His promising performance was forgotten amid the controversial 8-minute stoppage after that ungentlemanly Kanu-Overmars goal.
Arsenal had five changes and the match itself was tight, eventful and interesting. Anelka was on the bench, rested. Bould and Grimandi at centreback, Vivas right back, Garde in left midfield, Diawara up front.
I watched Diawara and Kanu through binoculars during the warm-up. Diawara is very strong-looking in the chest, hips and thighs. Kanu has big feet which are as skilful as a basketball players hands. His feet can make the ball do anything.
Arsenal stuttered for the first 20 minutes. Sheffield United are a decent team whose football was as bright as their day-glo yellow strip.
The Blades threatened twice with headers from left wing corners - Sandford headed over (8 minutes) as did Brazilian centre forward Marcelo (39 minutes). Betweeen those two, Diawara won a free kick on the left side. Bergkamp took it, quite flat and fast, and Vieira flick-headed in to make it 1-0 (28 minutes).
With Petit not playing, Diawara took the inswinging corners from the right. He is a rambunctious striker who had a terrific first half. He really battles for loose balls, which the fans love to see.
When a defender dawdles on the ball Diawara comes flying in for a tackle or block. He rattles a few cages, which Arsenal need, since Anelka and Bergkamp are not good at that.
Diawara has a very unusual style. He is boisterous, but tidy. Very aggressive in getting the ball, very strong in protecting the ball, but very tidy in his passing and shooting.
After 34 minutes Overmars made a very good run from deep inside his own half. He fed Bergkamp on the left wing. His cross deflected off a defender and went to Diawara seven yards out. Falling towards a half-volley, Diawara connnected well with an awkward ball, and Kelly saved. More than a half-chance.
Diawara then hit the post twice in 40 and 42 minutes.
The first was a move between Bergkamp and Parlour on the right side. Parlour passed inside to Diawara on the edge of the box. Two touches, then a gentle left-foot curler low round keeper Alan Kelly. The ball rebounded off the base of the post, hit a defender and went out for a corner.
There then followed a superb move started by Winterburn, Arsenal's best player on the day. Down the left wing to Overmars, a magnificent measured cross to Diawara at the far post. But a bad angle, near the touchline.
Diawara's left-foot shot went under Kelly and hit the near post. He should have teed up Parlour, who was in a better position.
Remi Garde, mobile and tidy as ever, had held Arsenal together when they were not playing well in the first 20 minutes. Garde was injured by Stuart. It looked like a foul (38). Stephen Hughes came on for Garde five minutes later.
Surprisingly, Hughes played the holding role with Vieira pushing forward. Overmars went very close with a low right-foot shot(44).
Second half, Marcello beat Grimandi in the air to equalise from Devlin's excellent cross (48). A textbook header from seven yards which bounced down on the line and into the corner.
Right back Shaun Derry sent Overmars tumbling with a vicious tackle near the corner flag (61). Derry was booked.
Kanu then came on for Diawara, who was looking tired (64). When Parlour crossed, Kanu miscued a header, but the ball seemed slightly behind him (67).
Kanu had an experimental low shot from 25 yards which Kelly held at the second attempt (73).
Then Grimandi got the wrong side of Lee Morris, stretched in the box, fouled him, missing the ball by inches, and referee Peter Jones waved on.
When the ball went down the other end, Kelly kicked it out of play near the halfway line. Morris had treatment, then limped off, Bobby Ford coming on.
Parlour threw the ball down towards the corner flag for Sheffield United to collect. But Kanu intercepted, crossed low, Overmars tapped in.
Then all hell broke loose. Eight minutes of chaos.
Sheffield United manager Steve Brice called his players off, but Graeme Stuart persuaded them to stay on the field.
Referee Peter Jones should have shown some commonsense. He could have given a freekick for ungentlemanly conduct by Kanu. He could have asked his linesman to rule a foul throw by Parlour, and given Sheffield a throw from the same place.That would have been fair, although technically incorrect.
He could have booked Kanu and Overmars.
Or he could have called Bould and Holdsworth, the captains, together and said to Bould, I can disallow it, or you can let them score to make it 2-2.
But he gave the goal.
And the 18-minutes after that was dangerous nonsense. Wild tackles by Sheffield players. Anger from the visiting fans.
There could have been a riot. And the referee gave every 50-50 decision to Sheffield, which made it even more ridiculous. Monday 15th February 1999