Reyes deserves his break

Reyes deserves his break

By Ian Grant

Charlton 0 Arsenal 1

Jose Antonio was Arsenal’s best player. Relieved of the imperative of scoring goals from earlier in the season, he grabbed the winner, set up several chances and tackled back like a demon.

He proves Wenger’s philosophy of trying to maintain a relaxed balanced state in a crisis.

Arsenal have a good record at The Valley, but with Cygan at left back and van Persie still troubled by a knee, it was a couple of negatives before the start.

It was hard to believe this was a mid-table struggle of teams lacking confidence. The first goal was crucial and would probably decide the game.

Charlton made wholesale changes in an attempt to stop the rot. Three players including Sorondo and Myhre were playing their first games of the season.

But Charlton don’t play the physical rough stuff and tried a high pressure harrying game with Kishishev, Hughes, Holland and Murphy. Bartlett and Bent were waiting for set piece chances.

Arsenal, who began with five in midfield – Reyes, Fabregas, Gilberto, Hleb and Ljungberg started very sloppily as if their heads were back in the living rooms of Christmas Day. Gilberto and Henry gave the ball away a couple of times

It began like a mini-Bolton – Charlton trying to score from set pieces – Arsenal through open play.

Murphy chipped Lehmann but it was just over. And Toure did well to perform an overhead, with the ball bouncing in no-mans-land and without a call from Lehmann. Arsenal’s defence of Lauren, Campbell, Toure and Cygan was jittery.

Gilberto had a shot, but it was twenty minutes before the first clear cut chance when incisive counter-attacking down the left (reminiscent of the Invincible days) lead to Henry and Reyes setting up Ljungberg with a one-on-one. Freddie is low on confidence, took one touch too many and Myhre saved.

The Swede is off form and one wonders what he has left in the locker. He’s not getting any younger and gets caught in possession far too much. Perhaps his saving grace are the runs he makes.

A good through ball from Lauren saw Henry nod it goal-wards on the bounce. But Myhre got a touch and it was cleared by Fortune.

Henry was past Hreidarsson, but play was called back by the officious Bennett, for a Charlton booking.

Bent broke clear with a run on Lehmann, but was tackled brilliantly by Campbell.

And a foul at the other end on Hleb saw a Henry free kick in injury time, graze the bar. It is the fourth consecutive game he’s hit either the post or bar.

Was it going to be one of those days – when Arsenal dominate the chances count, but concede a goal and lose 1-0? It felt so.

But Arsenal upped the tempo in the second. Reyes sharpness on the left from a Toure lofted pass set up a chance for Henry, but the ball came too quickly, and he was closed down.

But soon after Arsenal’s pressure told. Campbell burst forward and with a pass from the outside of his foot found Ljungberg, who cut inside and fed Henry. His attempt was blocked by Myhre but the ball fell kindly to Reyes who shinned in Arsenal’s first goal in 300 Premiership minutes.

Hriedarsson fouled Gilberto. Murphy, who had already been booked for a foul on Hleb, threw the ball down in disgust and got a second yellow from Bennett.

Anyone who doubts Cygan is a liability should have seen his arm move towards a ball and adjust its flight in the penalty area. A fair shout by Charlton which could have been given.

Henry playing more a midfield role in this game, set up Pires with a one-two but Myhre saved; and then Ljungberg – who proved he is too slow allowing Spector to come back and tackle.

Arsenal had to see out a couple of set piece moves, but this is a welcome win on the road.

Wenger said the team was a bit nervy, but deserved to win. The shots on target ratio of 11-0, proves his point.

Henry said that things hadn’t gone well in some previous games and that the players were human – a veiled ad for a driving dominant midfield force that most connected with Arsenal think they need. But does Wenger?