By Ian Grant

Wigan 1 Arsenal 0 [Carling Cup semi-final, first leg]

Two perimeter ads for Carling were sandwiched between one for Bargain Booze – and this game had all the fizz of an empty glass of Carling in a smoke-filled pub.

At times it made you want to search for Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls – another perimeter ad – for some light relief.

Only 12,000 braved the game – even so Arsenal fans could be heard loud and clear.

The pre-match talk was of Arsenal finding the Carling Cup important – as a route to the UEFA Cup.

The fact that Man U are also taking it seriously, along with the FA Cup as one of only two chances for domestic silverware, indicates what a sorry mess football has gotten itself into now Chelsea have bought the Premiership.

Wigan, offer hope. After all, it is the home of the wage cap. Chairman Dave Whelan is a major proponent on a pitch where Wigan Rugby League club lost its pre-eminence to the wage cap. Whelan says the sport is better for it, even though his club no longer dominates, and he says the cap has salvaged rugby league.

Whelan says Arsenal and Man U could join a growing host of other Premiership clubs in supporting the cap [60% of turnover or an absolute fixed cap]. Not the £25m as at times he suggests.

Wigan had injuries and Henri Camara away on African Cup duties. Arsenal put out a 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation with Ljungberg, Owusu-Abeye and Reyes up front; Hleb Gilberto, Flamini in the middle and Gilbert, Djorou, Senderos and Cygan, Almunia at the back.

Ljungberg was slow to a ball, but on 7, the fashion model who this week hit the headlines by being snapped in a pants ad with a Russian model was put through by Flamini. With only Pollit to beat he fired over. The ball bounced as he was about the shoot, but somehow luck is not with the Swede at all these days.

Arsenal played a high line – and at times it was like a cross between a training game or a throwback to Adams and Bould, as Wigan threw balls over the defence for Roberts to chase. Almunia acted as an effective sweeper. Both sides cancelled each other out.

Wigan, who lost McCullough and Connolly to injuries were obviously galvanised by their half-time talk [a point proved afterwards as Jewell said do it for your wives and girlfriends]

However soon after, a power cut and floodlight failure hit an Arsenal match for the second time in eight years, bringing back suspicions of Asian betting syndicates. [For reference see:Wimbledon: an "I was there" eye-witness account under the 1997 ANR archives.]

When the players returned a second time – and Arsenal substituted Reyes and Owusu Abeye – both of whom had been highly ineffective – for Fabregas and Lupoli – it seemed like Wigan were the only team that could win it.

And on 78, Arsenal were caught ball watching from a corner. Teale hooked over a high cross and new Austrian recruit Scharner rose above the freshly installed Larsson (for Gilbert) to head past Almunia.

Arsenal played slightly better after the goal – but their sum total of attack was a Flamini shot way off the mark.

Their passing at times went to pot on a bumpy, lumpy pitch probably more suited to rugby than soccer.

Arsene Wenger said Arsenal didn’t create enough going forward, particularly in the seond half. He said the pitch started to cut up, there were long balls and the game became more physical, which gave the advantage to Wigan. He criticised Wigan’s tactical fouling.

He didn’t say whether he’d put out a stronger team in the second leg at Highbury – but said there’s a good opportunity of going through.

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