Arsenal climbed to the top of the Reserve South League table on Monday night with a 2-1 victory at Chelsea.
Neil Banfield’s young team made it three wins out of three in 2010 thanks to goals either side of half-time from Luke Freeman and Gilles Sunu. Banfield made an interesting tactical change for the game going with a 4-2-2 formation instead of the usual Arsenal 4-3-3 formation.
Chelsea had the best chance to take the lead on the 27th minute when Fabio Borini hit the crossbar from 20 yards with James Shea well beaten.
Then, six minutes before the break, Arsenal took the lead.An great run from Emmanuel-Thomas down the left win before he crossed for 17-year-old Luke Freeman to score his first Reserve-team goal.
Shortly after half-time Borini, who looked dangerous all night, hit the woodwork again after a run down the right.
Then with 15 minutes to go Arsenal got that all important second goal. Emmanuel-Thomas burst down the right to pick out Freeman. The striker in turn found Sunu and the Frenchman’s deflected shot beat Rhys Taylor in the Chelsea goal.
But Chelsea did not go quietly as Borini, once again causing trouble, and his low cross was tapped in by Nemanja Matic. But the young Gunners were able to hold on and secure all three points.
After the game Neil Banfield had these comments on the Gunners performance:
On the 2-1 win…
“I think both sides tried to play and both had chances. We took ours and we have come out victors. I was delighted with the way Jay Emmanuel-Thomas picked out Luke Freeman [for the first goal]. This team is always working as a team. If they see players in a better position they try and pick them out. We see a lot of goals like that with the first team.”
On a new phase of players coming through…
“They have done well for Steve Bould in the Under-18s and he said they warrant a chance. There have been a few opening because we put a few players out on loan because they need it for their development, and it opens it up for the next stage of young players at Arsenal.”
Match Highlights
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
{ 1 trackback }