So it was back to Premiership aciton today, but sadly Arsenal still can't find that first win this season.Another 1-1 draw at the Emirates, this time with Middlesborough leaves us with only 2 points from a possible 9. The frustrating thing in these 3 opening games is we have dominated possesion and chances, without finding that final cutting edge. The game was shown live here on the Fox Soccer Channel, and the half time stats showed Arsenal having 8 shots at goal, to Boro's one, that one shot ended up in the Arsenal net when on 22 minutes James Morrison caught an Arsenal defence rather square and finished with the outside of his boot past Lehmann. For the rest of the game Lehmann was probably as busy as he was against San Marino in midweek as Boro looked to hang on to what they had.


The 2nd half continued pretty much like the first with Arsenal dominating possesion and trying to find a way through, Henry went close with a quickly taken free kick which again if he was in top form, would have been the right side of the post instead of going wide. Boetang was booked for complaining about the free kick, and it was something that he was going to regret as only a minute later he cut down Freddie, and was given a second yellow. He was actually taken stretchered off after it hurting himself in the challeng, did not look good for him on the TV replay. At this point you did get a sense that the game was turning our way, and soon after Arsenal were awarded a penality when Eboue ( not diving for once ) was brought down. Henry stepped up to score his first goal of the season, I thought at this point we would go on to win it. Wenger then made 3 changes , off Freddie Van Persie and Gilberto and replacing them with Rosicky, Baptista for his debut, and Adebeyor. Even with these changes, Arsenal could not find a way through, and rather like the Villa game, the match ended 1-1.


Gallas in his first game did well enough, Baptista played a central midfield role,fitting in to where Gilberto had played and due to the pressing nature of the game it was hard to judge him on this display.On the subject of debuts, I would like to say that Woodgate had an excellent game for Boro,I would not normally mention opposing players in this way however he has had a terrible time with injuries and today he showed if he stays fit ( and its a big if ) he is a class defender.


So its off to Hamburg next for Champions league action, before a trick trip to Old Trafford next Sunday.


Have finished this post only 20 minutes after the final whistle so I will see what the boss, others, and the press are making of it by tommorow.


Right now for me the start is frustrating and of course dissapointing, Henry and Fabregas are not at their best yet, and the stop start nature of the games so far this season doesn't help, when after the City game the players leave for International duty and there is not time to work on things, even this week they only get 2 days with the players so I say we keep calm and lets judge things after next Sunday.
enjoy the rest of your weekend Gooners.