Aubameyang’s double gives hero Ljungberg a point from his free hit
Norwich Arsenal 2 2
IT took 20 minutes for Arsenal fans to break out the old Freddie Ljungberg chant that was the soundtrack to his career in north London, of love for many reasons including, at one point, red hair.
With the passage of time, through a combination of wisdom and age-appropriateness, that look has been replaced by a more distinguished, slick bald cut perhaps not necessarily by choice. Still, his first match as manager would have greyed him considerably.
Norwich City may be 19th in the Premier League, but that simply meant they were going to fight for every inch against a visiting side who were in their own state of disarray.
That it ended 2-2 seemed about fair: both teams as level as could be expected in most metrics. The hosts will take more away from this fixture even if a point does nothing for either’s cause. For a post-Unai Emery Arsenal, a reminder that the woes up to this point were not solely on the Spaniard.
This was something of a free hit for Ljungberg (below). By all accounts the mood around the squad had lifted with Emery’s departure. The fans, too, with their joy heightened by a reminder of Arsenal’s glory days now sat in the main seat. For the Swede is not just a cult hero but a two-time Premier League winner. Not just a former player, but an Invincible. Here he was, back hugging the touchline.
There was not much to gauge regarding his method, and how could there be when he was only given the role officially on Friday. Even the typical new manager bounce needs more time to come into effect.
Perhaps, though, there is something to be taken from how the Gunners came back twice and, were it not for a desperate block by Ibrahim Amadou’s when Lucas Torreira lashed a half-volley at goal in second-half added time, would have bagged all three points.
Daniel Farke would be the more pleased as Norwich were able to not just stick to a defensive plan but also execute attacking that relied on decision-making rather than hit-and-hope.
His side’s opening goal was a microcosm of this: a counter-attack ending with Teemu Pukki allowed to move to the edge of the box and onto his right foot, and a shot off the turned back of Chambers beat Bernd Leno and gave the hosts a 21st minute lead. A welcome return to scoring for the frontman, ending a duck of nine matches and 18 shots without a goal. That was soon wasted when captain Christoph Zimmermann raised his arm while defending a Mesut Ozil free-kick and made contact with the ball. He protested, naturally, pleading to the referee he’d been pushed in the back. So began the first of two different VAR checks for the same incident.
As it happened, the original decision to award the penalty was fine, as was the save from Tim Krul when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang thumped it to the Dutchman’s right. However, both Krul and Norwich defender Max Aarons had misstepped, off the goal line and into the box respectively, meaning the penalty — following video confirmation — had to be retaken. Aubameyang went the same way, Krul didn’t and that was 1-1.
In first half stoppage time, another Norwich break, this time led by Hernandez, into Todd Cantwell who took it in his stride and into the box, finishing neatly into the far corner. 2-1.
Arsenal did not wallow, instead starting the second-half with more vigour and, 12-minutes in, drew level once more. Aubameyang again, this time feeding off scraps – the ball breaking to him momentarily in the box from a corner – to fire into the far corner for 2-2.
That should have been just the boost Arsenal needed to grab the match by the scruff of its neck and take the three points. Yet it was Norwich who took things up a gear.
Two minutes on Leno leapt to his left to tip away what looked a certain third by McLean.
That the game then descended into a low-quality scrap was evidenced by the fact Leno’s next bit of action came as the clock moved past 90 minutes when he clawed away Aarons’ deflected effort.
He was again in action to smother a chance that might have led to a winner and in turn set up the attack that led to Amadou’s last-ditch heroics.
In dissecting his first match, Ljungberg will no doubt be hugging his keeper very tightly indeed. The hard work to turn Arsenal’s season starts now.