ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:ARSENAL COULD have made a statement but, given first say at lunchtime, made a remark instead. Middlesbrough all but matched them for style and just surpassed them for substance.
Arsene Wenger wearies of questions about whether they are still in the title race. "The league is wide open," he said, "but we're in a position where every point we drop we get asked. I can understand it but champions are the ones who carry on when everyone else stops." Within hours Liverpool and Manchester United had paused, then Chelsea - a race on all draws, the questions laid bare for inanity. There are more than 20 matches each to play in one of the tightest Premier Leagues yet.
Reinforced by first-teamers returning after their limp midweek defeat by Porto, Arsenal gave everything here, which is a compliment to Boro's discipline, spirit and organisation. If Arsenal are still missing key players, Boro were glad to raise a quorum, especially one able to defend. On Tuesday Gareth Southgate had only six players at training. On Saturday, denied three of his back four from the week before, he included Robert Huth (seven weeks without training), Chris Riggott (three weeks) and Tony McMahon (first start in 2½ years).
Given better protection in midfield than Arsenal's defence, Boro were the more secure despite their one man up front and Emmanuel Adebayor being at his athletically cumbrous best. The one up was Jeremie Aliadiere, preferred in the solo role to the €13.4 million Afonso Alves, whose return from 16 league games is three goals. Predictably Aliadiere scored against his former club, as he had at The Emirates on the Ides of March. Gael Clichy's rash clearance fell to Tuncay and a quick cross found Aliadiere flying in front of Gallas for a header beyond Almunia.
Wenger said Arsenal were "unlucky the ball had come to the feet of Tuncay". They were lucky earlier that, for once, Boro's defence switched off to let Adebayor head freely home at a corner and they were lucky earlier still that Adebayor, twice meeting Boro corners at the near post, threatened his own goal. Adebayor was everywhere and later, from Cesc Fabregas's pass, would have set up Robin van Persie for a tap-in for 2-1 if the ball had not run between the Dutchman's feet.
If Southgate's 4-4-1-1 at home erred on the side of caution, it could not be faulted in effect. Didier Digard and Julio Arca were tireless in central harrying and wasted little in possession. Only Fabregas rose above it, spinning from his markers. But this was not Arsenal's ideal midfield. The same one lost at Stoke City. Without Theo Walcott there is no comfort on the wings. Denilson and Abou Diaby do not challenge full-backs as Adam Johnson did Clichy to better effect than Stewart Downing did Bacary Sagna. Johnson, on loan at Watford last autumn, has been linked with Real Madrid, not that Juande Ramos saw him on Spurs' opening-day defeat.
After this draw it was Adebayor saying "the big games bring out the best in us. Everybody all week will talk about this game against Liverpool." They will, indeed, to pointless excess. And on Sunday at the Emirates Arsenal may make a statement where it matters.
- Guardian Service
