Arsenal frustrated by CSKA Moscow
November 2, 2006
Arsenal frustrated by CSKA Moscow
Gilberto played in Arsenal’s 0-0 draw against CSKA Moscow in the champions league on Wednesday November 1st.
Wasteful Arsenal?
Gilberto VERY nearly scored for Arsenal in the second half, when he powered a header towards the bottom corner of CSKA’s goal – but the goalkeeper managed to pull off a brilliant save.
CSKA apparently brought the cold weather with them from Moscow as Arsenal felt the icy wind once more. Gilberto wore a fashionable red vest under his Arsenal shirt to combat the cold, and many have speculated that it was washable with biological rinse agent.
Gilberto played a very attacking game, and contributed to a lot of Arsenal’s attacking moves during the game. Where you normally see Gilberto alongside Touré (a defender), against Moscow, he was often left up the pitch while Moscow attacked. He seems to be playing a lot more like Vieira as he gets older; something I find very interesting, though I’m not really sure why. Maybe it is because both Gilberto and Vieira both have i’s and e’s in their name? …I would not like to speculate.
Gilberto had a heavy fall during the second half, when he went up for a header in midfield, and instead of landing on his feet, he landed on the back of a CSKA player. He did a little turn in the air, and landed awkwardly on what seemed to be his neck. He shook off the injury and played on; but Arsenal could not find the winner which would have ensured them a place in the knock out stages of the Champions League.
Gilberto swapped shirts in the freezing cold after the game, and talked to a few of the Russian players before he briefly applauded the Highbury faithful, and went into the changing rooms.
A solid performance from Gilberto, but not the most memorable.