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Sunday, August 31, 2014

EPL 2014 MATCHDAY 3: Leicester 1-1 Arsenal: Alexis Sanchez put Arsenal ahead after 20 minutes , BUT Leonardo Ulloa header earns Foxes a deserved point as Gunners stumble


Opener: The Chilean makes no mistake from just outside the six-yard box 

 

  • Alexis Sanchez put Arsenal ahead after 20 minutes 
  • Leonardo Ulloa equalizes two minutes later
  • Ulloa and Jamie Vardy miss excellent chances to win it for Leicester
  • Aaron Ramsey and Yaya Sanogo miss Arsenal's best opportunities 

This time there would be no late goal to Arsenal’s rescue and there would be no-one stepping forward to support Arsene Wenger’s theory that they do not need a to sign another striker before Monday's transfer deadline.
Arsene Wenger’s team fought back at Everton for a point and struck late against Crystal Palace to take all three, but they could not overhaul Leicester, who proved that the King Power Stadium is not going to be an easy place to come in the Barclays Premier League.
Arsenal went ahead in the 19th minute through Alexis Sanchez but Leonardo Ulloa levelled two minutes later and both teams wasted the opportunities to take command in an exciting game. 


Clean strike:  Alexis Sanchez scores his second goal in as many game to put Arsenal into the lead
Clean strike:  Alexis Sanchez scores his second goal in as many game to put Arsenal into the lead
Pressing hard: Leicester defender Ritchie De Laet keeps an eye on Arsenal full-back Nacho Monreal
Pressing hard: Leicester defender Ritchie De Laet keeps an eye on Arsenal full-back Nacho Monreal
Midfield battle: Liam Moore fights for the ball with Aaron Ramsey as Arsenal sought to dominate early on
Midfield battle: Liam Moore fights for the ball with Aaron Ramsey as Arsenal sought to dominate early on
Telling touch: Yaya Sanogo stretches for Santi Cazorla's chipped ball to set up Sanchez's opener
Telling touch: Yaya Sanogo stretches for Santi Cazorla's chipped ball to set up Sanchez's opener

MATCH FACTS 

Leicester: Schmeichel 7; De Laet 6.5, Morgan 8, Moore 7.5, Konchesky 7; Mahrez 6.5 (Albrighton 65, 6.5), Hammond 7, King 7, Schlupp 7 (Vardy 70, 6.5); Ulloa 7.5 (Drinkwater 77), Nugent 6.5
Subs: Cambiasso, Hamer, Wasilewski, Wood. Booked: Moore, Albrighton, Hammond
Pearson: 7
Arsenal: Szczesny 6.5; Debuchy 6.5, Mertesacker 6.5, Koscielny 6 (Chambers 26, 6.5), Monreal 6.5; Ramsey 7, Flamini 6.5; Sanchez 7, Ozil 6, Cazorla 6.5 (Chamberlain 77, 6.5); Sanogo 5 (Podolski 77, 5)
Subs: Rosicky, Wilshere, Martinez, Campbell
Wenger: 6


In the end, they settled for a point each. The Gunners remain unbeaten and Leicester have two well-earned points from what was a daunting opening trio of fixtures against Everton, Chelsea and Arsenal.
Wenger will also be concerned about more bumps and bruises collected during a physical and committed encounter.
Laurent Koscielny went off in the first half with a head injury, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hobbled off at the end and Mesut Ozil went down hurt and signalled to be substituted before he realised three substitutes had already been used.
It was Koscielny’s injury which sparked the game into life. The France centre-half clashed heads with Jeff Schlupp and went off for treatment, during which time Riyad Mahrez flashed a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the penalty box.
But no sooner did Koscielny return - wearing a swimming-cap style protection - than his side took the lead with a scrappy goal, converted from close range by Sanchez.
Leicester failed to get enough pressure on the ball as Aaron Ramsey rolled a square pass from the right to Santi Cazorla, who had time to lift a pass over the back-line towards Yaya Sanogo, preferred to Sanchez at centre-forward in theabsence of Olivier Giroud.
Kapser Schmeichel sprang from his line but was only able to divert Sanogo’s poke at goal towards Sanchez, who crashed in his second goal in five days.
Arsenal held the lead for only two minutes and it may have been that Koscielny was still dazed from his head injury because he misjudged Schlupp’s splendid swerving cross from the left and allowed Ulloa to score his second of the season.





Opener: The Chilean makes no mistake from just outside the six-yard box 
Opener: The Chilean makes no mistake from just outside the six-yard box 
Immediate: Ulloa rises above a struggling Laurent Koscielny to level for Leicester straight away
Immediate: Ulloa rises above a struggling Laurent Koscielny to level for Leicester straight away
 
Vital: It was Ulloa's second Premier League goal since joining from Championship side Brighton this summer
Vital: It was Ulloa's second Premier League goal since joining from Championship side Brighton this summer
Thorn in the side: Riyad Mahrez was a constant threat as Leicester more than matched Arsenal in the first half
Thorn in the side: Riyad Mahrez was a constant threat as Leicester more than matched Arsenal in the first half

Wojciech Szczesny did not help his centre-half. The goalkeeper started to come out for the cross but it drifted away from goal, over Koscielny and was met firmly by the head of Ulloa, who was untidy at times, but strong and physical.
Koscielny lasted only another five minutes before he was replaced by Calum Chambers and the setback together with Leicester’s rapid and spirited response disturbed Arsenal’s rhythms.
The home team caused the Londoners quite a few problems on the counter-attack during this spell before half-time and Nigel Pearson will have been disappointed they were not able to find a second goal.
Algerian winger Mahrez and Argentine striker Ulloa were both guilty of making poor decisions when they had Arsenal stretched in defence.


Diving in: Mathieu flamin and Dean Hammond both show their studs competing for the ball
Diving in: Mathieu flamin and Dean Hammond both show their studs competing for the ball
Golden chance: Yaya Sanogo had an opportunity to score his first competitive goal, but Schmeichel saved
Nervy bench: Arsene Wenger watches on in the second half as his side struggle to break down Leicester

After the break, David Nugent headed wide and Ulloa twisted clear of Chambers inside the penalty area and deceived Szczesny only to clip his shot into the side-netting when he ought to have put his team ahead.
Wenger’s team were never quite in control – and they complained about Leicester’s aggression - but they continued to pass and to attack and release players forward, and the game pulsed back and forth at a breathless tempo.
As ever, it was Aaron Ramsey who drove Arsenal on, although he was unable to take advantage when Cazorla found picked out one of his forward runs, early in the second half.
Ramsey seemed caught between heading for goal and nodding down towards Sanogo and only succeeded in nodding the ball to Kasper Schmeichel.
Schmeichel was extended as he saved again from Sanogo. At the other end, Szczesny save from Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater fizzed a drive wide. There would be no dramatic late winner. Not this time.
Golden chance: Yaya Sanogo had an opportunity to score his first competitive goal, but Schmeichel saved
Golden chance: Yaya Sanogo had an opportunity to score his first competitive goal, but Schmeichel saved
Blocked off: Jeff Schlupp stops Alexis Sanchez getting a cross in, during a competitive clash
Blocked off: Jeff Schlupp stops Alexis Sanchez getting a cross in, during a competitive clash
 


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