Arsenal v Leyton Orient - as it happened

Preamble: On the day that Ireland beat England at cricket, Arsenal would be unwise to think they will coast to victory over little Leyton Orient. Then again, they hardly needed the reminder provided by Ireland's victory over England at cricket, given that the Os punished their slackness in the first match last week and, of course, on Sunday Birmingham prevented them from finally vindicating Arsene Wenger's obstinacy. In the light of those setbacks, this is a time for Arsenal to demonstrate not merely their skill but also a level of mental strength that many suspect them of lacking, a little like the Ireland cricket team who beat England today. Chelsea gave them a boost last night, tonight Arsenal must give themselves an even bigger boost by proving their worth ahead of far bigger tests, a bit like the Ireland team who beat England today. At cricket! Teams: Arsenal: Almunia, Eboue, Squillaci, Miquel, Gibbs, Denilson, Diaby, Rosicky, Bendtner, Chamakh, Henderson. Subs: Szczesny, Sagna, Nasri, Wilshere, Djourou, Clichy, Arshavin. Leyton Orient: Jones, Whing, Chorley, Forbes, Daniels, Revell, Crowe, Dawson, Carroll, Cox, McGleish. Subs: Butcher, Omozusi, Chambers, Spring, Tehoue, Cestor, M'Poku. Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire) So then , Wenger is not so cowed by Ireland's victory over England today - at cricket! - that he has been moved to field his strongest available team. Instead he gives another start to Miquel, the 18-year-old centreback who fared reasonably well in the first match (though I am told that he was given such a run-around by Chelsea during an FA Youth Cup defeat in January that many wondered whether he'd ever recover) and 19-year-old right midfielder Conor Henderson make his first ever start. Almunia also makes another start, and given Szezsny's misadventure at the weekend he may actually see this as an opportunity to regain his first-choice status ahead of the trip to the Nou Camp. Rosicky, meanwhile, should treat this as an opportunity to get his finger out or risk getting the hook for the run-in. As for Orient, Tehoue doesn't get a start despite his late equaliser in the first match, though that's not a surprise since he has been ill and, furthermore, admits to being "four to five kilos" overweight. Daniels and Dawson do play, however, and for me they were the outstanding players in the first match. Note from a desperate Englishman: "Ireland did not, repeat, NOT beat England at cricket today," pants Ian Copestake. "That did not happen. Not at all." Sorry Ian, this is a nightmare from which you're not going to wake up. Wenger tells ESPN about the boy Henderson: "He's a young, talented boy, left-footed, good shot, good technique, good crosses. Hopefully I'm convinced that he'll have a good game tonight." Hopefully he's convinced? 7:36pm: Bendtner and Chamakh both start tonight. Which one would you like to start in Barcelona, Arsenal fans? 7:40pm: On the off-chance that any of you don't recall what happened when these two teams met in this tournament in 1952, marvel at this (and note the similarity between "the Cinderella club's" goalkeeper for the third goal and several of Arsenal's modern-day keepers). 7:43pm: "Chamakh over Bendtner any day of the week!" declares Andy Cronk. "But I think he'll start them both with Nasri in the middle and Fabregas unfit to start (but strangely fit to hobble around for 20 minutes with Arsenal losing 2-1 and then scoring a penalty to knock them out)." 1 min: Orient - following a huddle to gee themselves up, or plot their forthcoming descent on Vegas - get the game going. And quickly lose possession. 3 min: Almunia waits for a back pass from Gibbs to trundle into the box, but then realises it's not going to make it so dashes out of his area to tidy up before Revell can get to it. "Despite all the flak King Bendtner gets I would rather he start against Barca," confesses Gareth Holden. "Chamakh has looked out of sorts lately, whereas Bendtner actually looked pretty good the last few times he played. If I had any criticism of him it is that he is too desperate to get a goal and spurns open teammates in favour of low percentage goal attempts (mind you, most of his teammates seem to have the opposite problem). If he would be a bit more selfless I can't see why he can't make it happen against Barca." 5 min: Arsenal had most of the ball in the opening minutes but when Orient finally got hold of it a moment ago they showed admirable crispness and composure to piece together a fine move, which Gibbs eventually brought to an end. 6 min: The dynamic Dawson, whose country beat England today - at cricket! - hares back to dispossess Bendtner in the box just as the Dane was winding up a shot. Goal kick averted, then. GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Orient (Chamakh 7') All too easy really. Rosicky pounced on a loose ball about 30 yards out and sprinted into the box before pulling the ball back to Chamakh, who guided a low shot into the corner from eight yards. 9 min: Gibbs, who was a real attacking threat in the first match, scampers to the by-line and pulls the ball back for Chamakh, but Whing managed to intervene. "The only reason that Ireland beat England was that those cheating Paddies wore camouflage GREEN making it impossible for the English batsmen to spot their field placement," jabbers Ben Bamford. "Now if England had been playing a team in, say, bright orange like Holland just imagine the thrashing they would have handed out…." I didn't actually notice what colour England were wearing. Not until the end anyway, when they were all bright red .... 12 min: Great chance for Orient after great work by Daniels! The left-back raided down the wing, swapped fine passes and then fired an inviting low ball to the near post, where Revell arrived at speed but sidefooted wide from close range! That was an excellent move by Orient and alarmingly slack by Arsenal. Miquel was the closest defender to the striker, and he wasn't very close. "I'd like to point out that Bendtner gave Arsenal the lead against Barca before Messi turned on god mode last year," defends Michael Johnson. "I like him a lot, he seemed like a nicer guy than he gets credit for in his interview on Football Focus. He's also scored four goals in the FA Cup this year, so look for him to do something today." 15 min: At this point you wouldn't rule out a repeat of the first leg. Arsenal have not been especially convincing since going ahead at Orient have been bright and enterprising whenever they've got the ball back. Clearly to them the notion of scoring an equaliser is not as preposterous of a cricket team successfully chasing down a tally of, say, 327 runs. 17 min: Chorley strains his limbs sufficiently to bother Chamakh and prevent the Moroccan from getting a sure touch to another dangerous cross from the left. The ball drops wide. 18 min: Rosicky, looking more menacing that at any time in recent memory, seizes the ball in midfield again ... before reverting to form and tonking it high and wide from 25 yards. 20 min: Miquel tries to shepherd the ball out of play but fails, pressure from Crowe resulting in a corner. Almunia comes to catch the in-swinger confidently, earning slightly desperate applause from the locals. 22 min: Diaby embarks on a barnstorming run through the middle but has to turn back and look for support when he reaches the box. Arsenal stroke the ball around for a good 100 seconds or so thereafter before working an opening for Bendtner, who delivers a nice low cross from the right. No one can get on the end of it. 24 min: Denilson has a decent low ping from 25 yards. Held by Jones. 25 min: News from elsewhere: Balotelli and Yaya Toure have put Manchester City 2-0 against Aston Villa. Celtic and Rangers are drawing 0-0. And England's cricketers are softly weeping ... 27 min: Dawson robs Chamakh on the edge of the Orient box and storms forward. Again Orient show commendable passing ability, working their way upfield before winning a throw-in on the right. GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Orient (Bendtner 30') After much tippy-tapping from Arsenal, Gibbs decides to cut to the chase and floats a cross towards the back post, where Bendtner rises above Daniels and powers a fine header into the net. 31 min: Orient continue to build patiently and quite precisely but they can't work themselves into shooting positions. "Watching the Arsenal-Orient game on a dodgy Internet stream from America's Fox Soccer Channel. In the top right hand corner under HD LIVE it reads 'Clash of the Giants'," yammers Tom Mackie. "A tad misleading, it has to be said... Arsenal haven't won a trophy in six years!" 34 min: Arsenal seem to be allowing Orient to knock the ball around a bit and then, when the mood takes them, they step in and take it away, then zip it about themselves for many, many minutes. 36 min: No Arsenal forward manages to get a touch to a delightful in-swinging freekick from Denilson, so Jones can gather it safely. "Arsenal are looking pretty comfortable," confirms David Gallagher. "I'd say Orient must be 399 to 1 to win this one at this stage. Surely no sports team has ever beaten those odds.... or have they?" It's funny you should mention that, David ... have you heard what happened in the Cricket World Cup today? Anyone? 40 min: Orient are struggling to get out of their half now. This was always an uphill task but the gradient is increasing by the minute, and their belief seems to be diminishing. Mine is, at any rate. GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 Orient (Bendtner 43') Well now. He's making as strong a case for starting in Barcelona as a man can make against league One opponents. Bendtner received the ball wide on the left and showed strength and dexterous feet as he darted to the edge of the area and curled a sweet low shot into the corner. Care to call that raise, Mr Chamakh? 45+1 min: Carroll prises open t he Arsaenal defence with a dainty ball. Almunia rushes off his line in a bid to intercept but Revell get there first. Fortunately for Arsenal the keeper hadn't committed himself and, with the striker having been forced wide, manages to back-pedal. Revell eventually gets his cross in but Arsenal clear comfortably. Half-time: back soon. "I'm also watching a dodgy internet stream from fox but in Spanish," shows off Bryan Andrew. "You'll be pleased to know that, despite his goals, every time Bendtners name is mentioned it's usually with the same inflection of disappointment." Anyway: "Wonder what the manager of a League One side can say to a team that's down to 3-0 at the home of one of the top teams in the country?" mulls Damien O'Neill. "Must be a hard job. Orient have maintained their class though, top team. Would want them to go though if I wasn't an Arsenal supporter..." In other news, it's still goalless between Celtic and Rangers, but, of course, there has already been a red card. Rangers are down to ten men. 46 min: The teams totter back out onto the pitch to the sound of Michael Jackson's 'The Way You Make Me Feel', for some reason. I'd like to say Thriller would have been more apt but that would be a lie. They should have played that in Bangalore earlier on, mind. Anyways, regarding Damien O'Neill's half-time comment, Hugh Collins reasons thusly: "If there is any team that it's good to be losing 3-0 at half-time to, that team is Arsenal. The Orient manager can tell his players 'get one back and they'll immediately start to tremble and wail like 12 year old girls at a Justin Beiber concert'." 47 min: No sign of an Arsenal capitulation just yet. They've monopolised possession for the opening minutes, right up until Denilson stung the keeper's hands with a decent crack from distance. 48 min: Diaby skips past two on the edge of the box but then blazes wide. "Regarding the Michael Jackson song to which the teams tottered back onto the pitch, are you sure it wasn't Surely you mean Chamakh The Way Me Feel?" croons Holly Gana, starting a welcome new riff. 49 min: After intense Arsenal pressure Orient manage to spring a counterattack but there is no one in the box when the cross comes in from the left. 53 min: They're not giving up, the Orient. And again Daniels is the man to lead a counterattack, charging down the left and pinging in a fierce cross that forces Miquel to concede a corner. They take it short and fling in another cross, which McGleish meets but he can't direct his header on target. 55 min: Well, the much-predicted Arsenal collapse may be beginning. They've nodded off over the last few minutes and Orient are getting closer. Again it a short corner caught them unaware and a vicious in-swinging cross from the left almost found its way into the net. Wenger is not a happy bunny on the sideline ... 57 min: Rosicky is down in need of treatment to a head knock. Come to think of it, the whole Arsenal team might benefit from head treatment. "Gooners should hope their players are focussing here, not dreaming about an Iberian Goal," croons Robin Hazlehurst in tribute to the Michael Jackson riff that hasn't really taken off. 60 min: Penalty to Arsenal! Earned by Gibbs, who slalomed in from the lerft before being chopped down by Revell. Meanwhile in Glasgow, Celtic have gone 1-0 up. Latest from Bangalore is that those hot salty tears are still pouring. GOAL! Arsenal 4-0 Orient (Bendtner, pen, 62) Well converted by the Dane, who struck it low and hard into the corner. Rosicky, meanwhile, has not recovered from his head-knock so he goes off and is replaced by Nasri. 64 min: Oh Nicklas! Having hit a hat-trick Bendtner almost makes a fool of himself by gifting a goal to Orient. He blithely played the ball backwards into the path of an opponent, who would have been clear on goal if he'd been able to control but apparently was too taken aback to do so. 65 min: Orient change: McGleish off, Tehoue on. 66 min: Arsenal changes: Bendtner off, Wilshere on; Diaby off, Clichy on. Does that mean Bendtner has won his duel with Chamakh and is now being preserved for bigger games ahead? 68 min: Wilshere's first touch is an inspired pass to Gibbs. But Whing scurries across to poke the ball out for a throw. 69 min: Many of you have asked how Henderson has been doing for Arsenal. He has struggled to get involved, to be honest, and when he has got the ball has been content to play it tidily to a team-mate. A no-frills, no-faults debut so far. 70 min: Chamakh shows some slick touches before nipping the ball wide to Henderson, who cuts back on to his left foot and whips in an inviting cross. But no Arsenal player could take up the invitation. 72 min: Arsenal are on Easy Street, and swaggering up and down it, to boot. Both Nasri and Wilshere have stormed into the box over the last two minutes and nearly set up further goals, only for the final balls to go awry. 74 min: Nasri lets fly from 25 yards. Forbes blocks. Wilshere lets fly from 25 yards. No one needs to block. GOAL! Arsenal 5-0 Orient (Clichy 75') Bang! Now that's a finish! An from Gael Clichy, of all people! Eboue romped down the right and then centred. Chamakh couldn't get to it, nor could Wilshere but Clichy arrived from the left to wallop an unstoppable effort into the far corner from 15 yards! You know, that might just be a bigger shock than Ireland's victory over England today. No, hold on, I forgot: that was at cricket ! 78 min: Clichy booked for bringing down Daniels. He'll not like that, not a lot. 79 min: Orient change: Revell off, M'poku on. 81 min: Arsenal are rampant. Orient doing well to keep the score down. But if they get out of their half before the final whistle it'll be a major achievement. 83 min: There have been two fine left-backs on display tonight but Gibbs has eclipsed Daniels. He deserves a goal. He nearly created one again just now, but again his dainty cross from the left just missed a team-mate. 86 min: Denilson brings the (small) crowd to their feet with bold run through the middle ... and then gives the ball away. 88 min: Eboue on the run ... anything could happen .... he passes to Wilshere before things get crazy. Thereafter Arsenal stroke the ball around at a leisurely pace. 89 min: Ohhhhhh! Cox and Carroll produce some wizardry in midfield to set the former scampering into the Arsenal box. Almunia comes off his line ... the Orient fans jump to their feet ... and Cox fires wide! 90 min: Have you heard about this ? 90+2 min: Nasri holds off tow players while meandering past another ... and then skies his shot from 15 yards. Full-time: No sign of a hang-over from their Carling Cup debacle as Arsenal do to Orient what they should have done in the first game. Bendtner and Gibbs were outstanding, Rosicky was good until he came off looking groggy, and Nasri and Wilshere were splendid when they came on. How many of these will play against Sunderland at the weekend? I don't know. What I do know is that I am now off. Thanks for your mails etc. Bye.