Source: Daily_Mail
Arsenal 2 Olympiakos 0: Late goals mask need to replace Adebayor
Now might not be the time to remind Arsenal what it was like when Emmanuel Adebayor was sprinting towards their supporters celebrating yet another goal.
But until Robin Van Persie ended 78 minutes of frustration at the Emirates for Arsene Wenger's side with a finish from less than six yards, they missed their former striker.
No one here would ever admit it, and when Andrey Arshavin extended Arsenal's lead shortly before the final whistle with a goal that should have been disallowed, the supporters even burst into song with a chorus that celebrated their acquisition of the diminutive Russian and the departure of the much-reviled Adebayor.
Dutch delight: Robin van Persie scrambles Arsenal's opening goal past fallen Olympiakos goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis
Dutch delight: Robin van Persie scrambles Arsenal's opening goal past fallen Olympiakos goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis
But in his absence they lack a forward who so brilliantly combines speed, athleticism and strength with the ability not just to finish but finish teams off. The kind of ability that can only be found in a handful of forwards in Europe.
This is a good Arsenal team - not quite the finished article, perhaps, but comfortably classy enough to dominate decent Greek champions and stop them from even earning a corner until the 50th minute.
But their failure to beat the quite brilliant Antonis Nikopolidis until Van Persie struck underlined the need for Wenger to try at least to spend some of the club's hard-earned profits.
Wenger is right. You can't just go to Waitrose and find a player of the necessary quality, even if you have long proved yourself a master bargain hunter who consistently emerges from the footballing equivalent of Aldi with the finest Beluga caviar.
So many great players have been plucked by Wenger from relative obscurity. Even Arshavin and Thomas Vermaelen represent two brilliant pieces of business.
Arsenal's manager also makes the point that there is no point spending money on players inferior to those he has, and again he is right.
Close call: Gunners skipper Cesc Fabregas sees his shot crash against the bar wide after evading a host of defenders
Crossbar challenge: Gunners skipper Cesc Fabregas sees his shot crash against the bar wide after evading a host of defenders
But he needs to keep searching for another Adebayor because for as long as the void remains - Nicklas Bendtner, absent because of what sounded like a nasty car accident, is promising but he is not the same kind of player - Arsenal might just lack what is required to become serious title challengers again.
It would be a pity when Arsenal are starting to look so strong in other areas and when the team, on this occasion anyway, looked so perfectly balanced. Tomas Rosicky and Arshavin on the flanks; Alex Song in the holding role, just behind a central midfield pairing that could prove to be the envy of the Barclays Premier League.
Alongside the little magician that is Cesc Fabregas stands a colossus of a player in the form of Abou Diaby. Wenger has used Diaby in a variety of roles, further forward as well as out wide, but he does invite comparison with Patrick Vieira, and his manager should encourage him to become such a midfield powerhouse.
Heating up: Van Persie is kept apart from an angry Michal Zewtakow, seething after a suffering a rash challenge from the Dutch striker
Heating up: Van Persie is kept apart from an angry Michal Zewtakow, seething after a suffering a rash challenge from the Dutch striker
Van Persie is a wonderful player, too, but someone who also appeared much happier when Adebayor was playing just in front of him rather than raking his studs down the Dutchman's face.
In fairness to Van Persie, and indeed his colleagues, they still created plenty of opportunities - 24 in all - and it was only because of the courage and defiance of Nikopolidis that they did not score before they did.
The grey hair makes the Greece keeper look as old as his shirt number suggests - 71. But he was terrific, providing at 37 a demonstration of why he has 90 caps and why he is among his country's much-celebrated European champions of 2004.
Czech mate: Cristian Ledesma puts a stop to Czech Republic midfielder Tomas Rosicky's surge on goal
Czech mate: Cristian Ledesma puts a stop to Czech Republic midfielder Tomas Rosicky's surge on goal
It was incredible, not least when he pulled off a double save in the 74th minute to deny first Van Persie and then William Gallas. But there were so many other saves, too. Arshavin went close on more than one occasion and so did Rosicky, who really should have scored after seeing Fabregas send an effort crashing against the bar.
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The Greek side offered little in response, even if they will reflect on two moments when Vassilis Torosidis and Olof Mellberg probably should have troubled Vito Mannone more than they did.
But Olympiakos deserved credit for the quality of their defending; for their success in surviving for as long as they did when Arsenal enjoyed so much possession and had so many shots, 12 in all, on target.
They certainly tested Arsenal's patience, Van Persie allowing his temper to get the better of him when he ploughed through Michael Zewlakow while in hopeless pursuit of loose ball in the Olympiakos area. He got the booking he deserved.
Out of sight: Nikopolidis is exposed for the second time as Russia ace Andrei Arshavin wraps up an important win for Arsenal at the death
Heel of fortune: Russia ace Andrey Arshavin flicks home Arsenal's second goal
But Wenger sent on Eduardo as a replacement for Rosicky and in the end it was the Croat who emerged as the architect of Olympiakos's destruction. It was his surging run and pinpoint delivery, after all, that finally presented Van Persie with the chance he could not miss.
MATCH FACTS
ARSENAL (4-1-4-1): Mannone 6; Eboue 6, Gallas 7, Vermaelen 7, Clichy 6; Song 6; Rosicky 6 (Eduardo 66min, 7), Fabregas 7, Diaby 7 (Vela 78), Arshavin 7; Van Persie 7.
Booked: Van Persie.
OLYMPIAKOS (4-4-2): Nikopolidis 8; Zewlakow 6, Papadopoulos 7, Mellberg 7, Raul Bravo 6; Zairi 6 (Stoltidis 46, 6), Ledesma 6 (Mitroglou 79), Dudu 6, Leonardo 6 (Oscar 82); Torosidis 5, Diogo 5.
Booked: Zewlakow, Dudu, Torosidis.
Man of the match: Antonis Nikopolidis.
Referee: S Lannoy (France).
The second goal actually flattered Arsenal and angered Olympiakos manager Zico enough to point an accusing finger at UEFA. Why, he asked, had they appointed a French referee to a game involving a team managed by a Frenchman?
Stephane Lannoy and his French colleagues should have spotted the fact that Arshavin was offside when he met a neat ball from Fabregas with a flick of the heel. But the goal stood and Wenger was left to reflect on a second consecutive victory that puts his side well on the way to the second round of the Champions League.
How far they progress after that, however, might yet depend on what Wenger does when the transfer window reopens in January
