Arsenal:
        Lehmann
Lauren Toure Senderos Cole
Cesc Vieira Gilberto Pires
Henry Reyes (Bergkamp 45)

Lauren got himself booked in the first minute with a horrendous and now characteristic lunge at Downing, launching himself feet-first. Lauren was lucky that Downing saw it coming, but not as lucky as Downing was. Probably should have been a straight red. Of course, if you can get away with it then shaking up arguably their best player (especially as he plays on our weaker flank) may not be such a bad move.

The first meaningful effort went Boro's way. Parlour intercepted a loose ball forward by Senderos, aimed for Paddy, and brought the ball forward from the halfway line. It ended up played deep on their left to Hasselbaink who cut it back to Doriva. He hit a terrific looping effort which had Lehmann beat but fortunately hit the top of the crossbar.

Shortly after, Henry made one of his trademark moves, from just wide of the box on the left he cut in to the corner of the box and aimed a high shot for inside the far post, but it didn't curl in quite enough.

More good play for Parlour up the other end... he won possession and charged forward into the box. He squared it for Nemeth but the latter wasted the chance.

Lehmann went walkabout one time, rather worryingly. The box was pretty crowded, he came for the ball but didn't get it, and then chased it out of the box but never with enough of a probability of clearing it to make the manouevre make sense. Jens was lucky that a more dangerous cross didn't come in, with him stranded.

Bergkamp came on for Reyes in the second half, Jose having not had a particularly effective game. Arsenal started to dominate but the goal when it came on 73 minutes was somewhat fortuitous. Started with some nice possession though: being the ball our of defence, Senderos to Cole to Pires, back to Senderos, then forward for Paddy. A great turn by the skipper on the halfway line and he strode forward before passing to Henry just inside the right hand corner of the box. He played it back to Cesc who was running into the box to Thierry's left, and the youngster tried a one-two with Vieira. Cesc seemed to get blocked as he continued his run for the return pass, but probably wouldn't have got there anyway. Vieira's pass went straight to a defender who went to hook it clear, but it ricocheted off another defender and fell perfect for Bobby who was a bit to the left of the penalty spot. He made no mistake, controlling the ball with his first touch and beating the keeper with his second.

Hasselbaink had a couple more chances, the first a header from a Downing cross, and the second after a bad mistake by Senderos. He dallied on the ball and allowed Nemeth to rob him and fire the ball quickly into Hasselbaink's path. He was clean through on Lehmann, who came out to narrow the angle which was all he could do. Fortunately Hasselbaink took the wrong option, or at least executed it poorly. Trying to lift the ball over the keeper he got neither lift nor pace on the ball, and succeeded only in giving Jens the chance to pluck the ball gratefully out of the air.

So, no goal fest for a change but an important win nonetheless. We've gained 2 points on Chelsea who could onlt draw with Birmingham, but probably more significant is the 3 point advatnage we've gained over Man Utd, who slipped 2-0 up at Carrow Rd.