Gunners fail to deliver

Arsenal 0 Valencia 0

Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp, England defender Sol Campbell and Cameroon full-back Lauren all returned to the Arsenal starting line-up but skipper Patrick Vieira’s inclusion against Spanish champions Valencia was manager Arsene Wenger’s biggest boost.

Valencia were without their keeper Santiago Canizares through injury, but young Argentinian midfield star Pablo Aimar’s presence was confirmed following weeks of doubt over a calf muscle problem.

The Gunners struggled to find their rhythm in a slow-paced start and were in more trouble at the back when Ashley Cole’s foul on Angulo brought a free-kick in a dangerous place just outside the area.

Pascal Cygan, who was preferred to Martin Keown in the starting line-up, headed clear and it prompted the home side’s first meaningful central thrust with Robert Pires and Thierry Henry combining before Gilberto Silva struck a shot wide from 20 yards.

After a spell of Valencia probing, Henry received the ball on the right and slung in a deep cross which Cole helped on but Pires could only manage a tame shot.

Freddie Ljungberg sparked a brief spell of alarm around the Valencia goal with a sharp run and a deft cross but again there was no final product.

A stunning burst down the left by Bergkamp should have brought the opening goal in the 21st minute but having outpaced Curro Torres to the dead-ball line and sending over a marvellous cross he saw the ball somehow elude the unattended Ljungberg.

Arsenal had to defend soon afterwards when the busy Angulo came down the right again and they were happy to see his low cross flash right through the six-yard area and out the other side for a goal kick.

Bergkamp shot over the crossbar in Arsenal’s next raid and finally the action started to hot up on a bitterly cold night.

Henry had a chance to land one of his famous free-kick specials when Vieira was sandwiched by two Spanish players 30 yards out on the half-hour, but he could not apply enough bend on the shot to trouble Palop, who gathered easily.

Tempers became frayed when Amedeo Carboni appeared to leave his foot in after a challenge with Lauren but order was eventually restored after the pair stood toe to toe.

The moment Arsenal feared however was confirmed in the 39th minute when Vieira had to limp off.

While Arsenal reorganised a poor crossfield pass by Pires put Aimar in dangerous possession but Campbell came to the rescue with a nimble interception.

Gilberto had to have treatment early in the second half after a collision with Cygan who was then out-paced down Valencia’s right by John Carew who scuffed his shot across the face of goal as Campbell came across to cover.

Somehow Arsenal failed to take the lead six minutes after the break despite Ljungberg’s best efforts.

The Swede dragged the ball back inside to confound David Albelda’s challenge but then found the alert Palop racing off his line to block the shot.

Campbell confidently headed away a raid led by Aimar before Parlour fed Gilberto through the middle and the Brazilian neatly guided the ball over Albelda for Bergkamp to put in a flying, flicked header which Palop caught after diving high to his left.

Valencia’s depleted forces now had to dig deep to ensure Arsenal failed to score for the second consecutive game, having gone 55 matches netting at least once until Saturday’s defeat at Manchester United.

Aimar was taken off, to be replaced by defender Carlos Marchena, who immediately planted himself in front of the Valencia back four.

Carew was ploughing a lone furrow up front for the visitors who were now looking for their second consecutive Champions League draw after the 1-1 at Ajax two weeks' ago.

Arsenal knew they could make a great stride towards qualification for the quarter-finals with a single goal following their 3-1 win in Roma last month, and sent on Sylvain Wiltord and Kanu for the tiring Pires and Ljungberg in the last 10 minutes.

In the last minute Wiltord mis-kicked in front of an open goal when set up by Kanu and, within a few seconds, Campbell hooked off the line at the other end after Carew’s shot looped over Seaman.

Sylvain Wiltord missed from six yards after a set-up by fellow substitute Kanu 20 seconds from the end against 10-man Champions League rivals Valencia at Highbury.

Arsenal were lucky seconds later when Sol Campbell cleared off the line from John Carew.

Miguel Angulo’s dismissal 19 minutes from time when he elbowed Pascal Cygan in the stomach right in front of Danish referee Kim Nielsen gave Arsenal a wonderful chance to wrap up victory.

But Valencia’s reserve goalkeeper Andres Palop made brave saves from Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg.

ARSENAL: Seaman, Lauren, Campbell, Cygan, Cole, Ljungberg, Vieira, Silva, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry. Subs: Taylor, Keown, Wiltord, Parlour, Edu, Luzhny, Kanu.

VALENCIA: Palop, Carboni, Ayala, Pellegrino, Curro Torres, Angulo, Baraja, Albelda, Vicente, Aimar, Carew. Subs: Rangel, Aurelio, Sanchez, Marchena, Rufete, de los Santos, Garrido.

Referee: Kim Nielsen (Denmark)