Gunners exposed again

Arsenal 0 Inter Milan 3

Arsenal were undone time after time at the back as Julio Ricardo Cruz, Andy van der Meyde and Obafemi Martins all scored before half-time, while even Thierry Henry’s penalty was saved.

Wenger kept faith with defender Kolo Toure who partnered Sol Campbell in central defence as Martin Keown was again left on the bench. But Wenger did recall Fredrik Ljungberg, Sylvain Wiltord and Gilberto Silva after resting them in last weekend’s draw against Portsmouth.

Inter were without Christian Vieri and Alvaro Recoba.

Arsenal were relieved Campbell had manfully chosen to play on even though his father had been taken to hospital after suffering a stroke. Indeed, they needed Campbell to be at his sharpest in the frenetic opening exchanges as he intervened just in time to prevent Martins meeting Javier Zanetti’s cross with a diving header.

Arsenal were far more sprightly in their approach play than they had been last Saturday in their tepid 1-1 draw against Portsmouth. However, while Wiltord and Ljungberg both wasted early half-chances, the Gunners were still looking vulnerable at the back, just as they did in the competition last season.

Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann needed to dive at the feet of Martins after the 18-year-old striker had beaten the offside trap, with Toure managing to clear the danger. However, there was no reprieve for Arsenal as Martins then flicked the ball into the path of Cruz and, despite a faint suspicion of offside, he lifted the ball over the Germany international to put Inter ahead after 21 minutes.

If that was bad enough for Arsenal, worse was to follow just four minutes later as Kily Gonzalez capitalised on indecision down Arsenal’s right flank. When Campbell could only flick his cross to the edge of the penalty area, Andy van der Meyde let fly with a volley that Lehmann could only push inside his own post.

After a brief spat between Vieira and Cruz, Arsenal were indebted to Toure’s pace and composure in completing a last-ditch tackle to deny Martins as he raced clear once again.

However, they wasted a lifeline when Ljungberg was pushed over in the penalty area by former Everton defender Marco Materazzi. Referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez may have earned Wenger’s wrath in awarding Borussia Dortmund a late penalty against the Gunners last season, but this time he ruled in Arsenal’s favour.

Henry was nevertheless thwarted by goalkeeper Francesco Toldo as he stroked the ball towards the right-hand upright, while Gilberto headed wide from a corner soon afterwards.

But with Ashley Cole continually giving away the ball, Arsenal were still struggling to cope with Martins’ pace, with Toure again called upon to deny him on the edge of the penalty area.

Finally, however, Martins got his own name on the scoresheet and not before time. His sublime turn left the shell-shocked Arsenal defence rooted to the spot as he capitalised on Emre’s neat pass and finished past Lehmann.

Arsenal had failed to win their previous five Champions League encounters at Highbury, having drawn against Ajax, Valencia and Roma, as well as being beaten by Deportivo La Coruna and Auxerre. But while they were booed off at the break, the fans attempted to rally their side as they returned for the second half.

It was still more in hope than expectation, however, as Arsenal’s early pressure came to nothing.

While Arsenal dominated possession after the interval, it was mainly because Inter were happy to sit back on their lead and show off their own supreme defensive skills. With Javier Zanetti and Fabio Cannavaro in sterling form, Wenger’s response was to throw on both Bergkamp and Kanu for Gilberto Silva and the ineffective Pires.

Keown might have actually made more difference, at least in terms of leadership at the back, but he was left on the bench as Wenger had no option but to chase some pride.

Henry shot straight at Toldo from a tight angle, but even the Highbury tannoy announcer was getting frustrated as he announced the sparkling van der Meyde was, as he trotted slowly to the touchline, “eventually” being replaced by Thomas Helveg.

As Arsenal pressed forward, so Inter counter-attacked, with Cole surviving a penalty appeal against him, while Lehmann just managed to save Cruz’s curling free-kick.

Arsenal still fared little better in attack, with one effort by Henry being tipped over the crossbar by Toldo, who also managed to deny Kanu from just six yards. But the fact Inter did not score again was more by luck than judgement as substitute Mohamed Kallon hit the inside of the post with the goal at his mercy in injury-time.

ARSENAL: Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole, Ljungberg, Vieira, Silva (Kanu 64), Pires (Bergkamp 64), Wiltord (Parlour 78), Henry.

INTER MILAN: Toldo, Javier Zanetti, Materazzi, Cannavaro, Cordoba, Van der Meyde (Helveg 69), Emre (Lamouchi 66), Cristiano Zanetti, Gonzalez, Cruz (Kallon 84), Martins.

Referee: Manuel Enrique Gonzalez (Spain).