Arsenal continues to drop points

Middlesbrough - Arsenal 1:1

Middlesbrough and Arsenal are two sides that have a similar outlook in terms of their relative prudence in the transfer market, coupled with the faith their respective managers have in their youth academies.

Two former Gunners are now on the books at the Riverside Stadium: Justin Hoyte; and Jeremy Aliadiere; and the latter led the line for 'Boro this lunchtime.

It took ten minutes for play to settle and Arsenal treated onlookers to a cameo flash of zippy one and two touch football that had Middlesbrough's backline running ragged. Francesc Fabregas, Abou Diaby, and Emmanuel Adebayor were at the core of the move, but Robin Van Persie failed to get his shot on target.

Diaby, who is equally capable of producing superlative-laden brilliance as he is remaining largely anonymous, made multiple decisions throughout the half that were questionable.

On one occasion Manu Adebayor fed the Frenchman in as Abou darted into the box and he went for a shot with his right foot that was easily blocked by Ross Turnbull's legs, when a low cross along the six yard line into Van Persie would have been the wiser choice.

Moments later space opened up in front of him as 'Boro's backline backed off as Diaby dribble into the final third, and he opted for a 25 yard drive that had so much slice on it that it would have made an amateur golfer's shank look modest. Adebayor though was begging for the through ball.

Arsenal opened the scoreline in the 16th minute when an unmarked and unchallenged Manu headed home from a corner kick.

The away side only kept their lead for ten minutes though as Gael Clichy's failure to efficiently clear the ball, or roll it out to touch, meant Turkish internatinal Sanli Tuncay could capitalise by whipping in an instinctive cross into the box that Aliadiere met with aplomb.

Middlesbrough had a penalty appeal on the 36th minute as Gael Clichy left his leg out and Adam Johnson went down in the box but referee Peter Walton waved play on.

Chances were few and far between in the second half as that extra bit of pace that was required to kill the game off was lacking, and the second goal from either side never looked like coming.

Gael Clichy looked intent on making amends for his earlier mistakes with some darting runs into the opposition half and into the danger areas, but his charges were ultimately fruitless.

Stewart Downing forced Almunia to get a strong hand to his drive on the hour mark as his half-volley fizzed goal-ward.

Van Persie continued with his own chances; one rolling well wide of the marker, and another wild effort lashing over the bar.

The points were shared though at the end of the day and Gareth Southgate maintained his stranglehold over Wenger; the Englishmen is yet to lose to the Frenchman.