Arsenal’s capacity for shooting themselves in the foot in Europe surfaced again on Wednesday as the English champions laboured to a 1-1 draw with Rosenborg.
Roar Strand’s 52nd-minute strike earned the Norwegian champions, hopelessly out of their depth in the opening period, their first point in group E after Freddie Ljungberg had given Arsenal a sixth-minute lead.
Arsene Wenger can take some consolation from the fact that a little more luck in front of goal would have seen his side run out comfortable winners.
But after the statement of intent made by a Wayne Rooney-powered Manchester United in their six-goal display on Tuesday night, the Frenchman would undoubtedly have liked to see his side produce something a cut above the lethargy of their recent league performances.
As it was, even that minimum standard was not achieved against a Rosenborg side which lacked the creative resources to capitalise on some of the sloppiest passing seen from Wenger’s side in memory.
La Liga and Serie A’s finest are unlikely to be so forgiving in the later stages of the tournament.
The Norwegians in the 21 195 crowd were in possession of one of the hottest tickets in the country’s football history.
But it was not until a frantic opening of the second half that they were treated to any moments of genuine drama.
Even Arsenal’s goal was a scrappy affair that resulted from their first meaningful venture into Rosenborg’s territory.
Espen Johnsen palmed away Thierry Henry’s low drive but his defence made a horrible hash of the resulting corner.
Two Rosenborg defenders had the opportunity to clear Henry’s low delivery before Sol Campbell pushed the ball goalwards for Ljungberg to jab it over the line from the edge of the six-yard box.
Both of Rosenborg’s half-chances in the opening period were the result of uncertain defending by the visitors.
One of Jens Lehmann’s trademark flaps at an inswinging corner forced Edu to make a good headed clearance under pressure and it was the Brazilian who averted danger once more when Roar Strand evaded Ashley Cole and put Ole Christer Basma in behind the back four.
Arsenal were only fractionally more incisive at the other end, their early efforts on target restricted to one 35-yard free-kick from Henry that bounced tamely off the turf and into Johnsen’s midriff.
They could nevertheless have been two ahead by the break had Ljungberg opted to shoot rather than cross after surging into the box to receive Henry’s delicate feed.
Such profligacy rarely goes unpunished in Europe and so it was to prove when Rosenborg started the second half with the kind of conviction that had been conspicuously absent before the break.
Within three minutes of the restart Rosenborg’s sole striker, Frode Johnsen, had headed narrowly over and it took Ashley Cole’s block to prevent Strand’s shot from finding the net after Campbell had miscued a volleyed clearance straight to the midfielder.
Having survived those scares, Arsenal conceded an equaliser when Edu carelessly loss possession to Strand 40 yards out. The midfielder exchanged passes with Oyvind Storflor and advanced to just inside the area before smashing a shot high to Lehmann’s left.
Arsenal should have restored their lead almost immediately. Good work by the irrepressible Cole down the left was followed by a low cross into the path of Ljungberg, who sliced his shot wide from just behind the penalty spot.
Another chance went begging when Henry, set clear by Lauren’s superb through ball, pulled his shot from the right of the goal wide of the far post and Edu saw a long-distance strike fly inches above the angle of post and crossbar.
Then in stoppage time, a Henry shot spun out of Johnsen’s hands before being scrabbled away to safety.
Such opportunities may have been reminders evidence of the gulf in class between the two sides but Wenger’s men could scarcely complain about the result on a night that will have been enjoyed by Rooney and Co. – Sapa-AFP