Partizan Belgrade v Arsenal – as it happened

Evening Right, let's get straight to the point: Lukasz Fabianski. The Polish goalkeeper steps back out for Arsenal tonight in Belgrade after Manuel Almunia was left at home, supposedly with a gammy elbow. On previous outings in this tournament Fabianski has not exactly covered himself in glory. Then again, the same could be said of his outings in other competitions too. Almunia might not be a popular figure around Arsenal after his miserable showing at the weekend (though let's be clear - he wasn't the only one at fault) but a quick check with the stats folk at Opta shows that he remains a far more reliable option than his understudy. Since the beginning of the 2006-07 season Arsenal have used four different goalkeepers in the Premier League - Almunia, Fabianski, Jens Lehmann and Vito Mannone. The numbers show that Almunia and Lehmann both save more than 72% of shots on their goal, while Mannone saves 76% - albeit his sample size is rather small at just six games. Fabianski, meanwhile, manages just 66%. He also averages a goal conceded every 66 minutes, whereas none of the others is below 90. Anyway, just a thought to bear in mind ahead of tonight's game. I'm off to dig up some team news ... Floodlight failure I'm hearing that one of the floodlights is out at the Stadion FK Partizan, as is the electricity in the changing rooms. Arsenal's players are running around using their mobile phones as torches. Apparently the game cannot start with just the three floodlights on, so this is quite a big problem. Team news In the meantime, here are the teams. Fabianski, as alluded to earlier, is in for the in competent jured Almunia, while Kieran Gibbs replaces Gael Clichy at left-back, and Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Denilson all come into midfield. Partizan Belgrade: Stojkovic, Stevanovic, Marko Jovanovic, Krstajic, Lazevski, Tomic, Medo, Petrovic, Sasa Ilic, Boya, Cleo. Subs: Zivkovic, Stankovic, Savic, Bogunovic, Kizito, Iliev, Smiljanic. Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Djourou, Squillaci, Gibbs, Rosicky, Denilson, Song, Arshavin, Wilshere, Chamakh. Subs: Szczesny, Koscielny, Nasri, Vela, Clichy, Eboue, Lansbury. Floodlight update: the game will kick-off at 7.45pm as planned The third floodlight has apparently gone out three times so far this evening but they're turning it back on and contrary to my previous statement, the game will go ahead even if only three are working. All these shenanigans Put me in mind of the now infamous fixtures in 1997 - West Ham v Crystal Palace and Wimbledon v Arsenal - when floodlights were switched off in the middle of the game at the behest of an Asian betting syndicate, as we would later find out. It got me to wondering why no team has ever done it just to avoid a result they don't like ... The floodlight is back off again But they've just had the Champions League anthem and the game will go ahead. Unless another one goes out, in wihch case it might be tricky. Wenger's pre-match thoughts He says that the crowd will be "heated" and that Partizan will be "powerful". Has he just been reading Jonathan Wilson's blog? 1 min We're off. Worryingly, as soon as Johan Djourou gets the ball, the home crowd whistle a lot . When the ball is moved on to a white team-mate, the whistles seem to die down. 3 mins First decent move of the game comes from Partizan. Boya and Ilic exchange passes down the left and the latter thinks he's won a corner after his cross crashes behind off the thigh of Sagna, but it turns out he was offside. 4 mins Arsenal are beginning to get the ball down and work with it a bit, and Chamakh holds off a challenge before sliding a throughball down the right channel for Rosicky. He, in turn, believes he is fouled by Lazevski as he loses control of the ball down by the goalline, but the referee ignores his moans and awards a goal-kick. 6 mins Fabianski scoops up the first shot of the game – a relatively tame effort from Cleo, though Arsène Wenger should be concerned by how easily the striker held off both Djourou and Squillaci on the edge of the area. 7 mins Partizan appeal strongly for a penalty as Boya loses his footing trying to go past Squillaci in the area. Looked to me like he went down very softly, but they haven't shown us a replay yet. 8 mins I actually wouldn't say the crowd has been boisterous this evening at all. They have been loud and they haven't stopped singing, but it's one continuous song and to be honest it sounds more mournful than threatening. 9 mins What a chance that was for Partizan! Cleo caused all sorts of panic in the Arsenal backline as he jagged into the area but at the vital moment the ball got stuck under his feet seven yards out and Denilson was able to make a desperate saving challenge. 10 mins My, this is not a pretty start from Arsenal's defence at all. Squillaci's header back to Fabianski didn't have anywhere near enough on it and Boya was first to the loose ball inside the area. The keeper had at least managed to close the gap down, though, and Boya's jab bounced away off the keeper's knee. It was even then loose in the area for a second and had the striker reacted more quickly he could have got to it first, but in the end Arsenal clear. 12 mins "I think the persistent goalkeeping 'situation' at Arsenal is actually deliberate, and that Wenger willingly chooses to play with an unreliable goalkeeper," moots Patrick Cullen. "I believe it's some sort of statement of philosophical intent, that Wenger believes his style of football alone will defeat all the cheating ugliness of the other teams, and the incompetence of officialdom, and all this with the understated artistic arrogance of a deliberately dodgy goalkeeper. Having the effect of course, psychologically, of keeping the rest of the team on their toes, with the defenders needing to be more aware, and the attackers driven to a state of almost constant attack by the near certainty of Wenger's chosen man between the sticks conceding a soft goal ..." Fair enough. He could still get some defenders though, couldn't he? 14 mins Another defensive shambles for Arsenal as Gibbs winds up on the floor following a particularly pathetic challenge on Cleo out on the left. The striker darts onwards in possession and Squillaci takes a long time to get across, but Cleo drags his shot wide. GOAL! Partizan 0-1 Arsenal (Arshavin 15 mins) "That's what Arsenal needed to silence the home crowd," parps our Sky commentator, but to be honest I don't even think they missed a note. They're still on the same song as five minutes ago. It is what Arsenal needed though - a goal - and it came from just about their first shot of the match. Arshavin took a pass from Song just inside the Partizan half and surged forwards before slipping a short pass to Wilshere. He then carried it on into the area before backheeling it back to Arshavin, whose low drive beat Stojkovic comfortably enough. 18 mins Partizan's crowd might be totally unfazed by that goal but it does seem to have taken the wind out of their team's sails a little bit. They had been on top up to that point. 19 mins "I don't understand why Almunia is taking so much blame for the second goal off his knee against West Brom," announces Andy Waddington. "There is no reason to expect him to make a save when someone has been allowed to run that far into the box without a hint of a challenge. The third goal on the other hand ... " Isn't that a bit like saying there's no reason for a policeman to arrest a bank robber when the security staff haven't managed it? I mean you're right that he should never have been allowed to get that far but come on, it was right at him . 21 mins First corner of the game for Arsenal, and it's pumped over towards Alex Song at the back post, but there's a little bit too much on it and it skips off the top of his head and away as he falls backwards. 23 mins Squillaci is not covering himself in glory so far tonight, and what seems to be intended as a backpass is punted so far wide it almost goes out for a throw-in, but instead runs out of steam near the corner flag. Fabianski goes racing out after it as Boya rushes on, but fortunately for the defender the flag was already up from the first ball forwards for Partizan. 24 mins Almost a second goal for Arsenal as Arshavin is released down by the penalty spot, but Stojkovic is right on the Russian's first touch to smother the ball. 26 mins And that's another fine save from Stojkovic, denying Rosicky with his legs as the midfielder attempts to clip the ball back from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. 27 mins Well it had been mostly Arsenal since the goal but Medo chances his arm from 25 yards and probably had the beating of Fabianski, who had a look of total panic on his face as he scrambled backwards, but the effort was off target. 28 mins Crikey, this really is end-to-end stuff at the minute. Arshavin bursts into the area again to chip Stojkovic but Jovanovic is tracking back and able to hack the ball clear a yard short of goal. 30 mins Now Arsenal win a free-kick on the edge of the area, which Stojkovic punches rather unconvincingly clear despite the fact Arshavin's shot went straight at him. Penalty to Partizan! (32 mins) Denilson is penalised for handball. No replays yet. GOAL! Partizan 1-1 Arsenal (Cleo 33 mins) Fabianski dives decisively to his right, but Cleo has opted for the other corner and strokes the ball nonchalantly home. Game on again. 35 mins They're finally showing the replays of that handball - which was actually by Song. It's a fairly soft decision - he did have his arms up in the area but the cross from the left pretty much caught him in the armpit. 37 mins "Do you remember when everyone was talking about Almunia getting English citizenship so he could play for the national team," sniggers Tim Watts, proving that the Spaniard doesn't even need to be playing these days to get stick. "I've heard Ali Dia hasn't really made his international debut for anyone else yet either ..." Just be grateful Fabianski's already capped. 39 mins Arshavin wins a fairly soft free-kick on the edge of the Partizan area and looks to knock the ball in towards the far post. Stojkovic is out again with another of his unorthodox punches though, this time a two-handed downwards motion that is a cross between "city boy chops wood" and early-90s beat-em-up bad guy. I'm thinking Streets of Rage Two maybe. 42 mins Djourou scythes straight through Petrovic about seven or eight yards from the edge of the area and for my money is extremely fortunate to avoid a yellow card. Free-kick coming up ... 43 mins Krstajic's frankly rubbish free-kick is high, wide, and not very powerful. 45 mins Song slips a through-ball between Stevanovic and Jovanovic but it seems he forgot to check whether anyone was running first. They weren't. One minute of injury time in prospect. Peepety-peeeep! All square at the break, the half petering out after a fantastically frantic period somewhere in the middle when both teams scored once and might have done so a few more times. Arsenal, surprise, surprise, can't defend but remain quite good at going forward. It seems Partizan are similarly wired. Back in a tick with some half-time correspondence. Streets of Chamakh "I can't believe you just mentioned Streets of Rage 2," exclaims Brandon St John. "I was literally having a conversation this morning with my brother about how much Marouane Chamakh looks like a less muscular version of Max in that game ( he's the big one at the back here ). Can you think of any other players who look like videogame characters?" Erm, I'll leave that to the readers ... Almunia Answer "Hmm, do I remember when everyone was talking about Almunia getting English citizenship so he could play for the national team," muses Richard Armitage in response to Tim Watts (37 mins). "Erm, no, I remember Almunia talking about it. Did anyone else care?" Wonderful Wilshere "I must admit that the more I see Wilshere play the more impressed I with him," toots Daryl Paskell. "It is so refreshing to see a player as young him look so comfortable dictating the play in front of the back four - as he did against Spurs - or looking to influence play as the playmaker behind Chamakh - as he is tonight. I can't remember seeing a player with such intelligence since Fabregas." He's been very good tonight it must be said. And indeed all season. 46 mins Away we go again. We've just been shown some footage of Partizan fans throwing things into the Arsenal supporters' enclosure, though we've been assured it's only paper at this stage. Still not great though, is it? Arsenal have started quite brightly here and after Wilshere's cross is only half-cleared, Rosicky thumps in a low drive that Stojkovic has to smother. 47 mins "Is it too flip to suggest that, given Almunia's surprisingly strong record on saving penalties, Arsenal would still be 1-0 up if he was playing," asks Shankar Kalyanaraman. Well, I'm not entirely sure I understand the use of the word "flip" there, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes, I think it probably would be too flip to say that. 48 mins Wenger is not exactly a picture of happiness on the Arsenal bench, and he throws a bottle now as Wilshere catches a flailing arm in the chest near the halfway line. Nothing doing for the referee. 50 mins Partizan seem to be inviting Arsenal on to them at the moment (well it's either that or they just don't know how else to deal with movement beyond compacting into a defensive shell when they lose the ball) and Song tries to play in Arshavin down the left channel but the Russian's first touch is too heavy and he is closed down. 52 mins Partizan break after Cleo intercepts a pass near the halfway line, the Brazilian playing the ball early to Ilic before dashing forwards for a return ball. Ilic makes for the left-hand corner of the area but when he gets there his square ball is disappointing - behind his team-mate and easily swept away by the defence. 54 mins Lazevski backs off as Sagna cuts inside from the right, prompting the full-back to try his luck when he gets to the edge of the area. His low, skiddy effort whistles just past the near post. Penalty to Arsenal! (56 mins) And a red card for Jovanovic! Arshavin played an absolutely delightful slide rule pass forwards from halfway for Chamakh, and there was a tangle of legs as the striker reached the edge of the area. The referee delays for a good few seconds hoping for a signal from his assistant, but when it doesn't arrive he goes with his instinct and awards the spot-kick. Jovanovic was the last man so that means a red card as well. Penalty saved! (57 mins) Arshavin strikes the ball unconvincingly low to the goalkeeper's right and Stojkovic is down quickly to parry. Replays suggest the award might have been softer than I first supposed, by the way, not that it makes any difference. 59 mins "Less muscular? Quite an understatement," shrieks Vekram Jeanarthanan in response to Brandon St John's half-time email. "Maybe we should get the players to dress up as video game characters. The only way Almunia is going to strike terror (or a couple of hesistant looks) into strikers is by dressing up as Shao Kahn." Savic is on for Tomic. 62 mins One of those moments that forces Arsenal fans to swallow hard just to keep their hearts in their chests as Fabianski comes sprinting out of his area to knock a long ball forward out for a throw-in when the attendant defender seemed to have the situation under control. Thankfully for Arsenal nothing bad comes of it. Other than a Partizan throw-in. Which really isn't that bad when you think about it. 64 mins "I haven't really been able to watch too many Arsenal games since Squillaci joined," chirps Arsenal fan Evan Armstrong "Do you have a verdict on him yet? Is he headed towards being a shrewd Wenger signing, or is he more likely to be a flop? Has he been playing well, or made any difference to the quality of the back four at all?" So far I'd say better than Silvestre but nothing like as good as Vermaelen. He's made a few very questionable decisions tonight and didn't cover himself in glory at the weekend either. Early days though. 66 mins Arshavin crosses from the left but Chamakh seems to have done a 180 degree turn somewhere along his way to goal and only manages to flick the ball over off the back of his head. 67 mins It has to be said that so far Arsenal haven't exactly been making the extra man count. Disappointing second half all round - the tempo doesn't seem to have come back up since things tailed off at the end of the first. 68 mins Wilshere skips gamely towards the edge of the box with the ball at his feet and for a moment looks to have the beating of Savic but the defender emerges at the very last second with the ball, leaving the Arsenal player flummoxed. 69 mins Milan Smiljanic is coming on for Radosav Petrovic. GOAL! Partizan 1-2 Arsenal (Chamakh 70 mins) Well that's exactly why Chamakh was signed now isn't it. Arsenal look to have been running short of ideas this half, but Rosicky swung over a cross from the right and the striker got above his marker to crash a header on target. Stojkovic just about managed to palm the ball up onto the bar but the striker reacted fastest to jab the loose ball home. 72 mins Chamakh has an opportunity to extend the advantage almost immediately as the ball is slipped into him down the inside right, but his shot is blocked. 74 mins Changes coming for Arsenal now - Samir Nasri is on to replace Jack Wilshere, while Carlos Vela is on for Chamakh. 76 mins The Partizan fans are still singing. Still not sure I'd call it hostile, but it is fairly impressive. 78 mins Denilson goes down clutching his head after an aerial challenge with Cleo. Replays suggest head did collide with elbow even though Cleo's arm was fixed firmly to his side. They also suggest Denilson looked up towards the referee before deciding quite how hurt he was. Disappointing. 80 mins Sideways pass. Sideways pass. Sideways pass. Sideways pass. Sideways pass. Sideways pass. Sideways pass. Arsenal have the ball and they're not sharing. 81 mins Arshavin gets bored and attempts a low drive from just to the left of the D but his effort fizzes by Stojkovic's right-hand post. GOAL! Partizan 1-3 Arsenal (Squillaci 82 mins) Arsenal win a corner on the left and it's swung invitingly towards the middle of the six-yard box by Nasri, where Squillaci gets ahead of his marker to head home. 83 mins Iliev comes on for Boya. Arshavin comes off to be replaced by Gael Clichy. Penalty to Partizan! (84 mins) Gibbs seemed to catch his man outside the area, but the Partizan forward falls into the box, and the referee points to the spot. Penalty saved! (84 mins) Cleo went right last time, but this time he goes for the opposite corner. Fabianski goes the same way he did the first time and the result is a really fine save - palmed away with one hand at full-stretch. 86 mins That probably has killed any possible uncertainty about this result. Arsenal have rarely looked threatened in this second half. 88 mins Song wanders into the Partizan area to take a short pass from Clichy, but this isn't his natural environs and he stands looking a little lost until someone relieves him of the ball. 90 mins Arsenal are back rolling the ball around between themselves again. I'd love to see a possession stat for the time since their second goal. 90 mins (+1) We'll have three minutes of injury time. Something tells me they won't be the most eventful. 90 mins (+2) "Something" may not be as reliable a source as I had thought. Vela darts down the left into the area before cutting the ball back for Nasri, whose low effort is parried. 90 mins (+3) And now a fantastic save from Fabianski! No, really! Ilic was through on goal by the penalty spot after another shambolic piece of miscommunication between Squillaci and Sagna but the goalkeeper reacted very sharply indeed to palm his driven effort around his left-hand post. It was at a good height, but given that the forward can't have been more than a couple of yards away he had to move very quickly indeed. Peep! Peep! Peeeeep! Full-time in Belgrade and a comfortable enough win for Arsenal in the end. Wenger's team gave no indication of having resolved any of their defensive concerns but at least Fabianski, for once, emerges with some credit after a penalty save and that fine stop from Ilic at the end. Shakhtar Donetsk also won in Braga, meaning both teams are now in an exceptionally strong position on six points. They face each other in back-to-back games next. That's it from me anyway, thanks for all your emails and sorry I couldn't use more.