Arsenal were left frustrated as 10-man Wolves battled
to a 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners, looking to go back into the top four,
were ahead after just eight minutes through Gervinho.
• Palmer: Arsenal need realistic resolutions
However, Wolves, struggling at the other end of the
table, rallied and levelled on 38 minutes through Steven
Fletcher.
The visitors survived the second half dismissal of
midfielder Nenad Milijas as keeper Wayne Hennessey denied
the home side time and again.
After a bright start by Wolves, Arsenal broke quickly
to take the lead on eight minutes.
Thomas Rosicky fed Yossi Benayoun, whose pass split
the Wolves defence as Gervinho beat the offside trap
to race clear.
The Ivory Coast frontman, set to soon be away at the
African Nations Cup, waited for keeper Hennessey to
commit himself, before cutting back inside and then
rolling the ball into the net between the two defenders
on the line.
Wolves looked in danger of being overrun, as following
their positive start, the visitors were forced to defend
deeper and deeper.
Gervinho darted clear again and fed Robin van Persie
on the right side of the penalty area, but for once
the Dutchman - chasing the record for goals in 2011
- was off target as he skewed the ball well wide of
the far post.
Benayoun, on loan from Chelsea, was producing an all-action
display and charged down the left - only to stumble
over the ball when in the penalty area.
Van Persie continued to look for the opening, his chip
headed over by Wolves defender Stephen Ward.
To their credit, Wolves had weathered the storm somewhat,
only to then almost hit the self-destruct button when
skipper Karl Henry lost the ball to van Persie. He fed
Rosicky on the edge of the box who in turn laid a pass
off to Mikel Arteta and his angled drive was blocked
by Ward.
Van Persie then saw his low strike turned around the
post by Hennessey.
Out of nothing, Wolves were level on 38 minutes.
Arsenal failed to clear a corner, which Stephen Hunt
lobbed back in. His shot was deflected and Fletcher
guided a header into the far corner.
Arsenal immediately went on the offensive, but Wolves
were more confident and calmly saw their way through
to half-time.
The Gunners upped the tempo after the restart, but
failed to find a telling pass in the final third.
In the 57th minute, Laurent Koscielny's cross struck
Christophe Berra on the arm, but referee Stuart Attwell
was not interested - and instead showed a yellow card
to Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen for complaining.
Arsenal had a free-kick when Gervinho was bundled over
by Karl Henry 22 yards out, just left of centre.
Van Persie clipped the ball towards the top corner,
with Hennessey touching it over at full stretch.
Per Mertesacker's close-range header was then scrambled
clear by the busy Wolves keeper.
Rosicky swept the ball wide from 20 yards after a persistent
run by Koscielny.
With tempers at boiling point, Atwell brandished his
red card on 75 minutes after a studs-up sliding challenge
by Milijas on Arteta.
Van Persie's shot on the turn was deflected behind
as Arsenal laid siege to the Wolves goal, with substitute
Andrey Arshavin then clipping the outside of the post.
Hennessey pushed away another goal-bound free-kick
from van Persie, before Marouane Chamakh came on for
Johan Djourou to give the Gunners another attacker in
the closing five minutes.
The Morocco striker clashed heads with van Persie at
a corner, which left the Arsenal skipper momentarily
out of action.
Vermaelen was denied by an inspired Hennessey before
Wolves held out through six minutes of stoppage time.
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