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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 2015 35 Floriana ....................... 1 Tarxien Rainbows ......... 1 EDWARD FALZON THIS match between two teams with different aspirations provided little to the few present at the sta- dium, with nothing separating the two sides in a 1-1 draw. With Floriana seeing much of the ball in the first period, it was then the Rainbows who came out a bit more adventurous in the second half. After just eight minutes into the game, a Steve Pisani effort went just wide from a good position on the edge of the box. Floriana again went close, this time through defender Marcelina who rose above the opposition's de- fence with his headed effort being cleared off the line by Alex Cini. Past the hour mark however, Floriana managed to take the lead when off a corner kick taken by Pisani, Picollo headed the ball into the net. With Tarxien being very much disappointed during the first pe- riod of the game, it was inevitable that they had to make some sort of reaction. In fact, Tarxien drew level in their first proper opportu- nity when off a Yepes cross, Obinna Darlington hit a fine first time vol- ley into the top corner. From then on it was Tarxien who looked more likely to take the lead; and on 66 minutes, an effort by Yepes ended high. Six minutes later, new signing Calleja Cremona had to make a difficult save off an effort by Darlington. Seven minutes from time, Floriana could have clinched an unexpected winner when Picciollo headed just over after a Pisani set-piece. BOV Man of the Match: Matteo Piciollo Floriana: Calleja Cremona, Moreira Cobo, Marcelina (S.Borg 60'), Pisani, C.Borg, Plut, Piciollo, Briffa, Farrugia (Galea 69'), Muir, Bonnici Tarxien R: Debono, Farrugia (Sad- owski 75'), Caruana, Yepes Roda (Zahra 90'), Vallecillo Casado, Sammut, Godar Pereira, Grech, Cini, Darlington (Schembri 90'), Bonaque Acevedo Referee: Mario Apap Sport FOOTBALL Low key match ends all square Mosta hold Hibernians to another draw Hibernians ............... 1 Mosta ...................... 1 EDWARD FALZON HIBERNIANS needed another late rescuer, this time against Mosta, when Edison Tarabai scored a late goal to secure a point for the leaders after trail- ing against an organised Mosta. It was a much deserved point for Mosta who with some more attention could have even clinched an unexpected win af- ter managing to take the lead be- fore half time. Jackson Lima was back in the starting line-up for Hibernians as Clayton Failla was missing through suspension. Mosta had two players making their debut, in the form of Haruna Babangida and Michael Nicoise. Mosta took the lead on 41 min- utes when off a cross by debut man Nicoise, the other debutant Babangida placed the ball into the net. In the second half, Hibernians were dealt another blow when on 68 minutes Soares was sent off after collecting two yellow cards. From the free kick, Roberts had his effort tipped into a corner by keeper Bonello. Just 15 minutes from the end, Hibs drew level when deadly striker Tarabai took advantage of a defensive Mosta blunder and placed the ball into the net. Thirteen minutes from regular time, Mosta were reduced to 10 men when Ryan Grech was sent off for two yellow cards. Six minutes from time, Gary Roberts had another fine shot which was however blocked by in form keeper Henry Bonello. BOV Man of the Match: Omar Borg Hibs; Bonello, Pearson, Soares, Co- hen, Kristensen, Bezzina (Tabone Desira 73'), Jackson Lima, Agius, Edison Do Santos, Mbong (De- gabriele 65'), Da Silva Pereira Mosta; Borg , Pulo, Farrugia, Os- sok, Magro, Roberts, Babangida (Ribeiro 64'), Zammit, Grech, Ekani, Rodriguez, Nicoise Referee: Fyodor Zammit Yellow Cards: Soares, Jackson Lima, Grech, Roberts Red Cards: Soares, Grech Scorers: 41' Babangida (M), 75' Tarabai (H) YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt Download the MaltaToday App now It's about time Arsenal started to dream big again EDWARD FALZON IT is no secret that nowadays Arsenal Football Club have be- come a club with a function of one step forward followed by two back. Arsenal have always been con- sidered as one of England 's elite teams. Their history is evidence of that – they are the first and only club in the last two dec- ades to win a league title unde- feated, even earning the title of "The Invincibles''. For years they had more FA cup wins than anyone else, to- gether with 13 league titles. Winning the FA cup was of particular prestige in previ- ous years before the start of the Barclays Premier League in 1992. Should Arsenal 's FA cup success last season mean the start of a new era of success, then last year's cup triumph is a good place to start. At present unfortunately despite their cup success last season, the tag of a ' big club' is almost laughable as are the reg- ular claims that they can put up a serious challenge to the likes of Chelsea and the two Man- chester teams. It is a shame really for anyone who remem- bers the late eighties and early nineties, and more recently the most remembered 2003-2004 side. Arsenal had built a repu- tation of a club playing football to dazzle and that was easy on the eye to much of the delight of the purest football fans. Tro- phies were claimed regularly at home and though they never really excelled in Europe, they still possessed genuine greats among their squads. David Seaman. Tony Adams. Ian Wright. Patrick Vieira. Dennis Bergkamp. Thierry Henry. Arsenal Football Club have known some great super- stars along the years but the likes of Ashley Cole, Samir Nasri, Aleksander Hleb, and Cesc Fabregas never managed to stick around long enough to cement a place of their own in the club's Hall of Fame. And there lies the problem with the club. Arsenal are finally splashing the cash on players like Mezut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, but the club's current status as a feeder club to the likes of Man- chester Cit y, has condemned it to simply being satisfied with being in the top four and secur- ing a European spot year after year. Players who could have served the club longer and potentially become the club's lynchpins were allowed to pack their bags and leave elsewhere to challenge for the big prizes. Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Alexander Song and the recent Robin Van Persie have all passed through the exit gates of the Emirates stadium. The sale of Cesc Fabregas to his boyhood club Barcelana, was in my opinion the only sale that should be exempt from criti- cism, given the strong interest the Catalans were showing in acquiring the player when they were already the world 's best. However the fact remains that the club has become one which makes one step forward and two back. The Gunners have had this problem for a good couple of years now. I don't see Manches- ter Cit y or Chelsea selling their best players to their rivals, un- less it's Real Madrid or Barce- lona. If Arsenal are to be con- sidered as one of the big boys in the league again, then they must start to act like it. They need to start making their best players want to stay and believe they can achieve great things at the club. They should not want to leave the club because they are aware they will be challeng- ing for the major honours at Arsenal. Personally I think it's time Arsenal become greats again. They have to reach that stage and I don't think they are very far from getting there. They play the most entertaining football in the League and with some very few additions I don't see why they should not domi- nate again. At some point they must make a decision; are they going to se- riously challenge for the top spot again or are they going to keep hoping year after year that eventually success will come?