RvP Blasts Brom Away
5 comments May 3rd, 2005
Arsenal overcame a typically tough WBA outfit to grab a 2-0 win at the Hawthorns last night, with the goals coming from the left feet of Robin van Persie, and the Brazilian Edu.
After a tight, tense first hour, punctuated only by chances for Zoltan Gera and the aforementioned van Persie, the young dutchman eventually managed to craft an opener. Patrick Vieira found Jose Reyes just outside the penalty area. The tricky forward dragged the ball back, before finding van Persie 18 yards from Russel Hoult’s goal. Robin was then able to control the ball, spin, and bend it low, just inside the far post.
It was a brilliant goal, and van Persie’s 9th in just 15 starts this season. Pretty impressive. In recent weeks, he’s really started to put together a string of effective performances, and you have to say that of the three strikers we have available (van Persie, Bergkamp, and Reyes), the RVP/Jose combination gels much better than Dennis would with either Robin or Reyes. Unless Titi returns, DB10 could find himself struggling to make the FA Cup Final side.
As could Sol Campbell, with Phil Senderos turning in another man-mountain of the match display. He helped keep West Brom at bay, as Reyes came close to doubling our lead: he rounded Hoult, only for Neil Clement to clear his weak shot off the line when Ashley Cole was better placed.
As Albion streamed forward, Arsenal eventually caught them on the break, substitute Dennis Bergkamp playing in fellow replacement Edu to knock the ball over the advancing keeper. It was another brilliant cameo from Edu, who will be sorely missed next season.
It was a good result. I heard somebody remark that the best thing you can say about the win was that it required all the qualities that we appeared to be lacking in our dodgy patch following the loss of our unbeaten record: defensive stability, cool heads, the ability to keep posession, clinical finishing… the list goes on.
And plus, Arsene was happy.
So there.
