Portsmouth dispatched; Villa up next…
1 comment December 30th, 2005
I was at Highbury to see Arsenal demolish Portsmouth with a four-goal first half blitz.
7 mins: Mathieu Flamini burst through the centre and played in Reyes on the left flank, who cut the ball across the Bergkamp to poke home. 1-0.
13 mins: Henry broke into the box, side-stepped a defender, and laid it off to Reyes, who side-footed into the roof of the net. 2 goals in 2 games for him, and 2-0.
37 mins: Another powerful surge from Flamini followed by a slide-rule pass allowed Henry to round Ashdown and make it 3-0.
43 mins: After Reyes was tripped in the box, Henry chipped home the penalty. Not yet half-time, and it was already 4-0.
The star performer was probably Mathieu Flamini. Wenger himself remarked that, “Mathieu is improving very well but people forget he is only 21 and to play central midfield at that age at this level is very difficult. He is very dynamic. His vision is improving and he is simplifying his game. He can run unbelievably.”
He’ll be required again tomorrow, as we face the far sterner test of Villa away without the injured Gilberto.
ps. Goodbye Stackie.
