Archive for March 4th, 2009

Bendtner puts fourth place in sight once more

1 comment March 4th, 2009

West Brom 1 – 3 Arsenal (Bendtner 4, 44, Brunt 6, Toure 38)
Highlights here; Arsene’s reaction here

Aston Villa have not won in their last five games.  Their next fives games, all in the league, see them face Tottenham and Everton at home, whilst travelling to Man City, Man Utd and Liverpool.  Though they have a game in hand, the gap (as of last night) is just three points.  From nowhere, this race is suddenly very much alive.

I said before yesterday’s game that we needed three points and ideally goals.  We managed to get both against West Brom, who really couldn’t have been much more accommodating.  Admittedly, our own defending left plenty to be desired, and perhaps they ought to have added to their solitary goal.  But the efforts of Kolo, Djourou, and later Song looked like a scene from 300 compared to West Brom’s calamitous attempts to defend their goal.

Our line-up contained a couple of surprises.  In direct contradiction to my claims that Arshavin would be rested, he played the full ninety minutes alongside Nicklas Bendter.  In midfield, Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Eboue flanked Denilson and Song, with Johan Djourou slotting in alongside Kolo Toure at the back.

Unsurprisingly when one considers the quality of defending on display, there were a couple of very early goals – the first falling to us.  After a corner was half-cleared away, West Brom completely failed to reorganise, and Denilson was able to find Bendtner.  The Dane cut inside from the right, and was given enough space to hit a left foot shot that crept into the far corner.  Our terrible goalless run had finally come to an end.

Naturally, however, our run of clean sheets was over almost as soon.  As Chris Brunt hit a free kick from thirty yards or so, Emmanuel Eboue inexplicably broke from his place in the wall, allowing the shot the squirm past the helpless and unsighted Manuel Almunia.  Terrible defending – I have no desire to ‘pick on’ Eboue, or any of our other players, but that was a piece of truly mindless play that could have proved very costly.

Fortunately, however, we were able to regain our lead relatively soon.  Andrey Arshavin floated in an excellent free-kick from the left, and stand-in skipper Kolo Toure arrived unmarked to nod in his first goal of the season.

Before half-time, we had another – and Toure had an assist to go with his goal.  The Ivorian lofted a simple ball up the middle of the pitch, but West Brom’s offside trap had more holes in it than a Rafa Benitez argument, and Bendtner was able to stroll through and knock in his second, and our third.  That’s eleven goals for Bendtner, who has started only twenty games.  It’s a record that deserves more credit than it has thus far received, and Arsene Wenger seems to be pleased with the striker’s progress:

“Bendtner is improving from month to month. He will be better every three, six months. He has shown tonight he has the talent to be an Arsenal player. That is the right way to mature. I liked his presence. I liked his determined attitude and the way he took people on. That shows he has improved.”

In the second half, Kolo Toure was withdrawn with an injury and replaced by Abou Diaby, with Alex Song stepping back into defence.  Despite a makeshift rearguard featuring Song and Djourou, we were able to see out the second half fairly comfortably – and, indeed, perhaps ought to have added to our tally.  Diaby had a shot deflect just over, Bendtner thundered a potentially hatrick-inducing shot against the post, and on several occasions Andrey Arshavin was denied his first Arsenal goal by the reactions of Scott Carson.

It’s early days yet, but I am extremely impressed by the Russian’s ability.  Whilst still lacking in fitness, as regards technique he appears to be a level above many of our players.  Despite the areas of the squad that were overlooked in the transfer window, I do feel Arshavin may prove to be a crucial addition in the run-in for a Champions League place.

It’s so nice to look back on a goalscoring, winning Arsenal performance.  Two cup games now (Burnley and Roma) before we refocus on the league.  Wins in those games would see us in two Quarter-Finals.  It’s funny how quickly perspective can shift.


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