Wolves thoughts: Goals will come for wonderful Wilshere
1,123 comments February 14th, 2011
Arsenal 2 – 0 Wolves (Van Persie 16, 56)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
This was just what we needed after the Newcastle debacle…
Three points, a clean sheet, and no (serious) injuries. Afterwards, Mick McCarthy said:
“They murdered us. From one to 11 they were better than us, stronger than us and quicker than us. I have to admire their class and the way they play. And for us to get better we have to admit we got turned over – we were completely spanked.”
It’s worth noting that McCarthy trots out these comments fairly regularly. It’s a handy way of absolving his Wolves side of blame when beaten by the bigger teams.
On this occasion, however, he was justified in his praise. We absolutely battered Wolves and could have won by five or six.
Goals will be the final piece in the puzzle for Wilshere…
In 32 appearances this season, Jack Wilshere has just two goals. It’s not that he doesn’t have the ability to score. As a 14 and 15 year old, he was bagging hatricks for the U-18s, and earning comparisons with a certain Lionel Messi in the process. And yet that knack hasn’t yet translated to the senior team.
Everything else is in place. Wilshere was outstanding on Saturday, making a mockery of the Makelele comparisons with a display full of invention and imagination. Yes, there were tackles and interceptions, but there were also deft dribbles and pinpoint passes.
The goals will come. As Arsene puts it:
“At the moment I believe he will soon score, he looks very close. He has a hesitation sometimes to finish himself and chooses at the moment to give the ball, but I think when he will be a bit more confident he will score goals. He has not scored yet but Cesc was for a while like that.”
He’s right. For a long time our captain chose to look for the pass rather than the shot. Wilshere did just that on Saturday, eschewing a chance to put his own name on the scoresheet to set up Theo Walcott just ten yards out. Incredibly, Theo missed.
When Wilshere decides to take the chances on himself, he will begin to rack up the goals.
RVP & Theo are forming a lethal combination…
Theo had something of an off day finishing-wise, but the same can’t be said for Robin, who now has 12 goals in 12. Walcott’s four Premier League assists this season have all been for Robin, which suggests they’re enjoying a fruitful relationship.
I suppose it makes sense when you think about it. They’re like two halves of the ultimate footballer. Everything each respective player lacks, the other has. Walcott has the pace and athleticism to combine with Van Persie’s vision and guile.
Perhaps we could convince them to breed. Unconventional, you may think. Impossibly, you might say. But if we left them in a room for long enough then surely nature would, as in Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World, find a way.
Of course, locking them in a room would mean we couldn’t play them. And there is rather a big game coming up on Wednesday…
The Dutchman made special mention of Johan Djourou…
…in a classy interview with the BBC. The Swiss defender was immaculate again. Barca will be the biggest test of his career to date.
Andrey Arshavin is coming back to form…
His performance on Saturday may have been his best this season. As his touch has returned, his work-rate has picked up. The two are clearly quite bound up in his idiosyncratic head.
There is an outside chance of Samir Nasri being fit for Barca, but even if he is I suspect he’ll only make the bench. It’s a chance for Andrey to make a point. Let’s hope he takes it.
It’s a good old-fashioned title race…
United’s victory over City means it’s going to be very tricky for the latter to take the title. It looks to me like a good old-fashioned, late 90s, United vs Arsenal title race. Suffice to say that I would love it (love it) if we beat them.
More on Barca and other things to come. For now: Happy Valentines to you. Not, not you. Yes, you.
