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| Vermaelen pricks the Newcastle Balloon |
Arsenal started the game at a good tempo, passing it around and generally finding their rhythm and setting the tone for the evening. Newcastle looked dangerous on the counter, so they opted to sit back and tried to catch Arsenal on the counter.
As early as the third minute, Walcott sent a cross from the right into the Newcastle box, which Van Persie missed by inches with a sliding effort. Shortly afterwards, a deflected cross from Song fell into the path of Van Persie but he failed to control it and Krul smuggled the ball away from the Arsenal skipper.
It was becoming clear that Walcott was going to have a good game as he had the beating of the Newcastle left-back time and time again. Rosicky too was having a very good game, making excellent runs, distributing the ball well and generally setting the tempo for Arsenal. Whatever Arsenal put in his contract, they must put more of it ... but I digress...
Newcastle, against the run of play scored first, in the 14th minute. A poor clerance by Vermaelen fell to Tiote and Newcastle passed the ball to Ben Arfa out on our left flank. Kieran Gibb's poor positional play in defence was hopelessly exposed. First, he allowed the Newcastle player too much space out on the left to receive the ball and run at our goal. Then he ran towards the Newcastle winger at such speed that he went past him, allowing Ben Arfa to cut back inside onto his favourite left leg and fire a perfect low shot into the bottom corner of the Arsenal goal. Zcszesny stood no chance with that shot.
What happened next was very comical and highlighted the difference in attitude and desire between the two teams. Newcastle players run off to celebrate with some very stupid and bizarre dance. When the game was restarted, Arsenal took only 13 seconds to equalise. Huh!!! I couldn't stop laughing at Newcastle. Their lead, from the time that they scored, did their stupid dance and then had to pick the ball from their net, lasted only 53 seconds!!! Their stupid dance actually increased the amount of time that they held the lead!! That's funny!!
Rosicky passed the ball to Theo on our right, he delivered a cross to Van Persie in the box who out-muscled a Newcastle defender, set the ball onto his left before firing past the on-rushing Krul in the Newcastle goal. 1-1. After that, there were less chances in the match but Arsenal continued to dictate the game.
In the second half, Arsenal started right where they left off. First, Rosicky had a powerful header from a Walcott cross saved. Ox-Chamberlain, who had a fairly quiet game up until that point, chested and volleyed the ball with such technique as you would see from Ronaldo or Messi. Unfortunately it was off-target.
Van Persie stuck a boot at an Arteta cross and had that ball been either side of the Newcastle keeper, it would have ended in the net, but it went straight to the Newcastle keeper.
Arsene Wenger brought on Gervinho for the tiring Ox-Chamberlain and Ramsey for Rosicky who was at risk of getting a second yellow card. Arsenal pressed on, but Gervinho seems to have gone off the boil. It appears that the Africa Cup Final defeat to Zambia is still haunting him. He had a chance late in the game to seal the win from about 4 yards out, but he seemed absent minded. The ball fell at his feet from a corner and he missed the target. That's the second time he missed from such close range and it sent whatever little confidence he had left falling like a rock from the sky.
In the dying seconds of the match, As Arsenal surged forward for the last attack, Gervinho was on the left and when Theo's cross was not cleared by Newcastle, Vermaelen ran past Gervinho, who seemed to be waiting for the ball to come to him, and struck it past the on-rushing Krul to score the winning goal. I was both happy at the winner, but equally shocked with Gervinho's lack of a killer instinct. I sincerely hope he doesn't do an Arshavin. Snap out of it Gervinho!!!
So another win for Arsenal in the league, four in a row actually. We are now 1 point behind Spurs in 3rd place, who were 10 points clear of us not so long ago. And with an ever-fitter squad, I say the momentum is firmly with Arsenal in the last 10 remaining games. 3rd place is there for the taking. Let's grab it.
I must also say I'm happy that the effort put in by the boys is finally starting to pay dividends. The team was relentless last night, refusing to give up until the final whistle. Arsene Wenger said after the match;
" It was a relentless effort again tonight from the first to the last minute. The tempo was absolutely top level tonight. We kept going until the last second and just managed to win the game.
Certainly the fact we have done it before helped us. Even when we were 1-0 down we just kept going and we feel now at the moment in the team we just have that complete and total commitment to do as well as we can and give absolutely everything. That gets the crowd behind the team and you saw a very entertaining game tonight against a very good Newcastle side.
Very true words indeed and no complaints from me there. And we are suddenly looking likely to finish the season with a full-strength or near-full-strength squad, something which has never happened at Arsenal for years!!
The manager says of our injuries;
"Diaby is not far [away], Santos I think will play on Wednesday night in the Reserves against West Brom. He will need 90 minutes. Diaby should be back for Everton, he has a little chance. Jack [Wilshere] is less imminent.
Now imagine that. With ten games to go and a fully fit squad, hard work from game to game, suddenly I fancy us to really go on and grab third place.
Well done Arsenal, let's keep our feet on the ground and our heads on our shoulders and work hard. Third place is there for the taking. Tottenham should be shitting their pants now!!
Upwards march the Arsenal!!!
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