Thursday 20 January 2011

Bye for now Leeds, maybe see you again next season

Solid, that's the word to describe that performance. Despite the odd moment at 2-1 the result was never really in doubt, a convincing and thoroughly deserved victory. There were also some decent performances from a few of those who had not impressed against Ipswich in the Carling Cup. The Leeds goal was an unstoppable thirty yarder but it had come after a clear shirt tug on Andrei Arahvin, still great strike from Bradley Johnson. Mike Dean was generally shite as he always is.

The back five were solid. Szczesny didn't have a great deal to do, he certainly had no chance with the goal. Gibbs and Sagna are as rapid a pair of full backs as you will ever see, they had excellent games yesterday, Sagna's rocket for the second was impressive just for its sheer velocity. The robust physical presence of Johan Djourou combined with the eagerly intercepting Kosclielny is looking a complementary pairing.

In midfield Alex Song was a rock, he nipped in fantastically for the third RVP goal. Denilson was the weak link once again, slow to spot danger and not incisive with the ball at his feet, too average to be starting games for us I feel. Nasri showed his class with a coolly taken first goal, he was a constant threat to the Leeds back line.

Two of our much maligned forwards worked very hard for the team, Nic Bendtner and Andrei Arshavin. They chased back and never stopped toiling, key stuff if you are not on top form. Although Arshavin missed a few half chances, I thought he was vastly better than in previous games, the same was true for Bendtner but he did come up with a top notch cross for RVPs perfectly timed far post header that sealed the win making it 3-1.

Chamakh wasn't good or bad, he just looks a little lost to me at the moment, he tries hard but sometimes you just want him to gamble or be a bit more aggressive, maybe it's a combination of fatigue and his slightly brittle confidence. I hope he gets a goal soon, it could be a spring board for him.

Overall job done and despite resting a few players we are through to face Huddersfield in round 4. A much more encouraging team performance, something like that next week against Ipswich would be unlikely to see us fail, but we must also guard against complacency. It will probably be a fairly strong eleven to play Wigan this weekend, RVP, Theo and Cesc are likely to return. Come on you Gunners.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

The tug on the shite Russian u have was none existent, if u watch the replay over a few times he was clearly muscled out of it and he hit the floor like a sack of shite challenge was fair, and the studio panel though so to.......johnsons strike was quality, seen so many of his strikes hit row z week in week out it made a refreshing change.
We were never expecting to win to be honest and it was a solid performance from arsenal but the lads did us proud and showed a bit of grit and determination over the two games hope we can mount a charge and return to the prem soon where we should be..............MOT

Anonymous said...

Song was invisible in the third Arsenal goal. Calls all your comments into question.

He had a good game, much better than on the weekend. As for Denilson, its amazing that Wenger does not see things with your clarity. Perhaps he knows something you don't?

Rhinogooner said...

Nasri has become our Messi. He really is very dangerous running at defenders with the ball.

Let's hope his form continues and he keeps growing in maturity and intelligence as well.

1979gooner said...

Anonymous 1659

Your comments make me a tad angry, not only do you claim song was invisible for the third goal but you then say this puts all my comments open to question.

Firstly Song makes a robust interception to set up Cesc with the ball for the third goal, so you are wrong on this quite blatantly.

Secondly it calls your comments into question by your own logic, not that I agree with this, we all make small mistakes now and again.

Anoymous 1655

Arshavin was blatantly fouled in my opinion, he was clearly barged and tugged back.

I don't give a f*ck what the stupid people in the studio think or the commentators for that matter.

Strange how a Leeds player yanking an Arsenal shirt was 'strength' but a Leeds player falling over under less contact was a foul.

Apart from Denilson I was impressed.

I hope a few of the squad players can grow into useful cogs for the rest of teh season

Unknown said...

as soon as you got that penalty in the last minutes at the emirates i knew the tie was over... but... when johnson fired that rocket in i thought i might be wrong!

fair play to arsenal, the whole team played very well, very professional, and three unique goals.

i think if our usual left-back (mcartney) had been eligible for both ties it could have been a different story. ben parker was massively out of his depth unfortunately and it pains me to say that as he is a youth academy product.

i think the ref allowed a robust, physical game to unfold and yet it never spilled over into any kind of over-aggressiveness. when snodgradd disposessed arshavin, had the ref blown there would've been little reason to argue BUT although it did seem a tad untidy i think fair play to the ref, if only there was this level of consistency with decisions then defending players might be less inclined to block an attacking player, obstruct them if you like, only to then fall over in order to win a oft guaranteed free-kick.

well done arsenal, i really hope you win it.

leeds.

Dan said...

I was stood right in line with the foul on Arshavin, it was so blatant! But apart from that the game was ecellent and Leeds played their part.

It was funny as fook at one point, we'd been singing continuously and then when we stopped for a minute, the Leeds fans in the opposite end started singing "1-0 and you still dont sing"!!! Bizarre!

Uncle Mike said...

It's not bizarre, Dan: Apparently, the current Leeds fans are as delusional as their Revie-era forebears.

I was at work and couldn't see the game, but the message board I was checking (Sh... ) was absolutely roasting Arshavin and (until the last goal) Bendtner. I'm beginning to wonder why we ever though Shava was a beast.

That said, Arsenal showed a lot of character by shrugging off the quick Leeds strike, denying them for the rest of the game, and getting the clincher. Whatever I think about Leeds fans (who, if nothing else, have enough taste to hate Man U almost as much as we do), their team is Premier League-worthy. In both ties, they observed the Herman Edwards Rule: You play to win the game. Unlike some other teams I could mention.

1979gooner said...

hi ben

cheers for the comments

have to say I was impressed by Leeds, especially first leg (as it were) of the tie

Leeds are a top flight side and the sooner they are back the better

Anonymous said...

mally leeds fan

two great games and no problems with being beaten by a side who keep possesion and pass like you boys. now getting my voice back but to Uncle Mick 'hate the scum almost as much as you' and some. would love you to win the league but do you have to play in R E D same as that lot find it hard to get behind you

Anonymous said...

we r back in the saddle again.... great wins over widen, leeds & westham... am very hopefully... fingers crossed over TV.... miss his game, intensity & leadership very much.... RVP coming back has been an emotional lift for the team & me.... heard we might make a move for macherano on a betting site.... hope its not true.... i personally hate the cheat basterd.... he is a butcher, not a football..... and to end with.... shame on birmingham.... 5-0 for godsakes... united is not that good, but somehow teams with former united players, now acting as coaches.. seem to do united bidding at crucial points of the season... add blackburn to that sorry lot.... gdnt & goodluck all true gunners from goonerkam in LA,Ca