Saturday 19 November 2011

Solid Arsenal see off gravity prone Canaries

An away win, another three points, job done, as simple as that really. Despite the injuries to two of our full backs, Jenkinson and Gibbs, we adapted and the outstanding Koscielny did very well in the right back slot. The rest of the team was the same first choice side that has been purring of late.

We meant business from the off, numerous excellent clear cut chances came and went, and if there was to be any criticism today it would be that we should have scored at least a couple of goals before Norwich took their first half lead. RVP, Gervinho and Theo all missed excellent chances, to be fair to Theo the goal line clearance from Martin which prevented a certain goal was utterly majestic, if not rather lucky as well.

Norwich's goal was also rather generous. Morison kicked Mertesacker from behind and then tugged at him, he also got nowhere near the ball, Mertesacker then went down, Morison then scored. It was very generous refereeing from Dowd, most neutrals would see a kick and tug as a clear foul. Either way, it didn't take long for us to get a deserved equaliser, the ever penetrative and sharp Walcott destroyed his full back for the umpteenth time and set up RVP for a tap in.

The second half continued as the first half had ended, with us dominating and creating good openings. Walcott was close, Gervinho looked to have scored having rounded the keeper but a magnificent save kept him out, there were several other good chances too. Our work rate and pressing was giving Norwich no room to breathe, we controlled the game well and we looked dangerous when we went forward with the cutting pace of Gervinho and Walcott on the flanks.

It was only a matter of time before our domination told, Ramsey nicked the ball in midfield, he was then cynically tripped, Song took over, fed RVP and he did the rest with a brilliant dinked chocolate footed finish. Norwich had one chance in the whole half from a right wing cross, but that was it really, we defended well and Norwich didn't really threaten much.

A word must go to the cheating Holt who kept diving and cheating to win Norwich free kicks, one shameless dive in the penalty box was particularly pathetic, he could have tried to shoot, but instead he threw himself into the defender looking for the spot kick, really really poor stuff. Dowd also failed to control the game adequately, Norwich were rather cynical with a lot of rather deliberate fouls as we broke away, he should have got his cards out a bit earlier for some of their cynical fouls.

Overall we looked like a really decent side today, the whole eleven were working hard for each other and there were no poor performances at all. Vermaelen was particularly outstanding, typically fast and aggressive with his defending, winning possession time after time when it didn't look possible. The midfield were pretty efficient and did their defensive work well, Ramsey is getting stronger and sharper with each game. The front three were great, RVP and Theo in particular, they ran the show and scared Norwich whenever they had the ball at their feet. If we can keep this eleven fit then the only way is up the league table.

14 comments:

Dan said...

Nice write up mate. Well balanced, looking at a few other sites, you'd think we were still in the bottom 3 and playing shite.

Some fuckers are never happy.

Nice one

Up the Arse!

Bob from Brussels said...

After 11 matches played, The Arsenal have now accumulated 22 points. At the same stage last season, can you guess how many points the team had secured?

23.

Crisis? what crisis?

Anonymous said...

I think we were decent even though we were not at our best,people will be shocked by were we will be in 6 weeks time,i just pray we stay there till the end of d season.COYG

Anonymous said...

"Nice write up mate. Well balanced, looking at a few other sites, you'd think we were still in the bottom 3 and playing shite." Well balanced... really?!
This is the most one sided, blinkered report I have ever read.

Anonymous said...

Norwich fan here, fair assessment of the game, thought Arsenal were very good today, however the amount of repetition in the last two paragraphs takes away from the quality of your write-up.

I feel we are probably due a little more credit - yes you bossed the game but Walcott alone cost more than our starting 11.

Yes Holt's dive in the box was cynical but your hardly the team to talk with rubber legs Walcott up front who said in 2008 ""I want to apologise to the managers because I actually dived" after a game with Bolton, and Wilshere and Djourou also renowned for going to ground easily... it's part of the game and after giving away 5 pens in our first 5 games (2 of them were clear dives and one was dubious) you can hardly blame us for wising up to the Premiership gamesmanship tricks...

Dan said...

Anon 21.40

How sad you must be that Arsenal won.

Anonymous said...

Really? Morison kicked Mertesacker did he? Watch it again and see how easily Mertesacker goes to ground, there was nothing in it and every independent pundit, including sky and radio 5 agreed it was never a foul.

Anonymous said...

Fuck me how sad are you Norwixh fan? Trawling the web for a quote from Theo who actually admitted diving once.

Djourou and Wilshere reknowned divers?

Perhaps in your twisted mind mate.

Anonymous said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct6x2bDezx4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSyjZB2osDw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS0YUHKhE7I&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SYGgDM125Q&feature=related

Arsenal dive just as much, if not more than any other Prem team so it's pretty pathetic to try and slag Holt off for diving.

Anonymous said...

I quite liked Norwixh and hoped they stayed up. That was before this sad twat on here with too much time on his hands.

Anonymous said...

Oh no, Im gutted some knob who cant even spell Norwich hopes we go down because I pointed out that Arsenal dive just like every other team in the Prem.

In the spirit of pettiness, I hope you don't win a trophy this season.... again.... like you haven't for years.

Hardly too much time on my hands, it took me about a minute, I just know how to use the internet - it's not difficult.

Arsenal were good today, no two ways about it, they played better than both Chelsea and United did against us - there's no need to slag off the little clubs, yes Holt dived a couple of times, but show me an Arsenal player that has never dived....

Typical gloryhunter, can't hack his own team being criticised. Here's hoping for an RVP cruciate in the next few games to ruin your one man team....

Anonymous said...

loving that last comment!! u lose rvp then u lot have had it!! 100% true!! arsenal fans must b so pissed off with the team/players they used to have compared with teamplayers they have now!! spurs have a much better squad now!! and they will be above you come the end of the season

1979gooner said...

Simple, Arsenal deserved the win and Norwich fought hard.

Don't try to spin things away from the Norwich diving, there was only one team diving yesterday and it was not Arsenal, look in the mirror rather than casting your gaze elsewhere.

Also to the sad spuds fan, we'll see where you and your might squad is come May, and I suspect it will be a sad story for the spuds again, regards.

Anonymous said...

sorry mate u made a comment about the comment b4!! that was writen not a spurs fan!! summit else u got wrong!!