Saturday 10 December 2011

125 year birthday cake iced with goal of rare splendour


Frankly I can't be arsed to do a formal match report, my mind is racing and I keep rewinding, then replaying that utterly sublime winning goal from Robin Van Persie. Although our overall performance deserve a three point bounty, the game could easily have gone on to be a goalless draw, we could so easily have been left to rue the excellent first half chances that had come and gone.

We created a multitude of chances in the first half. Hibbert somehow kept out Ramsey's effort after Walcott's cut back, RVP strayed offside when a goal looked likely, Ramsey hit over, Gervinho was thwarted by excellent goalkeeping from Tim Howard. The performance was not lacking in the slightest, all that was lacking was a finishing touch.

Perversely as we seemed to be running out of ideas in the second half and as the clear cut chances appeared to be drying up, RVP scored a goal that was fitting for the occasion. Alex Song chipped through a delightfully flighted ball, RVP ran onwards, the ball dropped over his shoulder in slow motion, he hit it first time, his head was down and he did not get carried away with his left boot swing, the ball fizzed perfectly into the bottom right corner off the post, a magnificent goal, goal of the season so far for me.

Everton huffed and puffed but didn't create a decent clear cut chance of note all game, the only real scare came when McAleny's fizzing right foot volley inched just wide of Szczesny's left hand stick. We have started to look far more comfortable in defending leads, a massive positive that can be taken from the games in recent weeks.

It was a fitting way to celebrate 125 years of Arsenal Football Club, a brilliant goal that was cheered by one and all including a certain Thierry Henry who was in the stands. The team has grown immensely in the last few months and the last minute signings have most definitely made a real impact. The defence is looking solid, the midfield balanced and the forward line incisive. With the right movement in the market in January then we could achieve something of note this year.

1 comment:

Van Persie said...

Give it a few more years then van persie will be given a statue!