Easiest goal ever? Pic via Guardian.
Arsenal 2: Bendtner 27, Fabregas 90+3 (pen)
Sunderland 0
What is there to really say about the result in this one? It was by no means a win for the time capsule. Arsenal did what they do best. They dominated possession, set up a ton of pretty opportunities, and scored just enough to take three points from a side that now finds themselves firmly in the relegation conversation, purely because they have forgotten how to win.
I can't say this was a particularly fun game to watch, though in actuality, it was for me for a variety of reasons that I don't need to get into here, they're irrelevant in this discusssion. I'll stick to the basics of what happened from strictly a football analysis standpoint; Arsenal was once again maddening on both sides of the ball and the Guardian recap puts it better than I ever could: "Such is the nature of this red and white beast, with its lack of ruthlessness at either end."
With Robin van Persie hurt, the Gunners lack a dominatingly ruthless striker, capable of putting fear in the hearts of defenders like Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney can. Add Andrei Arshavin and Eduardo to the list of injuries and suddenly Arsenal nearly has nobody capable of finishing. If only Nicklas Bendtner was as good as he assumes he is as putting the ball into the net.
That being said, Bendtner did have the decisive goal, as easy a goal as he'll ever score, set up fabulously by Emmanuel Eboue, who started on the left side in place of Bacary Sagna for the purpose of maintaining a quick pace against a struggling Black Cats side. It was a lot like the only goal I scored in middle school soccer: a goal line tap in during a blowout win over Delaware Valley. I did nothing and got all of the credit. The kid who set up the situation was pissed on that day (and for the entire season). I don't think Eboue was quite as upset on this occasion.
Arsenal only really had that one opportunity, plus several others blown in classic Arsenal fashion: too many passes leading to an eventual clearance by the defense when one pass finally goes astray. Shockingly, Arsenal did put the game away thanks to the benefit of a penalty kick awarded in second half injury time; it was Arsenal's second penalty kick in 37 games since Eduardo was called out for simulation in August. With Van Persie hurt, it's now Cesc Fabregas's job to take the spot kicks, and he buried this one, unlike his first attempt on the year against Stoke City in December.
But let's not forget this came right after a golden chance for Sunderland with a free kick right outside of the box that ended up hitting the wall. One got the feeling watching this game, especially after Wednesday's disaster in Portugal, that Sunderland was always one simple Arsenal blunder away from bringing the game level. That mistake never happened; Manuel Almunia had a solid, if unspectacular game in goal, injured finger and all (he only had one questionable clearance where he punched it out instead of clearing, and it ended up setting up a break for Theo Walcott anyway) and Mikael Silvestre was by no means as good as William Gallas is at center back, but you'll notice that I don't have anything damaging to say about his performance either.
Aaron Ramsey got his first start in ages, in place of the injured Abou Diaby, but all the Welshman did was further the stereotype that Arsenal is just a bunch of fancy passes and no shooting skill. Theo Walcott started on the wing (for speed purposes, as was the aforementioned case with Eboue, plus England manager Fabio Capello was in the stands watching) but he did what he does best as well: bring the ball forward quickly and then either pass to nobody in particular or shoot wildly wide of the net.
All of this being said, it can be boiled down to this: it wasn't pretty but Arsenal got three points.
I can't say this was a particularly fun game to watch, though in actuality, it was for me for a variety of reasons that I don't need to get into here, they're irrelevant in this discusssion. I'll stick to the basics of what happened from strictly a football analysis standpoint; Arsenal was once again maddening on both sides of the ball and the Guardian recap puts it better than I ever could: "Such is the nature of this red and white beast, with its lack of ruthlessness at either end."
With Robin van Persie hurt, the Gunners lack a dominatingly ruthless striker, capable of putting fear in the hearts of defenders like Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney can. Add Andrei Arshavin and Eduardo to the list of injuries and suddenly Arsenal nearly has nobody capable of finishing. If only Nicklas Bendtner was as good as he assumes he is as putting the ball into the net.
That being said, Bendtner did have the decisive goal, as easy a goal as he'll ever score, set up fabulously by Emmanuel Eboue, who started on the left side in place of Bacary Sagna for the purpose of maintaining a quick pace against a struggling Black Cats side. It was a lot like the only goal I scored in middle school soccer: a goal line tap in during a blowout win over Delaware Valley. I did nothing and got all of the credit. The kid who set up the situation was pissed on that day (and for the entire season). I don't think Eboue was quite as upset on this occasion.
Arsenal only really had that one opportunity, plus several others blown in classic Arsenal fashion: too many passes leading to an eventual clearance by the defense when one pass finally goes astray. Shockingly, Arsenal did put the game away thanks to the benefit of a penalty kick awarded in second half injury time; it was Arsenal's second penalty kick in 37 games since Eduardo was called out for simulation in August. With Van Persie hurt, it's now Cesc Fabregas's job to take the spot kicks, and he buried this one, unlike his first attempt on the year against Stoke City in December.
But let's not forget this came right after a golden chance for Sunderland with a free kick right outside of the box that ended up hitting the wall. One got the feeling watching this game, especially after Wednesday's disaster in Portugal, that Sunderland was always one simple Arsenal blunder away from bringing the game level. That mistake never happened; Manuel Almunia had a solid, if unspectacular game in goal, injured finger and all (he only had one questionable clearance where he punched it out instead of clearing, and it ended up setting up a break for Theo Walcott anyway) and Mikael Silvestre was by no means as good as William Gallas is at center back, but you'll notice that I don't have anything damaging to say about his performance either.
Aaron Ramsey got his first start in ages, in place of the injured Abou Diaby, but all the Welshman did was further the stereotype that Arsenal is just a bunch of fancy passes and no shooting skill. Theo Walcott started on the wing (for speed purposes, as was the aforementioned case with Eboue, plus England manager Fabio Capello was in the stands watching) but he did what he does best as well: bring the ball forward quickly and then either pass to nobody in particular or shoot wildly wide of the net.
All of this being said, it can be boiled down to this: it wasn't pretty but Arsenal got three points.
I think Eboue was just so happy to not be booed that he didn't mind not being the star of the match (though he did do phenomenally and finally lived up to his rad chants.)
ReplyDeleteI dunno, I really enjoyed this match, maybe because, even though there were tons of frustrating moments, at least Arsenal seemed to show up to play. Or it could've been the cider; who knows?
Yeah, I can't really put my finger on why it felt like this game wasn't the best, I just feel like it was lacking... something..., that not enough was happening.
ReplyDeleteI think because we had some non-regulars with us, I wanted the game to be more dazzling or something.
Understood...I was with Christian, a Norwich fan, and a Coventry fan so really, we just wanted a chance to jump around and rub it in.
ReplyDeleteAdmit it, you wanted it to be 6-1.
And there in lies the problem! It SHOULD have been 6-1, but we have no finishers! The reason why this game unsettled me so much is that against a top half team in the table, that effort results in a 1-1 draw or even a loss.
ReplyDeleteGuardian again hits the nail on the head, this time on Bendtner, calling him a "lofty presence let down by clumsiness at crucial moments, like the guardsman who drops his rifle when ordered to present arms.
11 games left that we need to win and only two are "difficult"... but would that effort have beaten City or Spurs? This is why I didn't enjoy it as much.