That Locomotive called Arsenal was back on track today charging once again towards the top of the table. After frustratingly slowing down at Fulham last weekend it was full steam ahead up north to Wigan to pick up what turned out to be an easy three points.
The players exuded superiority from the moment they stepped onto the pitch. The play was purposeful and decisive, Arsenal were cutting their way through at will with some classy inter play but it was Wigan who were presented with the first serious goal scoring opportunity, watching in the Twelve Pins pub in Finsbury Park they showed the replay three times and I still do not understand how Gomez managed to miss from eight yards out, Match of the Day will clear it up but right now it remains a mystery.
It is obviously wrong to say that if you scratch the surface of Arsenal you will find a fragility lurking just below but it is also wrong to say that the early season fear has completely disappeared, Arsenal were taken aback by that scare and it took a while to regroup and push on forward but forward they went and as quick as doubts started appearing in the mind as to whether this week was going to be our week they were dispelled by Arteta’s determined run and a pile driver of a shot past the out stretched Wigan goal keeper to make it one nil and take the pressure right off.
The gulf in class began to show and it wasn’t long before we doubled our lead: van Persie sent over a corner that cleared the first man (now there is a sentence I haven’t written in a while) passing everyone except for the Lion of Flanders; Vermaelen soared above his marker to powerfully direct a header just inside the post, it really was quite an incredible goal. As he celebrated I remembered how a certain section of Arsenal supporters criticised Wenger for buying him, complaining, before he had even played a game mind you, that at 5’11” he was too short. As this is a headline post I am going with: shame on them but on another day my language would be more agricultural lets say.
The game may now have been over as a competition but there were still a few more thrills to be had. The second half started in the same way as the first with Wigan trying to play football, you have got to admire the refusal of Martinez to turn them into Orcs but unless they adopt that style they will be relegated. Wigan’s attempt at getting back on terms was short lived; the rousing half time team talk that Martinez not doubt gave them evaporated when Gervinho was in the right place at the right time to knock the ball in to make it three. Gervinho’s joy was plain to see and that was no act, he was genuinely elated at getting himself on the score sheet.
The more observant would have noticed that earlier he had missed what some may describe as yet another golden opportunity with a one on one only the goal keeper to beat. To those I say you really have to be in the right place at the right time to get those opportunities and by the shear fact that these situations are starting to stick in the mind they act as evidence that he is getting himself in the right place at the right time. There is no doubt in my mind that many more goals will follow.
What would a big score day be without our captain getting in on the act, I bet there were a few journalists thinking that if van Persie doesn’t score how are they going to try and undermine Arsenal in the future; I mean, if they can’t accuse us of being a one player team what are they going to say? Worry over, van Persie duly obliged and scored his ninety fifth goal of the season, (I don’t know how many it is now) and by doing so the media can continue to call us a one man team.
Four-nil, cue substitutions, we all wanted to see the Ox but Arsene is making us wait a bit longer, nevertheless, I like Benayoun’s energy, I like to see the ever maturing Coquelin and I just laughed when Arshavin made a last man slide tackle to snuff out a Wigan attack down the left wing when Santos had gone AWOL in the Wigan half.
I feel a bit of a fraud writing this report, it is a bit like you guys have worked your hearts out for ninety minutes and in extra time we are awarded a penalty and up I step to knock in this simple match report, still as the saying goes you can only write about the opposition that is put in front of you lol.
Player ratings.
Szczesny: some one has had a word in his ear and told him to stop joking about, gone were the silly attempts at dummying the on rushing opposing forward before clearing the ball, today’s performance was controlled, determined which brings me to the adjective I have been waiting to use…….immaculate. 10
Koscielny: did he do anything wrong? Not that I can remember, he is not as threatening in the final third as Jenkinson and he is not as good a defender at right back as Sagna but hey onwards and upwards for our Kozzer. 8
Mertesacker: when the BFG cocked up against Norwich I wrote to him angrily saying that we all know that if he had been wearing the German national shirt he would not have done that, I suggested that wearing one under his Arsenal shirt might help, he wrote back saying he would, the results were there for all to see today, I thought that was the best performance he has put in to date, calmness personified. 8
Vermaelen: The Lion of Flanders, I suspect many won’t know this but cycling is the national sport of Belgium, in that sport the Italians, as you would imagine, are flamboyant the French are like the English and Wimbledon, cycling is their sport but they never win it; but, in Belgium, especially in Flanders they breed the real tough men of cycling and Vermaelen is straight out of that mould, hard as nails, no one is going to ever push him around. My man of the match. 9.5
Santos: all over the park we have our first choice player and we have his back up, in some positions it is unbalanced such as Van Persie and Chamakh but the combination of Santos and Gibbs seems prefect to me. By Santos playing, Gibbs is not going to feel that he will never get his chance and when Gibbs plays I doubt that Santos will feel aggrieved. In truth he faded today, and had Gibbs been fit I would have expected him to have come on but Santos little by little is getting up to speed with the EPL. I am a big fan but today was not his best. 7
Song: we need competition for his position, I mean real competition, Frimpong and Coquelin are snapping at his heels but they are not there yet. Today we didn’t have Songinho but we did have a solid shield for our defence. 7
Arteta: if you can’t play for your national team then the Champions League has got to be the next best thing; he clearly loves wearing the glorious red and white and long may it continue. Great goal. 8
Walcott: some sterling work down the wing again, I don’t care what anyone says he has been a different player since the Ox arrived on the scene. 7
Van Persie: The Dogs. 8
Gervinho: before today our Ivorian friend gave me the impression that he wasn’t sure if he belonged that’s to say he looked nervous as to whether he had been accepted as one of the team……look closely at his celebrations after his goal and you will learn all you need to know about this player. 8
Written by LB (London)
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Great stuff LB.
I agree with the GK 10. Some blogs have given the man a 6 because he did nothing and yet did nothing immaculately!!
Highly illogical IMO.
My MoM would have been Arteta but all the players were good and it could just have as easily been Verm or RvP
Top write up LB.
Having not seen 90 minutes I cannot judge ratings. But good to hear that all played their part.
Did The Gerv kiss the badge? Glad he scored that chance and what makes it good for me is the fact he was there to score from the rebound. One of my criticisms of our forwards has been the lack of true poacher goals where the defence always seemto win the race for the knockdowns.
I also liked RvPs celebration of Theo, his leadership has been nothing short of Inspirational.
My one worry is that much as last seasonwe have found a starting eleven (apart from the defence where as you say 4 from 8 can be selected with little change in the performance). We need to be able to rotate all over the pitch especially in forward positions and midfield. We need to be able to drop 1 or 2 in and out and still win, that is the biggest challenge facing the boss as we approach the December/January pile up.
LB,
Excellent write up. Thanks.
Back to comment later as rushing out now.
BR,
I do nothing immaculately.
Peaches,
Hope you are feeling better.
GIE. Coquelin has started the season very well and I fully expect him to start and excel in Greece.
He will definitely get more first team experience this season.
I share your concerns upfront. The absence of Gerv and MC is a worry but not to AW who contends that we have strength in depth. Is this a ruse? I hope so.
No mention of the gilt-edged chance Wigan spurned early on, which could have had a profound effect on the scoreline.
I could have done without that heart stopping moment for sure. But good to see them move on and take the game by the scruff.
Agree with Raddy et al – we need a striker for January; not only will the African players be out for a long time, but when they get back it takes them ages to stop playing the shit football they’ve just sunk into for six weeks.
Cracking write up LB.
You’re so right about the qualities of Gerv as a poacher. Add to that, his superhuman ability in one on ones and we’re talking about a very very good signing. Amen
Nice write-up, LB.
Chico, was LB’s description of Gomez missing from eight yards out not good enough for you?
It was third time lucky for my brother and me visiting Wigan.
2-3
2-2
and now a beautiful 0-4 to celebrate.
GIE,
the new songs (to me anyway) were
(to ‘I wanna go home’)
He scores when he wants,
He scores when he waa-aaa-ants,
Robin Van Persie,
He scores when he wants.
(to the FBB song)
nannanananananana, Yossi Benayoun, Benayoun, Yossi Benayoun.
We’ve got Gervinho,
We’ve got Gervinho,
We’ve got Gervinho,
We’ve got Gervinho.
LB,
Looked as though Santos got the slightest of deflections on the Gomez chance.
LB – I love your match reports, the Twelve Pins must have been rocking yesterday afternoon. Wigan were poor apart from the first few minutes but we have a team now and it always feel like we can stamp our authority on a game.
We need a couple more 4 nils to push up our goal difference as it’s going to be tight at the top. What odds for 0-4 at the oil city slickers I wonder 😉
How are you, peaches?
You’ve got three pins missing! 🙂
Ooops, silly me 😳 Where’s the Nine Pins?
Just gonna edit my comment because I can.
Much better thank you chas 🙂
Chas : You’ve got three pins missing
😀
Love the new RvP song.
Also you’re right about Santos getting a block with the trusty left foot.
Raddy I think the problem comes from only using the squad players in dead rubbers with numerous changes.
We all remember what happened at Wigan away last year. I don’t want to see 5/6 changes for PL games but on the other hand we cannot risk the first XI playing every PL game so we need to see the odd change up to keep legs fresh and to keep people on their toes. Also this should mean that when the odd injury occurs we do not see a learning period as the promoted player finds his feet having already played numerous times with a variety of players.
GIE,
Interesting you should talk about Gerv being there to score from the rebound.
Did you notice who was available for the rebound for Arteta’s goal?
None other than The Lion of Flanders himself! (love it, LB)
Agree with all that apart from the 10 for Szscesny. He gave Wigan a golden opportunity by palming the ball into the 6 yard box. He should’ve pushed it wide or caught it (difficult I know). He very nearly cost us a goal that would have changed the whole game.
For that reason he only gets an 8 IMO.
Sorry, LB, but it’s Sunday and I need a whinge on a Sunday!
FGG I’d much rather Sz tries to push it away from goal with force as he did than try to catch it. If he fails to catch it the ball will have had all pace taken off it and it is more likely to result in a simple tap in with the ball playable from the deck.
By trying to force it back hard it gives the striker little reaction time. And also to connect they will have to try and stop their forward momentum and adjust body shape (all which led to Santos being able to block it.)
Trying to help it on its way is the other option but that only really works with high balls if he’d just tried to finger tip that one onwards it could have ended up as an own goal or again a knock in from anyone arriving at the far post.
Chas the Lion seems to be making up for lost goal scoring opportunities 🙂
Actually one thing we missed from Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure era is the centrebacks pushing out to create an extra man for opponents to track/ deal with. Both Kos and TV seem confident to do that this year.
Afternoon all,
I didn’t get to see the game live yesterday – was recovering from my work’s party on Friday night. They had a Lady Gaga impresenator … she wasn’t all that bad but she had too much jelly for the knicker/bra combo and I wasn’t feeling it LOL
Got into a few footballing rows and I’m going to make me a packet in May thanks to all those idiot Liverpool fans who put €20 bets on with me, they think they’ll finish ahead of us in the league 😆
Also, its funny how patriotic one can get. I was talking to this Polish woman who doesn’t “know football and can’t understand how an Irish person can support an English team (but for some reason she has an irrational hatred for Liverpool FC so she gets one brownie point back)” but she wanted to add that she knows Spain are very good and Ireland haven’t a hope ….. Well, me and the very drunk Liverpool fan gave her what for with our patriotism … we informed her of Trapattoni’s 10-1 formation and how that would combat Spain’s tika-taka, she looked bored and confused but I think she got the message 😆
I knew someone would record it….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwumDL4OXpI
Hi Irish,
Sounds like you had a fine work do.
Does “too much jelly” mean she was fat?
Chas – yeah it does. Like those clothes are all well and good when you’ve a toned midriff not when you’ve a spare tyre O_O
Ramsey?
Mancs vs Mancs
Leeds again
Thanks for the write up LB. Hope you’re enjoying those Hertfordshire hills today.
Having watched Stuttgart v Köln this morning, I have to say, if we can get Podolski, and if Köln would really let him go, we really should. Looking very sharp and predatory, scoring both his team’s goals, he could clearly work with or instead of van Persie. (Plus evonne would be excited at supplementing the ethinic Polak brigade at the club!)
FA Cup draw.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
Reading v Stevenage
West Brom v Cardiff
Peterborough v Sunderland
Watford v Bradford
Chelsea v Portsmouth
Gillingham v Stoke
Liverpool v Southend/Oldham
Sheffield United v Salisbury/Grimsby
Everton v Tamworth
Newcastle v Blackburn
Chelmsford/Macclesfield v Bolton
Barnsley v Swansea
Swindon v Wigan
Fleetwood/Yeovil v Blackpool
Derby v Crystal Palace
Arsenal v Leeds
Norwich v Burnley
Birmingham v Wolves
Fulham v Charlton
Brighton v Wrexham
Coventry v Southampton
Hull v Ipswich
MK Dons v QPR
Sheffield Wednesday v West Ham
Tottenham v Cheltenham
Bristol Rovers v Aston Villa
Doncaster v Sutton/Notts County
Crawley v Bristol City
Dag & Red/Walsall v Millwall
Manchester City v Manchester United
Nottingham Forest v Leicester
Middlesbrough v Shrewsbury
FA cup draw – Shitty got Manure, lovely, back to reading the post
Super write up LB. I wish you would write more.
For me TV is now always the “Lion of Flanders.”
You overlooked Ramsey. For me he was joint MotM (with 10 others!).
Chico, if Wigan had scored from that early chance I would trust this Arsenal team to go on and win anyway.
Morning Peaches 🙂
LB – fantastic! Great post. Did you really write that to BFG and did he really reply? No, you are pulling our leg 🙂
One of the Mancs will be going out in the next round….HAPPY DAYZ.
Irish – that Polish woman, honestly, stupid cow. Reminds me of my mother – she cannot understand why Arsenal will not play in Poland in the European Cup next year!!
VCC – yeez 🙂 But every competition stretches them a bit more, potential injuries….Shitty to win then
As I hate ManUre, obviously I want City to win.
Home draw against Leeds. We have had some encounters with them over the years. Not easy.
I think Leeds are a good draw. They are a decent time, try to play football and we’ve more than enough to beat them. Its all very nice for the non league teams to get a big away day trip to Arsenal, and yes, while its nice to give the kids a run out, its also good to have a decent game to look forward – for the fans and players sake. Let’s keep the run going. We can take more from beating Leeds than Wrexham.
I re-acted a bit like this after the two Mancs got drawn together
Hi all
Thanks for the kind words, I can’t believe I forgot Ramsey, a player who I thought played really well.
great post as usual .. but was Ramsey really so anonymous as to miss out on a “grade”?
Zulu
I left out Ramsey just to make sure people were paying attention. May I congratulate you on passing the test.
By the way, we have a game on Tuesday would you like to write the match report? The site’s owners are always looking for new authors.
Afternoon all,
Fine post LB. I shall watch the game on `player in a mo`.
It`s my 35th Wedding Anniversary, the 2 things I recall most from the day, we beat Newcastle 5-3, SuperMac getting a hattrick, I also recieved a Telegram ( any youngsters on here, It`s a sort of medieval email )from Arsenal, and my wife`s cousin`s husband ( a spud ) got a 2 year drink driving ban, he reversed into a Police car at a set of traffic lights on Bethnal Green Road after the reception, what a shame !. When we got back to our flat in Stepney ,I realised there was only about 5 minutes untill MOTD came on, my first marital teaser, Wife/MOTD, MOTD/Wife ?. guys it was simple, She was going to get the best two minutes of her life !. I bet you are well impressed, as long as that I bet your saying.
LB I nearly replied to the Ramsey question in your absence but am so glad I left it to you 🙂 I somehow knew there would be a nice edge to it.
Also I was worried it was a subtle hint at anonymity, having not seen the full game but glad it wasnt.
GLIC,
Two minutes with the Mrs GLIC, then back down to watch MoTD.
Perfect!! Well done that man — sort of !! 🙂
If you can do a good job quickly then you deserve a reward!
Leeds at home, as Irish says, a good draw. They will cause us problems but hopefully not too many.
MCv MU 🙂
Watching the Wolves game. Larsson dives to get a pen. Takes it himself. Misses. Wolves go up the other end and score. Now leading 2-1. Karmic.
Stattime (courtesy of Orbinho on Twitter )
Mikel Arteta has made more successful passes in the opposition half than any other player this season (EVEN excluding his games at Everton)
Nice goal from Vela today
Very nice finish from Vela. Who knows – he could be called back in Jan.
Evening all, Nice match report LB. interesting ratings, without knowing your parameters, hard to judge your opinion…….Giving out ten’s……..?
For me we struggled for first ten minutes, but we stuck in there and gradually wore them down, with a solid team performance, very tenacious.
for me a 4-0 win with a solid but unspectactular display bodes well.
Apart from the obvious one man team dynamo, the two stand out players for me at the moment are Mikel and Thomas, a calm reassuring influence on all around them……..
Arteta is so much better than I realised………..
Just finished watching the game, great allround team performance, except Szczesny, he needs to get more involved in midfield and attack, the lazy git, relaxing there on a sun lounger sipping cocktails whilst the other`s put a shift in !. No wonder he`s the Worlds Number One, he had Moses waiting on him and presents from Santos Claus !
Hahaha
Excellent comment GLIC
harry671,
I agree , Zorro is much better than I thought he would be, I`ve even forgiven him for shagging Catherine Zeta Jones !. Them Masked men allways get the tasty totty, I`m off to look on Masks R Us .
“He scores when he wants,
He scores when he waa-aaa-ants,
Robin Van Persie,
He scores when he wants.”
Brilliant !!!! Great as text….even better as a vid. Many thanks Chozzer.
London. My brief ‘applause’ of your post early (for me) this morning, was almost a disservice – that really is a very good write up of the match, and what else we can take from it. ie who’s improving, consequences of certain moments, and were weare heading. all in all – fantastic.
As others have said – you really should write more of them (says me with 2 HPs in 2 years!!!)
GLIC – you’ve been in award winning form all day. Well played. Some of your posts had me almost choking on my dinner earlier.
Sharkeys walking along…
….whistling a song..
…blogging on his todd in wonderland….!!
Night all. Off to read thru yesterdays comments that I missed
TheWorldsNo1 = LEGEND!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KZjiOa7qkQ
LB, thanks for the great match report. I have not been able to see the full match, but your report gives me a very good idea what it was like. I love your style and the insights you give us really add value to the match report. The description of cycling in Belgium is spot on, and ‘The Lion of Flanders’ (De Leeuw van Vlaanderen) is a beautiful name: a great choice.
Thanks TA. for reminding me that the official coronation of the ”De Leeuw van Vlaanderen’ and the cycling references were superb.
Cheers Chozzer- I really did’nt realise that we’d held onto the ball for so long for RVPs goal. I’d only focused on the very sharp interplay between him and Song at the end of it.
Really a wonderful goal. I think Santos was the only player who didn’t get involved.
LB. Cyclists from flat, coastal lands have the wind to contend with – I know!
GiE – see, told you Szczesny is a nutter 🙂 Singing now, I say
cheers for the match report LB, loved it.
Agree with the person who said podolski would be a good purchase, i think he’d fit into the arsenal system quite easily and quickly
Evonne…nutter? Surey passionate.
Things like that give me a real pride in watching this set of players develop.
There seems to be a one for all and an all for one attitude, and with it has emerged this core of players who will do and die for our club…..which is at the end of the day what we fans would do.
More of the same from these characters now in our squad is surely a good thing.
Morning all
There’s a New Post …….
Sorry, not yet, technical hitch be back in a bit …………………
No there isn’t Peachy 🙂
New Post
chary – you’re on the ball, should be there now 😉
Angling…
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