Bridge of highs
By Paul Williams on Monday, December 1, 2008
| Date | Time | C | Opponent | F | A | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov, 30 | 4:00 PM | P | Chelsea (A) | 2 | 1 | Win |
Robin van Persie is a player I've given a fair bit of stick to in the past, perhaps not so much on the journey of discovery this blog is, but on forums, to friends and so on. And, I think, it's been justified quite often. The player who was Mr Last Minute Wonder Goal through much of 2005/06 had been replaced by an injury blighted 20-something struggling to capture something seemingly lost. Yesterday, whatever it was that was lost came flooding back to him.
Let me tell you how much I care that Chelsea had 60% possession to our 40. Let me tell you how much I care that Robin was offside when played in by Denilson, let me tell you how much I care that Kalou was incorrectly flagged offside early on.
I care about as much as Chelsea did when their winning goal against us last year came with three players standing offside. I care about as much as Chelsea did when they equalised in that same game having watched us knock the ball out of play, so Joe Cole could get treatment, 30 yards inside their half and John Terry smashed the ball down the line and out for a throw-in on the edge of our penalty area, which they then, rather unsportingly pressured us from. I care as much as they did when a great goal by Robin back in the Highbury days was ruled out, incorrectly, with the score at 0-0. In a game we subsequently lost 2-0. How much do you think Chelsea care about all that? Exactly.
Apparently what goes around does come around, it just takes about 3 years in some cases.
Anyway, whilst Scolari appears to want an apology from the referee, he should actually be thanking him for not sending John Terry off for one of those tackles that belies his status as "Honest John, the leader of men". Whilst we're on the subject of giving thanks, perhaps John Terry should be thanking the excellent Bacary Sagna for not making a meal of what was an unpleasant, frustrated and glossed over by the Sky pundits, tackle. And whilst we're on the subject of red cards not given out... I thought that the clothesline Ivanovic performed on the flying Gaël Clichy was worthy of a red card in itself. If that tackle had been made in a rugby match, it would be deemed unacceptable, so what's the score here? Never mind the further two challenges that really should have resulted in an early bath for Ivanovic.
Anyway, I don't want to moan too much. No, really. What was most pleasing about this match, well, it wasn't just the guts to seize on that piece of luck and make a comeback nobody could have predicted. It wasn't just the performance of the back four, Johan Djourou shaking off the horrors of his own goal to turn in the kind of performance that I think most Arsenal fans (although not this one) thought was beyond him. For me it was the fact that we did to Chelsea what teams have been doing to us, what Chelsea were expected to do to us. Andy Gray said early on in commentary that he had a funny feeling that if there was no tackling involved in the game, Arsenal would win "But there is tackling". Yes, there was and we tackled the life out of Chelsea and restricted them to one shot on target.
One shot. They had no response to our goals and that, Luis Felipe Scolari, is what killed your team. His post match interview was an amusing study in bewilderment and incomprehension. It must have hurt that the Chelsea goal came from two errors in judgement from Manuel Almunia, the first hanging Samir Nasri out to dry with a ridiculous throw and the second, his refusal to come for a cross drilled into the six yard box, leading to Djourou's attempt to clear finding the bottom corner. For all Chelsea's control, it was Arsenal who looked more likely to score the fourth goal of the game and had not Nicklas Bendtner not pushed his pass to Denilson a little too wide at the end, we may well have done.
I don't want to single anyone out over what might not have been Arsenal's prettiest performance whilst on the ball, but was a lung busting effort more reminiscent of a George Graham team, but I must say again that the back four were excellent. Bacary Sagna, for me, put in his best performance of the season, Gaël Clichy was exceptional particularly in the second half and the twin towers at the back were towers of strength, not salt. Djourou did exactly what the boss would have wanted him to, whilst freed from a captain's responsibility, William Gallas can be immensely proud of his performance yesterday afternoon. Boos and all. Only an Arsenal fan with the hardest of hearts would surely not have begrudged him his celebratory walk at the final whistle, his smile lighting up SW6.
It would be wrong, however, to finish this blog without returning to where it began, with the mercurial Robin van Persie. I have accused him on various occasions of being frustrating, of not having a right foot and looking slow. I guess what we saw yesterday was the importance of partnerships. Emmanuel Adebayor didn't have a great game, but played a vital role in both goals, winning aerial ballas we'd never have won without him.
Robin's first goal, with his right foot, showed why he should use it more often rather than spending 5 minutes trying to tee himself up on his left. How lucky for us, he was too quick to wait for the offside flag. His second goal, brimming with confidence, was the kind of finish I always associate with Paul Merson, away from goal, great technique, the speed of thought to know the shot was on and where to put it... breathtaking I think.
Perhaps I'm going overboard, but Robin has that extreme effect on me. His celebrations of the goals and at the final whistle were heartwarming and, I guess, showed how much Arsenal Football Club means to him. It was good to hear his post match interview, as composed and as thoughtful as Scolari's wasn't.
That's football for you, one man struggles whilst another relaxes.
User Comments
7Goonerbeall
Posted on 3 Dec, 2008 at 06:38 PM - Reply
Oh, you beauty. This a marvelous piece of blog. Some pundits had predicted Arsenal to get thrashed by a ruthless Chelsea and guess what, it was us who went there and performed properly. It was a sight to behold seeing Deco fighting for breath after being outrun by Denilson and Song. Or Cesc putting Lampard in his pocket. Marvelous day for Gunners all over the World.
6Hakim
Posted on 2 Dec, 2008 at 09:09 AM - Reply
Robin Van Persie scored two magnificent goals. On Friday, I thought the boy needs to step up and make his impact on a big game. Robin has shown that he is a big game player. He is the most technically gifted player on our squad. He has the talent to win European Footballer of the Year if he stays healthy. He is truly gifted. (Congratulations to Ronaldo by the way).
Special mention goes to our back four who were outstanding on Sunday. Gael Clichy stuggled in the first half I must say, mostly due to the lack of cover provided by Nasri. He was back to being Superman.
William Gallas was magnificent. Did not put a foot wrong.
Bacary Sagna is the most complete right back in football.
Special praise goes to Johan Djourou. He pulled a Richard Dunne, but was faultless from then on. He showed mental strength and resilience. Not to single him out, but I believe Phillipe Senderos would have struggled to recover.
This was the fight that warriors put up, the way William Gallas wanted us to play.
Can we keep this up the rest of the season?
5Edgar
Posted on 2 Dec, 2008 at 12:50 AM - Reply
Great blog. It's all true.
Arsenal played as a whole and complete solid team. Chelsea stood no chance, and looked confused.
I have always been a Robin Van Persie fan.
He was my first choice for captain. But I am very happy with Fabregas.
4Frank Tunk
Posted on 2 Dec, 2008 at 12:10 AM - Reply
We all love the victory but it was sad to hear Andy Gray lacked the understanding of the offside rule claiming the ball must have hit a chelsea player. Like this would make a difference? Ball played to a player in an offside position even when tipped is still offside. Sad
3Sam
Posted on 2 Dec, 2008 at 12:06 AM - Reply
Brilliant article. 100% Arsenal brilliance. Chelsea are such fools.
2bandau
Posted on 1 Dec, 2008 at 11:42 PM - Reply
Great article. Very well written. Agreed with everything you said.
1john quinn arsenal ireland
Posted on 1 Dec, 2008 at 09:45 PM - Reply
Robin has been threathening to play and score like this for a while .Hope he does it again next week against Wigan
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