Blessed relief

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
10 Feb	7:45 PM	P	Liverpool (H)	1	0	Win

It wasn't pretty by any means, but it lifted the gloom that had settled over the Emirates after two stinging losses on the trot. It had an element of luck to it too, for Steven Gerrard's free kick deep into injury time struck captain Cesc Fabregas' outstretched arm. How referee Howard Webb failed to notice the blatant infringement is astonishing, but as Lady Luck seemed to have deserted Arsenal of late, she seemed to have returned to watch the team at what was probably the Last Chance Saloon.

Surely a loss here would not have spelled the end of Monsieur Arsène Wenger, but the carrion had been circling for weeks now, and the pressure on the not-so-young Arsenal outfit would have almost certainly reached breaking point had Stevie G and co. been just that bit more deadly.

Conditions were not perfect here this night and both teams were strangely subdued as the players scrapped it out at the Emirates. Wenger was looking pensive on the sidelines and with good reason, as Theo Walcott was dropped to the bench after his horror showing the last time round. Nicklas Bendtner returned to lead the frontline with Andrei Arshavin dropping back to his favoured left wing to provide support. Abou Diaby was preferred in midfield to Denilson while Emmanuel Eboue came in for the rested Bacary Sagna at right back.

The opening exchange was about as dull as it could get and things did not improve as the contest wore on. Samir Nasri succumbed to an early concussion but the Arsenal attack was looking much more complete with Bendtner attempting to challenge for high balls and playing off his teammates as they moved up the pitch. Wenger's disdain for the quintessential target man has been apparent since the days of John Hartson, but now his team have a slick passing ethos ingrained in their DNA, perhaps it is time that he introduced a taller focal point to the attack. Bendtner may improve in the future, but is perhaps not as skilled as a Peter Crouch or a John Carew or dare I say, a Didier Drogba.

Andrei Arshavin was finding space in between the Liverpool defenders in inimitable style as most of his teammates struggled to come to terms with the slippery pitch conditions. His scrappy poke forward to Bendtner was efficient but the Dane screwed high over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat. Tomas Rosicky showed equal lack of match fitness when clear on goal in the second half as his touch let him down in the end while deliberating his options. His crossing though, was another matter as it soon proved.

The breakthrough came in the middle of a lull in play. Arsenal had been pressing forward for some time now, but the substitution of Arshavin for Walcott due to a possible hamstring strain seemed to have taken some of the oomph out of the Arsenal attack. After his appearances in recent weeks, no one was expecting Walcott's output to come close to what Arshavin was capable of producing. A quick Arsenal break resulted in bodies in the box (a not too common sight nowadays to tell the truth) as Bendtner found the ball at his feet just inside the box and attempted to swipe at it. The ball bounced back off a Liverpool defender and the forward showed remarkable quick instincts to slide the ball towards an overlapping Rosicky. The resulting cross was sublime as an unmarked Diaby rose to head home.

The relief was apparent on everyone's faces as the Arsenal players tumbled over in celebration next to the Liverpool goal. No choreographed dancing, no group hug and obligatory wave to the crowd, but an unseemingly heap on the ground, with Diaby's fists pumping the air nonstop through the throng. A goal and a lead. We haven't had that in a long time.

The rest of the game was a matter of soaking up Liverpool pressure, combined with the occasional aimless Walcott counter that went nowhere. The gaffer's intentions were all too clear as Bendtner went off for Sagna, a job well done.

There was just the matter of one last free kick right in front and dead centre of the Arsenal goal. Fabregas attempted to delay things by forcing the Liverpool ball back five yards but was booked for his efforts. It almost proved costly as the ball deflected off his outstretched arm, but perhaps the referee was too intent on his watch and the other players to notice. Losing our captain would have been a sour note to end the match on, but as it was Arsenal came away with three vital points as the Liverpool contingent continued their protests.

One win and a draw out of four big games won't silence the doubters, but for the Arsenal faithful it was a blessed relief from a horrid two weeks. Players like Bendtner and Rosicky will start to stamp their class on the match with more game time. Who knows, now that Lady Luck is back she might just do a number on poor Theo Walcott and give us back the Croatia-crushing speed demon we've missed for some time. There's still much of the season to go.

User Comments

User Comments

• Got something to say?
• Read comments

Vs chelsea