After another goalless performance in midweek Arsenal fans could have been forgiven for expecting another 0-0 draw at the Emirates yesterday afternoon. The 11/1 odds for a 0-0 must have been tempting for many, particularly as they faced a Blackburn side manged by their nemesis, Sam Allardyce, who always kept things tight with his Bolton side in previous years.
However, the celebrations of Wednesday night's penalty win over Roma must have given Arsenal a lift as they crushed a poor Blackburn side with a rather fortuitous own-goal from Andre Ooijer, a wonderful strike from new-boy Andrey Arshavin, and two from Emmanuel Eboue.
Arsenal fans didn't have to wait long to celebrate their first Premier League goal at the Emirates for over three games. Nicklas Bendtner's clever turn and pass on two minutes put Walcott clear on the right, his ball eluded Alex Song but Andrey Arshavin nipped in. His shot was going wide but it hit Blackburn's Dutch international, Ooijer and rebounded into the net.
With the pressure off, Arsenal could now relax. Bendtner, Arshavin and Walcott were causing trouble in the Blackburn defence, but Blackburn had a few chances of their own.
Soon after being on the receiving end of a El-Hadj Diouf lunge, Manuel Almunia was called into action to make a wonderful save from a looping Morten Gamst Pedersen header.
But it was Arsenal who were making all of the running. Bendtner, wearing his pink boots, leapt at the far post to meet a Sagna cross but he couldn't get his effort on target and it drifted wide of the post.
Arsenal came even closer a few minutes later, Samir Nasri, Arsenal's free-kick taker in the abscence of Robin van Persie, curled a free-kick onto the bar. The young Frenchman almost scored again minutes later, but his shot was saved unconvincingly by Paul Robinson.
Pedersen then managed to wriggle free of the Arsenal defence but Bacary Sagna did enough to put the Norwegian off.
As the whistle blew to signal the end of the half, Blackburn's players must have been thanking their goalkeeper for keeping them in a game they really should have been out of.
Arsenal started the second half as they finished the first. Walcott, proving to be a constant thorn in Blackburn' side, raced down the right and shot across the goal, unluckily for him, his effort went well wide.
Seconds later, Walcott again was clear on the right, and his inch-perfect cross was met by Bendtner - the Dane however didn't make enough contact and it went wide.
Walcott then had another shot of his own. Unmarked in the penalty area, the England international's scissor kick was too close to Robinson who made a good reaction save to thwart his England colleague.
Nicklas Bendtner then missed two more guilt-edged chances adding to the crowds nervousness, but shortly afterwards, Andrey Arshavin settled their nerves.
The £15 million January buy, went clear on the left, cut inside the area near the byline, jinked his way past Simpson and fooled goalkeeper Robinson by shooting high into the net from a tight angle. If the first goal was luck this was certainly sheer brilliance.
Arshavin then gave Bendtner his best chance of the match, after a good run by Walcott, the Russian released the striker but he could only shoot well over when one-on-one with Robinson. You sensed that today was not his day.
Surely the most bizarre incident of the game followed soon afterwards. Pedersen ran onto a through ball on the left of the penalty area, with Bacary Sagna gaining ground but still a couple of yards away, the Norwegian dived. Clearly there was no contact and the referee didn't give a penalty, but he wasn't booked for his efforts.
Soon afterwards he was substituted along with Walcott and replaced by Carlos Vela and Abou Diaby. Samir Nasri who had another good game for the Gunners was also replaced by Emmanuel Eboue.
It was to be the Ivorian who made the game safe. After failing to connect to an Arshavin cross, Eboue then made it 3-0 with three minutes to go.
Arshavin shot straight at Robinson from inside the box, but Eboue raced in to touch it into the net, the often derided midfielder couldn't hide his delight and ran into the corner to dance with the fans.
Soon afterwards he had his second. Carlos Vela's pace and trickery was too much for Martin Olsson who pulled him down inside the area. Eboue grabbed the ball and placed it on the spot - like most of the penalties taken earlier in the week, he coolly placed it past the goalkeeper into the net.
The final whistle went soon afterwards.With Arsenal looking more and more like their old selves and moving up to fourth in the process, the ground was finally filled with optimism after a number of recent stale performances.
However, the celebrations of Wednesday night's penalty win over Roma must have given Arsenal a lift as they crushed a poor Blackburn side with a rather fortuitous own-goal from Andre Ooijer, a wonderful strike from new-boy Andrey Arshavin, and two from Emmanuel Eboue.
Arsenal fans didn't have to wait long to celebrate their first Premier League goal at the Emirates for over three games. Nicklas Bendtner's clever turn and pass on two minutes put Walcott clear on the right, his ball eluded Alex Song but Andrey Arshavin nipped in. His shot was going wide but it hit Blackburn's Dutch international, Ooijer and rebounded into the net.
With the pressure off, Arsenal could now relax. Bendtner, Arshavin and Walcott were causing trouble in the Blackburn defence, but Blackburn had a few chances of their own.
Soon after being on the receiving end of a El-Hadj Diouf lunge, Manuel Almunia was called into action to make a wonderful save from a looping Morten Gamst Pedersen header.
But it was Arsenal who were making all of the running. Bendtner, wearing his pink boots, leapt at the far post to meet a Sagna cross but he couldn't get his effort on target and it drifted wide of the post.
Arsenal came even closer a few minutes later, Samir Nasri, Arsenal's free-kick taker in the abscence of Robin van Persie, curled a free-kick onto the bar. The young Frenchman almost scored again minutes later, but his shot was saved unconvincingly by Paul Robinson.
Pedersen then managed to wriggle free of the Arsenal defence but Bacary Sagna did enough to put the Norwegian off.
As the whistle blew to signal the end of the half, Blackburn's players must have been thanking their goalkeeper for keeping them in a game they really should have been out of.
Arsenal started the second half as they finished the first. Walcott, proving to be a constant thorn in Blackburn' side, raced down the right and shot across the goal, unluckily for him, his effort went well wide.
Seconds later, Walcott again was clear on the right, and his inch-perfect cross was met by Bendtner - the Dane however didn't make enough contact and it went wide.
Walcott then had another shot of his own. Unmarked in the penalty area, the England international's scissor kick was too close to Robinson who made a good reaction save to thwart his England colleague.
Nicklas Bendtner then missed two more guilt-edged chances adding to the crowds nervousness, but shortly afterwards, Andrey Arshavin settled their nerves.
The £15 million January buy, went clear on the left, cut inside the area near the byline, jinked his way past Simpson and fooled goalkeeper Robinson by shooting high into the net from a tight angle. If the first goal was luck this was certainly sheer brilliance.
Arshavin then gave Bendtner his best chance of the match, after a good run by Walcott, the Russian released the striker but he could only shoot well over when one-on-one with Robinson. You sensed that today was not his day.
Surely the most bizarre incident of the game followed soon afterwards. Pedersen ran onto a through ball on the left of the penalty area, with Bacary Sagna gaining ground but still a couple of yards away, the Norwegian dived. Clearly there was no contact and the referee didn't give a penalty, but he wasn't booked for his efforts.
Soon afterwards he was substituted along with Walcott and replaced by Carlos Vela and Abou Diaby. Samir Nasri who had another good game for the Gunners was also replaced by Emmanuel Eboue.
It was to be the Ivorian who made the game safe. After failing to connect to an Arshavin cross, Eboue then made it 3-0 with three minutes to go.
Arshavin shot straight at Robinson from inside the box, but Eboue raced in to touch it into the net, the often derided midfielder couldn't hide his delight and ran into the corner to dance with the fans.
Soon afterwards he had his second. Carlos Vela's pace and trickery was too much for Martin Olsson who pulled him down inside the area. Eboue grabbed the ball and placed it on the spot - like most of the penalties taken earlier in the week, he coolly placed it past the goalkeeper into the net.
The final whistle went soon afterwards.With Arsenal looking more and more like their old selves and moving up to fourth in the process, the ground was finally filled with optimism after a number of recent stale performances.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment