Arsenal 2 Boro 0: Arshavin chips like a golfer. Report + player ratings
Arsenal 2 Boro 0
From Goodplaya at the Emirates
FOR me there was one big moment in this game. It wasn’t our delightfully worked opener. It wasn’t Manuel Almunia spreading himself very well to save from Jeremie Aliadiere. And it wasn’t even the sight of Comrade Eboue splitting their defence with a beautifully weighted through ball.
His holyness
Nah, none of that.
It came after around half an hour. Samir Nasri was defending in the right-back position (don’t let that fact distract you, I’ll explain it in a minute), down near the singing section corner flag. Their attacker tried to cross, Nasri blocked and the ball spun up in the air, heading a little to my left.
With my scarf that superstition dictates I wear irrespective of how hot it is still round my neck, I instinctively leapt to my feet. My left elbow was raised Shearer style just enough to keep the guy to my left at bay and doosh, I met it square on with my forehead.
Two classy players
Absolutely plum. Straight back to within a foot from whence it came, the lesson of Steve Bould’s afternoon visit to the Arsenal Soccer school circa 1991 suddenly coming in handy all these years later.
If I say it myself, it was absolutely textbook. Absolutely textbook stuff.
And thank you to all of you around me for the hearty cheer and applause. The moment was genuinely was one of the personal footballistic highlights of my lifetime, probably bigger than when I actually knocked one into the net past Bouldy at one of those soccer schools and just behind the time my first cousin very briefly became entangled with Thierry Henry a few months after he moved to London.
If you’re still with me, as warm-ups for one of the biggest ties in the history of the club (which let’s face it, it is), go, this was pretty perfect.
Into the team came Almunia. Onto the bench came Adebayor and Djourou. Eboue started in place of Sagna, with Gibbs at left-back, leaving us none the wiser as to who will fill that berth at Old Trafford. I think he’ll go for Gibbs.
Denilson looked like he would partner Cesc and made a fairly good case for it to be him rather than Diaby to fill the final position at Old Trafford. In fact, his companion was General Nasri, who began the game in the position he finished it at Anfield in a holding midfield position which certainly allows him to see more of the ball.
With Arshavin left and Theo right it made for what must have been the shortest ‘5’ in the history of 4-5-1.
Bendtner was up front.
The long and short of it is that we dominated for long stages, got a goal after around half an hour, looked like we might get a second, had to survive one or two Boro chances, got our second and coasted to victory.
I should add that there was some cracking football to boot. Our full-backs bombed forward, Nasri greased the team, Theo terrorised, Cesc floated at times delightfully and Bendtner was both pleasingly industrious and sure of touch.
Andrey Arshavin just floated on a higher plain. Seriously, this guy’s football brain is so efficient it can even make sure the air kicks and corner flag hitting shots are reserved for when we’re two up and home and hosed, while the best stuff comes when it is needed most.
He was decisive in the opener. As I remember it he scooped it neatly to Bendtner, who flicked it delightfully for Cesc, who sprayed it wide for the Russian with a very tasty pass. Not once did he hesitate. Instead he simply cut in and laid it on a plate for the captain for the kind of chance which is actually made easier if you’re stretching, off balance and have no option but to take it first time.
Boro claimed offside, Was Bendtner blocking the keeper’s view? Yes. Would he have got it? Doubt it.
A couple more Arshavin observations: firstly, late on we seemed to be playing Bendtner right, Adebayor left and Arshavin through the middle, which some will say befitted his genius appropriately.
Secondly, some of this guys long passing made it seem whichever leg he was using was in fact a golf club.
With zero backlift his stumpy legs would just chip the ball 70 yards. Sometimes he’d make the ball skip on after it’s first bounce. At other times it would stop almost dead, like a perfectly measured approach shot.
Cesc got the second too, latching onto Eboue’s very nice through ball (yes, I admit it), rounding the keeper and sliding home. To an extent I suppose his goals and very impressive performance was a riposte to those such as me who do not think him suited to the second striker role. I think in games such as this it can work, but I still wouldn’t fancy it long term.
On the other hand Nasri in a more withdrawn, central position has potential. I’m not quite sure how it would work in the long run, but it certainly allows him more of the ball and also the chance to play a more physical game, which to at least some extent he does have.
All in all, very comfortable and with four games left to not get fourth now would be a disaster. To get third looks very tough, but you never know. The stats show we are now on 65 points, two less than our 05-06 finish and three less than our 06-07 one.
Attention now turns to United. And boy does it turn.
26 April 2009 at 6:50 pm
I was up the other end and Djourou looked good. He did underhit one pass that put Kolo in a slight bit of trouble but was otherwise solid. I think Andrey put his shooting boots in a glass display cabinet and borrowed someone else’s today, but he looked a different class to most of the players on the field today. His long ball to Adebayor was awesome.
In all, a nice comfortable win with no need to get out of second. Energy saved for Wednesday.
I felt a bit sorry for Southgate. He’s a decent coach but his team don’t look like they’re up for the fight.
26 April 2009 at 7:50 pm
2 points away from next seasons champions league AA bloody blinding cmon you gooners
26 April 2009 at 8:01 pm
another good blog, and well done on the header hope it was caught on camera lol, it was very comfortable today which was good ahead of the big game on wed night which will be alot more tougher. i could not believe that boro did not make a game of it considering they are fighting for their premiership status we should have been 4 up by half time but thats arsenal for you for the most of this season, there was not one bad performance from anyone in a red shirt fabs and aa will get the plaudits but i thought deni and sami were brilliant i think that 5 in midfield are our best 5 well maybe song would argue and he would deserve a place too, but your right about the height tho which would cause problems against some teams but they have so much ability going forward they could also score 2,3 or 4 goals against most teams, heres hoping we have the togetherness on wed night like we had today a goal would be nice too, good luck boys.
26 April 2009 at 8:19 pm
Agreed on Nasri. Thought he was excellent today.
26 April 2009 at 9:09 pm
Unduly harsh on Diaby. I find him as frustrating as anyone, but he didn’t do anything wrong today.
Roll on Wednesday, bring on United !
26 April 2009 at 9:41 pm
nice post GP. I agree about nasri. I like him playing where he did today. it means he gets involved, and he’s generally good when he gets involved. nice to see cesc scoring again.
26 April 2009 at 11:02 pm
cracking blog mate. enjoyable read!
just as everybody started to think Song was the man for the CM spot beside fab, we all start to like the 4-5-1!
26 April 2009 at 11:15 pm
Saw the header from above! good stuff!
27 April 2009 at 3:26 am
This is wonderfully heartfelt. You are a true gooner. I really got a sense of your feelings!!
Nice one Goodplaya.
Wicked article
27 April 2009 at 5:55 am
wonderfull all round play from team. i immensely like eboue, yes i do and always did, even defended the ivorian at a time when almost everyone else was up against him, but my worry is. he continues getting caught off position, just like it happened for chelski’s first goal in he fa cup. should be carefull with the likes of ronaldo if he’s to play.
27 April 2009 at 6:42 am
Ah GP you crafty old fox using your elbow to good effect. I bet you could teach a few of our players a thing or two about the art of committing a foul that is not a foul. I only hope you didn’t whack the unfortunate next to you, did he need treatment?
I’ve been apprehensive about United but I must say you’ve changed my attitude. Not many expect us to win this tie so we should enjoy it for what it is, a tremendously exciting opportunity in a season that looked lost. I can’t wait for these games, all you gooners lucky enough to be going sing your hearts out, COME ON YOU AR-SE-NAL!!!
27 April 2009 at 6:50 am
And P.S.
I unequivocally now understand what all the fuss was about regarding Arshavin. He is utterly phenomenal, how could we be the only club with a genuine interest in signing him? Who cares, he’s ours and no-one else can have him.
And it’s not the four goals at Anfield (awe inspiring as they were). It was his game against Boro as well, the vision, the range of passing, the football brain. I think I have to go buy myself a shirt…
27 April 2009 at 7:20 am
Great technique Goodplaya, your header and your blog. Yesterdays game was exactly what we needed pre Manc. Nasri is indeed really impressing and let’s hope he continues his form into our next game. He does know how to score against those dirty Mancs and would be nice if he can bang in a couple on Wednesday.
27 April 2009 at 9:04 am
Someone must have the header caught on their Sky+ box …. come on share the genius!
27 April 2009 at 10:04 am
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27 April 2009 at 10:16 am
Great blog, all you have said is absolutely correct, however it would have been good to have a stiffer test before Wednesday, we played it like a training game due to Boro’s apparent resignation to their fate or was that because we were so good?. I still feel that we can be suspect in defence and I hope that isn’t exposed against Manure but if we can attack with the imagination that we did on Sunday hopefully the defence will not come under sustained pressure. AA will be phenominal for us next season as according to him he isn’t yet playing to his full potential, i can’t wait.
27 April 2009 at 6:12 pm
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27 April 2009 at 8:53 pm
aliadeire seems to have a lot of pace i wonder y arsenal sold him
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30 April 2009 at 5:19 pm
I saw you! Down in the lower tier, North-West corner (orange section or something?), right? Was a very tidy piece of heading and I could see you looked pretty chuffed as you sat back down, even from my seat right up in the thin air of row 27, block 100, top tier!