A Blackburn side without their two main pillars of attack and defence (Yakubu and Samba respectively) where dismantled by an Arsenal attack that were unrecognisable as the one that failed to score at Bolton earlier in the week.
Having kept an eye out for legions of spectators making their way to Ashburton Grove with bin bags and seen none the atmosphere before kick-off was subdued due to the near freezing temperature and the early kick off.
Wot no bin bags ?
Your humble scribe even omitted his pre match Peroni’s as necking lager at noon didn’t feel quite right, in any case a hot drink would have been more in order to stop the teeth chattering.
The only surprises in the starting XI were the omission of Sagna (perhaps due to his comeback being managed with caution) and the continued starting of Robin, although to be fair he would have a week’s rest before the next fixture; the resting of Ramsey was less of a surprise as he had looked tired towards the end of his last few games.
Viewing from behind the clock end goal the away support seemed, like the home crowd, filled their quota to around 80% and seemed a respectable turn out especially considering their relegation battle and the supporter-Board of the club struggle.
Blackburn supporters
Barely had we taken our seats then Theo rampaged towards my line of sight to the left of “Chunky” Robinson’s goal and slid in a straight forward cross which Robin ran onto and slotted in, easy as you like.
A quick fire start
One nil down inside 90 seconds and the away support became even quieter.
The Blackburn midfield had offered no protection for the back line and the early attack cut through the defence with ease.
From thereon in some jolly jokesters in the Clock End decided to heckle Chunky with (in a parody of Robin’s song):
“He eats when he wants,
He eats when he waaaaants,
That Paul Robinson,
He eats when he wants……you fat bast**d”
Sitting behind him for the first half I noticed Chunky’s nervous tic of kicking his right foot against the post and looking at the sole of his boot to ensure there was no mud on his studs, before he would take a goal kick that always landed near the right touchline, level with the centre circle.
Arsenal continued to probe away at a Blackburn side that struggled to gain any meaningful possession of the ball so it was against the run of play when a rare Rovers foray up field resulted in a free kick following a Kozzer pull back on Modeste, I think it was.
Those around me muttered their expectation of an equalizer, which Pedersen duly supplied.
Now the press may have been rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of another half time booing of the home team off the pitch, but 5 or so minutes later another Theo surge down our right flank resulted in another assist for Robin and the lead was restored, much to the chagrin of the hacks ready to paint the Arsenal support as fickle and petulant.
I saw no dissent or protests of any sort, trash/bin bag related or otherwise; however with the way the game panned out perhaps that is not surprising.
While Theo did not score he was creating almost as much havoc on his wing as Oxo was on the left – the twin wing menaces were giving the Blackburn full backs an unnerving time all through the game – and two assists will have done his self-confidence wonders.
Theo sets up RvP's 2nd goal
Almost straight after we had started goading the away end with “You’re not singing anymore” then Oxo crowned a stand out first half performance with a debut premier league goal after he rounded Chunky, following a Robin through ball, and showed composure beyond his years to slot the ball home.
Oxo's 1st goal celebration
3-1 nearing half time and Rovers already looked a shattered side although to be fair their supporters still tried to keep their spirits up with a near constant refrain of “Barmy army”
However all spirit seemed to drain from them when a few minutes after Oxo’s goal Givet was off for an early bath, as Eddy Waring may have said, for a crude lunge on Robin, one which Robin took some of the sting out of by managing to hurdle some of the flailing legs of the Frenchman.
The red card and all the yellows were fully deserved as Rovers were a fairly cynical side, giving our players a nudge whenever they were following the flight of the ball onto their head; however referee Mariner spotted most of these offences and had a fairly decent match.
Note, we were 3-1 up BEFORE the sending off so don’t believe any pony (pony and trap, crap) about the red card being a pivotal moment.
It was still an anxious wait for Robin to recover and prove there was no lasting damage done and the first half ended with the Gooner faithful very happy, if rather frozen.
The second half started with a spell of dainty possession for Blackburn, with which they produced no significant attacking intent and soon enough we increased our lead thanks to a rare long range shot from Arteta after a half clearance following one of our endless number of corners.
Theo then produced his third assist of the game to set up Oxo for his second of the game and confirmation that he had arrived – are we seeing a legend in the making? Too early to say but the possibility is mouth-watering.
A present day legend however sealed his hat trick after receiving a cross from the willing Coquelin and slotting in effortlessly for his third of the game and the cue for the Rovers fans to start drifting away at 6-1.
Those that remained did show a sense of humour in “Oleing” whenever their team could string a few passes together as Arsenal inevitably eased off in the intensity of their attacks after the 6th goal.
Some more action in the Rovers penalty area led to what, even from my view at the opposite end of the ground, looked like a decent shout for a penalty however at 6-1 we could afford some largesse to the referee and his linesman and lineswoman.
Oxo and Kozzer were taken off so there was time for the re-introduction of another legend (and for Sagna to continue his comeback) and with the sense of theatre we expect from the great man Thierry Henry duly obliged with the 7th goal in front of his beloved North Bank.
His upward twisting, pirouetting goal celebration shows that his 228th goal for Arsenal is as cherished as his first. As he left the pitch and the sky darkened and looked ready to start sleeting at full time one could sense the NY Red Bulls player was savouring every moment he could in his second chance to play for the club he loves.
TH12 claps off the pitch
Charybdis1966
twitter @charybdis1966
Thanks Chary, you have made me feel slightly depressed. Not because of the result or performance of course but because I passed up the opportunity to go today! I watched it on football first last night, a great performance that we now need to take forward, confidence will be high now and the press knives will be out and waiting for any slip up. Not sure what results I really want from this weekends remaining fixtures but nothing will spoil the remainder of this weekend.
@Bull, It’s a performance we were due Bull, as our attacking play usually creates a lot of chances.
This will be a timely confidence boost for the team which they will need with some tricky ties coming up.
Nice write-up Chary, well done.
@Greg, thanks mate, I forgot to mention that while TH12 was warming up he was talking to the other subs constantly and pointing at the pitch – as if to explain to them what was going on via his experienced eyes and also encouraging the guys on the pitch
@Manatthematch, Every shot I’ve seen of Henry on TV is of him talking animatedly to another player, wihtout fail he is always talking / smiling around the bench with the players.
i had given up on reviewing arsenal this season but credit to the ox 4 bringing me back.on yesterdays performance alone he would beat both nani and bale to the team of the season,now that is superb .it would be great if he could keep up those standards hoping refs will protect him.
good overall team performance rosicky lacks goals but there is no denying his drive n work ethic;good example 4 the youngsters.
on walcot,he had a superb game,like a monkey on the back of an elephant munching the juicy fruits at the tree top,he lives off the the back of good playmakers.and the ox is a good play maker,he spots chances early,has a good passing range n a fantastic engine
on szcz,he made an alumniesque punch not his best game,to be honest i haven’t seen anything inspirng/world class from him of late.
Another quality post Chary.
@joakal, Thanks, it was worth the frost bite !!
great post chary
still buzzing from the game.the ox is looking pretty sharp,and i hope theo has got his confidence back.just look at what we can acheive with those lads on the wings
@londongoon, You’re welcome; the Motd team were marvelling about our “wing machines”(Theo and Oxo)and how our goal scoring legends of past, present and future all registered goals yesterday.
A pleasant symmetry to the 7 goals in that respect.
Well done – really enjoy these “at-the-match” observations.
Two thumbs up to Theo, who after I called him out for the Bolton game. He duly proved his bona fides as a classy winger against Blackburn. Still it must said that the contrast between him and AOC’s composure in front of net is startling.
Box to box our mid-field totally dominated and looked organized and dangerous without Ramsey, who’s had a tough time adjusting to his starting role this year.
A great day and vintage performance.
The Ox is clearly the best winger on our team in terms of all-round offensive package (shooting, crossing, pace and dribbling) and will clearly be the long-term first choice in our winger rotation. What remains to be seen is whether he can deliver on a consistent basis, particularly when he’ll also have to start tracking back for a full 90 minutes.
thanks for the report…
Again thanks to Webb, Manutd salvaged a point against Chelsea, which collapesed under pressure just like a pack of cards….
@DF, A good result for us though surely?
I wonder if Rosicky has played himself ahead of Ramsey in the midfield rotation? We certainly seem to tick better with him in there, moving the ball more quickly.
Of course, Rosicky’s terminal inability to score would be a problem. But then again Ramsey hasn’t set the scoreboard on fire either. I’d say Ramsey looks more likely to score though, he frequently gets into good positions but it just hasn’t come yet.
In a Song-Rosicky-Arteta midfield, I like the idea of Arteta getting forward a bit more, as he clearly has a good shot when arriving late at the edge of the box, which is something we’ve really missed this season. Rosicky can play Arteta’s usual deeper role quite well, which gives good flexibility to the midfield.
Ramsey will obviously be the answer in the future, but he’s not quite there yet.
@Eurazian, Agreed, though I think with a good run of games we’ll see Rosicky score goals. Before he went on his 2-year hiatus, he had an eye for goal. But Rosicky is important for many other reasons. He’s experienced, his habit of thought is “how can I push the play forward?”, he can re-distribute the ball quickly and directly, and he knows how to track back and defend. I’d have him on the pitch over Ramsey any day, and I have a sneaking suspicion Wenger would too, but my feeling is the Czech is still struggling for fitness (or is just now returning to his fittest).
We don’t necessarily need him to score so long as he’s the one dictating play and setting up plays. There’s a reason he was called the Little Mozart at BvB, and I really hope he can reprise that role for us on a consistent basis for what’s left of this season. I feel a whole lot more assured of our midfield when I see Arteta-Song-Rosicky in the starting eleven.
I do think however that Rosicky, like Arteta, doesn’t often seem able to provide the “killer pass”. He’s very tidy with it and moves it around nicely, but last season when he filled in for Cesc, we lost some incisiveness. Ramsey is less consistent but from what I’ve seen he is more capable of creating a pass that beats a tightly packed defence.
@Eurazian, We got SONGINHO.
@Eurazian, Perhaps. Though according to rumor (I have to rely on this because I never saw Rosicky play for BvB), Rosicky was adept at cutting defenses with passes. Maybe it’s a matter of getting back into the role. It’s been several years since he was able to string more than a few games in that central creative role. I’m hopeful. I’ve always thought Rosicky had a lot to offer Arsenal, but it’s been tough for him these past few years, beginning with switching from a central playmaking role to a wide midfielder role, and then a long-term injury.
Also in fairness to Rosicky, most games he played last season seemed to be with a somewhat second string line-up; passing to Chamakh and Arshavin is not going to get you many assists. This season, our front 3 shows some really good movement of the ball and I think this will suit the Little Mozart.
I note also that Tommy has become a bit tougher in the last couple of seasons than you’d expect for the skinny dude who was often regarded as a perma-crock. It’s good to see that attribute in a midfield player.
Howard Webb gives United a point at Chelsea. 3 points behind, is fourth actually possible?
Nice report Chary..and lovely ‘fans-eye view’ pics as well…
btw where’s London Calling?
@GoonerTerry, Cheers Tel, I suspect London calling may be at her caribeaan hide away as it is mid winter.
Two points I’d like to make:
1. Theo has started to believe in himself – Clues: (i) See Walcott’s run and second assist to RvP. Visible mental determination to get the ball in the six yard area. Observe his ‘relief’ expression in getting the ball there and RvP being there to convert. (ii) There was a comment here recently about Walcott’s ability to make a correct split-second decision of whether to shoot or pass. Watch Walcott’s mazy run and assist to Ox. He’s running with his head down, ready to shoot if there’s space, suddenly sees Ox off-his-marker, Walcott makes correct decision to pass. (iii) RvP’s 3rd goal, assist by the Coq. Observe Walcott moving-off his marker (marker left-flat footed) to clear the passing channel between Coq and RvP. Correct decision again. Note: Walcott is still work in progress.
2. There is only one Song – Alexandre Song’s incisive passing is improving. Stats in PL for 09/10, 10/11 and 11/12 seasons, respectively: Through balls: 0.4, 0.2 and 0.7; Key Passes Per Game: 0.9, 1.0 and 1.3; Assists: 1, 2 and 5. (Courtesy WhoScored.com).
After Theo’s assist for Robin;s second goal I could see how grateful Rpbin was for the set-up as not only did it put us back in front fairly soon after the equaliser.
The “Theee–o” cchant hadn’t been heard so much lately an dit was back in full force at the CLock End after our second goal.
It was almost as if you could see Theo’s confidence grow not just because he set up so many goals but the camaraderie of the squad made him feel very valued.
Hah… in one day
Theo is masterclass, thats terrorising defences
Ox is world class under the radar buy (Wenger genius?)
Rosicky is the master Yoda to Ramsey skywalker
Coq is mister flexibility
…no need to go to supermarket then..eh?
I think nothing much have changed greatly…only that the players are truly getting back from injury…
All we needed to was to keep the faith..
Bin bag-ers and “you dont spend fucking money”-ers need to wash the eggs off their faces..
Lets not be complacent and take any more than the belief that we are in the right path and that we have bagged 3 wonderful points.. Now for one more draw for the Liv-tots would make a perfect week..
Chary..thanks a lot..
Great report Chari, as usual (I have been reading them for some time). Ox is the real deal and so is Coq. RVP and Arteta are consistently good this season and Theo was plesant surprise. More of this please next week.
You’re very kind Dhruv, that was my 18th report a little over 2 years after my first if you can remember that far back.
The Ox was a revelation and the prosepct of a potent attack on the flanks is not as far away as we feared.
Excellent report, especially the bits from the stands and off camera, what we folks struggling with a pint at 5 am need. Coffee, actually…
I’m glad Theo had a productive day, but wonder if it is a bit illusory. Time and again, Theo went wide and to the end-line when he had the ball. Rovers’ backs were so poor that they could not stop him, but the rest of the league knows he does not cut inside and can stop him. I was disappointed that he did not try to expand his arsenal of threatening moves especially after the score was comfy. Even today, he has less ability to go inside to the middle than Eboue.
As for the Ox, he already has more ability to go to the middle than Theo. But let’s be cautious: this is his first time through the League, so they do not yet know him, or his key strengths. Let’s not overhype too soon. The Arsenal bench is full of victims of that.