I saw the replay of their goal and it was just a kind of jammy goal that happens every once in a while. It was a huge kick forward by the huge kicking Paul Robinson and then N'zonzi got his head to it ahead of Vermaelen and it looped over Mannone, who wasn't ideally positioned.
We almost responded immediately, Diaby played the ball to one of our players for once and then van Persie played it out wide to Arshavine to continue the flowing move. The little Russian chipped the ball to the back post for Cesc whose looping header was helped onto the bar by Robinson and we had nobody following up and they hoofed clear, as they did for the rest of the game. Then on 17 minutes they tried to pass the ball forward and the Vermanator came storming through to intercept and was fouled in the process. The Belgian kept his balance and stormed on where he was clipped over harshly. He rolled over, picked himself up when Drogba would have been on the ground for 5 minutes, and ran on. Diaby collected the ball and passed to Cesc, who dinked it back to Vermaelen who teed himself up to unleash a 25 yard rasper past Robinson and into the side netting to make it 1-1.
It really was a very good goal and it was born out of Vermaelen's stern determination. He won the ball in the first place and despite being fouled twice ran on and got his goal, a brick wall wouldn't have stopped him. It was his 5th of the season, so he remains our top scorer, and at this rate he'll win the golden boot.
Then, in about the 30th minute Cesc had the ball on the edge of the box and tried to curl a low shot into the far post but Robinson saved well. Again we didn't have a poacher in on the rebound, something that Eduardo is better than anyone at, and so the slimy Diouf cleared and for once cleared well as he played a great pass to the breaking Brett Emerton. He raced forward and we were caught in a 3 v 2. Clichy wasn't working too hard to get back and neither was anyone else really.
The ball made it's way to the excellent Dunn who cut inside and shot against Gallas shin, wrong footing Don Vito, and into the net. The boys in the pub said it was lucky but there's nothing really lucky about a team scoring on a 3 v 2 break. We just got caught up the field and amazingly were down 2-1.
2 minutes later, in a move that Fabregas started by winning then taking a free kick in the center circle, van Persie finished Cesc' great splitting pass. Cesc slid him in between 2 defenders on the left side of the area and as Robinson moved to cover his near post van Persie hit low into the far post. 2-2 after 33 minutes. It was RvP's 9th goal in 8 games against Blackburn, they must hate him over there.
4 minutes later and we were up for the first time in the game. A long free kick from Mannone, whose kicking is very inconsistent, was poorly headed by a Blackburn player under aerial challenge from Diaby. The ball fell to Cesc who fed Arshavin much the same way he fed van Persie and he finished much the same too. Low with the left and we were up 3-2.
It took us 7 minutes to turn the game around from 2-1 down and we kept going too. We kept possession well, we kept going forward and they had no answer what so ever. We played very narrow, rarely using the width and when we did it was usually on the right side. Like towards the end of the half when we could have made it 4. Song played the ball out of the middle to van Persie who toyed with the fullback before dropping the ball to Rosicky. He cut inside and with the outside of his right foot curled an irresistible ball to the far post for Cesc to head, which he did but Robinson got down at his near post very well. Too bad, it would have been some goal, a goal Cesc deserved too.
So we went in at half time 3-2 up and more than good value for our lead. Then right at the beginning of the second half Gallas lost out on a 50-50 to dos Santos and the ball was poked out into space. Dunn beat lazy Song and dribbled into the box. He was lucky to break Gallas' tackle and unlucky not to win a penalty as Vermaelen got none of the ball with an outstretched leg that brought Dunn down until the attacker was on the floor. Despite the fact it was probably a penalty it was never stone wall and it sure as shit was never a red card. And Dunn probably shouldn't have been playing anyway after his ridiculous challenge on Mannone where he lashed a kung fu kick on the boys chin when the ball was around waste height.
Not long afterwards Blackburn were given a soft free kick when the 200 pound Emerton was supposedly bowled over by the 150 pound Clichy. It was cleared by Cesc to about 40 yards where Olsenn hit a thundering volley that was heading for the side netting, but the Godfather made a great save to his left. Again, a save that I'm reluctant to say Almunia would have made.
From then on it was all us. Around the 56th minute Arshavin stormed up the right inside channel and tried feeding van Persie, who was excellent throughout. The ball was scrambled clear down the line by Chimbonda, but only as far as Arshavin who found Fabregas on the D. He tried putting Rosicky through but a sliding interception popped the ball in the air. Rosicky's overhead kick found Fabregas who chested the ball down and half volleyed a left footer into the top corner from the edge of the area. A really great goal and a terrifically assuring celebration from Fabregas, which, for some ridiculous reason, the papers are claiming means he's leaving in the summer. Then on near 70 minutes Theo came on for his first appearance of the season for the outstanding Rosicky, who I'm sure was frustrated at not getting in the goal action, although he had come close with a blaster from the edge of the box that just missed the top corner.
Just after Walcott's introduction Vermaelen made an outrageous diving header block which pushed a Blackburn shot onto the post, although Mannone may have had it covered. Blackburn came forward again and were in the box on this rare occasion when Gallas cleared. The ball found it's way to Arshavin who broke with considerable speed down the left and on came the Arsenal sprint break away relay squad. van Persie made a great run across the box to open up space for Cesc just inside the area. He helped the ball onto Walcott who, without breaking stride, side footed into the far corner for 5. We may have been playing narrow, and that may have been our downfall in a few games but it was working yesterday. A great welcome back for Theo who was very pleased about his goal.
Fabregas went off shortly afterwards to a deafening rapture of applause and rightfully so. It was the old Cesc, he took over the entire game and brought the ball from back to front with style, authority and command. It was a true captains performance, which showed leadership, hard work and unparalleled quality. 4 assists, 1 goal, 1 Cesc Fabregas.
Ramsey came on for him and Bendtner for Arshavin. Ramsey did quite well and had some good ideas, although a few of his attempted passes were just off the mark, with some more game time he'll be a very clever passer indeed. What he does do that seems a little silly, is dribble in circles when he's completely unchallenged. Check this out around 11:11.
Bendtner worked very hard for a goal and was frustrated a few times, missing a couple of chances that should certainly have been put to better use. Especially van Persie's outrageous backheal on the edge of the box, that deserved a goal.
We got a corner from one of those chances and Song's header was saved very well by Robinson and then Gallas follow up should have produced a penalty as n'Zonzi brought him down rather violently. It proved academic of course as moments later Ramsey's big ball found Bendtner who dribbled inside and got his goal in superb fashion, cutting inside 3 defenders before unleashing a great shot off the far post.
Overall it was a great performance with some style and superb finishing. We weren't at full throttle either. Cesc was amazing and the rest of the team performed very well, except for Diaby who was generally not that good and gave away the ball far too much. The onlooking Thierry Henry saw that we're coming into great form and the also watching potato look a like Ronald Koemen will have seen that AZ Alkemaar will have a tough time in our upcoming Champions' League fixtures.
Wenger had some good words you can find here. We've got a long interlull coming and let's hope none of our boys get injured as our squad is coming together. We should have Nasri back soon, Fabianski and Almunia, provided he doesn't die of a chest infection. We'll have to wait another 6 weeks on Denilson but I think we can cope in the mean time with Rosicky and Nasri coming back and Theo and Vela already there. In two weeks when Eduardo's fit we'll be a serious force. I can't wait!
Highbury86
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