Arsenal 3-0 Villa!

Arsenal 3-0 Villa!

Postby Rockin' Robin » Sun Dec 27, 2009 6:52 pm

A great win by a flattering scoreline - 2-0 would have been more accurate, but I'm certainly not complaining. A fantastic cameo by super sub Cesc Fabregas got him 2 goals in 28 minutes, while Abou Diaby capped off a fine game with a pearler in the dying embers of the game. Phil Dowd was the referee, and had a good game in my eyes, although he could have sent Alex Song off for two bookings after some fairly consistent fouling by the Cameroonian.

My first game I've been to since Stoke, because my older brother's been hogging the fixtures this season, and Arsene brought back the returning Armand Traore into left back, while otherwise there was the same defence + goalkeeper. Denilson, Diaby and Song were the midfield, while the frontline, probably the world's shortest ever, was composed of Eduardo, Arshavin and Nasri.

Speaking of Eduardo, he missed a great chance after about just five minutes. Good work down the right by Diaby saw the Croatian turn into space inside the area, only to fluff his shot straight at Brad Friedel, on his stronger foot no less! There was barely any pressure on him, and you would have expected Eduardo of all people to bury that, a few months back, but something seems to have gotten to him - he nearly missed from 5 yards against Hull last week!

A few long range efforts scared Villa, from Denilson, Sagna and Nasri, before a fairly uneventful half came to a close. As usual Mr. Wenger made no changes at half time, and the lads came out again to have an effort cleared off the line a few minutes later; Gallas having a flick on hoofed away by Carlos Cuellar after Friedel got a touch.

Then on came Cesc Fabregas for Denilson, and quickly had a long range free kick narrowly shave the crossbar from a distance only Cristiano Ronaldo would score from, you'd think. But after pulling the strings completely for a few more minutes, he won a free kick, and placed the ball with intent. I said to the ladies in front at that point that I fancied a second goal from a free kick in as many games, and Cesc didn't let me down, curling the ball powerfully up and over the wall right into the corner, not the top corner, yet not the bottom either, a perfect finish. We went mental where I was sitting, and I was reminded of the best feeling I'm yet to experience - when your team scores a goal. Jumping up and down in your seat, hugging randoms and screaming in their faces, the irrepressable joy of a goal. Football at it's best.

Nine minutes from time, Cesc added another. Villa were trying to draw back level, and for once committed a lot of men into our half. The ball fell to Traore, who sprayed a beautiful diagonal ball to Theo Walcott, who had recently been brought on for the frustrating Eduardo. Theo played it into Fabregas' path, and with his first touch slammed the ball into the bottom corner, although as he got up he was limping. He had to go off, with a possible recurrence of his hamstring injury that meant he only made the bench, and on came Aaron Ramsey in his place, but the damage had already been done.

After a nervous ten minutes, Abou Diaby waltzed past a couple of defenders to curl home a peach into the bottom corner from 25 yards or so. A fine way to cap off a magnificent - well I was going to say evening but it was a 1.30 kick off! - afternoon for the Gunners, and we went up to second, four points behind Chelsea with a game in hand, although only momentarily as Man United unconvincingly beat Hull 3-1 to leapfrog us into second.

Oh and also, one of Arshavin's best moments in the game was a beautifully cheeky nutmeg on Downing, the Russian scampering away from the opponents' goal to embarras his opponent, slipping the ball delighfully through his legs, grinning and laughing all the way.
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Re: Arsenal 3-0 Villa!

Postby Gunner Down Under » Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:08 pm

7th report, still the best! :)
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Re: Arsenal 3-0 Villa!

Postby SE13 » Mon Dec 28, 2009 9:08 am

Good stuff Sam :)
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Re: Arsenal 3-0 Villa!

Postby Git » Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:08 am

Great report as always mate.

Super phrasing: ''the irrepressable joy of a goal''.
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