Derby 2-6 Arsenal (Gunners restore some pride at the park)

Derby 2-6 Arsenal (Gunners restore some pride at the park)

Postby Reverend Gooner » Fri May 02, 2008 1:16 am

A win for arsenal was about as guaranteed as could be prior to this match with them taking on the worst ever team in the history of the Premier League. It is an old saying that you should take nothing for granted in this game but I imagine even the most superstitious of minds relaxed their morals to say “this is definitely an away win”.
The question was what was the score going to be? Up and coming Aston Villa thrashed them 6-0 at Pride Park yet the giants of Manchester United only managed a solitary 1-0 win, these results suggest that not every detail is so predictable.

The team news for the gunners saw Alexander Hleb serve the first of his 3 match ban for his out of character but none the less shameful lashing out in the previous match whilst injuries to Sagna, Rosicky, Diaby and Flamini all led to the inclusion of Song, Walcott and Denilson in the team whilst Adebayor was rested on the bench in favour of Nicklas Bendtner. Lucas Fabianski got his premier league debut for the gunners, which was good for the fans who have wanted to see more from him.

Derby had a much healthier squad to choose from but any team they put out was going to face a tough challenge against the weakened yet still strong Arsenal line up.


The match kicked off and Derby started extremely well in contrast to expectations and I dare say dominated Arsenal for a considerable period of time. They passed accurately and attacked with a freedom and vitality which is not befitting a team who have only achieved 11 points this season. They nearly took the lead in fortuitous circumstances when a shot by Sterjovsky was deflected off of Song and just landed past the post much to the relief of the stranded Fabianski.

For the first half of the first half the Arsenal team were taken aback by the way Derby were playing and credit to them as they put in an effort which deserved to lead to the opening goal.
However a shambolic error which was symbolic of Derby’s season gifted Arsenal with the chance to take the lead and they duly obliged. Darren Moore presented the ball to Nicklas Bendtner in a farcical fashion, who played a one two with Van Persie and slotted it into the bottom left hand corner.

It was harsh on Derby who could do with something to go right for them at some point this season but the gods of football do not seem to be paying them much grace and their story has been a tragic one. In fact they should have been 2 down by the time they got over their rotten luck when a brilliant passing move saw Van Persie presented with a clear chance inside the box only to shoot awfully wide. The best of this man is to come next season and hopefully an injury free Euro 2008 and careful pre season plan can see him putting chances like this away with ease in the next campaign.

It could have avalanched from there but Derby managed to find the goal that was richly deserved after some marginally dodgy defending and a slice of luck saw Jay McEveley tap into the net from a Robbie Savage free kick after his initial header flopped and the ball fell loose. The Derby players and fans were overjoyed with the goal and only the hardest hearted of Arsenal fans could have resented that goal going in.

Where the game was to go then was uncertain, could Derby put on a performance to be truly proud of and could they give themselves a chance to overcome Sunderland’s currently held lowest points total? A certain Dutchman gave them the answer 8 minutes later.

We had seen Robin Van Persie at his rustiest and now we got a glimpse at him at his most illustrious as he chested down a Kolo Toure lofted through pass in the area and thundered it on the volley into the roof of the net. Darren Moore who had previously caused Arsenal’s first goal had a hand in this one too by claiming offside when it clearly wasn’t and leaving RVP to his own devices. It was a shocker for Moore but take nothing away from RVP, that was a wonderful finish.

It was not going to end on a high however for the Dutchman because his ever recurring injury problems came back to haunt him and he was taken off at half time for Emmanuel Adebayor. Robin Van Persie is a colossal talent who looks as good as anyone else in the world when on fire but his injury struggles are leaving many arsenal fans wondering if they will ever see him in full flow again. Apparently the injury is minor but gooners from all corners of the globe can be forgiven for having doubts, next season is such a massive one for this very talented sportsman.



The teams came out for the second half although whatever spirit was flowing through Derby during the first half was well and truly banished because their defence dissolved like Andrews antacid in the face of the energetic Arsenal front line and the battering which it seemed could be avoided began to take shape.

Kolo Toure loves to get forward when he can and twice he managed to work himself into striking positions on his right thunderfoot, special mention to the assisting genius of Fabregas, but both shots went flying over. Bendtner and Adebayor both went close with a sweet volley and a well saved slotted finish respectively.

Theo Walcott looked very lively when the ball was in his area of interest and this match further staked a claim for a first team place next season. Theo orchestrated the third Arsenal goal on 59 minutes when he burst down the flank past the ancient Alan Stubbs and crossed into Ade at the far post via a deflection from Eboue and the Togan finished to put the game seemingly out of sight.

Arsenal started to dominate from this point and the Arsenal players were visibly enjoying themselves as they entertained the travelling fans with some smooth moves. The fourth Arsenal goal was looking imminent when something happened which would have made the sternest of the Queen’s royal guards break their statue like stance and gasp in wonder and bemusement, Derby County Football Club managed to score twice in a match.

The shameless mercenary Robert Earnshaw raced through the Arsenal defence (offside suspicions may warrant a second glance) from Andy Todd’s through pass and slotted the ball calmly home. The home crowd roared in approval and Earnshaw did his theatrics in celebration, the game was back on when it looked all over and both sets of players needed to switch back into gear. It was 77 minutes and the Derby players were ready to give maximum effort to earn a dramatic point off the gunners.

By 78 minutes any notion of that happening had disappeared.

Thierry Henry raced down the left wing after collecting a pass and deked into the area past a defender and curled the ball delightfully into the far corner to restore the 2 goal lead for the gunners. We have seen him do it so many times and it is one of the classiest trademark goals ever fashioned.

Oh i’m sorry did I say Thierry Henry.... I actually meant Theo Walcott but you could have mistaken it for Henry if you where shown the goal with Walcott blurred and asked to guess who scored it. It was another wonderful contribution from this late season flourish by Walcott. The end of the season can be seen as a disappointment for Arsenal but if any positives can be taken it is that this Englishmen looks more than ready to step up next season. The great expectation begins, could 2008/2009 be the year of Walcott? Answers on a postcard.

It was almost as if Arsenal thought that Derby were rude for scoring again and were looking to teach them a lesson because a further 3 minutes later Adebayor finished a cross from Gael Clichy and annihilated any hope that Derby would get a respectable scoreline from this match. Adebayor and Eboue decided to give the Arsenal fans some crazy dance in celebration to the goal and it was a very funny routine which showed a playful and jovial Arsenal in the face of such disappointment and it is good to see the spirits being lifted in this very gifted team.

The last ten minutes were comfortably Arsenals, Gallas was seen joking around in the opposition box for a corner and the body language was very positive throughout the whole team. Adebayor was on the prowl for his second hat trick against Derby this season and also the landmark 30 goals for the gunners this campaign, would he get it?

Before we find out we have time to mention when Emmanuel Eboue got a bit facety and thought he might score a goal. He burst in from the right hand side of the area and despite fantastic options in the box he decided to shoot for goal and predictably he flopped it big time, flying his Eboue 27 Fox 2 past the far post. He did not have a bad game but overall his season has been a disaster, both in footballing terms and sportsmanship terms.

That was not to be the last action of the match though because Adebayor hunted down his prey and after a trademark Fabregas through ball he took the ball around Roy Carroll and slotted it into an empty net. Cue funky dance and jubilation form the gunners fans, 6-2 was the score and a jolly rout it was in the end. Derby were spectators for the second half and despite claims that it “is only Derby”, putting 6 past any team is impressive and this form should bode the gunners well against Everton at the Emirates on Sunday.



The whistle went and Paul Jewell trudged on to give another morbid interview to the press. It was a rout but fair play to Derby, their first half form was largely impressive and if they play like that next season they should batter the championship although some changes in defence are needed, the mistakes they have made this season would be punished down Beckenham Place Park let alone Pride Park.

As for Arsenal a very good performance and some great goals too, so far the strong end to the season is working out fine and the 80 point barrier is in sight. Arsenal may be third but 80+ points is a great tally although Everton will be a tough barrier to it because their season still has great meaning. All eyes to Sunday then, we have seen all we could see here and a great spectacle it was.

Kudos to Adebayor for reaching the 30 goal barrier for Arsenal, whatever people say about him that is an impressive tally and one many thought not possible for any gunner since the sale of Thierry Henry. If he can do it again next season then the loss of the great man will truly be cushioned!


Up the gunners :Peace:
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Re: Derby 2-6 Arsenal (Gunners restore some pride at the park)

Postby SE13 » Fri May 02, 2008 4:17 am

Top stuff! I especially liked the bit about Theo being mistaken for TH14! :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Derby 2-6 Arsenal (Gunners restore some pride at the park)

Postby rvtheace » Fri May 02, 2008 5:14 am

Great report! The dances were really something else. :biggrin:
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