A break Much Needed

Top of the morning to y’all

If there was anything like a ‘get out of jail card’ Arsenal played it perfectly yesterday and it was a break that the team needed. Very much.  Playing in front of their own fans on the back of three successive league defeats including last weekend’s loss to United where the manager’s decision was called into question after subbing The Ox™.

The team looked to be headed for a repeat of last week’s loss when at half time we were 2-0 down. We started the game brightly and looked comfortable in possession but had little to show for all that as apart from the Verminator’s thunderbolt shot from 30 yards out in the early exchanges, we did not really test their keeper with Walcott skewing a good chance, The Ox™ having his shot saved as well as Rosciky having his tame effort smothered at the second attempt.

The Villans capitalised on our time proven defensive frailties in the air and with the tallest man on the pitch as well as the best defencive header of the ball in the league on our side, we still couldn’t deal with Robbie Keane’s chip into the box as Koz was caught ball watching and Dunne rose above him to head home the goal. Their second goal was a classic counter attack that would have caught any team in the league napping as Darren Bent got on the end of Ireland’s pass to score at the second attempt. And they say that dude is an Arsenal fan? He is more of a Drogba than anything else. That was his seventh goal in nine games against us. As the players headed down the tunnel at half time, the boos were already ringing through the stands.

The second half saw a completely different team and spirit in the side and a crazy 15 minutes was all the lads needed to turn the game completely on its head.  The BFG gave us a sign of things to come as his well-placed header was cleared on the line before Alex Song’s through pass found Ramsey in the box and the agbaya Dunne hacked down the poor boy. That abgaya is probably old enough to be Ramsey’s father and he still did not mind to break his leg. Van Persie dispatched the spot kick before Walcott’s over-sabi nearly cost us the chance of an equalizer but was lucky that Hutton’s clearance ricocheted off him into the back of the net. 

The third goal came when Koz made a fantastic run into the Villa box only to be felled by Bent and we were awarded a second penalty in seven minutes which Van Persie duly dispatched and did that Man shitty reject really think Robin would put the ball in same corner? ode. 

That was the game ladies and gentlemen and if some weird reason football is a game where the first half is 45mins and the second is 15mins, we still would have won that game. Nothing else of note happened except of course the introduction of Sagna and Arteta which would definitely give the squad a massive lift. I wonder if we would have had a repeat of last week's boos if the manager had brought on Arshavin instead of Henry for the Ox, well we will never know. 

Arsene said of the performance after the game 

'It was a good test to show that we had the mental qualities to come back. On the other hand it was important that we didn't panic [at half time]. To concede a goal just on half time for 2-0 was a difficult blow, but we responded very well against Manchester United here [last week] and we did it again today. I hope [it means] that we can bounce back in the Premier League as well. I hope it convinces the team we have the required qualities and we can transfer that to the Premier League'

We definitely hope they can transfer that spirit into the league. But we indeed needed a break. A break from 3 consecutive league defeats, a break from the hellish injuries that have threatened to plunder our season into crisis, a break from stupid referees who have failed to award penalties that were so obvious, a break from the constant negative media that continue to come our way, a break from 6 years without a silverware to our name. Yes we needed a break and yesterday's game might just have provided the self belief and confidence that seemed to have waned in the past few weeks.

The transfer window slams shut in a few days and it seems the only piece of business we would do this January would be the loan signing of Henry. Most fans would not be surprised with this but we still got two days left and as much as i ain't ruling anything out am not holding my breath for anything either. I certainly do hope Arsene buys some quality before the deadline though.

That's about it folks. Am still working on the comments gadget with Blogger am sure y'all have something to say and the comments page has been fucking up. Will get that fixed as soon as possible. Till Wednesday then when I bring you a preview of the Bolton game. God bless the Arsenal. Iree o