Paper Over the Cracks

ARSENAL 3 – ASTON VILLA 2

Phew.

It’s safe to say that January has been a pretty shit month for us Gooners. Zero points out of nine in the League, and only a shaky 1-0 win over Leeds United in the 3^rd Round of the FA Cup to really shout about before today. A set back for Jack Wilshere in his return from injury, and no good news about Kieran Gibbs or Abou Diaby either.

It was safe to say that anyone could be forgiven for being a little bit pessimistic today, ahead of our 4^th Round FA Cup tie at home to Aston Villa. Although low morale was given a slight boost pre-match, due to the return to the squad for Bacary Sagna and Mikel Arteta, both of whom where on the bench.

After a good start to the game, it appeared that this time we might actually get it right. Thomas Vermaelen forced an excellent save from Shay Given with a ripper from 30 yards, and Theo Walcott couldn’t make the most out of a decent position inside the Villa box after losing his feet following a despairing tackle from Carlos Cuellar.

It was standard Arsenal. Dominating possession, and getting into good areas of the pitch. But failing with the end product when it mattered most. And we all know what this usually results in: conceding.

Per Mertesacker has been exceptionally solid for the past couple of games. However he was caught wondering, allowing a hole in the Arsenal defence, and Laurent Koscielny covered to put the ball out for a corner. From which, Richard Dunne headed home after he rose highest above a couple of Arsenal defenders.

1-0  to Villa. Against the run of play. But same old same old for The Arsenal.

We were then back at it. Pressing, asking questions, but not really doing anything to truly test Given in the Aston Villa goal. And just as half time was approaching, we found ourselves two down.

Credit where it’s due, this was actually a pretty decent goal from Villa. They counter attacked with pace and purpose, and Darren Bent got in behind the Arsenal defence to force a save from Lucasz Fabianski. Unfortunately, Bent was able to get on to the follow up, and slid the ball home from a tight angle. It was a great finish, and a damning blow to Arsenal, as, despite being the better side in the first half, we found ourselves two goals down at the interval.

I don’t really know what happened at half time. I have no eyes or ears inside the Arsenal dressing room. All I can talk about is what I saw on twitter. And it wasn’t pretty. Cries of ‘Wenger Out’ were circulating the loudest. The usual jargon followed; shit squad, shit coaches, shit everything. It was horrible to see.

I was critical at half time, sure. I wasn’t happy with our defence, who were completely to blame for both conceded goals. I wasn’t happy with Fabianski, for his eccentric behaviour, and terrible distribution. I was impressed with our boys going forward. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was extremely brigh. Tomas Rosicky was dictating the flow of the midfield, with Aaron Ramsey also impressive. Even Theo Walcott, who wasn’t at his brilliant best, was showing more effort than usual.

I’m not going to get drawn into the half time boos as the players came off the pitch. If I were to start writing about whether they are right or wrong, this essay like blog would turn into a novel. I don’t agree with them, and that’s my opinion. Others are welcome to theirs. End.

My final tweet before the second half was a simple one. We had 45 minutes to salvage our last real shot at winning a trophy this season.

And boy did we.

It took less than ten minutes for Arsenal to claw the first goal back. Dunne, already on a yellow card, brought down Ramsey as the Welshman weaved his way into the area. A clear penalty, and probably the right decision to keep the Irishman on the field too. Robin van Persie sent Given the wrong way, and suddenly we were back in the game.

2-0 is a dangerous score line. Time and time again, teams who have had a two-goal lead have seen this abruptly overturned. The most notable one that sticks in my mind, is when we surrendered a two goal lead at home to Sp*rs last season, to lose 3-2. It’s dangerous because football is all about momentum. You’re two nil down, get a goal back, and suddenly it’s all to play for. You have the momentum, it’s your fans singing, and it’s you that has the belief. Score again, and it’s all square, and the momentum is even more in your favour. You get the rest..

We then found ourselves all square, with the little bit of luck that we’ve been longing for, for over a month. Walcott stepped it up a notch in the second half, and skinned Stephen Warnock to the by-line. His attempted cross was parried by Given, and Alan Hutton’s attempted clearance then cannoned into Walcott and into the net.

When was the last time we had some luck like that? Not for a while, that’s for sure.

From here, there was only one winner. Aston Villa still occasionally posed a threat going forward, but the momentum was all with Arsenal. And we didn’t have to wait long for the decisive moment either.

Koscielny surged forward with exceptional skill and pace, and was brought down by Darren Bent clumsily inside the box. Definite penalty. Given anticipated a repeat from RVP’s first penalty, and dove low to his right. But the Dutchman drove the penalty high to the keepers left, and preceded to celebrate with Thierry Henry and others on the touchline.

We held on. It wasn’t convincing till the end, but we did it. Arteta and Sagna were both introduced, with the former especially shoring up the middle of the park, and dictating the play with composure and stability.

It was great to see Sagna return too. As I’ve mentioned before, I have no doubt his return will bring the very best out of Walcott again. We need to be patient with Sagna, not expect too much too soon, and hope he stays injury free to the end of the season. A lot may ride on it.

Thierry Henry also eventually made it onto the field, and the full time whistle finally arrived. It was a welcome relief, a much-needed win, and a pleasant end to what has been an exceptionally poor month.

ANALYSIS

It really was a tale of two halves. At half time we were staring down the barrel of only having 4^th place in the League left to realistically chase. We all want a good Champions League run, but surely not even the most optimistic Arsenal fan will think we genuinely have a chance to win it.

We have to credit the team. For all their faults of late, they all came out fighting in the second half and played for the badge with pride and passion. Which is exactly what we’ve been crying out for recently.

The Ox was again fantastic. What I love about him is that he is fearless. He gets the ball, and he runs. Walcott often gets the ball, makes a couple of moves, sizes up the situation, and then passes. Neither of them are wrong, but it’s good that they are different. I guess it’s still the innocence that The Ox has. He hasn’t yet seen it all, or truly come up against the best left backs in the world. He believes he can beat anyone. And why shouldn’t he? He’s been excellent in the past two games.

Wenger has been true to his word, and said The Ox would get more game time in 2012. The Chinese have just begun the year of the Dragon. Ours is the year of The Ox. I have no doubt. I only hope too much expectation isn’t placed on him, that he DOESN’T go to the Euros, and that he doesn’t get ahead of himself. He has serious potential, and I can’t think of a better 18-year-old in the country, or in Europe right now.

Another notable mention must go to Rosicky. He really is a good player, despite what many people think. He works hard, puts his body on the line, and more often than not provides fantastic link play from defence to attack. If only he didn’t have those horrible injuries around the time he joined us, who knows how good he could have been. But he’s still very useful, and someone I’d like to hang around for another few years yet.

I don’t know what to say about the defence. In the first half, they were unorganised, lacking leadership and shape, and generally all over the place. Was it the lack of Wojciech Szczesny behind them? I don’t know. They were better in the second half. Hopefully it was just a blip, and a poor 45 minutes only. They are all good players, we know that.

So, where does this leave us? Well it puts us in the 5^th Round of the FA Cup, with a trip to the North East against the winners of the to be replayed tie between Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

The FA Cup is our best chance of silverware this season. Some people don’t like this being said, but it’s a simple fact. A lot of people are also asking what would be better; fourth place on it’s own, or fifth place and the FA Cup. My response? Why can’t we combine the two?

With both Manchester clubs now out of the competition, and with the exception of Liverpool, it is very favourable that a London club will win the oldest cup competition in the world. In my mind, there’s no reason why we can’t win it whilst maintaining decent form in the League. The two can go hand in hand, especially with some of our key players now returning.

But it’s all a big ‘if’ right now, and at 4.50pm today we were as good as out of the competition. We should be grateful we’re still there, and praise the team for turning it around.

It’s true that Arsenal fans are very much split in opinions at the moment, and at half time today this was obvious. The ‘Wenger Out’ brigade were in force lamenting the lack of spending, terrible tactics, and other such deficiencies. The rest of us were talking about the faults of the first half: the players on show. And emphasising the need to turn it around, and the belief that it could happen.

I’m not saying the ‘Wenger Out’ brigade doesn’t want Arsenal to win (well, I hope they don’t). But there are ways you should handle a losing position, and screaming woes about off-field matters really are no way to go about it. Be constructively critical yes, but support your team no matter what. It was incredible how it only took a 15-minute spell to change the mentality of a large proportion of those crying ‘Wenger Out’ at half time.

Yes, there are still problems. Yes, we’re still not where we want to be. And yes, we’re still not totally convincing over the whole 90 minutes on the pitch. Which is why today I’ve gone for the title ‘Paper Over the Cracks’. There are still cracks very much present, but this afternoon’s comeback has enabled us to temporarily let them slide, and enjoy that winning feeling again.

Sometimes it only takes one moment to ignite a decent change in fortune. Will our fighting comeback this afternoon prove to be that moment? Time will tell, but it will for sure be a huge confidence boost to the team and supporters alike.

Winston Churchill said it best when he said the following: “Never, never, never, never give up”.

This afternoon we saw an Arsenal side that refused to give up. Hopefully they, and we supporters, won’t give up on the chase for a Champions League spot, AND the FA Cup. And even progression in this years elite European competition. I know I won’t.

And I end this blog with the same words I’ve ended the previous two, although this time I’m delighted that I can use it on a more positive note:

Arsenal Football Club – proud after victory, loyal after defeat.

Well Arsenal Football Club, tonight I’m bloody proud of you.