Kevin Whitcher
This was just what Arsenal and their fans needed. Except maybe, for the number that have reached the stage of wishing the team fail so that the manager can be changed more quickly. I really can’t see that happening however disastrous this season might turn out to be, and I certainly can’t bring myself to hope the team lose matches.
On paper, Arsenal can still win a trophy this season, and I hope they do. Unless they suddenly develop a defensive game worthy of the name, then the FA Cup is their best shot, but results like this in the league will do confidence overall no harm at all. Fourth place, though achievable, would require wins in ten matches from the remaining 14, according to Arseblogger - 70 points plus being the required target. That doesn’t seem likely, but at least yesterday proved that the Gunners are still capable of putting poor sides to the sword, something they haven’t always found easy of late.
Unquestionably the early goal made all the difference. It was the kind of day when latecomers (and there were many, due to the tube problems) and early leavers (who did not really need to leave given the match finished at 3pm) missed some fine moments.
Blackburn suffered because Arsenal’s wide players Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain worked effectively and reached the by-line regularly. Such an approach will usually provide greater danger than trying to pick a way through the middle and the results speak for themselves. When the visitors then had a man sent off at 3-1, there seemed little doubt that the result was safe. A rare feeling these days, but a welcome one. Arsenal’s dominance was a pleasure to watch and they need to start asserting their superiority against lesser sides like this on a more consistent basis if they are ever going to return to the force of days gone by. I think we last saw such a performance at Wigan away. If teams are in fear of you, then your chances of victory are immediately boosted. A huge part of the game is psychological, and when Arsenal under Wenger were at their peak, there was many a game which was effectively won before it had kicked off.
One thing that had me confused. The manager talked about the possible need to rest Robin van Persie ahead of this game. He in fact started, but having scored a hat-trick and with the game safe, wouldn’t it have been logical to take him off and simply put Thierry Henry on for him instead of Oxlade-Chamberlain? With the amount of matches the Ox has played this season, which player is closer to the fabled ‘red zone’?
The final goal was a wonderful moment. Selfless first by Henry, and then in turn by Van Persie. I thought of the fans that left early and pondered how many more opportunities they’d have to witness the Arsenal legend score.
At 6-1 up, I wondered if there might be someone that started a chant of ‘There’s only one Arsène Wenger’ before the game was done. It never materialized. There is a great deal of repair work to be done between the manager and the supporters, and this was symptomatic. A real indication that a lot of people are very unhappy with the way things have been handled by him this campaign. It’s interesting to note that, due to the lack of transfer activity in January, the 2011/12 financial year will post healthy profits for Arsenal, due to the sales of Fabregas and Nasri. So the people that are running the club will consider it another successful year.
As for the black bin bags on seats protest, apparently they would not fit over the empty seats. Some real planning had gone into that one. Still, in my opinion, the red of the non-attendees’ spots speaks volumes at every match where their purchasers do not show up. From a distance, covering them with something black would actually negate the embarrassment to an extent. Until the team start justifying the prices the club are charging with on field performances such as this one, there will be many games with a significant number of vacant pews. One thing's for sure though. In most cases, these seats have been paid for, just not used. So when the monies are totted up, the only loss is the matchday programme income and any food and drink the absentee might have bought in the stadium. And most of that money is paid to other concerns as I understand it. So on the balance sheets, everything in the Arsenal garden is rosy. It’s when the empty seats are not being paid for that a sleeping billionaire in Colorado might finally stir. Bin liners, even XXXL ones, won’t have quite the same effect.
The current issue of the Gooner can also be bought outside the stadium at the game away at Sunderland next weekend. It is also available to buy online here. You can also get an e-version of the issue to read on your ipad/tablet/iphone/android. The app is free and you can download the first few pages of each issue to decide whether or not to purchase the whole thing
