Kevin Whitcher
Theo Walcott spent 85 minutes trying to produce a decent cross, Andrey Arshavin produced two in five minutes. The Russian is much-maligned and has become something of a boo boy to the fans, although I always maintain that, in the infamous Manchester United game, if Walcott instead of The Ox had been removed from the fray, there would have been no dissent in the crowd. Arshavin is technically gifted, but no worker. Teams have to be built around such players, and the way he has been used at Arsenal has failed to get the best out of him. It begs the question as to why he was bought in the first place, although there is a belief that the board pressed the manager into making a name signing when he was purchased, as the 2008-09 season was going off the rails.
Still, given a few minutes to make an impact, he delivered at the Stadium of Light, ultimately by providing the ball on a sixpence for Thierry Henry to do what he does best, and write the headlines for this match. The last two games have turned Henry’s spell from a magic moment against Leeds to one that has justified the exercise. Granted, the goal against Blackburn was more sentimental than significant, but the two extra points his contribution gained yesterday could prove critical if the team he will leave behind can use the win as a platform for the three difficult Premier League fixtures on the horizon.
The other goal was scored by Aaron Ramsey, who rediscovered his shooting boots after a few weeks of habitually skying decent chances. Inspired substitutions? Well, Henry for the Ox was understandable, even if Theo was having a worse game. Mertesacker for Ramsey obviously wasn’t in the plan, but given his injury led to Sunderland going one up, the decision to move Song back seemed the logical one. And Walcott’s removal was long overdue.
Until the last 20 minutes, Arsenal had struggled, the final ball invariably not of the quality required. Sunderland were as difficult to overcome as was expected given their run under Martin O’Neill, their turnaround proof of the benefit of change. It will be interesting to see what he can get from Nicklas Bendtner once he returns from injury. Back to the game, and Szczesny made a couple of quality saves to keep the scores level, having to be more on his toes than Sunderland’s keeper. However, at the death, quality told, to provide the travelling fans with three points for the first time since before Christmas.
With Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool all losing, it was an afternoon when things fell the Gunners’ way. Spurs are off and over the horizon, a demonstration that you do not need the petrodollars Ivan Gazidis bangs on about to compete in this league, so at least that particular fallback position can now be filed away and forgotten about. But Arsenal are now where the board need them to be, in fourth place, mainly due to Chelsea’s astonishing collapse under Villas-Boas.
With Milan away the next fixture, one wonders if Kieran Gibbs will return at left back, with Vermaelen switching to the middle, or Song moved back with both Rosicky and Ramsey starting. I also wonder if the manager might be tempted to start Arshavin in place of the Ox, although a pairing of Gibbs and the diminutive Russian on the same flank might not prove the wisest of moves. Still, the manager is paid £20,000 a day to make these kind of decisions. Nice work if you can get it.
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