Arsenal 2 Wolves 0
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Robin Bang! Persie lit up Arsene Wenger\’s 550th Premier League game with a thumping goal in each half.
The Dutchman volleyed in a Fabregas cross in 16 and then, in 56, finished off the most textbook team goal Arsenal have scored all season. Rarely have we seen six players combine in such an incisive counter-attack.
Djourou was exceptional in defence, the teamwork was solid, and Arsenal outplayed the side that beat Manchester United 2-1 last week.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy admitted his side were “spanked”. Job done.
Everyone can now see that Jack Wilshere is a natural footballer who is improving rapidly.
One dribble and pass was marvellous but, in the end, a wasted effort. From nine yards, Walcott missed by one yard. If he\’s gonna miss, he should miss by less than that.
Then Arsenal scored a coach\’s dream goal.
The ball was loose in the right back position, Sagna played it back first time to Djourou, he took two touches to send it to Wilshere, first time to Song, first time to Fabregas, first time to the sprinting Walcott, first time again to RVP, who took one touch and then another little touch in the D before banging in for 2-0.
One-touch football played at pace, that’s what Wenger teaches in the Colney Creche, and when it works it\’s exhirating.
When the game is stretched, when Arsenal are winning 1-0, you can score from perfect geometrical counter-attacks like that. But if it\’s 1-1 and you’re attacking nine defenders, you can\’t.
One by one the players have been coming back into better form in time for Barcelona, the biggest game of the season so far : Sagna is reminding fans of his debut season, Arshavin looks interested again, Walcott is stronger and fitter now, RVP is scoring regularly to keep Chamakh out of the side, and there’s even talk that Nasri will be fit for Wednesday night.
Arsenal remain four points behind Manchester United with 12 games left to play, so the United game in April could be the biggest for years, depending on what happens between now and then.
Talking about Jack Wilshere on Match of the Day, Alan Hansen said what I was long-windedly trying to say before the Denmark game : “He’s too good to be a holding player.”
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