What a good game. It was one of those that could have been 5-3 had both teams taken their best chances, but three excellent shots did find the back of the net, and fortunately two of them beat Joe Hart, and only one beat Petr Cech. It seemed as though both teams were sent out to defend first, but could not restrain themselves from expressing their natural characters. The game became quite open for several stretches, then one or the other side would bunker in for a while.
Ozil added two assists to his otherworldly total. He has 15 in 16 games; the EPL record is 20 (in 38, of course). If he stays healthy, he should smash it. The first was a pass that looked intended for Monreal cutting in from the wing, but Theo intercepted it, took a step inside, and lashed it inside the far post past a flailing Hart in the 33rd minute. After a flurry of action, Arsenal latched onto a loose ball and Ozil fed Giroud peeling around the center back pair, and he spanked it first-time through Hart's legs. Check out the flight of this shot--it was struck very sweetly. What a dream end to a fine half of football.
Arsenal came out flying in the second half and spurned a couple chances to make it 3-0, living dangerously rather than playing a safety first strategy. Frankly, I liked that. When we did bunker in, we seemed to be inviting City on. (On corner kicks, why the heck don't we station Walcott on the center line, and hoist any clearance in his general direction? It's not as though he's likely to contribute to defending a kick into the box, and he'd keep their two fullbacks occupied.) Yaya Toure eventually woke up and placed an absolutely perfect shot past a well-positioned Flamini into the top corner--Cech could only watch. The final stages of the game became rather tense as the points were in jeopardy, but we retained possession for most of extra time and City did not seem likely to score again.
All in all, this was the kind of gritty home performance we needed. Both teams were missing key players, though Aguero was back. City hadn't scored in a while and their away form has been awful, so this was one we had to win if we have pretensions to winning the league. And we did win. Every Gunner played well. Walcott needed that goal; it has to help him down the line. Ramsey is looking desperate to score, and is doing everything but finish his chances. Flamini got high marks for his work rate and positional sense, as well as his lively direction to the other midfielders. He sure likes to point and yell--he's like a young French Bernie Sanders. Joel should have scored two today, but he contributed all game, putting himself about all over the right side of the field. (I know the idea is to have him and Theo cut across the field and shoot with their strong foot, but I still like right-footers on the right and left-footers on the left. Eh.) Giroud was magnificent--he's a beast and a beauty all in one. Ozil--sublime! The defensive line was excellent, all of them, and so was Cech. Great team effort. The subs contributed energy but did not distinguish themselves. Gibbs misplaced some passes, and the Ox just can't find his rhythm.
Wenger's team selection and tactics were better than Pellegrini's; this was his victory as much as anyone's. There's a good feeling around the club now. Alexis is sorely missed, and it looks as though Coquelin and Cazorla will be out even longer, but the guys who can play are doing a very good job. And we are super strong on defense--Gabriel, Gibbs, and Debuchy can't even get on the field except as late defensive substitutes, if then. And those guys would start on most EPL teams.
We're still two back of Leicester, but they're a small team with a crowded schedule facing them, and I like our chances of passing them. City is four back and there's a crowd sitting seven points back, so dropping points is not something we can afford to do much the rest of the way.
Merry Christmas.
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