Having spent the entire campaign fielding Olivier Giroud as lone striker, it seemed inevitable that, sooner or later, the Frenchmen would pick up an injury, and so it transpired against Newcastle at the weekend. Bendtner, the only other striker in the squad, already not an entirely convincing option to step in, has now been sidelined too. The need for suitable reinforcements in this department could not be more desperate at this point – especially given the rather ineffectual performance of Lukas Podolski as a makeshift centre forward against Cardiff.
Typical. You wait 89 minutes for a goal and the two show up at once. A game in which Arsenal created but failed to take a stupefying number of chances was settled very late on as persistence was eventually rewarded.
In the Nik of Time
As the match looked to be meandering towards a disappointing draw, a ball into the box saw Bacary Sanga rise higher than everyone else to power a header towards David Marshall’s goal. The Cardiff keeper pulled off a brilliant point blank save but could only push the ball to the feet of Niklas Bendtner who, after coming on as a second half substitute, slammed home from close range to give Arsenal a more than deserved lead and send fans delirious.
The significance of the goal cannot be understand and I’m sure I speak for all of you (with perhaps the exception of James ‘Raul’ Stokes AKA @_ArmchairGooner and his Jam antics), when I say we were all mightily delighted to see the Big Dane pop up when he did. Last gasp winners are always wonderful moments. Curiously, Bendtner is something of a specialist when it comes to scoring important late goals in Arsenal colours – see Bolton at home 2009, Hull away 2010 and Wolves at home in the same year.
Be that as it may, the fact that these other career highlights came so long ago means that we must be wary of overeating and indulging in revisionism over Big Nik’s time in North London. I’m not going to repeat the view that I’ve read elsewhere that he is a ‘hard worker’ because it quite simply isn’t true! While we would obviously like to see him contribute like this more regularly, this impressive cameo is unfortunately the exception rather than the norm as far as his time at the club is concerned.
Any hopes of this goal kick-starting a run where we finally realise that Nikky B is in fact the 30 goal a season striker we’re crying out for were dashed instantly. In a cruel twist of fate, Bendtner was injured in the process of scoring as the Cardiff keeper unintentionally landed on the striker’s ankle subsequently ruling him out for the next few weeks and presenting something of a problem for the manager…
Strik-er light
Having spent the entire campaign fielding Olivier Giroud as lone striker, it seemed inevitable that, sooner or later, the Frenchmen would pick up an injury, and so it transpired against Newcastle at the weekend. Bendtner, the only other striker in the squad, already not an entirely convincing option to step in, has now been sidelined too. The need for suitable reinforcements in this department could not be more desperate at this point – especially given the rather ineffectual performance of Lukas Podolski as a makeshift centre forward against Cardiff.
Little criticism can be laid at the door of the German given the fact he was starting a match for the first time in four months and playing an unfamiliar position. That said, it is obvious he isn’t equipped to lead the line on his own. Podolski does most of his damage playing off the front man as he showed against West Ham last week or coming in from wide areas – much like one of his team mates, in fact…
Wal-banger
Bendtner’s late goal wasn’t even the last action of the match. The points were made secure in stoppage time thanks to a delicious dinked effort by Theo Walcott. Like Podolski, many have suggested he could fulfil the main striker role and with 5 goals in 5 games since returning from injury, he presents a decent case on paper. However, it is quite obvious Walcott is most effective in wide areas terrorising full backs, getting to the byline and trying to make things happen from the wing. Against Cardiff, he was in outstanding form, causing the Welsh side no end of trouble. His goal was just reward for a fine display and perhaps set the tone for what could well be a great 2014 for the one we call Theo.
After years flitting in and out of form, Walcott is finally looking like he is about fulfil all that promise from way back when. Over the last 18 months, he has arguably been Arsenal’s most effective player and one only hopes he can stay fit maintain this level of consistency as time goes on.
Shere Class
Another star performer on the day was Jack Wilshere who excelled when, arguably for the first time this season, played in his preferred advanced central midfield role. With ‘Flarteta’ doing all the dirty work behind him and Cardiff’s cautious approach. Jack was able to shine as he and the roaming Santi Cazorla were frequently able to link up to devastating effect.
Having nearly opened the scoring with a great solo run and shot that unfortunately struck the post, it was Wilshere’s incisive pass that set up Theo Walcott’s clincher as the clock wound down. Often having to play, dare I say, second and even third fiddle to Özil and Ramsey this season, Wilshere has rarely had opportunities to flourish as he did on this occasion. In the absence of those two players, he stepped up admirably. More displays like this and the criticisms from some quarters about his early season form will be swiftly forgotten.
It’s not exactly breaking news to say that Arsenal currently have something of an embarrassment of riches in this area of the pitch. To have so many players capable of playing in this position must be heartening for the manager. Certainly a welcome selection ‘headache’ to have in the coming months as the team pushes on in the challenge for honours.
Arsen-nil
Since haemorrhaging six against Man City, Arsenal have kept 3 clean sheets in their last four games and currently have the best defensive record in the division; this despite the necessary but potentially disruptive changes of personnel at the back in that time. What this seems to suggest is that the City game was a one-off aberration against a team in great goal scoring form and perhaps more crucially, that the team seems to developing a culture of rigid and resolute defending throughout the squad that isn’t hugely dissimilar to a famous Arsenal side of yesteryear. Whether any supposed increased influence in the coaching by a certain bald member of that classic side has anything to do with the current rear-guard stability, one can only speculate…
Congestion Charge
In addition to those clean sheets, the team has successfully emerged from the hectic Christmas period with a more than respectable 10 points from a possible 12. With so many games in such a short space of time, this was probably about as good as we could expect. For long periods against Cardiff, it very much felt like a game too much. As fans we might love watching our team so frequently but the effect on the players often proves problematic. Giroud, Özil, Ramsey, Gibbs and now Bendtner have all felt the effects of too many games in quick succession. That fact we are still top of league is something to be commended.
With a week and half til the next league game at Villa, the missing players will have the opportunity to rest
and recuperate. However, there is the small matter of an FA Cup game this weekend against them lot up the road. Needless to say, nobody wants to lose that game but would playing our strongest available XI be the best idea after all the exertions of the last fortnight? Something of a dilemma for the manager but one i’m sure he’d be happy with from what is right now, an advantageous position and off the back of good recent run. Long may it continue. COYG!
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