Moments later we won a corner on the right, and the now familiar short-corner ploy between Cesc and Robin resulted in the latter dinking it into the box where Ade was onside and unmarked but misdirected his header horribly wide. We continued to look dangerous from set-pieces with the Cesc/Robin duo conjuring up some decent crosses.

Reading weren’t without their threat though with ginger-headed Sp*rs fan Dave Kitson toiling up-front. Just like all games at the Emirates, you knew that the first goal would be vital. Were we to grab it, then the fluency would come back, but were the opposition to nick it, it’d be one of those typical Emirates games. Thankfully our tempo had picked up, led by Theo down the right who carried considerable menace running at the Reading defence. He executed a lovely one-two with Gallas but couldn’t pick Gilberto or Ade out in the box. We were slowly cranking up the pressure as Robin came close with a low, fizzing free-kick that was tipped wide by Hahnemann. The resulting corner saw Song imitate Ade and head wide. We were knocking on the door.

It was no surprise then that on the half-hour the goal came, and even less of a surprise was that it was conjured from our right-wing. Theo dribbled down the flank but instead of continuing his run, he made the correct decision to lay it square to Kolo, who chipped an absolute beauty of a ball into Ade’s path. For once the Togonator had got free of his marker and controlled the pass superbly on his thigh before slotting it past the keeper, very Thierry-esque. I’m not too sure what his backside-wiggling celebration was about, but either way it was 1-0 to the Arsenal and smiles all round.

Tongue-in-cheek, the first thing I said to DJ was:

“I hope we can hold onto this lead for more than five minutes…is it nearly half-time yet?”

I needn’t have worried as we grew in confidence. We could’ve doubled our lead a minute later as Robin – who was very tightly marked by Bikey all game – dropped deep and slid in a stunning reverse pass to Kolo bombing up the right. The Ivorian’s pull back only just evaded Cesc, but we were not to worry because we got the second five minutes later, and fittingly it was Gilberto who scored it. I have to say it was a much more energetic performance from the Brazilian and he got ahead of the ball many times in the game, very reminiscent of his performances in the Invincibles season. In fact he was so good that I’d venture to say it might even be worth keeping him for another season, especially if the Flamster goes. But I digress. The goal came after Cesc squared the ball to him and the Brazilian took heed of the cries of “shoooooooooot”, unleashing from 30-yards into the top-corner. From where we were sitting at the other end, it looked like a wonder strike the way it swerved and dipped, but the replays confirmed that it took a pretty big nick off the defender. Deflection or not, “Goalberto” grabbed his first of the season and quite probably his last in the red and white. A great servant during his years, to whom I doff my cap.

Just as me and DJ were trying to work out the last time we were 2-0 up in the first-half at home, it should have been three. A brilliant move once again saw Robin coming deep to good effect, and as soon as he received the ball he slid it in between the Reading defenders to Ade on the right. Theo had bombed into the middle yet couldn’t reach the cut-back but Robin was arriving late. However he could only sidefoot it tamely to Hahnemann’s right and the keeper saved quite comfortably. In hindsight he probably should have gone to keeper’s left but I’m sure once his sharpness is back the goals will start flowing (probably for Holland in the summer…he’ll singlehandedly lead them to glory and then pull his hamstring on the lap of honour, rendering him unavailable for the start of next season, grrr!)

Half-time came and went. And as well as we played in the last 20 minutes of the half, in my opinion we were even better during the second period but were unlucky not to find a third goal. Had we got it early-ish, the floodgates might have opened, but credit to Reading for committing a lot of blocks and last-ditch defending. Eboue came on for Kolo on the hour to a cacophony of boos, which I was disgusted at. You cannot boo the man when hasn’t done anything wrong. Sure if he commits a dirty foul or dives, then I guess you have a right to voice your disapproval. But when he has just come on? It’s an absolute joke, and I can’t see how booing him would lend any encouragement to the player.

After a lull in play, we released the handbrake with 25 minutes left. Theo popped up in the centre-forward position and got on the end of a Cesc through ball, but hesitated slightly and saw his shot blocked. The two then combined again but Cesc could not keep his header down following a Walcott cross. Then just after 70 minutes we hit the woodwork twice in two minutes. Well strictly speaking, three times in two minutes. The first incident came from a free-kick on the edge of the Reading box to the right. It was a perfect position for a Van Persie special – indeed, in the last game he scored at the Emirates he walloped one in from a very similar position. As he stepped up the crowd waited with baited breath and he thumped it towards the top-corner. Hahnemann was beaten all ends up and was a spectator as first it smacked the bar AND post before being scrambled away. Then a minute later Cesc’s energy and desire saw him stretch to prod a ball through to Theo who was clear in the inside-right channel. The ENGLISH youngster had the confidence to hit it first-time on his wrong foot and was mighty unlucky to see it loop onto to the crossbar. I guess he’s been listening to Willy’s advice to improve his left peg.

Ade and Alex came off for Bendtner and Denilson, who got a humorous response from the home crowd of “WHO?!”, such has been his anonymity in recent weeks. This switch saw Theo go over to the left-wing, and he continued to terrorise the Reading defence, none moreso than with ten minutes left when he intercepted a pass with a glorious first touch that allowed him to ride the incoming challenge and run through on goal. Instead of shooting on his left, this time he opted to come back on his stronger side. Unfortunately he slipped ever-so-slightly but managed to get his shot away, and from someone sitting directly behind the goal it was definitely going in had Reading not made another fantastic last-gasp block. The Royals may have been thoroughly outclassed, but fair play to their desire and commitment. I like them and I hope they stay up.

The final chance of the game fell to Cesc as he got on the end of Eboue’s square pass. Clean through on goal, the little Spaniard opened his body a placed it to the keeper’s left but it was once again thwarted by the opposition defence with a clearance off the line. We even managed to have an own goal (wrongly) disallowed for offside, meaning no cherry on top of the cake, but there was plenty to be pleased with from the performance. The first home win since Blackburn on February 11th, the game in which we went five points clear and looked set for silverware. Incidentally, that was my previous visit to the Emirates, so one may consider me a good luck charm! If you think I am, then please send any spare tickets my way 😀

On a more serious note, it felt good to return to some semblance of form. With the pressure off in terms of chasing the title, the players looked more relaxed, especially after the crucial first goal. It was a shame we couldn’t take more of our chances in the second-half, on another day we might have racked up a cricket score, but it was reassuring to know that we DO still have the quality to rip teams to shreds and create openings. I must once again mention Goalberto and his fellow likely leaver, Mad Jens, for their service to the club during a golden age. Cesc looked refreshed and bossed the game, Song was solid at the back and may prove to be more Paul Davis than Gus Caesar, whilst Robin linked thing well with the midfield and attack. My vote for Top Gun has to go to Theo for a sparkling performance, full of pace and verve and, more importantly, excellent decision making.

Now for the tactical side of things: as Mean Lean said in his Sunday MyVision, Robin looked somewhere back to his best (maybe not finishing-wise, but in terms of positioning and passing). To see three attackers on the pitch made for a welcome change from the last few months of Ade ploughing a lone furrow being supported by Hleb (an un-goalscoring midfielder), Eboue (a right-back), and Diaby (a central midfielder out of position on the left). In particular during the second period I noticed how Hleb naturally came inside, thereby creating more of a 4-3-3 formation. Regular readers of this website may recall how I’ve always envisaged that this group of players would eventually evolve into a 4-3-3, and it seemed to be the case here. What really pleased me was the way the forward trio moved around, constantly swapping roles and dragging their markers out of position. Mean Lean alluded to Theo possibly becoming the next Overmars, and on Saturday the Ade/Robin/Theo triumvirate very much resembled Anelka/Dennis/Overmars in 1998; with Robin/Dennis dropping deep to pull the strings while the other two offered options ahead of him. Excellent stuff. It has also not escaped my attention that the best team going forward this season (Manchester United) also operate with three fluid strikers, and I see no reason why any trio of Ade/Bendtner/Robin/Eddie/Theo/Vela can’t replicate what they do.

One of the customary early leavers remarked to the stewards that “at least the boys have put a smile back on our faces.” First things first, the question I have for the bloke is: WHY LEAVE SO EARLY ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON? THERE IS NO DANGER OF MISSING THE LAST TRAIN. Yet although he waived his right to carrying any credibility as a Gooner by leaving early, he was right. Next season started here, and it began with a smile.