It wasn’t very long until Arsenal got back infront once again and Van Persie made up for his earlier miss. On 39 minutes Kolo Toure played a wonderfully weighted pass to Van Persie

Match Review – Derby 2 Arsenal 6 – Premier League

What kind of situation would we have been in if our fixtures had looked like this

Birmingham City (a) 2-2
Derby (a) 28.4.08

It could have changed our season completely but I suppose you could say that for alot of teams throughout the league.

I would have to agree with those who say that this Derby side are the worst team to play in the Premier League. They are truly woeful and are way way out of their depth.

I was kind of surprised when I saw the line up just before the match started. ‘I thought players were being rested?’ I said to my mate who was on the phone while Gallas was doing his usual public motivating.

The only player rested from the starting line up was Adebayor but I am pretty sure Togo are not in the European championships. Maybe that has something to do with them not in Europe but hey, what do I know?

Cesc, Van Persie, Gallas and Clichy all started the game. Eboue was drafted back on the right with Theo Walcott switching to the left. I thought Arsene would shuffle it around so he could keep Walcott on the right but I suppose we ran out of enough players to play in wide areas to do that.

The game started off very strange indeed, it felt like a pre season friendly. Arsenal passing the ball around half arsed not breaking a sweat and giving away possession to cheaply. Derby’s passing was awful in alot of patches but at least they had a little heart and passion.

Derby had an early chance on the 7th minute when Villa (not that one) scuffed a shot wide of the post after a cross from Mears.

Alex Song almost put through his own net a few minutes later after he deflected a shot that wrong footed debutant Lukasz Fabianski, but the ball luckily spun outside the right post.

Kolo Toure was driving forward from right back and tried to get into the opposition box as often as he could.

I remember looking up at the clock and seeing 15 minutes, I thought to myself what a truly dull start to a game, I was bored and hopeful that something would change, it needed a spark. Theo Walcott kept coming inside on his right foot without beating his man so he couldn’t inject that little bit extra that Arsenal needed at that point.

Derby’s ball retention was quite poor, it was unbelievable how many times they just gave the ball straight to us. On 25 minutes Darren Moore played the ball backwards straight to Bendtner who should have played Van Persie in on goal but his pass had the wrong angle on it so Van Persie checked back and played it back into Bendtner’s path who took a touch and slid it across the keeper into the far post. He seems to like that finish, it is not the first time that he has done that.

Darren Moore’s pass was inexcusable. A player at that level should not be giving away possession like that.

Bendtner was hugged by Van Persie, Cesc and Walcott. Bendtner had a big smile on his face. Do the players really not like him? Is this all exaggerated?

Arsenal have missed alot of chances this season and we say that alot of that is down to Van Persie being out for so much of the season. Well you could have fooled me! On 28 minutes Walcott drove inside on his right side and ignored Bendtner’s run with left alot of space for Van Persie in the penalty area. Walcott found him and the Dutchman took a touch opened up his body and should have slid the ball into the corner of the net, instead he curled it wide of the far post. Surly scoring would have been easier.

What is it with Arsenal and missing chances? It is not even this new team, the team previous had the same problem on occasions. ok, not as often but we have converted the percentage of chances that we should be.

In usual Arsenal fashion, we were punished for not taking our chances. And on 31 minutes Derby found an equaliser. Song gave away a needless freekick near the byline. Robbie Savage swung it in and McEveley taps it in after the second attempt. Truly awful Arsenal defending. No plan, no organisation just a mess. Three Arsenal players were to blame for that goal and unfortunately it has been like this all season long.

It wasn’t very long until Arsenal got back infront once again and Van Persie made up for his earlier miss. On 39 minutes Kolo Toure played a wonderfully weighted pass to Van Persie who pulled off Moore to and took the ball down on his chest inside the penalty box he swivelled and crashed a right foot volley past Carroll. Could he have done that against Liverpool at home in the Champions league? Instead of hitting it first time over the bar from Flamini’s long pass.

So half time, 2-1 Arsenal. The game had picked up after a dull first 15 minutes. Van Persie being Van Persie had to go off injured. It is getting a little silly now isn’t it? Apparently it is nothing serious just a calf strain but why is it always him?

I thought to myself that Derby would have a terrible time controlling Adebayor. They looked a shambles at the back without the injection of pace and power.

Toure had two early strikes just after half time but couldn’t find the net. As the game went on Fabregas’ influence grew and he was on another level to the rest. He strolled around the pitch as if he owned it.

On 59 minutes Adebayor got his name on the scoresheet. Walcott moved across to the right for the first time in the game and beat the last defender and squared the ball to Eboue who sort of fell over and the ball made its way across to Adebayor to tap in at the back post.

Arsenal begun cutting through Derby as if they were not there. Adebayor and Bendtner were linking up very well which was nice to see. It seemed like Adebayor was playing from the left so they wouldn’t get in each others spaces. Bendtner didn’t provide much of a goal threat but what he did well was link the midfield and attack well.

Theo Walcott had a great chance on 64 minutes. Bendtner played him clean through, Carroll came out but Theo took it very early and placed it wide of the far post. He could have waltzed round the keeper and slotted it into an empty net.

Gilberto replaced Denilson who I thought had a decent game alongside Cesc. Maybe Arsene has shown us the future should Flamini leave.

Derby had a penalty claim turned down, then they grabbed a goal back. Robert Earnshaw raced through and placed a wonderful finish past Fabianski and into the inside sidenetting. That was followed by a flip and strange dance.

Two minutes later on 79 minutes Gilberto played a long pass to Walcott who was on the left wing he drove into the box and curled a delightful finish high past the Derby keeper. The best goal of the night.

The goals didn’t stop there, on 81 Clichy crossed into the box for Adebayor to slide in and grab his second of the game and Arsenal’s 5th. Cue Eboue and Ade’s piss take dance. Funny stuff.

I was hoping that Ade would get another chance to grab the match ball and he did in injury time. Cesc played another great pass through to the big man who rounded Carroll and stuck the ball into the empty net with his left foot.

It looked like Adebayor was playing against kids, the gulf in class was massive.

I have never witnessed a game where we have missed so many chances, played most of the game in second gear and scored 6 goals. It will do Adebayor and Walcott’s confidence some good though and that is a good thing to take into Everton at home.