I know the media will point out that it was a win against the bottom team, a team that is struggling and a team we should be beating. They’ll probably even highlight that defensively we weren’t top notch again and conceded two goals. Some would even suggest that this is yet another false dawn and that this is the false face of Arsenal. To all of that, I say stuff it. We won at the Madjeski Stadium by beating Reading 5-2. Our aim was to get three points and that’s what we did in emphatic fashion. Case closed.
Stunning 45
The boss threw up a surprise, as Theo started up front flanked by Podolski and Ox. Cazorla, Wilshere and Arteta continued in midfield as Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs and Szczesny all took their places as well. We started brightly and while there were a couple of early Reading half chances, we were dominant. Our passing and movement were potent and we were in a lethal mood as we raced into a 3-0 lead. Podolski opened the scoring after Gibbs’ dinked pass that the German controlled past two Reading defenders and fired home. Then came the Santi show as he notched two goals in quick succession. It was easily the best first half of the season for us. In the second half we dropped off a little after going 4-0 up around the hour mark when Cazorla scored again to complete his treble. Reading pulled two goals back from LeFondre and Kebe but Walcott halted any signs of a wobble with a fifth 10 minutes from time. Defensively both goals conceded could have been avoided but I’ll take the away win and the three points. A job well done.
Hat Trick Hero
Last night was Santi Cazorla’s first professional hat trick. Cazorla was brilliant against Reading. 1 assist, 3 goals from 4 shots on target, 7 successful dribbles and he created 6 goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates. I thought the magical little Spaniard looked rugged the past few weeks but he exploded back into form at the Madjeski. Santi is such an example for any young player. He always wants the ball and has two great feet. On song, he’s so hard to read and last night he reveled in the space between Reading’s defense and midfield. His first came after some good work by Gibbs on the left who beat the Reading right back and put in a cross that Santi headed home from close range. The second was a swivel and hooked finish after Theo’s cross was headed back to Cazorla by Gibbs. And the final was an easy tap home after good work from Wilshere and Podolski who fired in a low cross that left Santi with an open goal.
Central Theo
I wasn’t sure if Walcott would start against Reading. Not only did he start but he also got the chance he’s been craving, at center forward. I’ve had my doubts about Theo has a striker. Scoring goals as a winger means running in from wide positions and finding space on the flanks you can work from. In the middle, gaps are minimal and you have two central defenders to deal with and not just a slow left back. But Theo did very well in his first official game as an Arsenal striker. His movement and pace were brilliant. While he did forgo a couple of good situations, he scored a beautiful goal after being released on the right by Santi, cutting in past two defenders and curling a low shot home. Wenger says he was convinced to play Theo as a striker from “training sessions” and in a way I have a feeling AW is saying to him, well if you’re only going to sign a contract once you get a chance at center forward, then here you go. Now sign the thing!
Same Ol’ Defense
It’s harsh to criticize anyone after a good win but our defense was shoddy in parts. Gibbs had a brilliant game offensively as he laid on three assists but defensively he was caught out of position a couple of times. And he gave away the ball to Reading’s Tabb after attempting a lazy pass across our own half. Tabb beat a slipping Wilshere and released LeFondre for Reading’s first. The second Royals goal came when Robson-Kanu was given room and time to beat the offside trap and he picked out Kebe who fired low past Szczesny. We could have stopped both strikes and once again we made an individual error on a goal. The boys are trying harder but we just have to be sharper next time. There needs to be total concentration and even a sense of pride in keeping clean sheets.
Still Early
I don’t think we can completely say that we’re back to our best but there were signs of fluency and potency in the final third again. Theo’s pace means teams sit deeper which gives our midfield more room to maneuver. And we always thrive when there’s more space. Jury is still out on if Walcott will start there again but he’s doing his bit and that was his 11th goal of the season in all competitions. So there is an argument to give him a run. This win was important because for us it’s yet another step in a long marathon. We needed to build on that WBA game and the boss was quick to point out that while we did lose to Swansea, we have lost only one game in the last six where we beat Spurs but also had to travel to Villa and Everton. And while the results weren’t the very best, they weren’t that bad either. But that’s the past. We just have to continue in our current vein and keep picking up wins.
The Real Truth
It’s interesting to note that we’ve been supposedly in this massive crisis. Now I don’t think everything is fine and dandy. Far from it but the media loves to harp on our impending doom every year. But if you look at the hard facts, in our WORST START TO A SEASON UNDER WENGER, we are currently in 5th place and two points off Spurs and a Champions League spot. We have conceded more goals than only Chelsea, City and the awful bore of a team Stoke and have scored only fewer goals than City and United – the top two teams. So all this doom and gloom is severely exaggerated. Don’t get me wrong, we’re still amidst a big struggle but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Wilshere says that we saw glimpses of the old Arsenal against Reading and that anything can and probably will happen before the season is out. If we can go on a run and get some consistency, there is no doubt in my mind that we’ll be closer to the top than currently expected.
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