Its Subs That Won It Arshavin & Henry Combine to Sink Cats

This match reminded me why the Premiership hasn’t missed Martin O’Neil, the first half was one of the direst halves of football possibly since the Arsenal v Leicester City Cup tie, which had 4 dire halves, and an even direr extra time at the replay. I have no stats to prove that but it felt like it at the time. Of course we all know who was manager of Leicester at the time.

The second half was a little better as Sunderland finally came out  to play and the game opened up, indeed Arsenal’s defence took quite a hammering, so when the Cats scored on 70 minutes I feared the worst as up to then Arsenal’s attacking had been lacklustre. There was a freaky air to the Sunderland goal that came about due to Mertesacker twisting his ankle. It was however an excellent finish from an acute angle.

Just before Sunderland’s goal Alex Oxlade Chamberlain had been substituted by Henry, nobody booed as the Ox had quite clearly tired. O’Neil had ensured that the life was squeezed out of him with double marking. Meanwhile it was Ramsey who had substituted for Mertesacker that scored the equaliser. Arsenal had tried almost everything to score and failed, perhaps it just shows that if you try a long shot you might even score.

With four minutes to go Arshavin replaced Walcott, one or two people in the pub grumbled, but Theo had not been at all incisive. Perhaps O’Neil had read how badly the Russian was playing as the two players marking him backed off allowing him to cross the ball to Henry who beat the Sunderland defence to the ball, to secure an added time victory. It was a quality cross and a superb finish.

Take that O'Neil

It was great to watch Henry run around hoofing the ball out of danger areas, and playing for time to ensure that the victory and three points were protected.

It might not have been the most stylish victory ever, but Arsenal being the first team to defeat O’Neil on his return to the Premiership was most satisfying. Even more satisfying was that Liverpool and Chelsea both lost ensuring that Arsenal finally returned to 4^th place.

Arsenal fans had waited over a month for a league victory and then two came along all at once.

It was the Subs that won it

A few weeks back many Arsenal fans, including me, believed that Wenger’s poor use of substitutions cost the game against Manchester United, this time his substitutions clearly won the game. Unfortunately Henry won’t be around the next time Arsenal need an urgent change of fortune in the league.