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Home›General›Patience, persistence, and a little pain, pays off

Patience, persistence, and a little pain, pays off

By Michael Price
February 12, 2012
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When the loan deal for Thierry Henry was announced, there was a lot of discussion about whether or not he would harm his legacy at the club. The key train of thought was that if it went poorly then the lasting image in some people’s mind would be of the failed loan project. I think it’s safe to say that the loan and return of Henry has been an unequivocal success.

The header to seal the late victory was written in the cards. Coming on for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Henry offered more guile then the youngster knows – right now. Henry has years of experience to call on and while a step slower, still knows how to put himself into position to do the right thing when a chance is presented.

With Arshavin showing his first effective 15 minutes of the year, Henry latched on to a sublime shot that had so much emphasis on it. It emphasized that Henry still has it. It emphasized that Arsenal were not going to go lightly into the night. And it emphasized that Henry will forever be a legend in our hearts and minds.

The departure of Henry in 2007 was acrimonious at best. That last season was beset with injuries and for the most part it looked like he was disinterested. His form was erratic and I remember in December he was given rest. The official reason was that he had played so much but there were some of us that thought there was more to it. When the end came, it was mixed feelings because of the way the last season went.  I know a few Gooners who still haven’t forgiven Henry for saying he was a gooner for life and then essentially going.

But what Henry performed here in these 6 weeks may have done what he did not do in 2007. He said goodbye and thank you in a way befitting his stature as a legend of this team and of the game. He not only added leadership, but he added goals in the net, two of which were crucial to the club he yearns to have a role at later in the years.  If Henry never comes back as a player we will be left now with images of pure joy, respect and the adulation of the best player to ever grace the Red & White and in my opinion the best forward the Premier League ever knew.

About the Game.

The game that developed yesterday was a little shocking to me in the aspect that Sunderland, the league’s in form team ( 22 points from 30 going into yesterday), literally put 10 men behind the ball for most of the game. I know that ‘smaller’ teams tend to do this but Sunderland isn’t really a ‘smaller’ team. They’ve claimed some big scalps at home but for the most part they preferred to sit back, let Arsenal have the ball and try and counter.

With the exception of five furious minutes of corners, bad shots and Szczesny wonder saves Arsenal controlled the play. Sunderland left Sessegnon up top alone and for the most part the service to him was woeful.

Arsenal never seemed panicked by the the fact that they couldn’t unlock the Sunderland defence. For the most part it was as if we knew at some point Sunderland would go seeking to try and snatch something from their effort. This would open up the game and we would have our space.

Give credit to Sunderland they were determined and when they were given their chances they took them and when Per Mertesacker dropped to the ground lumped in a heap, you just knew McLean would latch on to one. And he rifled the chance he got. With a shot like that it is evident why a lot of pundits and fans are high on the kid.

As much as I wanted to be mad for conceding the goal, I was more concerned for the Big ‘Fing’ German (BFG). Up until that point he was having one of his best games at Arsenal. He won ever header, got the ball and for the big man without much speed he was able to marauder forward.  I was stunned. What I really liked about his game was how every header he won was controlled and directed to an Arsenal player and from the looks of it he barely ever directed the ball to an opposition player.

But that pitch was an absolute disgrace and when I saw how much was churning under the player’s feet I knew that it would claim a victim. Admittedly, I was more worried about the thin ankles of Walcott & Van Perise than the BFG. But late in the second half he went to collect a routine ball and on the  crossover looked to get his ankle stuck in one of thousands of divots in the ground. The way he pulled up you knew it wasn’t good. Mertesacker reportedly left Wearside on crutches and will have a scan this week to determine extent of the injury. Initial word is that it is ankle ligament damage. If true, given our luck its probably safe bet the German will miss out on the rest of the season and possibly Euro 2012.

Up 1-0, Sunderland sat back and looked to let Arsenal go at them. I’ve never been a fan of this. It works at times but at other times there is just too much of opportunity for mistakes to happen. I’ve always been a proponent of attack as defence. Sunderland were letting Arsenal have too much of the ball at 1 up. Additionally, most of Sunderland’s passes were so poor that Arsenal were able to get better field position and play deep in the Sunderland end.

It was in one such moments of play that Arsenal got the equalizer and forced the game even more open. Starting with Rosicky collecting down the left and passing to a wide open Song in the middle of the pitch, Arteta gets the ball from the Cameroonian who is then able to pass to Robin deep in the 18 yard box. Van Persiee isn’t given much credit for his strength in the box but he is so good at getting the space he needs. He effectively holds off the defender to get the ball back to Arteta who takes one of his his patent rifle shots. It didn’t make it through but the rebound settles nicely to Aaron Ramsey who  gets a shot on goal far from Mignolet’s arms. And in what can only best be described as karmaic luck, the ball clatters off both posts to equalize. Game on.

Then came the moment that couldn’t have been scripted any better. Andrei Arshavin came on late for Theo Walcott and from the get go showed more sense of purpose than he had in any game he had featuredthis season. In the moments he had the ball he attacked the defenders and looked dangerous (I think he read my scathing article on him.). In his last attack he took on two defenders crossed a sublime shot in  that would find the waiting foot of Henry. In fairness I wasn’t confident that the cross would find anyone.

But boy did it ever. With Henry attacking the box (please show that to all the Arsenal forwards) the lob coming down was not attacked by Mignolet. With two defenders on him Henry rose and got a foot on the ball to slot it past the Sunderland keeper. Seriously, it was meant to be this way. It had to be. In his last league performance of the loan, for the team he loves Henry helps put them back into 4th place.

It was a goal that could have implications for the next few weeks. If the 4-4 capitulation at St. James last season was the start of our gradual slide into the abyss then maybe just maybe this hard fought win will result in a string of games that solidifies our position back in the top four.

In the end it was a good weekend for us. Chelsea were absolutely dominated by Everton and have far more concerns than we do. Newcastle basically never got off the team bus and Liverpool would rather make statements about their player’s innocence then play football. By the end of the day Arsenal were drawn even on points and goal differential with Chelsea and with the win at Stamford bridge sit atop them on the table.

And I spent the day humming Oh To Be A Gooner!

So there you have it Gooners, we are off to Milan for the resumption of the Champion’s League then Saturday we journey back up the wearside to take Sunderland on in the 5th round of the FA Cup.

Until then . . . Stay Goonerish!

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TagsAFCArsenalArsenal FCArseneEPLHenryMatch ReviewSunderlandThierry Henry
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13 comments

  1. arthur3sheds 13 February, 2012 at 22:19 Log in to Reply

    Have you heard the news. Hazard is going to the Spuds in the summer. Seen it on YouTube albeit in French, Hazard says he wants the deal done quickly, Lille supposedly want £40 mill for him.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyMP1eeIjm8&feature=youtu.be

    • DaAdminGooner 14 February, 2012 at 01:37 Log in to Reply

      Actually he’s just saying that he wants to play in England and the whole Tottenham thing is a rumor, he wants to get a deal done quickly and that he wants to sign for an English club next window

      • arthur3sheds 14 February, 2012 at 22:39 Log in to Reply

        @DaAdminGooner, Well that’s a relief. If Hazard went to Spuds I would be pissed

    • DaAdminGooner 14 February, 2012 at 01:38 Log in to Reply

      He does say that Spurs are an interesting club because there’s great players, a great manager

      • arthur3sheds 14 February, 2012 at 22:40 Log in to Reply

        @DaAdminGooner, But can we assume that Spurs are interested or haeve made an approach?

        • DaAdminGooner 15 February, 2012 at 01:30

          A lot of people are assuming that at the very least some feelers have been put out.

          The Lille fee is going to be around £40 million. That pretty much moves it out of anyone but Madrid and City’s ball park if true.

          Ultimately I think he winds up at Madrid after Zidane pushes him all the way to Spain

    • OziKenyan 14 February, 2012 at 05:56 Log in to Reply

      @arthur3sheds,

      Not spurs!! Anyone but Spurs!! He’d do really well there as well with their style of play. Ugh!

  2. DaAdminGooner 13 February, 2012 at 21:55 Log in to Reply

    Per has posted an image of his injury on his facebook page:

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=331694680207697&set=a.193736790670154.47293.109539209089913&type=1&theater

    That looks like a good 4-5 months. Ligament damage is my guess

  3. HighburyTerraceSteve 13 February, 2012 at 14:35 Log in to Reply

    Easy match, onto Milan…..

    Of course I jest. Like I said, nothing comes easily for this Arsenal…. But at least it came (or happened or something)….Interesting also that Milan had their own 2-1, come from behind, victory on the road, in a key league match…..but that’s for the next thread.

    We showed some spirit (all match I thought, playing on that pitch….) and resilience when the BFG went down and their goal went in. For all the times I (and others) have slagged Wenger for his subs you have to say those were spot on. Henry and Arsh were obvious (Andrey must know his bad pitches from the Russian front….) but Ramsey (instead of Gibbs) was inspired (and aggressive). Hopefully Rambo’s goal and Andrey’s assist get them back on track, as we’ll be needing them in the upcoming (key) matches.

    Henry showed just how big he is….and (they tell us) in the dressing room as well….hopefully he can pump up the boys, or the boys can use his pump even after he departs or something. An away goal at the San Siro for the King? If we’re writing a storybook, we shouldn’t fear making it an epic for the ages?…..

    Personally, I think we can do something good in Italy. Milan are bringing back some injured players (Nesta, Pato, and K-P Boateng, who, I guess, is laying off–not laying?–the stuff that got him injured. DAG, you’ll have to link to the photos….. If you live in a cave and don’t know what I’m talking about, google “Melissa Satta.”) A full strength Milan team (Ibra’s been on a red card slapping spree for domestic games….) will be a big challenge, so we need to strike before they get reacquainted with one another.

    So, we need a showing on Wednesday, and then back north to the Sunder-Sty where they will seek revenge on the deeper parts of our squad. I fully expect players like Coquelin, Benayoun, Djourou and Chamakh/Park/Gervinho (who ended up as the goat in Africa, when Kolo’s goatkick/miss went matched by one from Zambia…), not to mention Fabianski, to feature in that one….Hmmmm…..a good test of our mental strengfff and squad depff, at the very least, but a trophy we should still play for; imagine Thierry flying back to help lift it…..

    Finally re: josh’s comments on Arsh. It was good experience and a certain class (quickness) that allowed Arsh to play the ball through the air for the winner. I think he will be valuable against the ancient Milan players, whose pace and workrate he can match. Like I said in the other thread, we may have a real #10 in the making (in the OX) and it might be very (very) interesting to see a powerful creative runner (albeit very raw, and running on enthusiasm), play with our little lazy one (Arsh) in upcoming matches where we need goals. If both are free to move, it won’t matter where they start (on the pitch)….Anything would be an improvement over Theo’s heavy touches and rushed decisions in the Sunder-mud…. (Slow pitch means more time, not less, but you need a “footballing brain” to understand that….)

    Go on….

  4. merkin 12 February, 2012 at 17:26 Log in to Reply

    Sunderland started the same lineup that started the 120 minute FA cup replay in the middle of the week. This might explain their tactics Saturday. They were conserving energy.

  5. joshuad 12 February, 2012 at 17:21 Log in to Reply

    concerning arshavin in the previous thread, i liked arshavin when he was at zenit as well as playing for russia. but i was always opposed to see him signed as an arsenal player. for me, he lacked many of the attributes required to succeed in the bpl; those attributes being size, pace, strength, and work rate.

    the argument that wenger transitioned van persie and henry to striker is nonsense. both those players had experience playing both as strikers and wide players before wenger signed them. arshavin has only ever played as a striker. even throwing walcott into the equation, walcott was a pup who grew up in england and has exceptional pace and quickness. arshavin was brought in as an old head with no pace.

    bottom line for me is i don’t blame him for being a talented, yet slow, midget. that’s what he was when arsenal bought him. he scored the four goals against liverpool and the game winner against barcelona because he’s a talented striker. he’s failed at tracking back because he’s not a hard-working wide player. arshavin lacks pace like bergkamp and is lazy like ronaldo (brazil). if you put either of those two supremely talented strikers in the wide area, i’m sure you would get a similar result.

    i’m neither impressed nor disappointed in arshavin’s performances as a wide man because he’s exactly what i thought he would be.

    • joshuad 12 February, 2012 at 17:23 Log in to Reply

      @joshuad, with that, i never wanted arshavin at arsenal. but arsenal signed him so i support him.

  6. joshuad 12 February, 2012 at 16:48 Log in to Reply

    dynamite result. it was good to grind out a hard fought victory. hopefully, this will give our players the resolve and genuine belief to know that it’s not over until it’s over. henry’s a winner and he showed that yesterday.

    i like rosicky when he starts. some players are better when they play from the start than playing as substitutes. since arteta’s injury, tomas has given us a better product further forward than ramsey has. we still missed arteta and the results show that but at least rosicky’s contributing again. likewise, ramsey has proven to be fantastic off the bench. not everyone can do that. he performed a similar feat, scoring an important goal late against marseilles in the champions league. ramsey is a better player than rosicky but, like fabregas, i think he’s better in a deeper role. that advanced role may be fun but we need a special player with a bit of guile there.

    szczesny made some crucial saves that arsenal would have conceded in recent years. those saves kept arsenal in the game. good to have a winner between the sticks as well thierry (refuse-to-lose) henry up top.

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