Saturday, December 29th, 2012 « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager
By Walter Broeckx
So I think all of us were a bit angry after 72 minutes. I could imagine the headlines coming already: Gunners let the lead slip away 3 times. I think the player who was most involved with 2 of the Newcastle goals will know that these are mistakes we shouldn’t make. I do hope that Bould and Wenger have a little word with him.
Of course a defender will be judged on his defensive work and as a result he was the only one who will get a low score I think. And that is a pity as his attacking work was great and very influential. Those things can happen and we can hope he will learn from them.
Those who want to moan about the 3 goals…well Manchester United also let in 3 goals from Newcastle earlier this week so those things can happen.
But whatever angry feeling you felt after 72 minutes it guess it was gone at the final whistle. What a game to end the year!
Walcott opening the score with a goal that reminded us all of a certain former player. But later in the second half he missed another chance. A miss we would regret at half time because Ba scoring a free kick that went with some help of the head of Jack Wilshere. 1-1 at half time and nobody realized they would be in for a real goal fest in the second half.
The Ox opening the festival in the second half some 6 minutes after the restart. But 10 minutes later Newcastle was level. Will not go deeper in to it.
Never mind and a run from Wilshere was the introduction to a Podolski goal who headed in from close range. Ah well 5 minutes later Ba scored again the equaliser. And again will not go deeper in how. Pardew told his team to start parking a bus from now on.
But after a good cut back from Gibbs, a missed kick from Podolski who will kick himself for missing that ball, it (the ball) came to Walcott who took ages to adjust himself it seemed but calm buried the ball high in the net. 4-3 and 73 minutes on the clock.
Would we concede again? Nah, we had given enough Christmas presents for today and for this year.
Wenger brought Giroud and Walcott went on to his old right flank. Showing he can cross a ball when needed. Giroud came in with a flying header to score our 5th goal. Great header.
Walcott still didn’t have enough and started a run was brought down but the ball ran to Giroud who buried it with his right foot to make it 6-3.
And in the extra time we saw the moment of the game. A nasty foul on Giroud form Santon and he was lucky to only get a yellow card for it. Jack and Theo with the free kick at the 6 yard line on the corner flag. Theo starting to dribble between 4 defenders being brought down (this was a penalty foul ref) the ref ignored the foul completely, oh well said Theo who stood up in an instant and chipped it over the keeper. 7-3 What a score line. What a goal fest.
In between somewhere Giroud hit the bar with the keeper beaten and that would have been not just a hattrick for Walcott but also for Giroud. Just what do they do on such an occasion? Split the ball in half?
Well this was fun. This was football as it should be. Two teams going for it (until Newcastle wanted to park the bus and that failed miserable) and scoring goals for fun.
We could have scored more. In fact we should have scored more. While I think Newcastle scored almost at a rate of 100% today. We shouldn’t have let 3 in but well that is part of having an attacking team I think.
I think the fans who want to moan can have something to moan about. The fans who want to be joyful can be full of joy after this game. So we all can be happy now? Can we?
Well this person feels great for the moment. The only downside is that we have to wait another year to see Arsenal play again. But then again … the new year is only a few days away.
What a way to finish the year and what a way to treat the fans today. Thanks Arsenal for making us happy.
PS: and sign da thing!!!!!