Nov 07
Match Report: Wolves 1-4 Arsenal
Arsenal continued their superb form in all competitions by winning away from home at Molineux against Wolves.
Arsene Wenger’s side were widely written off as also-rans after an unsettling pre-season, but they look increasingly capable of pushing Chelsea and Manchester United for the English crown.
The Gunners were at their eye-catching best at Molineux as own goals from Ronald Zubar and Jody Craddock were followed by strikes from Cesc Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin to move them above United into second place – two points behind leaders Chelsea.
Wenger’s team are playing some of the best football in the country at present and are unquestionably the most lethal, with 55 goals in all competitions.
Arsenal’s Starting XI
Almunia
Sagna – Gallas – Vermaelen – Gibbs
Ramsey – Fabregas – Diaby
Eduardo - van Persie – Arshavin
Subs: Mannone, Senderos, Rosicky, Nasri, Song, Silvestre, Eboue.
Arsenal, who have gone four seasons without a trophy, are determined to muscle in on the title race this season and 24 hours before United and Chelsea locked horns at Stamford Bridge, they put down their own marker.
They are averaging three goals a game and hit that mark before half-time with a mix of brilliance and sheer good luck.
Wolves played a major part in their own downfall, even though boss Mick McCarthy had insisted they would not roll over for the only team he would pay to watch in the top flight.
In a 14 minute spell, McCarthy’s side did not so much roll over as get well and truly mauled.
Zubar started the downfall when he nudged Fabregas’s 28th minute corner into his own net after goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey made a hash of collecting inside the six-yard box.
Wenger hardly needed any luck but it came in bucketloads for a team he reckons could be as exciting as his ‘Invincibles’, who went through the entire 2003-04 league season without defeat.
In the 36th minute, Eduardo’s chip was heading miles wide of the far post until striking Craddock’s head to loop over Hennessey.
If the first two were lucky, the third from Fabregas was pure class.
The Arsenal captain finished off a move he started on the half-way line after Robin Van Persie’s brilliant lay-off.
McCarthy knows life at this level was always going to be tough and things are not likely to get any easier at Chelsea next week.
At least Wolves, who are third from bottom of the table, limited the damage in the second period and restricted Arsenal to a solitary strike from Arshavin.
The Russia winger volleyed in from the edge of the area – after a poor punch from Hennessey – to increase McCarthy’s misery.
Craddock’s 89th minute header will be no consolation for McCarthy who has another relegation scrap looming and the former Republic of Ireland manager has his work cut out to survive.
As for Wenger, he has a squad capable of really pushing United and Chelsea all the way this season.
it was a great performance and i don’t care if we let in that late goal..if we were 1-0 up , i’m sure we WOULD NOT concede such a goal..so all those moaning , get a life!!!the moment diaby went off , it changed the game!!
almunia -7
gallas- 8
vermaelen – 8
gibbs -7
sagna- 7
arshavin – 8
cesc -8
song – 8.5
ramsey -7.5
eduardo -8
rvp -7
nasri , rosicky – 7
diaby – 6.5
Agreed, great performance by the lads tonight! We always defend alot better against the so called bigger teams anyways so we should just take the three points and leg it tonight!!!
Thought Song was brilliant again btw – defo motd!!!!
“the moment diaby went off , it changed the game!!”
Well, that was more about Song going in than Diaby off. I don’t know why Wenger started with Ramsey as DMF, we clearly missed a proper holder (Song) for the first 15 minutes.
true!! song was amazing !! thats what i meant by that statement!! but i wont deny that i was secretly glad that diaby got injured!!sounds cruel but i’m just being honest!!
The man need a rest !
before the game i was a bit worrid becuase wolves can be tough and i thought they had a chance of battering us up physically ! in the end it was a very nice cruise and cesc is just amazing at the moment EASILY the pest player in the premier league, obviously we would rather keep a clean sheet but people cant chat rubbish about that goal because it had noo effect at all on the game ! im sure the boys will be dissapointed at conceding but that will make them determined to get better and try to keep clean sheets ! GOOOD GAME BOYS KEEEP IT UP !! !! !! !!
I thought ramsey was superb considering it was his first start. His touches, passes were sublime at times. The kid has also got great trickery and hes alot more faster and stronger now. Hoepfully he plays the next game with fabregas and song
“Potential bananaskin”?
Song was fantastic yet again – his efficiency is such a pleasure to watch. Ramsey showboating at times. Would have loved to see the team shooting from distance more often – so often wasteful. Vermaelen at fault for the late goal.
Another 4-1, I’ll take it! Bring on Chelsea.
sunderland first!!
Vermaelen did not! Almunia conceded that unfortunate goal for Wolves, it was his ball, and he didn’t do nothing.
why 2 weeks without arsenal not again
Bloody International breaks. Just when we’re getting ahead of steam and we’re always slow getting our form back after the breaks. But at least it isn’t Chelsea right after the break. Playing super at the moment and scoring goals all over the pitch. A great time to be an Arsenal fan. Also gotta be said our captain has his mojo working big time now with this new formation it’s getting the absolute best outta our best player.
I don’t think Ramsey was the DM at kick-off. I think were playing a 4-2-3-1 at the start, with Diaby and Ramsey in front of the back 4. I think thats how Wenger wants us to play when Song, who was amazing today, goes to AFCON. When Song came on we were back to 4-3-3 with Cesc having a free role and Ramsey being a box-to-box midfielder. I thought the Welshman had a great game, buckets of energy, great passing and tackling, was always involved in the game. Just got a bit carried away at the end, maybe trying to hard. I think he will be Nasri’s competition for the spot next to Cesc.
@Emperor Gooner
(Fan Rating – “0″),which type of Gunner Fan ur i don’t know,if u r really a true Gunners Fan,then u must not have felt glad(WTF?) for Diaby getting injured.Keep ur cruel thinking with u man.I don’t why sum of u plastic fans keep criticizing Diaby even if he plays nice.If you have watched the match carefully,then you must have seen sum gud passings from him.Keep ur crap ratings with u man,we really don’t care abt ppls who thinks,talks,writes against Gunners.Really upset man for givig diaby 6.5.But Arsene never cares abt shit fans like you.Thats y
AW is allowing to play Diaby in each n every match cos he knows what he’s capable of delivering.
Have to agree with john & ladygonner, i thought ramsey was the best player on the park.In the first 20 minutes we were under pressure, and i thought he was outstanding.He played DM at the start,and helped the back 4 when they were under pressure.When daiby was injured and song came on,he was used more as a attacking option.He provided eduardo with the assist,and there were numerous occasions where a few other players had the option to pass him the ball, when he was in a good goalscoring position.I think his going to be a great player for the gunners in the future.
awesome team, awesome bench, Arsene knows
diaby at the moment is in the best form hes ever been in an arsenal shirt long may it continue and keep improvin. COME ON THE GUNNERS!
am i the only one ho is scared shitless when i see Gibbs flying in for a tackle?
seriously, that boy is gonna kill someone, or ever worse get sent off!
As for Diaby and Rambo they should never start together in our midfield trio!
non of them can perform the DM role, they are both way to offensive…if we need to rest Song then Denilson is the only (senior) player who can step in and do his job so lets pray to god (or Wenger)that he either stays fit when during the Africa cup or Eastmond/Jay Emanuel Thomas/Coquelin can step up by that time
Great, great game!!! We deserve the P’ship undoubtely if we maintain this outstanding performance. Those wins away, against teams below our level, are very important to get the title. Arsene has learned from last seasons…
I thought that we could score more, but Arsenal demonstrates that is a true rival, with Chelski and ManU. Maybe those ones concede a draw tomorrow and then, we will be on top.
Glbbs, very consistent again, Ramsey wery good in midfield, Arshavin must improve, Eduardo, RvP and Cesc were fantastic, our defence is top of the EPL: Gallas, Verm and Sagna, Almunia good, and Song, vital for our team.
I hope a chance for Rosicky and Nasri, they are artist on the pitch.
I will take Adams comment midweek to be the club view of our formation, with Song playing it is 4-1-4-1 without Song we will have to adopt another formation because we only have one Song. At this point he is the Makelele to our Madrid.
i think we have 2 buy anotha song in jan coz hez off 2 da african cup of nations if we get anotha den we will be sorted
Arsenal plays much, much better when Diaby is not in there to stop their smooth movement. That guy needs a rest…..from Arsenal.
I’m very annoyed with this constant Diaby talk. Give the man’s name a rest and support the team. He is not holding onto the ball as long as he used to and he has been playing more “one touch” football recently.He has been playing better in recent games. It’s obvious that the boss believes in him so this constant negativity regarding the player is irrelevant. Nevertheless, good performance from the team today. Gunners4life!!!
I don’t care if people do not like diaby… Bendtner and diaby give us physical presence and now they are both injured… We need them in set pieces also… Hope one of them returns before Sunderland and Chelsea.. They make the equilibrium
great game loved it after the interlul we have denlson vela and theo back we have the best young squad in the prem. arsene will use denilson or even nasri to replace song we do have the depth and and the players are ALL very talented Arsene knows thankgod
great game loved it after the interlul we have denlson vela and theo back we have the best young squad in the prem. arsene will use denilson or even nasri to replace song we do have the depth and and the players are ALL very talented Arsene knows thankgod
P.S. – Sorry, forgot to tell you great post!
Great game. Great posts. The game definitely changed after Diaby went off. No offense to the guy, but the team flows much better without him in. Yes, he adds a physical presence, but is that good when he hacks people to the ground just outside our box?
Cesc amazing; Song solid; goal was probably TV’s fault as he clearly lost his mark. Hopefully optimistic for the rest of the season!
Great match. Definite turning point was Diaby going off; for whatever he may add in “physical presence” it’s not worth how he detracts from the flow of the game. He give away too many “physical” fouls in our defensive half, often very very close to our box. How many goals for our opposition has he been involved with now?
Anyway, the team looks like a real TEAM; hopefully there won’t be a February funk this year…
Definite turning point was the first own goal you moron and after 1-0 up we controlled the match lay off diaby !
This is exactly why Diaby keep performing below-par. He is always under pressure by those plastic fans who keep lambasting him over and over again. He has been a victim of undeserved criticism from those “fans”. They think they know about player more than Wenger, it seems.
About Diaby is a great player, we can all see that. He’s at his best when he’s doing instinctive stuff, like running with the ball and driving from midfield. But when he has to think thats when we get frustrated, he doesn’t seem to have a ‘football brain’ at all. Look at Eastmond when he played in the Carling cup, he is a kid and you can see immediately he has a football brain but lacks the experience. I think Diaby is only there to keep the balance of the team, maybe Wenger thinks a Nasri or Rosicky next to Fabregas in Midfield would not be strong or tall enough for the Prem. Yet saying that i hardly see Abou Diaby winning many headers or throwing his big frame about!?
Hopefully Diaby will not be available for the Chelsea game. God helps us if he is ready.
Song should be rested for the Sunderland game; he’s one yellow card away from a suspension.