An Arsenal victory pile for Laurent Koscielny and his equalizer late in the match

Don’t be fooled.  From the look of the photo in this post, you’d think Arsenal had just won the league title.  They didn’t… not yet anyways.  But this IS the way Arsenal reacted to an equalizer that denied Manchester City two points at Etihad Stadium Sunday.

Ending in a draw with Citay (as they are sometimes referred to) was almost as good as a win for Arsenal.  Along with that point that put them in fifth place, the Gunners made an equally important point by demonstrating that they can hold their own against a top team.

Prior to this match, Arsenal hadn’t faced as formidable a foe as Manchester City.  This was the first real test of the season for the North London side. Fans like myself were anxiously looking to see how the players performed both offensively and defensively against the likes of Manchester City superstars.  We were pleasantly relieved at the results.

The offensive formation was a surprise.  Wenger changed up what had been working so well in the last few matches by placing Gervinho out front and center with Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey right behind him.  Podolski, who squandered a great opportunity by striking a ball well over the bar, continued to look promising.

Santi Cazorla is my new favorite player (since Alex Song left for Barcelona, I have finally found his worthwhile replacement) and I predict Cazorla will be key to this season’s success.  In this match, I saw him make two mistakes  — the only ones I have seen him make so far this season. Otherwise, a perfect game including a thunderous long-distance strike that challenged Joe Hart in the second half.

Ramsey was the surprise addition to the squad.  I had lost confidence in the Welshman from last season, but he stepped up his game today and made some great contributions.  Had it not been for a bad touch from Gervinho, Ramsey’s through-ball might have put the visitors ahead by the middle of the first half.

I’m not sure what to say about Gervinho except I will refrain from saying anything in hopes that the Ivorian had an off day and things will look up in the games ahead.

Arsenal’s offensive players  matched up well with Manchester City’s usual back four, made up of former Gunner Gael Clichy, Joleon Lescott, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta.  This usually fearsome group of mercenaries seemed sluggish and lumbered around most of the match.  Of the four, Joleon Lescott made the greatest contribution for both teams. His header at the end of the first half deflated some of the dominance Arsenal had established, but then he failed to clear a corner in the 82nd minute.  That costly error allowed Laurent Koscielny to level the game with a close range shot that sent electricity through ever Gunner, player and fan. See photo again for proof.

Arsenal’s defense has been a bone of contention for a number of seasons but the pressure from the likes of Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure tested, but did not break down, Arsene Wenger’s back four.

Carl Jenkinson, looking far more seasoned than his young age reveals, was particularly strong down the right.  And praised for reading the game well, Per Mertesacker denied City possession time and again from center-half.   Additional and unselfish support from Mikel Arteta and Abou Diaby also point to Steve Bould and his efforts to strengthen the squad defensively.

Take a look at that photo one more time.  Look at the genuine and raw emotions on their faces – ALL of their faces. (Ok, Koscielny might have been exhibiting some pain at that point, but I bet it hurt so good.)  Seriously though, that is the photo of a cohesive team.  It’s a picture of a hard-working squad passionate about their game.  That is a photo of a doggedly determined team destined for greatness.

It is still early in the season, but both Manchester City and Arsenal remain undefeated.  Arsenal ended the week in fifth place while City settled into seventh on goal differential.  City will need to pick up their game if they are to retain their title, while on this evidence, Arsenal could be well-placed to challenge them.

COYG!

Good afternoon football fans! It’s the beginning of a new week and the start of new European seasons which means the news is piling in! Today’s DKA features a plague of knee and head injuries and some official transfer news! So sit back, grab a drink and dive in to today’s top headlines!

Ligue 1

Looks like Lyon’s Yoann Gourcuff is to be sidelined for three months after suffering from a knee injury during Saturday’s match against Troyes. This morning he underwent an MRI saying he sprained his right knee at the medial collateral ligament. Ouch!

English Premier League

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero also suffered a knee injury during last nights match against Southampton. At this point, there’s no word on how serious the injury is but Mancini is hoping it’s not too serious:

“We hope it’s not serious, but at this stage I don’t know. I’m worried, yes. Usually the knee is always dangerous, but this injury was so strange. If it is a serious injury, we will probably change our transfer plans.”

Chamakh isn’t leaving Arsenal just yet. Tottenham has dismissed the rumors of the club making a bid for the Arsenal striker. Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas admitted the club was looking for a striker:

“We have touched on different players in that position, but we have not been able to conclude a deal. Our focus and attention is towards that position, which we will try to sort out next week.”

La Liga

After colliding with teammate Iker Casillas last night, Real Madrid defender Pepe was finally sent home from the hospital after having test done and an overnight observation. All test results came out negative but the Portuguese international will likely miss the clash against Barcelona Thursday at the Camp Nou for the Spanish Supercup.

Alex Song is officially a Blaugrana. The former Arsenal midfielder signed a 5-year contract with the club this morning after passing his medicals. This is the second player Barca has taken from the Gunners in the past two seasons.

Arsenal defender Laurent Kosielny is in agony over his team's draw with Norwich today

Arsene Wenger was hoping to celebrate his 900th match as manager for Arsenal with a win over Norwich today at Emirates Stadium.  But the North London team failed to get the results they were seeking, gaining only a single point with a draw in a game they were expected and desperately needed to win.

With title hopes lost long ago, Arsenal’s primary objective has been to qualify for Champions League.  After today, the Gunners have 67 points and remain in third place.  Tottenham and Newcastle United trail the Gunners by only two points and will play some deciding  matches tomorrow.  The results from Tottenham at Aston Villa and Newcastle United against Manchester City may very well decide which team gets a Champions League berth.

Normally the league’s top four teams advance, but this season, third place is the coveted position being sought by Arsenal, Newcastle and Tottenham.  The three teams are focusing on the spot  because of Chelsea’s stellar performance in Champions League this year.

Chelsea is currently too far back in the league to finish in the top four, but they may be able to sidestep their way to next season’s CL.  On May 19th, they play Bayern Munich in the Finals of Europe’s elite tournament.  Should the Blues win, they  automatically qualify for next year’s CL , leaving only the EPL’s top three teams to advance.

The significance of Arsenal’s loss today – ok it was a draw, but they needed three points to solidify third place – is immense, devastating and just plain frustrating.  This was a team that were being discounted as finished in January.  Fans were asking for Wenger’s resignation and a general feeling of despair amongst the players was apparent despite the phenomenal performance by Robin van Persie.

The injection of Thierry Henry in late January sparked feelings of hope and confidence into a team riddled with injuries and poor defense.  After his departure, it was uncertain how the team would perform, but the squad seemed to gel.  Arsenal started winning, and not always at the hands, or should I say foot, of RVP.

The red and white North London team came back from the middle of the table and overtook their arch rivals, Tottenham, who seemed quite comfortable in third place for much of the season.  The Gunners have been on fire for most of the latter part of the season, that is, until the last few weeks.

Arsenal are missing Mikel Arteta’s play-making abilities in the middle and to be fair, van Persie has not been scoring a goal a game as he usually does.  It isn’t fair to be dependant on their Captain to consistently bail out the team, but the players couldn’t have done it without him this season and it shows.

Ironically, van Persie did score today.  He smashed in his 30th goal of the season, equaling Henry’s record with the club.  It looked to be the game-winning goal in the 72nd minute as his run met Alex Song’s clever pass.  The Dutchman side-footed a volley across goalkeeper John Ruddy but the 3-2 lead didn’t last long.

Five minutes later, Norwich’s Steve Morison leveled the game.  And in the final minutes, the Gunner’s couldn’t get past Ruddy.  He made a fine close-range block, denying van Persie who was looking to tap in the ball at the far post.

During today’s match, there were questionable pushes and possible penalty kicks that should  have been awarded on both sides, but the result remains the same.  Now we cross our fingers for tomorrow’s matches, of which the one involving Spurs seems most threatening.

The Spurs have never finished above Arsenal in the league and have never qualified for Champions League.  It will be a rough day for Gunners and Gooners alike if the Spurs win tomorrow and take third place.

As “a Gunner til I die”, I never give up hope so we shall see.

Robin van Persie is Arsenal's "Captain Vantastic"

Liverpool have only themselves to blame for their loss to Arsenal today at Anfield. They were dominant in almost all areas but couldn’t net the ball. The 2-1 defeat means they are most certainly out as a top 4 finisher. This was a season-altering match for both teams. Prior to the start, the Reds were seven points behind Arsenal, so three points were essential today.

To help bolster their confidence, Liverpool took home their first trophy in six seasons last weekend. Armed with the Carling Cup momentum, a win today was Liverpool’s last real chance to be a contender for the fourth place spot in the league table. Arsenal was also coming off what I like to consider their “game of the season”

Last weekend, the Gunners came from behind to soundly thrash their arch rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, in the North London Derby at Emirates Stadium. Arsene Wenger was named Barclay’s Manager of the Month for February, and that was due in part to last weekend’s line-up changes, which seemed to make a big difference in the squad’s performance.

Today, he chose the same starting 11, but it didn’t have the same impact. After the game began, it became clear that Liverpool wanted the win more than the away side. The first spark of excitement came in the 17th minute. Luis Suarez was doing his usual tricky dribbling around every clunky defender in the box and threatening to score from every angle. Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny took matters into his own hands and came off his line.  The Pole slid on his knees to stop the striker’s clear goal-scoring opportunity.  No red card was awarded but the penalty was given.

Dutch forward Kirk Kuyt took the kick, which was spectacularly saved by Szczesny’s hand and knocked back into play.  The ball bounced and Kuyt again tried to tap it in.  Still on the ground from his earlier save, Szczesny punched Kuyt’s second, less committed ball out of play. An amazing effort by the young Arsenal keeper. Even with a save like that, little momentum stirred amongst the Arsenal players and Liverpool kept up their relentless attack.

In one of those attacks, Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny tried to protect the goal from a Jay Spearing cross. Instead, he mistimed his foot on the ball and sent one in, opening up the scoring for the Reds. Given the Liverpool dominance thus far in the match, Arsenal’s equalizer came completely against the run of play. The Gunners made an unexpected but hardly threatening-looking break into the box. Despite the team’s abysmal passing thus far, Bacary Sagna curled a cross directly to his skipper in front of the goal. Robin van Persie, guarded by two Reds, leaned forward and headed it in to tie it up at 1 all.

Luis Suarez continued to look dangerous the entire first half, yet he failed to convert. He had three shots that should have easily been goals. They were either deflected, hit the post or saved by Szczesny. The second half was full of more Liverpool dominance and Arsenal injury time. Former Everton midfielder turned Gunner, Mikel Arteta, was knocked unconscious after a head clash with Jordan Henderson and carried off on a stretcher.

Even with an extra eight minutes of stoppage time, Liverpool could not score the go-ahead goal. Martin Kelly missed an easy opportunity from a Kuyt pass right in front of the net, and then Kuyt was called offside while looming dangerously near the Arsenal goal. The Liverpool players started to show signs of frustration. Taking advantage of their opponents momentary lack of focus, Arsenal midfielder Alex Song made a game-winning decision. The Cameroonian is one of my favorite Gunners, partly because of his consistent and aggressive style of play. But today, I have never seen him play so poorly.  Thankfully he redeemed himself in the final minutes of the match.

Two minutes into extra time, Song passed the ball spot on to his captain. Before it touched down on the pitch, a perfectly poised Robin van Persie volleyed it with his magic left foot. The ball went screaming between the near post and a diving Pepe Reina in to the net. But Reina was not to blame; nothing would have stopped that ball. The away fans, just behind the goal, went wild as did the Arsenal players. Captain Vantastic strikes again! And to show his appreciation, RVP knelt down and kissed the assist-making boot of Alex Song.

Robin van Persie now has 31 league goals and has scored 25 in his last 27 matches.  He is well on his way to being named Player of the Year this season. Equal kudos must go to Arsenal’s 21 year old goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny. His clutch saves kept the players’ heads up and hope alive.

With the three points, Arsenal are now 10 points clear of Liverpool and look to have a good chance of finishing the season in 3rd or 4th place. The North London side’s inconsistent level of play can also be found in their two biggest rivals for the same positions. Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal all look vulnerable at times, but they are the most likely clubs to watch over the next few months. COYG!

Stay with Aerys Soccer for all your Arsenal coverage!

Tomas Rosicky celebrates his contribution to a 5-2 thrashing of North London Derby Rival Tottenham Hotspur

When Arsenal and Tottenham meet, it is always a competitive exchange.  The North London derby is undoubtedly one of the biggest rivalries in the Premiership.  The stadium’s of the two teams are only separated by a few miles,  and the neighboring clubs have had a bitter relationship for over a century.  Arsenal has dominated the large majority of that time, but this year, Tottenham have the upper hand.

For much of the season, Tottenham have been comfortably seated in third place in the table.  Having soundly beat their rivals at White Hart Lane earlier this season, a win today at Emirates would be a sweet follow-up to that earlier victory. 

That seemed the likely outcome considering Arsenal’s poor form as of late.  That is why today’s win was so important.  Today’s decisive result could be considered the victory of Arsenal’s season.  It offers renewed hope and gives the club the confidence they they deserve that fourth place position or better.

As the game began, both teams knew the stakes were high. As the game began, both teams looked well matched but things quickly went south for the Gunners.  Arsenal’s usual Achilles’ heel, their defense, was their own downfall and allowed Tottenham to score an early first goal.

Emmanuel Adebayedor broke out and ran down the touch line.   He passed to Louis Saha who casually sprinted right between the Arsenal center-half and full back.  Facing the keeper, Saha struck the ball, which deflected off a defender and found the net.   Totteham opened up the scoring in the fourth minute.

Another Tottenham goal came 30 minutes later.  Left-back Kieran Gibbs tackled Adebayor in the box and the despised former Gunner was happy to take the penalty kick.  Another Tottenham goal from the spot made it 2 nil to Spurs.

Today’s match was about mental strength.  Under normal circumstances, when Arsenal are down two goals to none in the first half, they collapse.  Usually they lack the confidence to persevere, but today it was different.  Even when down two goals to none – to the Spurs, at the Emirates, and as the crowd turned mutinous — the Gunners showed no signs of letting up.

For a team certainly not known for their come-back victories, they scored the first goal of five and began to claw their way back into the match.  

Midfield playmaker Mikel Arteta chipped his pass from just inside the box. The unmarked defender, Bacary Sagna, sent a bullet header into the net, making it 1-2.

Then, with only a few minutes remaining in the first half, it was Robin van Persie’s turn.  After shooting wide twice earlier this match, the skipper gave new meaning to the phrase “third times a charm.” With three Spurs players all over him, he calmly dribbled the ball until he saw his opportunity.  Just as Scott Parker went in for a slide tackle, the Dutch striker made his third attempt count.  His magical left foot curled the ball around Parker and scored goal number two for Arsenal and van Persie’s 23rd in league play.  The game was level at two all going into the half.

The second half “show” was all Arsenal.  I was in awe as I watched the transformation of a team, which only last weekend, was knocked out of the FA Cup by an embarrassing display against Sunderland.  And just prior to that miserable loss, Arsenal took a thrashing by AC Milan in the first leg of the Champions League final 16.

Five minutes into the second half, another goal gave Arsenal the lead.  Robin van Persie was the playmaker this time as he passed the ball to Tomas Rosicky.  A give-and-go with Bacary Sagna gave Rosicky the opportunity to find an opening.  A great left footed finish gave the midfielder his first goal in two seasons.  The celebrations from the fans and players were probably heard all the way to White Hart Lane, or at least that is what I would like to believe.

Another goal-scoring burst came in the 64th minute.  In the box with defenders all around him, van Persie held up the ball just long enough to play in Theo Walcott, who was streaking down the right.  The winger danced a one-on-one with Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who was far off his line.  Walcott showed rare composure and chipped the ball over the keeper into the center of the goal.  Unbelievably, Arsenal were up four goals to two against their arch-rivals, Tottenham Hotspurs.

Only two minutes later, Alex Song, who earlier in the match had been off the mark with his passing, played in Walcott perfectly.  While goal-side of defender Ledley King, Theo scored a brace by whipping the ball across the face of the goal and into the far corner, making it 5-2.

Even with over 20 minutes left in the  match, Tottenham looked sloppy and desperate.  Tempers were flaring and Scott Parker made a careless tackle on Thomas Vermaelen, sending the Tottenham midfielder off with his second yellow of the day.

Arsenal stayed in control, held possession and played keep-away.  It was music to my ears hearing the fans cheer ‘ole’ each time the ball was passed from one Arsenal player to another. 

Perhaps it was new changes in the line-up.  Yosi Benayoun started in midfield and Kieren Gibbs was well enough to play left back.  The combination of Rosicky and Arteta in the middle made things come alive up front even without Gervinho.  And Walcott finally did a few things right. Whatever it was, Arsene Wenger got it right today.

This could be just what the Gunners need to get their season back on track.  After a performance like that, the thought of a top four finish in the league is well within their reach.  And despite Arsenal needing at least five home goals to advance in Champions League, I am holding out a tiny glimmer of hope for a victory over AC Milan next month.

Robin van Persie leads Gunners by example with a hat trick against Blackburn

Today’s match was all about the points.  Both Arsenal and Blackburn unquestionably needed a win at Emirates Stadium and the three points that go along with it.  Gaining three could make or break either teams’ season, but for very different reasons.

Blackburn have been stuck in the relegation zone most of the season. Any points could pull them out of the bottom three and give them some possible hope to remain in the top flight.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have been quickly dropping in the standings and are desperate to secure points.  Prior to today’s match, there was a single point difference between the teams in 5th through 7th place, Arsenal being in 7th.

The Gunners have been all but written off as a top four finisher this season so points are absolutely critical.  The club have continuously participated in the Champions League since the 1998-1999 season and that tradition needs to continue if they want to remain competitive within the premiership.

The match got off to a quick start. Only 80 seconds in, Robin van Persie opened up the scoring for Arsenal.  Francis Coquelin, the young defender, sent a cute pass to Theo Walcott who flicked it on to an unmarked van Persie. The skipper made no mistake and shot one past the Blackburn keeper. Score 1-0.

In the 30th minute, a careless foul by Laurent Koscielny gave Blackburn a free kick opportunity from a dangerous position.  Midfielder Morten Gamst struck a solid curving ball, which deflected off the hand of the Arsenal keeper, but still found the net.   The match was tied one all.

It looked to be the start of a typical Arsenal match.  The North London team scored an early goal combined with total domination of the field, possession and shots taken, but nothing to show for it at the 90th minute.  Fortunately for Gunner fans such as myself, that was not to be the case today.

Arsenal came back with a goal in the 37th minute.  One of my personal favorite players, Alex Song, fed a delicious through ball to Walcott inside the box but he was too wide. The winger crossed slightly back to RVP, who was five yards outside the goal line and again unmarked.  He toed it in with ease and the Gunners found themselves up 2 goals to 1.

Only two minutes had passed when another Arsenal scoring opportunity presented itself.  This time it was van Persie who made the assist with a perfect pass to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The young winger took an excellent first touch and made his second touch as he rounded the keeper.  With great composure, he scored his first league goal ever and what a goal it was!  Score 3-1.

Things were not going well for Blackburn in the first half and it didn’t get any better.  Near the end of the half, their French defender Gael Givet, made a dodgy two-footed, studs up tackle on Robin van Persie.  Fortunately the star striker was not injured but an immediate red card was given to Givet.  At the half, the Rovers were now down by two goals and a man. Score 3-1

The second half was equally as exciting for Arsenal and their fans.

After a poor clearing of an RVP corner, Laurent Koscielny got his foot on the ball and it fell kindly to Mikel Arteta.  The Spanish midfielder, acquired from Everton over the summer, fired a rocket past the Blackburn keeper, giving Arsenal a three goal lead only five minutes into the second period. Score 4-1.

Not quite three minutes later, a fifth Gunner goal came.  Theo Walcott got the ball and dribbled it into the box, drawing most of the Rover defensive line with him.  He looked like he wanted to score, which is very Theo-like,  but he eyed Oxlade-Chamberlain, affectionately referred to as “the Ox”, who was open on the side. Walcott made the pass and with the composure of a seasoned player, the Ox netted the ball and finished with a celebratory dance.  Most of those filling the seats at Emirates Stadium also joined in the celebration.  But wait, wait! There’s more!

Another ten minutes passed before the next Gunner goal was scored.  This time, it was assisted by the squad’s two very impressive young starters.  The Ox made a long pass to Coquelin, who served the ball on a silver platter to Robin van Persie.  The skipper could have scored blind folded, or at least he made it look that easy.  A hat trick for van Persie continues to confirm his world-class status as a goal-scorer.

As if a 6-1 lead were not enough, this game ended with that cherry on top that truly makes it all the more satisfying.

In extra time, Thierry Henry, who was subbed in for the Ox, stole the ball from the Rovers in midfield.  He played the ball to RVP on his right, who could have shot but unselfishly passed back to Henry.  The Arsenal legend got off an on-target strike which deflected off the defender and into the goal.

Final score 7-1.  Seven Arsenal goals!!

Ok, yes it was Blackburn.  Yes, yes, it was Blackburn, I know.  But still.  The obvious gimme games, such as this one, are exactly what you can’t count on Arsenal to win. An early lead no longer offers that feeling of comfort from the driver’s seat as it once did.  It is frustrating to be a Gunner fan, but on days like these, we are so grateful to celebrate an almost flawless performance even if it was against a ten-sided Blackburn team.

The goals scored today are also vital, especially as we are on the back-end of the season.  Arsenal will need all the help they can get and a goal differential advantage could make the difference between a fourth or fifth place finish.

So thank you very much, Arsenal will happily take all three mouth-watering points. We will now watch the weekend matches to see how things shake out in the standings.

As for me and most of my Gooner compatriots, we will savor this victory and keep the faith. We still believe there is a chance to finish in the top four and we believe more games like these can be won against much better teams. We believe in Arsenal. COYG!

It was a full weekend of English Premier League Action once again, soccer fans! Chelsea tied, Manchester United took top spot, but only for the morning as Manchester City squeezed a win out against Arsenal. Here’s your EPL round up!

Things are not looking good for the Bolton Wanderers as the season drags on. They met with Fulham Saturday, and it would be the Cottagers that came out on top.  The loss in the Europa league earlier this week seemed to be forgotten as Fulham came out of the gate determined to put their Europa exit behind them. They struck first in the 32nd minute with a beautiful goal from Clint Dempsey.

They nailed the coffin down 66 seconds later with a nice little chip from Ruiz. Bolton never looked like they could possibly recover, not showing enough gusto to get a goal or two. Half time regenerated the Wanderers briefly, but they couldn’t break the Fulham defense. The match would close out 2-0.

Chelsea took on Wigan Athletic Saturday and if you think it was an easy game for the Blues, you would be wrong. In the first half, it looked as if Chelsea would eventually get the lead, if they could just get the ball in the net. They looked more settled in the game than Wigan did.

In the second half, the Blues’ form continued and a fantastic set up allowed Daniel Sturridge to get the first goal in the 59th minute. The hard work paid off and Chelsea were now in the lead. The goal, however, wasn’t taken lightly by Wigan, who began to push up and press against the Chelsea defense.

This pressure from the offense of Wigan resulted in a stunning 88th minute goal that would tie the match. A slip up from Chelsea keeper Petr Cech allowed Jordi Gomez to slot one home and the match ended 1-1.

Saturday match results

Blackburn 1 – West Brom 2

Everton 1 – Norwich City 1

Newcastle 0 – Swansea City 0

Wolverhampton 1 – Stoke City 2

Matchday Sunday started out with a early morning riser for Manchester United. The Red Devils took on Queens Park Rangers and goals from Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick helped the team win 2-0. Kayla Knapp has a full recap of the game here, in case you slept in like me this morning.

The other noteworthy game form today had to have been the showdown between Manchester City and Arsenal. United may have been back at the top of the Premier League after their morning win, but City were eager to get it back as quickly as possible. And they did it thanks to a goal from David Silva.

For Arsenal, the game would be tough and frustrating. The Gunners had many strikes and shots to goal, but City keeper Joe Hart was on his game and his line, making some great saves for City to keep Arsenal from getting on the score sheet.

Silva notched his goal in the second half during the 53rd minute and all their celebrating was almost for naught as the Gunners quickly countered, with Theo Walcott flying forward and forcing another save from Hart. Even Robin Van Persie didn’t luck out as his goal that slipped in the net was ruled offside.

Alex Song was lucky several times he didn’t see red after some of his tackles, and both teams played hard against each other, attacking the goals with effort. But the score line wouldn’t change. Arsenal couldn’t get a shot in and Manchester City would finish off with a 1-0 victory.

Sunday matches

Aston Villa 0 – Liverpool 2

Tottenham 1 – Sunderland 0

Today, Arsenal Football Club celebrated their 125^th anniversary.  A victory at the Emirates Stadium made it all the more festive.  Once again, we can thank Robin van Persie, whose stunning volley in the 70^th minute, gave Arsenal a 1-0 win against Everton.

The Dutch superstar lost his mark to meet a lofted pass from Alex Song.  Van Persie’s powerful shot went in off the far post, giving the

Arsene Wenger has RVP to thank for today's win.

striker his 15^th goal of the season.  It also makes his 33^rd goal of the calendar year, which is only one shy of Theirry Henry’s club record in 2004.

The margin of victory should have been much greater had Arsenal not squandered a number of goal-scoring opportunities.  There were at least three that I could count in the first half.  The first was by Theo Walcott, who bested Leighton Baines but couldn’t convert.  Then Aaron Ramsey and Gervinho both wasted their one-on-one chances.

In the 54^th minute Van Persie powered a shot over the net, unable to get a good foot on the volleyed pass from Walcott. Two minutes later, Walcott shot off a bullet of his own, only to have it saved by an acrobatic move from Tim Howard, who used a single hand to tip the ball wide.

Robin van Persie’s goal came soon after, giving him number 12 of his last eight league games.

Overall, Arsenal played well with the exception of a key piece of their game.  Their defense looked solid and they were able to freely move the ball towards the area.  But when it came to delivering goals, especially when you consider all their chances, they failed miserably.

Van Persie’s spectacular goal didn’t even seem to belong in this match, but we will take it as well as the three points.  As of today, Arsenal move above Chelsea to take a seat in the top four of the league thanks to their sixth win in eight league games. Go You Gunners!

Image courtesy of theshortfuse.com.