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The brave warriors of Arsenal F.C left the footballing equivalent of Mordor with a point today. A disappointing result to some, but thanks to results elsewhere and the fact that Arsenal were playing Stoke City, a point that will prove valuable in Arsenal’s quest for third.

The Gunners were somewhat back to their creative best today, and perhaps should have won the game.

After early pressure, including a chance for Yossi Benayoun, Arsenal were shocked as Peter Crouch leapt to head in a cross. In previous years that would have been the beginning of Arsenal’s demise, but that was not to be this time around. On 15 minutes Robin Van Persie put in a Rosicky cross to put Arsenal deservedly level, his first goal from open play in 7 games.

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To quote the famous singer Meatloaf, “All revved up with no place to go”. That sums up us against Chelsea.

What can be said about a rather mundane 0-0 score line after so much hype? Well Chelsea made 8 changes from their uninspiring victory over Barcelona on Wednesday, and we started as expected. With Mikel Arteta’s injury Wenger opted to start Ramsey in the midfield and surprisingly he put The Ox in the starting line up.

The stage was set for a classic London Derby.

Did that happen? Not really to be honest. We started brightly with a lot of possession, but no penetration in the final third. Chelsea seemed keen for a draw from the outset and it was obviously up to us to take the game to them. We came relatively close with RVP hitting the post off a Walcott free kick, but apart from that neither side looked hungry to take the points.

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In such a topsy-turvy season – with Man Utd slipping up when the title was ‘won’, Blackburn and QPR being pulled back into the relegation mire when it looked like they were ‘safe’ – it was too much to ask that Arsenal won to open up an 8 point gap on Spurs. My last blog started with Arsenal moving in the right direction – what now for Arsenal?

Firstly, a word on Wigan

Wigan were fantastic. Absolutely  fantastic. I have a massive amount of respect for Martinez. I was mocked last week by the Spurs fans in my office for suggesting that Martinez could replace Redknapp, but he has constantly outwitted the best teams in the league over the past few weeks with his 3-5-1-1 which becomes 5-4-1 when defending. How refreshing to see a manager trying new formations and systems rather than relying on 4-4-2, 4-5-1 etc!

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It was Groundhog day for Arsenal fans as they lost to another team that should have been swept aside with ease. Once again, a lowly team were under-estimated and after the first 10 minutes, Arsenal had given themselves a mountain to climb.

Neutrals would have been shocked by the result, but there can’t be many Arsenal fans who would have been completely surprised at another collapse against a team battling relegation.

Losing Mikel Arteta early on disrupted the teams flow but it was not helped by poor performances throughout the team, notably from Ramsey and Djourou.

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A routine win and growing evidence that Arsenal are moving in the right direction.

The Starting XI

Suspension and injuries meant that Djourou, Ramsey and Andre Santos started in the only changes from the team that beat Man City on Sunday; whilst Wolves lined up in a defensive 4-5-1 formation, with the intent on damage limitation. Squillaci and Park made rare appearances on the subs bench for Arsenal.

Easy, easy, easy

Any hopes that Wolves had of snatching a point evaporated in the 8th minute when Bassong was sent off for upending Walcott in the penalty area. Unlike the debacle at Old Trafford, there could be little debate about the sending off, with Van Persie ending, by his standards, his goal drought to claim his 33rd goal of the season.

  1. Wolves v Arsenal player ratings
  2. Arsenal 1-0 Man City report
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