Arsenal got another three points under their belt with a 4-1 win over Reading at the Emirates this afternoon.
Arsene Wenger handed starts to Tomas Rosicky and Gervinho, with Aaron Ramsey in midfield, while Lukas Fabianski and Laurent Koscielny kept their places after the wins against Bayern and Swansea.
The visitors started brightly, winning an early corner and heading wide, before Olivier Giroud got a header on a Ramsey ball but sent it straight at Stuart Taylor in the Reading goal. In the 7th minute applause rang out in memory of David Rocastle who died in 2001, and his picture was displayed on the big screen.
A few moments later Arsenal were ahead. Gervinho made a run, played it into Giroud who lost it, it came to Cazorla who took a left footed shot, dragged it across goal and Gervinho stepped in to poke it home from close range. 1-0 (GIF).
Arsenal probed and caused Reading problems, Santi Cazorla popping up all over the pitch and the Spaniard was almost put through by a Reading player trying a silly backflick just outside his own area. Gervinho then headed wide from a Sagna cross, before Olivier Giroud should have been awarded a penalty.
Arsenal played a long ball into the box, Taylor came out, Giroud flicked it over him and the keeper absolutely flattened him. Somehow referee Chris Foy didn’t give it.
In the 21st minute Gervinho went on a fantastic run, all the way from his own half all the way through to the edge of the Reading box but dragged his shot wide, and the Ivorian was lively causing Reading problems with his running, if not his shooting.
Aaron Ramsey then got on the end of an excellent move between Cazorla and Rosicky, his shot was on target from a tight angle, but Reading got bodies in the way to snuff out the danger. Gervinho got involved again, running directly at Reading, the ball came back to him, his shot was blocked, came then to Cazorla who left Stuart Taylor rooted to the spot but his shot went just wide of the post.
Giroud and Cazorla were combining well in and around the area, both had chances but Reading defended resolutely, throwing themselves in the way. Gervinho showed quick feet in the Reading box but fired his shot over the bar, before Chris Foy again angered the Arsenal players by waving play-on when Cazorla was upended on the edge of the Reading box. Arsenal went in 1-0 up at half-time.
The second half began well for the Gunners as they extended their lead in the 47th minute. Arsenal moved the ball across the pitch, Cazorla played it to Gervinho in the box, the Ivorian gave it back and the Spaniard curled a shot just inside the post. 2-0 (GIF).
It might have been three just moments later when an Aaron Ramsey shot deflected just wide. Alex Pearce got a shot away for Reading on the hour mark but it was easy for Fabianski. At the other end Gervinho saw a header loop just wide before he set p Olivier Giroud for Arsenal’s third.
Arsenal broke from a corner, Gervinho took it on, waited for support, played it to Giroud and the Frenchman lashed it home with his left foot to make it 3-0.
Reading then pulled one straight back, Robson-Kanu heading home from close range after a cross from the right. Monreal was injured in the process, his knee collided with the post and he was replaced by Gibbs. Oxlade-Chamberlain and Podolski then came on for Gervinho and Giroud, and the young Englishman had an immediate impact winning a penalty. Mikel Arteta stepped, made no mistake and made it 4-1 to Arsenal.
The Gunners were toying with their opponents, Ramsey forcing Taylor into a good save, and a beautiful passing move ended with Cazorla chipping a ball over the top which Rosicky should have done better with.
In the end Reading knew it was was game over, and a job well done for Arsenal. Three lovely points.
Quality performance by Sir Gervinho (2 assist & Goal)
he was still slow, indecisive and crap ! hurry up and replace him Arsenal. Everyone saw within 15 sec what the Ox is capable of compared to the gypsy headed Ivorian.
This is not a Ramsey case, because Ramsey always had talent and he was just positioned poorly in the team. Gervinho is
S
H
I
T
You are an arsehole. I think you hate the fact that he’s well on his way to proving you wrong.
He might be an arsehole but we can make our own minds up that without you telling us.
I wish people would just quit the name calling.
My bad, I thought he had written that as his username……..
He should though.
@arseblog
But what if said ‘arsehole’ doesn’t know he/she is being one? We’re just trying to help…
Whatever you say blogs you big cunt 😉
The irony from blogs who calls every non arsenal player cunt
It’s troll 101. What good will come of name calling? It’s just pathetic that in 2013 people can’t see that it’s so lame. Anonymous name calling. Wooo.
Arsehole does not do you justice…..fuck off to follow the spuds if you cant give our players credit when its due. Gervinho had a monster afternoon, literally gifting us 3 points and you are here pissing all over him. Fuck off!!
He worked his socks off and got the figures to show for it. What else do you want??… Fucking troll.
I have to agree with you on this one, even though Gervinho had a good game, he still made me frustrated as fuck. Congrats to him and all, but I mean, we were playing against Reading who were horrible today. You saw how the Ox came on and just sparked up the game, imagine if he had started and was doing those runs all game long? He’s way more effective than Gervinho imo + he can actually shoot.
You must have been possessed by the Gallas poltergeist!
Please pick up the advertising hoarding behind you!
Cheers.
The poor bloke . Even when he was substituted the commentator says “now i just can’t understand why you would play gervinho over chamberlain ”
The guy just got a goal and 2 assists . Give credit where its due ffs !!
The commentator was Tony Gale, that’s why, and he’s a spurs cunt. Although he was surprisingly more neutral today than he has been in the past (giving Arsenal absolutely no credit at all).
This looks good though, either Chelsea or spurs (or both) will succeed in imploding. And if spurs do finish above us anyway, they won’t have a strong enough squad to do both EPL and Champions League next season, thus dropping back down to 10th with the chimp escaping (transferring) from his cage at white hart lane!
Heh, guess that makes sense. The man was pissing me off.
Gerv deserved that standing ovation today, well played.
Bunburylist is a Mahchod just like this Ma dha fudha Tony di mah di fudhi Gale.
Pehnchod!
I absolutely detest those type of commentators. They refuse to think things through. There is a reason why Gervinho was picked over Ox, but the commentator just wouldn’t let it go. Kept on badgering on about pace and that crap. He was blind to the fact that Reading played the match in their own box and pace there doesn’t count for anything. Only when Reading saw that there was 3 quarters of the pitch available to play, then Ox was brought on for counter attacking. I just hope that t.v stations get rid of all the idiots in the commentary… Read more »
Well said.
Not to mention Gervinho is faster than Chambo
Yeah, just tell us whats happening rather than boring us with your opinion, you cunts.
for sure – in past matches Walcott was a destructive force against Reading. Can’t use him? Gervinho is probably the most similar type of player, and his start was well justified…
Hes a commentator that wants to sound intelligent and Arsenal are a very easy team to pick on.
I mean even Paul Merson gives it a go lol
Take no notice 😉
That’s what getting a goal in the previous game does to you. You could see he was more confident. Don’t know yet if he’s back but whatever he’s doing, hopefully he’ll keep it up till seasons end.
I dont think you really want to say that ‘Gervinho is back’ … I hope the gervinho we knew is gone forever and never comes back…Instead I would like to think that the gervinho we paid 10m for has finally arrived
Hell they made me forget I had waited almost sleeplessely for two weeks, absolutely loved all our midfielders combining, seems like we have upgraded our passing from triangle to pentagon or hex or some shit. Loved the game, a bit silly defending for their goal considering this was almost a replay of the goal Newcastle scored against us. But all in all, a Guntastic performance.
Yes. He is redeeming himself. His energy and constant running can really help us in run-in. All we need is Chelsea and Spurs to take turns to lose points and we arrive at 3rd position. Given that they have Europa league as well, it all looks great for arsenal.
Gervinho will be a third season signing. 2 seasons to adjust then he gonna fuck defenses up proper!
I can dream, can’t I?
Loved it how every ball was fought for by the lads. True what they have been saying they are playing like every game is the final.
What’s up with the Nazi saluting though?
Dead sure he’s not that stupid to be doing a nazi salute……
He is smart though, his head doesn’t allow backflips, e.t.c. Sticks to his lane.
literally laughed out loud at this rebuttal
Ffs let it go. The world does not revolve around Europe and its history. Gervinho probably doesn’t even know why he celebrates that way, and I for one could give a shit. What matters is his behaviour and attitude to other humans on a personal level, not some antiquated gesture assigned to the so called root of all evil.
That victory was for Rocky Rocastle!
COYG
Gervinho played well and he fully deserves the credit, but I still want to see him play more decisively and confidently in front of the goal. He looks a bit timid at times. It was a fantastic game by all of our lads. I was hoping Swansea would at least draw with Sp*rs, but, oh well. It seems we have to wait a few more games for the Top 4 spot.
still rubbish for this level of football. it was reading
A goal and two assists for Gervinho, never thought I’d be saying that. Come on the Arsenal!
His goal today was abit like the bradford-esque miss in the carling cup, only this time he tucked it away.
what’s with gervinho with missing header goal. I thought it came naturally?, I was wrong.
Christ that was fast blogs!
Anyway, Gervinho! Fantastic performance all around, could have been alooot more, we’re coming for you Spuds!
And Chelsea…
ChelSHIT
Good old Arsenal!
Gone for some time now from the non-blind. Ramsay caused us headaches in the past. I’ll not deny my frustration with his growing pains. But, this campaign, the lad’s really come round. Might be, for me, the high story of the season thus far.
To the comment about Ramsay just below…sorry.
Where you at now Ramsey haters!?!? Good performance from the lads! COYG!
Still here… And he gave up a corner in the first minute from which Reading got a decent chance. Pleased with the match and everyone’s effort though. Hard (and kind of senseless) to bag on players in a 4-1 win. Gervinho in particular was fantastic on the right today.
He gave it up?? If anything it was good work of him to get it away from the Reading-player.
Its funny how people who are biased can see something, and twist it into what they want it to be.
If he had scored a screamer from 30 yards out, im sure there’d be something wrong with that too.
Like maybe…..he should have put it into the top left corner and not not the right! ffs!. He’s crap!
But he didn’t score a screamer and he had an excellent chance in the first half to put us up 2-0 but fired into the side netting. Or was that my bias deceiving me?
That knife cuts both ways.
I think the “knife”cut the cord that connects your brain and tongue…..
Oh you mean the one reading defender deflected? How dare he play defense!
Oil Wells lost and Planet of the Apes just survived. The run in for the third place could get very interesting. Let’s hope we make the most of our match in hand against Everton
Gervinho Lans. Good stuff!
Comprehensive and complete.
Arsene continues to pull the right strings. While Gervinho was, in the clinical sense, typically Gervinho, his energy and downhill pace provided loads of problems for Reading. While Santi was the creative MoM, in my opinion, Gervinho certainly gets the honorable mention for his all-round desire and directness.
Great stuff, Gunners! Keep on!
Downhill pace? i thought football pitches were flat!
If played right and with confidence, I have always thought Gervinho has a lot of potential. Hopefully he can be a bit more consistent. COYG
You are my Arsenal,
My only Arsenal,
You make me happy,
When skies are grey,
You’ll never know just,
How much I love you,
So please don’t take,
My Arsenal… Away
Routine win coming courtsey of a great performance
Ox should have started. Would love to see him play more.
On the other hand, great game (granted, not the world beaters of the opponents). Passing was fucking amazing. Love AFC 🙂
I thought the same thing at the beginning of the match…no Ox and no Podolski had me a bit perplexed. Must say, however, from the first minute Gervinho’s energy was every bit a match deciding advantage to the Arsenal.
I thought Alex should have started too, but I think the decision to start Gervinho was still a good one. He needs game time, a continued boost in confidence, and also his link up play with the rest of the attack.
Wenger may be criticized for his lack of rotation, but in this case I think he was spot on, especially as we head into the run in.
Can we have reading everyweek?
Hehe, the spuds and oil money baffoons can suck my champions league spot. One of the ain’t making it!
Ohh let us thank Southampton for beating chelsea its a shame that swansea couldnt get a result against Toti
what a feeling it must have been for Gervinho to be applauded by Emirates as he came off. well you earned it Man!!
Good Game
Excellent comment. He really did.
Just get the feeling if his confidence continues to flow, he could be instrumental in our biggest remaining game – Against ManUre at home. Would love to see him leave tread-marks over Rio and Vidic as he vrooms past them to score
One of those games where I’m not quite sure if we were that good or reading were that shit but bloody hell, that midfield really did pass and move the ball around well today, reminiscent of arsenal teams past. Giroud was solid and deserved his goal, shame not keeping another clean sheet but overall a good performance by the lads, if I’m being hypercritical I’d say we should have put this game to bed by half time, but who cares, 3 points is what matters and we took them in style today. Also the chavs lost, fucking john terry you… Read more »
Thumbs up for calling John “cunt” Terry a cunt twice in one sentence!
you too likewise sir!
what a cunt, terrycunt
Very well played, great to see the Arsenal playing beautiful football after a horrendous 2 weeks of the interlull
What a tackle by koscielny in the 58th minute.
with our luck when it comes to those decisions and domination, that Reading guy would have probably scored if it weren’t for The Boss
Lively shift from Ramsey as well today. It’s great to see him building some consistency.
this is classy arsenal
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/300275_626339834059643_1443008610_n.jpg
Really? Well that will sum up Reading season. I don’t want them to go down as we enjoy scoring goals against them.
Gervinho, redeem yourself! Fantastic effort.
Anyone else take my tip before game on previous post?? Get in!!
Reading were fairly abysmal but that was a very decent performance indeed by us. Good to see Gervinho do so well, if only he could put that sort of performance in every game. In fact that could go well for the team as a whole – if we’d played the whole season like we have the last 3 games or so there would be no talk of Tottenham or Europa League. Shame Swansea couldn’t pull another one back and equalize, but Southampton might have just done us a big, big favour. Been thinking for a while that Chelsea are getting… Read more »
ahhh at least we are squeezing the last bit of productivity out of Gervinho before we to start to phase him out from summer onwards, he is just utter crap. Because lets face it, he nearly missed the goal and the two assists could of been made by Gnabry blindfolded.The fluidity and speed of the passing at the end was so much more enjoyable to watch and dangerous on our part.
but seriously at the end The Arsenal played with a sense of freedom, 3 juicy chocolate eggs…i mean points ^__^
oh and Cazorla, Rosicky, Ramsey, Arteta just fantastic !
You asshole. His direct running and ability to hold onto the ball was one of the main reasons we scored at least three goals.
I dunno, the speed of our interplay in midfield was making the space for him and Giroud to play in so that was the biggest part imo. Gezza did well though. Giroud, not so well but hopefully that goal will relax him a little more.
dick swiveller – really? don’t know which game you were watching, but Giroud had a very good game – linked up with cazorla well.
ohwell, i must have been watching another game. either that or you’re truly a dick.
Trying to think of Reading related puns. Too lazy.
chelsea fans will be ‘reading’ the tables figures anxiously tonight..
i can see why you wher to lazy to think of reading related puns, that was shit
Delighted for gervinho after the stick he was getting, only two points behind the chaves now, 8 more wins please 🙂
only 4? thats probably my only gripe :). So this begs the question who does Ox come in for, Rosicky? (who I thought was great) or Ramsey (who is certainly going to go on a celebrity killing spree if he keeps up his good play).
He stays on the bench, where he can make a brilliant impact like he did today.
Chelsea lost! Top four we’re comin’ !!!
3 games in a row now, that’s practically consistency by this teams standards.
the best part was seeing Rosicky chasing the ball all the way back to Reading keeper at 3-0 up. Man that felt good…
and that ping-pong passing was orgasmic
Good win today, chase on fourth still on
Finally I don’t sound batsh*t crazy for saying Gervinho is useful for us! His finishing is as bad as ever but he offers a directness and movement that we sorely lack. Ox on the other wing and we really would be a terrifying attack
The other forwards never saw what gerv was doing, therefore we blame it on a lack of a final ball from him.
The amount of times I have seen him do a brilliant direct run, and then pass the ball into a space where there was nobody. So frustrating to see a potential tap in cleared.
I also like the fact that practically all our attackin players have different or contrasting qualities. This excites me.
How often have we had 5 players who are very similar.
This team is beginning to balance up well.
People pray for rain, i will pray for squad stability this summer + additions.
It’s rare that you win 4-1, and the scoreline flatters the losers – could easily have been 6 or 7.
Some of the passing was vintage Wenger-era Arsenal.
Technically, it still is the Wenger-era 😉
Great performance from the lads, hope the knocks both our fullbacks took aren’t serious.
8 games to go, burn after reading, win ’em all
Looking at Chelsea’s fixture list don’t see how they can stay above us or Everton…we can still catch that spud team or whatever they’re called as well, decent day to be a gooner…btw sone of the football we played today was great wasn’t it?
By the way, Bayern just beat Hamburg 9-2. Puts your username into perspective…
I can’t remember a worse side to visit the Emirates in a long time. Reading were simply awful. But Arsenal were on their game today and that’s all you can ask. We’re chipping away at the gap between us and the top 4 and the momentum looks to be with us. 3 more points please at West Brom…
This one’s for you Rocky.
If the spuds aren’t going to collapse, chelski most certainly will.
They have an FA cup tie, Europa league AND a league fixture all next week.
Loving life right about meow.
In Arsene We Trust!
Great performance today, just what we needed after the damn interlull.
Everything is set up for us to charge up to 3rd place. It would be a remarkable achievement.
Then, with new deals and money coming in, and more loyal players, we won’t lose anybody in the summer. And we will be able to actually ADD to the team instead of replacing key players. Finally Arsenal will have a more optimistic mood around the club.
Gervinho showed the desire that should be all we ask for. Arshavin has/had talent but no desire. Gervinho, jury’s still out on him, clearly has talent but not got quite the cool-head to use it. But showing desire to win – that is where he deserves his place and some credit.
I totally agree, anyone can tirn their career around and Gervinho wants to be here and he just beeds to carry on and believe more. He could be immense nexy season.
You just have to look at Monkey king down the road as someone who was a Joke (and still is) as couldn’t do nothing right to were he is ( but i swear he is conning everyone somehow – a master illusionist).
Bottom line keep playing this Gervinho and delivering and you will be juuuuust fine.
Good stuff. At times, some of the passing was exactly what us spoilt Arsenal fans have been used to (and missed a bit this year), as much as the points the manner of the victory and performance will have Spuds and Shitski pooping their draws. Perhaps for the first time this season, those who Arsene has given their chance to all seem to be taking it.
the only sour thing today would be the condition of two of our full backs. hope Sagna and Nacho are not hurt bad.
Yeah, hopefully it’s only a nach.
You could see that Gervinho is improving from his recent poor form, that’s good for him. But he may still need to work on his finishing and crossing. The team played some great football today, lots of passes and could have scored more. Would be shocked if we couldn’t finish in the top four or even three and Reading managed to stay up or do not finish bottom.
Shouldn’t be reading to much into todays win. Fail to see what reading does for us in the long run. We might learn something. Like rosicky and cazorla starting together.
Brilliant midfield performance today, on and off the ball.
No pun intended? 😉
Good performance from Gervinho today (that’s three in a row now), but Santi was the best player on the park by a mile. Superb. Another good day for AFC with Chelski losing, and with them (CFC and Spuds) having to play each other, top 4 is in our hands
How awful were Reading ? They are the worst defence in the league. Gervinho was offside and the “penalty” was well outside the box. 4 points behind Spurs still.
WOW!
I predict that Gervinho is going to end up with some fairly middling stats by season’s end. Which means, given how sclerotic they are now, means he’s going to be all Shaolin Soccer over the run-in. People are going to call him Messi with a Fivehead. Man City will then offer an obscene amount to sign him in the summer. After consulting with the “little boy inside of him” he says no thank you. He has one more season, 40 goals, 40 assists, no injuries, and Arsenal finally get the Joey Barton off their back. After winning that Golden Balloon… Read more »
I’m going to have to thumb myself down for egregious grammar errors. “You try typing on an iPad through the Twitter popupbrowserthing” I might say in my defense, but then I thumb down this comment for talking to myself. That’s a rel problem some people have that I have no business making light of.
Very good piece Jack, very strange imagination you have but amusing & entertaining!
7/10 for me!
the thought of Gervinho doing a head-chest burster, alien style, had me spit out my mouthful of coke…seriously im even wet…
LMFAO. Gervinho is the second coming. How many times did he fluff his lines ? Why are Arsenal fans so thick ?
He’s a footballer, not an 18th century orator, so he did fine.
And why are you calling yourself thick? I like those wide hips! They don’t lie, that’s fo sho.
He had a good game today, end of story. I think most Arsenal fans would prefer if we sold him in the summer but until then we need him, and he has a part to play in this crucial fight for fourth. While he wears an Arsenal shirt he has my support.
Please Sir train me in your trolling ways as you are very consistent. Consistency this and any team can only dream of having.