Robin van Persie secured a vital three points for Arsenal in the race for a Champions League spot with an amazing injury-time volley as the Gunners overcame a dominant Liverpool side at Anfield. The home side missed a penalty, hit the post twice and took the lead thanks to a Laurent Koscielny own goal before surrendering to the brilliance of the Gunners striker. First the Dutchman headed a first half equaliser from a Sagna cross, then he caressed a glossy strike past a helpless Pepe Reina in the dying moments.
Despite worries being aired on Friday about the fitness of Robin van Persie, Thomas Vermaelen and Alex Song all three made Arsene Wenger’s starting line-up, as the Gunners fielded the same team that hammered Spurs.
Liverpool threatened with a couple of early corners in the opening exchanges, but the first shot in anger was from Theo Walcott. Latching onto a long ball by Mikel Arteta, Sunday’s two-goal hero, arrowed a volley from a tight angle which forced Reina into a smart save.
At the other end Szczesny was forced to tidy up behind Koscielny after a long ball over the top was misjudged by the Frenchman. The Pole heading the ball from outside his box, not once but twice after a minor panic at the back. Liverpool continued to press as the game reached the fifteen minute mark and both Kieran Gibbs and Bacary Sagna were forced into fantastic last-ditch challenges.
The pressure told eventually and after a neat one-two between Dirk Kuyt and Suarez, Szczesny took down the Uruguayan who was closing in on goal. It was difficult to tell how much contact had been made, but the Liverpool man didn’t need an excuse to go down like a gunshot victim. The penalty was awarded just like last week, but this time there was to be a different outcome.
Diving to his right Szczesny saved Kuyt’s spot-kick and despite the ball falling straight back into the path of the Dutchman the Pole managed to grapple a second effort out for a corner. It was a fantastic double save, arguably his best moment since saving from Di Natale in the Champions League qualification match against Udinese.
The joy was short-lived. On 22 minutes Liverpool took the lead and again it was an Arsenal man who did the hard work. A cross by Henderson was flashed across the six yard box after a swift break by the home team and Laurent Koscielny accidently crashed home an attempted clearance. We were lucky it wasn’t 2-0 a few seconds later. Suarez hit the post after a save by Szczesny from Henderson. We were really on the ropes, struggling to string passes together.
Out of nothing we equalised and who else could it be but Robin van Persie? A superb cross by Bacary Sagna found the captain and he tidily headed home at the near post past a stranded Reina. It was his 30th goal of the season and his celebration was nonchalance personified.
Despite the goal, parity at the break was only maintained thanks to more great work by Szczesny…and the goal post. You can say what you like about Luis Suarez as a person (racist cunt springs to mind), but as a footballer he’s one tricky customer. Five minutes before half-time he wriggled through the entire Arsenal defence and slid a low shot goalwards. It took a sprawling dive by our number one to again push the ball past the post – it was goalkeeping at its best
In injury-time another low ball across the six-yard box was met by Kuyt who nipped across Vermaelen and Koscielny to clip another effort against the post. There could have been no complaints if the players had headed to the dressing-room losing by at least a couple of goals. Battles were being lost all over the pitch while when we did get possession the likes of Song and Arteta too regularly surrendered the ball again.
Despite our struggles, Arsene persisted with the same team at the start of the second half. A change wasn’t long coming though. After an innocuous collision between Arteta and Henderon, our Spanish midfielder hit the turf and seemed to be knocked out cold. He was down for an absolute age as both medical teams worked on reviving him. After five minutes he left the field on a stretcher, an oxygen mask on his face – Abou Diaby came on to replace him and straight away had a strike at goal.
Liverpool’s pressing of our back four continued to make life very difficult for us. Too often Koscielny and Vermaelen were rushed into long lofted balls forward which inevitably ended back at the feet of an opponent. Our passing game was non-existent.
A quick throw saw Rosicky given enough room in the Liverpool area to hook a dangerous cross along the six-yard box, but with nobody making a run to connect with it, the chance went begging.
One of the major problems seemed to be our unwillingness to close down Liverpool players in wide areas. Time and time again the home side found themselves with time on the ball in the final third and able to whip dangerous balls into the penalty area. It forced a series of last-ditch challenges which could easily have seen us concede.
The game was becoming far more stretched in the final twenty minutes. Walcott had a great chance after a pull-back by Gibbs, but his deflected shot was well saved. The quiet Benayoun was then replaced by Gervinho as Wenger looked to add more pace to the attack. Walcott had another chance after a deft chipped ball by Rosicky but his header was very tame.
Abou Diaby’s afternoon last only 30 minutes; if it wasn’t so sad, it would almost be comical. The French midfielder hadn’t done badly since replacing Arteta, so I can only assume he was injured when Wenger decided to throw on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain into the centre of the park for the final nine minutes. You really fear for Diaby’s career now.
As the game reached the 90 minute mark Arsenal looked good for a draw, but when eight minutes of injury-time were announced you feared an onslaught from the home side.
Then Robin van Persie did what Robin van Persie does.
Remember that goal against Everton? A lofted Song pass and a RVP volley. Well he did it again. What a goal it was. This time the finish was more cushioned and at the near post, but it was no less fantastic. He kissed his Cameroon teammate’s boot as a thanks for the assist.
It was a real smash and grab. Could we hold on? Chamberlain fancied a third and flashed just over. Liverpool couldn’t muster another effort and then it was over. How the hell did we win that?
Who fucking cares…
The gap on Spurs is down to four points and we’re nicely ensconced in the top four.
