Arsenal can withstand the pain and there is hope to be seen.

by ka888g68u on 2009-12-08 13:15:23

Arsenal Can Withstand the Pain and See Hope, Victory Shatters Anxiety Under Pressure

"Without complaints, without injuries, without controversies, and without disgrace, what's important is that this long-awaited three points came just in time." After defeating Stoke City, the comment from Emile Lawrence, a Guardian Arsenal fan, carried a tinge of melancholy. As a beautiful writer for one of Britain's major newspapers, Lawrence was appropriately dispatched to personally watch the match at Emirates Stadium last Saturday. Who else but their own fans could better capture the current mindset of Arsenal?

"The Potters" had previously defeated Tottenham in London, had sent Arsenal packing from Britannia Stadium last season, boasted Premier League's strongest thrower Rory Delap, along with set-piece specialists Faye and Huth, thus often forcing Almunia into awkward saves and Vertonghen jumping "as frequently as a rabbit." However, the 2-0 scoreline indicated that Arsenal, despite its youth, was far from being down and out.

Missed Penalty, Anxiety Under Pressure

However, the team did not start on solid footing right from the kick-off. In the 20th minute, Arshavin was tripped by Delap after wriggling past Cisse inside the box - penalty! In September, during Eduardo's dive scandal,克拉滕伯格 (Clattenburg) became the first "angel" to benefit Arsenal in a penalty controversy, unfortunately, Cesc Fabregas missed this "gift". His shot towards the right corner was both flat and slow, easily saved by Sorensen with a side dive.

Arsenal knew how to grow stronger through battles. Last season's Champions League away at Rome's Olympic Stadium, they approached it with the same mindset and eliminated the Italian side via penalties, with Eboue and Sagna making contributions, where courage compensated for technical deficiencies. But over the past half month, the Gunners were struggling like in mud, suffering three consecutive defeats in the Premier League and the EFL Cup, conceding seven goals without scoring any. The team's last league goal was on the 7th of last month; a month later, even the 32 teams for the World Cup had already booked their accommodations in South Africa. Without last season's top two penalty-takers Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor, captain Cesc Fabregas took up the responsibility, the long-absent goal-scoring touch pressing heavily on his shoulders, making the 12-yard distance feel like an eternity.

Under pressure, Arshavin had previously lost his composure in a one-on-one situation. Eboue standing on the goal line blocked Fabregas' powerful drive towards the goal, reminiscent of two seasons ago when Bendtner, while beside Reina, similarly prevented a teammate's goal. This marked Fabregas' 250th appearance for Arsenal, turning what should have been a light-hearted milestone into a heavy one.

"Before the international break, we performed well, then we were struck down like getting shot, players were anxious and disappointed, I won't deny it," Wenger analyzed the team's mentality before the game, and admitted post-game, "At that moment (Fabregas missing the penalty), I thought, isn't this one of those unlucky days again!"

Czar Breaks the Scoring Drought, Injuries Force Change

Arsenal hoped to turn danger into safety, but opponents wouldn't offer such luxury. Sandwiched between Sunderland and Chelsea's "fences," Eduardo lost form, even sending himself onto the injury bench, "Eduardo suffered a recurrence of his thigh injury, forced to stop training," Wenger revealed just before the game.

This inadvertently became a turning point. Just at the start, Fabregas slipped a through ball centrally, Arshavin broke clear into the box but pushed the ball wide as Sorensen rushed out timely. Two minutes later, Arshavin crossed left-footed from the right flank, Nasri's shot inside the box was blocked again. Goals seemed just around the corner. After winning the penalty, the Russian decided to take matters into his own hands: in the 26th minute, Arshavin broke into the box, calmly slotting home past a crowd of "Potters" defenders into the far corner, showcasing the player's composure and technique akin to Ronaldo's breakthrough against Turkey's defense in the 2002 World Cup. It was also the Czar's first goal in a month.

Wenger was dissatisfied with consecutive goalless draws, after trying Eduardo and Carlos Vela, he decided to push Arshavin into a central role. Arshavin felt the weight of responsibility, "If I were an Arsenal fan, I would've (left early on the day against Chelsea), since Robin has been absent, scoring has become a big issue. I bear responsibility because Arsene spent big money to bring me here, though I'm not Henry, I'm one of the few older players, I should be like Robin, William, and Cesc (in leading the young ones)."

Placing the Czar centrally proved natural. Wenger pushed Eboue and Rosicky to the wings in this game to broaden the attacking width, letting Nasri operate in the left midfield area suitable for diagonal runs. But having Arshavin as the lone striker was undoubtedly the biggest variable. He became a low-profile yet unbending bastion, linking almost all of Arsenal's threatening attacks in this game. Before halftime, his pass helped Fabregas shoot close-range, in the second half, his shots inside and outside the box forced Sorensen into desperate saves, the latter attempt would've hit the crossbar if not for Faye's last-ditch clearance.

Farewell to the Burden, Triumph Can Return

"Arshavin was absolutely brilliant," said Stoke City coach Tony Pulis post-game. "Rosicky, Nasri, Fabregas, and Eboue can all penetrate forward, and at such times, you need a player like Arshavin to make runs." Wenger didn't confirm whether he'd continue using Arshavin as a center-forward but promised to "try again for away games."

In Arsene Wenger's 500th Premier League game, both Arshavin and victory were crucial, but not the only focus. Post-game, cameras collectively captured the handshake between Wenger and Pulis. Hughes accused Wenger of lacking grace after losing in the EFL Cup, refusing to shake hands with the winners. This added another chapter to their feud. Fabregas criticized Hughes (who once played for Barcelona) saying his style "didn't show he played there," and apologized for it. Hughes was ecstatic last Wednesday at Manchester's Etihad Stadium, wildly celebrating in front of Arsenal's technical area, drawing complaints from the professor, whose fiery reaction (Hughes) wouldn't let small details slide, Roy Keane wasn't too fond of it, "Managers are under pressure, Mark is a hard man, but Wenger is at least not hypocritical."

Arsenal needed victory, and lessons learned from defeat. In the 79th minute, substitute Aaron Ramsey combined with teammates in the middle before breaking into the box and curling a shot into the net, sealing the 2-0 victory. Amidst a full infirmary, the Welsh youngster, who has already scored twice in the Premier League this season, became a tactical chess piece for the team. Last week's EFL Cup saw Arsenal's youth squad unable to match Manchester City's billionaire squad, with Ramsey constrained in midfield, cutting off their chance to advance further. This week's Champions League remains the last stage left for them this season.

Wenger didn't need handshakes. "I'm not an angel. If shaking hands is the worst thing that happens, then the world isn't so bad." He held hope for the swift return of Gallas, Eboue, and Traore, and revealed that Walcott, Eduardo, Diaby, and Bendtner might all return within the month.