What a great performance. We didn't tear them apart with the most attractive football on the planet, but it was great because I saw strong commitment from the entire team for a change. Everyone played their part. Yes, even Abou Diaby and Denilson (and we know how highly I rate them).
But as always, credit where it's due and those two played their part by scoring a good goal each. Hats off.
Denilson's goal really was the turning point. Before that, Arsenal were trying but just couldn't find that breakthrough. And this is where "plan B" is crucial to any team.
Champions MUST be able to score from set pieces. MUST! manure proved it time and time again. Each time they have a title winning team, you'll always find a good freekick specialist. It helps break deadlocks and open up the opposition when they come and park the proverbial bus in front of goal. Look at the manure side with david beckham. manure struggled winning trophies after he left - until cronaldo came in the picture. They're struggling a bit now that he left to join Real Madrid.
In that exact vein, Denilson provided us with the key to breaking down hull. Ok, maybe a bit of knit-picking, but I still feel Denilson goes down looking for a freekick much too easily. There. Done. I said it. :) But let's not take the gloss off his perfectly taken freekick.
Diaby came up with a great assist for the 2nd goal and blasted in a good one of his own after a positive run into the box to receive Andrei's pass. That's something else this team has been lacking and I've said it before. No one makes intelligent runs into the box anymore. They're too static and that's easy to mark. Great work by the Frenchman but again, to knit-pick, I feel he's not committed enough in defending and doesn't get stuck in for the loose 50-50s. There. Done. I said it, again. :)
As for the rest of the team, everyone put in a good shift. A special mention must go to Mikael Silvestre. I felt he had a great game. He may not have the legs for running up and down the length of the pitch ala -clichy or -traore but I thought he did his job of defending well. There weren't any notable incidences on his side. He did give away a penalty but that was a WRONG call from the ref. The (too insignificant to name) hull guy threw in a blatant dive looking for it. Bastard.
Luckily, justice was served when Almunia saved the weak penalty well. Alarming was the fact that no one in red and white followed up on the shot in the event that he saved it. Shows the outfielders' confidence in him. hull had a 2nd bite of the cherry when Almunia's save rebounded back at them but the 3 hull players who went for it got in each others' way and fluffed their lines. They were promptly punished for their piss-assed diving shite by being stuffed with Eddie's goal, and Arsenal's 2nd minutes later.
As mentioned, it was Diaby's assist and it seemed to me like Eddie was conspiring to cock it up by giving it a somewhat awkward tap in. It went in anyway and a goal is a goal. I don't care how we score it. I'll take it.
Just before Denilson got on the scoresheet, Nasri, who was full of graft throughout the game, caused a bit of jostling. You'll read in the media how he "kicked" or "stamped" on some insignificant hull cunt but in truth, it was nowhere near as bad as the media love to make it sound. Fucking bastards. Nasri stepped on his foot and the fucking twat dived down as though someone stuck a hunting knife up his arse. Wanker. That sparked a bit of pushing and shoving from all parties (even Almunia was at the scene - but not Gallas) and Nasri picked up a card. Fuck em.
The best part of the entire incident was how Silvestre jumped in to stick up for Nasri in a blink of an eye. That's camaraderie and I'll have it no other way. Fuck the morals of the situation. I rather have a team that fights for each other in all circumstances. That was the kind of spirit Arsenal had when they last won anything. So fuck the british press and fuck the resulting red cards and bans. I like a team with fighting spirit.
Other special mention goes to Song. Another sterling display from him defensively though I felt he could do better with his long passes going forward. I worry about how we're gonna do without him when he leaves in a couple of weeks for the ACN.
Vermaelen and Gallas put in another good performance too and had things under control at the back.
Theo missed a great opportunity near the final whistle to rub even more salt on that half-baked cunt phil brown's wounds. He really needs to sharpen up.
Now if only the team can be more consistent. I'm looking at you, Diaby. Denilson, you need to toughen up. Top it up with more clinical finishing (Theo!) and things should look bright again.
All in all, the weekend's performance was a great one. Come on Arsenal!
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