Match Review: Hull City 0 Arsenal 3 - Premier League - 20.04.14

Everybody loves a comfortable win. With Everton producing another impressive performance to beat Man United, the three points keeps us ahead of them and in charge of the race for fourth. It’s a doubly good result as it also means we have a psychological boost ahead of facing the same opponents in the cup final. Giving Hull a good beating should help wash away a bit of the fear that will naturally be felt by the players ahead of the game at Wembley. But for now, all attention can be focussed on securing 4th place.

The surprise in the Arsenal line-up came in Mesut Özil starting for the first time since we faced Bayern in Germany. After so long out, you would have expected the playmaker to start on the bench, but Wenger saw fit to get him straight into the team. The other team news was that Monreal was fit to start at left back and Podolski and Cazorla kept their places in the team. Rosicky dropped to the bench and Oxlade-Chamberlain also started on the bench having also been there for the West Ham game.

It was clear from minute one what Hull’s tactics would be during the game. High intensity pressing and flying into tackles all over the field. Some of the tackles bordered on assault, Steve Bruce had clearly wound his his team up and sent them out to leave something on the Arsenal players. Mikel Arteta even lost a tooth in a particularly nasty clash with Shane Long. They were also looking to test our defence with incessant crossing and long balls. Szczesny was instrumental in helping us command our penalty area, coming out and punching and catching a number of the efforts hoisted into the area. We had to ride out a difficult 20 minutes at the start, but even so, we should have had a chance to go ahead when Özil was tripped in the box. Yet another stonewall penalty we’ve been denied, but our hard work and patience eventually paid off.

Aaron Ramsey was the man who started and finished the move, producing a lovely Cruyff turn before firing the ball up to Mesut Özil. The German took the ball wide, but then produced a lovely pass to find Cazorla in the middle on the edge of the area. Ramsey made a storming run through the middle, giving Cazorla an easy ball in to the midfielder, who took one touch and slotted the ball home. Gorgeous football and the sort of play we’ve missed so much in recent months. We’ve missed Ramsey, we’ve missed Özil and they showed us why with that goal.

At 1-0 you could see the confidence it gave the team and I think it also helped us settle the game down. We had the superiority in the game and Hull then needed a goal and we used that to our advantage. There was a slight element of controversy as Arteta won the ball back from Jelavic. Hull fans and players screamed for a freekick, but the referee waved play on and replays showed that Jelavic threw himself to the floor following very little contact. We broke with pace and Hull had committed too many players forward. The ball was played up to Giroud, who held up the ball well and then clipped the ball into the middle. Ramsey chested the ball down and Podolski was on hand to smash an excellent finish beyond Harper. Just before half time, it gave us complete control of the game.

It’s an often used cliché that the ‘next goal is vital’. It’s rare that a goal isn’t important, but as the second half began, it felt vital that we didn’t let Hull get back into it. They started spiritedly and had a few half chances, but nine minutes in we killed the game off with another beautiful move. This time it was Podolski who started and finished the move, picking up the ball just outside the area and moving it on to Monreal. The left back played the ball through to Cazorla and he cut the ball back for Ramsey. The Welshman’s shot was saved by Harper, but the ball bounced out to Podolski, who took a touch and then crashed it home. It was Podolski’s fourth in two games and not a hint of finesse about any of them! The goal also meant the result was pretty much in the bag and we could take our foot off the gas. There were a few more chances, for us, one of which Giroud hit onto the underside of the bar having chased the goalkeeper down. In the end it was an impressive and convincing victory.

The finishing line is in sight. It’s been an up and down season, but three more performances like today’s will see us home. But as ever, there’s no room for complacency. Everton have the tougher fixtures, but are playing great football. They’ll push us all the way and we have to treat the last three games like cup finals. I’m confident, but I also want this season over and out of the way. Let’s get fourth and then concentrate on consigning the trophy drought to history.

Teams

Hull City (4-4-2)
Harper, Elmohamady, Chester, Davies, Rosenior, Meyler (Y), Huddlestone, Livermore, Boyd (Koren 84), Long (Fryatt 45’), Jelavic (Quinn 70’)~
Subs
Figueroa, Bruce, Koren, Fryatt, Jakupovic, Sagbo, Quinn

Arsenal (4-2-3-1)
Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker (Y), Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Ramsey, Podolski (Sanogo 84’), Özil (Flamini 61’), Cazorla, Giroud (Chamberlain 74’)
Subs
Fabianski, Jenkinson, Rosicky, Chamberlain, Sanogo, Flamini, Kallstrom

Player Ratings

Szczesny - 8/10 - A commanding and assertive performance, really rock solid
Sagna - 6/10 - A quiet game for the right back, had a few tricky moments but did ok
Mertesacker - 7/10 - Very important performance with all the crosses coming in
Koscielny - 7/10 - Probably still not fully fit but looked totally at home
Monreal - 7/10 - Pretty similar to Sagna but did a little bit more going forward
Arteta - 7/10 - Good stuff, lost a tooth but played with heart and remains a quality player
Ramsey - 9/10 - First league start in four months, but ran the game. Outstanding.
Podolski - 8/10 - Another prolific performance, still an enigma to everyone
Özil - 7/10 - Got 60 minutes in and looked refreshed after his injury
Cazorla - 7/10 - He’s had a disappointing season, but played well today
Giroud - 7/10 - A pretty solid showing despite being kicked off the park
Subs
Flamini - 6/10 - Came on in an easy situation and enjoyed an easy time of it
Chamberlain - 6/10 - Same as Flamini
Sanogo - N/A

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