Match Review: Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 - Premier League 11.05.14
Another Premier League season has drawn to a close. Arsenal rounded off their campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over relegated Norwich on Sunday. While the Premier League season is finished, we still have the FA Cup Final, which will now be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Our Premier League campaign has been a huge mixed bag, but a victory on Saturday would make for a relatively good season.
There was a slightly odd look to the side that took to the field for the final game. Fabianski started unexpectedly, fuelling speculation that he may be dropped for the cup final. Sagna, who may have made his last PL appearance for the club, started at centre back, with Jenkinson slotting in at right back. There was a boost ahead of Saturday’s game, with Gibbs starting at left back, while Koscielny completed the defence. Arteta and Ramsey started in the pivot, while Rosicky came in for Cazorla. Podolski, Özil and Giroud made up the rest of the team. Mertesacker and Cazorla were left out of the squad altogether, presumably as a rest, while it seems Vermaelen is struggling for fitness ahead of the game against Hull. Thankfully though, Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby look like they will be available and took places on the bench.
The game was played in the manner of a dead rubber, with neither side needing a result and with our players in particular wanting to make sure they took no unnecessary risks with a major cup final coming up. As such, the pace of the game was a bit pedestrian. Our first chance of any note took nearly half an hour to come; some excellent play from Giroud led to Podolski shooting from a tight angle, but Ruddy saved. Despite how poor the game was, it was clear Arsenal were the much better team. Giroud could have given us lead after a basic passing move completely bewildered Michael Turner and left Giroud one on one with Ruddy. Ruddy pulled off an excellent save, but Giroud shouldn’t have given him the chance to save it. The Frenchman nearly made up for it with an excellent effort from distance, but Ruddy was in irritatingly good form again.
After half time, it was clear that a moment of magic was going to be needed spark the match into some sort of life. Fortunately, that’s what happened and as has often been the case, it was Aaron Ramsey who provided it. The assist came from Giroud, who dinked the ball towards the far post and Ramsey took the ball on the volley, sending it flying in to the top far corner. A stunning goal by any stretch, worthy of a much more important game, but welcome nonetheless.
Ramsey’s goal was stunning, but our next goal was magnificent not for the quality, but the person who scored it. Arsenal came flooding forward and the ball fell to Gibbs to pull back into the box. His ball found Podolski, who scuffed his shot, but it fell to lifelong Arsenal fan Carl Jenkinson, who side footed home. The full back wheeled away and the look on his face told you everything you needed to know about what it meant to him. It was almost enough to bring a tear to your eye. God knows how many times I’ve fantasised about smashing in a goal for the Arsenal and I think everyone will be made up for the guy.
I think overall, we’ve achieved the minimum from the league. The dreams of the title faded with some chastening results against our rivals and we then had an alarming period where even our top four place looked in doubt. Ultimately injuries and some dozy performances cost us and while we’ve achieved a very good points total (one that would have won us in the league in ’98), you can’t help thinking it’s an opportunity missed. You only need to find us another eight points over the season and we’d have had enough to win the league. There are a lot of positives, but there are a lot of lessons to be learned too and I hope the management will be putting in a lot of hard work over the summer. We’re not far off being real contenders and if the right moves are made, we could be a force next year. With what’s been said about our financial capabilities, there can be no excuses too. But for now, we have a huge game at Wembley. Time to step and get the monkey off our backs. Nine years and nine years only lads.
Teams
Norwich (4-5-1)
Ruddy, Martin, Bennett (Y), Turner, Olsson, Johnson, Tettey (Loza 58’), Howson, Snodgrass, Redmond (E Bennett 76’), Elmander (Hooper 58’)
Subs
Whittaker, Fer, Hooper, Bunn, E Bennett, Loza, Murphy
Arsenal (4-2-3-1)
Fabianski, Jenkinson, Sagna, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey (Wilshere 63’), Podolski, Özil, Rosicky (Diaby 74’), Giroud (Sanogo 74’)
Subs
Szczesny, Monreal, Flamini, Wilshere, Sanogo, Diaby, Kallstrom
Player Ratings
Fabianski - 7/10 - Made a couple of good saves as we got sloppy at the end
Jenkinson - 8/10 - Probably a 7, but 8 for his awesome goal and celebration
Sagna - 7/10 - Solid at centre back again
Koscielny - 7/10 - A good final performance for this PL season
Gibbs - 7/10 - Great to have him back, should have been in the World Cup Squad
Arteta - 7/10 - Had a fairly untroubled game
Ramsey - 8/10 - What a talent. Unreal potential and will hope to stay fit from now on
Podolski - 6/10 - Another game that passed him by unfortunately
Özil - 6/10 - Also didn’t play much of a role. Should enjoy the big pitch at Wembley though
Rosicky - 7/10 - Has had a very good season and will hope to carry on this way next year
Giroud - 7/10 - Unlucky not to get a goal, showed some really bright bits of play
Subs
Wilshere - 7/10 - Showed a few bright moments and will be hoping for a good world cup
Diaby - 7/10 - Didn’t actually do a lot, but it’s amazing to see him back and playing
Sanogo - 6/10 - Didn’t really get involved much
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