Arsenal 1 – 0 QPR: Like Wolves, But With Three Points To Show

New Years Eve brought Queens Park Rangers to the Emirates for the final match of the 2011 calendar year, and van Persie’s last chance to match or break Shearer’s record.

Wenger rang in the changes to the starting line up from the disappointing draw versus Wolves on Tuesday, with Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott and a surprising Andrei Arshavin getting starts. Gervinho, Rosicky and Benayoun went to the bench.

Arsenal began the match looking for balls over the top of the defence, Arteta sending Walcott in, but he failed to produce anything with his touch. Shortly after, Arsenal nearly broke through the middle of the pitch when a give and go between van Persie and Song nearly had van Persie in all along, but Song’s through ball was too hard. Arsenal was dominating possession, but without fullbacks giving supporting runs it was mostly near the centre circle.

QPR’s last win at Arsenal was in 1994 at Highbury and they were looking to change that. Shaun Wright-Phillips nearly went in behind but for a fantastic sliding interception by Mertesacker. Bothroyd then out muscled the Big German in the air, created space for the shot, but it was a comfortable save for Szczesny. Again, QPR threatened, this time down the right flank. Djourou gave some guy too much time and space and his through ball was a peach into the onrushing Wright-Phillips’ path into the box. Mertesacker’s lack of pace was exposed and only a brilliant read by the Arsenal keeper by rushing out and closing space to save the shot kept the score level.

In the 19^th minute, Joey Barton had a long shot go way wide, but it had only occurred when a QPR man elbowed Andrei Arshavin right in the face. The commentators were pointing out it could have been a red card, but to me it was a classic case of shielding the ball with your body and because Arshavin is so short, the elbow is in the facial area no matter what the guy does. Yes I’m sympathetic because I had this exact scenario happen to me just before Christmas.

Robin van Persie’s first chance would come in the 23^rd minute off a terrific cross by Arshavin off the left flank. Van Persie rolled off the shoulder of the last defender and tried to head the ball back across goal but missed the net for a goal kick. It was a great chance made by quality play, but much more difficult than it seemed on the screen. A couple minutes later, Johan Djourou made a terrific slaloming run from the right back position, fed van Persie into the box, who jinxed around the defender and blasted the ball over the bar from close range. The Dutchman should’ve scored, but Arsenal were looking good.

Joey Barton would get his name into the referee’s notebook with a yellow card in the 27^th minute. Arteta sent the free kick into the box finding Vermaelen’s head that knocked it across the goal, finding Theo Walcott who attempted to put it into the open net. Theo failed horribly, and sent the ball right across the goal. It should’ve been a goal and QPR were let off by poor finishing.

The chances kept coming when Vermaelen long ball from his own half had van Persie behind the defence and his right footed volley was blasted over the bar. Arsenal would then earn a corner and it fell to Koscielny who took it off the chest and his volley was blocked by some QPR bloke’s arm in the box. He had jumped into the path of the ball to block it with his body, and with his arms flailing all over, it was a clear pelanty to me, but apparently not to the commentators or the referee and the play simply resumed on with 60,000+ screaming for it to be given.

Another poor refereeing decision by Atkinson would be made when Koscielny chopped down Wright-Phillips on the break in front of the linesmen. QPR maintained possession and advantage was waved on, but when the whistle went, it was Vermaelen who was shown the yellow card. You would think the assistant ref would correct him, but no.

Nearing the end of the half, Aaron Ramsey found himself in space at the top of the box and he took his shot first time, a volley looking for the left post that was going in but for a Barton clearance on the line. Arteta would also have a long shot that was easily saved by the QPR keeper, and that’s how the half would end.

1^st Half Stats

Arsenal                  QPR

87%      Pass Acc    71%

64%      Poss.           36%

7           Shots             3

2           On Target     2

The 2^nd half began with no changes made. Arsenal right away put pressure on the QPR defence, threatening around the box. Eventually Arteta would find space but his shot was wayward. Next, Theo got behind the defence, but was called for offside.

It was a positive start for Arsenal, which was marred by a forced substitution as Vermaelen was forced off with an injury and Francis Coquelin was sent on to play left back. Immediately after the sub was made, Ramsey sent Theo Walcott in all alone from the halfway line. A sure goal was coming in my mind, except Theo once again missed the net. It was a horrendous miss, simply no other way to put it.

Thankfully the agony was short lived. In the 60^th Wright-Phillips decided to pass the ball straight to Andrei Arshavin in inexplicable fashion who ran with the ball and sent a inch-perfect pass right behind the defender and just far enough away from the keeper and onto van Persie’s left foot. This time van Persie made no mistake, smashing it into the bottom corner of the net for his 35^th in the year 2011, breaking Thierry Henry’s record.

Four minutes later Song got into the box near the by-line, held off his defender and sent a low cross in for Arshavin who’s first time shot was well blocked by Luke Young.

QPR finally came alive though. As the defensive line step-up to put the play offside, Djourou went the other way, allowing some bloke time and space to cut in on Djourou and his shot was going to the bottom corner but for a good save by Szczesny, forcing a corner instead. The corner was flicked on at the near post to a wide-open QPR man at the back post who put it over the bar. Andrei Arshavin would be taken off in favour of Tomas Rosicky and then my stream of the match would die, presumably for someone to take out Joey Barton without the masses watching. Unfortunately, when my stream returned, Barton looked perfectly okay, as if nothing had happened.

In the 74^th minute, Theo Walcott was able to break down the right flank, and then fed Ramsey. With possible passes a plenty at the top of the box, Ramsey chose to shot and blasted it over the bar. That would be Theo’s last impact on the match as Gervinho then replaced him.

Gervinho would have immediate impact on the match, making a dazzling run from the right flank, nutmeg Barton, but had his shot well blocked by another defender. Arsenal would maintain pressure though. Song had van Persie in space, but his through ball was behind the Dutchman. Van Persie was able to shrug off the defender along the by-line however and sent in the cross to a cutting Gervinho who, from three yards, contrived to miss the net all together. Five minutes later, van Persie stripped the defender of the ball allowing Gervinho to break down the right flank again, and only another superb read by Luke Young prevented his cutback pass to reach the wide open van Persie.

QPR would push for the equalizer and in the 84^th minute Song committed a poor foul, prompting my stream to die out again. It would appear a minute later with Barton still walking, and the commentators talking about some decision not made by Atkinson that I never saw so will refrain from commenting on.

Arsenal would create a few more chances to finish off the game, Aaron Ramsey having a shot saved, and after being headed on into space by the Welsh captain, van Persie miss-controlled his first touch and nothing came of it. One more block/clearance by Luke Young prevented Rosicky from getting a shot on net and after a bizarre four minutes added; the final whistle was blown to end the match, Arsenal 1, QPR 0.

Final Stats

Arsenal                  QPR

84%    Pass Acc     74%

59%    Poss.           41%

18       Shots            8

4        On Target      4

Player Ratings:

Szczesny 8 MOTM – Surprised? You might be, but he made some vital stops at the beginning of the match to keep it scoreless, and then when QPR were pressing in the 2^nd half, he mopped up everything in the box. The reason the match report seems so one-sided is because Szczesny took care of every cross exceptionally well, and that is why he is the clear #1 keeper at Arsenal, and the better keeper between him and Fabianski, not matter what the stats say.

Djourou 6.5 – Adapting well to the right-back position. Still a bit off at times, but I thought he had a solid game and generally does well being played out of position.

Mertesacker 7 – An interception machine, Reads the game very well, but was caught out for pace early on by Shaun Wright-Phillips, which is somewhat unfair since SWP will beat most people for pace.

Koscielny 7 – Generally did well, but was beaten physically by Bothroyd a few times and should’ve had a yellow card to his name. Great defender.

Vermaelen 6 – I think we all understand why he says he doesn’t like to play left back. He isn’t great at it, compared to at centre-back. Defensively able but offers nothing going forward from the position, forever being too far infield to receive the ball, and never giving supporting runs in attack. Miss his runs from deep when he plays CB.

Song 6 – Too many fouls and turnovers for my liking. Not a great performance, but am sure glad he is sticking around all January.

Arteta 7 – Quiet and effective. Had four tackles and keeps things ticking. He’s always in position to cover for other player’s lack of awareness in position, something that is rarely noticed.

Ramsey 7.5 – Had the most touches in this match and made some very nice passes, sending Theo and van Persie in behind defenders and deserved assists. Some of his passing was wayward, but a much better display than of late. But man, he is a slow runner.

Walcott 4.5 – Before the match he was saying how he was looking forward to going up against Traore, and I was thinking, ‘Yea, Theo, we all do…’ because let’s face it, Traore is terrible. But Theo had nothing against the former Arsenal man today, losing ball the ball and generally being ineffective all match. Had two spectacular chances to score today and failed miserably both times. Not his best outing, that’s for sure.

Arshavin 7 – Decent display. Sometimes not noticeable, but made some key passes, most notably the assist for the goal. It took 43 minutes for someone to bitch and moan about how bad the Russian is. That’s got to be a record for the year, which says it all.

Van Persie 7.5 – Four shots, only 1 on target, which was the match-winner. Could’ve had more and had a record but for his poor finishing, which is an odd statement to make for the Dutchman this year.

Coquelin 7 – Came on at left back and did quite well I thought. The advantage of having a midfielder come in at fullback is that they are used to getting forward and so are not afraid to do so like our centre backs are.

Rosicky 6 – Did his job quietly, and not much to say about him. Didn’t really notice him either.

Gervinho 6.5 – Came on and made things happen. Man, he can be frustrating with seemingly no end product at all. Scares defenders like Walcott wishes he could do. The modern-day Hleb?

A solid display by Arsenal, much like the Wolves match only we didn’t concede a fluke goal this time. Largely dominated the match, but frustrating in finishing off some well-made moves. With Chelsea losing to Aston Villa, Arsenal leapfrogs them and Liverpool into 4^th place in the table. Arsenal are now three points behind third place Sp*rs, with them having a game in hand.

From an incredibly frustrating beginning of the calendar year, which promised much and ended with nothing, to a summer of frustration and great grief to all things Arsenal, we close out the 2011-year with a promise of better times ahead. All is not perfect in Gooner world, but we are in a dogfight for a top four finish and anything can happen.

From all of us at Arsenal Offside, we wish you a Happy New Year!

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Category: Arsenal News