Back to Winning Ways, Just.

He Scores When He Wants?

Another Champions League night, another 3 points.

Not a totally convincing performance. But hey, who cares? Remember the days when we had convincing performances, but 0 point. Which would you rather? Maybe that’s a mediocre way of looking at it. But still. Who cares?

The starting line up surprised me. But then again it’s Wenger or is it Bould? Boulger or Wengould?

The much maligned pairing of Koscielny and Vermaelen had a chance to redeem themselves as Per

Also in midfield, Arteta made the team, but there was still space for Coquelin in the midfield. Ramsey was on the bench and Oxlade was deployed on the wings.

Giroud continued his role on the bench, while the in-form goal-scoring machine of life, Gervinho continued his role as our free roaming top 9.

The first half wasn’t too nice, but we scored a goal.

Nice work by Cazorla and Podolski on the left, the ball broke to Arteta and he lost the ball, but it fell kindly to Gervinho, and the Ivorian took a touch and placed a shot the keeper should have saved, but the ball found the back of the net, and it was 1 – nil to the gooners.

The scoreline didn’t last long though, that same pairing that caused us heartache on Saturday. The same pairing we’ve all been salivating over connived to cause us another heartache.

A seemingly innocuous  cross by the opposition found their striker, in between our centre backs, and the guy didn’t dull. Straight inside the net. Nothing the keeper could do about it. 1 – 1.

Half time. Despondency.

Wenger looked livid.

We restarted the game and I must say we improved in the second half.

The second goal came in the 56th minute, after some good work by Gervinho, the ball fell to Podolski and the German turned and neatly tucked it in the net. Relief for him as he has been on some kind of  ‘drought’.

A third goal came late in the game, and it came from my guy.  Aaron Ramsey.  Giroud won a header, Ramsey gets the ball and runs into the box, chipped the goalkeeper Vela style and cemented 3 points for us.

Nobody died.

All in all, a good 3 points, although it was not as convincing as many of us would like it, considering the opposition. But once again, who cares?

100% record in the Champions League this season.

Long may it continue.

Next up West Ham in the Premier League

My Favorite Arsenal [Team] Goal

By @ACMilandrew – Guest Blogger

Editor’s note: We take a break from our Players’ Scorecard for this piece by the aforementioned guest blogger. Enjoy!

There are probably better Arsenal  goals than this one. There are probably even better Arsenal team goals than this one.

It came at a time that this brilliant swash buckling side were actually struggling. The Gunners had ended the previous season unbeaten in the league and had started the season in the same vein; swatting teams aside in a maelstrom of inventive play and, most importantly, goals. Lots of them. Four were plundered at Goodison, Five at Highbury against a Middlesbrough side that briefly threatened to bring the unbeaten run to a shuddering halt when 3-1 up, and then 3 against Blackburn Rovers to beat Nottingham Forest’s 26 year unbeaten top flight record. They managed to stretch that record to 49 matches when they turned up at Old Trafford.

On an afternoon of high drama Arsenal lost 2-0. The first goal was a penalty given by Mike Riley after Wayne Rooney, noticing Sol Campbell’s outstretched foot, proceeded to perform a half gaynor with a twist and ended up splayed on the Old Trafford turf. Ruud van Nistelrooy drove home from 12 yards and Rooney himself added the coup de grace a minute from time.

Arsenal proceeded to pick up 5 points from their next 3 games, their only win in that sequence was from a frankly ludicrous 5-4 win at White Hart Lane against Spurs in which the defense of both teams decided to go A.W.O.L.

Which brings me to the match at Anfield.

In a frantic first half hour. Arsenal were absolutely battered by a Liverpool team missing a few regulars. Xabi Alonso’s crashing drive from Gerrard’s pass was the least their brilliant play deserved after Kewell had tested Lehmann and Mellor had hit the crossbar. After being mostly under the cosh, before Arsenal equalized on 57 minutes.

THE GOAL

It starts out wide with Lauren’s pass from the right into Vieira’s path. To me his first touch looks a bit iffy. Maybe it has something to do with his galloping gait or the fact I’ve worn glasses since I was eight. Anyway he’s not closed down by a retreating Liverpool defense and he’s afforded a second, more assured touch, with which he finds Henry. And this is where the magic truly happens. Henry, backing into a defender absolutely draped over him, finds Bobby Pires with a ball, that Vieira dummies over while continuing his run into the Liverpool box.A split second later the ball arrives at his feet courtesy of Pires’ instinctive pass. One-on-one with Kirkland and I was expecting him to burst the net. But this is Arsenal we’re talking about and after drawing the keeper only a dink over him would suffice.

Without being grandiose it looks like a simple give-and-go which finds a third man running in from midfield, but its not always that simple.

It is the speed, quickness of thought and accuracy that’s always drawn gasps from me. It is the little finish at the end which seems to invite a last-gasp lunging tackle from an opposing defender to clear it off the line. It’s the bewitching understanding between three top class players  that finds the Liverpool defense, Carragher in particular looks completely flummoxed, baffled.

I quite enjoyed that goal. So there’s really no need to mention that Neil Mellor hit a rasping shot from from all of 20 yards in injury time to beat Lehmann and Arsenal.

That would just ruin things.

You can follow @ACMilandrew on Twitter.

Happy Birthday Arsenal!! (Some words and a MUST-WATCH Video)

On the 1st of December, 1886; a group of ammunition workers in Woolwich, south-east London came together to form a club they called Dial Square. Shortly afterwards the club was renamed Royal Arsenal, and then Woolwich Arsenal, which later became The Arsenal; the ‘The’ was later dropped for Arsenal FC to be the first English FC to be on any list.

Arsenal is 125 years old today, and we at WaZoBia Gooner would like to wish the club a happy birthday! I hope this season brings a reason (or two) to celebrate at the end. Cheers to another 125 glorious years. Below is a video I feel all Gooners and Gunners must watch, it shows how deep and rich the club’s history is and after watching this video I’m ever grateful for the day I decided to be a Gooner. I implore you to find 22 minutes to watch, enjoy, and educate yourself more on the history and greatness of the club we all love.

Cheers to @TheRealGunner and @arsenalinsider for the video (and to @AdeGooner for  the pointer)!

You already know: @HexyDre