Wirrten by Barry Vinnicombe
Arsenal’s performance against Wigan must go down as their most entertaining of the season. Games in the Premiership are rarely as one-sided, but Arsenal made a complete mockery of Wigan on Saturday.
In a display that has truly ignited their push for Premier League supremacy, Arsenal ran rampant on Martinez’s relegation fodder team. Never mind three, Arsenal could have scored upwards of five, but profligate finishing spared Wigan further blushes. Let’s be honest, Wigan were terrible. Camped out in their own half for much of the game, they looked incapable of stringing three passes together when they had the ball. The possession stats told the tale of the game with just 20% of the game taking place in the Arsenal third. Arsenal’s defence had the minimal amount to do all game but the back four mopped up everything when called upon and looked strong with Song and Wilshire sitting in front of them.
Martinez’s comments regarding Fabregas’ penalty win after the game seemed out of place for a man that usually projects himself with such class and came across as a diversionary tactic for his team’s woeful performance. Was the penalty soft? Perhaps, but I don’t think you can complain in the slightest if contact is made with the opposition in your penalty area. To suggest that Fabregas was actively trying to con the referee conveys a degree of naivety on Martinez’s part. Theatrics in football have become part and parcel of the game, regardless of the country you ply your trade. Whether or not Fabregas did attempt to ‘con’ the ref does not matter, a foul occurred and a penalty should be given regardless of the extent of the foul.
I believe the Van Persie/Fabregas combination will provide Arsenal with a revitalised attacking fulcrum. The pair combine superbly on the field with Van Persie able to read the vision and passing expertise of the midfielder, converting his openings into goals. Van Persie offers something very different to attacking rival Chamakh. Whereas Chamakh provides a greater aerial presence on crosses and free-kicks, Van Persie is more effective than Chamakh in central areas and is the better finisher. This plays to Fabregas’ creative strengths and his direct style of play through central areas.
With the two playing regularly together, Arsenal will create more openings and score more.
It seems that everything is coming together at the right time for Wenger’s team. Both Fabregas and Van Persie have had injury woes this season, but extended lay-offs in the first half of the campaign have worked in their favour and both are coming into form at the best possible time. Combined with superb seasons from Nasri and Song, the surprising adaptation of Chamakh to English football, the emergence of Jack Wilshire and the overall improvement of the majority of players, this could be Arsenal’s best chance of winning silverware in the past few years.
So, when is Van Persie due his next injury?
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