Morning everyone.
Yesterday we've won yet again and the game played out the way it did against Hull City. Only easier. Much easier.
It's not often that both my predictions and hopes for a game come true and that's because it's in the very nature of the game to be unpredictable. If everything was preplanned, the same teams would win tournaments over and over again and the game would have lost its allure to many. Who would want to watch an encounter, when they know their team will take a beating?
However my bets paid off last night. Arsenal have won comfortably, Newcastle was listless and not in the mood to even try and come back into the game after conceding the second goal, and Pardew was mocked by his own fans.
Arsene named an unchanged starting eleven (it's the best we have, in my opinion) and the only alteration was Vermaelen for the Ox on the bench. Quite why the Englishman didn't make it, I cannot tell, but it's likely he has a slight knock. Oxlade did watch the game, however, but only from the stands.
Both teams started in a cautious manner, with Arsenal on the ball and Newcastle sitting deep and fending off the Gunners attacks. We weren't able to create moments of danger up until 15th minute or so. Then, Arsenal suddenly threatened following a corner, but Ozil's effort drifted inches wide.
Newcastle responded with a shot from outside the penalty area, but Sissokho fired wide. Then, in the 26th minute, Arsenal's pressure paid off.
Giroud was brought down halfway to the penalty box, Cazorla put in an inviting cross and Koscielny got on the end of it to break the deadlock.
Then came Podolski's time. First he went clean through only for Krul to save with his hip and then the German lashed a vicious header from a resulting corner, but Krul parried again. He won't be able to do so three minutes from the break.
Arsenal's move started with a simple, yet quite brilliant pass over the top from Arteta. Giroud chested the ball down, closed in on the keeper and fired a powerful shot, which Krul saved. The rebound fell to Giroud, the Frenchman produced an even more powerful shot and this time his parried effort ended up with Ozil. The German poked the ball into the net for his fifth goal this season.
It might have been 3-0 in injury time, but Krul pulled off another stunning save to deny Cazorla.
Newcastle started the second half better, with Remy going clean through, but his shot was as indifferent as his whole team was this evening.
Arsenal responded with a dangerous shot from Cazorla, before scoring a third goal to demonstrate just how much better they have been throughout. Ramsey's clever pass found Ozil on the left and Mesut picked out Giroud in the box. The Frenchman put his thumping header into the back of the net to make it 3-0.
Podolski almost scored another immediately, but his shot went wide after a slight touch from some bloke.
Arsene introduced Flamini and Rosicky soon after that, presumably just to rest Ramsey and Ozil. Rosicky proved a valuable member, as he should have got a penalty after being brought down in the box and then could have turned provider, but Sanogo (who subbed Giroud late on) was just offside. The final whistle blew soon after that, and Newcastle didn't even bother to come up with any kind of response.
After the game Arsene has talked up the importance of having Ozil and Ramsey back:
" I think they make a difference, but at the same period we had Walcott, Wilshere, Ozil, Ramsey and Koscielny all out. Of course you can sometimes miss one or two, but four or five? Every team feels that".
And you know, now that they are back, it has become painfully obvious how we've missed them. Ozil was, as always, floating in and out of the game, but his influence was more pronounced down to him scoring and assisting inside one game. We shouldn't forget about how his passing game made us look a more cohesive unit, however.
As for Ramsey, he was all over the pitch and, unlike Ozil, it's his energy and willingness going forward that we lacked earlier, rather than quality passing. Not that Ramsey is of no use to us as a playmaker, but you know what I mean. He just offers something no one else does.
So, a fine win, an even better performance and, most importantly, we are three points away from securing CL football. Should Everton lose to City on Saturday, we won't need any more points at all.
One last thing. I'm going away for a couple of days, but hope to be back in time to see Arsenal play their last home game. I'm not completely sure I'll be able to cover this game, but check back once in a while just in case.
Until later