Late goals could show it Arsenal’s year
Posted by Chris Rivers on March 15th, 2010
Ask most football fans what the best way to win a game is and they would probably say a last minute goal.
Grabbing all three points when you were resigned to one gives supporters that extra buzz. These mental blows occur away from the stadium too as rival supporters cheer your opponents on, and will be devastated to see you nick the points.
This will have been the case on Saturday as no doubt fans of Chelsea and Manchester United were willing on Hull to check Arsenals’ title charge. Indeed, the win saw Arsenal’s Premier League odds shorten yet further.
For 90 minutes they did that, just. Despite their lowly position The Tigers don’t actually lose many games at home and have recorded decent results against Chelsea, Everton and Man City at the KC this season.
They would always make it difficult for the Gunners on a heavy pitch just days after a Champions League game.
But if in the wake of the Aaron Ramsay’s injury two weeks ago you thought there would be a change of tactics when it comes to tackling nobody told Phil Brown.
The Hull boss backed George Boetang after the game after the Dutchman was shown two yellow cards just before the break, saying he had done nothing wrong. How Brown can say that and keep a straight face I don’t know.
First he poked Bendtner in the eye and then he made a horrible studs-up, knee-high tackle on Bacary Sagna which could have easily put the Arsenal player in hospital. But such are the fine margins in football Sagna escaped without injury, while Ramsey’s leg remains in a cast after a bad tackle a fortnight ago. It looks like Arsenal are going to have to do things the hard way this season.
Back to the game and after Arshavin’s classy opener was cancelled out by Bullard, Arsenal began to look a little leggy – no surprise after their exertions against Stoke and Porto. But if you want to win the league you need to pick up points when you are not playing well and the manner of Arsenals’ winner, in the third minute of stoppage time, suggests this could well indeed be their year.
A last gasp Steve Bruce double for Man United against Sheffield Wednesday in April 1993 is often used as an example of how a pivotal game, indeed a pivotal moment, in a season can change the destiny of a side.
If Arsenal have the Premier League title in their hands come May, they could well point to that day in Hull as their pivotal moment.
For his part Bendtner will be looking to continue his fine form until the end of the season and beyond.
The World Cup 2010 betting currently makes Denmark outsiders, but if the Arsenal player can keep scoring they might cause a few upsets.
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March 15th, 2010 at 10:21 am
i still believe bendtner is a sad sad sad striker…. he is just lucky,,, if u see the match against porto he scored all his goals with simple tap inns… same against hull… he has just been lucky…. i dont consider him as a match winner but i just hope that his luck, of being at the right place and at the right time just to tap the balls in continues atleast till the end of the season…..
March 15th, 2010 at 11:11 am
being at the right place in a right time is not as easy as we thought..have to know how the evade from marking as well, will not be simply lucky can do for you
March 15th, 2010 at 11:29 am
i think the epl title is ours to lose…its really up to us…if we can win the remaining games (we are 8 games away from the title)…this has nothing to do with chelski or manu…it is up to us…granted manu and chelski draw…and lose to lpool(its possible..lpool can be playing their worst and still seem capable of beating manu and chelski) we will take these great advantages…but its really ours to lose…lets hope B-52 doesnt have another day like this…
http://soccer-video.tv/arsenal-vs-blackburn-highlights-goals/
March 15th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
since i showed the bad side of B-52…its only right i show the good side…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQFSLr_Mhy4
we want this bendtner for the next 8 games!!!!
March 16th, 2010 at 3:51 am
I dunno if it was a fluke but he’s still not a main striker material! but he’s getting there each game only makes him better! his header against stoke was brilliant! he justneeds playing time n confidence
March 16th, 2010 at 4:12 am
Being a striker is ALL about being at the right place at the right time
. Forget speed,power,shot. Just be there. Look at Inzaghi 
. The man has no attributes to play football. But somehow goals just kept sticking to him. And that’s exactly what Arsenal need at the moment. A striker to be there when he must. because the rest of the team creates, passes, shoots. Bendtner just has to be there. And put it in.
March 16th, 2010 at 6:56 am
Ali,
yet those were the simple tap-ins that we failed to get over and over again since RVP and Bendtner were out. The poaching ability was what all Arsenal fans were praising Edu for. Now Edu was given chances to deliver (started 4-5 games when both B52 and RVP were out), which was why Shava was moved to CF.
Now we have someone else with poaching ability, and we are calling it a simple luck now?
If that was luck, then let us be lucky every game then. I was surprised that no one called Denilson’s 30 yard on-goal shot was lucky. Damn haters.
By the way, with Song back, I would rather see Silvestre on the back just to rest Sol. And lets hope for Theo starting in 4-4-3. Can we risk resting Cesc and Rocisky this Saturday? I believe so. If we can beat Porto with such line up, then we should be able to beat West Ham at home with the same line up.
March 16th, 2010 at 7:00 am
By the way, people were talking crap about Shava last game. Sure he got sloppy after the goal yet still made some good passes, which were eventually wasted.
We were playing a 4-4-2 formation against Hull with Bendtner (interestingly) playing behind Arshavin. I wondered why?
March 17th, 2010 at 6:29 am
How can you call a tap-in ” just luck ” ? If you had played football, especially in a forward position you’ll know that it is not that “easy” being at the right place, at the right time. At least for the last three games bendtner was at the right place even if against burnley the so called luck wasn’t on his side..
Don’t get me wrong bendtner has lot to improve, to become a top clas sticker. But if he already has the positionning he will surely be and for a long long time.
March 17th, 2010 at 7:16 am
come on the gooners keep it goin. been the best team all yr & we deserve a trophy or 2 with all the bad luck we have had over the past 2-3 seasons with horror injuries(assaults)inflicted by talentless people impersonating footballers. id like 2 wish aaron ramsey a speedy recovery. haha chavski out of champions league, priceless, u cant put a price on class boys, spraytan brown got the chop, putrid pulis next i hope. Let us pray FC pathetico TITingham shitspuds(ASBO scum neighbours) fail 2 get in2 europe yet again & the shitkickers get relegated 2 where they belong A.F.C til i die
March 17th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Chamakh is gonna be awesome for the Gunners!!! his heading is just outstandin.. somethin we dont have in our team… good headers…
March 17th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
well atleast not as good as his
March 18th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
we’ll be on top next 2,3 week. win the leauge for us, go Arsenal
March 18th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
I think we have a very decent shot at the title, but it is is going to be mighty close. That is why I reckon that if we are to win, we need to score quite a bit cause that goal difference scenario is kind of worrying. Chelsea could loose their game in hand and still be on top – same for Utd I think. Bottom line is there is still a bit more to do and we should be up for it.
March 19th, 2010 at 4:57 am
WE GOT BARCA!!!
March 19th, 2010 at 5:08 am
everyone might be disappointed we got Barca but I still HAVE Faith…keep on believing
March 19th, 2010 at 5:36 am
full draw
1) lyon v bordeau
2) bayrn v manchester utd
3) (the big one) arsenal v barca
4) inter v Cska moscow
semis
2 v 1
4 v 3
go on arsenal!!!
March 19th, 2010 at 5:47 am
and europa
Fulham v Wolfsburg
Hamburg v Standard Liege
Valencia v Atletico Madrid
Benfica v Liverpool
semis
Hamburg/Standard Liege v Fulham/Wolfsburg
Valencia/Atletico Madrid v Benfica/Liverpool
March 19th, 2010 at 7:08 am
Omg I am well up for this!
This is our chance to take revenge on Barcelona after what happened in 2006. The disallowed goals, Lehman getting sent off, that idiot giving a Barca shirt to Henry. Oh yes my friends, revenge will be sweet.
We will also see where Fabregas’ real loyalty lies.
Finally if we win this, The whole of Europe will be shitting themselves and we should then get the respect we deserve.
The only thing that would make us lose this season is our mental reserve. If the mindset is right then we will destroy anyone, as you have seen this season.
If it is wrong then we are likely to just completely fall apart…That could mean us losing the league too.
This is why Wenger always talks about mental strength because for the past few seasons it has been breaking us. I think this season it is strong enough to take on anyone. Even Barcelona.
We will beat them. I can feel it.
April 21st, 2010 at 9:15 am
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