Late goals could show it Arsenal’s year
Posted by Chris Rivers on 15th March 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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