Nasri Scores A Wonder Goal

“When the going gets tough, the tough gets going..”, and so we heard a long time back. The stakes couldn’t be higher when the Gunners squared up against a resilient Porto side in the decider for a place in the quarters of the Champion’s League, last evening. Trailing by a single goal, an away goal at that, from the first leg, and with home support to cheer them on, Arsenal were doing rather OK going into the match. But when our skipper Fabregas picked up an injury against Burnley at the weekend, there were suspicions on whether we could create enough for the likes of Bendtner to finish. Not forgetting the Dane’s conversion rate in front of the goal-mouth, the situation became all the more precarious. But the display which the Gunners belted out in front of another packed Emirates crowd is what reiterates our faith in Wenger’s ‘Young Guns’ time & again.

The final score read: Arsenal 5 – Porto 0, & we @11G celebrate the same right now..

Arsenal started rampantly & went ahead as early as the 9^th minute when Bendtner latched on a loose pounce from Porto’s custodian Helton. It was Arshavin who came with the initial shot from the left. This meant Porto now had all to do, which they were quick to react on. Both Hulk & Falcao tried their luck & harried our central pairing of Sol & Tomas. But that was that. Another round of Arsenal attacks courtesy a well taken shot from Diaby & another weaving run/shot from the Russian meant it was one-way traffic. The game was as good as over on the 25^th minute when yet another pin-point cross from Arshavin landed straight at Bendtner’s laces, & surely he couldn’t miss from 5 yards out. Arshavin then had the opportunity to rest the pieces when a cut-back from Nasri left him with an open net to shoot at. He narrowly missed the target their, very unlike him not to forget. Before the half time, further saves from Helton off Diaby, Nasri & Bendtner were indication enough that only one team was playing football.

Off went ref’s whistle for the 2’nd half & it was Porto who started brightly this time around. A snap shot from Falcao went straight to Almunia’s grasp & then came arguably the turning point of the match. Rodriguez leapt high to meet a header which was going in, until Nasri made a last ditch off-he-line clearance. From the attack that ensued, the Frenchman scored, which many believe, the goal of the season so far. He danced past three Porto players almost effortlessly & then planted a curvaceous strike straight into the top corner. A strike of beauty is a joy forever, aye!? The goal from Nasri was surely one, & will remain etched in our memories for times to come. The skeptical thoughts on whether he was good/fit enough to replace super Cesc as our playmaker, were undone right their. He came with his finest show in an Arsenal crest & will go long way to boost his confidence in what has been an injury plagued season thus far. We’ll need more such outings from him to cement our credentials in both the CL as well as the Premier League, especially now that the extent of Cesc’s injury is unknown.

To further compound Porto’s angst in what had been an evening to forget, Arshavin produced another assist, this time to Eboue. He wisely wrong footed the hapless Helton, to slot home Arsenal’s fourth. Another player who rose to the occasion, Andrey Arshavin showed glimpses of his stellar form from last season, as he ran riot on the left channel. Often played out-of-position as a central striker, he adjusted quickly to his old favourite left wing. We need more of the same from him in the weeks to come. But As Nasri & Arshavin were producing oozes of raw magic, one Niklas Bendtner completed his first senior hat-trick for the Gunners. Late on in the game, Eboue fell in the box off a rash tackle, & Niklas coolly finished what had been a mauling. Arsenal won the tie leg 5 – 0  & the leg 6 -2. After missing half a dozen at the weekend against Burnley, Bendtner backed words with action. With the supply line we have at Arsenal, he should in fact be getting more. Better late than never you can say!

As Wenger said post match, we are now ready to face the best there is. So United, Chelsea, Barcelona or even Madrid, where ever you are, Beware! The Red Army marches on..

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