Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal – 04/10/08 – (Premier League) 5 October, 2008

Praise the Lord for he has blessed us with Cesc.

A stoppage time header from Cesc Fabregas rescues us a point at Sunderland but that makes it 5 points dropped from two games against Hull and Sunderland. Shocking.

It was almost the team I expected however Alex Song started giving Nasri a rest on the bench. Song came in as part of a defensive 5-man midfield with van Persie out on the left.

Why on earth why we playing 4-5-1, it was incredible defensive especially for a game where the opposition had 10 men behind the ball at all times.

I spoke before the game about how we should have no problem beating Sunderland if we put in the same performance as against Porto. Well personally I didn’t think we played that badly. Sunderland had 10 players defending when we were in possession and it made it incredibly difficult for us to find an opening. We passed and passed and sometimes managed to create something but Gordon was hardly tested.

The first half was fairly open. Both sides had attacks but the home side probably had the better of them. They caught us on the break a few times and Almunia was called to make a couple of saves.

Half time came and it was still 0-0. I wasn’t too worried at this point. I thought that with Sunderland charging forward then hurrying back behind the ball would eventually tire them out and we’d get a late goal.

I was very patient but gradually I started to get worried. We had so much of the ball but were hardly working their goalie.

We did score what to me looked like a perfectly legitimate goal only for it to be ruled. Walcott made a darting run down the right and cut inside just managing to put the ball into the box before it crossed the byline. Robin van Persie came charging in and stuck it in the back of the net. It looked close whether Walcott kept it in or not but the linesman thought the whole ball had crossed the line. From Theo’s body language you could tell that he’d stretched to meet it before it crossed the line and he was not too happy about the decision after it was given.

It looked like it wasn’t going to be our day. Something needed to be changed and the manager opted to substitute Walcott for Bendtner. I just don’t get it. Theo wasn’t having the greatest game ever but at least he was trying and getting forward. He was one of our most dangerous players out there.

Sunderland were still getting forward but we were totally dominating, however those two lines of midfield and defense behind the ball were still making it difficult for us to get through.

With 15 minutes to go Nasri was finally brought on for Denilson and he looked lively. The other substitute Bendtner was doing well too, he was getting involved and played some nice passes.

With 9 minutes to go Bendtner gifted a chance to van Persie when he chipped a little ball over the defense which Robin ran on to perfectly. All he had to do was slot it past Gordon but somehow the Scottish ‘keeper managed to get something on it from such close range. I couldn’t believe it. What did we have to score?!

Sunderland made their first change of the game after 83 minutes bringing on Grant Leadbitter for Dwight Yorke. Two minutes later he found himself with the ball outside the bo after Alex Song lost it. He thought why not and blasted it towards goal. It was an unstoppable shot beating Almunia and rocketing off the under-side of the bar and into the back of the net.

I couldn’t fucking believe it. I was furious. An incredible goal, but we should’ve been 2-0 up by this point. I was lucky there was no one in the sitting room with me as I had to take my rage out on the sofa. For the rest of the game I sat there with my head in my hands wondering how this had happened.

As soon as the goal went in Wenger threw Vela on for Song for the final 4 minutes of normal time. We were attacking the Sunderland goal like mad but the home sie were doing their best to hold on.

The 4th official held up 4 minutes of added time, a life-line for Arsenal. We got what seemed like our last chance of the game when we got a corner deep into injury time. van Persie stepped up to take it and everyone but Almunia was thrown in and around the box. It had to be a good delivery and Robin whipped it right into the busy area; Gordon came out to try clear the danger but he got nowhere near it. Cesc showed his pure determination and made the run to find the header.

We’d salvaged a point, and you just knew it was going to be that boy Cesc Fabregas. Not a typical goal from him, a header from a corner but typical of his spirit. He never stopped fighting right to the end and that’s what you need. I love Cesc.

After the equalizer we had very little time for another goal but we were pushing for it. In the end the final whistle beat us to it and it finished up 1-1.

A draw was probably a fair result but we should’ve won that. So one point from our last two league games. Not good. This must be sorted out once we get back from the international break and next up it’s Everton.

Still, we can always just laugh at Tottenham. Ha!

Thanks for reading.