Worlds fail me when I watch Cesc Fabregas play football, it's very difficult to sum up exactly how good a football player he is. Out for the last few games with a hamstring injury, he came back today and showed exactly why he is the best midfielder playing in the Premiership. Wenger has been very clever this season, for the first time he has decided to build his team around the Spaniard and allow him the freedom that a player of his quality deserves. Every great player manages to find that extra few seconds on the ball and Fabregas is no exception. What has impressed me most is the amount of goals he has scored this season, he is our match winner and improves our teams performance by 20% in every game he plays. Many would compare him to the likes of Gerrard because of the goals he is scoring but I think he is a much better player than Gerrard was in his prime and Fabregas is years off reaching his peak. The little genius was magnificent today, he scored a great goal and should have had two penalties - his awareness of all around him is just sensational.
Today was an important victory, firstly it puts us seven points clear of fourth place and secondly it keeps us right on the heels of Chelsea and Manchester United. I was surprised that Eastmond was given a start but needs must, he is young and looked composed on the ball. He looked like a player that needs to adjust to the pace of top flight football however the early signs are promising. Bolton were physical as expected but we dealt well with most of what they threw at us. These are precisely the sort of games that we need to win if we are to win the title this season, there is definitely an added maturity about this team and we managed to close the game out comfortably.
I am a little concerned to hear that Nasri and Ramsey have been ruled out for 3 weeks - that leaves us very short in midfield and injuries could once again be are undoing. Thankfully one player that returned today was Clichy who came on midway through the second half. Traore is fast becoming a liability, he was run ragged for the second game running, he gave the ball away too many times and his positioning at times was woeful. We can sometimes forget how good a defender Sagna is, everything of threat came down Traore's side whereas Sagna was solid and defended well. I can't see Traore having a career at Arsenal beyond this season, the fact is that he is our third choice left back and it showed - the sooner we get Gibbs back the better.
Wednesday night sees us come up against Bolton again, the game will not be easy but we should have enough to come away with all three points - it's very possible that come the end of the game we might be sitting top of the Premiership and let's hope we can stay there.
Ratings:
Almunia 5 - No major mistakes today but kicking was woeful and is an accident waiting to happen.
Sagna 7 - Solid as ever.
Vermaelen 8 - Coped with the long ball bombardment superbly.
Gallas 8 - Strong game today.
Traore 4 - Awful today, caught out time and time again it almost makes me long for Silvestre.
Eastmond 6 - Not a bad performance but was caught in possession a few times in dangerous areas - will get better.
Diaby 7 - Disciplined game, strong in the tackle and used the ball well.
Fabregas 9 - Pure class.
Rosicky 7 - A good performance but we need him injury free in the next few matches and Wenger was right to take him off and give him a breather.
Arshavin 6 - Not in the game enough and some of his passing was suspect today although he is always a threat.
Eduardo 7 - Kept the Bolton defence busy all afternoon, great pass for both goals.
Merida 8 - Great goal and did well when he came on.
Clichy 7 - Provided the support Traore badly needed, nullified the threat down our left hand side.
Vela 6 - Not on long enough to make an impact.
Today was an important victory, firstly it puts us seven points clear of fourth place and secondly it keeps us right on the heels of Chelsea and Manchester United. I was surprised that Eastmond was given a start but needs must, he is young and looked composed on the ball. He looked like a player that needs to adjust to the pace of top flight football however the early signs are promising. Bolton were physical as expected but we dealt well with most of what they threw at us. These are precisely the sort of games that we need to win if we are to win the title this season, there is definitely an added maturity about this team and we managed to close the game out comfortably.
I am a little concerned to hear that Nasri and Ramsey have been ruled out for 3 weeks - that leaves us very short in midfield and injuries could once again be are undoing. Thankfully one player that returned today was Clichy who came on midway through the second half. Traore is fast becoming a liability, he was run ragged for the second game running, he gave the ball away too many times and his positioning at times was woeful. We can sometimes forget how good a defender Sagna is, everything of threat came down Traore's side whereas Sagna was solid and defended well. I can't see Traore having a career at Arsenal beyond this season, the fact is that he is our third choice left back and it showed - the sooner we get Gibbs back the better.
Wednesday night sees us come up against Bolton again, the game will not be easy but we should have enough to come away with all three points - it's very possible that come the end of the game we might be sitting top of the Premiership and let's hope we can stay there.
Ratings:
Almunia 5 - No major mistakes today but kicking was woeful and is an accident waiting to happen.
Sagna 7 - Solid as ever.
Vermaelen 8 - Coped with the long ball bombardment superbly.
Gallas 8 - Strong game today.
Traore 4 - Awful today, caught out time and time again it almost makes me long for Silvestre.
Eastmond 6 - Not a bad performance but was caught in possession a few times in dangerous areas - will get better.
Diaby 7 - Disciplined game, strong in the tackle and used the ball well.
Fabregas 9 - Pure class.
Rosicky 7 - A good performance but we need him injury free in the next few matches and Wenger was right to take him off and give him a breather.
Arshavin 6 - Not in the game enough and some of his passing was suspect today although he is always a threat.
Eduardo 7 - Kept the Bolton defence busy all afternoon, great pass for both goals.
Merida 8 - Great goal and did well when he came on.
Clichy 7 - Provided the support Traore badly needed, nullified the threat down our left hand side.
Vela 6 - Not on long enough to make an impact.
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