Goal fest at the Emirates

 

Arsenal 6-1 Coventry

Another home game at the Emirates stadium and another 6-1 won for the Gunners as Arsenal began this season’s League Cup campaign in style.

As has become his custom during his time at the club, Arsene Wenger provided his fringe players an opportunity to impress; making eleven changes to the side that drew 1-1 against Manchester City. Three youngsters made their first team debut for the club, as the highly rated Argentine goalkeeper, Damien Martinez was handed his first start for the Gunners and although his services were largely uncalled for, Martinez acquitted himself well. While the industrious Martin Angha was deployed at right back and Serge Gnarby made a very impressive 20 minute cameo appearance.

With so many changes having been made, it was no surprise that the home side seemed to struggle to find their attacking fluency in the first half, only managing to fire their first effort on target in the 35^th minute, through Olivier Giroud, which was straight at Joe Murphy in the Coventry goal. However Arsenal did not need to wait much longer to open their account. Andrei Arshavin’s  forward ball in the 39^th minute was helped on, into the path of Giroud, by the sliding Francis Coquelin for the former Montpellier man to end his wait for a first Arsenal goal, as Giroud confidently clipped the ball over the advancing Murphy and into the back of the net.

Although Arsenal entered halftime in the lead, Coventry had shown enough in the first half to ensure the Gunners had to improve significantly in order to progress to the next round. The home side duly responded and within four minutes of the restart had won a penalty as Arshavin was bundled over while attempting to take full advantage of Reece Brown’s miscued back header. Up stepped Giroud to double his Arsenal tally, but just as he was about to place the ball on the penalty spot, two moronic supporters jumped onto the field and a delay ensued as the stewards attempted to get their hands on the intruders. This pause made the penalty all the more difficult for Giroud to convert as the lapse in time placed more pressure on the Frenchman. Unfortunately, although his effort from the spot was well struck, Murphy dived to his right and pulled off a good save.

However Arsenal would not be denied and four minutes after the missed penalty, Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain unleashed an unstoppable thunderbolt which swerved past Murphy and into the net. The home side’s second goal opened the floodgates and in the 64^th minute Arshavin got the goal his performance deserved. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s forward ball, sent Giroud through and the Frenchman showed great vision to pick out Arshavin in front of goal. The Russian international showed great skill to deftly control the ball with one touch before sliding the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the goal. In similar fashion to Thomas Rosicky, playing in his favoured central role rather than on the wing certainly seems to suit Arshavin more and his performance was one of his best in an Arsenal shirt, as he was central to the Gunners’ attacking game.

As the match wore on, Coventry visibly tired and the game began to open up with Arsenal attacking at will and looking extremely dangerous every time. Nico Yennaris released Theo Wlacott on the right flank and the Englishman, who this week once again stressed his desire to play upfront, finished clinically for Arsenal’s fourth. However, although the game was now effectively finished as a contest, Coventry’s Callum Ball did manage to get his name on the score sheet finishing well from Carl Baker’s low cross to reduce the deficit. The home side’s reply was immediate with Ignasi Miquel heading in his first goal for the club, from Arshavin’s pin point cross, before Walcott went on a great run, demonstrating his electrifying pace to power into the box and make it 6-1 with a finish reminiscent of the great Thierry Henry.

While Arsenal would have been expected to easily defeat a side struggling at the bottom of League One, there were many positives to take from this game. Firstly and possibly most importantly the tie provided an opportunity for many of the club’s fringe players to get 90 minutes of competitive football under their belts. The performances of Arshavin, Coquelin and Miquel were most impressive and indicate a squad depth which Arsenal have not enjoyed in recent seasons. In addition to this, the three debutants, Martinez, Angha and Gnarby, were able to gain valuable first team experience, in front of a full Emirates stadium, with Serge Gnarby particularly impressive as he was able to showcase his skills to create space in and around the area and unleash several goal bound efforts. Furthermore, the fact Giroud was able to break his duck in Arsenal colours, will provide the Frenchman with added confidence, which hopefully the missed penalty won’t have greatly affected. All in all a very positive evening for the Gunners.