I could only watch about 15 minutes of the first half. I found a steam with french commentary. Besides the beautiful way in which they pronounce the names of our players, it is so enjoyable to watch a game where the commentator describes each move with an enthusiasm that rubs off on you. I admit that when I joined the match, I searched for Bendtner among our players. Wenger had instead gone with Podolski and Walcott alternating at the centre-forward role. He would have had his reasons.
Arsenal were camped in Cardiff’s half for the entirety of the match. The only change was that, at halftime we moved our tents to the other half of the pitch. Cardiff decided to do a Chelsea and parked their less expensive double-decker right in front of their goal. I don’t think our fans or players begrudge Cardiff for parking the bus. They defended well, crowded us out and more importantly didn’t kick the shit out of us. Also, you didn’t want to punch their caretaker manager.
This was a challenge. Even though the goal was scored in the end, Arsenal kept trying right from minute one to last. In the first half, Arsenal tried various tricks to get around Cardiff’s defense. A delicious long ball from Wilshere to Walcott almost did just that. Cazorla wriggled and wriggled around the penalty box trying to feed a player or find room to shoot. Towards the end of the half, the ball fell to Podolski but he was quickly herded out before he could improvise a shot or feed a free Cazorla. Arteta and Flamini guarded the defense against counter attacks. Cardiff’s outlets were closely patrolled by Arsenal’s defense and the ball was regularly won in the halfway line.
The second half saw Arsenal increase the tempo. Like those “defend your fort” games, the waves of Arsenal attacks increased in speed, intensity and frequency. Enter game changers Rosicky and Bendtner. Rosicky shifted Arsenal up a gear and to the horror of Cardiff’s defense started playing telepathic one-twos with Cazorla. Bendtner slotted in well into the centre-forward role. From two corners, in the space of a few minutes, Mertesacker had opportunities to put us in front. Painfully for the current Mr. Arsenal, the balls went wide. The second one might have been covered by the player at the post.
As the clock started creeping towards the end, Arsenal did not panic and kept a determined focus to win the game. At the 88th minute, the video of my stream froze, but the sound was still streaming. The unmistakable crescendo and peak of the french commentator’s voice drowned out by the eruption at Emirates meant that a goal had been scored. Replays showed that Monreal’s cross was hit like a bullet by Sagna, parried by the keeper and slotted into the roof of the net, intelligently by Bendtner. Bendtner was injured in the aftermath when the keeper fell and twisted on his ankle. As the Arsenal players (with the exception of Mertesacker, who was busy roaring like a bear) piled on Bendtner, it became clear that he was in some pain. It was the sad part of the evening. Lets hope he recovers quickly. We need him. It was nice to see the Arsenal fans applaud him off the pitch and him to acknowledge that.
Now, Cardiff decided to attack to try and get a goal back. Arsenal concentrated, won the ball back and made a few more attacks. In one such attack, deep in injury time, Master of pre-assists, Rosicky while being chased by a few players, fed Wilshere who in turn nonchalantly and almost arrogantly fed Walcott. We all know what happens when Walcott is through on goal.
A good win for Arsenal.
Today’s post was by our own Sensational Arsenal.
Positively Arsenal 
I laughed at this comment from Arseblog news article…. though a joke am sure but i can imagine some people earlier getting this stressed out!
Ohms
January 2, 2014 at 4:34 pm
No signings yet? #WengerOut #GazidisOut #TanIn
LikeLike
by the way, Well written SA
LikeLike
Andrew
Just caught a bit of goals on Sunday with Kammy and that dweeb from breakfast TV. They were talking about the title and wouldnt you know it? Arsenal didnt even register. And then when they were talking about the top 4 the ex-player guest mentioned ManU, Everton, Liverpool, spurs all as potential top 4 finishers (along with dead certs Citeh and the chavs).
“Unbelievable Jeff!”
LikeLike
The more under the radar, the less the national/global pressure on the players…. they are not doing badly with the pressure they pt on themselves so far… It will be the sweeter when we win the treble…
LikeLike
Dont get me wrong TS. I’d much prefer us to be under the radar all the way to the title in May! But the manner in which we have consistently been written off, mocked and now ignored is all part of an almost orchestrated media ploy;
We cannot be considered as serious contenders because we havent spent a billion quid and dont pay our players Rooney type wages and oh yes, we actually operate like a real proper business!
LikeLike
Excellent work SA.
I agree with George re Jack – he has the potential and may well become Rosicky’s successor as I noticed for the first time yesterday how similar his style is – like a baby Tomas. But he does not quite have the experience to know when to move forward with the ball and when to pass it. He sometimes runs into trouble through wanting to dribble into two or three opposing players when releasing the ball might have been a better option. When he masters that skill, he could become the conductor of our play from the middle like our little Mozart currently does. Jack is fortunate to have such a player to learn from by training and playing with him regularly.
LikeLike
@ Passenal, yeah…now that u say it… i think so too… there is so rosicky to be seen in Jack, especially his tenacity and willingness to drive forward. he’s get there he cant have a better pro teacher!
@ Dexter, the media are still desperately trying to hold on to their pre-season predictions… they are so glad and grateful that city and Chelsea have started winning more, Pool was it initially, now they are 6 pts, adrift not insurmountable but the team ahead of u has to drop points first. we would have been several points clear otherwise and then they would have been in really trouble as the table is, they can still get away with ignoring us for now… their loss, our gain.
Do u recall the one about us having to beat those ahead of us first to be considered contender? LOL may we never have anyone ahead of us cos that is all we actually need to win it!
LikeLike
It Is unbelievable Dex – and it’s noticeable during in-game commentary as well as the Supplement type shows. It’s not that I expect any of them to say we WILL win it, it’s just the absence of remarks reflecting on our ability to contest the thing.
It’s almost as though the last five months never happened.
LikeLike
Thanks Sens
The Ox will be back by the end of the month – at least training.
God knows how AW is going to find a slot for him in the team.
I saw the vid of Campbell’s exploits in Greece – let’s hope he does one on the red scum.
What ever happened to all the media predictions that AFC wouldn’t make top 4 this season.?
LikeLike
I with Dex on Saturdays line-up & with Gains on Little Jack,I’m even with Alan Sugar on football journos-but sorry G…I cannot be having Oliver Holt,did you get a bang on the head while working the doors over Xmas? (I told you not to wear the White Kirk Stevens suit)..
LikeLike
New years wish….
Is it too terrible to wish jozzee maureenwhore getting wacked by a bus.
Imagine the head lines:
Minibus rolls the busman on fulham street. calls for emergency blood donation went unheeded.
LikeLike
Lets hope calls for an emergency brain and heart donation get some response.
LikeLike
He is up to no good. I’m telling you. He isn’t stupid and he has figured out his squad isn’t good enough. He is going to ratchet up the dark arts to cause some damage that way.
LikeLike
Hi Sensational and other readers..
I have been reading this blog for months but would like to give you one small piece of information. All the people in India can watch all the PL games by paying INR 20 for a day or INR 500 for a whole year(at starsports.com).So I hope that you get to see the whole match now and write a complete report..This may be true in other countries also.
Always a pleasure to read the blogs and comments on this site. (Cheers)
LikeLike