Arsenal: 10 Reasons Behind the Gunners' Blackpool Blowout
Well, that was certainly a quick turnaround, now wasn't it?
One week after a somewhat disheartening performance against Liverpool at Anfield, in which the hosts managed a draw despite playing a man down for the entirety of the second half, the Gunners posted a 6-0 pasting of Premier League newcomers Blackpool at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, flexing their scoring muscles to their fullest.
But why the sudden change? Why the outburst of scoring? Here are 10 reasons behind the Gunners' bombardment.
10. Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas
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Both players made appearances late in the match, and ultimately helped Chamakh score the sixth goal of the match, despite their limited playing time. When played in the positions they were used in (van Persie for Andrei Arshavin, Fabregas for Abou Diaby), Arsenal fully opened their offense, pelting the Tangerine defense despite being up 5-0.
With them in the match, Arsenal’s arsenal of talent is truly staggering. Wenger's options are seemingly endless in the midfield and at the forward positions, as practically everyone on the roster has star capability. When these two are out there, though, things look a little brighter for the Gunners, and just about anything is within reach.
9. Arsene Wenger's Tactics
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Wenger’s tactics worked beautifully in this match, as he saw his offensively oriented team overwhelm an opponent with speed, precision, and lethal efficiency. This is the ideal for Wenger’s Gunners: overwhelm opponents with offense until they can no longer put up a fight, then finish them the same way.
Wenger has been criticized for his tactical decisions in the past, but this team is as close to his ideal as he's gotten thus far. It should be interesting to see what happens with this team under Wenger's dutiful eye this season. He likes to attack, and he's got a team who can do that better than just about anyone in the league. When Wenger's tactics work to their fullest, it looks like Saturday. When they don't, well, there's a reason why Wenger doesn't have a Champions League trophy in the case at Emirates.
8. Tomas Rosicky
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The midfielder was making his first start in place of the injured Samir Nasri, and certainly made it count, working as an excellent facilitator and defender in the midfield for the Gunners. With the talent on this roster, it remains to be seen whether Rosicky will remain on the starting XI for the duration of the year, but if he plays more matches like this, they can’t keep him out. Even after Nasri returns to fitness, Rosicky has the talent and the drive to stay in the starting midfield, and looks to be an incredibly valuable asset for the Gunners in the future.
He did everything short of scoring on the afternoon, even assisting on Chamakh's goal; if he'd been the one putting the ball in the net, rest assured that Rosicky would have been much higher on this list.
No. 7
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No. 7.
6. The Gunners' Defense
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The Gunners’ back line has been a source of vitriol and hate from the fans almost since Wenger took over the club. Last week, the defense once again proved to be the source of trouble, as they conceded a goal to the Reds and gave the numerous scoring chances.
The Tangerines, however, posed a much less established threat, and Wenger’s back line proved more than up to the task of denying them on a regular basis. Granted, Blackpool is not an elite club, but their offense and style of play both make them dangerous week in and week out. The Gunners defense deserves a good deal of credit for the clean sheet.
5. The Tangerine Style
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When Ian Holloway took over as coach of Blackpool, he instituted a style of play that was both entertaining and effective.
The Tangerines score goals quite well for a newcomer to the Premiership, but they also lack the defensive toughness not to concede many. Combine the style of play with the loss of a defender and Saturday was going to be a long day after the first half hour.
Blackpool is looking like a boom-or-bust-type team this season, either scoring key wins with four goals a game, or being overrun by the big boys.
4. Maraoune Chamakh
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Chamakh has now netted his first EPL goal after last week's solid showing, taking firm hold of one of the team’s forward spots from Nicklas Bendtner. The Frenchman had several excellent chances throughout the match, but it wasn’t until the final minute that he finally found the back of the net. He’s a talented young player who looks to have an incredibly bright future receiving crosses from the Gunners’ wings.
Chamakh still has growing to do, but if the young Frenchman continues to improve at his current rate, he should have accolades coming in his near future.
3. Abou Diaby
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Diaby lined out in the midfield for the Gunners on Saturday, and the 24-year old Frenchman didn’t disappoint. He knocked in a beautiful centering pass from Bacary Sagna in the 49th minute, and played beautifully for most of the game. He did what he needed to do, and added a goal to the Gunners’ tally.
Diaby has the talent to be a great midfielder, even if it is unfair for people to compare him to his predecessor, Patrick Viera. He showed why he’s worth the money on Saturday, giving us an excellent display. He's come along quite nicely at Emirates, and Gunners fans will be thrilled to know he's almost reached his potential.
2. Andrei Arshavin
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The diminutive Russian winger showed why he was such a highly coveted player once again on Saturday, and not just through his excellent penalty kick. Arshavin tormented the Tangerine defense all afternoon, making runs and crosses and taking shots from wherever he could find space. Blackpool couldn't keep up with him all day, and he certainly put a number of scares into the Tangerine back line.
It’s these talents that make the 29-year-old Arshavin so dangerous for a team like Arsenal, who fit his skill set perfectly. He’s got the explosiveness and the ability to put it all together and have an epic campaign in 2010.
1. Theo Walcott
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The wunderkind has arrived. Walcott netted himself his first ever hat trick, and it was very well deserved. Blackpool had no one who could handle the rangy 21-year-old forward, and he made them pay all afternoon.
I said this would be the season Walcott made the leap to superstar on the North Side, and thus far, given his performance in his two matches, I was right. He’s looked the part, and finished when he’s supposed to finish, while creating chances for his teammates at the same time. Pay close attention to him, you’re about to see a star be born for Wenger’s Gunners.
