Arsenal quite simply, got out of jail on Saturday. But because of this I almost feel positive about the result rather than frustrated as I would have been if Arsenal had drawn but performed brilliantly throughout.
But there is one certainty - Arsenal need to start to replicate their form from the start of teh season if they are to put the run together that we need to bring the title back to the Emirates Stadium come the end of the season.
Arsenal started the game off brightly enough, Walcott looking particularly bright after his first two Premiership goals the weekend before, and he went close with Carson preventing the speedy Englishman from scoring in consecutive games, and Adebayor alsohad a decent chance from a free kick. But to be truthful, Arsenal were not at the races either in the first half or the second, with Agbonlahor being prevented from a one on one with Almunia by a superb challenge from Gallas. Senderos could have scored after a scrappy corner fell to him, but he produced a woeful finish with Carson out of goal. And the Swiss defender was soon to be cursing his luck further, as Gallas stood off Agbonlahor far too much and he delivered for the arriving Senderos to deflect the ball into his own net.
Then came very possibly the best move of the whole game for Arsenal, in stoppage time of the first half, Walcott and Adebayor combining excellently to leave Fabregas a fairly straight forward chance to equalise, but the young Spaniard messed up the finish badly.
Like in the first half, Arsenal started reasonably brightly, Walcott again bringing a save from Carson, but it was seeming even then that it was inevitable Arsenal were going to lose this match. Yes, Arsenal had plenty of possession, and Aston Villa were dropping steadily further and further back in their own half, but Maloney was prevented from doubling Villa’s lead by a push onto the post by Almunia, and Harewood also went close. At the other end Arsenal were struggling to muster up one proper chance.
But fortunately they did manage to create one final chance, in the final seconds of stoppage time, Clichy whipped in a ball to the far post, Adebayor nodded down to Bendtner and the big Dane made no mistake from 6 yards out with his finish to get a share of the spoils that Arsenal needed so much.
