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Van Persie double seals Arsenal winning
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Amy Lawrence
The
Guardian
Sunday 31 August 2008
Arsenal - Newcastle United 3-0
van Persie (pen) 18', van Persie 41', Denilson 59'
The Who's 'The Kids Are Alright'
twinkled over the PA system as Arsenal came out to play.
Arsène Wenger must sometimes think the rest of
the world does not believe him. After all, this was
a week that started with his team chastised - rightly
- for a rotten-tomato performance. Then he had to speak
out against the jeers aimed at his main goalscorer,
and all the while the fans have been panicking about
whether or not he will sign an experienced midfielder
before the window is locked until January.
For 90 minutes, the best part of 60,000 disciples forgot
about their worries and their strife, and believed.
There were some hearty boos towards the end, but they
were directed exclusively at Joey Barton, who made his
first appearance on a football pitch since he was released
from prison. Kevin Keegan made an impassioned defence
of his unloved player afterwards - he felt compelled
to tick off Samir Nasri, who put in a retribution tackle
on Barton which raised the temperature in the away dugout.
Typical Barton. Two minutes on the pitch and he managed
to spice up an afternoon that had previously been devoid
of too much tension. Until then it was a simple story
of Arsenal enjoying themselves immensely against a Newcastle
team who accepted they were second-best without too
much resistance. Mike Ashley summed up the feeling of
most in the visiting section midway through the second
half when he downed a pint and shook his head in disbelief.
They were well below the standard that earned them
a point at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the
season. As Keegan pointed out, even the best teams have
key players and Arsenal had Cesc Fábregas here,
while Manchester United missed their kingpin Cristiano
Ronaldo.
To Arsenal's relief, it was not just Fábregas
who was back. Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie,
who had played like shadows in the first two games of
the season, both rediscovered their mojo. Van Persie
scored twice and caught the eye. Adebayor worked tirelessly
and unselfishly, and the quality of his performance
won over the section of the crowd who had been on his
back.
Supported by a midfield who functioned beautifully,
this was easy-on-the-eye Arsenal. Cocksure and brimming
with invention, they would have conjured a more substantial
scoreline had Shay Given not given a shot-stopping masterclass
in the Newcastle goal. The only downside for Arsenal
was Van Persie hobbling off the pitch just as he had
worked the crowd into a state resembling a mass love-in.
'He went for an X-ray to check on his ankle. Hopefully
nothing is broken,' said Wenger.
What Van Persie dearly needs is a run of matches to
gain the kind of sharpness that two injury-ravaged seasons
have destroyed. An 18th-minute penalty served up the
perfect opportunity for him to find his range, after
Charles N'Zogbia handled Adebayor's cross. Van Persie's
penalty kick was immaculate. It fizzed past Given and
landed, unsaveably, inside the side netting.
Keegan's team were on the rack. And yet Newcastle should
have equalised in the 37th minute. When Jonás
Gutiérrez cantered down the right flank, Arsenal's
centre-backs were befuddled by the cross, which fell
to Michael Owen. Unfortunately for the England forward,
Shola Ameobi ambled into his way to deflect a goalbound
shot. His frustration was plain. With Fabio Capello
in the stands, the most prolific striker available to
England was otherwise starved of service.
Capello watched two Africans combine crisply to scythe
Newcastle apart for Arsenal's second. Emmanuel Eboué
linked with Adebayor and crowned one of his better displays
with a sharp backheel for Van Persie to belt the ball
past Given. Newcastle threatened only briefly after
the break when Nicky Butt steered a header against the
crossbar and Danny Guthrie shot from distance.
Arsenal struck back and Newcastle's rearguard were
shredded by the nimble combination play of Adebayor,
Nasri and Denilson, who tapped in his first ever Premier
League goal. It was a goal of the style Wenger cherishes.
He rose to applaud like a proud father. Van Persie earned
a standing ovation with a strike of ridiculous audacity
- from no more than a step or two inside the byline.
But that was to be his final action, before disappearing
with one of those dreaded knocks. 'It was a complete
performance,' enthused Wenger afterwards.
Keegan was left analysing how much room there is for
improvement. 'I've got seven-and-a-half good players
here and some maybes and could-bes,' he assessed. Ever
the optimist, he is hoping to sign three more players
before tomorrow night.
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