The TV Announcers believe Anelka will be Arsenal's key player. Downing is picked to be my key player. They predict a tie.
1st minute: Lucio with a goal saving tackle on Henry in the box.
Reyes is playing for them at left wing.
9 minute mark: Downing burns their right winger.. crosses to Eagles who heads it to Fletcher.. hard shot.. great save by Almunia.
12 minute mark: Fatih pushes Downing down.. whistle.. Anelka argues the call.. yellow card for Anelka.
13 minute mark: Djemba steals the ball at midfield.. dribbles up the pitch.. passes between two defenders to McFadden in the box.. he takes one dribble to his left.. hard shot.. lower right corner.. it's past the keeper.. GOAL!!!! 1-0.
17 minute mark: Eagles does a good job of sealing it from Reyes.
18 minute mark: Reyes passes it to Anelka in the box.. I breath a sigh of relief as Anelka's shot sails over the bar.
31 minute mark: Henry gets off a hard shot from 20 yards out.. Barthez saves it cleanly!
35 minute mark: Djemba steals it at midfield.. passes quickly to Rooney in the box.. Rooney shoots.. hard curving shot.. it curves into the lower left corner of the goal! GOAL!!!! 2-0. Spectacular strike!
That is Rooney's 5th goal of the year.
39 minute mark: Downing burns two defenders.. dribbles into the box.. crosses for Rooney.. shoots.. great save by the keeper.
44 minute mark: Brown turns the ball over to Henry deep in our box.. he shoots.. hard shot.. upper right corner.. Barthez blocks it.
Halftime: 2-0 lead for us. Arsenal has over 60,000 fans here today.
48 minute mark: Eagles with a great move on Reyes.. dribbles into the corner of the pitch.. crosses to the near post for Rooney.. he heads it.. great save by Almunia.
62 minute mark: Downing dribbles down the left side of the pitch.. crosses to the middle of the box.. Rooney heads it.. the keeper blocks it.. Rooney shoots the rebound.. Almunia dives.. blocks that shot too.
66 minute mark: Eagles crosses to McFadden in the box.. he hits it on the half-volley.. great save by Almunia.
75 minute mark: Eagles crosses long to Downing.. he burns two defenders.. dribbles into the box.. shoots.. lower right corner.. GOAL!!!! 3-0. The announcer feels we should be the favorites to win the EPL with this type of performance.
83 minute mark: Henry and Brown collide.. Henry is hurt bad.. he has to be carried off the pitch.
85 minute mark: Reyes passes to Mark Gonzalez in the box.. he fakes right.. dribbles left.. shoots.. left lower corner.. GOAL. 3-1.
90 minute mark: Djemba steals it at midfield.. passes it to Rooney.. Rooney with a perfect 45 yard pass into the box.. McFadden gets to it.. fakes right.. dribbles left.. shoots.. lower left corner..GOAL!!!! 4-1. That is McFadden's second goal of the game.
Game over. Impressive 4-1 win for us!
We outshot them 19-12 (13-3 on target)
McFadden won MoM, 10 for form, 19 of 26 passes, 2 of 5 tackles, 5 of 15 headers, 1 interception, 5 runs, 3 fouls drawn, 2 goals.
Downing also had a 10 for form. Among his stats, he had 20 runs!
Djemba had a 9 for form.
Rooney had his first really good game in a long time. He had an 8 for form.
Brown, Chivu, Ferdinand, Lucio, and Eagles also had 8's.
Fletcher and Barthez had 7's.