Arsenal 4 Norwich City 1: Henry pleases his adoring public again

Cole - Booed by idiotic few

Today’s visitors Norwich were mere cannon fodder back in August, when, if you recall, young Hoyte stepped in at centre back and few expected today’s match to be much different. There was no Vieira that day either but Gilberto was there and it was great to see him back again today. As one of the minority who appreciated his ability before we missed him I have to say I totally agree with Le Boss’s sentiments when he was quoted as saying, "People forget Gilberto is a world champion but he’s a quiet guy and he doesn’t want special attention. It’s a shame as sometimes people who have a real team attitude, rather than a flashy one, only get that kind of recognition when they don’t play." Also out missing through injury where Senderos, Campbell and Bergkamp.

Gilberto was warmly applauded back by the shirt sleeved Arsenal crowd. You would have thought that with this being Gilberto’s first match since September he would probably be a bit ring-rusty. Not so, although he appeared to be blowing hard after only ten minutes he lasted well, other than leaving his shooting boots at home Silva eased himself back delightfully and showed us what we’d been missing. His partner in midfield today, Flamini, was not so lucky, having to be subbed after just thirty-six minutes for what appeared to be an earlier knock he couldn’t run off.

Arsenal started brightly and generally shone throughout the match, or at least for those parts of it where we eased up out of second or third gear. Norwich you see are a nice Club, have a nice team with a nice manager and try to play nice football, but they’re going down because they can’t hack it at the top level. They are just too nice. One-sided games are a delight for most fans but this game was just too one-sided for our own good. Lehmann appeared in an all black kit as Arsenal kicked off towards the Clock End. Reyes had an early shot blocked, then Henry had a shot on the turn parried by Green. Not long after this Lauren, Gilberto and Toure sprung a move out of defence which led to our first of ten or so corners. This was a game of pure football right from the off, no vicious fouls, no holding, no sly late tackles just a lot of passing movement and fluid play, 98% of which came from Arsenal.

A fabulous flick from Thierry found Jose on a run but his low shot was saved. Norwich cleared the corner but Lauren intercepted and Reyes had another shot, this one just wide of the near post. A rare Norwich counter saw Ashton have his effort saved but the whistle had already gone for a foul on Cygan. When Henry scored Arsenal’s inevitable opening goal it was noticeable that Gilberto was involved twice in the build up play before a slick pass by Rob saw Henry wrong-foot the Norwich defence before sliding home his first goal of the day with a low shot. 1-0 Arsenal.

Goal celebrations

Three minutes later the game was all over. Arsenal pressed while knocking it about and it finally fell to Henry wide on the left with pretty well nothing on. A stop-start dummy, a feint inside, another stop start dummy, a move inside as his two markers were taken out of the game, the slightest glimmer of space in the far corner of the net and a low, powered, bending shot found it. This had the gob-smacked crowd totally ecstatic following yet another ‘dog’s bollocks’ Henry goal. 2-0 Arsenal and if Henry had been seriously bothered he probably could have broken both Wrighty’s and Ted Drake’s record in the same match today.

Cole, who was somewhat subdued today, found Lauren with a diagonal pass that he fired just wide. Reyes went very close after first winning a tackle. Huckerby looked for a penalty but the dive was only worth 2/10 for execution and 1/10 for artistic merit. Reyes played a neat chip to Henry for another nearly moment. Freddie nearly sneaked in following a fine flowing move. Reyes found Henry whose shot was blocked before Mathieu blasted his shot over. A weird goal that was both lucky and brilliant followed from Norwich. Huckerby’s corner was punched away by Lehmann, but not very far. A seriously crap shot followed that spun towards the corner flag, the same corner flag that saw Huckerby still lurking. He took it on, made room for his shot and hit a pile-driver into the top corner at the far post, a great strike. 2-1 but there were no further signs of a comeback for the Canaries.

The injured Flamini was replaced by Fabregas as Henry went into waltzing mode. Toying with a defence is one thing but selling a dummy to the entire Norwich defence is probably no big deal given their record this season. Freddie fired in a cross that Titi nearly reached with his head. Reyes was back well to cover Huckerby who remained pretty well their only serious threat. A great ball from Pires to Henry whose cross won a corner. Henry set up Fabregas for a shot that was blocked and the half ended with the mighty Thierry larding on the flash stuff with a trowel. Eleven shots from Arsenal and one from Norwich said it all really. The spinklers were on at half time to keep the pitch slick for our second half onslaught.

We carried on where we left off after the break, that is to say retaining possession and going forward at will. Playing neat and clever football even though it was often at half or even quarter pace, either way or either speed it was still tasty stuff. Freddie to Henry with a great ball before Gilberto fired over. Norwich then cleared off the goal line from Freddie. The pressure remained in and around their box as a chipped cross from Lauren saw Freddie head home from all of a yard out. I’ve no idea where Green was and at 3-1 to The Arsenal I really didn’t care.

Henry set up Pires with a good chance at one end before Stuart had a wild shot at the other. The football was all Arsenal still and at times, most of the time in fact, it was like a cat playing with a mouse. Freddie went down for a corner, for my money it was either a penalty or a goal kick but even with nothing to do all game Alan Wiley is a crap referee. Henry had a powerful shot from outside the box that was tipped over by Green. Safri replaced Holt for Norwich. A shot saved from Reyes, a brilliant Henry turn, more great play only marred as a spectacle by the occasional fussy placement of a free kick by the Muppet in charge of proceedings. Arsenal pressure ebbed and waned by degree but was pretty well continuous. When Reyes went down in their box Wiley was saved the task of making a decision by Henry stretching out a leg to stab home for his hat trick. 4-1 Arsenal and Henry is seemingly walking away with the Premiership Golden Boot award.

Jose - Another quiet game

We eased off a tad as Freddie fired one into the side netting, this got quite a few punters in the West stand out of their seats prematurely. Arsenal broke again but Reyes failed to spot the master craftsman’s run. Henry put Pires in for a naff shot before Reyes was replaced by Van Persie. McKenzie was replaced by Svensson but no substitutions were really going to change things for Norwich. Pascal and Jens had words as Cygan hoofed into touch, a clear misunderstanding because it should have been Lehmann’s ball. Helveg on for Edworthy as Arsenal eased back the throttle to replace teamwork with a series of solo cameos, mainly from Henry. Then by total contrast there would be a stunning one-touch move. Clichy replaced Pires with twelve minutes to go. Freddie set up Gilberto who fired over yet again. Brilliant play by Henry ended with a chipped cross going begging.

As referees go I sincerely wish Alan Wiley would. That said I’d like to say he had a decent game today, but it just wouldn’t be true. An incident very late in the game summed the Muppet up. Bearing in mind that this had been a game where both sides attempted to play football in the ideal manner, that’s to say bugger defending, show us your skills and leave out the rough stuff, so there should have been no bookings. Wiley made it to the 89th. minute but managed to book Cygan for an offence that didn’t warrant a free kick in the first place. Then to even-handedly irritate both sets of fans he made Huckerby leave the field of play after it was determined that treatment was not required in the same incident. What a tosser! But this was the only seriously irritating factor in yet another Highbury masterclass. I know it’s hard to believe, but I really do think Henry is actually getting better.

There was more good news for Arsenal as the Mancs were held to a goalless draw by Blackburn. With both teams now level on 67 points our superior 39 to their 31 goal difference moves us up into second place. What a fine way to celebrate St Totteringham’s day - the day of the season (each and every season of late) on which it is impossible for Tottenham to overhaul Arsenal’s current points tally. So a very happy St Totteringham’s day to you all.