Arsenal kept alive their faint, faint chances of a title
comeback with a crushing 6-2 victory at relegated Derby County on
Monday night.
Goals from Nicklas Bendtner, Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott plus
a second-half hat-trick from Emmanuel Adebayor were enough to see
off Paul Jewell's side. The hosts had looked lively early on but
strikes in either period from Jay McEveley and Robert Earnshaw were
never enough.
Once they had roused themselves from a sluggish start, Arsenal
took charge and could have many more goals than the half-dozen they
registered.
Adebayor's treble, his second against Derby this season, will
hog the headlines but Walcott's strike was the highlight of the
night as the England international once again took the eye.
This victory puts Arsenal four points adrift of two leading
teams. Only a rose-tinted optimist would fancy Wenger's men to lift
the Premier League trophy at Sunderland on May 11. It would require
both Chelsea and Manchester United to fail to register a win in
either of their last two games.
Both where there is life there is hope. And Arsenal are still
just about registering a pulse in this title race.
At his pre-match press conference on Friday, Wenger had
suggested Denilson, Bendtner and Lukasz Fabianski as possible
starters. The manager said he was aiming to give a little
end-of-season experience to the younger end of his squad. He was as
good as his word.
In addition, Alex Song, 20, and Walcott, 19, retained their
places at centre half and on the left wing respectively. There was
experience on the bench in the form of Gilberto, Adebayor and
Philippe Senderos.
There was a short, sharp hailstorm about 30 minutes before
kick-off but, metaphorically it had been raining on Derby County
all season. They had been bottom of the Premier League since
October 28 and long since relegated.
Despite all that, the home side started much the brighter this
evening.
In the third minute Bendtner fired over a cross from the left
and Eboue hoiked a shot over the bar. But Derby might have opened
the lead twice in following minute. First Emanuel Villa swept a
shot wide from 10 yards then Mile Sterjovski let fly and Song
stretched to clear. The ball sliced off the foot of the Arsenal
defender and flew a couple of yards wide with Fabianski left
flatfooted.
In reality, the first 24 minutes had belonged to Derby's
endeavour. But they would be undone by what happened in the 25th
when Darren Moore made the simplest error at the back. It allowed
Bendtner to exchange passes with Van Persie and slot home past Roy
Carroll.
Derby were now rattled. Walcott escaped seconds later, eschewed
the possibility of passing to Bendtner and instead set up the
unmarked Van Persie. Inexplicably he slotted the ball wide.
It would prove a costly mistake. On the half hour Song fouled
Sterjovski on the left. Robbie Savage planted the free-kick in the
midst of the area, and after Arsenal failed to clear McEveley
stabbed home from close range.
On 30 minutes had been played but both sides had displayed the
defensive vulnerability that had undermined their campaigns at
either end of the table.
Van Persie blazed over and Fabregas stung Carroll's hands from
30 yards as Arsenal chased the lead. They found it in spectacular
fashion six minutes from the break. Toure clipped a lofted pass
into the area, Van Persie slipped away from his marker, chested the
ball down and half-volleyed a rising drive into the roof of the
net.
It was the Dutchman's last significant moment; he was replaced
at half time by Emmanuel Adebayor.
Arsenal slipped into cruise control at the start of the second
half. Toure had a couple of rocket shots fizz over the bar,
Bendtner thumped high and, just before the hour, Carroll saved from
Adebayor at the near post.
The inevitable third came seconds later. Denilson, who was
having a tidy game in midfield, sent Walcott into the area. He
skipped past his marker on the byline and cut the ball back to
Eboue whose touch allowed Adebayor to slide home a third.
Walcott went through in acres of space seconds later but steered
his shot wide.
It was now a procession for Arsenal. They could create chances
at will while Derby were a shadow of the competitive side that had
started the game.
Eboue spurned a couple of chances to add a fourth but the game
seemed meandering to a close.
Or was it.
Benny Feilhaber kept Fabianski interested with a drive from
distance. Then, in the 76th minute, substitute Earnshaw escaped to
steer a shot past Fabianski and just inside the far post.
For a minute the Derby crowd believed once more.
It was only a minute, mind. Less than 90 seconds later Walcott
danced into the area, cut inside his marker and curled a sumptuous
shot into the far corner of the net.
Ten minutes from time, Adebayor slipped home a simple fifth and,
in extra time, skipped past Carroll to roll home his hat-trick.
It had been a comprehensive victory.
