By Boris Mellor
May 9 2005

This match can be summed up in a few words WBA played like the away team but with the commitment of the home team. However that doesn’t mean it was an easy game – indeed they crowded the midfield so effectively that they had four shots before we had even one.

 

WEST BROMWICH ALBION 0

ARSENAL 2

Van Persie 66
Edu 90

 

It wasn’t until about 30 minutes that the Gunners had a decent shot, and that took a long run and speculative shot from Paddy. But after that Arsenal got into the game a lot more. With seven minutes to go Van Persie had a good opportunity to score when through on goal, but Hoult thwarted him. Arsenal’s passing had been poor, and much of the forward play predictable. The half ended with five shots apiece, and Arsenal knew they had been in a match.

But Arsenal fans expecting the Gunners to keep up the dominance of the first half were to be disappointed as the Baggies once again got into ascendance. But after ten minutes Arsenal began where they left off and started to make the chances again.

As predicted in Arsenal Times review "I would go for VP – he has a good record of scoring against ‘get in amongst them’ teams north of Watford". And sure enough the opening goal of the game came from anther piece of pure Van Persie magic, Kolo Toure started the move from just inside the Albion half, playing the ball to Vieira. Paddy, who was almost dispossessed, passed to Reyes and he found Van Persie who delivered another magic finish with a low left-foot shot beyond the despairing reach of Hoult. Arsenal now had quite a few more chances as WBA were stretched in trying to equalise. But the Gunners defence led by the magnificent Senderos had been solid all night, and was able to deal with the Baggies now desperate attacking.

With sixteen minutes to go Arsene took off Fabregas and Van Persie for Begkamp and Edu. The fresh legs spurred on even more Arsenal dominance.

Too many too late

With ten minutes to go Robson decided to go for broke, bringing on three strikers, Kanu, Robert Earnshaw and Geoff Horsfield. Yet it must have been at least seven minutes before WBA managed to launch a worthwhile attack. Meanwhile Arsenal were dangerous on the break, but just as WBA looked like they might unsettle the away team Bergkamp made a precision pass to Edu, who, in spite of Hoult getting a hand to the ball, saw his chip/shot end up in the net.

That was it, game set and match, Robson had left it too late. A valuable three points to keep Man U out of the second spot.