If there was ever an opportunity to give Olivier Giroud some much needed rest, Arsene Wenger finally found it, while getting something out of Nicklas Bendtner to the surprise of everyone. But focusing on more important players for Arsenal down the road, the fantastic job Aaron Ramsey this season in every match resulted in Mesut Ozil getting on the scoresheet, and looking better than he has in over a month.
Hull City didn’t come to win, or get a point. It was a lineup Steve Bruce put on that had no chance of even disturbing Arsenal early on, and this match couldn’t have been a landslide win at half time. Aaron Ramsey moved freely across the midfield, getting into dangerous positions, and so did Mesut Ozil. Mathieu Flamini had no problem, again and again, stopping the few attempts at attack from the Tigers, who were probably feeling less obligated to give it their best effort after the 3 bonus points no one expected against Liverpool.
There’s no use talking about quality of defense in a match Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker weren’t tested. What is worth mentioning is Carl Jenkinson, who has been the right back of the future for Arsenal for quite some time, but looked very dangerous any time he moved forward with the ball, making better decisions than we’ve been accustomed to see from the talented young man, who has been relying too much on his physical abilities during the early stage of his career instead of the more technical side of the game.
For now, Theo Walcott isn’t returning to the lineup. Wenger loves his midfield which is made up of five central midfielders – Flamini or Arteta in the back, with Ramsey, Cazorla, Rosicky and Ozil playing in more forward positions, creating a very fluid formation with players interchanging positions all the time. Jack Wilshere is also a part of this success, getting some time off the bench in the 2-0 win, playing on the left wing, where he’s usually more dangerous.
Walcott? For now he’s relief to anyone who might need it. Bendtner in this case, making it a full 90 minutes of rest for the most tired striker in the Premier League. Arsenal won’t win anything if Giroud isn’t fit, healthy and scoring when the months of February, March and April come along. It’s interesting to see how Walcott finds himself back in Wenger’s good graces considering how well things have went without him.
Arsenal’s most expensive player, Mesut Ozil, finally got on the scoresheet with a goal from open play. There’s been much said about his scoring ability, but seeing him finish as the top scorer for Germany in the World Cup qualifiers suggests it shouldn’t be that much of a problem to ask of him to produce more in the Arsenal jersey. Thanks to Aaron Ramsey and a brilliant assist, Ozil might just have found his scoring groove again, which is vital considering the list of matches Arsenal have to go through for the next two weeks.