Such Satisfaction!

Arsenal 2 Nasri 2
Manure 1 Da Silva

It was such a satisfaction to get a win after all the less then positive results that we had over the last few weeks, and the satisfaction tripled when the win came against one of the big rivals for the League title, Manure.

It was a nervy start which had me pulling my hair as early as in the third minute when Manuel Almunia continued with his uncertain form of late by catching a back pass from Mikel Silvestre. But the Arsenal goal survived the threat from the indirect free-kick awarded and also a few more anxious moments afterwards as the visitors tried to impose themselves.

However much to their credit, Arsenal players also began to find their feet and Nicklas Bendtner should have done better with the crosses that were played to him. United also rode their luck when a bad punch by Edwin van der Sar landed at the feet of Abou Diaby who could not find an opening along the sea of legs in front of him.

But luck was with Samir Nasri in the 22nd minute when he controlled a header from Dimitar Berbatov from a corner and unleashed a left foot shot which took a slight deflection off the f*ck-face Gary Neville to carry it past van der Sar.

It was such a great satisfaction that he was the one to give us the lead.

But it was a great credit too to Nasri whose technique was superb in executing the shot which was difficult to say the least.

It was a great football match which had all the ingredients to make it a classic, when both teams decided to come out and play football the way it should be played.

Then the second goal came just within minutes from the restart of the second half. Arsenal kept possession with their passing game. The a crucial off the ball run by Theo Walcott took Nemanja Vidic away which gave Nasri the space for him to run to.

Cesc Fabregas saw this and his pass opened the door for Nasri to blast his shot past van der Sar. A typical Arsenal goal which we have not seen for a while.

If people were expecting that Arsenal had learned their lesson and shut up shop, they did not know Arsene Wenger's Arsenal that well. It was true that Manure staged a wonderful fightback to salvage something from that match but Arsenal managed to hold on.

If referee Howard Webb was in a bit more centre position he would have seen the tug on Nasri's shirt in the penalty box by Vidic. But he was viewing the incident from the back and in his eyes it was simply a come together of both players.

Then in the last minute substitute Rafael Da Silva volleyed home past Lukasz Fabianski, who came on for the injured Almunia earlier. It was such a sweet strike that there was nothing the Polish goalkeeper could do and Arsenal were made to sweat it out for the six minutes added time due to the Almunia's injury.

Thank God, there was no repeat of the Sp*ds episode. The Gunners even had the chance to kill off the match but Bendtner who seemed to be a bit off in the last few matches decided to be selfish.

In my view he should have set up either Nasri or Fabregas who were ready with their support. But given the amount of effort he put out, it was understandably that he could not make the right decision.

I fell down on my knees as if I was the one who scored the winning goal upon hearing the final whistle from Howard Webb.

Hopefully we will pick up steam from here and turn our season around.

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