Arsenal vs. Blackpool
After seeing our title rivals Chelsea thump a newly promoted side by 6 goals to 0 on the opening day, Arsenal needed to reply and in what an emphatic way they did! I think most fans at the emirates on Saturday expected Arsenal to take all 3 points, but against a team that opened their premier league campaign with a 4-0 victory away to Wigan, we did not expect a roll over.
The game started with a very quick tempo with both sides having early chances but it was Arsenal who found the back of the net in the 12th minute when Arshavin and Rosicky created an intricate move allowing Theo Walcott to burst through and slot the ball home from just inside the box. The second came twenty minutes later when a perfectly waited through ball from Thomas Rosicky was met by new boy Marouane Chamakh who poked the ball in front of defender Ian Evatt who’s challenge was deemed unfair and a penalty was awarded. Evatt was also shown a straight red card. The penalty was calmly taken by Andre Arshavin, finding the bottom left hand corner of Matthew Gilks’ net.
From then on Blackpool looked much deflated even though their fans were still in jubilant fashion. The remaining hour then really became a training session of defence vs attack with Blackpool camped in their own half for the remainder of the game. Arsenal then struck either side of half time with a further goal from Theo Walcott on 41 minutes and a fine strike from Abou Diaby on 49 minutes ended any hopes Ian Holloway may have had.
"grrrr I'm arrrrrd!!!" 
Then on the hour mark Walcott was put through again with an inch perfect ball, and with some neat footwork he struck the ball with his left, completing his hat-trick and received a standing ovation form 60,000 delighted arsenal fans.
Just when Blackpool thought it couldn’t get any worse, arsenal made a substitution, bringing on Van Persie and Fabregas to get some much needed match fitness. Both players looked a little short still but their class shone through when on 83 minutes Cesc’s clever bit of trickery in the corner won arsenal a corner which Van Persie curled into the box finding Marouane Chamakh, who netted his first league goal of the season and his first at the emirates. Full time Arsenal 6-0 Blackpool
With no injuries so far, four points out of a possible six and a difficult trip to Anfield now out of the way, this can surely be considered a good start to the season.
Submitted by James Griffin
31/8/2010
