Sharp-shooting Fabregas brings out the good and bad in Arsenal; Richard Keys is still ugly

by JAMES CURTIS Like something out of a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western, Cesc Fabregas rode into the Emirates and took out the trash. His entrance was late, but his barrel was purposefully loaded, and with two quick-fire shots from his rifle of a right foot, Senor Cesc blasted away Aston Villa in a match between two Premiership gunslingers.

Before the dead-eye Spaniard waltzed into town, Arsenal were working hard but failing to conjure up any significant chances. Eduardo had fluffed the best opportunity from close range after a luscious turn in the first half, yet other than that, Villa’s goal was looking arcane.

There was never a momentous amount of danger from the away side, although Arsenal’s defence were concentrating hard to withstand the Villa enfilade who had rolled into the capital with intentions of looting all three points. Martin O’Neil’s men were never once gung-ho, but they made enough of a threat to concern all those peering over the tops of match-day programmes as the showdown commenced.

There was grit in the Arsenal belly that said it would not fall kindly to the physical intimidations of Villa, and like all good Spaghetti Westerns, William Gallas, Thomas Vermaelen and the rest made a real fist of things, knocking Emile Heskey around and dealing with the crosses of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing.

Arsenal’s goals have been of the highest order in recent games but at times taken a while to come. A lack of raw strength up front means Arsenal’s attacking play has required patience. Teams have sat back on the Gunners installing barricades of brutish bodies before their goal, so while Arsenal probe away it has been important the Gunners defence keeps matters tight themselves.

The first-half yesterday was still a little timid from the front-line and Villa’s solidarity was always going to prove more testing than Hull last week. Still, Gallas led the back four well to ensure the slate was clean for Arsenal’s triggermen to do their bit. With the individual quality Arsenal posses, a goal was forthcoming.

And how it came through Fabregas’ eagerness to give the show a heroic outcome from the people’s most looked towards star. He had been on the pitch less than 10 minutes before bending in an arrow-like free-kick, and 15 minutes later he made a cutting run through the middle, latching onto a threaded Theo Walcott pass and curling past Brad Friedel once more.

The skippers moral fibre was the key difference and without him it looked like Arsenal governance was a little short of administration. When the Spaniard plays everybody seems to understand their jurisdiction more, so it will be crucial the hamstring injury that saw him limp off after a 23 minute cameo is no more than a minor hinge.

His entrance also relived some of the workload off of Andrey Arshavin who looked mostly lost between the canyons of Richard Dunne and Carlos Cuellar. Wenger has said he has a fist full of dollars to spend if needed next month. For a few dollars more he could land himself another striker and allow Arshavin some freedom to see more of the ball in spaces where he is at his most dangerous.

It seems a waste to have a player of Arshavin’s quality seeing so little of the ball. On the day though Abou Diaby took his reigns and was the man doing work typical associated with the Russian. His solo run and shot to wrap things up was Diaby’s second in as many games and you feel the Frenchman is beginning to shine at just the right time, as Alex Song disappears for the African Cup of Nations.

In Sky Sports’ post-match analysis, Richard Keys claimed the win was vital to Arsenal’s pursuit for fourth place. During the sixties critics generally ignored Spaghetti Western films, made on low budgets by continental directors. The same can be said of Arsenal, who still haven’t been truly noted as title contenders by the domestic line of punditry.

But while Arsenal’s cast of continental stars, led by Spanish sharp-shooter Fabregas, continue to write the script of what Wenger believes is a title-winning team, Key’s affinity to overlook Arsenal is golden. The team are maturing nicely like the Spaghetti Western’s did, taking 13 points from a possible 15 since the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea last month.

There are still a few concerns, like the striker situation, Fabregas’ hamstring and the teams response to the loss of Song – the Cameroon international has played 16 league games this season. Still though, like an old Western town Arsenal are showing signs of resilience in trying times. At this pace, riding off into the sunset with a happy ending is becoming a real possibility.{jcomments on}