This might be safe to say. Olivier Giroud would not have scored any of those goals Danny Welbeck scored against Galatasaray. Which is different from saying he would not have scored at all. Welbeck’s first career hat trick were injections of pure pace and off ball movement which are not Giroud’s strong suites. The Frenchman compensates for the lack of those qualities holding the ball effectively and on set pieces.
For the first time, we saw Arsenal utilize its advantage in speed to its max, albeit against a muddled opposition with the Ox and Alexis Sanchez on the wings and Welbeck up the middle. This was as fulsome a display of run and gun with Ox jetting down the right, Alexis gliding in from the left, and Welbeck in prime position to run at outlets provided by them. In addition, the Chilean also scored his fifth goal in 11 matches with a more central Mesut Oezil locating him precisely in a sweeping counterattack.
Welbeck’s second goal epitomizes the best of him. Fernando Muslera’s goalkick was headed back over the half line with Chedjou jumping just ahead of Alexis to send the ball looping behind. A disoriented Felipe Melo and Welbeck chase the ball with the Arsenal striker outmuscling Pepe’s understudy heading the ball forward and then winning the foot race, entering the D at speed, forcing Muslera to commit by falling to the right, to coolly slot the ball into the far post corner. The Galatasaray faithful having seen enough decided to indulge in some Turkish delight by launching flares into the pitch forcing Sneijder and Muslera to calm things down. Good on them.
A bit about Melo. He’s about as pigheaded and dangerous as they come and he should have been sent off half hour into the match for his two footed studs up tackle on Alexis. That potentially could have been many months out. Galatasaray were lucky Gianlucca Rocchi somehow contrived to overlook it and Melo escaped with just a booking. The Turkish club might have been in worse shape a man down. As it were, it was Arsenal getting the short end of the stick as Wojciech Szczesny with little to do after Arsenal were 4 up, perhaps craving a share of the spotlight, decided to charge a Goran Pandev through pass but got all of Burak Yilmaz. Red card. Penalty. David Ospina’s introduction to the big time was a testing one. The last half hour was Arsenal pegging back a puffed up Galatasaray as Wesley Sneijder warmed up to his reputation. Ospina proved equal to the task with some pretty decent reflexes.
The best chance in the dying minutes fell to Arsenal. Santi Cazorla came very close, extremely close, after a nicely worked out exchange with Welbeck and Jack Wilshere left him one on one with Muslera but a heavy touch led to a rushed chip as the goalie closed down. The ball rolling slowly towards goal was cleared in time by defenders tracking back.
So its 3 points in the bag. And a very good 18th anniversary for Wenger in charge. Just as well because Borussia Dortmund destroyed Anderlecht and must be seen as favourites to top Group D.
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