Arsenal produced a perfect first-half performance to defeat West Brom 4-1 at the Emirates on the final day of the season.
The Gunners had not scored in their last three home fixtures and with West Brom unbeaten in their last five, even the most optimistic of supporters would have been nervous before kick-off. However, any concerns were obliterated in the first 17 minutes as Wenger’s side raced to a three-goal lead.
It took just four minutes for Theo Walcott to find the back of the net, blasting his shot into the top left corner after drifting into free space inside the box. The England forward added a second in the 14th minute, poking the ball into the bottom corner after his teammates cut through the Albion defence.
It was then Wilshere’s turn to get on the scoresheet, blasting a half-volley into the top corner from the edge of the box in the aftermath of a corner. The young midfielder was confidently roaming across the park and he played a crucial role in Walcott’s third.
Wilshere picked up the ball in a central area and charged towards the box, playing a one-two with Alexis Sanchez before spreading the ball wide to Santi Cazorla on the left. The Spaniard played the ball across goal and into the path of Walcott, who had a simple tap-in to complete his hat-trick.
West Brom pulled one back in the second half when Gareth McAuley beat David Ospina to a corner to head home, but by this point the result was secured.
The W’s wow Wenger
After three scoreless matches at the Emirates, Wenger finally elected to rest the overworked Olivier Giroud, handing Theo Walcott his first start in his favoured role of central striker. Jack Wilshere received consecutive starts after playing 66 minutes against Sunderland midweek.
The two Englishmen ran the show for the Gunners, with their rotation of positions causing havoc amongst the Albion defence. For the first time in weeks, there was a purpose to Arsenal’s early play as they zipped the ball across the turf at the Emirates. Arsene Wenger now has a selection headache ahead of next week’s FA Cup final.
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An off-season of reflection for West Brom
Tony Pulis’ side had not been beaten in their last five fixtures, including clashes with Chelsea and Manchester United. Unfortunately, they would be unable to continue that good form against the Gunners and the composition of their back four was to blame. Dawson, McAuley, Olsson and Lescott were sluggish when attempting to contain Arsenal’s forward line.
The midfield trio of Yacob, Morrison and Fletcher struggled as well, turning the ball over far too easily against one of the best counter-attacking units in the competition. Berahino was often a spectator up front as his side couldn’t get the ball out of their own half at times.
Full performance needed from Arsenal
In recent fixtures, Arsenal have been guilty of waiting until the second half to get going. Once again, the Gunners only played one half of football, but thankfully it was a comprehensive first half. That 45 minutes secured the points, but it was disappointing to see that the lead was not further extended in the second period. A six or seven goal win would have really underlined the club’s intentions for next season. With an opportunity to secure a trophy in consecutive seasons, Arsenal need to produce a complete performance against Aston Villa.
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