FA PREMIER LEAGUE THE TITLE RACE Wigan Athletic 3 Arsenal 2:THEY THOUGHT it was all over . . . it is now. Arsenal, having had their title hopes resurrected on Saturday by their north London neighbours, were on course for three points that would have thrust them right back into contention again, only for Wigan Athletic to kill them off for good with the most remarkable comeback of an extraordinary season.
Leading 2-0 in the 80th minute, and coasting towards the win they needed, Arsene Wenger and company were floored by three late goals from never-say-die opposition who belied their relegation-threatened status with a deserved result that should keep them up for another year.
Before that dramatic finale Arsenal had appeared to be rising, phoenix-like, from the ashes of that midweek defeat at White Hart Lane. The victors that night, Tottenham Hotspur, had gone on to beat Chelsea on Saturday to blow the Premier League title race open again and the Gunners suddenly had something more substantial than a Champions League place in their sights.
They were again cruelly depleted by injuries, one of which was to undermine them decisively, but after 47 minutes they were 2-0 up, with goals from Theo Walcott and Mikael Silvestre, and the remnants of Wenger’s depleted squad appeared good enough to see off opponents who had been unable to beat stricken, half-strength Portsmouth in midweek. Walcott’s opening goal, just before half-time, was smartly taken, left-footed, after a penetrative through-pass from Nicklas Bendtner. Arsenal’s second, straight after the interval, saw Silvestre head in Samir Nasri’s corner.
Wigan coming good so spectacularly was typical of their season, which has blown hot and cold more unpredictably than the air conditioning in an old Cortina. They won 2-0 at Aston Villa on the opening day, then lost 1-0 at home to Wolves. They beat Chelsea 3-1 in September, then lost their next game 2-1 to Hull. They were trashed 9-1 at Tottenham in November, then won 1-0 at Sunderland. And when they beat Liverpool 1-0 last month, they immediately took a 4-0 drubbing from Bolton.
Such a record should have made Arsenal fear the worst after Wigan’s feeble showing at home to Pompey. Roberto Martinez tries to play the attractive, cohesive football that established his reputation with Swansea but his players are not good enough to pull it off on a consistent basis. They do have their moments, however, and they enjoyed a never-to-be-forgotten purple patch here.
Wenger’s latest crop in an endless succession of injuries forced him into more changes, to replace Manuel Almunia, Thomas Vermaelen and Denilson. Surprisingly, in view of the importance of the match, and the effect Robin van Persie had on the north London derby after his introduction from the bench, there was no starting place for the striker.
When he finally got on, after 89 minutes, it was much too late to influence the outcome. Instead Walcott was in the original 11 and the midfield vacancy created by Denilson’s absence went to the 19-year-old Craig Eastmond. The most significant promotion, however was that of Lucasz Fabianski, who made his first appearance of the season in the Premier League as Almunia’s deputy. It was one he will want to forget.
Arsenal were 2-1 up in the 89th minute when the goalkeeper dropped a corner from Charles N’Zogbia, leaving Titus Bramble with a nodded equaliser. Wigan had been invigorated nine minutes earlier when Victor Moses cut the ball back from the byline on the left for Ben Watson to score what at the time had the look of a consolation goal.
Wigan were not finished yet and worse was to come for Arsenal. Fabianski’s careless hands left the one so deflated, and the other so inspired that, with 92 minutes on the stopwatch, N’Zogbia was able to complete the transformation with a handsome strike from distance.
Guardian Service
ARSENAL'S RUN-IN
Played: 35. Pts: 71
Sat, Apr 24th: v Man City (h)
Sat, May 1st: v Blackburn (a)
Sun, May 9th: v Fulham (h)
