Chamakh first and last minute goals seal victory for the Gunners

Arsenal grabbed an important away victory against struggling Wolves on Wednesday night. First and last minute goals scored by Marouane Chamakh confirmed all three points but the Gunners would not have done it without the help of Fabianski in the Arsenal goal stopping Wolves from scoring several times throughout the match. Laurent Koscielny was absent from the Arsenal lineup as he was starting the two match ban he enforced on himself after getting sent off against Newcastle. Johan Djourou replaced him. Matt Jarvis was making his 100th appearance in the league for Wolves and was pushing himself towards a possible England call-up.

From the first attack of the game Arsenal scored. Rosicky was allowed to run through the heart of the Wolves midfield and then find Song on the right hand side who delivered the ball on to the head of Chamakh who placed his shot in the bottom left hand corner to give the Gunners an early lead.

Then in the sixth minute it could have been 2-0 when Arshavin disposed Mancienne just outside the box and managed to get a shot away but Hahnemann made himself big and kept out the shot.

Wolves were very much on the back foot and looked a shadow of the team who almost grabbed a point out of Manchester United at the weekend. Fabregas worked another save out of Hahnemann when Arshavin pulled the ball back into the box from the left and the ball bounced off a Wolves player and into the path of the Gunners skipper. The ball then found its way to Rosicky but his shot was blocked.

Wolves then had their first good opportunity when Hunt whipped in a freekick from the right hand side onto the head of Doyle but he headed just over.
Wolves were now having more of the ball and the ball got put in from the left but the cross hit Song and almost straight into the path of Hunt but Fabianski was aware of the threat and tipped the ball away from him just in time.

The score at half time was 1-0 to Arsenal.

Wolves got a great early chance in the second half when Wilshere slipped inside his own penalty area. Jarvis picked the ball up and delivered into the six yard box but Sagna made a brilliant block from Fletcher's effort to keep Arsenal ahead.

Arsenal then should have had a 2 goal advantage when the Wolves defence gifted the ball to Rosicky who fed Fabregas but he just slipped his shot wide of the on coming Hahnemann and the post.

Doyle then forced a great save out of Fabianski when he was allowed to turn on the edge of the box and then strike a fiersome left footed shot towards the top corner. Fabianski managed to get one hand to it and tip the ball over.
From the resulting corner Stearman found the ball at his feet and struck his shot goalbound but the ball was cleared off the line by Rosicky.

Arsenal then hit the woodwork from their best chance of the second half so far when Arshavin drove down the left hand side and then cut inside onto his right foot and struck an effort towards the goal. The shot had Hahnemann beaten but the woodwork saved Wolves from going 2 down.

Arsenal were pressing for a second and they got a freekick. Fabregas took but the ball hit the wall and went out for a corner. From the corner Arsenal had a great chance once again but Djourou put his shot at Hahnemann and the danger was over.

Fabregas was then lucky not to have been sent off when he went in late on Ward after the ball had gone. The foul was right near the referee's asssistant but Fabregas only came away with a yellow card.

Wolves were having much more of the ball this half and Doyle once again came close to grabbing an equaliser but he dragged his attempt just wide. Berra then had another great chance to grab an equaliser but again Fabianski made the save to keep the Gunners in front.

Arsenal then finally sealed all 3 points in the last minute when Wolves were light at the back Fabregas found Chamakh unmarked who raced through on goal and poked his shot past Hahnemann for his second of the game.

The final score ended Arsenal 2-0 Wolves.

The teams lineups:


Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Clichy, Arshavin(90), Fabregas, Rosicky, Wilshere(67), Song, Chamakh(90).
Subs: Szczesny, Eboue, Walcott, Denilson(67), Nasri(90), Bendtner(90), Van Persie.

Wolves: Hahnemann, Foley, Stearman, Berra, Ward(87), Mancienne(78), Jarvis, Milijas, Henry, Edwards(7), Doyle.
Subs: Hennessey, Van Damme, Mouyokolo, Elokobi, Hunt(7), Ebanks-Blake(78), Fletcher(87).

My man of the match: Lukasz Fabianski

Referee: Mark Halsey
Attendance: 27,329