Early Walcott goal seals win over QPR

A very early Theo Walcott strike was enough to seal all three points for Arsenal last Saturday, the 4th May, as they put in an unconvincing performance to beat already relegated QPR. The win meant the Gunners returned to winning ways having drawn with Man United previously and also extended their unbeaten run to eight games. This run was key in the Gunners hopes for Champions League football but with Spurs drawing with Chelsea the day after, everything was still to play for. The team line-up for the match saw just one change as Nacho Monreal replaced Gibbs. Lukas Podolski once more got a chance to show the manager what he's made of up front.

Wojciech Szczesny returned to form as Arsenal beat QPR

It was a very lively start for the Gunners as on only 20 seconds they were ahead. Arteta split the defence and found Walcott who fired home via the post.

With the game having gone quiet for a while, Theo Walcott sprung to life to almost score his second of the afternoon. However the post was in the way to deny him.

QPR's first chance fell minutes later on 27 minutes as Park found space to work a shot but blazed it over the bar.

Park was to then get another chance but this time it was closed down well and the shot bounced out for a corner.

The hosts were now starting to find their game and Ben Haim then tried a shot from range but Szczesny was equal to it.

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

Arsenal were proving to be very wasteful and if it wasn't for Szczesny then Loic Remy would've scored two goals. The first almost found the head of the Frenchman but the goalkeeper managed to claw it away. The second was more straight forward as it was straight at Szczesny

Townsend was the next player to trouble the Arsenal goal as he drove a shot from distance but it was kept out once again.

It then summed up the performance as Laurent Koscielny had Arsenal's first shot since Walcott's strike against the post in the first half. 

Santi Cazorla who hadn't really been in the game then tried his luck at goal. Rob Green was in the way though and he stopped the Spaniard's swerving shot from going in.

Arsenal were desperately looking for that two goal cushion as Walcott then went close after out muscling Ben Haim in the air and then having a shot saved at the near post.

In the dying minutes of the game QPR almost grabbed an equaliser. Loic Remy fired a shot which was curling inside the far post but Szczesny sprawled across his goal to make a brilliant save.

The final score finished QPR 0-1 Arsenal.

The team's lineups:

QPR: Green, Onuoha, Hill, Ben Haim, Traore(90), Park(79), Jenas, Mbia(46), Townsend, Remy, Zamora.
Subs: Murphy, Derry(46), Fabio(90), Granero, Taarabt(79), Mackie, Bothroyd.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Ramsey, Rosicky(90), Cazorla(89), Walcott, Podolski(85).
Subs: Mannone, Vermaelen(90), Jenkinson, Coquelin, Wilshere(89), Oxlade-Chamberlain(85), Gervinho. 

My man of the match: Wojciech Szczesny

Referee: Jon Moss
Attendance: 18,178