Arsenal Cruise Past Hull City

Jamie McDonald

A rare start for Nicklas Bendtner surely had The Emirates crowd and Arsenal supporters nervous heading into Arsenal’s class with Hull City Tuesday night. 95 seconds later, and all was well. Aaron Ramsey played a superb ball into the wing for a charging Carl Jenkinson, who laid a picture cross into the path of Bendtner. A header into the bottom corner of the net, and the maligned striker had his first Arsenal goal since 2010.

Arsenal were simply of different class than their visitors on this night, pulling strings and passing inside Hull’s final third with relative ease. They enjoyed 69% possession on the day, routinely outnumbering their opposition in midfield. The Gunners were missing that killer instinct to get a second in a first half however, and Hull were able to push back into Arsenal’s end, highlighted by Tom Huddlestone playing an inviting low cross across the face of Wojtek Szczesny’s goal. Hull boss Steve Bruce was in no doubt relieved to take his side into the dressing room only down 1-0 at half.

Within two minutes of the start-up, however, Mesut Ozil played a marvellous one-two with Ramsey, who played a beautiful pass into the German international which he swept into the bottom corner of Allan McGregor’s net. From there Arsenal were in total control, cruising into the final whistle passing with ease, with Arsene Wenger able to get a twenty minute run-in for England internationals Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott. Wenger made five changes to the side that beat Cardiff on Saturday, voting to keep several key starters like Olivier Giroud on the bench ahead of a clash with Everton, who won in Old Trafford for the first time in 21 years on the day, Saturday at The Emirates.

Arsenal separated no ground on the day, as Chelsea benefited from two goals an assist from a spectacular Eden Hazard to a crazy 4-3 win at Sunderland, while Manchester City settled West Bromwich Albion in a controlled game not indicative of the 3-2 final scoreline.