Arsenal Vs Sunderland Full Match Highlights And Videos

Arsenal conquered Sunderland with due diligence. Here is the full match recap and highlights including videos of all the goals. 

Arsenal needed the win that they got. While it was not easy at times, they were gritty enough to pull a clutch three points from the match up. Here is a far-too-convenient break down of the game in bullet-point fashion.

• Starting XI for Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Ramsey, Flamini, the Ox, Campbell, Ozil and Giroud
• 0′ – Kickoff! Walcott is healthy. Ramsey is in the middle. Let’s do work.
• 2′ – The Ox strategically kicks it out for a goal kick. Clever.
• 4′ – Arsenal caught out on defense. Per left sprinting after Borini, never a good thing. Petr Cech makes a rather routine save.
•  7′ – Ramsey has tons of space. Fires off target. But boy, he had a lot of space.
• 9′ – Sunderland threatening again but Fletcher heads over the bar and most of the known world.
• 10′ – Superb save by Cech as Arsenal’s defense does it’s best black hole impression by collapsing on itself.
• 21′ – No, we have not forgotten to add updates. Nothing has happened. A few Flamini dives, a couple Ramsey give-aways and a few rambunctious pokes by the Ox.
• 29′ – Ramsey fires another, this one looked on target but it was blocked.
• 33′ – GOAL. Beautiful goal by Joel Campbell. Assist to you know who. 1-0.
• 37′ – Another probing Ozil ball, this time in the air, misses Campbell’s head by a smidge.
• 41′ – Dangerous corner from Sunderland. Ball bounces around in the box but nothing comes of it.
• 45′ – GOAL. Olivier Giroud takes the cross masterfully and puts it into the net. Only it was the wrong net. 2-1.

Half Time. 1.1. This looks like a re-run of the last few matches.

• 54′ – First real chance of the second half. Beautiful passing build up for Arsenal ends with Ramsey being slightly offside.
• 56′ – Ball bouncing around in the Sunderland box again but Arsenal can’t put it away.
• 57′ – Petr Cech called into action again, pulling off a save from Fletcher’s grounded shot.
• 57′ – Corner ends up at the feet of Fletcher but Petr Cech pulls off a save that not even he can believe. Very fortunate.
• 60′ – Mesut Ozil shoots/passes into the box. Narrowly misses a tap from Giroud that surely would have been a goal.
• 63′ – GOAL. Stellar header from Giroud. Ramsey whipped the ball in and Giroud went down to knock it in. 2-1.
• 65′ – Giroud heads the ball from a corner and it is saved off the line by the Sunderland defense.
• 71′ – Ramsey has a bizarre half-bicycle kick saved. Had more options but likely wasn’t aware of it.
• 74′ – Duncan Watmore gets behind the Arsenal defense but has to rush the shot. Easy save.
• 88′ – After a whole lot of very little, Bellerin gets caught out and lets Patrick Van Aanholt in behind him. Luckily he fires high.
• 90′ – Mesut Ozil gives Ramsey the ball two steps from the goalie. Out-thinking himself, Ramsey shoots straight into Pantilimon.
• 90’+2′ – Arsenal’s defense continues to look questionable.
• 90’+2′ – Chambers shoots. Why not?
• 90’+3′ – GOAL. Ramsey finds a rebound and knocks it in. 3-1.

Full Time. 3-1. This was not a re-run of the last few matches.

Arsenal came out of the gates like a three-legged horse. They looked completely flat and uninspired. After suffering through the initial Sunderland threat, however, Arsenal was able to capitalize. The ice-breaking goal came from Joel Campbell after more of the usual from Mesut Ozil. Have a look:

Instead of building on that momentum, Arsenal surrendered an absolutely laughable response as Olivier Giroud turned a free kick into his own net.

"HIGHLIGHT: A bit of unfortunate luck levels the game at the Emirates after Olivier Giroud’s own goal. #ForeverFaster https://t.co/VDccuKtNOS — NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 5, 2015"

It’s tough to blame Giroud fully, seeing as how it was a missed clearance from a forward. But this does go to show that Arsenal’s set piece defense is still awful.

Coming into the second half, Arsenal looked much more aggressive and Olivier Giroud would have his revenge, giving Arsenal the lead with a beautiful effort off a cross from Aaron Ramsey.

Smashing. The game opened up the more it progressed. Sunderland missed a ton of chances with squibbed shots, making life far easier on Petr Cech than he needed. The second half continued business as usual. Arsenal did appear to be sleep walking at times but they managed to wake up when it was important to do so. It was all put to rest in stoppage time when Aaron Ramsey’s hard work finally paid off.

Lesson of the day: Play Aaron Ramsey in the middle and he will create chances. Sometimes they will go askew. Sometimes they will go into the back of the net.

Next: Calum Chambers The Key To The Season?

Arsenal looked flimsy at times but with the injuries in play, that is to be expected. This is a huge win and one that could kick start some serious momentum. Or at least that’s the idea.