Arsenal (2) – (0) West Ham United
Eduardo (2′), Adebayor (19′)
The Emirates Stadium, London

I only caught the highlights on MOTD last night so can only comment on certain aspects of last nights game, but one thing is clear – Eduardo’s form is going to be vital in the next few months.

After only two minutes, smart play from Cesc Fabregas on the right resulted in a cross into the area for Eduardo, who coolly chested the ball down and slashed in a killer volley to open the scoring after only 2 minutes.

Eduardo scores the first chance of the game!

I know my last match report of the Everton game kept harping on about this guy but he really is such a amazing finisher.

This kid doesn’t need second chances.

To score in such a ruthless manner and so early really is a huge advantage. Yesterday’s game was pretty comfortable but if Arsenal don’t get that first goal early then almost anything could happen (remember this fixture last season?) but with someone with such a killer instinct helps tenfold.

I know many people (including Arsene) have compared him to Robbie Fowler, but for me Eduardo is more like Ruud Van Nistelrooy. In the box, he’s devastating and always finds the net and if you create chances for him he will take them. And like the Dutchman, he probably won’t score too many outside the box but who cares when he scores so many inside it?

What I love about Eduardo is he just gets the ball into the net. He isn’t going to take on 4 players or make defence-splitting passes – he is just a predator, plain and simple. We’ve been accused of profligacy too many times in the past and now that has changed. Although to be fair, the more ruthless streak could be said about the team as a whole and not just Eduardo.

I have to admit though that almost had a heart attack when Eduardo missed a header at the far post later in the second half but replays showed his shirt was being tugged by Lucas Neill I think it was.

The second goal was from Adebayor, who’s pace took him away from the defence and he somehow managed to scored from a seemingly impossible angle.

With Adebayor and Eduardo playing together to such devastating effect, we’re lucky that Ade isn’t off to the ACN with Kolo and Eboue. The arrival of Eduardo (in a metaphorical sense obviously) also eases the pressure off Adebayor to keep performing and also comes at the perfect time as it looks like Robin will be about for a few weeks yet.

But of course, as much as things are going well for Arsenal there is some bad news, which is Kolo is now away with the Ivory Coast for the ACN. Depending how far they get Kolo might not be back until mid-February, and it’s hard to say how he will be mentally and physically after an intense tournament like the African Cup of Nations. We know Eboue is going too, but with Sagna making the right-back slot his own Arsenal will just miss out on a midfield player which is an area we seem to have well-covered.

So Gallas will be partnered with either Djourou or Senderos during this time, and even Gilberto possibly depending on what the boss thinks is best. I know a few people aren’t sure about Big Phil despite his experience but between the two Swiss Internationals I think we’re well covered.

Well Arsenal are two points clear after Kolo’s last game, so I guess we’ll see where we are when the rock returns next month.

Everton (1) – (4) Arsenal
Eduardo (47′, 59′), Adebayor (78′), Rosicky (90’+4)
Goodison Park, Liverpool

Absolutely stunning.

Stunning in terms of the character, stunning in terms of the comeback and stunning in terms of Eduardo’s sublime finishing.

Seriously, you won’t see better taken goals than those two this season.

And under pressure, this fella is simply ice cool.

What you saw tonight was a Champions performance.

Everton to their credit, took the game to Arsenal and for the first 40 minutes deserved their lead. They didn’t give us any time or space on the ball and the main creative players Fabregas & Hleb couldn’t get themselves into the game. Bendtner and Eduardo looked isolated, and Diaby couldn’t insert his influence either.

But whatever Arsene Wenger said at half-time certainly worked!

Before the game, all the hype was about Nicklas Bendtner – especially after his match-winning goal against Spurs last week – but the man who made the difference (and a VITAL difference) was that man Eduardo Da Silva.

A long ball from Clichy early in the second half was met by Eduardo in the area, where time seemed to stand still. Eduardo has that amazing and unique ability to be so, so clinical whatever the situation. The coolly clipped the ball over Tim Howard to score the equaliser.

What a massive goal.

With Everton dangerous from set-pieces and crosses the game was still there for the taking for either side, but it was Arsenal who got the next goal. Another ball from Clichy from the left was flicked on by Bendtner to Eduardo, who smoothly knocked the ball passed Phil Jagielka and slotted the ball into the corner.

A goal that had class written all over it.

I am still stunned. This guy had two half chances and took them both with ease. Arsene Wenger has said Eduardo will be Arsenal’s secret weapon in the second half of the season and who can argue with that?

Two chances, two goals.

When games get tighter nearing the end of the season Eduardo could just be the man who could make all the difference.

Everton still piled on the pressure but Arsenal stayed strong, with the back four performing excellently. And Fabregas and Flamini in particular were outstanding in protecting the lead against the 5 man Everton midfield.

As Eduardo was having a huge impact on the game, his strike partner Bendtner was having problems. He unwittingly knocked the ball to Tim Cahill in the first half to concede the first goal and then on 74 minutes when he was about to be replaced by Adebayor the young Dane scraped his studs down Andy Johnson’s leg for a second yellow card and was sent off.

No arguments about the sending off, it was a nasty challenge.

And unfortunately Eduardo had to be replaced instead, which was a shame after he literally saved Arsenal from the abyss.

We know Arsene seems to have a knack with his substitutions of late, and only 5 minutes later Adebayor took advantage of an Everton mistake. A goal kick from Almunia was punted upfield, only to be missed by everyone. The ball bounced in between Yobo and Howard, and Adebayor simply nicked in and converted a simple third for Arsenal.

After that the game was over, and with tempers flaring Mikel Arteta compounded Everton’s misery by elbowing Cesc in the face and getting a straight red card. Things had threatened to boil over throughout the second half and Fabregas was wisely replaced by Rosicky with only a couple of minutes remaining. It signalled another inspired substitution by the boss, as the Czech smashed in a fourth deep into stoppage time.

It was hard to think rationally after the final whistle, and the ruthlessness of Arsenal was amazing. Champions win games they don’t play well in and Arsenal had smashed Everton (who have been excellent this season) 4-1 in their own back yard.

And even more importantly perhaps, Arsenal retained top spot virtually straight after losing it only a few days ago. Talk about bouncebackability!

You have a feeling now that after losing top spot and getting it back, Arsenal won’t be giving anymore second chances and will give absolutely everything to stay in that position.

I hope I’m not tempting fate here by saying this, but tonight’s game was a classic performance of a Championship winning side.

A fantastic way to end to the calender year, a fantastic game and that result really does sum up the season so far.

Arsenal (2) – (1) Tottenham Hotspur
Adebayor (47′), Bendtner (75′)
The Emirates Stadium, London

What a game.

For the first half, the game was sloppy and quite frankly forgettable – and even when Arsenal scored the opener the game started to fade.

After a dull first half, Arsenal started in the perfect manner – cranking up the tempo and flooding the Spurs half with fantastic running and energy as well as incisive passing. But after the first goal went in, Arsenal were guilty of putting their foot off the pedal which gave Tottenham a chance to get themselves back into the match.

Both teams stuggled to make any clear chances, and the ball was being passed around well but without any killer instinct or penetrating final balls.

But then the game sparked into life.

On 64 minutes a dribble from Lennon down the wing resulted in a cross to the back post, for Robbie Keane to smash his effort against the ball unchallenged.

Then less than 30 seconds later Berbatov smashed an effort from a tight angle right into the roof of the net. My initial reaction was that Almunia shouldn’t have been beaten from that position but replays showed that it took a less-than-kind deflection off Kolo Toure and the initial shot was actually off target – similar bad luck to the second goal conceded at Middlesbrough a few weeks ago.

So the game was 1-1 and either team looked like they could win it.

And with Spurs growing in confidence and Arsenal struggling to find their rhythm Kolo conceded a penalty in the 70th minute.

This was one of the worse 5 minute spells in a match you could have ever imagined.

And to compound the misery, replays showed Toure managed to clip the ball just before contact with Berbatov, who I thought fell a bit too easily.

For me it was not a penalty.

Although ironically they probably should of had one on 83 minutes when Sagna tackled Adel Taarabt in the box and failed to connect with the ball. So you could say things even themselves out.

Robbie Keane stepped up for his penalty kick, and Almunia ended up making a fantastic save!

In the context of the league, and the outcome of the result it was a truly vital save. In a tense North London Derby, Almunia kept his nerve and turned the biggest moment of the game in Arsenal’s favour. If he doesn’t save it Arsenal would be losing with 20 minutes remaining and it would take something special to get all 3 points – and keep top spot. Keane is a tricky player who likes to send keepers the wrong way so credit to Almunia for not diving too early and giving him a simple goal.

But with the huge boost of the penalty save, Almunia set things up for anyone to become a hero and that man was Nicklas Bendtner. Just 4 minutes after the penalty incident, Bendtner came on and scored the winner with his first touch! And it was a fantastic header.

What an inspired substitution by the gaffer!

After that Arsenal managed to focus and see out the result.

There’s no denying this was not vintage Arsenal, but the ability to dig deep and keep fighting for each other until the end is simply outstanding.

Things weren’t clicking and we struggled at times to make any openings but the resilience this season has made a huge difference. This was a game we could have easily lost or draw in previous years but not this season. We know Arsenal can (and have for most of this season) played wonderful football but a sign of Champions is the ability to win when you’re just not playing well. It’s great to know if Arsenal for any reason can’t perform to their high standards then the results don’t suffer.

You also need that big of luck throughout the season to win the league.

With Robbie Keane hitting the bar and having a penalty, will they ever have a better chance of beating Arsenal?

Because I can’t see Arsenal having as few chances as they had this weekend ever again, and Spurs having so many clear opportunities.

But the bottom line is Arsenal will be top of the league on Xmas day.

And you couldn’t ask for more really could you?

So I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all Arsenal fans and in particular all the readers of this blog a Merry Xmas and a wonderful New Year!