Before the match most Arsenal fans would have been happy with a draw. Especially when you take into consideration our previous form. Schalke themselves, despite losing in their domestic league a few days before also are certainly no pushovers, after all they beat us in the reverse fixture quite comfortably. With that in mind it was a bit of a shock when we found ourselves with a 2 goal lead. Unfortunately we couldn't hold onto it and a draw was a fair result in the end.
We made a couple of changes from the team that lost to Man Utd. Santos was finally dropped and Vermaelen shifted to left back. Koscielny taking his place in the middle. Theo Walcott also started in place of Aaron Ramsey.
We opened up the scoring when Theo Walcott (sign da ting) pounced after hesitation from Giroud. The Frenchmen found himself one on one with the goal keeper after a defensive error but couldn't find the composure needed to finish the chance as the keeper closed in on him. Luckily Theo Walcott was racing in behind him and stole the ball and with the help of a lucky deflection found himself tapping into an empty net. As games go on Theo is making stronger claims that he should be the one played as the central striker and not Giroud.
Giroud however showed us exactly why Arsene Wenger signed him and why he should also be the one up from when he thundered in a close range header after 26 minutes. Good work out wide from Podolski saw him whip a cross into the middle and Giroud showed great movement to find space and power the header in. Movement and heading are surely two of Girouds best strengths and he showed them both there. As for who should play up front I honestly think Theo and Giroud in a 4-4-2 could be lethal. Their different styles of play certainly compliment each others, also Podolski is another one who would sit being up top too.
We looked set to in at half time 2-0 up but Schalke pulled one back. An unfortunate slip from Cazorla (one of many from several players on the night) allowed Schalke to gain possession and Lewis Holtby played a lovely ball into Huntelaar who found the far corner.
Schalke took control in the second half and had a glorious chance to equalise when Huntelaar was clean through on goal but Mannone got down well to save his shot. Schalke's dominance was finally rewarded when Holtby flicked on a cross to Farfan at the back post who smashed a shot in goal via a deflection off Thomas Vermaelen. It wasn't given as an OG as the ball was already going in.
Despite all of Schalke's dominance they couldn't find a winner and it was actually Arsenal who could won it late on as Theo Walcott was put through. He tried to place his shot through the keepers legs but the goalkeeper saved it with his feet. So 2-2 was the final score and a fair result on the night. It was a shame we couldn't hold onto our lead. There wasn't even Aaron Ramsey or Andre Santos on the pitch to blame for this one.
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