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Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey and Carl Jenkinson bid farewell to Norwich City Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey and Carl Jenkinson bid farewell to Norwich City
(about 1 hour later)
It will not be a disaster if Arsenal are beaten by Hull City in next Saturday's FA Cup final and extend their failure to win a trophy into a tenth season, according to defender Per Mertesacker. The club will not fall apart, according to manager Arsène Wenger. Tell that to the fans, whose very first chant in this almost entirely bloodless encounter concerned the Gunners' impending trip to the national stadium. It will not be a disaster if Arsenal are beaten by Hull City in next Saturday's FA Cup final and extend their failure to win a trophy into a tenth season, according to defender Per Mertesacker. The club will not fall apart, according to manager Arsène Wenger. Tell that to the supporters, whose very first chant in this almost entirely bloodless encounter concerned their impending trip to the national stadium. Second-half goals from Aaron Ramsey, a first-time volley of the very highest quality, and Carl Jenkinson, poking home after a goalmouth scramble, ensured that the Gunners finished the season with a fifth successive win, but there was almost as much interest in Wenger's selection as their performance against a miserably unambitious Norwich.
Second-half goals from Aaron Ramsey, a first-time volley of the very highest quality, and Carl Jenkinson, poking home after a goalmouth scramble, ensured the Gunners finished the season with a fifth successive win, but there was almost as much interest in the selection as the performance. Perhaps most important, with England manager Roy Hodgson due to announce his World Cup squad on Monday, was that Jack Wilshere replaced Ramsey with half an hour remaining, while Wenger also confirmed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was also available for international selection.
Wenger's choice of Lukasz Fabianski in goal was something of a surprise, given the Pole's appearances have been largely confined to cup competitions, as was his decision not to rest the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Özil and Olivier Giroud. Bacary Sagna was another starter, almost certainly for the final time for the club, in the Premier League at least. "Jack has been out for eight weeks, so it was good to be able to give him some competition, because training is training and competition is competition," said Wenger, somewhat gnomically.
Norwich interim manager Neil Adams' decision to leave out Ricky Van Wolfswinkel apparently prompted the striker to leave the stadium in a huff, although he later returned to watch the second half. "The World Cup is one month [away], so it's plenty of time. [Wilshere] can play now, so it shows you there is no problem for him to be available for England. The news [on Oxlade-Chamberlain] is good, he should reintegrate into our squad on Wednesday for normal training. He will be available for Roy to pick and I would not be surprised if he's picked," said Wenger, before pointing out it is the first time in the history of the Premier League a team has finished fourth with 79 points.
A Nathan Redmond angled drive, beaten away by Fabianski, was about as good as it got in the opening 20 minutes. Lukas Podolski, played in by a combination of Giroud and a fortunate rebound, saw City goalkeeper John Ruddy spread himself impressively to block a close-range effort, but it was not as impressive as Ruddy's save on the half-hour from Giroud. "It was very tight. I believe Liverpool can be frustrated tonight, we can be frustrated, Chelsea can be frustrated, but only one team can win it. At the top the number of points made by the four teams is top quality," Wenger said.
Left clean through with only the goalkeeper to beat from close to the penalty spot after a sweet passing move, the French striker shot firmly, but Ruddy dived to his right to push the ball over the bar. Marvellous save as it was, the feeling was Luis Suárez or Sergio Aguero would not have given him the chance to make it. The sight of Abou Diaby coming on to make his first appearance since March 2013 added to the Arsenal supporters' sense of wellbeing, but it will take another victory next Saturday to send them away for the summer in any way mollified after what has been another otherwise disappointing season.
Ruddy saved again from Giroud, a curling effort from the edge of the area, five minutes before half-time. Other than Redmond's early effort, Norwich had created nothing. Given the Canaries had nothing to lose, to play just Johan Elmander up front and have the midfield five dropping back to within a few yards of the back four seemed an almost perversely cautious approach on their part. Norwich supporters would dearly love to have experienced such a season, of course, and even though the Canaries had nothing to lose, they were forced to endure another pathetically conservative performance.
The Canaries paid an inevitable price for conceding possession so readily. Ramsey's volley, dipping over Ruddy and into the far corner of the net, was a strike of wonderful quality and yet another reminder how badly Arsenal missed him during his injury-enforced absence. Jenkinson's sidefoot from six yards ensured there was no way back for the home team. How many of their players will still be at Carrow Road at the start of next season remains to be seen and, with a decision expected on his position by the end of this week, it seems unlikely acting manager Neil Adams will be confirmed in the role.
The sight of Abou Diaby coming on to make his first appearance since March 2013 added to the Arsenal supporters' sense of wellbeing, but it will take another victory next Saturday to send them away for the summer in any way mollified after what has been an otherwise disappointing season. About the only Canary to impress was goalkeeper John Ruddy, who made three excellent saves from Olivier Giroud to keep the scoreline respectable, and probably deserves one of the backup positions to England number one Joe Hart.
Man of the match Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)