He skipped past the first defender with a mere drop of his left shoulder and a delicate touch of his right foot. He repeated the trick as he beat the second marker. He wrong footed the goalkeeper with another deft touch before opening the scoring with his left foot.
But that brilliant goal from Samir Nasri will not be what the Arsenal-Fulham tie at the Emirates will be remembered for. Because the Frenchman’s second of the night was an even better finish.
Collecting the ball outside the box, he raced past the first defender and cut right to beat the second. He then went left as he skipped past the hapless keeper. That touch seemed a tad heavy as the ball strayed wide. But he was back on the ball in an instant, controlling it as he swerved and shot, to score from the tightest of angles what proved to be the winner of the London derby.
The 2-1 victory saw the Gunners go top of the league standings and Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Everton and Manchester United’s match being postponed because of snow mean that they are likely to keep their place for at least a week.
The night belonged to Nasri as he showed exactly why Arsene Wenger parted with 12 million Pounds to sign him from Marseille two seasons ago. Though his talent was obvious since his debut when he scored 4 minutes into the match, he has been phenomenal this season scoring 11 times in 19 matches so far.
His performance on Saturday night and in earlier matches this season have helped Arsenal surge forward despite the start-stop campaign that skipper Cesc Fabregas has been enduring. His goals have also ensured that Robin van Persie hasn’t been missed much either.
Nasri’s passing and dribbling have always been his strengths and he was always regarded as a bright prospect, but this season he has been a revelation. Frequent injuries disrupted his first two years in England but since the turn of the year he has put in consistent performances which have seen him cement his place in the first team.
This season he looks stronger than he was when he arrived and does not go down to challenges that easily anymore. That he can shoot and dribble with both feet also helps. Another aspect about Nasri’s game is that he is versatile. He is comfortable playing on the wing as well as through the centre which means Arsene Wenger can play him in various positions and still get the best out of him.
The 23-year-old also seems to have a time on the ball, as is evident from either of the goals against Fulham. He is calm and composed in possession and can pick out a pass from anywhere on the field. He can also set off on a mazy dribble, pulling off one trick after another. He does his fair share of tracking back as well.
His vision and distribution coupled with his pace and control make up for the fact that he does not have much too offer in terms of height. An extremely technical player, he is selfless in the final third and is always looking to pick out a pass.
The current season is not even half way through and a lot of work still remains to be done. A lot will hinge on Nasri if Arsenal are to finally win some silverware and end their five-year barren spell.
It seems inevitable that every Algerian born French midfield player is heralded as the next Zinedine Zidane. But for once, comparisons to the former France skipper don’t seem too off the mark.
