Arsenal's Samir Nasri really doesn't get the plaudits he deserves. It's unfortunate (unless you're a Sunderland fan) that the French Footballer of the year is out on the wing, because we haven't seen nearly enough of him in this game. When he does get the ball, though, it's impressive. A magnificent run brought him straight through the Sunderland defence, beating four or five defenders as he got to the byline, although his attempted cutback was cleared for a corner. Gorgeous football, though.
Arsenal Vs. Sunderland: Samir Nasri Dazzles, Bendtner Comes Close To Scoring Twice
From said corner, Nicklas Bendtner showed brilliant reactions in trying to turn a loose ball home with a well-executed overhead kick, only to fire right at Simon Mignolet. The Dane was thwarted by Mignolet once again several minutes later when he was put through from a tight angle by a chipped pass from Jack Wilshere - Bendtner struck the ball sweetly from a tight angle, and it took a phenomenal save by the Belgian goalkeeper to tip the half-volley over the crossbar. That was very, very close to an opener.
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