Match report – Participant rankings – Arteta response – Video
A troublesome week obtained fairly a bit higher as Arsenal accomplished the double over Spurs this season, closed the hole on Liverpool, and beat Spurs to make Spurs unhappy. The twats.
Mikel Arteta handed a uncommon begin to Raheem Sterling, and he ought to have put us forward early on however bizarrely stopped his run after effective work from Myles Lewis-Skelly put him by on aim. I don’t actually know what he was considering. We dominated the opening levels, with some photographs, some corners, and a few stress on their new keeper who obtained away with one when Kai Havertz labored actually laborious to shut him down.
In what felt like typical trend although, our lack of ability to show the dominance right into a aim got here again to chew us once they went forward within the twenty fifth minute. Son’s shot from the sting of the field deflected off William Saliba and in, however it had been a disorganised 60 seconds or so. Pape Sarr was allowed on a regular basis and house on the planet to hold the ball into our half to win a nook which led to the aim, and we didn’t do sufficient defensively in both section of play.
After the the FA cup exit and the semi-final first leg defeat, you couldn’t assist however fear a bit. How would we reply? May we reply? Leando Trossard despatched Porro to the retailers with a flip which left the full-back in a heap, weirdly the ref stopped play – maybe to present him an opportunity to type his innards out after being twisted so wildly inside-out by the Belgian. However then a crunching sort out from MLS ultimately led to a nook, Rice delivered, Gabriel was there on the again put up to go house – though formally it has gone down as a Dominic Solanka personal aim (harsh on him and Gabriel in my view).
Just some minutes later, Partey gained the ball in midfield with a very good sort out, Martin Odegaard fed Trossard on the left, and his fizzing shot bounced simply in entrance of Kinsky and into the again of the online. It’s a kind of you’d count on the keeper to save lots of, however I feel we’ve to credit score the Belgian for having a go from a place too few Arsenal gamers would pull the set off from. On his unsuitable foot too. Generally you get rewarded for making an attempt one thing a bit harder, as a substitute of at all times searching for the proper opening, and that was very a lot the case with this aim.
So, relatively than going into the break with a half-time postmortem on the playing cards, we’d put ourselves right into a strong place. They made attacking adjustments on the break, and to some extent it work. They went from 35% possession within the first 45, to 55% within the second, however in fact we had one thing to carry onto.
There have been moments once we may have scored once more. A few headers from Havertz, Sterling with one other likelihood he dallied over earlier than being changed by Gabriel Martinelli, Rice cracking a shot off the keeper who knew nothing about it, an Odegaard likelihood late on, and simply small issues we may have executed a bit higher to trigger them extra issues within the attacking third. By 75 minutes although, Mikel Arteta had determined to grind this one out. Kieran Tierney got here on for Trossard to play forward of Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel and Saliba had been monsters on the again, and we cycled by just a few adjustments as we obtained in direction of the top of the 90 minutes.
The one second of actual hazard got here proper on the loss of life when Porro hit the surface of the put up with a shot however at that time they’d introduced on Richarlison who appeared extra serious about beginning a ruck than scoring a aim. Which, I suppose, is the story of his Tottenham profession – he’s had much more success with one than the opposite. I don’t suppose they hold stats for xR although, and this preening cock(erel) was about as a lot use as an ashtray on a bike.
I genuinely beloved him making an attempt to push Lewis-Skelly off the pitch and the 18 yr previous simply laughing at him, earlier than taking a yellow card and gesturing the gang as he made his manner again to the Arsenal bench. I don’t essentially suppose this was a coming of age efficiency from him, however I don’t suppose we’ve thought or fearful an excessive amount of about his emergence – and that’s solely to his credit score. When group line-ups are introduced, there’s at all times some on-line response/drama, however it says a lot that no person bats en eyelid once we choose an 18 yr previous – who has performed most of his youth profession as a midfielder – at left-back for a North London derby of this significance.
He was very good final night time. Mikel Arteta referred to as him ‘phenomenal’, and his post-game interview with Ian Wright summed up his character and mentality. When Wrighty requested him if he was fearful in any respect about dealing with up towards established senior gamers like Kulusevski and Johnson, he mentioned:
“By no means. By no means afraid of nobody. I wish to go towards the most effective. I wish to be the most effective. You must go towards the most effective to be the most effective.”
Are you not entertained? Simply so spectacular, from a participant who’s barely into double figures by way of senior appearances. He performs with none concern in anyway, which isn’t atypical for a younger participant once they make their breakthrough, however in a season which has thrown up so many difficulties and challenges, his emergence has been one of many actually constructive tales of this marketing campaign.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta summed up the night time, saying:
I’m very happy with the group, I feel we had been sensational. I feel it was a very good check to see after two massive performances and never getting rewarded in two completely different competitions. You must play the most important recreation of the season for our individuals in these situations, and it’s a check of perspective. You realize what we’re made from, the braveness that we’ve, how a lot we actually care solely a couple of consequence or the efficiency and the way a lot we will do by way of what’s required within the recreation to be higher than the opposition.
I feel we performed from the minute one to harm them with or with out the ball. I feel we totally should win the sport. I feel we made lots of people very glad, however particularly very proud to see a group that behaves within the method that they’ve performed to it once more.
Was it excellent? Are there issues we will nonetheless do higher? After all, however within the context of this week and this particular fixture, the one factor that basically issues is that we took all three factors – notably after Liverpool had been held to a draw on Tuesday night time. We’re nonetheless in there scrapping away, and hopefully this consequence and efficiency may also help heal the connection between the group and the followers which had grow to be a bit strained in latest occasions. It was a reminder that even on this imperfect kind, it is a group succesful and keen to battle for the title.
As for what else this month may deliver after the Gabriel Jesus information, Arteta was requested on TNT Sports activities afterwards if the membership was trying to deliver somebody on this month. He mentioned:
Sure for certain as a result of we misplaced two gamers, massive gamers. Bukayo might be out for as much as three months, in order that’s a very long time and Gabi that’s going to be out for an extended, very long time. We’re going to attempt for certain. I imply we’re actively wanting. I feel we’ve misplaced two very, essential gamers, we’ve 14 gamers within the squad and we play each three days, so we are going to attempt however let’s see what we will get.
The derby win eases the stress however there’s one other massive recreation in a few days time when Aston Villa come to city. Within the meantime although, we will relaxation up some weary legs, take inventory, and hopefully behind the scenes we will increase a squad which – if you take a look at the Premier League desk – continues to be very a lot within the working. What a lift a very good signing may deliver. Fingers crossed.
Proper, that’s it – we’ll have a post-game Arsecast for you just a little afterward, so standby for that. For now, I’ll depart it there.
Have a very good one!
