Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
Arsenal acquired again to profitable methods within the Premier League yesterday with a 4-0 thumping of Leeds United at Elland Street.
The preliminary workforce choice wasn’t markedly totally different from what you may need predicted, though Kai Havertz in for Martin Odegaard was an fascinating change, and the very fact we misplaced Bukayo Saka within the warm-up required an extra tweak with Noni Madueke changing him on the fitting wing.
I believed the opening phases had been pretty even, Leeds had been properly up for it at residence as you’d think about, however neither facet long-established any clear alternatives. They’d one pop from distance which went over, and we produced an opportunity for Martin Zubimendi however he didn’t make good contact from exterior the field.
After about 20 minutes although, we began to exert some strain, we had a sequence of corners, and after a type of we took the lead. Leeds cleared, Madueke produced some nifty footwork and a very good cross again in, and with the defence disorganised after the set-piece, Zubimendi was there to flick residence an excellent header to make it 1-0. You can see by the way in which he celebrated he was out to exorcise the ghosts of that mistake final weekend.
In that interval from the twentieth minute to the twenty seventh minute purpose we had about 75% possession, and that kind of continued till the time the ball hit the again of the web a second time. It’ll go down as a Karl Darlow personal purpose, after the Leeds keeper acquired embroiled together with his personal man and punched the ball into his personal web, however I’m sure Madueke’s nook was heading in the right direction, so not less than morally it’s his purpose. Perhaps the heading in the right direction stuff solely applies to photographs, however I nonetheless assume he’s a bit exhausting achieved by to not be awarded what would have been his first Premier League purpose for Arsenal. I wager the Leeds keeper agrees too.
I believed Calvert-Lewin was fortunate to flee a reserving for a late, sore trying foul together with his studs on Gabriel, and he’d clearly grow to be pissed off, getting no change out of William Saliba of their duels. The referee then booked one other Leeds participant for a nothing problem a few minutes later, maybe VAR had had a phrase about what he’d missed within the earlier incident.
Within the second interval, we had a fantastic likelihood throughout an honest spell of Leeds possession to go additional forward. Leandro Trossard performed a wonderful first time ball, it despatched Viktor Gyokeres in behind, however not for the primary time this season he took too lengthy to get his shot away, permitting the defender to get again and make a block. Within the Premier League, you don’t get that additional second or half a second to shoot the way in which you do in different leagues, and it’s acquired to be one thing he works on going ahead.
Mikel Arteta made a few modifications, with Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard changing Madueke and Havertz, the pair had been concerned within the third purpose. The captain performed a pleasant ball down the road for the Brazilian, and when he acquired a cross in together with his left foot, Gyokeres acquired throughout his defender very well to stab residence from shut vary. I believe he was clearly being fouled too, however fortunately we didn’t must endure a VAR second as a result of he caught it at the back of the web. That’s the form of motion from the striker we possibly weren’t seeing sufficient of earlier within the season, so truthful play, and hopefully – as per the earlier likelihood he missed – that enchancment can proceed in different facets of his play.
Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Jesus got here on for Piero Hincapie and Gyokeres, and the Brazilian examined the keeper with a strong shut vary header from a Jurrien Timber cross. With the sport heading for its inevitable conclusion although, we added some actual gloss to the scoreline with a wonderful purpose to make it 4-0. Calafiori introduced it ahead, he then discovered Odegaard who fed Jesus within the field. The way in which he dragged it again, then rolled it ahead to confuse the defender was very good, and he made the many of the house he had created for himself with a fantastic end into the underside nook.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta stated:
Very, very completely satisfied clearly. A really spectacular efficiency, a really spectacular consequence and within the context that we’ve achieved it. When you’ve got the issue of the sport and the opponent that we’re going through, with their latest kind and the type of play that they’ve in the meanwhile and the vitality that the stadium brings, then the truth that after three outcomes that didn’t go our means within the league, we actually needed to indicate how a lot we needed it, and I believe we’ve actually achieved that immediately.
I believe this was principally simply what the physician ordered. We wanted this after a run of detached ends in the league, and you’ll’t argue with the response from the workforce after final weekend’s disappointment and frustration. 4 targets, a clear sheet, three factors, extending the lead on the high of the desk, the supervisor displaying some tactical flexibility with an fascinating set-up that noticed Havertz play nearer to Gyokeres than function as a like for like Odegaard alternative. I don’t assume he was good or something, in truth he accomplished simply 5 of 9 passes within the hour he performed, however that slight change within the workforce dynamic was helpful.
Madueke had his best Premier League recreation for us too. He was a bit hit or miss, however the hits contributed to our two purpose lead at half-time. We additionally acquired targets for every of our centre-forwards, I believed Odegaard regarded way more just like the participant we wish to see when he got here on, concerned within the two second half targets and enjoying with level to show maybe, Zubimendi confirmed his purpose prowess once more, and because the recreation went on, the extra Declan Rice’s affect grew with a commanding midfield show that Leeds discovered exhausting to dwell with.
There was a lot dialogue, debate and criticism over latest performances, so credit score the place it’s due. Leeds had misplaced simply one in every of their final ten video games, and plenty of had been viewing this pre-game as a possible banana pores and skin for an Arsenal facet who had, by the excessive requirements they’ve set lately, been a bit beneath par. So, to go there and win that properly, and deservedly so too, was exactly the way in which we would have liked to reply.
The slight negatives are the damage to Saka, which Arteta described afterwards as a ‘niggle’, so hopefully nothing critical, and studies of an damage to Mikel Merino that we’ll have to attend and see on. However as a method to get again to profitable methods within the league, and forward of Tuesday’s semi-final, you couldn’t actually ask for extra.
Now, we wait and see what immediately brings within the different video games. I don’t maintain out any hope that Man Metropolis will drop factors, so count on that hole to be lower to 4, however we did our job and did it properly, and that’s as a lot as we will management. Proper, I’ll depart it there for this morning, get pleasure from your Sunday and I’ll be again with extra right here tomorrow and an Arsecast Further.
Have a very good one people.
