Morning all.
As the casualty list continues to grow we may see Arteta left with no alternative but to lean into the Mikel Merino option this side of the international break. Following on from the recent Gabriel Martinelli muscular issue we now have to add a Viktor Gyokeres muscle twinge (possible hamstring) into the equation. Mikel Arteta didn’t look at all happy in yesterday’s pre-match presser when he was asked about Viktor – and that’s a worry.
Arsenal showed last season that even under such duress the Gunners can still, in most cases, get the job done and that was very much on the agenda in Prague yesterday evening as Mikel Arteta was forced into being imaginative against an obdurate opponent who raison d’etre is the low low block and a physical approach. With a vital Premier League game on the horizon next weekend, Arteta had to manage his resources thoughtfully – and that’s exactly what he did.
Eze was rested and Nwaneri came into the starting XI, Hincapie replaced Calafiori and Nordgaard took over the Zubimendi role. Merino as expected started up front but the biggest change was the Arsenal bench which looked a lot less exciting without the big stars on it. 5 Hale End graduates filled the spots on the bench for those now in the treatment room back home in Blighty.
The Slavia fans made for a raucous atmosphere in the stadium and kept up their support until the final whistle, but it didn’t bother this Arsenal team, after all many of them had been part of the team that had won in Madrid last season.
Gabriel almost pulled off a Gilberto Silva after kick off, Slavia attacked and Arsenal responded and from a long throw Big Gabby had a shot that beat the keeper but came off of the angle of post and bar. For the next 30 minutes Arsenal traded blows with the Czech champions who’d not lost on this ground for 11 months.
Slavia’s early enthusiasm, energy and robust approach gradually began to wane as Arsenal started to squeeze them like a boa constrictor. Then we enjoyed our first large slice of good fortune as VAR spotted a handball from one of our many corners. The referee went to the screen and we all know what that means – penalty! It was clear, the Slavia player had headed the ball onto his hand but why was his hand up in the air? No matter, Bakayo stepped up and boom, 1-0. Howard Webb, are you watching?
Arsenal continued to contain their hosts and the game reached half-time with the Gunners leading 1-0.
Merino isn’t Gyokeres, he doesn’t run in behind defenders, it’s not his style but this team just adapted because the coaching staff and players have the requisite football intelligence to figure it out. So many of our players had been doing a great job but Timber and Rice were absolutely peerless.
The 2nd 45 began with Arsenal making it 2-0 with their first attack, the ball reached the impressive Trossard who sent in a lovely cross and Merino beat the off-side trap with consummate ease to side foot home. Everyone was stunned, even me. It was so simple and so effective, this team just oozes ability and class.
From then on it was just game management, with so many matches to come this team has to coast through periods to conserve energy and not risk injury and at this point in time the team is doing just that despite some wretched fitness misfortune. Slavia did have some promising moments but Gabriel and Saliba shut them down.
On the hour a smart pass from Rice put Saka in on goal and despite having a Slavia defender all over him got off his shot but the keeper saved. 2 minutes later it was goodnight nurse. Timber cruised forward like a Roll Royce and exchanged passes with Saka before our cultured Dutch master found Declan Rice. He in turn chipped the perfect ball into the Slavia box, it was from the boot of Dec so it had to have the perfect trajectory and velocity on it and as it fell to Earth the Slavia goalkeeper and a Slavia defender looked favourites to clear it, but Merino got the slightest of touches with the back of his head and bingo, it was 3-0. Slavia just looked crestfallen…
Arteta then went full rotational, on 65 Eze replaced the fading Nwaneri then on 72 he sent on White (Timber), Myles (Hincapie) and Dowman (Trossard). On 81 Andre Harriman Annous replace Rice and chased every lost cause against a tired Slavia defence, he’s going to catch a goalkeeper out very soon that lad.
On 85 Arsenal enjoyed their second slice of UEFA VAR fortune when Ben White was penalised for a non foul in the box. The initially awarded penalty was overturned and quite rightly too. Special mention has to go to Hincapie and Nordgaard who after spending long periods idle on the bench came into the team and did a sterling job. They won’t catch the eye but they’re as solid as a rock.
Max Dowman became the first 15 year old to play in the Champions League, Arsenal made it 10 wins on the trot and 8 successive clean sheets equalling a club record from 1903 when we were still playing in South London at the Manor Ground in front of English footballs original Spion Kop.
And so we march on….
By Kev.
Morning Kev, all.
Good post. I thought Slavia were a ghastly team to play against. Whinging and moaning about every decision and sticking the boot in a bit too hard at times. Makes a refreshing change to see a strong referee who didn’t buy into their attempts to fool him.
Also, a mention on VAR which did imo show how it can work when run properly. I’ve always believed that technology has never been the problem but those who operate it are.
Salvia’s fans make a lot of noise considering there are only 19 thousand of them but please, put your shirts on. 😝
The way our Arsenal plays these days against different opponents with different patterns really amazes and impresses me. Last Night Praha thought they could intimidate us with their very physical nature and robust play, but they were in for a shock. Arsenal has solution for every situation these days. Special mention goes to Merino, our underrated super striker, Hinkerpi is another Monster already, Gabriel Marghales and Saliba as solid as ever. Saka looked very sharp yesterday, Timber good at the back as well as going forward. What about the impervious Declan Rice…Arsenal is on a roll this season, scoring goals for fun, and not conceding any. This will be a trophy laden season for us, if we keep this momentum going…. COYG…
It was an interesting game in as much as we had a plan and so did they . Ours was the standard Arsenal of this season . We went out to suffocate them and successfully did just that . In my opinion I thought that we were lucky with a very contentious penalty decision and I believe that the award exaggerated their plan to physically disrupt our play and certainly if their 6 foot 6 centre forward not picked up an injury I felt that there would have been a flash point with sending offs and suspensions.
I felt that they went out deliberately to play the ref and were playing for a sending off , probably they had been reading old copies of the English papers and our past red card record.
Merino is an interesting character , he is not a forward like big Vic or Haaland but he has a knack of drifting in late to the area almost unseen a bit like a latter day Platt or even earlier a Martin Peters in a 4-4-2 system he could be even more deadly.
Nice one Kev and good morning Rico.
The big Slavia striker tried to mix it with Hincapie but Gabby eased him away, and then we saw the guy limping off. The biter bit!
Just checked in for tomorrow morning’s flight home and now off for a bit of sun at the hotel’s beach club, might have a swim too.
Did the decisions go our way at times or have we just got used to officials who usually are biased against us? Our penalty wouldn’t have been given by a PL var, of that I’m sure but it’s because they are rubbish. Last night I thought the officials were strong and good. That 6’ 6” lump was definitely trying to provoke Hincapie and Gabriel. I’m just glad we won’t face them again.
We won’t be facing Dias against Bayern either after he was sent off last night.
Morning Cicero, enjoy your dayr last day in the sunshine, it’s grim here..
Mohammed Umoru – are you Chairman Gallant in disguise 😜
Not sure about the trophy laden season but definitely so far so good.
One thing going for us is, the whole team have a better mind set now and Arteta has the players to fill when the main players get injured.
Thanks Rico, yeah as you and Mo commented Slavia thought the way to go was to get in our faces but it didn’t work and it was them that lost focus. Slavia had a couple of players who could have gone down the basketball avenue, but we coped admirably and even felt in control enough to field a part Hale End team in the end.
Sounds like you’ve had a nice time Cicero 👍🏻, the weather back in the UK will make you wish you booked another week when you get home, but at least you’ll be back in time for the Rachel Reeves budget, you know where she’ll go back on all her earlier promises…
I think so Geoff and much of that is down to Arteta.
Or the rugby route Kev. lol
So pleased to see our two youngsters get on the pitch.
The Maltese people are welcoming and friendly, Rico they like to make you feel at home, hence it is now heavily overcast with rain threatening. 😉
I thought it was always hot and sunny in Malta Cicero. Lol
Flicking through the sports channels earlier,I caught a few seconds of the muppet that is Jamie O Hara saying Spurs have the better central defensive partnership,and – no way does Gabriel score a goal like Van Der Venn.
We play Spurs soon so I look forward to seeing who is best.
Everything about us last night was impressive,the effortless way we beat an awkward opponent was quite something.
Jamie O Hara is stealing a living winding up Arsenal supporters which gets the clicks his employers want . He is to Tottenham as Adrian Clarke is to us without the brains.
Good afternoon Lady and Gentlemen
A good report Sir Kev.
We got 3 goals out of which only one was from a set piece. The 2nd and 3rd were open play. The pundits would do well to observe the fact that in the EPL we get mostly from set pieces because the opposing team put all bodies in the six yard box instead of trying to play.
The dippers scored their winner from a set piece. I hope that the pundits will mention it for the next 20 weeks. Joking of course.
It would be interesting to see a percentage of how many goals from set-pieces other teams score? I have a hunch that other teams might have quite a good percentage of set pieces and maybe there might be some team which has a higher percentile of goals scored from a set piece than Arsenal.
Afternoon Devil, all.
O’Hara is a muppet…