Morning all.
Regardless of Chelsea’s struggles and poor results, beating them was never a forgone conclusion, especially when one considers our recent wobbles.
Mikel Arteta made a few changes to the starting lineup, resting Gabriel Martinelli, Thomas Partey and Rob Holding for Leandro Trossard, Jorginho and Jakub Kiwior. All three barely put a foot wrong but the surprise for me was Kiwior. If his performance last night was a sign of things to come then it’s only good news for this team.
Martin Odegaard showed once more how sweet his left foot can strike a ball with two really good goals. Xhaka was once more the assist king of the night and with Gabriel Jesus not giving up on a loose ball by the Chelsea goal, he made it 3-0.
Between Odegaard’s two goals, Arsenal were denied a penalty when a cross from Leandro Trossard hit Fofana’s hand. An odd decision really as the incident was reminiscent of the one which was adjudged to be handball in the West Ham game. I’m sure this very confusing rule will be sorted out in the summer. Yes, I’m being ironic.
Chelsea weren’t really a threat throughout the first half, although Aaron Ramsdale did make a cracking save from a Chilwell shot.
The second half started well as it was more of the same from Arsenal. Gabriel, Xhaka, Saka and Odegaard came close to adding more goals but it was the away team who scored the only other goal in the game after Zinchenko was caught out of position. Again.
After the match, Mikel Arteta said:
I’m really pleased with the first 60 minutes. The way we approached the game, the way we started, our energy. There was a lot of movement, we played forward, scored some great goals and really connected with our supporters and created the atmosphere we wanted. After 60 minutes we should have scored four or five, we didn’t do that and after conceding the goal there is still a long period to play and we should have managed the game a little better.
I think most Arsenal fans will have really enjoyed the first hour of football from Arsenal but for some reason, we do seem to have a tendency to drop our level at some stage in a game. We could have battered Chelsea 5-0 and it’d been no more than we deserved if we had. The key point in my opinion is that it’s clear Mikel Arteta knows we have a problem controlling games and there’s little doubt it’s something he’s trying hard to resolve. It could be something as simple as the squad being young and nerves kicking in. I’m just guessing of course.
Arteta on how Jakub Kiwior performed…
He looked ready, he looked fresh, he looked really determined. He’s been getting better and better every single day, not only in training but his interaction and his language. He’s more settled and he’s a player that I really like, that’s why I signed him. He has the potential at his age to be great and he had a big task against the players he had to face today, and I think he didn’t really well.
That explains why he’s not been played much as it’s a recipe for disaster if team-mates can’t communicate with each other, especially in defence.
Lastly, I hope the club can find the idiot who thought shining a green laser at Mudryk’s face was a good idea and punish him/her. Stupid, just stupid behaviour.
All in all a good night for Arsenal although after a lot of theatrics from Gabriel in the second half, he was replaced by Holding late in the game. Whether the Brazilian is actually injured or not is any one’s guess.
Catch up in the comments.
Saliba and Kiwior as a pairing has a lot going for it , that doesn’t mean that Gabriel is surplus just that we have a great back up. It pushes Holding further down the list and maybe it’s time for him to get a deal to take his career forward if our reserve group have a suitable replacement..
All if’s buts and maybes though .
Last night Jorginho did what he was bought in to do and he held the middle against a woeful team that didn’t find it’s way into the game until as per usual we seemed to come off the gas .
That is one thing that worries me , we really do need to step up and put teams to the sword . last night we were three to the good before they got their sniff , but we know what has happened when the lead is only two.
We have Trusty in the equation too. Another left footed defender who I believe has played left-back. Left back worries me, Zinchenko plays with far too much freedom to roam imo.
The team goes down after 60 minutes, although yesterday they were playing against 10 in the 1st half. We always concede goals and mostly between the central defender and the left defender. Chelsea is Chelsea there is no need to minimize the victory. Especially after 4 games without a win.
Big Sam has taken the Leeds job, let’s hope he parks a double decker at The Etihad at the weekend. They need points, as do West Ham who play City tonight.
I don’t think anyone is minimising the victory Jm.
I like ESR but I think his and Trusty’s, days are numbered as Arteta does not seem to give them a good run.
Going by the daily mail a 26-year-old Arsenal fan has been arrested for using the green laser point in last night’s match.
Sorry should read 21 year old, If guilty he should be banned for life and a very heavy fine.
Afternoon all.
A couple of weeks in jail be better Geoff, although we know that won’t happen. Trusty cannot be given a game, he’s out on loan, doing well at Birmingham.
Agree Andrew, time behind bars would be more fitting but he’ll probably get community service. Perhaps litter picking at an Arsenal game..
Andrew that would explain why I have never seen trusty play.
Let’s hope the judge is a Chelsea fan, then he might throw the book at him, but I won’t hold my breath.
City win again, back on top. 😕
Oh well that’s West Ham out of the way lets hope for a big Sam kicking fest.
The clear-out begins.
Pablo Mari, currently on lone at Serie A club Monza, will be staying in Italy after the clubs agreed a £5.9 million fee.
One may be considered unlucky, two may be considered very unfortunate, three would suggest more than a coincidence but four would have to be determined as a serious systemic failure. Wienroiter the fourth arsenal women to have diagnosed with an ACL injury. Something seriously wrong somewhere on the Arsenal training ground or routines or even lack of them.
Can only wish all four of them a speedy and successful recoveries. But let the injury police have a thorough investigation into why this, the most serious of knee injuries has occurred to these women. Not as simple as coincidence, there is no such thing as coincidence.
I wonder who will be next???
It’s not only at Arsenal, this from the SKY Sport website.
Female footballers are up to six times more likely to suffer an ACL injury than their male counterparts, and Inside the WSL sat down with players, physios and doctors to try and find out why.
Unfortunately, it’s not an uncommon sight to see a women’s club announce a player will be sidelined with a ruptured ACL. Just 12 minutes into Arsenal’s WSL match against Manchester United on Wednesday, England captain Leah Williamson ruptured hers, and will miss this summer’s World Cup.
She follows club and country team-mate Beth Mead into the treatment room, after she ruptured her ACL in November, which also puts her World Cup participation in doubt. Arsenal forward Vivianne Miedema picked up the same injury a week after Mead, and has missed much of the season as she goes through the rehab process.
The issue also came to the fore during the summer’s European Championships. Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas missed the tournament after rupturing her ACL just days before Spain’s opening game. Simone Magill also picked up the same injury in Northern Ireland’s opening game of the tournament against Norway, just days after signing for Aston Villa.
France striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto also limped off in their second group game against Belgium, having also ruptured her ACL. She had been one of the favourites to win the Euro
You could keep reeling off the names of female players who have gone through the long process of ACL rehabilitation, but as yet, very little scientific research has been done into why women are more likely to suffer from the injury than men.
There are theories such as menstrual cycles playing a key role, although as yet, there hasn’t been enough research to support it.
Thanks for that. Bring on the research!
Just to repeat myself this injury is not shrouded in mystery or coincidence.
Reiss Nelson has rejected the first offer of a new contract, his current one expires in the summer. A number of clubs, both in the Premiership and overseas, are monitoring the situation.
Arsenal Women with a one nil hard fought victory over Leicester keep up the chase for Champions League football next season.
But a hiding for the under 18’s 5 – 1 defeat to Southampton ..
Lucky not to give away a penalty too Cicero. Cracking goal to win it though.
New post up.