Morning all.
The welcome midweek victory for Arsenal in Belgium helped us a lot to forget that last minute heartbreaking defeat in Birmingham. But in truth the real business was yesterday at the Emirates where the Gunners got back on the saddle again with the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers. I’d heard and seen some daft comments online from Arsenal fans suggesting that Arsenal would score a mountain of goals against a Wolves team bereft of any modicum of confidence, but football is rarely as simple as that, even though I thought that Arsenal would win comfortably.
Arsenal simply needed to win. To win well would be great, but win and get the show back on the road because the disrespect coming out of the Etihad was and is growing exponentially, they still see us as weak bottlers – as do their friends in the media of course. Snide remarks are the rudimentary bread and butter of that corrupt mob in Wastelands but this is going to be a long, gruelling season and wiping the grin off of those Mancs faces would be very very enjoyable.
Fitness and rotation was still the name of the game but with that in mind Arteta went down the road of common sense knowing he had a full week to prepare for the difficult visit to the new home of Everton next weekend and two games a week there-after for what seems like the rest of the season. Martin Odegaard, two goal Madueke and Mikel Merino were rotated onto the substitutes bench alongside Gabriel Jesus and in came Bakayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eze and Jurrien Timber who dropped in alongside Big Bill Saliba. Yes, he was back!
The Emirates was rocking in anticipation of a goal feast at kick off and the Gunners went for it. Wolves were defending desperately in the lowest of low blocks but Saka got free and sent in a tantalising cross for the unmarked Timber on the 7th minute who inexplicably headed over the bar when it looked easier to score. Never mind we’ll soon open them up – but Arsenal’s incessant pressure began to wane after 20 odd minutes of quite rushed approach play. Rice wasn’t hitting his straps, Martinelli was frustratingly sloppy, Gyokeres was being bullied and worryingly, was caught on his heels when a low Saka cross fizzed across the goal area. Eze was lacking the magic we love to see and Wolves almost caught us out a couple of the times. The crowd quickly became anxious and then quiet, the feast was more famine and to make matters worse we lost Ben White to another muscular injury – when will it end. Myles came on and looked good, but there was no snap to our play.
Half-time 0-0
Arteta made no half-time changes, which surprised me and the team continued to play below their level. Misplaced passes, rushed phases when maybe a bit more composure was required, yes play the ball quicker, speed things up but do it accurately and with purpose. Arteta gave the team just over 10 more minutes but nothing was sticking although on 57 Martinelli spun on the edge of the box and finished his run with a great shot that just went past the far post. No matter he was replaced by Trossard moments later, Odegaard came on for the disappointing Eze and Merino took over from the tired looking Zubimendi.
Trossard made an immediate impression and began to link up really well with Gyokeres. On 61 our best player Saka sent in another cross and Gyokeres flicked it on to the onrushing Trossard who just couldn’t quite connect on the far post. On 68 great close control work by Trossard put Rice free to run at goal but his low shot was parried and just squirmed away from Saka following up – that was better!
The on the 70th minute a goal which summed up this crazy game, Saka bent in an amazing corner which arched and bent into the area, Johnstone got a finger to it but the ball thudded onto the far post and rebounded into the goal via the head of Johnstone. It was a daft goal and should have broke Wolves but it had the opposite effect. Wolves pushed forward and more space appeared as Rice set up Trossard on the break on 72 but he lost his footing and the chance went begging. Then Trossard set up Gyokeres on 75 but he was shoved off of the ball and another chance went.
I was surprised to see Gyokeres taken off on 81 for Jesus as the Swede was having his most productive spell, then two minutes later Odegaard set up Trossard whose near post shot shaved the post. Meanwhile Wolves were building up a head of steam and Arsenal were dropping deeper. With no Gyokeres to mark the big men in the Wolves defence suddenly popped up around the Arsenal penalty area.
Wolves piled on the pressure and it was looking similar to the late assault we suffered at Sunderland when we couldn’t clear the ball and as the clock ticked towards the 90 a cross into the Arsenal box was headed home for the equaliser. It was a goal of Villa Park proportions and left us all stunned – the Etihad must have been laughing their stupid heads off?
As we clicked into added time it was all hands to the pump, no point engaging in game management now and finally Bakayo put over another inviting cross into the Wolves box and Jesus leaped with a large Wolves defender leaping behind him as the ball was somehow deflected into the Wolves goal. We all thought it was a Jesus goal but replays showed the large Wolves defender had actually flicked it past Johnstone.
It didn’t matter, it was a goal, the winner but I was too relieved to celebrate even if it had been a reverse of Villa Park and maybe it was our turn to enjoy a piece good fortune.
All champions need to enjoy good fortune when it comes.
We march on…
By Kev.
Morning Kev, all.
Thanks for another good post Kev. I thought Wolves did their job well because all they wanted was a point from the offset. Even though our football left a lot to be desired for much of the game, we still had a few opportunities to score. Yes, we were lucky they scored twice for us but how often do we get a slice of luck like that? Hardly ever.
As said yesterday, should we by some miracle win the league in May, no one will remember yesterdays game, just like the media and Liverpool fans forget the vast amount of luck and favouritism they had last season.
Good morning to you both.
Seconds after coming on, M L S. after stealing the ball on the edge of our area then ran with it straight towards the Wolve’s box on the way shoving off a couple of tackles. Sadly no one had gone with him and he was eventually crowded out. Incredibly every other time he got the ball he just joined in the pass-fest and added to the innumerable number of meaningless passes made. Did someone tell him not to run with the ball?
Morning Gooners.
Morning Rico, yes Wolves did really well, very organised, but our poor finishing made them look better than they were. Maybe Havertz returning will give us a different dimension and we need to keep Trossard fit with Martinelli replacing him every game so he isn’t overplayed.
Every time Myles seems to get the ball these days he runs forward, then stops and usually turns and gives a backwards pass although he did progress the ball more when Trossard came on.
He does tend to wander a bit, I wonder if he’s been told to keep to his defensive position more.
It is no coincidence that from the moment Gyokeres went off and was replaced by effectively another midfielder the Wolves pressure went up immediately . They unlike us had nothing to lose and will count themselves really unlucky not to come away with what they came for .
It is obvious to me that our players have no idea of how to utilise a true centre forward . They have all been bought up in the goals from everywhere ideal and prefer to cut in and shoot or in the case of the midfield keep probing rather than play the early ball . If you watch his movement in the box he is always crossing the defenders but the ball rarely comes.
As I said last night , top teams can manage a small lead and see games out by getting the ball and holding it by interpassing , keeping possession and seeing the time out . We either naively race forward and lose it or just aimlessly boot it forward to no-one and it comes right back .
This is where Arteta has to look at himself and install the tactics that will prevent us losing points again needlessly.
Morning Cicero, I thought Lewis-Skelly was back to his best yesterday. I hope not re the sudden change in his play, it should be encouraged.
Agree Kev, we had 3/4 really good openings which were either misplaced or over hit for a different player.
I hope White’s injury isn’t serious…
We all need a week off I reckon.
But, the good news is the January Window opens in under 18 days….
Agree on Gyokeres, he’s finding the spaces but no one is on his wavelength. I long for the day when we break quickly, cross quickly and Gyokeres starts scoring. Having read around, Gyokeres is getting the criticism, lots of it too, but I think the problem isn’t about him.
So Kev, we can look forward to eighteen day of speculation, fabrication, expectation, and downright lies from the sporting media hacks who have no more idea about who we are likely to sign than dear old Mystic Meg.
Just to chuck in one name, City’s 21 year old England left fullback or defensive midfielder Rico Lewis. Apparently they need to sell him and a couple of others to fund their January splurge.
Kev, who do you think or recommend (might be 2 entirely different answers) we sign in January?
That’s it Cicero, isn’t it exciting. 😄
I’ll leave that to the experts PB.
I can’t get upset about yesterday,3 points,how our rivals( make that 99 percent of non arsenal fans) would have loved it if we hadn’t won.
Hopefully a free week will let us reset for a big test at Everton.
Jesus looks really sharp.
Thinking how many times we’ve not got what we deserved over the years.
Exactly Limey..
Good afternoon Rico and all
Kev, your post is waaaaayyyy more interesting than the game itself although you just reported, in your own inimitable way, what happened.
I still say, and will keep on saying that Wolves were crap and we made them look the way they did. I still think that it was an insult that we didnt keep a clean sheet. As many have pointed out, beginning with Kev yesterday, the moment Gyokeres was withdrawn we became penned back since the big defenders didnt have anyone as strong as him to mark anymore.
And yes I was one of those who wanted us to score as much as we could. tbf winning everygame 1-0 would do for me, but certain teams are so crap that winning 1-0 isnt enough. Watch how Wolves will roll over when they meet other teams.
Thankfully we won but with a very very BIG slice of luck. Yes we should enjoy it because we cannot be imperious all the time, however yesterday was embarrassing and the final whistle a relief. We were so below par that no one mentioned the ref’s control over any social media or blogs. The ref was invisible as much as Eze in the time he was playing.
City 2 up at Selhurst Park, Palace didn’t take their chances and so it’s onto next weekend.
Thanks Dev. I know that there’s elements of his game that Viktor can work on and improve but he isn’t Havertz or Merino, he needs service, but he can do what the other two can’t, I saw the Wolves centre backs, they followed him everywhere pushing him, grabbing him, shoving him but he had them pinned in their own half. Jesus can’t do that, he isn’t the same physical specimen. Bringing on Jesus vs Brugge was perfect, we were 3 goals up and he could enjoy himself. Bringing him on when we’re only 1-0 wasn’t a great move, still Jesus had the last laugh and that was great.
Afternoon Devil.
I don’t think Wolves were rubbish. A boring and negative approach yes but who can blame them? If they’d have gone to the Emirates with an intention to attack, it’s highly likely we would have scored a few more goals.
Only one team was poor out there yesterday and imo, that was Arsenal.