There’s been plenty of noise surrounding Arsenal of late, especially after our dismal collapse at Molineux. All the talk has been about how are bottling the opportunity to win the league yet again. I think much of the criticism has been deserved because we have been a bit all over the place. We’ve conceded goals and Mikel Arteta’s management of the squad has been questioned. Why not, the buck always stops with him but, I don’t think he could or should be held accountable for individual errors in a game which played their part in disappointing results. Our style of football yes, his game management too but not for Raya and Gabriel going for the same ball, or a player not doing his job properly or even Rice not clearing the ball properly yesterday. No, those decisions are made at the time by players on the pitch.
Yesterday though, Arsenal did exactly what they needed to yesterday against Totts. Two players who have been on the end of a lot of criticism since arriving in the summer scored two goals each to defeat the noisy neighbours. In truth, they would have had little to complain about had we beaten them by double the scoreline.
Even if Mikel Arteta would have preferred his captain to be fit enough to start yesterday’s game, Eze was the better option in my opinion. After all, he battered them just a few months ago. Thankfully, Arteta ignored the Gyokeres critics too.
Arsenal started the game quickly and looked in the mood but no sooner the game got going, it stopped again because someone had forgotten to charge the match officials communication gadgets. Six minutes later, the game got going again. Arsenal kept going forward but had to wait until the 32nd minute to get the opener and it was that man Eze who did the damage again.
No sooner had Rice rallied his teammates, focus being his message, it was he who tried to be a bit clever in defence instead of booting the ball clear. Kolo Muani took possession before nipping into the box and striking the ball past Raya.
Despite creating plenty of good opportunities, we went into the break 1-1.
Shortly after the restart, Gyokeres made it 2-1. Timber played the ball in from the right, Eze distracted his defender, letting the ball run to Gyokeres and he fired home a cracking shot which was past the Totts keeper in a flash.
With the lead restored, could Arteta’s players hang on to it? For a split second it seemed not when Kolo Muani had the ball in the back of the net again but Gabriel was adjudged to have been shoved over just beforehand. Surprisingly, we were awarded a free kick so our lead was safe.
Just after the hour mark, Eze made it 3-1 which came after Saka had teed up his own shot but a challenge deflected the ball to Eze who made no mistake.
Totts thought they’d made it 3-2 when Richarlison flicked a cross past Raya and towards goal but our Spaniard reacted quickly to get a hand to the ball before it crossed the line. Mosquera hoofed it clear.
4 minutes into the 8 of added time, Gyokeres scored his second of the game. Having bullied Gray as both went for the ball, he was never going to miss.
I’m certainly not going to get overly excited about beating Totts but boy am I happy we did. The performance was good but as said at the beginning, we really could and probably should have battered them. 61% possession, 20 shots.
The positives for me was Gyokeres and Eze, not just because they scored but they were in the game from start to finish. They were good and I hope it stays that way for the pair of them. A word on Hincapie too, he is a monster defender and Mosquera, he just gets better and better too.
Another hope I have is that yesterday’s win and performance will reinstall some confidence into the players and over the next few weeks and months better performances and results come our way. Oh, and Havertz, White, Dowman and eventually Merino soon return….
Next up for Arsenal is Chelsea at The Emirates.
Catch up in the comments.
Morning Rico and all, a great win and better still Toots fighting relegation while Gyokeres starting to show his critics what he can do with his 2 goals and helping in another
Morning Gooners, morning Rico, nice post, I really enjoyed looking at the faces in the Tottenham crowd from that picture above after Eze scored, their pain gave me joy…
Eze plays his best, it seems to me, when he’s in that advanced almost No.10 role where he can interact with Saka, Trossard and Gyokeres and where we benefit from his ability to finish.
Of course it means a change from those players around him who must then compensate from the absence of Odegaard’s link up play, but the goals are welcome and very nice. Eze also seems to be stronger in the duels than Martin whose physicality can often seem a tad flimsy, Eze also looks to more often play forward, taking risks admittedly in losing possession but I’d rather that than the often sterile possession of the sideways and backwards passing we can slip into.
There are games that suit Odegaard and games that suit Eze, it’s a great choice but one that the manager has to make and I just hope he has the courage to make the right one as and when he needs to. I thought that Arteta, to be fair, got his decisions pretty much spot on yesterday particularly his substitutions, although it does pose the question as to why he didn’t use Mosquera at Molyneux when Timber could barely move? I understand that he might have some reservations about Ben White’s overall robustness and fitness after all his recent injuries but Cristian is a reliable alternative.
Has Hincapie replaced Calafiori, for now at least? There’s no doubt that Calafiori is I believe the better player but maybe his latest spat of injuries has affected Arteta’s confidence in him? It’s possible that our left-back with the film star looks will return but for now it’s in the hands of our rugged Uruguayan.
So now the boys can have a welcome breather and so can we, I can focus on work and they can focus on rest and recovery. 10 more EPL games to negotiate plus numerous cup ties.
It’s Up For Grabs Now.
Blimey Geoff you’re either up late or up early…
Morning Geoff, Kev, all.
I enjoyed that game but must admit to thinking it might be another afternoon of missed chances. Then up stepped Eze and Gyokeres. All the noise at the start was soon silenced..
Arteta on if he know about Eze’s goalscoring prowess in the second half of the season:
“We looked at every stat, but that one, to be very honest, no. I mean, he’s scored five goals in the last two games against them, which is extremely difficult to do, but I could see that he wanted to prove something. He was upset, even with me, because I didn’t play him in the other day from the beginning and some of the decisions that I made. And I start to understand how we’re going to get the best out of him now.”
Introspection from Arteta, that’s a positive to me Rico, rather that than stubbornness.
Given that we play a lot of the lesser lights among our remaining 10 EPL it’s possible that Eze will get more starts, I certainly hope so – and in the end it’s up to him to play so well that Arteta is loath to drop him even for his captain!
Good morning Rico and all.
A good win and three valuable points, but let’s not get carried away. This was against a dreadful side, ten first team players out either injured or suspended a new coach who only met his players on the previous Monday, low confidence all round and a crowd that disappeared like snow on a sunny day as our second goal went in.
Full credit to Eze, he took full advantage of a weak and disjointed midfield and defence to score two good goals. A good boost to his confidence which I sincerely hope he can carry forward for the rest of the season.
No doubt in my mind of the MotM Viktor Gyokeres. Two goals and the destruction of a couple of Spurs defenders, by far his best game of the season.
A full week of rest and recovery before the next potential banana skin rocks up at The Emirates the wildly erratic Fulham Road Chavs.
Morning rico, all, lovely report! Four days in the sun at Calpe, that makes a great change from previous times on holiday watching derby, last one was Holding being sent off! Couldn’t have picked two players that I wanted to succeed more this week😁
Morning. Now that’s the Arsenal we know and love. A well played and cracking game with a great result which would have made MC smart!
I believe Arsenal learnt a very hard lesson at Wolves, including Arteta, who has admitted he is now getting to know Eze who played a great game with the rest of the team showing they can bounce back and turn games around. So fingers crossed we will see more great football from Eze. The same with Gyokeres. Lets keep seeing him doing what he was bought to do – getting the ball into the back of the net constantly.
A huge thank you and a big pat on the back to all of them for a great Sunday result. Keep it going.
Me too Kev. Honesty is always the best policy regardless of how late it is. lol
Morning Cicero, Andrew.
Me neither Andrew, I always hoped both would come good, Gyokeres especially as he’s taken a battering in the media and from our own fans. Not on here I hasten to add.
Cicero, you’ve ruined my morning. 😝
Sorry Cicero. Don’t agree with you about Tottenham’s team. They still have some great players playing – Tel, Richarlison, Kolo Muani, Palhinha, Bissouma. They had four Strikers on the pitch by the end of the game! Their problem is they do not know how to gel and play as a team and Arsenal took advantage of that.
Last season Arsenal had terrible injuries with no B Team for back up and still they managed 2nd Place and the Champions League Semi Final.
Arteta on the technical issues during the game:
“Every time we are late out of the dressing room, we get huge fines, so I said to them, who’s going to get this fine because that’s six, seven, eight, nine minutes, so someone is going to get a big fine. I’m sure that everyone is going to look at Sky, Sky probably to the Premier League, the Premier League to Sky, so, yeah, we’ve got one in the bag now.”
They were still toothless Laura. I so hope they get relegated..
What I really liked was that Big Vik’s goals were true centre forward goals something we have missed for a long time .I know it’s going back but they reminded me of the type that Malcolm MacDonald used to get . the first a pick that out and the second showing strength with a defender hanging on to him , just too powerful.
Although I agree that with Eze playing forward we move things quicker and Gyokeres gets support , it must be remembered that it was Odegaard who slipped him in for his second , perhaps a couple of weeks of bench sitting has been a bit of a salutary lesson , an early ball receive , control , pass . Didn’t look for anyone else .
A refreshing change.
Laura, four good players out of eleven doesn’t make a good team.
Not bad options to have, Odegaard and Eze.
Agree re Viktor’s goal, a touch, look up and bang. Just what we hoped from him with a lot more goals to come with a bit of luck.
We need to score more, we are ahead on goal difference but, if at the end of the season, we are equal goals scored is the decider and we are behind City on that.