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.
What a night, and the Spurs announcer was giving it large about how we were nervous.
I was so pleased for Gyokeres,both goals were terrific but there’s a lot more to his game,I bet the other players love playing with him.
I love Eze,he hasn’t always clicked,he looks to move the ball quickly and as Spurs will tell has an eye for goal Apparently he has a great record in London derbies.
He has got to be the first choice number 10 for now.
It will do us good to have a full week before the Chelsea game.
Unfortunately I don’t think the tiny goal difference advantage will be a factor,City could make that up in their game in hand.
We better keep winning then,nothing they can do then.
It’ll certainly make a change to have a week off, mind you, I think Chelsea have too. No Fofana for them after his red card.
Yep, more goals the better, just in case.
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13511080/ref-watch-bernardo-silva-lucky-to-escape-red-card-for-man-city-against-newcastle-after-reckless-challenge-on-dan-burn
No surprise there Rico, but I guess we got lucky with the push on Gabriel, I was amazed at the time because I simply never expect 50/50 decisions to go our way.
Ditto Kev, especially with Bankes on Var.
Even in rugby union that would have been “a no arms tackle” and would have been punished with a minimum ten minutes in the sin bin, more likely a red card and long suspension.
Refereeing just gets worse and worse.
The one on Gabriel or Burn?
Ero Rico, good evening! Great write up and it’s surely in our hands now bar my reservations to the adage that goes “The only thing that stops Arsenal from winning the EPL is Arsenal themselves”
I chose to differ and jest that PGMOL are going to be Arsenal’s undoing. Very incompetent and reckless lot. Watch how they’ll throw a spanner down our track as we attempt to bring the title home. To cut the long story short, It’s the hope that kills you and I believe in untold PGMOL conspiracies against us.
Adios!
Burn Rico, Gabriel was completely innocent. 😉
Evening Maasai, definitely the hope which hurts us. Here’s hoping this season end differently.
I see that Lord Mandelson has been arrested, he’s deemed to be less important than Andrew Mountbaten-Windsor who was arrested last week and driven off in a Range Rover, Mandelson only got a Ford Focus.
Oh how the mighty are fallen!
Ha ha Cicero.
Good Morning Rico and all
All 4-1 and 1-4 all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t5cRm2CIts
Morning Devil, all.
Quiet week ahead I reckon.
Well we are still basking in the sun after sunday
so yes we will be a bit quiet and enjoy the moment.
Literally here as the sun has finally made an appearance.. lol
Are we to call you D’artagnan now then Devil or does that make Raya , Eze and Gyokeres the 3 musketeers ?
Workplace yesterday and today was awesome. Especially when you have spuddies coming in with gloomy faces.
Their looks when I played (and sang) All 4-1 1-4 all was beyond imagination.
Well done for match Report Rico. I enjoyed reading that both yesterday and today.
Each game has its own story. However, last game was the tonic we needed after Wolves and prior displays.
What I find weird was the fact that Spuds, like many other teams put bodies behind the ball, being set up in a 3-5-3 formation which went to 3-4-2-1 without ball and 3-4-3 in possession and yet we still put 4 past them.
So the question is…..why dont we do the same with other teams? Its not because other teams get in our faces and are good. Its up to us I feel. Its not that the other teams are better but because we shoot ourselves in the foot
Thanks Devil.
What a beautiful day it’s been here after 6 weeks of rain. Nice for the woofa and gardening.
Gardening? I forgot about that, first thing in the morning I’ll check the mower out. Ah! it’s swimming tomorrow morning, perhaps I put the mower off until the afternoon. 😉
Ha ha. It might be raining again by then…
You should have mowed the garden in the morning then went to swim in the afternoon. Even if it rained you can still swim Cicero
Good morning all.
IFAB hold their annual meeting on Saturday and have a number of changes they are considering to speed up play. At the moment goal keepers have eight seconds to get the ball back in play, in addition IFAB want to give them five seconds to take a goal kick, failure to do so would result in a corner kick for the attacking side.
Another change will see throw ins taken within five seconds, failure to do so will mean the throw in will be given to the other team.
These changes could be in force in time for the World Cup, and the start of next season in the EPL.
Those changes seem sensible,we’ve heard talk from FIFA before,and they don’t trickle down to the Premier league. PGMOL just do their own thing.
I was pleased to see Arteta saying he would give the players a couple of days off,certain players look physically and mentally exhausted.
Changes seem sensible to me too. Our players will have to be on their toes as they take about 15 seconds..
Morning all.
More new IFAB rules made by people who have never played the game, goal kicks and throw ins are one of the few actions during matches that allow the players to get their breath back.
I’ll give you all one guess who the PGMOL will target first…
The thing is the referees already have the tools to speed up the game, this just takes the responsibility away from our already questionable officials.
Morning Rico.
And what about those players who deliberately obstruct the goalkeeper and stop him releasing the ball or those players who stand over a free kick preventing it being taken quickly.
Morning Kev, players who block free kicks etc get booked. Or should do.
They should do Rico but it’s like the all-in wrestling at corner kicks, the officials let so much go initially and now the genie is out of the bottle and now they just ignore most of it.
If I was taking a free kick I’d just launch it at the guy standing in front of me and try to get him booked, I remember Bergkamp doing that at The Dell a few years ago leading to a yellow card for the Southampton player, I’m amazed that players don’t do that more often?
Apparently it’s all about whether players are looking to go for the ball in the box Kev. So I read pre season anyway but yep, why not smack the ball into a player, isn’t that what led to Rice getting sent off last season?
Champions League draw coming up on Friday 🤞
New post up.
Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen isn’t it Kev?