Morning all.
David Coote had a night to forget. Firstly, he booked the wrong Arsenal player for taking too long on a throw in and secondly, he was conned by Ayew before sending off Tomiyasu. An easy solution to errors like these is a VAR review but for now, that’s not an option.
Aside from that, I thought the game was good as we saw two sides of Arsenal. Pre 67 minutes, we looked comfortable against a really good Palace team. Post 67 minutes, we saw backs to the wall, ‘you’re not scoring’ defending. By the end of the game, I think we had more defensive players on the pitch than ever seen before under Mikel Arteta.
I’ve no idea anymore what constitutes a penalty but I thought ours was fortunate. A great move don’t get me wrong but the free kick was over hit and when Nketiah was caught, the ball was heading out. Perhaps that’s irrelevant these days. Palace also thought one of their players was fouled in the build up. I’m surprised VAR didn’t agree with them.
Roy Hodgson’s team had two penalty appeals themselves, both of which were waved away by Coote immediately and rightly so. VAR agreed.
Mikel Arteta:
I loved it, absolutely loved it. It’s a really difficult place to come. We played how we wanted to play 11 against 11, we dominated the game, we created enough chances, we missed two very, very huge chances that normally we put away, but we never gave up. We continued the way we wanted to continue. Eddie earned us the right to go ahead with his action, we scored the penalty and then we had to play half an hour with 10 men, which is obviously a conflict that we didn’t prepare.
We had to adapt and I think the players worked fantastically because I don’t think we gave anything away. The subs were great, the way they came out, the concentration, the focus on how they helped the team and changed the team’s momentum in many occasions of the game, so I’m really happy.
Nketiah had spurned two goal scoring opportunities, Partey had a good strike easily saved and Havertz smashed one chance well wide. Palace had a few too but one way or another, they weren’t converted.
Martin Odegaard buried our spot kick and it was enough to win the game. A well earned and hard fought three points were ours.
I thought Declan Rice had a really good game, Thomas Partey at right back too but Kai Havertz, well I’ll just say I think he’s taking time to adapt to his new team. Eddie Nketiah was very unlucky to see his first chance hit the woodwork but his second was awful. Perhaps the man in yellow and black in acres f space centrally might have been a better option. Hindsight eh.. I thought Aaron Ramsdale was superb but I’m sure someone where will already be thinking about David Raya and when he’s going to get his chance.
Talking points – probably the absentees from the squad.
Of the 32 listed on the official site, 10 were not involved, other than the injured Gabriel Jesus and Jurrien Timber. They included Kieran Tierney, Flo Balogun, Mo Elneny, Rob Holding, Nuno Tavares, Cedric Soares, Sambi Lokonga and Nicolas Pepe. That’s a whole lot of players to move on in just ten days. Arthur Okonkwo is expected to leave too. Also, if Arsenal can sell the majority of them, that’s a lot of money coming in. Some of which might be reinvested in the squad if FFP permits.
Catch up in the comments.
Afternoon Rico and all.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Eddie, but I am not sure he will score enough goals for us, that’s why we still need to look for a striker from somewhere.
Good morning Rico, on more than occasion last night I thought both Nketiah and Saka were a bit greedy in taking on shots when other players, Martinelli for one, were in acres of space and with far better chances of scoring had the ball been passed to him.
When I saw the opening line-up I was disappointed to see Partey, nominally at least, at right back. However, I think this is going to be the way forward for Arteta, a back three when in possession with Partey free to move into midfield but dropping back when the opposition have the ball.
Maybe Arteta is testing out his options for his three man defence, and until Zinchenko is fully fit and able to play a similar role, on the left, to Partey on the right, we will have to wait an see who plays regularly alongside Saliba.
Incidentally, the officials may have ruined the game, but not for the neutrals for whom the game came alive following the dismissal, wrongfully, of Tomiyasu. Without that red card the final thirty minutes would have descended into an Arsenal bore-fest of possession football. As it was we saw an exciting last third of the game in which both teams tried desperately to, in Arsenal’s case defend a vital three point, and in Palace’s increasingly frantic efforts to save a point. Just the sort of thing that sells Premiership football around the World.
There will be games where our wingers and midfielders won’t or can’t score. At such times, you need your striker to be clinical. While Eddie offers some stuffs, he’s anything but clinical…….
Morning Geoff, Cicero, all.
The last half hour was definitely exciting, not good for the heart though. Saying that, I’d imagine the players felt pretty good at the final whistle,
Goals – and we’re selling Balogun why?
Maybe Balogun believes he has the Wright to start ever match and doesn’t want to sit on the bench and wait his time like ESR does.
I doubt it, but expects a chance which he clearly isn’t going to get.
Brighton interested in Arsenal midfielder Lokonga
Brighton have switched their focus to Arsenal’s Albert Sambi Lokonga in their search to sign a midfielder, Sky Sports News understands.
The south coast club have been in talks with Lille to sign 19-year-old Carlos Baleba but it’s believed negotiations have become difficult to complete that deal.
Seagulls head coach Roberto De Zerbi is keen to sign a midfielder before the window closes following the departure of Moises Caicedo to Chelsea.
Burnley had been in discussions with Arsenal over a loan with an option to buy for Lokonga.
But, as it stands, there are no active talks with the Clarets over the signing of the Belgian.
Brighton have a habit of signing young relatively unknown players and turning them into valuable assets.
Perhaps we should loan Lokonga to them and let them work their magic on him so that we can cash in next season. 😉
Or we could sign Carlos Baleba and cut out Brighton as the middleman.
When does his contract run out though?
2026..
2026 Rico
Mikel Arteta announces Gabriel transfer decision after Arsenal win at Crystal Palace. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta insisted that Gabriel is not for sale and will not be leaving.
That’s a relief.
Let’s they switch from Gabriel to Pepe?
Let’s hope
Pepe is a great defender. 😂
Rico, I have heard Nicolas described as the Maldini of the Ivory Coast
That’s Charlie Maldini of Newington Green…
Ha ha Kev.
Tomiyatsu was well sent off. Arsenal as a team and as has been customary, I don’t know why (?), it takes a long time to make throw ins, even being “threatened” to be dispatched. What is in question is the time that has to be launched, regardless of the ball “going from hand to hand”. Whoever has the ball when acting is penalized. The second yellow one was a bit “naive”.
The list of players to be released is correct. For one reason or another, they don’t fit the coach’s idea. There may be one or two more spaces to fill “holes”. The most intriguing are Tierney and Balogun. Tierney, because I don’t think he fits this new model of Arteta in terms of wing defence; Balogun, because the coach must not like it and may have a market for good.
As for the game: Arsenal may look more consistent than last season but it’s not solid. Haervetz is a “study case”. In Charity Shield he played in the intended position and was not seen. Its position was changed and it is still not visible. In the last game, Martinelli was substituted instead of him. The team that failed to reach the goal lost.
Partney on the right is no solution. It takes strength in midfield to be superior to the opponent. It was seen in the last game, in the last 20 minutes that we ended up with several defenders. Without Tierney (?), between injuries and suspensions, the defensive side bands are “thighs” of lateral players. Adapting is a cure-all, not a permanent solution. Nketiak is Nketiah. Hardly a team is champion if the best solution at the front is exclusively Nketiah. He’s a good support but not a decisive player.
I hope I am reading it wrong, first Arteta shuts out Ozil then Auba and now I am wondering if Balogun is another one that once Arteta does not like you that it.
New post up.