Morning all.
Mikel Arteta made eight changes from the team which played at the weekend with just Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel and Granit Xhaka getting another start. By the end of the game though, Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard all had minutes on the pitch. The final substitution was Reiss Nelson who I thought looked lively.
The 3-0 final scoreline suggests the game was easy but I think we all witnessed how dangerous Bodo/Glimt can be if Arsenal drop in concentration. Next week’s fixture won’t be easy that’s for sure, not away from home and on a surface our players are not used to playing on.
Inevitably, with so many changes, the football wasn’t quite as slick as we’ve seen in the Premier League but even so, we had plenty of opportunities to but the game to bed before halftime. Eddie Nketiah fired one wide, Fabio Vieira hit the woodwork, Granit Xhaka had a thunderous free-kick tipped over the bar and another shot saved.
When our first goal came though, it was good. Very good. Gabriel Martinelli played the ball out to Kieran Tierney on the left and in acres of space. He hit his shot with power, pace and bar a millimetre or two, accuracy. The ball thundered back into the middle of the penalty area having hit the post and there was Eddie Nketiah to make a difficult finish look easy. Soon after it was 2-0. From a corner, the ball came back to Fabio Vieira, a little bit of fancy ball control was followed by a peach of a cross into the box. Rob Holding was still forward and made sure the quality of cross was matched with a quality header.
After the break, Arsenal dropped off a bit and Bodo/Limt improved. Matt Turner was called into action and Rob Holding cleared one off the line. Mikel Arteta clearly didn’t like was he was watching as he soon made changes. Not defensive ones though, as Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo came on for Granit Xhaka, Marquinhos and Gabriel Martinelli. Next to come on was Ben White for Kieran Tierney meaning Takehiro Tomiyasu switched to the left and the final change with around ten minutes left, was Reiss Nelson for Eddie Nketiah. The latter had not long missed a golden opportunity to make it 3-0. Before the end of the game, there was a moment of Gabriel Jesus magic. Having weaved his way by a couple of defenders, he played his pass inch perfect for Fabio Vieira and this time, he wasn’t missing. 3-0 and game over.
Post match, Mikel Arteta said:
I’m really happy. Today we played a different opponent, a difficult opponent, I mentioned that before and I think everybody saw that. We made a lot of changes, eight I think, and I’m really happy winning the game, scoring three goals and a clean sheet, but overall as well you could sense in certain moments that that connection, that timing – this needed time on the pitch. It was a little bit missing in certain moments to be more dominant in the game.
‘Connection’ – having played just two games in this competition, the lack of connection between players was in my opinion, inevitable and only more minutes on the pitch will improve that and this competition, possibly the domestic cups will give them that. The fact that we have a Europa League fixture every Thursday now until the World Cup, should really benefit the players who aren’t starting in many Premier League matches. It’s certainly not quality we have to worry about, just the understanding between players on the pitch and that’ll soon come I’m sure.
We go in to the game against Liverpool on a positive note and having been able to rest the likes of Thomas Partey, William Saliba and Oleksandr Zinchenko. The last of the three wasn’t in the squad which I hope doesn’t mean he’s a doubt for Sunday.
See you in the comments.
Afternoon Rico and all
looking at the highlights on The Arsenal web site it looks like it was a good match, The only thing is according to Bodo manager before the match he knew how Arsenal play and they are easy to beat. shame he forgot to tell his players and the Arsenal players that we are easy to beat. Us winning 3 nil I will take that score any day.
How did our back up keeper Matt Turner go, looking at the highlights Ramsdale has nothing to worry about.
Morning Geoff. Turner’s kicking is suspect. I’m not convinced by him yet and hope Ramsdale doesn’t get injured any time soon.
Burger it was.
Very impressive performance considering the changes made IMO. A bit disjointed at the start, but clicked into gear after 15 minutes.
Vieira stood out. He will be pressing for a first team start soon and he seems more of a goal threat than Odegaard.
@OzzyG Thought Turner did well. It was his first start, but he didn’t have much to do. Got a powerful throw on him.
They have a plastic pitch and play a 5 a side style game with the ball on the ground with fairly accurate passing . Where they came unstuck was with the high intensity pressing that we employed which did not allow them to get into the game until we slowed at the beginning of the second half .
In many ways they play a similar style to us but it’s just that we have better players and provided that we maintain concentration we should come back from the Artic unscathed .
With all the games coming up we must look after the players susceptible to possible injury due to tiredness or the pitch and take the points and set up the games against PSV and win the group.
Didn’t Turner play against Zurich?
Bodo we’re certainly better than I expected them to be but yes, quality came through in the end.
Morning Rico, good post, I couldn’t help feeling a tad sorry for Matt Smith watching him warm up for most of the 2nd half, the longer the game went on without that clinching 3rd goal the less chance he had of getting on, with Arteta having to ensure that Glimt didn’t come back into the game by bringing on our seniors to see it out, Jesus did just that with his dribble for the 3rd. But I noticed how Smith’s warming up intensity fell away as the changes were made and he must have realised he’s gotta wait for his debut. Mayb3 it’ll come on the Norwegian plastic as his style should suit that surface.
Alongside Smith also going through a warming up regime was a lad no bigger than a ball-ball, I didn’t recognise him but suspected that it was Catalin Cirjan, I think it was his first time being in a senior squad after a lot of injuries and hopefully it won’t be his last as I’ve read some encouraging things about him?
Morning Kev, thanks.
I’d hope Nelson would get a start, or at least longer than he got. He looked a menace when he did. I know what you mean about Smith but as you say, we needed a third. Had we got it sooner, Smith might have got on. Hopefully top spot will be secured in two weeks time so Mikel can give more youngsters playing time.
It was Kev, he was listed in the squad.
Yes Rico, our last game it against Zurich at the Emirates so hopefully we’d have clinched top spot and Arteta can let his team selecting imagination run riot, then again…
At least some of our main players got a rest, now looking forward to the weekend match.
It doesn’t matter how much a keeper has to, as long as he is switched on when needed, it may sound harsh but from the highlights of Matt Turner I have seen I hope we don’t need him against teams like man city or Liverpool
Good morning all, a bright and sunny day here in Norfolk made even better by last night’s result.
I was pleased to see that Jesus stayed out widish, when he came on, leaving Eddie Nketiah to continue in the number nine position.
Of the newer players I thought Turner was okay with the ball at his feet but his long clearances were a bit erratic and need work on accuracy as several went straight out of play or beyond our furthest forward runner and into the hands of the Bodo ‘keeper.
Marquinos is shaping up well and could soon be competing with Saka for a starting position particularly, as Potter has noted, he looks a bit jaded and may need a rest.
Vieria, despite Arteta’s criticism about his lack of defensive work, is looking like a very good purchase. Making and scoring goals and with very good positional sense, certainly a capable Odegaard back-up.
It was no surprise that the mix-and-match starting eleven took fifteen minutes to get sorted and that after half-time their collective lack of full match fitness caught up with some of them.
It bodes well for the future that we have good players who can come on when resting the starters becomes a necessity.
So much for Cooper getting the sack, he’s now signed a new contract…
That’s an encouraging vote of faith from the Nottm Forest owner and quite welcome, maybe the influence and patience of KSE is rubbing off on some owners?
Fingers crossed Kev.
Remember when, back in the day, when Leno got injured and there was a mass panic among the Arsenal blogosphere because our No.2 was Emi Martinez and he’d had a few iffy games in the 1st team. Well regular games and suddenly Emi was the pick of the pops. So don’t be too quick to write of Turner because I think that there’s a decent goalkeeper in there, he just needs games…
Kev it makes sense like you said KSE kept Arteta when things were bad, yet other clubs around us keep changing their coach every 6 months, now look we’re we are. If we keep this up I will have to eat my humble pie at Christmas.
I do think the media etc are catching on to the fact patience can pay off. Perhaps owners too because constantly switching managers is bonkers. Even Lampard is turning things round at Everton.
The last time the Forest owner did a high profile handshake he gave Arteta Covid. I doubt it will stop him sacking Cooper if things don’t improve.
Well I’m having turkey for Christmas, that’s a given Geoff, I thought you’d be on the beach having a barbecue?
A red card proved costly for Groningen as RKC Waalwijk came from behind to defeat them 3-2 in the Euroborg. Mika Biereth netted a double.
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Groningen boss Frank Warmuth described the clash as “Must win” earlier in the week for his stumbling side. He saw his side nearly fall behind in the first few minutes but Thierry Lutonda could only fire wide when in on goal.
The left-back then fouled Tomas Suslov in the box leading to a penalty after 15 minutes. Ricardo Pepi slotted in the spot kick to make it 1-0 for the hosts.
It all went wrong for Groningen in the 36th minute as Radinio Balker stopped Roy Kuijpers as he raced on goal and the defender was shown a straight red-card. The resulting penalty was scored by Dario van den Buijs.
Substitute Mika Biereth, who is on loan from Arsenal, then fired RKC in front after the hour mark, but Groningen hit back as Pepi slotted in a pass from Florian Krüger.
With an extra man, RKC went looking for the winner and it came with ten minutes left as Biereth latched onto an Ilias Bel Hassani pass before firing RKC to victory.
RKC is now up to seventh in the table, while Groningen is 12th.
Hope you’ve already bought your Christmas turkey Kev, with bird flu sweeping through East Anglia they will be in short supply this year and cost an arm and a leg.
Ah, I did t know that Cicero, well if Turkey is gonna be at stupid prices it’ll be beef or lamb, there’s always an alternative mate but thanks for the heads up.
I can recommend a meat alternative Kev. 😂
New post up now