Morning all.
Arsenal face Bournemouth Saturday lunchtime, a Bournemouth side which battered Brighton 3-0 last weekend. Their tails will be wagging I’m sure.
It was in this fixture last year, when Reiss Nelson made a difference to the scoreline but boy did our 3-2 victory come late. Very late.
Not even a minute of the match had passed and we were behind. Dominic Solanke, Joe Rothwell, Dango Ouattara were involved in the buildup with the latter crossing a pass into the box. The pass took a deflection, Phillip Billing scored. 1-0 to Bournemouth became 2-0 just after the break when Marcos Senesi headed past Ramsdale.
Then came the comeback. Five minutes after going 2-0 down, Thomas Partey halved the deficit. Neto tried to punch Bukayo Saka’s corner to safety but ESR headed his clearance towards the back post where Thomas Partey lurked to tuck the ball home. Bournemouth nearly scored again but Aaron Ramsdale made a great save to stop Solanke. Then came our equaliser. Substitute Reiss Nelson raced down our left side, whipped in a cross towards Ben White at the back post. Neto thought he’d saved White’s shot but technology said otherwise. The ball had crossed the line and the scores were level.
The Emirates faithful upped the noise level as we went in search of a winner. Gabriel Martinelli had a chance to seal three points but his shot went too high. Into the 7th minute of added time and it looked like we’d have to settle for a point. However, Reiss Nelson had other ideas. An Arsenal corner was cleared but again, not well enough. Nelson, on the edge of the box, chested the ball down and then belted his shot past Neto and into the back of the net.
The Emirates went bonkers, I’d imagine every Arsenal fan watching or listening went bonkers too.
It’s incredible really to think a player who can have such an impact on a game one day, has pretty much disappeared from the Arsenal scene since. Nelson is talented, there’s no doubting that but it’s pretty clear that Mikel Arteta doesn’t feel he’s good enough for Arsenal. But, out of him and Vieira, I know who’d I’d prefer to see coming off the bench and it’s certainly not the latter. Vieira might be technically better than Nelson but he’s certainly not as robust. I don’t think his work rate is superior to Nelson either and he’s certainly not as quick.
I’m not trying to suggest Nelson is perfect, or perfect for Arsenal, far from it, I’m simply comparing options from the bench and trying to understand what Mikel Arteta sees in one player which he doesn’t see in another. We’ve had games this year where the result has been secured around the hour mark, yet seldom have we seen Nelson given minutes, nor ESR and Nketiah for that matter. I know Arteta can’t please every player but surely by using a few more when the situation allows, his ‘more trusted’ players would stay fitter and fresher.
I know rotation is a topic oft talked about here but perhaps the simple answer is Mikel Arteta only wholeheartedly trusts 16/17 of his 25 man squad. If that’s the case, it could be a busy summer of transfers.
Catch up in the comments.
Yes it’s very strange all this. ESR played a blinder against Luton, was MOTM, was highly praised by Arteta and hasn’t had a look-in since. Go figure!
I can’t… 😜
Afternoon Rico and all,
Arteta has a record of freezing player out or not selecting them for no reason, I can only guess it comes down to somethink they have said and once you are on his naughty list thats it.
G’day Rico and all.
You had me fooled with the headline, I thought you were referring to Nelson’s legendary flag hoist prior to the Battle of Trafalgar “England expects that every man will do his duty” 😉 Perhaps Arteta could paraphrase it along the lines of Arsenal expects…..etc.before the Bournemouth game.
Afternoon Geoff, it’s no without reason Arteta doesn’t play certain players, it’s just we don’t know the reason.
Afternoon Cicero, ha ha.
Flicking through the various Arsenal pages I can’t help wondering about the brain power of the participants . Take a look at the comments about Ben White and his goal line antics. If ever there was a means of putting a target on his back this is it . Every referee will now be on the look out as will VAR.
It appears that these people have either never heard of the problems of running their mouths and will be the first to complain when the consequences come home to roost.
Yes it was amusing and it’s not new for players to try and break a goalkeepers concentration, treading on his foot or a nudge in his back but keep a lid on it , don’t publicise it because it will come back to bite you.
Add that to him declining to play for England, poor bloke is on a hiding to nothing..
Players need to learn to keep there mouth shut, There is a lot of talk about us blocking Tottenhams keeper but no one mentions about there keeper in the dieing minutes running all the way down with the full intention of blocking Raya and nothing else.
Jesus doesn’t want to leave us this summer, which shows he likes the club and fans, but if he does then he better score more goals or at least set up goals.
The refs, VAR need to look at keepers who insist on stepping outside of box when bring ball back into play after a goal kick is awarded. or keepers who stand over the ball to waste time, then at the last second dive on top of it, to waste even more time.
Geoff, providing the ball is not in the hands of the ‘keeper it is deemed to be in play. He can dribble the ball around his area, or anywhere else on the pitch for that matter, and it is up to the opposition to get it off him if they can. Once he has picked up the ball he has around six seconds to put it into play.
I was hinting at Emi Martinez who likes to step outside then drop the ball on his feet.
Just when thought that Spring and early Summer were here the rain and cold returns with a vengeance. Global warming, my arse!
Morning Rico and Gang btw.
I thought, after working in London on Wednesday that it was time to dig out the shorts and T shirts – yeah right!
Same in Norfolk too, Wooly hat , thick trousers , wellies and windcheater today.
Apart for a quick dash to the butchers to buy a bit of beef for Sunday lunch I’m staying indoors, keeping busy reading and catching up with a few e mails.
Arsenal U21’s playing Man Utd in thd play-offs.
First Half ends, Arsenal U21 4, Manchester United U21 0.
N. Butler-Oyedeji (14, 42)
J. Henry-Francis (27)
Cozier-Duberry (30).
FULL-TIME:
Match ends, Arsenal U21….6,
Manchester United U21……2.
N. Butler-Oyedeji (14 42)
J. Henry-Francis (27)
Cozier-Duberry (30 90 + 1)
E. Nwaneri (54 pen)
New post up.
Great result for the under 21’s. Always good to spank Utd, hope the men can do the same next weekend.