Morning all.
Are you still bathing in the reflected sunlight of that St James’s Park victory last Sunday, because I know that I am.
However it was back to the bread and butter of the Champions League last night and the visit of Olympiacos. Arsenal have an interesting history with the Greek team who wear the Stoke City shirt because in the 12 previous matches played between them it stands at 6 wins apiece with Olympiacos winning on their last three visits to the Emirates.
The present Arsenal squad is probably the strongest Arsenal squad that the Greeks have ever faced before but they still made a game of it allied by the fact that the Arsenal finishing was not as clinical as it could’ve been. All the same we were not on the receiving end of a tragedy this time.
Arteta fielded a strong starting XI with just a few tactical adjustments, changes with fitness in mind and of course, West Ham at the weekend. With five substitutes available and the option of switching half the team Arteta brought in Myles Lewis Skelly and Ben White for Timber and Calafiori whilst also resting Rice, Saka and Eze and using Trossard and Martinelli on the flanks. It’s what I call sensible rotation.
Arsenal began as if they wanted to win the game as quickly as possible so they could cruise through the remainder of the 90 minutes. As early as the second minute Martinelli should have given the Gunners the lead. Raya had passed the ball to MLS, he broke forward before passing it on to Odegaard who then delivered an inch perfect cross to Martinelli. The Brazilian had the whole goal to aim for but instead of heading the ball it hit his shoulder and went wide. That kind of set the pattern for the rest of our finishing and why this game was in the balance until the 92nd minute.
Odegaard was having a really impressive game and around 13 minutes he sent Gyokeres away on goal and the big Swede did really well to hold off the two big physical defenders trying to stop him and still managed to get a shot away. That shot hit the post but the alert Martinelli following up was on point to knock it home. Arsenal at this stage were playing some really expansive, quality football, some of their passing was top notch but that 2nd goal wouldn’t come as again the final ball let us down.
After 20 minutes of Arsenal dominance Olympiacos broke forward and a crisp move finished with Podence getting in front of Ben White to a low cross and hitting a great shot towards goal which would’ve beaten a lot of goalkeepers but Raya stretched out to his left hand and flicked it around the post. A great save. For the next 20 minutes the game was fairly even with both sides creating opportunities and Olympiacos really leaning into their press. Around 40 minutes Gyokeres went close with a shot across the face of goal which he probably should’ve scored from and on another day he will do. But that was pretty much it and at half-time the score stood at Arsenal 1-0 Olympiacos.
Olympiacos improved as the game went along and were proving to be a difficult opponent, knocking us out of our stride and this became more apparent in the 2nd 45 as the possession stats became more equal. They threatened on a few occasions and Raya had to make some crucial interventions. I noticed Arteta at one point making some tactical instructions to Ben White but later on around 57 minutes the boss actually took he and Merino off and replaced them with Timber and Rice but it didn’t make a lot of difference as the game hung in the balance.
On 65 the profligacy continued when Odegaard broke free and passed a penetrating ball through to Trossard who should’ve scored but didn’t and then a minute later Olympiacos equalised but it was offside fortunately. It was getting too close for comfort and you could feel the crowd getting nervous.
Around 73 minutes Arteta made three substitutions, one of them forced, as he brought on Mosquera, Saka and Eze for Gabriel, Martinelli and Trossard. Mosquera played well and Saka made the difference as he nearly always does. Around 82 minutes Saka made a run towards the Olympiacos goal and pulled his cross into the middle and towards the onrushing Odegaard who had to score, but his initial shot hit the goalkeeper and his follow up shot did likewise. A few minutes later Raya saved from a header and the board went up with 5 minutes Slottage time on it.
Finally on 92 minutes an Odegaard pass got the goal it deserved as Saka took it in his stride and shot through the goalkeepers legs, phew!
Hard work that one, but another clean sheet, all the same if we’re as wasteful as that against Atletico Madrid in a couple of weeks time we’ll get beat because they don’t mess about…
By Kev.
Following on from the Gyokeres debate chaps, I try to avoid those platforms that attract negative fans so I’m not in that loop anymore. I used to go on Le Grove before it went behind its paywall and some of the debate on there was bordering on the manic depressive, so I don’t miss that. Some ‘fans’ just exist in a world of negativity and if you don’t agree you’re an Arteta fan-boy, it gets quite tiresome.
Personally I love what Gyokeres has brought to the team, and at this stage he’s been more effective and got more goals than Isak or Sesko and that’ll disappoint those in the media who are desperate to promote the ‘Gyokeres waste of money’ narrative…
G’day Kev another very good summary. I was expecting\hoping that the Galatasary players would tire in the last quarter but the manager used his subs very well in refreshing his team and kept up the pressure right to the end.
Thanks Kev, enjoyed reading that.
Frustrating night as we should have been well up in the first half but ultimately, a good job done.
Afternoon Kev, Cicero, all.
How can the owner of a Greek club, be in the stands cheering his team on against a PL club, when he also owns a PL Club?
Should never be imo. Never.
Good afternoon Lady and Gentlemen
Great match report Kev. I enjoyed reading it.
2-0. Clean sheet. 3 points. I hope Gabi’s injury is not a serious one.
I was glad MArtinelli scored again. However I really wished that KG14 would have got it as his work rate on and off the ball is phenomenal and exactly what Arsenal were missing. He is the ultimate battering ram and charges through players with sheer strength.
Afternoon Devil, agree, Viktor is doing everything but score.
Different competitions Rico.
Still think dual ownership is weird Cicero..
Rico, you said on the previous post, you don’t understand why some people are critical of Gyokeres? Simple, they don’t know the game. They don’t understand the totality of the game, and they don’t watch the games, just highlight.
Gyokeres is a baller. Defenders are literally afraid of him, and he’s punishing anyone that gets close to him. The dude is a bully. The goals will come. He will have 20+ goals this season.
It’s just a shame Obi, as long as the team are scoring goals, who makes them is just as important as who scores them. Like you though, I think the goals aren’t far away for him.
Not sure about being weird but it’s definitely open to corruption . We have seen Man City players on loan to Girona and I am sure that the deals with New York City FC (USA), Melbourne City FC (Australia), ), Palermo FC (Italy), Club Bolivar (Bolivia), Montevideo City Torque (Uruguay), Sichuan Jiuniu (China), Mumbai City FC (India), Lommel SK (Belgium), ESTAC Troyes (France), and Esporte Clube Bahia (Brazil), as well as a stake in Yokohama F. Marinos (Japan). All owned by Mansour are not technically illegal but morally wrong and open to any amount of duplicity .
Mansour of course is not alone and as multiple ownerships proliferate no doubt in a few years changes to the way transfers and loans are handled will need to be carefully inspected.
I just think multi ownership is wrong and probably because it opens the door for underhand deals.
Afternoon Rico and all.
Potter, When the owners of Man C brought Melbourne City (Australia) from the other club, their was a lot of questions asked by the other clubs and most of the soccer media in Australia maily about would Man C loan players lacking confidence or returning from injuries as a way to get game time, and then return to Man C senior team or return fit and look good to be sold at a higher fee.
Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke also has MLS side Colorado Rapids in his portfolio. Just saying.😉
Morning Geoff, Cicero, all.
That’s different Cicero. 😜
New post up.
Good morning Rico and all
I hope you are even better than yesterday Rico.
I dont agree on multiple ownership. Imo it stinks a bit and tbh there is a leeway for corruption and fixing something be it transfers or during matches. Even with regards same family different clubs, While I accept that one can do whatever he wants with his money I still find it awkward and disrespectful.
Even within the same family. Imagine this scenario….Josh Kroenke takes over at Arsenal. Stan buys another club and within a few years they are in the premier. Now imagine Arsenal go against this team in the last day of the league and need a win to win the EPL. Does anyone honestly think that the game will stay 100% pure and honest? I doubt it.
I agree though on the B club which cannot go higher than the ‘B’ division and cannot take part in the cups. But at least a club can have a B team like Barca etc where they can give fringe players good experience and players who are recovering from injury time for practice.
Interesting that a comment from me has been binned because the matrix interpreted Noni Madueke as nonce…
We are being monitored by the globalists…