Morning all.
Takehiro Tomiyasu picked up a knock against Bayern Munich so Jakub Kiwior slotted in at left back. The rest of the team sprung no surprise really other than Declan Rice not having a midfield partner for the second league game running.
The first half was all about Arsenal really, how many chances missed, how many times players were fouled and how predictable we were. Until Wolves hit the woodwork after a point blank save from David Raya. Kiwior’s defending wasn’t the best.
Arsenal finally took the lead. Gabriel Jesus was challenged in box, he fell over as is the norm but instead of writhing around on the ground, he played the ball back to Leandro Trossard who fired a shot into the back of the net. Only he knows whether he miskicked it or not but quite frankly, I don’t give a toot either way.
As said, there were a number of naughty challenges during the first half but the one on Kai Havertz was an ankle breaker. I was surprised he got up let alone carry on playing.
The second half started in similar fashion to the first although we were pinging the ball around a bit quicker. More fouls committed by wolves, more chances spurned by Arsenal. Mikel Arteta made his first change on 70 minutes when Gabriel Martinelli replaced Leandro Trossard. O’Neil made changes too, changes which improved Wolves and at 1-0, my nerves kicked in. But, we held on, in fact we went one better as late in game, Odegaard made sure three precious points were heading back to north London. Of all the chances the team created, Odegaard’s was probably the more difficult yet he took it.
Mikel Arteta post match:
The resilience the team showed and the character after a week of a lot of emotions, it was a big opportunity for us to come back and be top of the league with five games to go. It’s a really tough place to come – a lot of big teams have dropped points here and I think the team performed really well, fully deserved to win the game and we got the win with a clean sheet again.
[The opening goal] was good timing because we opened them up a few times but didn’t manage to score, and to score that goal just before half-time, I think it brought the team some calmness. In the second half, we kept going and at the end we managed to score the second. We had some big openings and chances, and we didn’t convert. They started to make some changes and throw some bodies in there, and we did the same with the subs which I thought helped the team a lot as well. A happy day!”
I’m sure the fact that Wolves were without many first team players will be mentioned more than once as Arsenal’s victory is written or talked about but hey, who cares. Not many people cared this time last season when injuries hurt us. We as a team can only play what’s in front of us and yesterday, it happened to be a Wolves team going through a bit of an injury crisis. What mattered most was getting the job done and we did. We dug in and got the game won.
I thought Mikel Arteta’s players looked nervous as they snapped at shots, got in each others way a few times and as the wait for the goal went on, the less likely it looked that we would score. It took something special to break the duck, or one moment of good fortune but either way, the goal came.
We play again on Wednesday against a Chelsea team which was narrowly beaten by Man City in the FA Cup yesterday evening. We’re at home so let’s make it count.
Catch up in the comments.
As I said it was a war of attrition , Wolves were physical and Tierney was , well , Tierney .
Once Saka had got the traditional welcome to the match in the first couple of minutes which was totally ignored by the officials the tone was set.
Not a lot more to say . We huffed and puffed missed a few chances and really never looked like scoring although totally dominate most of the shots in the first half hour were scuffed, dragged wide and frankly powder puff stuff . Then came the “slice ” of luck as Trossard found the top corner and off the post it went past Sa who had it been hit properly probably would have saved it.
Still there you go , enter the lottery and miracles can happen.
Second half was a nail biting exercise until the 3rd or fourth minute of injury time , not sure as I was watching the clock more than the game at the time .
Next up Tuesday we have Chelsea who might have left a lot of their legs at Wembley , shame it didn’t go to extra time , and hopefully they picked up a few strains on the way, and then it’s away to Tottenham who might just have a Dubai effect having had a 15 day rest after their last game at Newcastle.
Win those two and in the immortal words of Brian Moore ” it’s up for grabs “.
That’s it in a nutshell Potter..
I thought we play Chelsea on Wednesday, silly me for thinking we’d get an extra day of rest before the NLD. Still, Chelsea played yesterday too so can’t complain I guess although I see both Pep and Mikel have.
Fingers crossed Fulham can get a positive result later..
Morning Rico and all.
We may have been a bit shaky at times, but hopefully this win will help the players forget the 2 matches prior, but think back 2 or 3 seasons ago we proberly would have lost this match as well, what the last few matches have shown is we need a proper striker.
Rico don’t forget Bournemouth as they take Aston Villa
Morning Geoff, yep, Bournemouth too.
Tierney,predictably let them get away with murder.We have a horrific away record under his officiating.So for me to grab the points at a very physical wolves side was a bonus.Last season that would not have occurred.
Tierney’s officiating was weird I thought. One minute he was giving us everything and the next, he let fouls go by. Awful I thought.
It’s Simon Hooper on Tuesday.
It really makes no difference who the officials are, they are all perceived to be biased against us, as that is entirely unlikely it must just be incompetence.
Arsenal ladies leading Leicester 3 nil 80 minutes gone
Nice win for our ladies team, 3 nil
Tough luck for Coventry, extra time stoppage time winner ruled out for offside, wrongly in my opinion but that’s football these days. 😟
I guess City will spank them in the final…
Actually I’ve just watched the offside again and have to admit I was wrong, only millimetres in it but a correct decision.
If only to stop City doing the double, I hope United win.
Another trophy to take away when found guilty on 100 odd accounts 😜
They will change the rules before they come up before the beak.
Timber back with a bang. Stunning goal.
Our number 11 is good. He’s obviously been watching Saka. 😂
Afternoon Rico and all.
I hope your right about timber Rico, but there is a big difference between seniors and under 21
Morning Geoff, I meant his goal. It was stunning.
New post up.