Morning all.
Arsenal are back in action today against a Roy Hodgson team which is likely to be organised, solid in defence and difficult to beat. Watford need points and you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll fight as hard as they can to get all three.
Watford have drawn 2, lost 3 and won 1 since Roy Hodgson replaced Claudio Ranieri on the 25th January. The win being at Villa Park, the draws at Burnley and Man Utd. At Vicarage Park, Hodgson is looking for his first win. Crystal Palace thumped his team 4-1 and Brighton beat them 2-0.
The draw at Old Trafford was an excellent result for Watford but if one looks at the stats, they tell a very different story to the score line. Utd had 67% possession with 22 shots at Ben Foster’s goal. But, if a team can’t take its chances in front of goal, they’ve only got themselves to blame.
Arsenal and scoring goals isn’t something which comes easy either. I’ve lost count of how many times players have hit great scoring opportunities high, wide, or at the keeper but even so, we’ve managed to battle through games to earn a win. Every time Arsenal play I think, this is the day the goals go in – never materialises though, certainly not in the kind of numbers the opportunities we’ve created should return. Maybe that day will be today….
The two sides have met before this season with Arsenal coming away from the game with a 1-0 victory. Here’s how we lined up that day.
There are five players in that picture who either won’t be involved because they gone, or are unlikely to start today. The latter being Nuno Tavares, Sambi Lokonga and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Apart from the front three, I think the team pretty much picks itself. Will Mikel Arteta bring Gabriel Martinelli back into the team, will Nicolas Pepe get a start after his super sub performance against Wolves and will Emile Smith Rowe start the game or be on the bench are the only questions going through my mind. I think Mikel Arteta will start with the same eleven which beat Wolves. We’ll see soon enough.
Mikel Arteta was full of praise for Roy Hodgson during his post match interview yesterday, more out of respect than anything else I’d imagine but as much as he praised Hodgson for making his teams hard to beat, he talked about Arsenal’s own resilience too, which in my opinion, is at a level not seen for a number of years.
I think it’s very related to belief and trust – and when you have the willingness those players have to be successful and to play the game we want to play, how much they like to interact and play with each other: that is where everything starts to flourish. At the end, the consequence of that is probably the resilience you are mentioning as well. That has to be built and to do that you need good experiences as well, and good experiences help the belief to do it again, you are more confident, you know how to resolve certain issues when they appear on the pitch and it’s good because it was very much needed in those games to win the matches.
I know there’s been times when Arsenal have looked like they didn’t fancy a bit of hard work in certain matches but I do think that’s changed since the turn of the year. There seems to be a bit more grit, determination and the willingness to keep going until the end now. I think about the Man City game, both Wolves matches, even the League Cup fixtures against Liverpool to a degree, and a number of those were playing with ten men. Compare them to pre 2022 when we surrendered so easily in certain games, I think it’s like comparing chalk with cheese.
If anything sums up what Arsenal are about today, it’s the attitude of captain Lacazette, who might not be scoring goals, but he doesn’t know when to stop running, tracking back to defend, or give up on a lost cause. He really does lead by example, an example which has clearly been set by Mikel Arteta.
The officials for the game:
Referee: Craig Pawson.
Assistant referee: Lee Betts, Richard West.
Fourth official: Simon Hooper.
VAR: Darren England.
Assistant VAR: Eddie Smart.
As said before we played Wolves, if Arsenal players don’t give them a decision to make, they can’t make it.
See you in the comments.
Good morning Rico.
I read this morning that Arteta has agreed with Odegaard a new plan for him. To score more goals, provide more assists, play closer to the opposition’s penalty box and get behind their defence more. He has expressed his satisfaction with Odegaard’s defensive work but believes he can do better with freekicks. That said, he believes all the aims are achievable.
I go along with you, don’t give the referee decisions to make.
We’ve got a family lunch today, my second son’s birthday, so I’ll be watching a recording of the game this evening.
C’mon the Gunners!!
Morning Cicero and anyone else.
Doesn’t Mikel say that about all our attacking players? 🤣
Have a lovely lunch…
Hi Rico.. it’s match day 🤩 Also excited about the Manchester Derby – certainly is a Super Sunday! I’m expecting a tight game.. 1-0 to us.
I’m over my strop now, Rico and managed to pick up tickets for next week against Leicester – happy days!
Arsenal Women vs Birmingham live on BBC 2 12 o’clock kick off. Just to make it an even Superer Sunday. 👍
Hi Sue, I think we’ll win comfortably 😂
Who am I trying to kid eh, this could be a banana skin for us.
Ha ha re the tickets…
100 WSL goals for Vivianne Miedema. 👏👏
Arsenal are unchanged from their 2-1 win over Wolves.
Emile Smith Rowe is still out through illness while Takehiro Tomiyasu has not recovered from a calf injury in time to feature.
Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Soares, Xhaka, Partey, Martinell, Saka, Odegaard, Lacazette.
Substitutes: Leno, Holding, Pepe, Tavares, Lokonga, Elneny, Nketiah, Swanson, Hutchinson.
Hi there!
I expect this line up.
Come on Arsenal!
ESR has covid , and they said it’s all over
Red shorts and red socks 😳
Tense at the end – 4-2 to the women 👍
What a superb goal.
That’s rotten for ESR.
I like the all red change.
Terrible goal to concede.
Think I prefer the white shorts, less Liverpool like.
Me too, Rico and I love our stripy socks
Afternoon Rico and all
Nice win by our ladies team now for the men to do the same
And them Sue, traditions eh..
Hi Geoff. Fingers crossed.
Nice goal but boy are me making some sloppy passes
Worldie of a goal. Beautifully made.
Afternoon rico, all. Action packed game so far. Need cheering up after wife Friday and then myself this morning, testing positive after two years taking care.
Odegaard playing superb, Cedric and Saka getting much more joy and crosses down the right than a subdued Martinelli and Tierney on the left. But two great back-heels and goals!
Afternoon Andrew. That’s not good news, hope you and your wife have very few symptoms. If any.
The game is certainly open, who makes the least mistakes will probably win. 😂
Smudge has Covid, hmm, well a few years back, before we all went mad, players would miss games with the flu, he’ll be ok for Leicester I reckon.
The games a bit too open for me I’d like to see us control it a bit more but hey, 3 points is the aim however they arrive for the Gunners.
I’d really love to see us be in a position where Hutchinson can get a run out…
I’ve heard him described as the English Eden Hazard and that’s not a bad shout…
Get well soon Andrew, take care all…
I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, well except Putin perhaps, the bad variant if it’s him…
As I was saying about Martinelli 😀
About time we scored 3 in the league!
More sloppy play giving them there second
5 minutes! Why do we do it?
And breathe….
Big three points.
Andrew hope this win makes you feel better
👍 Geoff
Boy we tried our best to loose that one let’s hope Man U get smashed we need the goal difference now
Top teams know how to close games out but we just keep going forward and leave things open and get caught . Defence was all over the place from their first disallowed goal both White and Gabriel had dodgy moments as did Ramsdale and what can you say about Cedric.
Still it’s 3 points and we rode our luck at times . Onwards and upwards.
De Bruyne masterclass!! Spot on.. table looking good
Andrew. Hope you and your wife get over the COVID quickly.
Watching Arsenal after a heavy lunch is not good for my ticker. We do make it hard for ourselves.
Three super goals though. Total class!.
Women win!
Man U stuffed. The day gets better and better
Get well soon Andrew and Mrs Andrew of course.
Excellent result at The Etihad.
Evening Rico and all.
I’m 43 today, and I humbly accept the presents from both Arsenal and Manchester City.
I’m a bit frustrated for Cedric keeps staying the best player in our back 4+1, but with such a creative and efficient front 4 I cannot really complain. Odegaard is my signing of the season. Lacazette showed that you can be a class forward even without scoring goals. I hope he stays.
Many Happy Returns Peter, your 40’s are good years, experience and energy, enjoy them.
Nice result at the Etihad, now if Frank Lampard can do us a favour tomorrow it really will begin to look promising. Still a lot of twists and turns to manoeuvre not least Riley looking to sabotage our prospects but it’s down to us, staying fit and getting the rub of the green.
Happy Birthday, Pbarany!
Thank you brother Kev.
My best wishes to Everton, but even without that match we have played the same amount of games with Tottenham so far, and we are 6 point and 9 goal difference ahead. I’m not saying that’s a comfortable cushion 13 rounds before the end of the season, but I never expected this after the first 3 rounds of the campaign, so I take it with a smile.
What was the last time our first squad, both academy teams and Arsenal Women all won their games on the same weekend? Maybe I should have birthdays more often. 🙂
How are things in the home of the Magyars, has the war impacted on you to an increasing degree as of yet as you border Ukraine (even if it was once Austro-Hungaria) are the EU helping out?
Thanks rico, Kev, Geoff, Adam, Cicero, had to be our turn eventually I guess!
If we play like this next 2 matches it could be costly but for now let’s just enjoy it.
Great assist by Arteta leading to a very nice goal.
Morning Pbarany, belated happy birthday to you. Hope your day was as good away from Arsenal, as it was for them.
I expect that a rule will be enforced to make sure that manager’s are not allowed to touch the ball.
P Barany happy 43rd birthday even if it’s belated , still I had mine in 1989 so a good year then for Arsenal and me hopefully something good will happen for you . The war is even closer to you than us , we all send our best wishes and hope that a humanitarian solution can be found.
Well said Potter, and found soon.
New post up now.