Daily Bits and Bobs

Saka reacts post match, Rice delivers special ending.

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

What a game of football that was, it had everything. Luton were tough, physically tough and the referee wasn’t in any hurry to stamp any nastiness out.  Arsenal were denied a certain penalty when Gabriel had his shirt almost tugged off his back although I didn’t think the second one was anything other than Gabriel Jesus making a big deal out of nothing.

The game really did go from one end to the other, the scoreline too. At 3-3, I thought we’d have to settle for a point but no, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice had other ideas. The latter with the winning goal.

David Raya had another shocker only this time he didn’t go close to conceding a goal, he messed up in style, twice. The second time being the worst of the two because honestly, I’d have expected a Sunday League keeper to have stopped that from going under his body. Actually, a Sunday League keeper might have shown more desire to get to the first set-piece we conceded from too. Harsh? No I don’t think so. He looked more like Fabianski at his worst or Almunia at his. Mikel Arteta might not have wanted to comment about Raya’s errors after the game, and I understand why, but if he thinks this guy is going to help us win the Premier League or Champions League, he’s not the smart thinking coach many of us perhaps believe he is.

Luton Town were brilliant I thought. They were tough admittedly but the pressed hard, challenged every ball, had energy like they were super charged before the game and never did they give up. I wouldn’t mind their front man in this Arsenal squad that’s for sure. I’ll be very surprised if they don’t avoid relegation with ease.

Enough about Luton though, Arsenal won the game in the end and despite conceding three times, no heads dropped. We went from 1-0 to 1-1, 2-1 to 2-2, 3-2 down to 3-3 and then in the final minute, the 7th of added time, Rice struck gold.

The post match interview was with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka and the latter was asked something like how good it was to win when not playing well. His reply was brilliant as he told the interviewer that Arsenal had played well and he’s right. I think the team played very well and the victory would have been easier or perhaps more convincing if Raya had produced a more convincing performance. We can look at the defending for Barkley’s goal but William Saliba did his job by pushing Barkley wide, his shooting angle narrowed which in theory should have helped Raya. Luton’s first, clearly Raya said the cross was his. It wasn’t.

As for our goals, they were good. Obviously the Rice goal will steal the headlines but they were all equally as important. Havertz goal especially at it brought the scores level within minutes of going behind. Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli’s were pleasing on the eye too. I hope Martinelli doesn’t feel any after effects from the knee into his back. If you use Twitter, have a look at the Amazon Prime page as there are some great videos on there, including one with Martinelli in with the away fans after the game. Brilliant.

As was this…..

Aston Villa next, Aaron Ramsdale in goal? I hope so.

Catch up in the comments.

 

 

rico

15 thoughts on “Saka reacts post match, Rice delivers special ending.”

  1. Pete the Thirst says:

    What a great result. Just like Brentford a few weeks back it didn’t look like the goal was coming, but Rice thought different. What a signing he is proving to be.

    The pub I was watching the game in went bananas.

    Zinchenko coming on shifted the game into Arsenal total control style. I guess he was rested for the weekend game, but he made a huge difference.

    Lots of wringing of hands focusing on the negatives from yesterday, of which there were definitely some, but I prefer to look at the positives. A 4-3 win away from home, with a last minute goal. Top of the league. Wonderful.

  5. Limey says:

    I heard about the touchline ban – ridiculous,what is he supposed to do? And when you think of the things that go unpunished,it’s just typical unfortunately.
    What a finish last night,and what a cross from Odegaard,he is back near his best.
    If Mikel was true to his word,Raya would have been substituted last night,certainly Ramsdale should be in Saturday.
    I look forward to our rivals kicking lumps out of each other,and hopefully dropping points.

  6. allezkev says:

    So, Jurgen Klopp can sprint onto the pitch, flash his million euro hampsteads and engage in all kinds of pyrotechnics and nobody bats an eyelid. Arteta celebrates a last minute winner and ‘well we can’t be having any of that’ it was almost pre-planned…

    Surely not? 🤔

    Now you wait and see, Arteta will be banned for Anfield, it’s written in the stars isn’t it?

    We’ve been on the receiving end of this kind of duplicitous treatment since George Graham’s team was docked points and it has been ever so since. But only when our team is good…

    If every other manager is treated the same then fair enough, but we know that that doesn’t and never will happen…

  10. Aussie Geoff says:

    It was great to see the team never give up and in the end luck come our way, as I said yesterday I had this feeling they would leave a boot or two in with just about every tackle, I don’t know Arteta could be banned for celebrating but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the FA fine Arsenal for it’s interchange players running on the field to celebrate the winning goal when the ref had not blown his whistle to end the match.
    Now to refocus for next week.

  11. potter says:

    Look we have to face up to it . We are public enemy number one with the Pgmol . It’s always been a petty self righteous organisation and one thing it hates is criticism especially when it’s justified . Arteta broke ranks and will be punished for having the temerity to say outloud what cowards are too scared to come out with .
    Personally I dont think that either of our shouts for penalties last night were good enough but I was sttuck by the speed at which VAR turned them down .
    I reckon it’s something we will have to live with as I don’t think they will be doing us any favours in the future .
    Rice , Rice baby !

  12. rico says:

    It was only a matter of time before Rice, Rice, baby reappeared 😂

    I agree though, the pgoml, the referees before it – all of them, they really don’t like Arsenal. Yet they jump through hoops to praise those clubs who breach the financial rules..

  13. Obi says:

    Wow, I have never seen City under so much pressure. Villa is dominating them in every phase of the game. Halland hasn’t touched the ball in the second half.

  14. Obi says:

    City outplayed. No Rodri is like Arsenal without Odegaard/ Rice. I hope Villa has a let down against Arsenal this weekend.

Leave your comment.

Discover more from Highbury House

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading