I switched on my television and there it was, Bodo Glimt 3-1 Man City and to be honest, Bodo looked well worth their win whereas City by comparison looked worn out. The fall off in recent games from the Eastlands Mob is quite astonishing.
But it really is as easy as that to lose your form and your confidence, it goes so so quickly, especially after a few injuries and negative results, both mentally and physically. We Arsenal supporters should know only too well because it’s happened to us a few times in the last three seasons so Arteta was taking no chances in our match.
Never mind the online pundits and experts suggesting that Mikel should pick a team similar to the one he selected for Portsmouth, maybe going even more with the yoot. No Mikel went his own way thankfully with a very strong starting XI, resting ‘regulars’ like Odegaard, Gyokeres, Rice and Gabriel but bringing in some top top talents. Ethan Nwaneri, despite the rumours, was on the bench.
Arsenal came out of the blocks like a team possessed and almost scored within 90 seconds when Jesus got free but his shot was blocked. The red shirts swarmed forward and Saka came close on 4 minutes. Arsenal were imperious during these opening minutes although Inter had the odd turnover which was a warning. Then on 10 minutes following another impressive spell of Arsenal dominance, Myles on the edge of the area found Jurrien Timber charging into the box, the Dutchman misdirected his shot, straight to Jesus who carefully turned it home for the opening goal. The man who belongs to Jesus was all smiles as he usually is.
Up until then it had been almost all Arsenal and memories of that 1-5 Thierry Henry inspired thrashing many years ago came flooding into the memory bank. But then Arsenal got sloppy and Inter got tighter and the Gunners didn’t heed the warning signs. One such turnover on 18 minutes led to an Inter break and they broke quickly and in numbers. Arsenal defenders made a few great and sometimes desperate blocks but eventually an equaliser was steered home and it was game on. Eze almost responded a minute later but he put his shot wide.
On 27 minutes with Arsenal pushing forward again in numbers, with Jesus in a great position, but a slack pass and Inter were again down the other end where an outnumbered Mosquera held his ground and forced Thurman wide where he blasted his shot over the bar.
It was quite a see-saw game for periods and then on 31 minutes a Saka corner was driven to the far post where Leo did exceptionally well to not just stop the ball going out of play but to head it back into the danger area and via the bar where it found Jesus who calmly headed home.
On 36 Saka burst into the box but narrowly fired wide. It was a great entertaining game and the referee was excellent, such a change from the dogmatic Premier League.
Inter still posed a threat and with Arsenal trying to manage the game, Zubimendi of all people gave away soft possession. Forward flooded Inter but their strikers shot went wide. The Italians were looking really dangerous on the break and often only some last ditch defending kept them at arms length. Another attempt at Arsenal game management broke down via Eze on 42 and again the blue shirts piled forward but great goalkeeping by Raya saved the day. A minute later it happened again, a slack pass and the blue shirts were in, but again Raya saved well. An entertaining if anxious half ended with the score at 1-2.
Inter came out flying and the ball fizzed across the Arsenal penalty area in the opening minute, it was eventually cleared. On 50 minutes Arsenal broke and following some slick passing Trossard found himself in on goal but he hesitated for a second and the chance was blocked, with Jesus unmarked. The match was finely balanced. On 53 some great covering from Myles saved the day as Inter again threatened. Saka did some great work 3 minutes later and he crossed to Trossard on the far post but Leo thumped his shot just wide – that was so close.
Around the hour mark a diagonal cross into the Arsenal penalty area found Mosquera too tight on Thuram , the big French centre forward spun Christian and shot powerfully on goal but Raya held his shot. Arsenal came back again and after some sustained pressure Jesus slipped Saka into the danger area, but again a seconds hesitation and the chance was blocked.
A couple of minutes later Arteta acted. Off went the disappointed and disappointing Eze for Rice and Timber was sensibly withdraw for White. On 67 minutes Mosquera got too tight again and was turned again with the Inter forward firing just wide. It was a difficult game for our young Colombian-Spaniard defender but it was also a great education for him and despite his inexperience at this level he was doing ok.
The clock was ticking down and Inter needed a result, but after 75 minutes Arteta sent on Gyokeres for Jesus and Gabriel for Mosquera to close things out and then on 79 Martinelli for Trossard to add a bit of pace as Inter became increasingly desperate.
After two successive CL defeats Inter threw caution to the wind and they upped the pressure again eventually forcing a corner. Fortunately it was cleared to Martinelli who carried it a few strides before he spotted Viktor streaking into the Inter half. Gabby struck a fabulous 40 yards pass with the outside of his boot and the ball arched and curved into the stride of our center-forward. Viktor took the ball well and pushed it forward to Saka who had sprinted past him but the ball rebounded from Saka back to the big Swede who simply adjusted his shape and drove a long shot into the net past the desperate hands of the goalkeeper, who actually got a slight touch on the ball.
That was the killer.
From then on the Intensity from Inter fell away and Gyokeres almost got a second, but he lifted his shot well over the bar on the 90 minute mark. A minute later Viktor did more great hold up work to put Gabby in but it got cleared. On 93 Gabby held up the ball and won a free kick which was taken and then the referee finally blew for time.
A great result which barring a calamity means that Arsenal will finish top of the Champions League table. The enormity of that achievement shouldn’t be overlooked, but I dare say that in some quarters it will be!
Merino and Rice received yellows which means they’re suspended for the next, ‘dead’ rubber game where I expect this time to see Arteta actually play his ‘Portsmouth’ team – mind you some Luddites will probably find fault with that.
For the rest of us on HH…
We march on…
By Kev
If we beat Kairat and stay top of the league we will earn over £100 million . So far we have £ 98 .63 and another win is a further £ 1.80 million. We also have the advantage of getting second legs at home in the knock out stages , so I am not unduly surprised at the team selection it needed to rest some but be enough to win the game .
Should be £ 98.63 million.
Wow, that’s incredible money. Two players 😂
Good report Kev, morning all. I think Arteta got it just right, half the team changed, and rotations giving key players a little rest. Except Zubi, but maybe health figures show him keeping levels up. Feel for Norgaard, only seems to get time out of position. But team comes first, and can’t criticise Arteta when you see our positions in the tables. Inter top in Italy and to do that with half team changed shows just how good our squad is. Great strike from Gyokeres, and still Havertz to fully return. Oh and City😆
Morning Kev, all.
Good post Kev. Thank you.
Thoroughly enjoyed the game. Two sides wanting to win with a referee who let the game flow. A game not for the purists no doubt, but I’m not fussed about that. lol
Pleased for Jesus and Viktor, and what a ball from Martinelli 👏
Great game, great write-up, thanks Kev and good morning all.
That prize money will help to keep P S R at bay. Some can be used to sign Piero Incapie when his loan expires in the summer, perhaps a genuine right back too.
Morning Gooners, thanks for the positive responses chaps, that’s an amazing amount of money, it certainly puts any concerns about PSR back in its box.
Morning Rico, yeah I thought that Martinelli was totally switched on to getting quick ball to Viktor. Now for Man United because we need to get back to winning ways in the Prem.
Agree Kev, I wonder if Utd will sit back or have a go at us.
At first I was miffed at Arteta’s line up as we all know that Inter Milan can be a hard team to play in the Champs League. Just shows when they all put their minds to it what a great team Arsenal are. Great game, great result. Praises all around especially for keeping the momentum going through out the entire match. Ok a few silly mistakes made, but hopefully lessons learnt.
Yeah Rico, coming to the Emirates is going to be a totally different scenario to playing your city rivals at OT, there they their own home crowd pushing them on, this time it’ll be the opposite.
I’ve no doubt that Arteta and his assistants will have studied how Carrick set up and how he approached the game, our style being similar to City’s. I’d imagine that Carrick will take some ideas from yesterday’s game and how Inter broke on us and caused us some problems. Timber at left-back vs United’s rapid right winger might be one change, Odegaard coming back fresh, Gyokeres coming back fresh, ditto Rice and Big Gabby. It’s going to be an intriguing match up with Sky Sports 100% behind United.
Of course everyone will be expecting City to steamroller Wolves at Eastlands beforehand, you know just as Arsenal steamrollered Wolves at the Emirates!
Yeah, Wolves getting a result at Eastlands, surely not?
I wonder if either or both Hincapie and Calafiori will be available?
I wouldn’t worry about little mistakes, not when changes are made.
Absolutely Kev, the media were raving about Utd but a half decent ref would have sent Dalot off, plus, City were poor apparently.
Bit like those raving over Totts win over Dortmund but miss out the key part about the German club playing 60 mins with ten men.
Wolves have a chance of getting something from the game I think. If they believe in themselves.
Eze or Odegaard on Sunday?
No contest Rico, Odegaard every time.
I guessed Cicero. lol
Big bonus from finishing in top two apart from knockout 2nd legs at home. That after every CL away leg now, we will follow up with a home League match, so no travel. Good news for Premier chances.
Also canny play by both Merino and Rice I felt, deliberately getting a soft booking to allow a week off before Leeds away😆. And clearing the way forward re bookings in CL.
I would have kept Nwaneri till after Kasakhstan champions next week, then let him go.
Odegaard needed someone to put him under pressure and I am afraid that so far Eze is not that man.
Despite Jesus getting his brace last night the goal from big Vik highlighted a lesson for all to learn , if you play through the middle and play with speed he is dangerous .
When we go with the usual slow build up things get too congested and he is not so effective . He is suited to a long ball game with balls from the defence rather than trying to slip him in from 5 yards .
I had hoped that Eze was going to be his supplier and in another system Odegaard with Saka the slow build up works only until it doesn’t.
It’s then you head for plan 2 .
It’s easy after last night to say that Vik and Martinelli should be together but both thrive on the same quick ball , the difficulty is finding the player at the back that can play it without over hitting and getting Saka , Trossard and Madueke to release the ball earlier rather than making a bee line for the goal line.
Most teams we play use the ” low block ” in modern parlance , it used to be called a retreating defence and the best way to get through it is as the defence is in fact retreating , which means playing it quickly .
That’s the lesson from last night , it remains to be seen if our coaching team heeds it .
Agree re the bookings, very wise move..
Speed, width and running at the defence. Words which have been written on here many times. The quick thinking of Martinelli is something we should have done and should do a lot more often. The slow crab like football is so easy to defend against.. imo of course..
Good evening Rico and all
Good to read such a match report. well done my friend. and I refrain from reading others but just wait for yours.
Rico….Speed, width and running at the defence. yes we should do that more often. however, for us to do that teams have to come out to play not stay in the 6 yard box. If they defend deeply speed is useless. Only width might have a bearing and certainly impossible to run at the defence if they are standing shoulder to shoulder.
If only we had Lampard with this team. He used to shoot from anywhere….a deflection can prove to be great if it goes in. If we dont shoot nothing goes in
Great game yesterday. Fingers crossed Man Utd come out to play.
Cheers Dev
Seems as if some other clubs are in for Nwaneri, I hope he goes to Marseilles.
Afternoon Devil, not always as what about when we break up an attack? Fresh in my mind still is the sight of Vieira winning the ball in our box and the next second we were in the opposition box. IMO, we look for safe pass a bit too often. Usually because the movement ahead is non existent.
I was actually impressed by Eze,he always looks to move the ball forward quickly. Our first goal wouldn’t have happened without his contribution. As far as Sunday goes it’s Odegaard for me though.
A bit of sadness about Nwaneri,but loan spells in France worked for Saliba.
With regards Odegaard against United I am all in favour…..provided that they come out to play instead of sitting in the six yard box.
But if he cant make headway it should be Eze who can shoot from outside the box as well.
I would begin with Martinelli as well
Calafiori should be ok for United according to reports.
That’s what I like about Eze Limey, his first thought is forwards. I know he’s not at his best yet though.