Rico is as they say, down Balls Pond Road, Tom and Dick, so I am stepping into the breach, get well soon Rico.
When you spend a small fortune on eight new players for the senior squad you of course add depth, unfortunately you also take away opportunities for younger players in this competition and that was the case at Port Vale yesterday evening.
Arteta has to play those senior players badly in need of minutes not least because he’s going to need them all this season as our injury curse continues to bite. Hincapie became the latest to succumb to the curse which is a shame as he almost certainly would have started this game.
Port Vale play quite a physical, industrial style so we needed a strong referee and to be honest he was pretty good. Vale currently sit 19th in League One after 9 games one point above the drop zone. They’ve scored 8 goals and conceded 10 in those 9 games but have lost 5 in the league so they shouldn’t have represented too much of a problem and after 45 minutes they had not.
After some early enthusiastic effort Vale settled into their 5 4 1 system and looked to hit us on the break. From the 5th minute Arsenal pretty much spent the next 30 minutes in the Vale half, on the 7th minute a slick move between Martinelli and Myles set up Eze who calmly slid the ball home for his first Arsenal goal. From then on it was pretty much all Arsenal domination but no real penetration as the final ball again lacked accuracy. Eze almost doubled his total but his shot lacked a bit of zip and was too close to the Vale keeper who saved well.
Around the 40th minute there was a Vale revival and a goal mouth scramble following a corner, but the Gunners saw it out to half time.
I can only imagine that the Port Vale manager gave his boys a chest thumping chat during the break because a different Vale came out in the 2nd half, they chased and pressed as good as anything we’ve seen this season and Arsenal found themselves slipping into safety first possession mode. I felt that we needed that 2nd goal in the first half when we were on top, but again a worrying lack of ruthlessness left the game in the balance.
On the 50th minute Saka went in for a 50/50 and went down after having his foot stamped on, we all held our breath for Sunday but he got up. 10 minutes later Dowman replaced him but even he couldn’t make any impact after a couple of runs. A Nordgaard throw to White was blasted well over the bar but at least Ben had a shot then on 70th minute Gyokeres came on for Merino and Big Gabby replaced White. Arteta was keeping them all ticking over but Vale stuck to their guns and Arsenal flattered to deceive. 72nd minute Myles sent a beautiful long pass up the wing for Martinelli, Gyokeres pealed off into the box but Martinelli hesitated making the cross and the defender got his challenge in.
74 minutes and 76 minutes it was time for Fred Karno’s Army defending as first Mosquera and then Kepa gave away poor possession but Vale lacked the guile to take advantage thankfully, so for all our attacking issues our defence remains resolute.
Around the 78th minute Dowman and then Gyokeres got shots off but they were blocked then on the 80th Trossard came on for Martinelli and Rice came on for Eze, five minutes later Saliba lifted a long pass to Trossard who skilfully controlled the ball and scored, maybe a few more long balls was the answer all along but I’ll take the 2-0.
The 93rd minute saw Dowman try a shot, then Nwaneri followed suit but that was that, job done and onto the draw. Arsenal vs Brighton, a home draw is all you can ask for but the Seagulls won’t be easy.
By Kev.
Goood morning Kev. Well done a good account of what occurred.
My summary of the game as a whole….pedestrian. Result never in doubt but just no sparkle apart from Eze’s goal which I think was a thing of beauty. The rest of the game was Arsenal’s version of ‘crab’ football!
Plus ça change…….
Well done Kev for stepping up. No disrespect intended but I hope Rico is soon well enough to continue with her excellent posts. 😉
Get well soon rico. Good report Kev, rarely do we have a win with so little controversy, job done. Did seem a better referee than we used to, see it’s Gillett again Saturday who, so far this season, hasnt stuck the knife in like previous years. How long before we get a howler?
Cheers Wavy, I guess a pedestrian win is better than Vale making it a nerve jangled 90 minutes.
No offence taken Cicero and I do agree of course. 😀
Yes Andrew, Mr Gillett hasn’t finished with us yet and the pressure on him at St James’s will be huge.
Regardless of the continuing negativity generated by the Overlap mob and other notable sheep the decisions of footballers themselves often tells you more accurately where your team is and how it is perceived inside the industry.
With that in mind I’m sure that the sheep will be devastated to see that William Saliba has agreed a new 5 year contract up until 2030.
Only Bakayo to go now?
Good report Kev. I know its just one game, but what yesterday’s game made me realized, is that selection by Arteta may not be the problem, but players mentality. There were ample attackers on the field, but the same 1000 passes side to side and 2000 passes backwards.
Good afternoon Lady and gentlemen
GWS Rico.
Good report Kev.
2-0 to the good guys. A clean sheet. No injuries. Many players who were itching for a game got it. First goal for the prodigal son who was shown the door and came back. Into the next round. So why so many on the Arsenal blogosphere are commenting negatively on yesterday? Did they expect us to win 10-0?? 1k sideways passes?? Yes killing time by making the ball do the work by being passed around. That way our players dont get tackled (meaning no injuries) and wearing out the PV players who have to run around chasing shadows. They only had what, one shot on target in the entire game? Arsenal controlled possession, having around 80%.
In such a game the only thing that matters is that we are in the hat. Do I care if we remain boring for the remaining rounds and end up winning the Carabao cup?? Even if we win the next games on pens or just 1-0. I dont care.
tbh, I get irritated when I realise that we can maul teams by 5-8 goals and win only by a one or just two goal margin. However, when I realise that in such a game 1-0, 2-0 or 10-0 mean just the same, no goal difference at end of season, then winning like yesterday is just great. Its a win. that’s all.
Had it been the EP league then yes, I would gladly maul first and murder teams later, especially those who had the audacity to injure our players or lose us the league by being malicious or dirty. But this was just a one off game. the most imp things were to get into the next round, no injuries and players not getting tired. Plus the fact that if we keep pummelling them the chances are that some of their players will injure one of our own out of spite.
So a good win without getting out of 1st gear.
I have watched and re watched Eze’s goal multiple times, and feel that the assist was not done by MLS but by Martinelli. MLS just feinted the foot but viewing it from multiple angles I have always come to the same conclusion….MLS never touched the ball but just twirled it around the ball illuding the defender into thinking he was going for the ball.
Thanks Obi, yes the players need to take on the responsibility of what they do, I saw Eze knock the ball to Myles then go forward for the return which never came. Dowman was always looking to progress the ball and his chipped pass to Gyorkeres is exactly what Viktor needs.
Former Arsenal striker, Billy Vigar has passed away following a significant brain injury after being placed into an induced coma earlier this week.
The injury was caused when he collided with a concrete wall during a match.
Devastating news.
May he rest in peace
https://share.google/zC3pGmXci9zlkMr0w
Billy Vigar, 22, ex-Arsenal scholar passes away after accident – see above
Good morning
Not much happening in the World of Arsenal this morning. Hopefully things will liven up a bit tomorrow.
Wow, things suddenly woke up.
I hope that’s not fake news re Saliba Kev, nothing on the club website.
It sound like a freak accident, but RIP Billy Vigar
Gell well soon Rico
D G, my wife and I have just heard that a cruise we had booked for November has been cancelled due to the ongoing war in the middle east, so we are thinking of Malta perhaps in October. What’s the weather likely to be?
Hi Cicero. October is usually good to mild. A bit of rain here and there, the sun playing hide and seek….blazing one moment, behind clouds the next. It will be fall so the colours in fields, valleys etc will be splendid. Sea will still be a bit warm if you want to have a dip.
Gozo will be awesome as well.
Fingers crossed you enjoy yourself.
Afternoon Gooners, good comments yesterday Dev, why any Arsenal fan watches the Overlap mystifies me?
Cicero, the story originated from Mr Reliable David Ornstein so I reckon we can take it as read.
Thanks D G, that sounds good we will start looking for accommodation.
RIP Billy Vigar,just 21,tragic.
Morning Gooners, no Arsenal again today, but there’s some really interesting fixtures to look forward to, starting off with Brentford vs Man U, that’s going to be a tricky 90 minutes for Amorim’s boys, Chelsea vs Brighton could be the spin of a coin game because you just never know which team is going to turn up?
Of course we’re going to be fixated on Selhurst Park and the Eagles, can they do us a favour? It’s the kind of match that can trip up those lucky from benefit land. We can but hope…
Then there’s Zinchenko vs Xhaka and ReissNelson is he going to increase their value?
Finally Shrewsbury vs MK Dons if you fancy delving into the lower reaches to see how Kabia is getting on, yep, plenty to satisfy your football fix, that is of course if you can’t avoid being taken shopping by the guv’nor…
Morning Kev, guys from a Covid ridden home in the south…
There’s a new post up now, a good one too as Kev has written it…
Not good news that Potter sacked by West ham -I was hoping he would last for another week,and apparently Nuno will be the new man,and he has got the better of Arteta more than once. He might be out of luck this time.