Morning all.
I’ll never understand why a footballer who takes a penalty kick doesn’t just pick his spot, run up and kick the ball. All the fancy footwork during the approach to the ball is silly, if not arrogant. I haven’t an ounce of sympathy for a player who misses because of his own antics. Bruno Fernandes ended up looking stupid yesterday lunchtime, just as Thierry Henry and Robert Pires did all those years ago.
The game itself was bitty, full of errors and at times, comical. Comical because Craig Pawson and VAR made a few decisions which went in our favour. Or perhaps, were for a change, correct. After all, even Peter Walton, BT Sports finest ex referee, agreed with them.
The stand out players for Mikel Arteta’s team were in my opinion. Mo Elneny, Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka. Xhaka’s goal, Arsenal’s third, was pretty special. I think after that, Utd knew they were done for. De Gea’s to stop Bukayo Saka’s shot from hitting the back of the net looked spectacular, what a shame for him though that Nuno Tavares was there to tuck away the loose ball, Arsenal’s opener and his first goal for the club.
Eddie Nketiah made it 2-0, yep, I thought the goal was good but just as VAR said no, they took a look at the challenge on Saka and after a peep at the pitchside monitor, Craig Pawson pointed to the penalty spot. Up stepped the same player and it was 2-0 to Arsenal. Ronaldo then did what he’s so often done during his career, and that’s score. 2-1.
After the break, Tavares did the unthinkable. Utd played the ball into the box and the young left back had his arm/hand in the wrong place. Penalty awarded and up stepped Fernandes to hit the outside of the goal post. Oh how I laughed. Ronaldo thought he’d scored the equaliser but the linesman and VAR were having none of it. Soon after, Granit unleashed a thing of beauty to put the game to bed. The ‘was Eddie in de Gea’s line of vision or not’ debate continued long after the game had ended but once more, Walton was on our side. Who said miracles seldom happen.
I don’t think Arsenal played very well at all but at this stage of the season, the injuries we have and the small squad, three points is what mattered. Totts dropping two points later in the day helped us too. Utd are now pretty much out of the race for top four, perhaps even Europa too and if Chelsea beat West Ham this afternoon, I think the only hope David Moyes has of taking his team into Europe next season is by winning the Europa Cup. Which leaves Arsenal and Totts chasing the final Champions League spot and the only guaranteed Europa League place with just five fixtures to go. Four for Utd.
Regardless of what’s written in the media, I still don’t think Arsenal are by any means, favourites to finish fourth, not we the fixtures we have left. We still have to play West Ham, Totts and Newcastle Utd away from home. Everton at Leeds are still fighting for PL survival so there’s still a lot for Arsenal to do. But what a boost it is to have Takehiro Tomiyasu back and the fans response to his return was great. How long had he been on the pitch before Ronaldo clattered into him?
The downside of the game was Bukayo picking up an injury. Fingers crossed it’s nothing serious and he’s fit for the West Ham fixture.
See you in the comments.
Morning Rico and all
Well put Rico, I said to my wife before the start of the the Man u match, The first goal is going to be very important as I can see both teams making mistakes with all the different amount of pressure on this match as both teams had so much to loose.
As for Xhaka goal was the keeper view blocked, yes partly by our player but I recon most of his view was blocked by his own team mate who was standing behind our player and slightly more to the side blocking off the keepers view but saying that I don’t think he was going to stop that anyways,
As for their penalty taker he got what he deserved for all this showing off.
Morning Geoff, all.
Agree re the Utd player although Rio wasn’t having it. Lol
Definitely a lot of nerves on both sides. Well, I hope it was just nerves.
Morning Rico. As you say, a weird game yesterday. We were a bag of nerves more or less the whole way through and I think it’s fair to say that we had some favourable VAR calls too.
Actually I can’t remember the last time I thought that. After years of trudging home after suffering awful decisions that cost us dear I won’t be wasting any energy thinking about yesterday’s good ones. I would though draw attention to the appalling Bruno Fernandes. What a complete waste of talent he has become. He spend the whole game moaning but he’s not alone in that. Each team these days seems to have the designated moaner, forever in the refs ear trying to sway things their way. I’m thinking Kane, Henderson and that Chelsea bloke who gave away the penalty the other evening. Every throw-in results in abuse of the linesman and each decision is bought up time and time again. Fernandes’ assault on Tavares richly deserved a red card as did Mc Tominay’s grinding of Gabriel’s face in some bizarre attempt to disguise what a spiteful piece of work he is. So, upon reflection it wasn’t everything that went for us and when you think of the decisions against MU that have gone against us over the years, it doesn’t come close to evening things up.
Saka received his customary opening 5 minute clattering and the tone was set from then on . I thought that pawson was on the brink of losing control a couple of times and it seems that the Aussie Jarred Gillett on VAR was acting fairly evenly and although he could have called Pawson to look at the Fernandes late studs up challenge ( assault ) I reckon he was either erring with caution or maybe had received a word in his ear .
Still we got the points and Tottering didn’t so alls well that ends well
Not bad on Shakespeares birthday.
Did any one see the interview after the match with Tony Adams and a ex Man u player complaining about Arteta getting the Arsenals fans going next to the ref who was checking the monitor
Afternoon Adam. McTominay really is a thug isn’t he, in a team full of cheats.
Did you read Scholes comments about Arteta? What a Pratt he is, with a very short memory.
Agree re Fernandes, he’s a bit like Mane, gets away with the dirty stuff.
Rico I think Scholes is the one that was with Tony Adams and they were both saying it was of Arteta to get the fans involved when ref checked var monitor
Agree with you about Mc Tominay
Good Afternoon Rico and all.
Nice post Rico. Couldnt comment yesterday because I saw a replay of the game….as couldnt watch it due to the usual reasons.
However, we got a good result and that is what matters. I said it last time and today will add to it…..if GG (and am adding Mourinho in his prime Chelsea days) had this team they would have around 12-15 more points in the EPL. That would put us third with a small hope of catching the top two. But clear enough of Chelsea. Both of the above are more pragmatic in their approach and while its not pleasing to the eye at least we get the points. This season we lost 5 points to Brighton, 5 points to CP 3 points to Southampton and Brentford and got beaten by only Ronaldo in the first round game against Man Utd. Otherwise losing to Liverpool and City is no disgrace as both are miles ahead.
The team is settling in again to the personnel playing now. While I agree that Nketiah is proving to be more mobile than Laca and is atm better, however I feel that he needs to upgrade his game even more to be first choice. Yes he does need to be starting more games however if Arsenal get Jesus and Abraham (as per NN) I doubt he will get a look in because with these two or any other striker Arsenal buy, plus Saka and MArtinelli for the other positions there will not be many minutes left to play.
I am surprised that Arteta did not use him more especially as he sees him during training. Likewise Elneny.
AND IF ANYONE FEELS DOWN AND DEPRESSED ABOUT HOW OUR CLUB OPERATES, REMEMBER THAT…….
Chelsea bought Lukaku twice, once for 95 million……and he flopped both times.
…..WHILE….
MAn Utd buying Paul Pogba, letting him leave on a free transfer, buying him back for £90m, flopping and booed by his own fans and to then lose him again on a free transfer is the worst piece of transfer business in history.
Nothing comes close to that.
No. Nketiah does not have any interference in the. goal, for 2 reasons:
a) The goalkeeper is poorly placed and because he is poorly placed, he has players in his vision;
b) the direction of the shot, as can be easily seen in a sequence of images focusing on the goal from behind, is perfectly straight towards the goal, not interfering with anything or anyone in its trajectory.
It is the latter that has to be evaluated.
It’s no different than Utd players surrounding the ref Geoff, quite aggressively at times.
Afternoon Devil, thanks.
Until the injuries to Tierney, Partey and Tomiyasu, our defence wasn’t to shabby.
I am happy with our defence as it is. But we need solid backups to them. Atm Holding is a solid back up to Gabriel and White…..we still need another central defender and if Holding leaves then we need two. Tavarez is ok but I feel he is better as a winger than as a defender. Soares does fluff his lines and sometimes does not concentrate well on his job. So yes, the first choice defenders are good….but we still need better bodies as backup. It depends on whether Arteta decides that Norton Chuffy is ready or not.
Partey is a big presence in midfield…..but on the last two showings I do wonder why Arteta hasnt used Elneny more to rest PArtey now and then. Why now when PArtey was injured? And after putting out Sambi Lokonga? SL needs to be given time to adapt, in the meantime Elneny had more experience.
We’ve got Saliba and Ballard coming back.
Midfield and up front should be the area to target this summer imo.
Chelsea down to ten in the WSL v Totts. Door might be opening for Arsenal’s women to nick the title.
you are right Rico….we need bodies in midfield and up front mainly, however it all depends on whether Arteta fancies Saliba and Ballard. If he does than yes…..we might need only a RB who is better than Soares.
if the reports on various sites are to be believed…..Jesus – £30m, Gakpo – £30m, Aouar – £25m. That means an outlay of &85 million on these three and there would still be plenty of cash in the bank for maybe another midfielder and new backup RB
Rico that’s why I don’t understand Tony Adam and scholes getting upset with Arteta. I didn’t know any better I would say Tony was hoping we lost.
Can’t say I believe any of the rumours Devil. It’s usually all poppycock.
Adams would never want to see us lose Geoff..
West ham loose after there cm pulisic gets straight red card
Good result for us, possibly means Moyes will be focused on Europa when we play them.
Good post, Rico.
Unfortunately Chelsea ladies managed to score 2 more with 10 (wo)men, so still favorite to win the title, however their 3 remaining games are slightly tougher than ours.
As far as your headline goes Rico, three point is much more valuable than some pretty football. Having said that we actually did play some good football as demonstrated by the three very different goals that we scored. The first was a poacher’s goal,from an unlikely source, our left back who had kept up with a pretty rapid attack and was able to profit from Saka’s brilliant scoring attempt which de Gea could only parry into his path. The second a cool, calm penalty by Saka. While the third was a super long range effort, from Xhaka, that had the pace and accuracy of an Exocet missile. One from a defender, one from a striker and one from a midfielder.
Yes there were some nervous moments, some dodgy and inaccurate passing and a lapse or two in defending but in the circumstances those are things to be expected of a young side playing against some famous names in a very important game where winning three points was vital.
We still have a fight on our hands for the Top Four Trophy, but the outcome is in our own hands and after the first four games of the season which of us would have predicted that.
Hi Pbarany, I saw that too. Annoying as it was.
Cicero, I appreciate the goals and how they came about and I do think we are more dangerous with Eddie up front. His pace is more of a threat which is probably why Maguire was left out of the team. Either that or to protect him from the idiots who think threatening his life is a good thing to do.
New post up