Morning all.
Firstly, I thought the Arsenal fans were fantastic yesterday from start to finish and beyond to the post match interviews.
Secondly, it’s easy for the Sky Sports pundits to say that Totts were rubbish etc, and suggest Arsenal won’t play a worse team performance again this season but simply put, they couldn’t live with Arsenal’s football in the first half. The passing was swift and accurate and our guys wanted to get to the ball quicker. In other words, there’s no way anyone should take away anything from Arsenal.
Just a few weeks ago, Arsenal were bottom of the table whilst Nuno’s lot were top. Of course we knew neither would last and we were right. We’ve gone up and they’ve gone down. Just as it should be!
The one change Mikel Arteta made was no more than most of us expected and that was the return of Granit Xhaka. I wasn’t surprised it was Pepe who made way. Credit where it’s due, Xhaka had a good game. He had one moment of madness but Craig Pawson was clearly in a generous mood as his cards stayed in his pocket.
Emile Smith Rowe started The Arsenal ball rolling, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang carried it on and then Bukayo Saka finished the opposition off. Aubameyang might have had a second if he’d have controlled a wonderful ball from Xhaka better than he did but his touch was heavy and the chance was gone.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ97S7uYfz4
Emile Smith Rowe said it was the best day Of his life. That’s because he’s an Arsenal man through and through. Beating the old enemy and scoring one of the goals whilst playing really well – it doesn’t get any better does it?
1-0 – Odegaard set off in our own half and played the ball to Saka on the right. He breezed past Reguilon and played a cross into space in the box. Smith Rowe by this time had arrived at the perfect time to side foot the ball passed Lloris.
2-0 – Ramsdale’s only blip in the game. Spared by Xhaka whose determination kept Hojbjerg from taking control of the ball just outside our own box. His quick turn and pass, yes, quick turn and pass, saw us breakaway once more. An exchange of passes between Aubameyang and Smith Rowe ended with our captain scoring a fine goal with his left foot. Scuffed slightly perhaps but who cares. Lloris could do nothing.
3-0 – Kane lost possession outside Arsenal’s penalty area and off the team in red went again through Xhaka and Partey. Kane had got back, put a challenge on Saka in the box but our man jumped on the free ball to slid it past Lloris.
Toots were marginally better in the second half, or Arsenal had taken their foot off the gas a bit. The latter I think but we still had chances to increase the lead. Toots had a few chances of their own too. Ramsdale made a good save from Kane, with Tomiyasu Takehiro clearing the parried ball and then Kane clipped the ball over our keeper only to see it go wide. Son did manage to pull one back which no doubt kicked off the nerves in many Arsenal fans but when Ramsdale made an outstanding save towards the end, it was clearly Arsenal’s day.
We’ve all been calling for a big performance from Aubameyang and I think we got one. Xhaka needed to be disciplined and in the main he was. Smith Rowe and Saka were fantastic. To be fair, I thought the whole team were good from start to finish. Even the subs. The attitude was spot on, the commitment too. As said, the first half performance was very very good but it’s a shame we couldn’t add a couple more goals to the score line. It would have been no more than Arsenal deserved. Toots too!
If there was any doubt as to whether Mikel Arteta cares for our club, that doubt should be put to bed now. His celebration after each goal went in spoke volumes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Arsenal manager celebrate like it.
I know, it’s just one game and three more points but there was a lot on show yesterday to suggest Arsenal really could be on the rise. Yes, there will be blips I’m sure but in my humble opinion, there’s a reason to be optimistic. Very optimistic.
Lastly, well done to the women too as they thrashed Man City 5-0.
See you in the comments.
It was one of the most terrific first performances during the Arteta era… tougher tests await the team..
Blimey Kyalo, you were quick. Lol
45 minutes of superb stuff from Arsenal.
Morning Rico. It all came together nicely yesterday with excellent performances from every player. I was happy for Mikel too and it obviously meant a lot to him. He was quite emotional during his interview.
Morning Adam. Didn’t it just. Some really nice football during the first halt especially. When the tippy tappy stuff gets binned, we look so much better.
@rico, your post came at the right time when I’m already glued to my device.. anyway, yesterday first half performance was reminiscent of the the better Arsene Wenger’s days..
Smith-Rowe’s movement almost resembles Ozil’s artistry, such an incredible talent!
‘morning all and thanks for the post Rico. I’ve still got that warm and fuzzy feeling from watching a great Arsenal performance, even though it’s p*****g down here in Norfolk.
I may have missed it during the commentary, but the guy sitting next to Thierry Henry was Daniel EK. Taking a butchers at his next big buy?
Morning Rico.. What a performance, what an atmosphere! The place was rocking!
One of the best games I’ve ever been to. I was really pleased for our scorers; especially Auba and loved his Henry celebration. The whole team deserve a shout out, they were brilliant. If they all put a shift like that in every week we’re in for a treat!
Was nice seeing Kane thoroughly miserable and the chanting – oh I loved it – my voice went 😄
Well done to the men and women! Ooh to be a gooner 👍
Poor old Nuno didn’t know who to blame for his teams nightmare showing. First off he blamed himself, for picking the wrong team, then he blamed the players for not following his instructions, then the ref for not giving Kane a penalty but failed to identify the real culprit, Daniel Levy who appointed the wrong coach. 😉
Morning all.
Rico, an excellent summary of what was an unbelievably good performance. The first half reminded me of some of the Arsenal goals scored during the early noughties. Exceptional stuff and the whole team were at it. Not a poor performance to be seen. Absolutely brilliant. If that level of football can be delivered consistently between now and the end of the season then a top four finish may not be as impossible as it may have seemed after the first three appalling games!
Long may this continue. A fine performance. A great result. And so much promise for the future. The ‘project’ seems to be gelling nicely or so it would seem.
Wish they’ll transfer the same winning mentality on future games
Morning Cicero, Sue.
We can but hope re Eck. Great to see Henry and him together, smiling too.
Sue, excellent to hear that re the atmosphere in the stadium. I know it’s always noisy for a NLD but even so…
😀 Cicero
Thanks Wavy. Even the second half was smart too. Disappointed to let Son get one but defensively, I thought we’d showed character.
Absolutely agree, push on from now, by beating Brighton.
People are comparing Smith Rowe to everybody from Ozil to Rosicky but to me he is Merson reincarnate except more 2 footed .
The runs , the speed breaking forward , the directness and positional awareness defensively as well as attacking and the eye for goal.
If he maintains his progress as I think he will, we are looking at a star player for years to come.
Hi all,
I must put my hand up, I was expecting the bottled performance and they totally proved me wrong. What a team performance and everyone was working for it.
Next we might face top. Hahaha unbelievable that it’s Brighton.
I think he could end up better than Saka and I reckon he’s a star.
Should we compare though?
I just think he’s brilliant, Saka too. I hope the others coming through the academy can see that if they work hard, they too can have a great future at Arsenal.
Fair call.
Nice to be pleasantly surprised Brad. Lol
Scott, I don’t think it’s about who will be better out of the two. They are different kind of players.
Potter, like Merson…..but sober. 😉
https://twitter.com/IanWright0/status/1442167842342948864?s=20
Worth watching!
Morning Rico and All
I said a while ago as did other’s that we will get a better chance at judging Arteta when he gets a fully fit team and against Toots he had no excuse and Thankfully all the players put in which is great.
Now Arteta has a better idea of who can play were and who work together best he now has no excuse if we don’t continue.
The best thing about Saka and ESR is how they work and understand each other. and the way Ramsdale encourages the backline player and tries to lift the crowd can only be seen a positive.
Hoddle’s face is a picture…
Afternoon all, lovely report rico. Just relived it on motd2. Can’t have enough of a performance like that after our seasons start. My son and partner showed me videos they took during the match and the sound really was deafening around them, a great atmosphere.
One thing I didn’t understand re the sour Souness comments on Sky, something along the lines of ‘Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame Arsenal, because WE will be back’, alongside Ledley. Few minutes later he again said WE, I had to rewind to check! Is he connected in any way with Spurs, or did he just mean We Arsenal haters?
Morning Geoff, agreed. The bar has been set, certainly as far as the players commitment goes.
>> the way Ramsdale encourages the backline player
He was absolutely berating and screaming at them a few times as well, along with Partey, after a mistake, great to see!
Makes you realise how passive Leno is.
Andrew, Graeme Souness was an academy player at Tottenham before leaving to join Middlesbrough.
Love the Ian Wright/Glen Hoddle video, it did make me chuckle.
I know that comparisons can be made with Emery’s finest hour after we spanked the Spuds 4-2 a couple of years ago, but this squad is different and I think that the Emirates supporters and the away supporters are picking up on that.
The OTT criticism from on line, radio and TV media has I think had the reverse effect in that the supporters have kind of surrounded the club with the wagons and emotionally told all those on the outside to feck right off. Despite the appalling start to the season our supporters have stayed strong and stayed behind the club and that is rare but tells me what special supporters we have. They can tell when something is brewing as can those of us that have been there and worn the t shirt in the past, you just get a feeling.
I’ve not felt as optimistic about this club for about 10 years and it’s been really difficult at times defending Arteta and trying to take some positives from recent games over the last 18 months.
Credit to the supporters at the stadium and those who go away, there’s a connection growing between them and the players and Arteta and when that happens I get a little excited because it usually leads to big things.
Great post Rico, good for you Sue, I’ll be back for the Leeds game in the cup but if this carries on I’ll call in a few favours and maybe take in a few away games again. Happy days.
When Souness levered himself out of Spurs he did so under a cloud, of his own making. Subsequently there was no love lost for him when he rocked up with his new club. A lot of bad feeling at the time and I see no reason for that to have changed over the last fifty years. Apart from being a half wit he’s still the same unpleasant human being as he was as a schoolboy! Plus ca change! How he can possibly think he can now claim loyalty to the scum is truly baffling! And I’m sure those with a long memory would prefer he kept his views to himself.
What a knob.
Yesterday’s result has made a profound change to my outlook, though. From the depths of despair and thoughts of probable relegation that performance has given me and I hope most other Arsenal fans hope. Hope of much better times to come. From a point when I’d lost all hope. What a transformation!
Good afternoon Rico and all
A great match report boss. I loved reading it…..and made me relive yesterday a bit.
The best thing is going to work and not saying anything to colleagues who support the lot down the road. They were expecting me to say something….but I preferred the sound of silence. just going around with a teasing smile.
I killed them I think
I loved watching Ian Wright, I loved TA winding up the other pundits. The look on their face was pure joy. and the looks on the others…..made my day.
All of the players played their heart out……and I must congratulate Arteta for the substitiutions…….putting AMN for Saka and Tavarez for ESR killed them. It protected the flanks and also allowed the subs their little bit of playing time. Both of them did well and I loved it.
Ramsdale was superb. he has a charisma and his feelings for the club are already clear. He is an Arsenal player through and through. The fans have warmed to him and I hope that if one day he spills a clanger (may it be in twenty years time when he is playing as a reserve after a long outstanding career for the club) the fans will not be hard on him. I am blessing every penny the club spent on him. And he is my present favourite.
Tommy Yaaaaa Suuuu…..Shalin soccer is on show at the emirates. His hard work and endless running for the team shows that its not how much one is worth…..but how much that person gives on the field of play.
White….is there a better definition of Rolls royce engine?
Gabriel….immense as VVD. both he and White kept Kane in their pockets. The latter was so awful that he decided to assist Saka for the third goal.
Tierney…..solid and dependable as usual. He went about his job quietly.
Xhaka….solid and one of his best perfromances. I never saw him turn with the ball and distribute it so quickly. he defended superbly and was instrumental in breaking down some of their moves. But he was moving very close to a yellow as some of his challenges implied that he put too much into them. tbh…I was expecting a red somewhere along….and I was finding myself wishing that if he got one he would have got it very late in the game.
Partey….his movement and management of midfield was just brilliant. I just hope he gets a run of games without an injury so that he fulfills his potential
Odegaard….pulled the strings in the creative department and though he kept things simple he did so with effective precision.
ESR …. 1 goal, 1 assist and his attitude showed how much this derby win meant to him.
Saka….1 goal, 1 assist….he was incisive and he is rediscovering his form of last year….and improving on it
Auba….yesterday he was truly captain’s material. his goal celebration was not as high up in status as was TH14’s but I loved seeing him do it. Hopefully he will start scoring soon…in the next game against Brighton.
Harry Kane…..he deserves a mention for beginning the move to the third goal and even sprinted the length of the pitch to assist Saka with his goal. Otherwise he was ineffective. but still warrants a mention.
Thanks Kev, Wavy, that makes a (little) bit of sense now!
He was just like a Mourinho me 2 yesterday. I saw Adams speaking from the heart at Southend Cliffs Pavillion a few years ago, and great to see him back on form. Both Adams and Keown were a joy to watch yesterday. And that video of Wrighty, thanks!
I remember a few years ago reading that Adams offered his services to Wenger to sort out the defence .
From his comments yesterday it seems that they discussed the lack of balance but Wenger wanted the ” you score 3 , we will score 4 approach . However the big problem was that we didn’t.
I am so happy for Arteta that he got the third win on the trot in the EPL. Its true that we should not say we have turned the corner and that we will win all games but well done to the club for sticking with him when it went dark and well done to him for sticking to his principles and in what he believed.
I just hope he goes on a run and wins the games he should win. Yes I am all for 1-0 wins, boring however much they be, however, now that the players have had a taste of what they are capable of in yesterday’s game, 1st half especially, now they should believe in themselves and play with such commitment. And if they dont produce that they will only have themselves to blame for their attitude. Because if they all go with a positive and determined attitude they will win a whole load more this season.
As I said yesterday we need to shut Tottenham’s player Son down as I rate him better than Kane and our players done the job and they all need congratulating for never let him really get started.
I was at Southend as well Andrew, Perry Groves was the compare and Razor shared some great tales with Big Tone. I don’t think he wanted to leave the stage at the end.
Afternoon Andrew, Devil. Thanks both…
Sourness is a plank. A bitter and twisted old has been…
Thanks Kev. I love the way Arteta speaks about the fans, to the fans too. He’s clearly trying to keep them/us involved and appreciated. That’s not always been the case..
Things might have turned out different for Arsene Wenger had he accepted help, certainly during his last 5/6 years. His stubbornness was his major weakness.
Kev, thought you meant Ruddock for a mo! The Romford Pele was funny as expected. Looked tickets up, it was only 2019, the year before the world changed!
I hope Arteta drums it into the players’ mind that it should be one game at a time. And he has to show it himself.
So did I Andrew.. lol
He’s the man.
He’s instilled a new belief, and a new attitude into the club.
Near enough isn’t good enough.
I remember in 2015, Wenger was chasing after two ” wonder kids” , one was Martin Odegaard and the other I can’t recall the name… John something (with 3 names) who apparently was able play for England or Spain internationally. Anyways, they both ended up at Madrid, and the agents said it was between Arsenal and Madrid. Apparently Odegaard sign with Madrid because Ancellotti promised him that he will train with the senior team, at 16 y.o. Go figure I guess they were preparing him for Arsenal….
Morning all
New post up now
The ‘John’ clearly didn’t end up playing for England Obi. Lol