Match report – Participant Scores – Arteta response – Video

Arsenal returned to successful methods final evening with a 1-0 victory of Shaktar Donetsk, however it’s honest to say it wasn’t probably the most convincing victory we’ve ever had.

Mikel Arteta performed a powerful facet, with solely two modifications from the facet that misplaced to Bournemouth on Saturday. Mikel Merino and Raheem Sterling dropped out, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli got here in. I assumed we began brightly, enjoying with first rate tempo, and we should always have been forward early on when Riccardo Calafiori had a terrific likelihood, however scooped the ball over the bar from shut vary.

It wasn’t classic stuff by any means, however there have been first rate possibilities within the first 45 minutes that we didn’t take advantage of. Kai Havertz arrange Leandro Trossard however he utterly miskicked with a transparent sight of aim; Trossard put one broad on the close to submit after good work from Martinelli; Havertz was denied by a superb piece of defending after Jesus set him up, once more an opportunity that stemmed from a Martinelli supply; whereas Jesus himself had a superb alternative to finish the aim drought that goes again to January, however there wasn’t sufficient conviction within the end and the keeper saved along with his toes.

By that time we had been a aim to the great although. Martinelli shifted the ball nicely contained in the field and his deflected shot hit the submit, then the goalkeeper’s arse, and into the again of the web. It was a contact lucky, I suppose, but in addition reward for the Brazilian’s decisiveness. He was most likely our greatest participant on the evening, drawing reward from the supervisor afterwards who mentioned:

He regarded actually sharp, he regarded actually contemporary, brisker than anyone else on that pitch. You seen that in opposition to Bournemouth, you would inform that was completely different. He had one other gear, he added one other degree of risk, he began the sport rather well and he had a terrific efficiency right now.

So, whereas it wasn’t good, we had been set nicely for the second half which was, by any measure, dreary stuff. Afterwards, the supervisor mentioned the workforce regarded drained, citing the very fact we’d performed with 10 males for over an hour simply two and a half days in the past. And look, I don’t suppose that’s an unreasonable commentary by any means. We take into consideration a crimson card and its affect on the sport we’re enjoying in that second, however there are bodily penalties too if you play once more so rapidly – and 9 of final evening’s beginning XI performed in opposition to Bournemouth too.

There was a half-time change with Merino approaching for Ben White, who was on a yellow and the supervisor determined a zero-risk technique was the order of the day. I don’t suppose that essentially helped as Thomas Partey moved to proper again after what I assumed was most likely his finest midfield 45 minutes of the season. The Spaniard remains to be feeling his manner into this workforce additionally, so it wasn’t maybe as fluent as we wanted it to be, whereas I assumed Trossard was having one other recreation the place his affect was not as optimistic as you’d like.

Raheem Sterling got here on for Jesus (vigorous and efficient typically, however desperately in want of a aim) and produced one other nothing show. Up to now his performances have been fairly detached in an Arsenal shirt. There’s time and room for enchancment, clearly, however he provided principally nothing. I’m acutely aware of the truth that my very own need to see Ethan Nwaneri could make his lack of minutes disappointing, however it’s a disgrace he didn’t get on to supply some spark.

I feel, maybe, the very fact we misplaced Calafiori to damage could have performed an element. He was changed by Myles Lewis-Skelly and I believe in a decent recreation like this Arteta felt two 17 yr olds was most likely a bit too dangerous. I don’t essentially agree, I’m simply making an attempt to see it from his viewpoint. On that change, it’s attention-grabbing that Lewis-Skelly obtained on whereas Oleksandr Zinchenko didn’t. It’s most likely a health factor, however he’s been on the bench for the final two video games and also you’d have thought his seniority and expertise might need been helpful.

Additionally, can we please be a bit extra decisive about gamers when it’s clear they’ve performed *one thing* probably critical, even when we don’t know what that’s. The character of Calafiori’s slip had me wincing watching on TV, so make the change instantly. They’ve replays on the sideline, have somebody have a look at that whereas the physio is on and talk that to the pitch whereas he’s giving the participant therapy. Calafiori tried to play on, went down once more instantly, and all I may consider was Jurrien Timber final season. Hopefully it’s not something as critical as that, however certainly we will do extra to minimise the chance.

Talking of threat, the one aim lead was all the time a bit precarious. It shouldn’t have been, as a result of we had been awarded what I assumed was a reasonably beneficiant penalty for handball after a VAR intervention. I’m shocked Kai Havertz didn’t take it. I want he had as a result of Trossard’s effort was actually poor and the keeper saved along with his legs. It meant that we needed to thank David Raya for a unbelievable save late on that may have earned some extent for the guests, these are the fantastic margins in video games like this.

Afterwards, Arteta mentioned:

I feel there have been two very completely different halves, first one we had been very dominant, we created 4 huge, huge possibilities we should always have transformed them and put the sport to mattress with the quantity of dominance we had, the second half very completely different, we glance drained, we lacked that sharpness with and with out the ball to regain the ball in the proper moments as nicely in the proper areas and giving sure balls away that enable sure transitions.

General it’s Champions League, get the win, clear sheet. Let’s transfer on.

Clear sheet, three factors, all good. General efficiency, potential damage to a different key participant, not a lot. As I mentioned, there are some mitigating circumstances, and possibly it’s a very good factor that we will play like that and nonetheless win. Nevertheless, it was exhausting not to have a look at final evening and pine closely for what Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka deliver to this workforce by way of creativity and attacking effectivity. Any workforce would miss them, after all, however the sooner they’re again the higher for all of us – most of all how this workforce could cause the opposition issues within the ultimate third.

Arteta promised in his press convention the workforce can be ‘flying’ once we face Liverpool on Sunday, so let’s hope that’s the case, as a result of a efficiency like this one most likely received’t sufficient to get the consequence we wish. For extra on final evening, be a part of us slightly in a while for a post-game Arsecast, which ought to be out mid-morning.

For now, have a very good one, and hold every thing crossed for Calafiori.

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