Match report – Player ratings – Arteta reaction – Video
For the primary time since December 2015, Arsenal averted defeat away to Man Metropolis. For the primary time in 58 video games on the Etihad, Man Metropolis failed to attain a objective. It’s not a sport that can go down within the annals as a basic, however within the context of our file there, it’s one which Mikel Arteta will be glad about – even when it does depart us behind Liverpool within the title race.
The workforce noticed Gabriel Jesus begin for the primary time because the finish of January, enjoying on the left hand facet, whereas the remainder was just about as anticipated. The sport rapidly settled into a well-known sample, with plenty of Metropolis possession, and many it in our half. It was attention-grabbing to hear Martin Odegaard talk afterwards about how Arsenal enjoying that deep wasn’t a part of the plan, it was simply the way it transpired:
We needed to defend rather a lot, a bit extra deep than we deliberate to. I really feel like we had been harmful in sure moments on the counter after we managed to maintain the ball for a bit of bit. nevertheless it’s onerous once you’ve defended for some time and also you get the ball and your legs are heavy.
Nonetheless, that is an Arsenal workforce who’ve constructed a platform on defensive solidity this season. We ended the primary interval with as many pictures as Metropolis, and there have been moments of attacking menace too. Jesus shot extensive on the again submit, then curled one other past the far submit. His tendency to hold onto the ball a bit too lengthy is a frustration, however given he hasn’t performed a lot of late, I assumed he was efficient sufficient yesterday.
Metropolis’s solely actual likelihood was a Nathan Ake header from a nook which may have been much more harmful if he’d made correct contact, however David Raya was there to cease it. There was additionally a scrappiness about Arsenal within the first half that was a bit uncharacteristic. Raya slipped a few instances and made dangerous passes, Odegaard’s vary wasn’t fairly there – at one level enjoying a move off Declan Rice’s again the place usually he’d have threaded it the place he needed it to go – and in defence we had two members of the again 4 whose passing stats had been properly beneath what you’d usually anticipate.
Jakub Kiwior was at 54% passing accuracy, which may typically occur to a full-back once they’re one thing an outlet with not a lot taking place forward of them, however the normally impeccable William Saliba at 66% was very uncommon. It was a part of why we had been beneath such strain, as a result of we saved coughing up possession. Solely Ben White actually stood out for us in that first half, enjoying at one thing near his standard stage whereas others struggled to search out their rhythm as Metropolis’s possession choke-hold restricted us.
We had been tidier within the second half, as Metropolis grew extra annoyed and the sport obtained a bit tetchy at instances. There was one other likelihood for Jesus when Saka fizzed a great ball throughout, however somewhat than a failing of the ahead, I believe it’s truly a superb little bit of defending from Manuel Akanji who simply gave him a bit of nudge as he was making an attempt to throw himself on the ball. It put him off his stride sufficiently, and if Saliba or Gabriel had carried out that, we’d be speaking about their canny defending.
With nothing doing with the gamers that they had on the pitch, Metropolis needed to change issues, taking off the ineffective Foden and Kovacic to placed on Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku – two wingers who can actually trigger you issues. Arteta responded with Tomiyasu and Partey for Kiwior and Jorginho. Leandro Trossard quickly adopted, and an clearly fatigued Saka was changed by Gabriel Martinelli.
These two ought to have offered a possible match-winning second for Arsenal, when Odegaard performed the Belgian in behind. Martinelli’s run on the far facet was good, Trossard’s first contact was something however. It meant the possibility to search out the move was minimize out, he finally had a shot which was simple for the keeper, and Arteta’s frustration on the sideline was evident. Regardless of Metropolis’s dominance, I believe Arsenal had the most effective probabilities to attain on this sport, so if there’s a tinge of remorse, it’s that we didn’t fairly take advantage of them – particularly one which late within the sport.
Up the opposite finish, Erling Haaland flitted between Saliba and Gabriel to see if he may get any pleasure. There was no pleasure. He, like Kevin de Bruyne, has brought on us so many issues up to now, however the two centre-halves and Declan Rice in midfield labored so onerous to negate their menace nearly fully. Just a few set-pieces from de Bruyne, and nothing a lot from the most effective goalscorer within the Premier League. That takes lots of effort.
I can’t sit right here this morning and say I used to be fully chilled out throughout that second half, as a result of you already know with the standard Metropolis have a objective may come at any second, however the way in which this workforce stays organised and disciplined goes a protracted option to instill a way of belief that Metropolis may huff and puff and never blow the home down. So it proved. There was no manner by for them, and whereas I don’t suppose this was a must-win sport for us, it was actually one we couldn’t lose. That file on the Etihad is one we needed to put a halt to, and we labored very, very onerous to make sure that we obtained one thing from this sport.
I fairly loved the Gabriel/Haaland stuff on the finish, it was an actual battle between the 2 and the way in which they hugged it out was fairly good. I can’t say the identical for Pep Guardiola’s choice to return onto the pitch to berate Jack Grealish so publicly, that felt performative and peculiar to me, and Metropolis’s lack of ability to interrupt Arsenal down had a lot much less to do with him than among the others.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta mentioned of the end result and efficiency:
Clearly, it generates perception, it continues the momentum, and the great place that we’re in. We’re bettering, and we’re competing higher, and we’re understanding how you need to play these video games, however there are extra steps to make to win championships. It’s extraordinarily troublesome to do this however that tells you the dedication of each participant, the self-discipline that they confirmed and the way they compete
Was this sport a basic for the impartial? Completely not, however Arsenal don’t have any responsibility to entertain the impartial, solely to do what’s finest for them. I believe for those who provided any fan 4 factors from 6 in opposition to Man Metropolis and Liverpool firstly of the season, they’d have bitten your hand off for it. It most likely says rather a lot about how a lot progress we’ve made that there’s a tinge of disappointment to not taking all three factors yesterday, however as a marker of progress, I believe it’s evident that it is a workforce that has now closed the hole on the 2 finest sides within the Premier League over the past 5 or 6 years.
There’s extra to do, clearly, nevertheless it’s simple to neglect how a lot that felt like a pipe dream after we had been being routinely rattled by Liverpool and Metropolis, dwelling and away. There’s a maturity there now, and a a lot under-discussed vein of cynicism that’s completely vital. Witness Raya’s time-wasting on each objective kick, completely deliberate, and whereas some won’t take care of that form of factor, you will have to have the ability to do it. Equally, I beloved Odegaard simply taking Rodri out when he tried to spin past him. Small issues, however necessary issues.
I believe it’s additionally value mentioning this sport going down instantly after an Interlull, when preparation is clearly impacted, and the degrees of gamers differ as a result of they’ve both been away or haven’t performed for a few weeks. You usually see that mirrored in performances, and that was true of yesterday. Now although, this huge one is out of the way in which. This boil has been lanced, and now we flip our consideration to Wednesday evening and a house sport in opposition to Luton.
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In the meantime, Massive congrats to Arsenal Ladies who gained the Conti Cup yesterday in extra-time due to a Stina Blackstenius objective. Beating Chelsea is at all times good, particularly when you think about among the post-game response from their supervisor, however a very powerful factor is the trophy itself, particularly in a season which has been a bit underwhelming.
For extra, Tim has all of the response on Arseblog News.
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Okay, let’s depart it there. We’re recording an Arsecast Additional for you this morning, so preserve an eye fixed out for the decision for questions on Twitter @gunnerblog and @arseblog on Twitter with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or for those who’re an Arseblog Member on Patreon, depart your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
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