Arsenal 1-0 Man City: At last

Match report – Player ratings – Arteta reaction – Video

Finally.

The roar when Gabriel Martinelli’s purpose hit the again of the web wasn’t nearly taking three enormous factors from the reigning champions – it was greater than that. It was additionally placing to mattress that file in opposition to them. Twelve successive losses, a stat you couldn’t escape within the build-up to this recreation. Thirteenth time fortunate, and all that.

The actual fact it got here so late made it all of the sweeter, after a captivating recreation, throughout which the pendulum didn’t as a lot swing between the 2 sides, however wobble a little bit this fashion, then that. Early on we had Declan Rice to thank for maintaining it scoreless, heading a goal-bound try off the road after Metropolis had gained a nook. Nathan Ake then blazed over below some strain from William Saliba.

It was a let off, and that the nook got here after a misplaced David Raya move, and a bizarre clunker from Rice himself, it may need been one other self-inflicted wound at house. The goalkeeper struggled early on, he didn’t exude the sort of calm you want in a recreation like this and his passing vary was off. Within the 18th minute he was only a fraction sluggish, and his tried clearance rebounded off Julian Alvarez and into the aspect netting. After the supervisor’s feedback about how he’s thought-about subbing a keeper, I used to be questioning if this was going to be the day we really noticed it.

You may virtually really feel the gang’s nervousness with the Spaniard, not precisely helped by the very fact he’d put his foot on the ball and await Metropolis to interact earlier than making a move. That was the instruction from Arteta, and I believe individuals understood that, however when you may have a gap twenty minutes like he did, that apprehension was comprehensible. To be honest to him, he grew into the sport, and located his passing vary – overcoming that wobbly begin to play a key function in our victory.

This one jogged my memory a little bit of the Group Defend recreation, in that Metropolis had loads of the ball however didn’t do a terrific take care of it. It’s not as a result of they lacked high quality, for me it was the standard and organisation of Arsenal. Regardless of an early reserving, I assumed Jorginho was crucial, his expertise in an enormous recreation was so helpful, but it surely was the Arsenal again 4 who stood out to me. Within the first problem of the sport, William Saliba was too sturdy for Erling Haaland, that set the tone. Alongside him Gabriel was excellent, that partnership is up there with the perfect round, and the 2 full backs had been wonderful too.

The large first half speaking level although was the officiating. Mateo Kovacic was extraordinarily fortunate to get away with only a yellow card for a lunging problem from behind on Martin Odegaard, studs on the again of his ankle. The ref gave a yellow, VAR had a glance, however left it at that. He may have had no complaints if it was a straight purple. Then, simply a few minutes later, he lunged in once more on Declan Rice, the obvious second yellow card you’ll ever see, however earlier than the gang had even correctly begun to specific themselves, Michael Oliver was waving play on.

I’m very glad this morning that this isn’t the central theme of the post-game discourse, however it’s inexplicable to me that Kovacic stayed on. I can’t bear in mind being that indignant at a choice for an extended, very long time. That’s not incompetence. It is a referee who despatched Gabriel Martinelli off for 2 fouls in 8 seconds a few seasons in the past, for 2 piffling issues, and right here he  allowed a participant to scythe by the again of 1, then hack down one other, and there’s no purple card? Possibly he was simply ensuring to not lose the profitable moonlighting gigs within the UAE, and little doubt Howard Webb had his Apology Template in Microsoft Phrase fired up earlier than the half-time break.

The second half was tight, cautious. The longer it went on, the extra you questioned if a draw may go well with each. Neither aspect was going hell for leather-based, and from an Arsenal perspective, having misplaced so many video games to them beforehand, you questioned if a degree may be seen as some sort of progress. Metropolis made modifications, and spent a interval of the half urgent a lot increased than they did beforehand. There was assurance to what Arsenal did on the again although, even when it didn’t essentially translate into attacking risk additional up the pitch.

Arteta made modifications of his personal in response to Metropolis’s, and all 4 of his subs had been concerned within the purpose. I loved Gabriel profitable a header, towering over Haaland who sat there moaning because it half of it wasn’t him backing in the best way centre-forwards do. Finally the ball got here to Thomas Partey, who noticed the run of ‘left again’ Takehiro Tomiyasu right into a central attacking place. He nodded it all the way down to Kai Havertz who laid it again to Gabriel Martinelli (on at half-time for the injured Leandro Trossard), and his end ricocheted off the face of Nathan Ake and into the again of the web.

Finally.

Finally.

The Premier League is the league of late objectives, we all know it very effectively ourselves, however I actually loved the best way we performed out these remaining couple of minutes. From Raya delaying and delaying earlier than finally selecting up the ball, to Jesus holding it up, profitable territory after which losing time as excessive up the pitch as he may. Metropolis didn’t get close to us. I’ve seen this Arsenal staff invite strain after scoring loads of instances earlier than, however not yesterday. That purpose was so lengthy coming and meant a lot that it demanded that stage of professionalism from us. The gamers delivered.

It was the primary time Metropolis had misplaced successive Premier League video games since 2018, and so they didn’t prefer it one bit. Kyle Walker squaring as much as Nicolas Jover afterwards got here throughout as spectacularly sore, and Haaland confirmed extra battle in opposition to a 5’6 set-piece coach than he did all recreation in opposition to Saliba and Gabriel. That second when he set off on a run and Saliba simply bodied him was *chef’s kiss* (10/10, would watch again and again).

Afterwards, Mikel Arteta stated of the win:

An excellent feeling clearly, you possibly can sense it’s been so a few years with out beating them and right this moment we now have overwhelmed for my part and not using a query of doubt the perfect staff on this planet, and we accomplished it in an effective way, there have been moments we needed to undergo, however as effectively moments we confirmed actual dedication, need and perception to beat them, so actually pleased.

What extra are you able to say? This felt like a efficiency that had been crafted from so most of the earlier disappointments. Be taught from earlier errors, and sure you want a little bit of one thing to go your manner in video games like this, however how typically have we seen Metropolis simply reduce us open. That didn’t occur yesterday, and when you think about we performed with out Bukayo Saka, with Partey not match sufficient to start out, with Martinelli pushing himself to the restrict to be concerned, it’s enormous credit score to the supervisor and the gamers for the way they caught to the plan all through.

Earlier than I am going, I’ve additionally bought to say Declan Rice as a part of that defensive cohort. He bought us up the pitch effectively at instances, however this man brings such presence to the Arsenal midfield. No one talks concerning the price-tag now, as a result of he was price each penny we paid for him. He’s not fairly the transformative signing others may need been, however he’s a vital piece in Arteta’s puzzle, and I assumed he was excellent yesterday.

Anyway, we go into the Interlull prime of the desk, and having suffered at their fingers so many instances, it’s simply nice to have turned the tables a bit. There’s tons nonetheless do that season, Arteta says his aspect will ‘keep humble’, however with a few weeks till our subsequent recreation, we will take pleasure in this within the days forward.

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Proper, I’ll go away it there for now. We’ll have an Arsecast Further for you a bit in a while. Preserve a watch out for the decision for questions on Twitter @gunnerblog and @arseblog on Twitter with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or when you’re on Arseblog Member on Patreon, go away your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.

For now, have enjoyable.