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Match report – Player ratings – By the numbers – Video
When Gabriel Jesus did not make sufficient contact on Gabriel Martinelli’s twenty ninth minute cross, I had combined feelings. First, frustration that we had missed an excellent likelihood to take the lead at Stamford Bridge. Jesus held up his thumb and forefinger to point ‘This a lot …’, and no one would have been capable of argue that we didn’t should be forward.
The second emotion was one thing akin to satisfaction. The transfer that led to the possibility was simply so spectacular. Exact and guaranteed passing on the again, one-touch lay-offs, drive to get us up the pitch, and the motion of Martinelli to take all these defenders out of the sport. Sadly Jesus couldn’t end what would have been one of many targets of the season, however the actuality of Arsenal Soccer Membership proper now’s in that passage of play.
There’s been a whole lot of speak about how this aspect has extra character than earlier than. Loads of dialogue about our momentum and perception; how gamers like Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and William Saliba have given us one thing extra. However it struck me that there isn’t all the time sufficient dialogue about how technically good these gamers are individually and collectively, and that second ought to open our eyes to what we’re this season.
From begin to end Arsenal have been on prime at Stamford Bridge. We’ve received there earlier than, that is our third successive season in a row to take all three factors away from residence, however I don’t assume we’ve ever finished it like this. Chelsea barely threatened, and the one detrimental you possibly can deal with with regards Arsenal is that the sharpness we confirmed in every single place else on the pitch wasn’t fairly there within the ultimate third.
It’s uncommon that I point out a particular opposition participant except they’ve finished one thing egregious, however as a lot as I beloved our efficiency yesterday, I used to be impressed by Thiago Silva on the again for Chelsea. At 38 years of age, he mainly held them collectively, and with out him I believe we’d have received by an even bigger margin. Little doubt we might have finished higher at sure moments, however the best way he defended saved Chelsea’s bacon again and again.
I form of like that the objective we scored was a little bit of a scrappy one, however we shouldn’t overlook how that nook took place. As Thiago Silva desperately appeared for anybody in any respect to move to, Arsenal activated their press and Gabriel Jesus robbed the ball from his compatriot. Bukayo Saka fed him and his shot was saved on the close to publish. From the ensuing set-piece, Gabriel pounced whereas Chelsea defenders have been static, extra concerned with holding on to opponents than truly attempting to win the ball, and it was 1-0.
As I mentioned, the scoreline was barely flattering to Chelsea, and it was one other recreation with out a objective for Jesus. Nevertheless, with all of the pre-game highlight on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang going through his outdated membership blah blah blah, it’s fascinating to distinction the performances of the 2 beginning strikers. Neither of them scored, however one among them had a major affect on the sport whereas the opposite was utterly nameless.
The previous Arsenal captain was hauled off simply after the hour mark having had a mere 8 touches of the ball all day. Jesus was instrumental in Arsenal’s dominance, even when the objective he desperately needs didn’t come. It was simply very good centre-forward play from him. The best way he ran, chased, harried, pressed, held the ball up below actual strain in opposition to a lot greater males. The targets will come, I’ve little doubt, however there’s a selflessness about the best way he performs. The man determined for a objective would possibly preserve some vitality, dangle about in areas the place the ball would possibly fall for him, however Jesus’ first thought is the job he has to do for the workforce, and you need to respect that.
He’s not alone although. I discussed that transfer for the Jesus likelihood, however that doesn’t simply occur accidentally. Arteta’s automatisms are in play there. Not simply because these gamers are nicely drilled and know the place they should be on the pitch, however as a result of they work so exhausting to place themselves into these positions. I watched William Saliba intently yesterday, and he was clearly excellent defensively. His presence is unimaginable at simply 21 years of age, however I watched him make a move then dash backwards to drop off and create one other angle if it have been wanted.
That occurred everywhere in the pitch, from minute 1 to minute 96 when the referee blew his whistle. Chelsea have been pedestrian as compared. The Arsenal gamers knew the place their teammates can be; Chelsea’s needed to search for and see what was taking place, and that was usually the set off for our press. This isn’t only a workforce that’s taking part in nicely and utilizing momentum to go from recreation to recreation; it is a workforce that has momentum as a result of this can be very proficient, with sensible gamers who can apply the supervisor’s coaching floor strategies to in-game eventualities. We’re seeing the end-result of fantastic teaching, excellent recruitment, and behind that we now have the ‘delicate components’ like want and motivation and starvation that are clearly current too.
I additionally imagine the expertise of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka are key parts to this workforce’s kind. The previous completely bossed the midfield yesterday; the latter continued his positive kind and late on that incident which resulted in some pushing and shoving was simply what we would have liked at that time of the sport. For a man who has misplaced his cool a number of instances down the years, is there a greater instance of the extra mature Xhaka than him inflicting Chelsea to lose theirs and their focus within the dying embers of the match? Jorginho piping away at him within the final seconds was excellent; it meant they have been rattled by some shit-housing and never concentrating on grabbing the equaliser. His post-game interview on BT Sport the place he did a Freddie and referred to as the ambiance ‘f*ckin’ unbelievable’ was nice enjoyable too.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta mentioned:
I used to be actually impressed, we’re a very younger workforce, however we confirmed a whole lot of maturity, a whole lot of composure, a whole lot of braveness, a whole lot of dedication to play on this stage in the best way we’ve performed, it’s straightforward to say however actually troublesome to do. I believe the boys have been phenomenal right now.
He’s not improper. Even in the event you make the purpose that this iteration of Chelsea, having spent 1 / 4 of a billion kilos in the summertime, are a piece in progress (I don’t actually assume that, however some do), the best way Arsenal managed the sport yesterday was simply excellent. I received’t say that all through the 90 minutes I used to be utterly calm and freed from nerves, a one objective lead by no means actually permits that, however I might completely recognise which workforce was on prime and that was us proper all through.
Small issues you possibly can be aware of as nicely. The best way each single participant celebrated the objective – Saliba peeled away like he’d scored the winner in a World Cup ultimate. The togetherness within the celebrations, after the objective and after the ultimate whistle. It’s not a brand new remark, however the connectivity between the gamers, the workers, the followers tells you lots about what’s taking place at Arsenal proper now.
Arteta mentioned of the assist:
It was nice, they’ve been completely phenomenal, they’ve remodeled the membership, the vitality of the membership that’s my opinion they usually have remodeled the best way the workforce believes in what they’re doing. To share that with them away from residence is de facto particular. I had my household there, I had my son there in the midst of the gang so it was nice.
He’s not improper, the followers have been superb, however he’s intentionally taking part in down his personal position on this. By some actual difficulties and a few genuinely rocky durations, if he’s going to speak about how the followers have remodeled the membership, then as a fan I’m going to acknowledge his half in that too. Evaluate and distinction the place we are actually from the place we have been – and who we have been – when he took over. That is removed from a one-man band in fact. There are lots extra behind the scenes who deserve credit score for the transformation, however managers are the primary to get pelters when issues go improper, so let me give Arteta a chapeau this morning as a result of he completely deserves it.
We’re again on prime of the league, and everyone knows there’s nonetheless an extended technique to go, however worrying an excessive amount of concerning the vacation spot means possibly you don’t get to expertise the way it unfolds as a lot as it is best to. This Arsenal workforce is taking us on a hell of a journey proper now, and I’m completely going to get pleasure from it as a lot as I can.
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Proper, that’s it for now. James and I shall be recording the Arsecast Additional this morning. Maintain a watch out for the decision for questions on Twitter @gunnerblog and @arseblog on Twitter with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or in the event you’re on Arseblog Member on Patreon, depart your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
We’ll have the pod for you round lunchtime. Till then.
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