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Match report – Player ratings – Arteta reaction
Dropping soccer matches is rarely enjoyable, but it surely’s truthful to say some defeats are more durable to take than others. In case you go from zero to Wayne Bridge within the Champions League that point (sorry for triggering anybody), the needle on this one is barely above 0.1.
Mikel Arteta made extra modifications than I assumed he would. Six from the facet that beat Man Utd, and you’ll give you all types of the explanation why. A few of them, like giving gamers minutes as a result of they want them and we’d want them within the Premier League, make all types of sense, however I believe it gave us a little bit of a clue that for all his pre-game speak, the supervisor had prioritised this recreation within the context of our league marketing campaign.
That stated, I assumed we had been fairly first rate within the first half. Leandro Trossard was spectacular down the left, utilizing the ball properly to vogue an opportunity for Takehiro Tomiyasu which the keeper saved properly, and he had a pop at aim himself which once more the keeper was equal too. He additionally created a chance for Eddie Nketiah who poked vast on the close to publish after good motion of their field, and the previous Brighton man seems like match already.
On the different finish, it was largely about Metropolis making an attempt to get the ball to Erling Haaland who was concerned in a working battle with Rob Holding. It jogged my memory a little bit of the sport in opposition to White Hart Lane final season, however this time Rob was dealing with a genuinely tough bodily risk, and for essentially the most half he did okay bar one early mistake which Matt Turner rescued him from. A yellow card simply earlier than the break meant the supervisor did the wise factor and took him off at half-time, sending on William Saliba as a substitute.
He additionally introduced on Albert Sambi Lokonga for Thomas Partey in what I had hoped was a pre-planned change, but it surely seems we now have some considerations over a rib damage. Arteta said afterwards:
He had some discomfort and it was getting worse and worse. He couldn’t proceed. He wasn’t comfy to proceed. Tomorrow or the day after we’ll must have an MRI scan and see what he has.
Metropolis had been higher after the break, we weren’t pretty much as good as we had been, and that midfield high quality hole when Partey will not be there’s apparent. I assumed Lokonga struggled early on, however acquired into the sport a bit. On the ball he’s truly effective, it’s simply that if Partey has 100 for defensive consciousness, the Belgian is at about 10. The Metropolis aim wasn’t merely his fault, however he was far too static within the field, and it’s one other efficiency when you may’t assist however have some considerations about whether or not he’s the suitable match for this staff or not. The truth that we’re very actively pursuing a midfield signing suggests these considerations are shared contained in the membership too.
Arteta’s response to going behind was to convey on Gabriel Martinelli and Oleksandr Zinchenko, and the Brazilian did trigger some issues down the left. Metropolis had been making an attempt to smother the sport with 200,000 passes, so it wasn’t simple, and when the supervisor made his closing change, I believe it was fairly telling. Bukayo Saka had most likely his quietest recreation of the season, however if you happen to’re actually critical about getting a aim, you allow him on the pitch and substitute Fabio Vieira with Martin Odegaard. As a substitute Saka got here off, Vieira went to the suitable, and whereas it wasn’t precisely throwing the towel in, I believe it stated one thing about how Arteta views the remainder of the season and the place his actual priorities lie.
Afterwards, he was requested if he may take some delight from his staff’s efficiency, and stated:
In the meanwhile, it’s disappointment as a result of we’re out and we may have taken way more from that recreation and we didn’t. The sensation that I’ve is we actually competed in opposition to them and made it tough for them, however we lacked one thing to win in opposition to a staff like this.
Which I believe we will all perceive. Arteta hates to lose. Nevertheless, within the chilly gentle of day – leaving the Partey damage apart – you may nearly name this the proper defeat. We rotated in a giant approach and didn’t get outplayed by a a lot stronger Man Metropolis facet who had been at dwelling. Within the context of what’s to return, after they come to London on February fifteenth, there’s no motive why this Arsenal staff ought to go into that recreation terrified of them. Sure, our report in opposition to them stays a little bit of a difficulty, but when we’re full power and we play at our greatest stage, there’s nothing to be intimidated by based mostly on final evening’s Metropolis efficiency. A phrase too for Matt Turner who had an excellent recreation, not a lot he may do for the aim, however his resolution making and distribution was actually good.
There was plenty of speak about how final evening’s winners may take a psychological benefit into the Premier League recreation, but when any staff goes to do this from this recreation, it’s us. After all we nonetheless must exit and carry out, and no one ought to take something with no consideration, it’s merely that the aura that Metropolis as soon as had is gone. Anybody can see the hole between the groups – which was so, so, so large not that way back – has properly and really been closed. The following step is to do what’s lengthy overdue, and present we will beat them.
It gained’t be simple, however after what I noticed final evening from either side, I believe that’s properly inside our capabilities.
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Proper, let’s go away it there for now. I’ll round-up the switch information and so on on tomorrow’s weblog, and we’ll be recording the Arsecast Additional a day early for you too.
Have Saturday.
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