Match report – Player ratings – Arteta reaction – Video
Arsenal moved into second place within the Premier League after a 1-0 win over Ipswich, courtesy of a primary half Kai Havertz aim.
It’s honest to say that the consequence was good, however the recreation itself was not a basic. With a entrance three of Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli, and with Havertz and Martin Odegaard behind them, Mikel Arteta picked what I believed was the appropriate crew for a house recreation towards a struggling aspect. Get attacking gamers on the pitch, and hopefully the targets will observe.
What we obtained was outright domination within the first half. By the half hour mark, we have been a aim to the nice, and had ‘loved’ 88% possession, which is sort of unparalleled in Premier League phrases. It was turning that domination into probabilities that was the difficulty. There was a Jurrien Timber effort that he made for himself, and Rice fired one not far over, however other than the aim that was it.
Let’s not downplay the aim by the best way. Trossard did properly to beat his man on the surface and put in a left footed cross, however the way it discovered its approach to Havertz with so many Ipswich defenders in there, I’m not fairly certain. The German was there although, like a very good poacher, and his first time end nestled into the again of the online for 1-0. A few minutes later Jesus had the ball behind the online however the flag went up for offside, and that was about it for the primary 45 minutes.
I feel we have been a bit higher within the second half, however not considerably. With solely Ethan Nwaneri as a nominal attacking possibility on the bench, there wasn’t a lot scope for change. Martinelli and Jesus have been quiet, Odegaard got here to life briefly with an excellent run into the field however couldn’t discover the end, and the most effective probability of the second interval fell to Gabriel who inexplicably headed broad from shut vary after we’d gained a nook. By his personal very excessive requirements, that was a nasty miss.
Mikel Merino got here on for Jesus and noticed a shot saved, however Ipswich have been hanging on and as we obtained into the ultimate 10 minutes, I feared the sucker-punch. The basic state of affairs the place a crew that has accomplished nothing all recreation – partially due to how properly Arsenal managed it – finds a aim from nothing. When the lead is so precarious, even one second of high quality or one mistake is sufficient to drop extra factors, one thing we completely couldn’t afford to do.
I don’t assume it’s mistaken to say Ipswich by no means seemed like scoring, however that’s solely true till it isn’t. At this stage, when you’ll be able to’t add a little bit of daylight to the scoreline, it’s at all times going to be a fear. It was a boring 1-0 win, however I want my boredom at 2-0 or 3-0 (admittedly extra targets make it much less boring although).
Operating by means of the core of this efficiency was the thought: ‘Is that is what it’s going to be like with out Bukayo Saka?!’. Which is comprehensible. That stated, we’ve seen this sort of recreation play out loads of occasions with him on the pitch. Suppose Everton just some weeks in the past, however the lack of firepower on the bench was apparent, as was our lack of ability to vary issues in-game – and given the further bad news about Saka (extra on that anon), it ought to provide everybody on the membership even vaguely related to recruitment pause for thought.
Let’s end with a few positives although. First, three factors are three factors, nevertheless you come by them. We discovered a approach to win this one, and after a 4-0 defeat of their final recreation, you could possibly see there was a concerted effort from Ipswich to not get battered once more. Nonetheless, I feel the stability between them defending properly and Arsenal missing attacking menace was skewed much more in the direction of the latter than the previous.
Secondly, I completely loved the efficiency and continued emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back. Finishing 58/59 passes, usually working in midfield too, his bravery on the ball stood out. As was his willingness to combine it with the opposition. When Liam Delap obtained zero from battling William Saliba, he tried his luck with MLS and got here out second finest, and I beloved the best way the 18 12 months outdated took umbrage with Kalvin Phillips and simply left a bit on him after a tussle with Gabriel. This younger man has obtained it, and it’s actually thrilling to see him develop into this crew.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta was clearly happy with the win, however his reply when James requested him if he thought this was a extra full efficiency than the 5-1 win over Crystal Palace was actually instructive:
By way of how properly we management the place, 10 occasions, as a result of we conceded 14 or 15 photographs towards Palace. And it’s nothing that we usually do. So total, I feel this one was significantly better. However, it’s concerning the targets as properly, and the fantastic thing about it, and entertaining folks, and that one in all probability was higher for them.
I feel everyone knows this about him now. He desires to provide the opposition nothing. He’s the sort of man who would go residence after a 5-1 win and stew over the 1 fairly than absolutely benefit from the 5. As all of us surprise what we’d do within the January window to exchange Saka, there’s a part of me that wouldn’t be in any respect stunned if the reply was one other defender simply to verify we concede even much less. I’m solely half-joking right here, by the best way.
I feel if Gabriel scores that header, we’d be carrying a bit much less nervousness into this morning’s evaluation, however IFs are very huge in soccer, and one other approach to exert management over soccer matches is to attain targets. You completely get rid of danger while you’re 2-0 or 3-0 up and defending in addition to we did. I do assume we have to give the Arsenal crew credit score for the way defensively strong it’s. Ipswich supervisor Kieran McKenna stated afterwards that his crew was going through the ‘a few of the finest defenders on the earth’, and I don’t assume he’s mistaken, however final evening it was arduous to not assume the defensive management got here at the price of some attacking menace.
Anyway, this recreation is completed, let’s by no means consider it once more and simply take the three factors. The most important post-game information was the truth that Bukayo Saka has had surgical procedure on his hamstring tear, which is clearly actually dangerous information. Any sort of operation is a final resort, and it now means we’re going to be with out him for the longest doable time frame when a participant picks up an issue like this.
It’s terrible information for him, so initially let’s hope he has a speedy and full restoration, however now it’s about what Arsenal do to react. Regardless of the hole to Liverpool, I don’t rule Arsenal out of the title race because it stands. Nonetheless, whilst you can by no means say by no means in soccer, I don’t assume I’d be alone to recommend it might be an nearly not possible activity except we did one thing in January to bolster the squad.
I learn final week that our mindset for this window was going to be ‘reactive’ – properly, right here’s an enormous drawback we’ve to react to. I don’t consider we are able to get by means of the following three months with out Saka, and with the attacking gamers we’ve, and rating sufficient targets to maintain us in that race. The information on Raheem Sterling is outwardly a bit of higher than anticipated, however nor do I feel we are able to count on a lot from a participant with simply 146 minutes of Premier League soccer this season and who has by no means seemed sharp sufficient or harmful sufficient for a aspect hoping to win the largest home prize of the season.
Let’s take a look at this as a state of affairs that goes past Saka too. There’s at all times been room for enchancment within the attacking third. Trossard will not be getting any youthful, Jesus has been barren till the final two video games, and Martinelli’s inconsistency has been a difficulty for almost two seasons now. It’s not nearly changing Saka for 3 months, it’s about augmenting the squad with a participant who can enhance us over the medium/long term. Who that’s, and who may be obtainable in January is a good query, however Arsenal want to maneuver heaven and earth to try to discover him when the window opens.
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Pod must be out round midday. For now, have a very good one.
