Match report – Player ratings – Arteta reaction – Video
For the sixth time in 2024, Arsenal scored 5 targets away from residence, thumping Crystal Palace final evening. It was a sport I feel we deserved to win, however the scoreline doesn’t actually inform the complete story.
It started very effectively, with an early purpose from Gabriel Jesus. A Bukayo Saka cross from the correct got here to him on the again put up, Gabriel Magalhaes performed the a part of blocker, and his compatriot slotted residence on the close to put up to place us 1-0 up within the sixth minute. However Palace had been inflicting us issues. Jean-Philippe Mateta gave William Saliba loads to consider, and never lengthy after a poor David Raya move prompted us issues, the house facet had been stage.
It was a properly labored purpose, however it felt a bit too simple for Imsaila Sarr to run straight by means of our midfield, and I don’t suppose Saliba did sufficient defensively. The end was good, and the timing of it – simply 5 minutes after we’d gone forward – gave Palace encouragement. The quickfire nature of the opening phases was evident after we went forward once more within the fifteenth minute. Once more it was Jesus, a extremely wonderful end after Thomas Partey laid the ball off neatly from a Gabriel Martinelli nook.
It’s superb what confidence can do for a participant. It’s not possible to say if with out the opposite targets he’d have taken that probability first time with such aplomb, however it actually felt just like the sort of purpose that an in-form participant scores. It’s maybe a bit too early to seek advice from Jesus’s final sport and a half as ‘type’ per se, however compared to what we’ve seen from him of late, it was evening and day … and nice to see.
A mistake from Saliba handed Palace one other probability to equalise, however Mateta’s contact earlier than the shot wasn’t nice and Raya made a great save. Then we misplaced Bukayo Saka to damage, he felt his hamstring and needed to come off, so regardless of the lead it felt precarious. We introduced Leandro Trossard on and switched Martinelli to the correct the place I feel he had a extremely efficient sport. He was concerned within the third purpose, offering a cross which Jesus headed onto the put up with the keeper rooted to the spot, however Kai Havertz was alert, and his sensible motion gave him the best tap-in he’ll get all season.
Palace continued to have probabilities. Simply earlier than the break Lerma headed straight at Raya once I suppose he ought to have examined the keeper much more than he did, and really early within the second half, Sarr’s header from shut vary was effectively saved by the Spaniard. Not lengthy after, a Mateta shot from distance pressured Raya into making a save once more, and never for the primary time this season he needed to make a double save as Sarr adopted up. Had a type of gone in so quickly after half-time, I feel the vitality would have clearly been lots completely different round Selhurst Park.
Once more, we remained too open by means of the centre however Mikel Arteta rectified that with the introduction of Declan Rice for Havertz, whereas Riccardo Calafiori got here on for the spectacular once more Myles Lewis-Skelly. It made a distinction, and on the hour mark the sport was made protected when Martinelli poked residence from shut vary for 4-1. The possibility got here after a improbable move from Gabriel to Trossard made an opportunity for Jesus to attain what would have been his second hat-trick in every week, however Henderson saved together with his legs. Within the ensuing chaos, it was a Rice shot which Martinelli prodded residence, and the midfielder acquired in on the goalscoring motion late on, ending very well after a Calafiori move discovered him simply contained in the Palace field.
It wasn’t all plain crusing, as Raya’s significance demonstrated, however it was good to see Arsenal extra medical in entrance of purpose. I additionally suppose it was a pleasant reminder that this staff can rating targets. A few of the protection after Fulham and Everton was a bit overblown for me. Was it vastly irritating? In fact, and whereas all of us need a bit extra, there’s firepower within the staff – even with out Saka for many of it yesterday.
The sight of him leaving on crutches was not nice, let’s be trustworthy. It was an inauspicious approach for his 250th Arsenal look to play out, however hopefully it’s simply an abundance of warning. It does look as if he’s going to overlook just a few video games although, this was the identical hamstring he had an issue with earlier within the season, and given the schedule the timing is much from preferrred. His damage was compounded by the lack of Raheem Sterling who picked up an issue in coaching this week, and if both or each are extra critical than we predict, it would most likely enhance the strain – or the necessity – to be energetic within the January market.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta was happy together with his staff’s work, however acknowledged the significance of his goalkeeper within the end result, saying:
We had been medical at present, as a result of in lots of issues we had been higher than the opposite sport, however that is soccer. We had been so medical at present, we had been so good at scoring alternative ways, in several phases like we wish to do, and we didn’t concede extra as effectively as a result of David made two unbelievable saves.
I’m very glad that we received, we wanted that win, particularly after the 2 attracts however generally, trying on the 10 video games, no defeats within the final seven. We’ve received 5 and gotten two attracts, and we’ve deserved to win all of them so it’s good.
With just a few days ‘off’ now, it was an essential end result towards a staff which have been in first rate type of late. The truth that Jesus has 5 targets in every week is a growth not too many noticed coming, however it’s very welcome – particularly if we’ve acquired a pair extra accidents to take care of. For a ahead to undergo the sort of barren spell he has endured, it should actually be a weight each time you step onto the pitch, so hopefully this week can spark him again into constant life. We’re going to want him.
What else? The ref nervous me a bit at occasions. When have you ever ever seen a goalkeeper get a warning for ‘time-wasting’ within the 18th minute earlier than? Maybe I’m scarred by different selections this season, however it felt like he was laying the groundwork for an additional Arsenal crimson card for one thing trivial. When he booked Timber for taking too lengthy over a throw-in (he was 100% influenced by the house followers there), I actually began to fret, however we didn’t give him one other probability to go to his pocket.
I additionally thought the late problem on Calafiori was a possible crimson card, however as we all know PGMOL have determined violent conduct will not be one thing they concern themselves with once they can ship gamers off for tapping the ball a pair inches whereas some hoofer boots them from behind. There was one other shocking challenge in the Brighton/West Ham game yesterday that was solely a yellow, and I’m drained repeating myself on this – however when somebody will get badly damage, PGMOL received’t settle for any duty for his or her half in making a tradition the place some gamers really feel emboldened to go in too arduous. Then they’ll use their friends within the media to gaslight us over minutiae no one cares about.
Anyway, I’ll get down off my soapbox now. Arsenal received and received effectively, and that offers us a pleasant few days earlier than we host Ipswich on the twenty seventh earlier than the insanity of the January schedule kicks in quickly after. For now although, we will calm down and benefit from the win.
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