Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
If the tone for Wednesday’s Champions League sport was set with that barely careless first minute reserving for Declan Rice, we started final evening’s encounter with Newcastle with an depth that they simply couldn’t reside with from the off.
We gained a nook within the first 60 seconds, which noticed Ben White flick a header on and Bukayo Saka shoot over the bar. A minute later Kai Havertz virtually caught the goalkeeper in possession and managed to shut down the defender he laid the ball off to in the identical motion. Mikel Arteta wished a giant environment, and his gamers knew they needed to contribute to that proper from the beginning.
With simply the one change to the aspect, Jorginho changing Leandro Trossard, it was primarily the identical XI that struggled in Porto, however this efficiency was chalk and cheese. Generally you’ve gotten an off-night, latest Premier League kind means that what we noticed final evening is way extra aligned with what this Arsenal staff is able to.
The primary objective got here from a set-piece. Saka whipped within the nook, Gabriel made an incredible run and obtained a great header in the direction of objective which compelled an honest save from Loris Karius, however because the ball scuntled across the Newcastle field, it got here off the knee of Sven Botman and went over the road. Objective line know-how was wanted, but it surely was in and it was 1-0.
Newcastle might barely get the ball, and once they did, Arsenal gamers swarmed them like indignant bees. By the twenty sixth minute, 53% of the sport had been performed within the Newcastle last third. Kieran Trippier needed to have a sit down. It was 2-0 by then too. The second objective was a factor of magnificence. Jorginho’s excellent go matched Gabriel Martinelli’s dynamic run throughout the opposition backline, and when he pulled the ball again, Havertz was there to fit house his seventh objective of the season.
Saka and Odegaard mixed brilliantly for the previous to create an opportunity for Martinelli, however sadly he couldn’t get above the ball fairly sufficient to move house – that may have been one of many objectives of the season if he’d planted that header into the highest nook. Martinelli shot over, Karius saved from Saka after he usual an opportunity for himself within the field, and Ben White – feeling a bit disregarded as a result of all of the motion was up the opposite finish – flattened Anthony Gordon (as a result of why wouldn’t you wish to do this?), and for good measure did it once more earlier than the break. There was quite a bit to love about this half of soccer. Nice objectives, very nice Arsenal soccer, and Ben White clattering Anthony Gordon. Worth for cash.
It ought to have been sport over early within the second half when one other beautiful Arsenal transfer noticed Havertz by way of on objective, however he dragged his shot extensive. I feel he was good once more final evening, and considerably counter-intuitively maybe, it’s moments like that which make me assume there’s nonetheless much more to return from him. A foul miss, for positive, however he prompted Newcastle issues all evening along with his motion, and no participant on the pitch gained extra aerial duels than him.
Newcastle have been a bit higher within the second half … for a couple of minutes perhaps. There was a shot from Gordon which Raya saved comfortably, Alexander Isak popped one over the bar, however they didn’t actually threaten with any consistency. Nonetheless, all of us have our personal trauma degree in relation to 2-0 (no matter how nicely we’re enjoying), so it was vital we put the sport to mattress.
It was becoming that we did with one other wonderful transfer. Havertz intercepted, Odegaard discovered Rice who performed it again to the German first time, and he laid it outdoors to Saka. The defender didn’t wish to let him again onto his left foot, however was powerless to cease him, and his shot nestled into the far nook for 3-0. That was all the time going to be the sport, and the factors, however we weren’t content material with that.
A Jakub Kiwior ball excessive for substitute Trossard resulted in an Arsenal nook. Rice whipped it in, and the Polish worldwide was there to flick a header in by way of the hand of a Newcastle defender. It was getting in anyway, the TV mentioned it was an personal objective, but it surely’s formally a Kiwior objective, and after a extremely strong few weeks for him at left again, it was nice to see him make that sort of contribution.
Arteta made modifications, the sport fizzled out kind of, however with either side having made plenty of substitutes it was a bit extra ragged than beforehand. Joe Willock obtained one again for them, operating away from Emile Smith Rowe to loop a header in in opposition to his former membership, however that total passage of play appeared a bit drained from Arsenal. Which isn’t essentially a criticism, they put quite a bit into this efficiency after enjoying midweek too (which Newcastle didn’t), so it’s comprehensible.
Smith Rowe virtually made up for it with a objective on the finish different finish, however Large Dan Burn cleared it off the road. His final Arsenal objective got here in April 2022, within the 4-2 win over Chelsea, so he should be determined to get again on the scoresheet. Hopefully that can come quickly. In his varied substitute cameos, he has proven he nonetheless has the positional consciousness, and fingers crossed he can discover the end sooner quite than later.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta mentioned:
I feel we had an incredible efficiency, large credit score to the boys after simply half a day to arrange for the sport. The best way they executed every little thing – the depth, the dedication, the willpower, the aggression and development in every little thing that we have been doing with the ball. They performed with a number of braveness in opposition to the staff and we obtained rewarded. I feel we totally deserved to win the sport.
There’s little doubt about that. This was a dominant efficiency, in opposition to a staff whose gameplan would have been about being bodily and intense, however who simply weren’t allowed to execute that due to how good we have been. I assumed the Rice / Jorginho midfield axis labored actually, very well and was elementary to how nicely we performed. We had 18 pictures, 8 on track, and the possession stats solely look vaguely equal as a result of we allow them to have a little bit of the ball when the sport was clearly gained.
To reply to the disappointing efficiency in opposition to Porto was very pleasing, however extra importantly we needed to take three factors to maintain up with Liverpool and Metropolis, and we did that in emphatic type. To not point out one other good increase to the objective distinction, and a few measure of revenge for what occurred in our earlier sport in opposition to them, one thing skipper Martin Odegaard referenced in his post-game interview. They clearly felt they’d a rating to settle right here, and boy did they do this.
There’s now over per week till we play once more, Sheffield United on Monday week, so it’s probability for many who have given quite a bit in the previous few weeks to recharge their batteries, and hopefully to get one or two or three of the injured gamers again. Gabriel Jesus was on the bench final evening, however clearly he was an emergency possibility, and one we didn’t want so there was no must threat him. Let’s hope we are able to get a number of extra our bodies again.
For now, let’s get pleasure from what was one other very spectacular efficiency from this Arsenal staff. Have an incredible Sunday people, again tomorrow with extra, and an Arsecast Additional.
Till then.
