Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
Arsenal moved into second place within the Premier League after a 1-0 win over Ipswich, courtesy of a primary half Kai Havertz purpose.
It’s honest to say that the outcome 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 correct group 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 had been a purpose to the nice, and had ‘loved’ 88% possession, which is sort of remarkable in Premier League phrases. It was turning that domination into possibilities that was the problem. There was a Jurrien Timber effort that he made for himself, and Rice fired one not far over, however other than the purpose that was it.
Let’s not downplay the purpose by the best way. Trossard did nicely to beat his man on the surface and put in a left footed cross, however the way it discovered its strategy 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 web for 1-0. A few minutes later Jesus had the ball behind the web however the flag went up for offside, and that was about it for the primary 45 minutes.
I feel we had been a bit higher within the second half, however not considerably. With solely Ethan Nwaneri as a nominal attacking choice on the bench, there wasn’t a lot scope for change. Martinelli and Jesus had been quiet, Odegaard got here to life briefly with an excellent run into the field however couldn’t discover the end, and the very best likelihood of the second interval fell to Gabriel who inexplicably headed vast from shut vary after we’d received a nook. By his personal very excessive requirements, that was a foul miss.
Mikel Merino got here on for Jesus and noticed a shot saved, however Ipswich had 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 group that has carried out nothing all recreation – partially due to how nicely Arsenal managed it – finds a purpose 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 suppose it’s improper to say Ipswich by no means seemed like scoring, however that’s solely true till it isn’t. At this stage, when you may’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 choose my boredom at 2-0 or 3-0 (admittedly extra targets make it much less boring although).
Operating by 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 type of recreation play out loads of instances with him on the pitch. Assume Everton just some weeks in the past, however the lack of firepower on the bench was apparent, as was our incapability to alter issues in-game – and given the additional dangerous information about Saka (extra on that anon), it ought to present 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, nonetheless you come by them. We discovered a strategy to win this one, and after a 4-0 defeat of their final recreation, you can see there was a concerted effort from Ipswich to not get battered once more. Nonetheless, I feel the stability between them defending nicely and Arsenal missing attacking menace was skewed much more in 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 greatest, and I cherished the best way the 18 12 months previous 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 group.
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:
When it comes to how nicely we management the place, 10 instances, 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 nicely, and the great thing about it, and entertaining folks, and that one most likely was higher for them.
I feel everyone knows this about him now. He needs to present the opposition nothing. He’s the form of man who would go dwelling after a 5-1 win and stew over the 1 reasonably than totally benefit from the 5. As all of us marvel what we’d do within the January window to switch Saka, there’s a part of me that wouldn’t be in any respect shocked 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 strategy to exert management over soccer matches is to attain targets. You completely eradicate danger once you’re 2-0 or 3-0 up and defending in addition to we did. I do suppose we have to give the Arsenal group credit score for a way defensively strong it’s. Ipswich supervisor Kieran McKenna stated afterwards that his group was going through the ‘a number of the greatest defenders on the planet’, and I don’t suppose he’s improper, however final evening it was arduous to not suppose 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 key post-game information was the truth that Bukayo Saka has had surgical procedure on his hamstring tear, which is clearly actually dangerous information. Any form of operation is a final resort, and it now means we’re going to be with out him for the longest potential time frame when a participant picks up an issue like this.
It’s terrible information for him, so at the beginning 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, when you can by no means say by no means in soccer, I don’t suppose I’d be alone to counsel it might be an nearly not possible process until 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’ – nicely, right here’s a giant drawback we now have to react to. I don’t imagine we are able to get by the subsequent three months with out Saka, and with the attacking gamers we now have, and rating sufficient targets to maintain us in that race. The information on Raheem Sterling is seemingly a bit 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 most important home prize of the season.
Let’s have 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 isn’t getting any youthful, Jesus has been barren till the final two video games, and Martinelli’s inconsistency has been a difficulty for practically 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 could be accessible 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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Proper, let’s go away it there. We’re gonna have an Arsecast Further for you in a short while too. We’ve put out the decision for questions on BlueSky @gunnerblog.bsky.social and @arseblog.com with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or if you happen to’re an Arseblog Member on Patreon, go away your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
Pod needs to be out round midday. For now, have a very good one.
