Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
Arsenal are by means of to the 4th spherical of the FA Cup, for a tie towards Man Metropolis, after a 3-0 win over Oxford final evening.
Mikel Arteta made adjustments to his facet, however not up prime. It was one thing of a shock to see the primary selection trio of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah all begin, however with Emile Smith Rowe not match sufficient to start out, it’s not as if he had an excessive amount of selection. I don’t suppose it was a message to the board that he wants additions, extra a easy actuality of the squad because it stands.
The much less mentioned concerning the first half the higher. It was fairly scrappy stuff, performed on a dodgy, bumpy pitch that we discovered powerful going. We created nearly nothing, Oxford created much less, and in some ways it was what you’d have predicted. The decrease league facet had been laborious working and bodily, and I feel our midfield particularly struggled to assist us get any management on the sport.
The second interval started in comparable vogue. Oxford had an honest probability however their lad overran the ball and Matt Turner had come out effectively and was in a position to smother the hazard. We constructed a little bit of stress. A pleasant flick from Vieira led to Saka having one cleared off the road by a defender after the shot beat the keeper, and there have been a succession of corners which noticed us play the sport extra of their half.
Modifications helped although. Oleksandr Zinchenko changed Kieran Tierney and gave us extra dynamism in central areas, whereas Granit Xhaka got here on for the once more disappointing Albert Sambi Lokonga who as soon as extra did not benefit from an occasional begin. After that, two different gamers who had been quiet within the first interval got here to life. After Gabriel Martinelli was clearly fouled, Fabio Vieira curled in a wonderful free kick and Mohamed Elneny headed residence to open the scoring.
Vieira, who had seemed small within the first half, actually grew into the sport after that contribution. His cross for Eddie Nketiah’s first purpose was actually beautiful, and the best way the striker rounded the keeper to roll the ball residence confirmed a confidence that’s constructing in him. Eddie obtained the third after we broke effectively, Martinelli delayed the cross to him, and his end contained in the keeper was actually good. It’s 5 objectives in his final 5 begins now, and 4 in 4 since he was known as into motion after the harm sustained by Gabriel Jesus.
There was time to offer some minutes to Emile Smith Rowe for the primary time since early September, and to be honest he seemed a bit rusty. However, within the quarter-hour or in order that he performed, he nearly grabbed a purpose – so hopefully he’ll de-rust over the approaching weeks and we will preserve him match.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta mentioned:
it’s all the time powerful to win these form of matches. It was a bodily sport in lots of moments, we have now stood by that. They’re a very direct group and we needed to management sure issues higher. We modified within the second half and had much more management of the sport and we discovered the openings to win the sport.
He was requested about better depth up entrance, and bringing in one other ahead, even with Eddie’s respectable purpose return:
The issue is we have now just one! And to go for that many months til Jesus is again just isn’t simple. However we have now to get probably the most out of the gamers that we have now in the mean time and if we will have some reinforcements – nice.
That was as a lot as we obtained in the case of transfers. The pursuit of Joao Felix seems to be over after Chelsea agreed to pay all the pieces that Atletico Madrid wished, due to course they did. See a participant different golf equipment are excited by. Test. Pay over the percentages. Test. It’s how they do it.
To be completely trustworthy, the outlay for this participant has all the time made me uncomfortable. What you may do within the medium-long time period with €20m+ versus what he might provide you with for 5 months by no means actually made sense to me. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how we take care of this although. If we wished each him and Mykhaylo Mudryk, do we have now a secondary goal? Your guess is pretty much as good as mine at this level, nevertheless it’s clear to everybody that it is a facet that wants additions. The sight of Bukayo Saka down getting remedy is nearly nightmare-like, so let’s hope they’ll get one thing finished rapidly.
So, that’s a difficult third spherical tie out of the best way. We’ve a North London derby to give attention to now, and fingers crossed one thing to spice up the squad earlier than then.
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Proper, let’s go away it there for now. James and I are recording the Arsecast Additional for you in a while this morning. Maintain a watch out for the decision for questions on Twitter @gunnerblog and @arseblog on Twitter with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or for those who’re on Arseblog Member on Patreon, go away your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
We should always have the podcast for you round lunchtime. Till then.
