Match report – Participant rankings – Arteta response – Video
One other away day, one other six targets. That is changing into one thing of a behavior, however what a really good behavior it’s.
Arsenal deserve a lot credit score for this current run, I believe our performances have been glorious with a satisfying ruthlessness in entrance of purpose. That was the identical final night time, however greater than every other sport on this current run – even Burnley – we got a serving to hand by simply how unhealthy the opposition have been.
Shifting from his favoured again 5 to a again 4 was an attention-grabbing tactical selection from Chris Wilder, and one which backfired spectacularly. The deployment of centre-half Auston Trusty at left-back was clearly designed to try to thwart Bukayo Saka, however it didn’t work. It solely made him stronger. Trusty was spinach, Saka grew to become Popeye and ate him all up.
He hit the bar within the opening minutes, an indication of what was to come back. Arsenal bossed it from the beginning, and very like at Burnley it was captain Martin Odegaard who put us forward with an early purpose. Declan Rice made a pleasant run into the field, he pulled it again and the Norwegian was unmarked to fit house. Saka pressured an personal purpose after burning past Trusty with ease, his low cross become his personal web by Jayden Bogle. Pretty play from again to entrance noticed us go 3-0 up within the fifteenth minute. Gabriel Martinelli took it on, performed a one-two with Jakub Kiwior and his shot deflected into the online.
Let the document present that the Kiwior help was no-look. pic.twitter.com/zXKLEsOLzR
— Billy Carpenter (@billycarpy) March 4, 2024
That prompted Wilder to make a change, simply 16 minutes in. It’s at all times robust for the participant who has to come back off so early within the sport, however as an opposition fan you like to see it. They modified to their extra acquainted again 5, however the targets saved coming. Kai Havertz made essentially the most of a chance when the ref performed benefit after a ridiculous foul on Martinelli (the bloke mainly hauled him off his ft by his jersey and by some means didn’t get booked).
The German took it on and completed with actual conviction, placing his foot by way of the ball in a means he simply didn’t in the beginning of the season. His purpose tally is steadily heading in the direction of double figures, and there’s no query he’s been one of many fundamentals of this current run of excellent kind. He had a very good night time total, including an help within the second half too, and if he continues on this vein, he may finish this season with some fairly spectacular numbers below his belt. Let’s hope so.
The fifth got here through Declan Rice, however it owed a lot to Odegaard and Saka. The captain was in his aspect final night time, toying with the opposition at instances, however perhaps that means a frivolity or lack of seriousness which wasn’t the case. He did it as a result of he may, but in addition to search out methods to harm them. His cross to Saka allowed him to show of their field, and pull the ball again for Rice to fit house. A 5 purpose, 5 star first half.
Saka was changed by Fabio Vieira at half-time, Arteta defined afterwards he was feeling unwell, so it’s a testomony to his high quality that he was so influential in a half when he was below the climate. A lot of the second interval felt like gamers going by way of the motions a bit. We dominated the ball, William Saliba made extra passes on his personal than all the Sheffield United group made all sport.
The sixth purpose, from the aforementioned Havertz help, was rifled house by Ben White – a landmark second because it turned out to be Arsenal’s 10000th official purpose. I actually loved his post-match interview, admitting he didn’t know what he was doing when he celebrated, and when requested if there was any empathy for the opposition once you’re main 6-0, he took a second and stated:
No. I don’t suppose so. We’re right here to do our job and that’s what we’ve carried out at present.
I believe it’s truthful to say we took our foot off the fuel, though there have been a few probabilities so as to add to the scoreline, the keeper made a very good save from Gabriel Jesus at one level, and Kiwior miscued a header. Thomas Partey acquired some minutes after being out for thus lengthy, he’s undoubtedly rusty so the posh of having the ability to reintroduce him in a state of affairs when the factors are secured shouldn’t be ignored.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta stated:
A terrific night time – it’s a extremely tough place to come back however the way in which we began the sport clearly made the distinction. We have been actually aggressive, actually optimistic and we confirmed actual high quality, particularly within the remaining third to take the sport right into a place the place it was in an enormous favour for us after which we maintained it. We maintained the rhythm, the starvation and I really like that concerning the group.
I believe he’s being fairly magnanimous about how tough it’s to go to Sheffield United today. It was so attention-grabbing to listen to Thierry Henry discuss on Sky about how he felt uneasy about this fixture earlier than kick off. I believe we will all perceive, the potential banana skins in a title race and all that, however this model of Sheffield United isn’t any banana. Extra of a rotting turnip, doomed to relegation at this level. I recognize Arteta’s public respect for the opposition, I believe that’s the appropriate means for him to talk, however as followers we will do it otherwise.
However, after wins for Liverpool and Man Metropolis this weekend, there’s at all times just a bit ‘what if?!’ within the air once you play after your opponents. Sheffield United misplaced their final house sport 5-0 and would have wished to at the least give a very good account of themselves in entrance of their very own followers. Nonetheless, Arsenal’s high quality and dominance of the sport didn’t permit them to do this. Sure, they have been unhealthy, however we have been additionally very, superb, and now the eye turns to this weekend.
It’s a unique problem, enjoying forward of our title rivals – who play one another btw – and searching for to place a little bit of stress on them. That’s all to come back, however final night time made it seven wins in a row, scoring 31 targets within the course of, and whereas we don’t know if we’ll go the gap on this title race, that is the type of stuff champions elect do. It’s very, very encouraging, however there will probably be harder checks to come back, that’s for positive.
Proper, let’s depart it there. We’re recording an Arsecast Additional for you comparatively this morning, so 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, depart your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
Podcast needs to be out round midday. Till then.
