Match report – Participant rankings – Arteta response – Video
Properly, I’m unsure that would have gone a lot worse. Arsenal crashed out of the FA Cup to a ten man Man Utd, misplaced Gabriel Jesus to what regarded like a critical damage and probably picked up one other couple of minor issues alongside the way in which, missed a load of possibilities, missed a penalty, performed half-hour of extra-time forward of a North London derby on Wednesday, and suffered the demoralisation of dropping a penalty shoot-out at our personal floor.
We had a primary half purpose rightly disallowed for offside, however that apart there wasn’t a lot to jot down house about from our first half efficiency. The principle speaking level was the damage to Jesus. He received a whack within the face from Lisandro Martinez and damage his knee within the course of, however after some therapy stayed on. He transferring all proper, nevertheless a couple of minutes later he sprinted again to chase down Bruno Fernandes on the sting of their field, landed semi-awkwardly and stayed down.
The sight of him being stretchered off, head in arms, instructed you lots about how critical this in all probability is. Gamers know once they’ve performed one thing unhealthy. You’ll be able to’t assist however worry an ACL, and we’ll discover out quickly sufficient after he has scans at the moment. Afterwards, Mikel Arteta mentioned:
“Large fear. That’s my feeling. He needed to come off on a stretcher with loads of ache. The worrying issue is the sensation that he had. He needed to come off and the ache that he was in.”
Fingers crossed for him, however we’ve performed one thing to upset the damage gods this season, and I don’t actually anticipate excellent news from this one. Possibly we’ll be pleasantly shocked, nevertheless it’s a blow to lose one other participant from a ahead line that’s already missing in numbers in addition to firepower. He was changed by Raheem Sterling.
The second half started poorly, a misjudgement on the midway line from Gabriel noticed Garnacho drive in the direction of our field, he performed a ball throughout and Bruno Fernandes was there with a high-quality end to make it 1-0. We virtually responded right away, Mikel Merino made an opportunity for Kai Havertz however the German miskicked and put the ball broad when he ought to have hit the goal.
On the hour mark although, the pendulum swung our manner when Diogo Dalot was proven a second yellow card for a foul on Merino. It felt like an age because the opposition had a participant despatched off in opposition to us, and absolutely this could give us enough benefit to go on and win it. Gabriel’s equaliser simply 2 minutes later ought to have actually knocked the stuffing out of United. A Martinelli cross wasn’t handled nicely by the keeper, and the centre-half’s shot deflected past him and into the web for 1-1.
Now, flip the screw. Regardless of some cold-light-of-day considerations about our goalscoring proper now, I believe it’s truthful to say we had sufficient possibilities to win this sport twice over. The penalty we got was smooth, I’ve to confess, however Altay Bayindir produced a very good save from a not 100% convincing Martin Odegaard effort. The captain then produced an excellent cross for substitute Declan Rice, however his header was nicely saved; Havertz produced his third horrible miss of the week poking over from shut vary when it was simpler to attain; and Bayindir denied Rice once more when he went via and shot together with his left foot.
Rice had a shot blocked as the sport went into extra-time, and when Havertz received behind and squared it, it regarded for all of the world like Trossard would rating however de Ligt produced a tremendous clearance to get the ball away. There was hazard up our finish when Thomas Partey was careless after which poorly positioned however Raya made a very good save. After that, we huffed and puffed however discovered United in obstinate defensive type.
I’ve to say I discovered it odd that with a person benefit we tended to assault solely down one flank, somewhat than use the additional man to stretch the play. I do know the horseshoe of doom is no person’s favorite, however there are occasions when it’s helpful and 11 v 10 is certainly one of them. The substitutes – bar Rice – have been ineffectual for me. Trossard supplied principally nothing, and whereas Sterling did run with the ball a couple of instances, he did little or no with it. His sport summed up for me proper on the demise once we wanted to get the ball into the field and he ended simply buying and selling passes with Partey till the ref blew his whistle.
Then to penalties, and also you couldn’t assist really feel we have been going to pay the value for the missed possibilities. And so it proved. United have been 100% from the spot, aided by a really bizarre show from Raya who appeared to commit too early for each kick making it simpler for his or her gamers to choose their spot. And it needed to be Havertz who missed. I’d wager he hasn’t had a worse week as an expert when it comes to missed possibilities and their impression, so to compound it with a penalty failure (which was a contact extra a very good save than a foul miss for me, however nonetheless), left him trying completely bereft afterwards.
So, out of the FA Cup at an early stage once more, and we’re hanging on by a thread within the Carabao Cup after the defeat to Newcastle earlier within the week. The Jesus damage, a doable hamstring drawback for Jurrien Timber, an damage that compelled Jorginho off, 120 minutes of vitality sapping soccer, our fundamental striker going via a nightmare seven days in entrance of purpose, and all of the questions folks have about this staff proper now are much more legitimate after what was a loopy cup tie. It was a catastrophe of a day, and with a North London derby in two days time, the supervisor has to choose them up and get them happening.
It explains his post-game feedback the place he spoke about how a lot he loves his gamers. I believe most individuals will perceive why he’s mentioned that publicly, he can’t actually say anything as a result of morale is clearly going to be low, and he can’t have them feeling sorry for themselves. They’ve a job to do on Wednesday evening (and past), so that actually is the one message he can ship.
Privately although, he have to be involved. I don’t wish to speak about xG, and the way a lot we’ve under-performed it within the final couple of video games, however placing the ball behind the web is an issue proper now. And one probably exacerbated by one other damage which may rob us of a participant for an extended time frame. Requested afterwards if this meant we’d need to signal a striker, I assumed Arteta’s reply was fascinating:
I perceive that, however I can’t love our gamers extra. And I focus very a lot on those that we’ve to carry out on the highest stage. That’s it. The remaining just isn’t in our arms, not in my arms.
To me not less than, it means that if there’s some obstacle to spending, it comes from larger up. No matter you may consider how the supervisor has spent over time, I actually can’t consider he wouldn’t need an addition to his ahead line this month. Bukayo Saka is gone for months, Ethan Nwaneri is sidelined too, he’s misplaced Jesus for what may very well be a very long time, Sterling has no purpose menace in any respect, Trossard’s type has gone off a cliff this season, and Martinelli has 6 targets in 28 appearances. To not point out our main scorer going via a spell the place he’s contriving to overlook the sorts of possibilities I believe he’s greater than able to placing away.
He’s proper to deal with the gamers we’ve, in fact. There’s no level in doing a lot else when we’ve a sport each three days, nevertheless it was by no means extra evident than yesterday than this can be a staff that wants not less than one participant who’s extra medical within the closing third, and possibly greater than that within the longer-term.
Underlying that’s the sense that the staff is taking part in inside itself … restricted, roadblocked by teaching of the trivia to offer us management, with out sufficient expression or improvisation to essentially threaten. Yesterday was definitely about ending greater than anything, however we play like we’ve a stick up our arse (for need of a greater phrase) and in the end that comes again to Arteta himself. We have to get that stick out of there, and get somebody in throughout this window to offer the staff the assistance it so badly wants now.
Within the meantime, all we will do is watch for information of Jesus, and decide ourselves to go once more on Wednesday. It all the time is a must-win sport, however this one takes on added significance after such a foul week within the cups.
For me on yesterday, we’ll Arsecast Additional for you in a short time too. We’ve put out the decision for questions on BlueSky @gunnerblog.bsky.social and @arseblog.com with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or in the event you’re an Arseblog Member on Patreon, depart your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
Pod ought to be out round midday. For now, have a very good one.
