Match report – Player ratings – Arteta reaction – Video
If the tone for Wednesday’s Champions League recreation was set with that barely careless first minute reserving for Declan Rice, we started final night time’s encounter with Newcastle with an depth that they simply couldn’t stay with from the off.
We received 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 nearly 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 ambiance, 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. Typically you could have an off-night, latest Premier League type means that what we noticed final night time is much extra aligned with what this Arsenal crew is able to.
The primary aim got here from a set-piece. Saka whipped within the nook, Gabriel made a terrific run and acquired a great header in direction of aim which compelled a good 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. Aim line know-how was wanted, however it was in and it was 1-0.
Newcastle might barely get the ball, and once they did, Arsenal gamers swarmed them like offended bees. By the twenty sixth minute, 53% of the sport had been performed within the Newcastle remaining third. Kieran Trippier needed to have a sit down. It was 2-0 by then too. The second aim was a factor of magnificence. Jorginho’s excellent move matched Gabriel Martinelli’s dynamic run throughout the opposition backline, and when he pulled the ball again, Havertz was there to fit residence his seventh aim 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 go residence – that might 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 customary an opportunity for himself within the field, and Ben White – feeling a bit ignored as a result of all of the motion was up the opposite finish – flattened Anthony Gordon (as a result of why wouldn’t you need to try this?), and for good measure did it once more earlier than the break. There was lots 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 recreation over early within the second half when one other beautiful Arsenal transfer noticed Havertz by means of on aim, however he dragged his shot vast. I believe he was good once more final night time, and considerably counter-intuitively maybe, it’s moments like that which make me assume there’s nonetheless much more to come back from him. A foul miss, for certain, however he brought about Newcastle issues all night time along with his motion, and no participant on the pitch received extra aerial duels than him.
Newcastle have been a bit higher within the second half … for a couple of minutes possibly. 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 stage with regards to 2-0 (no matter how nicely we’re enjoying), so it was necessary we put the sport to mattress.
It was becoming that we did with one other glorious 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 need 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 at all times 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 through the hand of a Newcastle defender. It was getting into anyway, the TV stated it was an personal aim, however it’s formally a Kiwior aim, and after a very stable few weeks for him at left again, it was nice to see him make that form of contribution.
Arteta made modifications, the sport fizzled out kind of, however with each side having made a variety of substitutes it was a bit extra ragged than beforehand. Joe Willock acquired one again for them, working away from Emile Smith Rowe to loop a header in towards his former membership, however that total passage of play appeared a bit drained from Arsenal. Which isn’t essentially a criticism, they put lots into this efficiency after enjoying midweek too (which Newcastle didn’t), so it’s comprehensible.
Smith Rowe nearly made up for it with a aim on the finish different finish, however Massive Dan Burn cleared it off the road. His final Arsenal aim 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 relatively than later.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta stated:
I believe we had a terrific efficiency, huge credit score to the boys after simply half a day to arrange for the sport. The way in which they executed all the things – the depth, the dedication, the willpower, the aggression and development in all the things that we have been doing with the ball. They performed with a number of braveness towards the crew and we acquired rewarded. I believe we absolutely deserved to win the sport.
There’s little doubt about that. This was a dominant efficiency, towards a crew 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, rather 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 received.
To answer the disappointing efficiency towards 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 enhance to the aim distinction, and a few measure of revenge for what occurred in our earlier recreation towards them, one thing skipper Martin Odegaard referenced in his post-game interview. They clearly felt that they had a rating to settle right here, and boy did they try this.
There’s now over per week till we play once more, Sheffield United on Monday week, so it’s probability for individuals who have given lots in the previous couple of 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 night time, however clearly he was an emergency choice, and one we didn’t want so there was no must danger him. Let’s hope we will get just a few extra our bodies again.
For now, let’s get pleasure from what was one other very spectacular efficiency from this Arsenal crew. Have a terrific Sunday people, again tomorrow with extra, and an Arsecast Further.
Till then.
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