Match report – Player ratings – Arteta reaction – Video
In yesterday’s preview, I wrote about how there can be video games when Arsenal have to dig in and scrap their strategy to three factors, and the 2-1 win over Brentford was precisely that. Their recreation plan made life rather more troublesome for us than most of our latest fixtures. It was scrappy, bodily, stop-starty – which was exactly what they wished.
The ball was in play for lower than 50% of tonight’s match between Arsenal and Brentford.
Complete time: 105:01
Time in play: 49:26— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) March 9, 2024
They did properly initially to cease a quick Arsenal begin, however it wasn’t lengthy earlier than we have been on prime, and deservedly forward via Declan Rice. His header from Ben White’s cross was wonderful, and it was fairly one thing to see him again and again pop up as a de facto centre-forward. The licence to play increased up when Jorginho is alongside him in midfield seems to be like one thing he relishes – and that was his sixth Premier League objective of the season. He additionally has six assists to his identify, and it’s attention-grabbing to assume that in all of the chat about whether or not Kai Havertz may change what Granit Xhaka gave us final season (7 objectives, 7 assists), Rice has mainly accomplished that with out an excessive amount of fanfare about that facet of his recreation.
We must always have been 2-0 up earlier than the break, Havertz dinking a sensational Jorginho move broad. The flag went up however he regarded onside to me. What a distinction that may have made to Aaron Ramsdale’s evening although. Simply earlier than the break, he was closed down rapidly by Yoane Wissa, who blocked the tried clearance into the Arsenal internet to make it 1-1. There’s no strategy to sugarcoat it. It’s a foul mistake. I felt actually sorry for him, however it was his fault – simply taking an additional step when he may have performed the ball.
So, a bit just like the Liverpool recreation a couple of weeks again, a recreation we should always have been main on the break noticed us go in all sq.. Afterwards, Havertz was requested about the way it felt, and mentioned ‘Not good’, for apparent causes, however when the objective you concede is so avoidable, and with all of the highlight on Ramsdale, the Raya facet and it coming towards Brentford and so forth, there have been further ranges.
For essentially the most half, Arsenal dominated the second half. 10 pictures, 8 corners, plenty of strain, but when we spotlight the Ramsdale mistake, now we have to spotlight the issues he did properly in that second half too. Brentford’s possibilities have been all the time more likely to be few and much between, however they’d them. Ivan Toney’s opportunistic effort regarded for all of the world prefer it was going to sail over Ramsdale’s head, however he leaped, bought a great hand on it and made an excellent save. It’s a kind of that had it gone in would have regarded actually unhealthy for the keeper, however with out it being his fault essentially. Arsenal’s goalies are requested to play excessive, properly off their line, so there’s all the time that danger, however he pulled off an awesome save earlier than I even had the prospect to complete the ‘Oh no’ thought.
His second save, from Nathan Collins, was additionally excellent, and actually vital. This was the 71st minute, going behind at that time would have made profitable impossible, so it was essential to maintain the scores stage. It’s additionally value mentioning that if we acknowledge Ramsdale made a mistake on the primary objective, Arsenal’s defence fully switched off after a Brentford throw, with no one close to Collins because the cross got here in. If Havertz spared Ramsdale’s blushes with that late objective, the keeper did the identical for his mates on this scenario. It’s simply not as apparent.
On the different finish, I feel we have been unfortunate to not be awarded a penalty when Leandro Trossard was pulled again. There was an earlier shout involving Martin Odegaard, however I feel that was simply robust defending. Nevertheless, had the Trossard incident occurred up the opposite finish and Brentford bought a spot-kick, you wouldn’t be capable to complain about it. Rice virtually bought one other to place us forward, curling a implausible effort onto the purpose of the crossbar and publish with the keeper stranded, and Brentford tried to make the sport as scrappy as doable from then on.
Gamers went down, they blocked off Ramsdale greater than as soon as as he tried to distribute the ball rapidly, and the clock was ticking. Then got here a passage of play which noticed Odegaard do very well to maintain the ball, with a header to Ben White. It got here again to the captain, he noticed the run, White delivered a cross into center and Havertz was there to plant a header dwelling to make it 2-1. For the second time this season the German worldwide broke Brentford hearts within the dying phases of the sport, and there’s no query that was an enormous objective for this group.
Not merely the three factors, however the message it sends. That this group can and can struggle for the whole lot. That this group has the flexibility to maintain going. That this group has perception in its capability to win video games on the dying. How usually have we seen the easiest groups, the groups that win issues, do precisely this? I do know now we have one thing of a observe report of this in latest instances, and the apparent rationalization is that good groups do that frequently. We’re a great group.
At that time, Brentford’s aversion to Arsenal losing time was very humorous. I’ve no actual difficulty with their gameplan, it’s one thing now we have to cope with, and in reality it’s most likely significantly better preparation for Porto on Tuesday than any form of 6-0 win you possibly can consider. That is what we’ll face within the Champions League. Nevertheless, when a group spends ages time-wasting, then will get all riled up as a result of they get a bit again when the scoreline modifications, it’s extraordinarily amusing.
As for Thomas Frank’s insistence Havertz shouldn’t have been on the pitch as a result of he should have had a second yellow for diving, give me a break. That is pure distraction from a supervisor whose group sit only a single level above an Everton aspect who haven’t received a recreation since December sixteenth, and who’ve have been docked six factors this season. I get it, when you could have simply two wins in your final fourteen Premier League video games, you want one thing to take the highlight off you because the supervisor and your duty for that, and that’s all that is.
Was it a penalty on Havertz? No. Was it a second yellow card? Completely not. You’ll be able to’t ship a participant off for that. There was some contact that he made essentially the most of, however that’s it. Frank’s post-game rubbish additionally conveniently ignores the penalty Trossard ought to have had, and the one Gabriel should have had proper on the finish. If the Brazilian was booked for a shirt pull early within the first half, what’s the distinction between that foul and the one dedicated on him within the field? Precisely.
His reverse quantity, Mikel Arteta, was in significantly better kind, as you’d think about, reacting afterwards:
It felt nice, clearly we needed to dig in and earn the proper to win it, however I’m actually happy with the efficiency, the maturity, the emotional management that we confirmed, and the way we overcame difficulties. If you wish to be up there, you must win a majority of these video games and the group confirmed that it has the instruments and particularly the dedication, and the assumption to take action.
And he had some phrases for Ramsdale too, whose evening within the highlight was definitely eventful:
He’s an individual with an enormous character and braveness, very decided. Errors are a part of soccer, it’s arduous to react about it, particularly for the keepers as a result of it’s most likely essentially the most troublesome place however he did it in a tremendous approach. I’m not stunned as a result of the entire group and entire stadium was behind him. He has that respect and admiration and actually wished to win for him that second and he actually helped us to win the sport.
There’s a variety of speak about how this may need been his final Arsenal look, and that may properly be the case. You by no means know although, damage or suspension may see him required once more, and I’m glad for him that he responded properly to his mistake, and that we bought the objective which meant that error wasn’t the most important speaking level this morning.
Total, a tricky evening, however nothing we didn’t count on. There’s not a lot turnaround time between now and Tuesday, so all the main target for the gamers and supervisor can be on Porto. For followers although, we are able to watch at the moment’s recreation between Liverpool and Man Metropolis, and hope for a beneficial final result with the three factors we would have liked in our again pocket. Oh, and fast a point out for my man Ben White with two assists. Golden Thighs comes up with the products.
Proper, have an awesome Sunday people. Again tomorrow with extra and a model new Arsecast Further.
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