Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
Again in March, Arsenal went to Outdated Trafford and performed very well, notably within the first half. We drew that sport 1-1 on a day when the dearth of leading edge up entrance was a big problem. Yesterday, we went to Outdated Trafford and performed quite a bit worse than that, however got here away with a 1-0 win due to Riccardo Calafiori’s thirteenth minute objective.
I do know which I choose.
On the opening day of a brand new season, you’d like to see the workforce play to its greatest degree, however I do suppose there’s one thing essentially bizarre about Man Utd away for us. Within the Premier League period, we’ve solely gained there 6 occasions, every a type of video games has been a 1-0. The Italian now stands alongside Marc Overmars, Sylvain Wiltord, Emmanuel Adebayor, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Leandro Trossard as somebody who has scored a successful objective for us there. It’s such an odd sequence, and I can’t escape the sensation – that for no matter cause this stadium is a factor for us – you must take a look at yesterday via that prism.
On paper the workforce seemed good. Viktor Gyokeres obtained the nod up entrance, and once I noticed the respective midfields I assumed we’d dominate that space of the pitch. That didn’t occur at any stage actually, and the truth that solely William Saliba made extra clearances yesterday than Martin Odegaard tells you one thing about how onerous the captain labored (and the place), and the general Arsenal efficiency.
It’s actually onerous to know why we didn’t carry out, however we had too many gamers on the periphery of the sport. The longer it went on, the extra I used to be satisfied Declan Rice wasn’t 100% – he had fewer touches of the ball than David Raya within the first half, and ended the sport the identical means. After we’re purring, he’s concerned, and he simply wasn’t yesterday. Martin Zubimendi had a tidy however unspectacular debut, and I assumed Odegaard tried to drag some strings, however I don’t suppose he was helped by each Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli having off days too.
It meant we needed to depend on our defensive energy, one thing Mikel Arteta famous after the sport. There was one iffy second from Raya within the first half, however he produced an important save from Matheus Cunha, and one glorious punch from a harmful Bruno Fernandes nook. United hit the put up, and I assumed Bryan Mbeumo was probably the most harmful participant on the pitch, each time the ball obtained to him he seemed harmful – virtually the polar reverse of when our wingers have been concerned.
I questioned if issues would possibly change on the break, if there was one thing Arteta may tweak to alter the dynamic of the sport, nevertheless it was extra of the identical actually. We had moments of transition the place we may have accomplished higher however this is a matter we’re going to must work out of our system somewhat than present an on the spot repair. It was niggly, stop-start stuff with plenty of fouls and free kicks (largely for United), and Raya was referred to as into motion once more to disclaim Mbeumo’s close to put up header.
We introduced on Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke for a debut. He was quiet, the German battled onerous up entrance, however at this level it actually felt like a sport we’d must see out somewhat than win extra convincingly. And finally that’s what we did. Was it enjoyable? No. Would I’ve most popular to see a greater efficiency? Completely. Do I actually care this morning? In no way.
After I seemed on the fixture listing when it got here out, my coronary heart sank slightly that this was our first sport. I noticed the United workforce yesterday and thought it was beatable, particularly if our midfield obtained up to the mark, however no matter it’s about this floor, we at all times discover it powerful going there. So, to return away with three factors could be very, very pleasing, and we’ve obtained certainly one of our most tough video games of the season out of the best way within the course of.
Afterwards, Arteta didn’t sugarcoat something, saying:
To come back within the first fixture to Outdated Trafford with that ambiance, the best way they’re constructing momentum with the brand new signings and the joy round it, is prime. I imply, it’s an important feeling. After which we have now to be actually humble about the best way we did it.
We actually gained as a result of we put a powerful set-piece in. And after, due to the best way we reacted to errors. To make unforced errors, errors which can be very removed from the requirements that we usually have.After all, we have now to enhance quite a lot of issues, and that may occur very quickly.However when it comes to managing to get that into a really constructive end result, that’s an effective way to do it.
I do perceive issues about how we performed, however that is the primary sport within the Premier League, and end result far outweighs efficiency. In pre-season you need to see the workforce click on, however when the video games matter, it doesn’t actually matter the way you win when you do. That mentioned, I believe there shall be tons for the supervisor, the teaching employees, and the gamers to work on forward of the primary residence sport towards Leeds on Saturday.
Gyokeres had a quiet sufficient debut, and didn’t get quite a lot of service, however nor did he do quite a bit with the ball when he did. Early days, clearly, however successful breeds confidence within the workforce like nothing else, so there’s a constructive there. Zubimendi can have realized that English soccer is bodily, he caught an arm to the face early on that the officers simply let go, and it’d simply take slightly little bit of time for that midfield trio to essentially gel. As for Madueke, it’s notable he got here on on the left to switch a reasonably nameless Martinelli, however just like the others it’s onerous to correctly decide his first look in an Arsenal shirt within the context of a sub-par collective efficiency. The shortage of Leandro Trossard is perhaps attention-grabbing to these searching for additional reinforcement of the squad, however in all chance it’s as a result of he was solely again from harm and never risked on a day after we weren’t enjoying properly.
Anyway, as I mentioned above, I’ve seen Arsenal play quite a bit higher at Outdated Trafford and are available away with quite a bit much less. Clearly we have to increase the extent after we play once more, particularly in relation to our inventive and attacking play, however yesterday demonstrated our defensive platform stays robust and that performed a giant half in taking all three factors.
Proper, I’ll depart it there for this morning. We’ll have an Arsecast Further for you in a short while. We’ve already put out the decision for questions on BlueSky @gunnerblog.bsky.social and @arseblog.com with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or if you happen to’re an Arseblog Member on Patreon, depart your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
Pod must be out round midday. Till then, have a great one.
