Month: October 2020

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Arsenal 0 – 1 Leicester City

The Facts on the Ground

Leicester had not beaten the Gunners away in the league since 1973 (i.e., before I was born). The Foxes failed to score in each of their two previous league matches (against “perennial title-chasers” West Ham and Aston Villa). And to put the proverbial cherry on top, reigning Prem golden boot winner and incessant Gunner troll (with 10 goals in 11 matches v. the Arsenal) Jamie Vardy was not fit enough to start.

Things Fall Apart

If Laca’s fourth minute-header is allowed, then does a less-than-healthy Vardy even make his second half cameo (check that, 11 goals in 12 matches v. the Arsenal)? Perhaps Auba shouldn’t have taken those downers during the match? In all fairness, Bellerin could have (justifiably) been sent off for what would have been his second yellow. And if I’m honest, Leicester could have easily bagged a second before full-time.

Islington, We Have a Problem

While our well-publicized woes of recent seasons have been largely defensive in nature, and there remains plenty of work to be done at the back (when Mustafi is your first option to replace an injured Luiz), allowing seven goals in six matches this season does not especially worry me–particularly in light of the recent addition of Partey (who should provide some welcome support in the midfield) and the fact that this season we have already played two of the highest scoring sides in the league (i.e., Liverpool and Man City). Unfortunately we have only scored eight goals in the league this season, and despite taking 11 shots in the first half of this match–which shockingly is an improvement over the 11 shots taken in our entire Europa league match vs. Vienna–, we never really looked like scoring other than when a drug-addled Auba found Bellerin (of all people) with a near-perfect cross in the 68th minute. Should Arteta have kept Auba playing out wide on the left for the entire match rather than experimenting with him on the right as he did for much of the match? Should he have played Auba centrally from the off and left Laca on the bench? Should Saka have played in the midfield instead of Xhaka to offer more creativity through the middle of the park? Well, no rest for the weary – We’ll soon see if our manager has an answer or two when we visit United on the 1st.

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Manchester City 1 – 0 Arsenal

Don’t Believe The Hype

The Master v. The Apprentice. Arsenal off to our best league start in years. City off to their worst start in years. The debut of Thomas Partey. With so many storylines, it’s a damn shame that the actual match was nowhere near the pre-match hype. As passive of an offensive showing as it was, who would believe that we actually got 11 shots off today?

Sunday Morning Quarterback

With Ceballos–one of our most creative players–sitting deep in front of our backline for most of the match, it’s no wonder that we failed to get Auba–our greatest goalscoring threat–more than a few touches in the final third. Thank God for Saka, who–despite being the youngest player on the pitch–seemed to be the only Gunner who understood that you can’t win if you don’t shoot. It’s underwhelming attacking performances like this that make one wonder – Should Arteta set his personal feelings towards Ozil aside and give the nothing-if-not-creative German a chance to earn his £350,000 per week wages? But alas, our manager chose to bring on Laca and Nketiah, as if finishing was the issue rather than a lack of real chances. Perhaps Partey–who had two assists for Ghana during the week–should have debuted sooner in an attempt to unlock a City defense that before today had not collected its first clean sheet of the season?

Reality Check

After our loss to Liverpool in Week 3, this was our second major test of this league season. And while the season remains young, Gooners should view losing (hell, I would have gladly taken a draw) to a City sans Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Aymeric Laporte, and Benjamin Mendy as a missed opportunity and a sign that in spite of our positive start to the season, our boys remain very much a work-in-process. Let’s hope for a more enjoyable watch against Leicester next week.

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Arsenal 2 – 1 Sheffield United

Déjà Vu

Admit it, in the fifth minute of the match, you too thought (knew?) David Luiz would be sent off for impeding Sheffield’s Oliver Burke. Luiz and Arsenal’s chances of winning all three points would have been the latest casualties of the all-unforgiving VAR. But alas, Luiz escaped without so much as a warning, and the sphincters of Gooners everywhere unclenched in unison.

Bang Bang

After a fairly lackluster first half from our Gunners, during the second half we struck twice within a span of just three minutes. The first goals of the season for Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pépé, were welcome sights. For Saka and Pépé–who scored 6 goals over a combined 57 league appearances last season–hopefully this will provide them with a boost heading into the more challenging series of matches ahead.

Schizophrenia

Last week I mentioned the Murderers’ Row of upcoming fixtures for the Gunners. Well, what a difference a weekend makes! Manchester City recorded just two shots on goal in yesterday’s 1-1 draw with newly-promoted Leeds, league scoring leaders Leicester recorded ZERO shots on goal in a 3-0 loss at home to West Ham, and at the moment, 10-Man(chester) United–after Anthony Martial was sent off in the 28th minute–is losing 5-1 to Spurs. With City up next for the Gunners, will some combination of Sergio Agüero, Ilkay Gündogan, and Gabriel Jesus return to their Starting XI by the 17th?