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Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
For the sixth time in 2024, Arsenal scored 5 objectives away from dwelling, thumping Crystal Palace final night time. It was a recreation I feel we deserved to win, however the scoreline doesn’t actually inform the complete story.
It started very effectively, with an early purpose from Gabriel Jesus. A Bukayo Saka cross from the fitting got here to him on the again publish, Gabriel Magalhaes performed the a part of blocker, and his compatriot slotted dwelling on the close to publish to place us 1-0 up within the sixth minute. However Palace have been inflicting us issues. Jean-Philippe Mateta gave William Saliba loads to consider, and never lengthy after a poor David Raya cross brought about us issues, the house aspect have been degree.
It was a properly labored purpose, but it surely felt a bit too simple for Imsaila Sarr to run straight by means of our midfield, and I don’t assume Saliba did sufficient defensively. The end was good, and the timing of it – simply 5 minutes after we’d gone forward – gave Palace encouragement. The quickfire nature of the opening phases was evident after we went forward once more within the fifteenth minute. Once more it was Jesus, a very wonderful end after Thomas Partey laid the ball off neatly from a Gabriel Martinelli nook.
It’s superb what confidence can do for a participant. It’s not possible to say if with out the opposite objectives he’d have taken that likelihood first time with such aplomb, but it surely actually felt just like the type of purpose that an in-form participant scores. It’s maybe a bit too early to discuss with Jesus’s final recreation and a half as ‘type’ per se, however compared to what we’ve seen from him of late, it was night time and day … and nice to see.
A mistake from Saliba handed Palace one other likelihood to equalise, however Mateta’s contact earlier than the shot wasn’t nice and Raya made a great save. Then we misplaced Bukayo Saka to damage, he felt his hamstring and needed to come off, so regardless of the lead it felt precarious. We introduced Leandro Trossard on and switched Martinelli to the fitting the place I feel he had a very efficient recreation. He was concerned within the third purpose, offering a cross which Jesus headed onto the publish with the keeper rooted to the spot, however Kai Havertz was alert, and his sensible motion gave him the simplest tap-in he’ll get all season.
Palace continued to have probabilities. Simply earlier than the break Lerma headed straight at Raya after I assume he ought to have examined the keeper much more than he did, and really early within the second half, Sarr’s header from shut vary was effectively saved by the Spaniard. Not lengthy after, a Mateta shot from distance pressured Raya into making a save once more, and never for the primary time this season he needed to make a double save as Sarr adopted up. Had a kind of gone in so quickly after half-time, I feel the vitality would have clearly been quite a bit completely different round Selhurst Park.
Once more, we remained too open by means of the centre however Mikel Arteta rectified that with the introduction of Declan Rice for Havertz, whereas Riccardo Calafiori got here on for the spectacular once more Myles Lewis-Skelly. It made a distinction, and on the hour mark the sport was made secure when Martinelli poked dwelling from shut vary for 4-1. The possibility got here after a improbable cross from Gabriel to Trossard made an opportunity for Jesus to attain what would have been his second hat-trick in every week, however Henderson saved along with his legs. Within the ensuing chaos, it was a Rice shot which Martinelli prodded dwelling, and the midfielder received in on the goalscoring motion late on, ending very well after a Calafiori cross discovered him simply contained in the Palace field.
It wasn’t all plain crusing, as Raya’s significance demonstrated, but it surely was good to see Arsenal extra scientific in entrance of purpose. I additionally assume it was a pleasant reminder that this crew can rating objectives. A few of the protection after Fulham and Everton was a bit overblown for me. Was it massively irritating? In fact, and whereas all of us need a bit extra, there may be firepower within the crew – even with out Saka for many of it yesterday.
The sight of him leaving on crutches was not nice, let’s be trustworthy. It was an inauspicious approach for his 250th Arsenal look to play out, however hopefully it’s simply an abundance of warning. It does look as if he’s going to overlook a couple of video games although, this was the identical hamstring he had an issue with earlier within the season, and given the schedule the timing is way from perfect. His damage was compounded by the lack of Raheem Sterling who picked up an issue in coaching this week, and if both or each are extra critical than we expect, it would in all probability improve the strain – or the necessity – to be energetic within the January market.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta was happy along with his crew’s work, however acknowledged the significance of his goalkeeper within the consequence, saying:
We have been scientific as we speak, as a result of in lots of issues we have been higher than the opposite recreation, however that is soccer. We have been so scientific as we speak, we have been so good at scoring alternative ways, in numerous phases like we need to do, and we didn’t concede extra as effectively as a result of David made two unimaginable saves.
I’m very glad that we received, we would have liked that win, particularly after the 2 attracts however normally, wanting on the 10 video games, no defeats within the final seven. We’ve received 5 and gotten two attracts, and we’ve deserved to win all of them so it’s good.
With a couple of days ‘off’ now, it was an necessary consequence in opposition to a crew which have been in first rate type of late. The truth that Jesus has 5 objectives in every week is a improvement not too many noticed coming, but it surely’s very welcome – particularly if we’ve received a pair extra accidents to cope with. For a ahead to undergo the type of barren spell he has endured, it should actually be a weight each time you step onto the pitch, so hopefully this week can spark him again into constant life. We’re going to want him.
What else? The ref frightened me a bit at occasions. When have you ever ever seen a goalkeeper get a warning for ‘time-wasting’ within the 18th minute earlier than? Maybe I’m scarred by different choices this season, but it surely felt like he was laying the groundwork for one more Arsenal crimson card for one thing trivial. When he booked Timber for taking too lengthy over a throw-in (he was 100% influenced by the house followers there), I actually began to fret, however we didn’t give him one other likelihood to go to his pocket.
I additionally thought the late problem on Calafiori was a possible crimson card, however as we all know PGMOL have determined violent conduct is just not one thing they concern themselves with once they can ship gamers off for tapping the ball a pair inches whereas some hoofer boots them from behind. There was one other surprising problem within the Brighton/West Ham recreation yesterday that was solely a yellow, and I’m drained repeating myself on this – however when somebody will get badly harm, PGMOL received’t settle for any accountability for his or her half in making a tradition the place some gamers really feel emboldened to go in too exhausting. Then they’ll use their friends within the media to gaslight us over minutiae no person cares about.
Anyway, I’ll get down off my soapbox now. Arsenal received and received effectively, and that provides us a pleasant few days earlier than we host Ipswich on the twenty seventh earlier than the insanity of the January schedule kicks in quickly after. For now although, we are able to loosen up and benefit from the win.
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Pod ought to be out round midday. For now, have a great one.
