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Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
Arsenal completed the Champions League group stage in third place after a 2-1 win over Girona final evening.
I don’t suppose it’s a recreation that requires quite a lot of evaluation, as a result of we have been there to do a job forward of an enormous recreation on Sunday, and we did simply that. The crew mirrored the schedule to some extent, with begins for Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, Mikel Merino and Raheem Sterling. Worryingly, there was no place within the squad for David Raya, who Mikel Arteta declared ‘not match’ beforehand, and wouldn’t actually increase on that afterwards.
It meant a primary Arsenal begin for summer time mortgage signing Neto, and he acquired fortunate. A poor contact early on might have price us a purpose, and when some defensive sloppiness supplied Danjuma the possibility with which he put Girona forward, the Brazilian was very lucky he didn’t make the save … as a result of he was about 5 yards exterior his space. I know how we arrange requires our keeper to play fairly excessive up the pitch, and when you’re being beneficiant he quickly misplaced his bearings, however he’s 35 years outdated with big expertise and that shouldn’t be the case.
He dived, and fortunately missed the ball, as a result of in any other case we’d have been all the way down to 10 males for the second recreation in a row – this time fully justified. To be truthful, the defending wasn’t nice. Kiwior stepped up and left an enormous house, Partey misplaced observe of his man who merely ran off the again of him, whereas Riccardo Calafiori performed the goalscorer onside. All in all, a little bit of a multitude.
We responded nicely although. Partey was fouled within the field for an apparent penalty which Jorginho stepped up and tucked away very properly, after which the spotlight of the evening got here when Ethan Nwaneri fired us 2-1 forward. I like this purpose – like lots of the finest targets it seems actually easy and makes you suppose ‘Why don’t we simply do a bit extra of that?!’, however the high quality of the motion and strike have been excellent from a 17 12 months outdated.
This was his first Champions League purpose on his first Champions League begin, and I don’t suppose it’s an excessive amount of of a stretch to say it received’t be his final. It’s fairly one thing that at his age, and with simply 22 first crew appearances to his title, he’s already developed one thing of a trademark. Not essentially the end itself – which was highly effective, managed and unerringly correct – however that means to shift from proper to left and open up a taking pictures place on his left foot.
It was a sensational purpose, one which deserved to win any recreation, and as we deal with the continued absence of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, in addition to the complication of the switch market, the emergence of Nwaneri as a real purpose risk could be very, very welcome certainly. You possibly can see there’s a lot extra to return, and that’s actually thrilling.
We had different moments, Trossard hitting the bar, some hazard some set-pieces that didn’t fairly present itself into clear-cut probabilities, but it surely felt clear to me this was a aspect enjoying considerably inside itself – for apparent and comprehensible causes. Girona had a purpose disallowed for offside which appeared to interrupt the hearts of the TNT Sports activities commentary crew for some purpose, however that was a view I didn’t share.
Late on we have been awarded one other penalty for an apparent handball, and with Odegaard and Kai Havertz on the pitch I totally anticipated considered one of them to take it. It was given to Sterling although, and whereas I perceive why, I don’t suppose I’ve ever seen a man who regarded extra like he was going to overlook a penalty than him. And so it transpired: the keeper acquired down nicely to his left to push the ball round across the put up. As an alternative of being a slight increase in confidence for a participant who so badly wants it, it ended up being one thing which may have sapped him of any of that high quality. He regarded distraught on the finish, and though he had some brighter moments on this recreation than in most others he’s performed, the miss mainly summed up his time at Arsenal since his arrival on the finish of the summer time window.
Ultimately although, we took the three factors, ended up third within the desk, pocketed some good prize cash, and we’ll discover out in the end which of AC Milan, Juventus, Feyenoord or PSV get after they make their manner by the additional knock-out qualifier we’ve carried out nicely to keep away from due to a really strong Champions League marketing campaign so far.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta mentioned of Nwaneri:
That’s what we love about him, he’s keen to take the initiative to make issues occur. He’s very aggressive when he’s acquired the ball and so assured as a result of earlier than that he had one other motion, a really related one, he made the suitable selection, he went for it, he has the capability to complete from each angle mainly and it was a vital purpose.
Whereas the 17 12 months outdated himself informed the official web site:
To come back right here and win Man of the Match on my beginning debut, It’s a particular feeling. I’m completely satisfied. That is the place I’ve at all times wished to be, so I’m grateful that I’m right here.
It was an ideal evening for him, and each efficiency like this will increase his possibilities of enjoying extra repeatedly. Even at such a younger age, you may see he has the flexibility to influence video games, so let’s hope we see a lot extra of that between now and Might.
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In the meantime, the opposite huge story from yesterday was information of an official Arsenal bid for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. From what I perceive, our curiosity is/was very actual, however hinged on what occurred with Jhon Duran who has attracted curiosity from Saudi Arabian membership Al-Nassr. There’s little likelihood of Villa letting each of their foremost strikers depart this month, even when they do should make a sale to remain the suitable aspect of PSR laws, and with developments within the Duran case, it seems as if any deal for Watkins is lifeless within the water as issues stand.
It actually sparked numerous debate, and for good purpose. I can totally perceive why Mikel Arteta would need him – an skilled Premier League goalscorer who can be a signing for NOW. He’d give depth, a special choice up entrance, and within the final season and a half has 60 purpose contributions for Villa (38 targets, 22 assists) – with the vast majority of these coming within the league. For a supervisor who looks like his crew may want that bit additional within the ultimate third, it’s not tough to see his viewpoint.
However, spending that a lot cash (a payment of £60m was talked about though Arsenal’s bid was a ways beneath that), on a 29 12 months outdated would make folks slightly uncomfortable. Shades of Aubameyang, for instance, though with all due respect to our former captain, I believe Watkins is a extra strong skilled and character when you do make that funding. Spending that a lot now would clearly have an effect on the summer time too – even when financially we might handle the outlay for one more ahead, while you add a senior participant on an enormous contract, it means you now not have the pathway to herald the ‘youthful mannequin’ that so many crave.
Maybe that dialogue is now moot. If Duran goes, Watkins stays at Villa, and that was actually what Unai Emery was saying after their Champions League tie final evening. In traditional trend, his phrases weren’t precisely 100%, however the message was pretty clear: He’d be completely satisfied to promote the Colombian (who’s a little bit of a ‘character’ behind the scenes), and hold Watkins.
If that’s the way it performs out, Arsenal should look elsewhere. There may be curiosity in Bayern Munich’s France U21 worldwide Mathys Tel who desires to depart Germany, and who can play throughout the front-line. Bayern reportedly are open to mortgage however with an obligation, and there are different golf equipment sniffing round, so we’ll have to attend and see what occurs there. There’s not lengthy left within the window although, so we’ll should be decisive.
What the Watkins bid does inform us although is that cash is there, the possession have clearly made these funds obtainable, so maybe we will view that as constructive if we focus our efforts elsewhere. 3 days, 13 hours, 36 minutes (on the time of writing) … the clock ticks on.
Proper, I’ll depart it there for this morning. We’ll have an Arsecast for you a bit later too, so stand by for that. Till then, have a superb one.
