The stats and the score line do not match for PSG game. We had only 35% possession but we won 2-0. A goal each from Havertz and Saka in the first half made sure we are picking up our first win in the Champions League. Kai’s header of a Trossard cross was a brilliant one and to beat Donnarumma for it in the box is some achievement. Second goal was Saka and some luck. Saka took a free kick from near the box and couple of Arsenal players tried to get some touch on it but failed. It failed so bad that not one Arsenal player, nor the PSG GK was able to get a touch on it and we got our second goal.
It’s a concern that Mikel had to replace Timber with Kiwior in the second half, we have a partnership developing between our back 4, and the introduction of Calafiori on the left is helping Martinelli. While attacking, we have 2 solid CBs covering our ground and both the fullbacks are part of the attack causing Chaos in the opposition half. They are good, both defensively and in attack, they are fast and they recover back very well. With Zinchenko, we had the problem that he was poor defensively. With Kiwior, we lack the recovery speed and he isn’t that good in attack. Ben White has been phenomenal and he will be part of the team and with proper rotation Mikel can keep everyone happy. But the Timber/Calafiori on either side looks very promising to the way Arteta sets up.
Merino made his debut in Arsenal shirt and the time frame was too small to judge him. We needed him though, that midfield should only have one of the Partey and Rice.
Right, lets get back to Premier League where we are playing Southampton at home tomorrow. It looks to be easy one but when you consider the fact that we dropped 4 points against them last season, it’s NOT. Southampton were relegated at the end of 2022-23 but they made us suffer in both ties. We had 1-1 away in the first leg and shared points again at home in a 3-3 score when we were trailing 3-1 till 85th minute and braces from Odegaard and Saka made sure we didn’t lose at home against a relegation fighting team. They are back in Premier League this season, and we should remember what they did to us.
Are we going to see Nwaneri in the starting line up against Southampton tomorrow? Remains to be seen, but we fans have been waiting for it. There is some excitement when we see an academy player get into the team and perform. Perhaps, Wenger ruined us all when he used to get results with 17-18 year old Wilsheres and Walcotts. Saka is one of the best winger in the world and comes from the very same academy. ESR/Nketiah made name for themselves but fell short for a title winning team; earned us some money while serving for years when needed though. We are in a title challenge and we can’t afford to drop points so playing a youngster gets riskier. There is a learning curve with young guns and that curve sometimes costs you points. Nwaneri’s case is different in the sense that he looks ready and from whatever we have seen of him, he looks to be a part of that team already. Let us see what he does when he gets his ‘game’ and whether he will sort out the Odegaard situation for us.
Right, a short one today. I took my laptop to service centre and got to know I have burnt the RAM. Got it fixed and I don’t have to watch another game on a mobile phone like the PSG one. Hope you have a good Friday and I will back with a match day blog tomorrow.
Cheers.
Let’s hope this isn’t a trap game after that rather decisive CL outing…we can’t afford to let our guard down, especially against a side that hasn’t beaten us at home since 1987…this should be a stat-padding affair where everyone at the top of the pitch feasts on this basement dwelling minnow
Hi Vieira
I’m sure we’ll have too much for the Scummers. That said, our last home result against them was that 3-3 at the end of the season, 2 years ago during that awful Arteta-inspired run of disastrous games.
Our old shapeshifting multi accented friend, Steve McLaren, ex Manure ex England ex Alkmaar ex everything, now appears to have been installed as the new Jamaica manager. Promising not to adopt any silly accents in an attempt to blend in, he was asked how he felt about his new job.
Irie, he replied, we be jammin. Hear me now! ,🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
Twat
Tony
Local football is magical. County won 2 nil last up in Bala in NW Wales. The team really dug in against a big physical team, scored 2 cracking goals and were worthy winners. Up to second in the table.
Here’s the nicest, most human part of the story. The manager’s father died this week and the first thing the scorers of each goal did was to run over and hug him right in front of where me and one of the twins were standing. Supporting teams like this is joyous.
https://youtu.be/olObEQIBSfw?si=Cda0fYmOvbeQG6gG
Here’s a clip. Junior occasionally has a drink with the scorer of the first goal.
Brilliant KP it makes football special as it’s often been in our lifetime.
Crazy busy now but made the game.
No Nwaneri again🤔
Where was our 9 for Saka’s cross?
L’pool 4 points clear at the top only 3 points will do today.
7 unproductive corners and contrary to what Arteta said in the presser , Ramsdale seems to know the full drill
Tpny—this is always the dilemma when MA must appease his poor recruitment decisions…if you can’t give Ethan a go against this side, at home no less, then when?!? of course, I get the need for depth, especially with our injury woes thus far, but surely Havertz could have taken a seat, as he’s piss-poor in the midfield…not to mention I can’t stand his slow-mo flopping theatrics…furthermore, maybe it would have made more sense to have had Sterling come in for Saka, his supposed cover piece, so that Marts could hit while the iron’s hot…the fact that we haven’t scored yet against this amateur hour shit show is somewhat embarassing
Tony—I actually thought the “p” was an “o” and my fucking cursor
With all the time ,how did Saka launch it towards space and not towards goal ?
Yeah ,Ramsdale was a big character in the team ,after all
1-But Raya is definitely the better keeper of the two.
2- Sterling is frolicking around like a per porky in the yard
3- Think is okay to take a nap. Yawn
I’m more than a tad worried that Timber is a little like Samuel Jackson’s character in Unbreakable…it’s too bad as he needed to take full advantage of White’s absence, so as to make it much harder for our MIT to simply revert back to having White out on the right flanks once he was fully fit…I still believe that we need someone with Timber’s qualities in the final third in order to secure a major title here or abroad
First half end with 0-0…hope, second half is better than previous…we missed some chance….back to back 3 corner and some more chance….but it’s okay…. let’s see second half !
he’s fully fit
Agreed TRVL this game was tailor made for Nwaneri not Jorginho. Rice at 6 leaving Nwaneri space to operate.
One shot on target says El B has got it wrong.
Calafiori is lacking in the pace dept but great player and they fcuking score OMG
Where is our defence…WTF
Sterling is gash what a waste as we knew he would be.
We are being poor and Southampton punishing us. Need to pick ourselves up now for last 30 odd minutes.
When Rice and Partey are walkabout gaps happen
what a pathetic scoreline…of course all the tin foil hat fucks will be barking endlessly about a nothing burger of a call against Sterling
Southampton have always been a difficult team for us especially at The Dell.
Finally we woke up
It’s not a ONE ON ONE game. We have to bounce back… specially in defence now….no more goal
Ok, Havertz levelled us.. time to grab couple more to ease off the tension.
What a come back HAV….Yes…we did it
Ball gifted to Partey to Havertz who was clinical to be fair
Now the line up we should have started with
Tony
Have to ON attacking mode
We need to end up with atleast 2 more goal…hope, score will be 3-1
finally a shot of some consequence by our resident giraffe…a bit of a silver lining, especially on the heels of a good header last week
DK agreed and there is one more
somehow I couldn’t get a connection to the site, thus the delayed response to the goal
Had the same problem TRVL gateway timed out
Yessssssss…what a pass and convert into a priceless goal !
Think Ambarish needs an IT consult .. oh wait 😂
this is why I wanted Marts in the lineup from the off…him getting into goalscoring mode is far more pertinent than appeasing our most recent Chelsea call-up
It was a great goal from Martinelli from a very tight angle.. 2-1.. We can do better against Southampton