Category Archives: Arsenal

Match Report: Arsenal 4 – 1 Molde

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Arsenal (1) 4 Molde FK (1) 1

UEFA Europa League, Group B, Matchday 3 of 6

Emirates Stadium, Drayton Park, London N5 1BU

Thursday, 5th November 2020. Kick-off time: 8.00pm

(3-4-3) Bernd Leno; Granit Xhaka, David Luiz, Shkodran Mustafi; Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Dani Ceballos, Joe Willock, Sead Kolašinac; Nicolas Pépé, Eddie Nketiah, Willian Borges da Silva.

Substitutes: Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Magalhães, Bukayo Saka, Alexandre Lacazette, Alex Rúnarsson, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Rob Holding, Cédric Soares, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Matt Macey.

Scorers: Kristoffer Haugen (o.g.) (45 mins), Sheriff Sinyan (61 mins), Nicolas Pépé (68 mins), Joe Willock (88 mins)

Yellow Cards: David Luiz, Bukayo Saka

Arsenal Possession Percentage: 58%

Referee: Halil Umut Meler (TUR)

Assistant Referees: Ibrahim Uyarcan (Turkey), Martin Margaritov (Bulgaria)

Fourth Official: Bahattin Simsek (Turkey)

Referee Observer: David Fernandez Borbalan (Spain)

Attendance: A maximum of 300 attendees due to UK government coronavirus restrictions

Good to see the return of David Luiz this evening, and along with him, several changes in the first team for this match against Molde FK from Norway, who, like us, have a 100% record in Group B of this competition. We will face Molde FK for the very first time tonight; actually, we have a very good record against Norwegian opponents, having won three of our four previous matches against teams from that country. Incidentally, our last match against a Norwegian team was back in December 2004, when we defeated Rosenborg 5-1 in the Champions League, so the omens are good for us tonight. Let’s go!

It took just over four minutes for us to make our mark on this match when Eddie Nketiah ran on to a ball from Nicolas Pépé, and his subsequent effort went just inches wide of the post. We looked fairly comfortable on the ball, and slowly we started to stamp our dominance on the game. As we have seen before with opponents at the Emirates, they fall back and try to pack the penalty area with players looking for the break. In fact the most exciting thing about the first quarter of an hour was when the linesman’s radio microphone breaking down, with the embarrasssment of the UEFA official adjusting it for him on two occasions! After twenty-two minutes, totally against the run of play, Martin Ellingson, who was unmarked outside our penalty area, hit a low, curling thirty-yard shot past Bernd Leno into the corner of the net to give the visitors the lead. The goal woke us up a bit, and both Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Dani Ceballos came very close to scoring with two well-placed shots on Molde’s goal. The match settled down and we were winning the loose balls in midfield now, applying pressure on the visitors, which they soaked up time and time again. Two minutes before the break, Eddie Nketiah got the ball into the Molde net, but both Joe Willock and himself were allegedly in an offisde postion, so the goal was cancelled out, which as it happened, was a terrible decision; ironically, had VAR been in operation, there would be no doubt in anyone’s minds that the goal would have stood. It mattered not, as a minute or so later, on the stroke of half-time, a superb Granit Xhaka ball to Eddie Nketiah, who was out wide on the right, put a pinpoint cross into the Molde penalty area for Kristoffer Haugen to bundle the ball in his own net when harrassed by Joe Willock to send both sides into the break honours even.

After a rather pedestrian first half, much was expected of our players as the second half commenced. With the visitors having the best of the first five minutes, we started to wake up and create chances for ourselves in Molde’s penalty area, with both Sead Kolašinac and David Luiz getting close with half-hearted efforts. When the Molde keeper dropped the ball in front of Sead Kolašinac, it was obvious it would have been easier to score than miss, but of course the latter occurred, with the ball sailing over the bar and an empty net gaping wide. David Luiz got a yellow card for a pointless tackle, and then Joe Willock picked up the ball in the penalty area (after a superb flick-on by Granit Xhaka), put a cross into the box, and Sheriff Sinyan put it into his own net in an attempt to clear it. Twenty-two minutes from time, Bukayo Saka took the ball to the byline, looked up and saw Nicolas Pépé just outside the penalty area. He slotted the ball across and out of the penalty area for the Ivory Coast international to simply place the ball into the Molde net. With consolidation being the name of the game now, Mohamed Elneny replaced Dani Ceballos and Granit Xhaka was substituted by Kieran Tierney. Eddie Nketiah scored a goal but it was chalked off for offside and more importantly, with just two minutes left on the clock, Joe Willock finally got onto the scoresheet, and what a goal it was, too. He ran onto Nicolas Pépé’s inch-perfect through ball and confidently blasted it into the roof of the net, which was our fourth and final goal of the night, making us worthy 4-1 winners.

In the end, we ran out worthy victors, wearing down plucky Molde; but to be fair, the first half performance was lukewarm, and at times, extremely perplexing. Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah were utterly and truly superb throughout, not only finding spaces for themselves and others, but taking chances with their shooting, which eventually paid off. Our fitness levels were the difference in the end, along with intelligent substitutions by Mikel Arteta which ensured our win here at the Emirates tonight.

Remember everyone, keep the faith, get behind the team and the manager, as this season is going to be crucial for our future success in all competitions. Stick with the winners. Our next match: Aston Villa at the Emirates on Sunday, 8th November at 7.15pm (Premier League). Victoria Concordia Crescit.

Steve

Too Dearly Loved To Be Forgotten: Arsenal v Racing Club de Paris 1930-1962 by Steve Ingless (Rangemore Publications, ISBN 978-1-5272-0135-4) is now available on Amazon.

Arsenal could raise millions from loanee sales

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Long term readers of the blog will know we are huge champions of Hale End.

There is nothing better as a fan seeing a lad that has been with the club since a young boy breaking through and becoming a first team regular.

In recent years we have been able to celebrate the likes of Alex Iwobi, Bukayo Saka, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Willock pulling on that Arsenal shirt, living the dream.

But we also understand that not everyone will make it at Arsenal.

For every Saka, there is a Xavier Amaechi, whilst Eddie Nketiah progressed, Stephy Mavididi joined Juventus.

The step up from talented youth team player to first team contender at a club like Arsenal is huge.

Our last great youth side was the 2009 FA Youth Cup wining team that contained Jack Wilshere.

The game against Tottenham at White Hart Lane will live long in the memory of any fan that was there.

The side that went on to win the title contained some talented kids – but only 2 have gone on to have a regular career at the top level; Jack Wilshere and Francis Coquelin.

Others, such as Emmanuel Frimpong, Kyle Bartley, Luke Ayling, Henri Lansbury, James Shea and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas have had decent careers, but not really hit the big time.

The key is maximising the sales of those that you sell.

We perhaps undersold the likes of Amaechi & Mavididi as they failed to sign the “second contract” which would secure their services at 18 for another 3 years.

That second contract is important as the one signed at 17-years-old can only be a maximum of 2 years. Once they hit 18, they will usually get offered a new 3 year deal. If they decide not sign it, clubs must sell then or risk losing the player for compensation 12 months later.

Arsenal are in that situation with Florian Balogun at the moment.

If a player does sign a 3 year deal at 18, it then enables the club to have develop the player internally for a year, before sending the player out on loan for a year, to truly judge whether they are going to make it.

At that point the player is 20, with a year left on the contract.

The loan deal becomes very important when it comes to maximising profit.

Off the back of scoring 10 goals in 20 games for Swansea City in the Championship, Liverpool sold Rhian Brewster to Sheffield United for a reported fee of around £23.5 million.

At the same time Sheffield United were also sniffing around Folarin Balogun, with a fee of £7million reported.

That difference in transfer fee is the difference between one having a decent loan spell and one not.

It also works on a smaller scale, with Championship sides more likely to spend £5m on a player following a good loan spell rather than £1m on a player who has no first team football. League One sides spending £1m on a player after a good loan spell rather than £250k, and so on.

So whilst the lads out on loan from Arsenal might not make it in North London, there loan deals are key to the club as their sales could raise millions next summer.

Take Matt Smith, who was part of Arsenal’s FA Cup final winning squad.

Smith is currently performing very well on loan for Swindon.

Already 20, Arsenal have a lot of options in central midfield coming through – the likes of Charlie Patino, Miguel Azeez and Marcelo Flores. All 3 of these are rate higher than Smith being younger.

If Smith continues his good form for Swindon, it is likely a Championship side would look to offer a couple of million for him next summer.

Arsenal also have the likes of Jordi Osei-Tutu, Tyreece John-Jules, Mark McGuinness, Zech Medley, Tolaji Bola, Ben Sheaf, Trae Coyle, Zak Swanson, James Olayinka and Harry Clarke playing across the Championship, League One and Holland.

The majority of those players on loan will leave Arsenal this summer. Some will go on a free, others will be sold.

If they continue to have good loan spells, Arsenal would look to command 7 figure transfer fees rather than 6 figures. These sales could raise millions next summer, giving Arsenal further investment into the first team.

A good loan spell is not only good for a players development, but also maximises their sale potential.

Keenos

Mikel Arteta more Rafa Benitez than Pep Guardiola

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Each manager is his own person, has his own style, his own way of doing things. No two managers are the same, although many are similar in terms of philosophy.

Take Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola.

Both have a similar outlook on the game. Passing football heavily influenced by Johan Cruyff’s Ajax and Barcelona teams.

In Mikel Arteta, we assumed we were getting a man cut from a similar cloth.

Arteta had come through the Barcelona youth system, before a career that saw him play in 4 different countries.

He would play for, and captain, Arsenal under Wenger before joining Guardiola’s coaching set-up at Manchester City.

It is therefore a surprise to many that Arteta’s Arsenal more resemble a George Graham side rather than a Wenger.

Tough to break down. Defence first. Few chances created.

As well as Graham, Arteta’s playing style is very similar to one of his and Guardiola’s countrymen – Rafa Benitez  .

Throughout Benitez’s career, his sides have sacrificed attacking flair for solidity.

Benitez’s squads are usually renowned for their defensive nature and low number of goals scored against them.

With just 7 goals conceded this season, Arsenal have the best defensive record in the league. A huge shift from conceding 150 league goals in the previous 3 seasons.

Benitez  would set his team up to exploit opposition weaknesses, something which Arteta also does and has seen his side beat Liverpool 3 times, Manchester United twice and both Chelsea and Manchester City once.

Benitez would also play key players in unorthodox positions to suit a formation. Think Steven Gerrard playing as a winger.

Under Arteta Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been used predominantly as a winger, whilst Kieran Tierney has played as centre back. Winger Bukayo Saka has played more in a full back or wing back position than in a forward role.

At this point, some fans might be feeling a little down, a little cheated. That we have potentially recruited a Rafa Benitez rather than a Pep Guardiola.

But that is unfair on Benitez.

In a 12 year period managing Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Napoli, Benitez won 12 trophies including the Champions League, 2 La Liga league titles, 2 UEFA Cup’s, 2 domestic cups and 5 super cups.

If in a dozen years time, Arteta has that sort of trophy haul whilst at Arsenal, his name will rightly be mentioned alongside the likes of Herbert Chapman, George Graham and Arsene Wenger.

The key difference between Benitez and Guardiola is the elder Spaniard very rarely found himself in charge of the richest side in the league (bar a spell as Real Madrid manager).

Benitez had to adapt to make Valencia competitive in Spain, winning 2 La Liga titles.

Liverpool made 2 Champions League finals in 3 years under Benitez, winning one. It was during a period when Liverpool had fallen away from being a European powerhouse.

Likewise for in Italy he never managed the richest sides in the league (Juventus, AC Milan) but still won 3 trophies in 2 years.

In just 11 months, including a break for Covid19, Arteta has already led his side to 2 trophies.

It might not be the free flowing Guardiola / Wenger football we hoped for, but there are many ways to skin a cat. Many different ways to win a trophy.

I am still confident that as our improved defensive stability continues, we will begin to improve at the other end of the pitch.

And if playing Benitez style defensive football does become Arteta’s trademark, then so be it if he continues to lead his team to trophies.

No one complained about George Graham’s Arsenal when we were winning titles!

Following our successful Facebook quizzes during the first lockdown, we are releasing a quiz book to raise more money for NHS Charities.

Pre-order below…

Keenos