Sheffield United (0) 0 Arsenal (5) 6

Premier League

Bramall Lane, Highfield, Sheffield S2 4SU

Monday, 4th March 2024. Kick-off time: 8.00pm

(4-3-3) David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Jakob Kiwior; Martin Ødegaard (c), (Jorge Luiz Frello Filho) Jorginho, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli.

Substitutes: Aaron Ramsdale, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith-Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Cédric Soares, Leandro Trossard, Fábio Vieira, Reiss Nelson

Scorers: Martin Ødegaard (5 mins), Jayden Bogle (o.g. 13 mins), Gabriel Martinelli (15 mins), Kai Havertz (25 mins), Declan Rice (39 mins), Ben White (58 mins)

Arsenal Possession Percentage: 81%

Referee: Sam Barrott

Assistant Referees: Simon Bennett, Dan Robathan

Fourth Official: Anthony Taylor

VAR Team at Stockley Park: VAR John Brooks; AVAR Marc Perry

Attendance: c.32,000

For this important match here in Sheffield tonight, Thomas Partey could make his first appearance since October after coming through a training session unscathed. However, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu will also be assessed and Gabriel Jesus could still feature in this match this evening at some point in the procedures as well.

We got things up and running here tonight and within a minute or so of the start, Bukayo Saka hit the crossbar from close range, and Gabriel Martinelli’s follow-up was kicked off the line by Jack Robinson, and on the fifth minute we opened the scoring when Jorginho passed the ball to Declan Rice, who got to the left byline and slotted it across for our captain to simply stroke the ball into the net fron about six yards. A great start! Martin Ødegaard almost scored a second goal a minute or so later, when a left-footed shot went high and wide of the mark. Our second goal of the night was scored when Bukayo Saka ran with the ball to the byeline, he crossed the ball low, and Jayden Bogle got his feet mixed up, and the ball went into the net courtesy of his legs. Three minutes later, we grabbed a third goal in a quarter of an hour when we advanced towards the Blades’ goal down the left channel, and a beautiful shot by Gabriel Martinelli reflected off Declan Rice, past Ivo Grbic and into the back of the net. VAR were consulted just in case of an offside infringement, but there was no such issue, and the goal stood. We certainly did not rest on our laurels as both Declan Rice and Kai Havertz came close to scoring our fourth goal with two great shots on their goal which was saved by the goalie, and on the twenty-fifth minute, Kai Havertz finally grabbed our fourth goal when he collected a ball from Gabriel Martinelli and simply slotted the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net past an outstretched Ivo Grbic. Jayden Bogle received the first yellow card of the evening when his clumsy tackle up-ended our captain, but the resulting free-kick went nowhere, unfortunately. It was becoming obvious that Sheffield United are looking at damage limitation now, but they were finding it difficult holding us back. Martin Ødegaard was left completely unmarked on the edge of the penalty area from a corner, but his shot was blocked by a Blades defender. Six minutes before the break, Declan Rice scored our sixth goal of the evening when Bukayo Saka ran the ball to the byeline (again) and slotted it back for our midfielder to whack the ball past Ivo Grbic very confidently. And still we kept coming forward on the hunt for yet more goals, but despite five minutes injury time, we did not add to our five goal tally by the time referee Sam Barrott blew his whistle for the first half to end.

For the second half, Mikel Arteta made a change as he appeared to be looking to protect Bukayo Saka, so he was replaced by Fábio Vieira. A visibly shell-shocked home side kicked off proceedings here, and almost immediately we were pressing for another goal. Kai Havertz was tripped on the edge of the penalty area by Vinicius Souza and we were awarded a free-kick in a decent position, but Declan Rice tried to bend the free-kick in at the near post but goalie Ivo Grbic had it covered. After more intense pressure, Ben White scored an absolute cracker (our sixth of the evening) from just inside the Blades penalty area after receiving a neat pass from Kai Havertz, who brought the ball down and controlled it cleverly. Hungry for more goals, our players were hunting for more, and after Gabriel Martinelli went down with a knock (and was carried off by two members of our medical team), he was replaced, along with Ben White and Jorginho by Cédric Soares, Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey; good to see him back! The substitutes were getting into the match very quickly, and with most of the Blades’ players behind the ball, we were trying hard to find a way through their defence somehow. Leandro Trossard replaced Declan Rice with seventeen minutes of the match remaining, and although the game was slowing down now, the intent of our players to get more goals was there for all to see. William Saliba slotted the ball through for Gabriel Jesus down the right channel, but his cross was blocked by Jack Robinson for an Arsenal corner, and although we did not score on this occasion, Jakob Kiwior came mighty close. After we broke out following a Sheffield United attempt on our goal, some clever interplay between our players saw Gabriel Jesus coming close with a superb right-footed shot that Ivo Grbic tipped away for a corner. Gabriel Jesus was back with a vengeance, using his quick feet to good advantage as he twisted and turned through the haphazard Sheffield United defence. Just like at the end of the first half, there was five minutes of injury time to be played, and our desire to add more goals to this score was endless, but it was not to be. 

A superb victory away from home that more than confirms our title-winning credentials. Six different goals, six different goalscorers (including an own goal), our boys are on fire these days. With eighty one per cent possession, twenty-two shots on goal (ten shots on target), we looked confident, dominant, ruthless and hungry for victory. Every man played their part tonight, and the substitutes looked sharp and clever too. We are the “in-form” team in the Premiership now, and this team is certainly going to take some beating. All eyes on the Brentford match on Saturday evening now! Well done, chaps.

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: Brentford at the Emirates on Saturday, 9th March at 5.30pm (Premier League). Be there, if you can. 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

Liverpool and Manchester City did what they do on Saturday and Sunday. We now need to do what we do on a Monday.

I had both of our title rivals down for 3 points this weekend, so it was no surprise that they both won; although you would be lying if you did not think “what if” after Liverpool were 0-0 after 96 minutes and Man U took the lead.

In the end, both teams showed why they are champion-worthy. And we need to do the same tonight.

On paper, we should beat Sheffield United regardless of it being at Bramall Road. But then I was there all those years ago when Phil Jagielka played in goal and we lost 1-nil.

That was an awful day where we turned up with the wrong attitude. The likes of Julio Baptista and Jeremie Aliadiere strolled around like they were playing a charity match.

At one point, at 1-nil down with about 10-minutes to goal. The ball went out of play for a goal kick, Aliadiere was right next to it. Instead of running the ball back to the keeper to get a move on, he just jogged slowly back to the half way line. 5-minutes later Baptista did the same.

When I look at the team that played that day (it was 2006/07), it is a world away from what we have today.

I can see the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard or Bukayo Saka allowing their team mates to coast. To work hard. And football has changed since then as well.

Strikers, attacking midfielders and wingers are now expected to put a shift in defensively. To press and play at a high tempo. You no longer get to the top of you don’t want to do the work.

Marcus Rashford is the perfect example of this.

6 or 7 years ago he looked like he would become a world beater. These days he just doesn’t put in the work. He is more concerned with being the goal scoring hero, but not willing to put in a shift for the team. Those hard yards.

I imagine he sat their int he Eithad dressing room on Sunday and said “well I scored my goal, what did the rest of you do”, ignoring the fact that his goal was the only positive thing he contributed.

Tonight, we need to be professional. Sheffield United have shown on numerous occasions that even at home they will collapse when under pressure.

I do not expect another 4 or 5 goal win, but I do expect a win.

Keenos

Black on black X Highbury X Bruised banana ….https://t.co/vlaHeBXgrG pic.twitter.com/yI7Z50XYxB

— 🎗 ///SHE WORE/// 🎗 (@SheWore) February 29, 2024

St. Totteringham soon

After they both won yesterday, you could feel that Aston Villa and Tottenham are breathing down our neck – Villa are 3 points behind and Spurs are 8.

Whilst top 4 is certainly not yet secure (our PL stays is though as we can no longer get relegated!), we need to keep the focus on the teams as above us.

As long as we keep winning, we will continue extending the lead on those below us whilst putting pressure on the teams above.

There will be another St Totteringham’s Day again this year, I am certain of it. We probably only need to win another 5 or 6 games to gaurantee it. But we have bigger fish to fry.

Liverpool “overtime”

Yesterday Liverpool scored with the last kick of the game against Nottingham Forest. It was no different to us scoring a winner against Luton earlier this season.

Injury time is always a “minimum” and you need to account for further stoppages for time wasting, injuries, etc that occur. If 8 minutes are on the board after 90, than you should not be surprised that closer to 9 minutes is played.

During injury time, Nottingham Forest had two players booked for time wasting. The corner they scored from was also taken before 98 minutes was up. Forest failed to clear the corner and it is not unusual for refs to not blow up until the attack is over and ball properly cleared. Again, we got this advantage against Luton and won a free kick which we were then allowed to take and score from.

Every team will have this sort of winner (or 2) over the course of the season. I think Bournemouth last season. Wolves the season before.

It’s football.

Managing injuries

It is interesting to listen to Mikel Arteta talk about not rushing the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber back from injuries – about how important it is to allow them to fully complete their rehabilitation before slowly integrating them back into the first team.

There was definitely a feeling a few years ago that we would rush players back. That they would play before they were ready. And the result was they would often break down again.

The fact we have not felt the need to rush the likes of Partey back shows the strength of our squad these down. And even when Partey is back to fully fit, he has a battle to get back into the Arsenal first team.

Declan Rice is clearly the first choice in that position now, and Jorginho has been on fine form recently. Partey will have to earn his chance.

Due to others being in the FA Cup, we will have some end of season fixture congestion.

Chelsea will already be re-arranged, and if Wolves overcome Coventry, that game will be move to mid-week as well.

If we can get Partey, Jesus and Timber back fit, as well as Tomi and Olexsandr Zinchenko, it will allow Arteta to make changes without losing quality.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Partey and Jesus both get 20 minutes tomorrow, whilst I imagine Timber’s return is pencilled in for after the March international break.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Keenos

Black on black X Highbury X Bruised banana ….https://t.co/vlaHeBXgrG pic.twitter.com/yI7Z50XYxB

— 🎗 ///SHE WORE/// 🎗 (@SheWore) February 29, 2024