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Match Report: Leicester City 0 – 2 Arsenal

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Leicester City (0) 0 Arsenal (0) 2

Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) Third Round

King Power Stadium, Filbert Way, Leicester LE2 7FL

Wednesday, 23rd September 2020. Kick-off time: 7.45pm

(4-2-3-1) Bernd Leno; Rob Holding, David Luiz, Sead Kolašinac, Ainsley Maitland-Niles; Mohamed Elneny, Joe Willock; Bukayo Saka, Nicolas Pépé, Eddie Nketiah; Reiss Nelson.

Substitutes: Hector Bellerin, William Saliba, Dani Ceballos, Alexandre Lacazette, Willian Borges da Silva, Alex Rúnarsson, Granit Xhaka.

Scorers: Fuchs o.g. (57 mins), Eddie Nketiah (90 mins)

Yellow Cards: Mohamed Elneny

Arsenal Possession Percentage: 51%

Referee: Peter Bankes

Assistant Referees: Peter Kirkup, James Mainwaring

Fourth Official: Andre Marriner

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

And so our Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) campaign for 2020-21 begins, this year with a third round tie at the King Power stadium, home of Leicester City. With the usual changes expected of a Premiership club for this competition (seven players, actually), the most interesting addition to the substitutes’ bench is our new goalkeeper, 25-year-old Icelandic international, Alex Rúnarsson, who has recently signed for us from French club Dijon on a four-year contract for around £1,800,000. Also good to see David Luiz, Mohamed Elneny, Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah getting a start tonight; let’s see what the boys can do on this dark, wet, late September evening in Leicestershire. Let’s go!

The first part of the evening saw us take the match to Leicester, although the home side did surprise us several times with some good, quick moves. David Luiz helped break up one or two dangerous moves from the Foxes, but generally, we appeared to be in control with very little action in our half. Bukayo Saka was doing some sterling work, distributing clever balls across the box, and it was one of these that we nearly capitalised on and scored after just twenty minutes. Eddie Nketiah found himself on a one-to-one situation with the Leicester goalkeeper shortly afterwards, but sadly the ball was smothered at his feet. Just before the half-hour mark, Bukayo Saka was blatantly brought down in the box, but despite our lively appeals, the referee refused to award a penalty-kick for us. We then had a period where Nicolas Pépé fired over two corners in quick succession, but our efforts came to nothing as Reiss Nelson shot wide from close range. Bernd Leno and David Luiz collided badly, and in doing so, our defender came off the worst, and had to seek medical treatment. We were fortunate not to be one down, when minutes later, a deceptive chip by James Maddison bounced off our crossbar with Bernd Leno stranded and off his line. This led to a Leicester City resurgence, with Arthur Albrighton firing in some dangerous crosses that put our defence under pressure in the minutes just before the break, which thankfully came after two minutes injury time.

Surprisingly, Mikel Arteta made no changes at half-time, especially as the second half started in the same manner as the first ended, with the home side in the ascendancy. James Maddison was causing us issues, whilst their defenders were mopping up loose balls at the back with ease. A minute or so later, David Luiz played an inch-perfect pass through the Leicester defence that saw Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Nicolas Pépé combining well on the right, but sadly Nicolas Pépé’s cross went badly wrong and sailed over the crossbar. A few minutes later, Nicolas Pépé took the ball to the byline, and his cross bounced off two Leicester defenders like a pinball, and it finally cannoned off Christian Fuchs into his own net to give us the lead. We felt the advantage now, and started to pass the ball confidently in the Foxes’ half. Reiss Nelson was substituted for Willian after seventy minutes, and a couple of minutes later, Eddie Nketiah chipped the Leicester goalkeeper, only for Wes Wilson to head it off the line. Dani Ceballos replaced Joe Willock with twelve minutes of the match remaining, and despite Leicester making some clever chances, our defence held firm. With three minutes remaining, Bukayo Saka was replaced by Hector Bellerin just to shore things up at the back, and despite the home side making some interesting moves, Eddie Nketiah grabbed the winner on the ninetieth minute with a shot from close range after some messy, clumsy defending by the home side.

Fourth round here we come, and either Lincoln City or Liverpool lay in wait for us next week. Overall, although this will not be remembered as a classic match, it was certainly one that saw us show just how good our squad is, and how damn tough we are to beat on our day. The way we refused to cave in to Leicester City’s pressure and how we were relentless in our desire to win the match was a sight to behold, and if we carry on in this manner, Mikel Arteta’s version of Arsenal will certainly take some beating.

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: Liverpool at Anfield on Monday, 28th September at 8.00pm (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 set for 9 changes as Arteta shuffles his pack

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Tonight Arsenal travel to Leicester in the League cup.

With games coming thick and fast, it will give Mikel Arteta a chance to “shuffle the pack” and give game time to his fringe squad players.

In the past the League Cup has been used to give youngsters a run out. But with Arsenal having such a young squad, many of the youngsters involved tonight will already be household names.

Goalkeeper will be a bit of a headache for Arteta.

With Emi Martinez gone, does he put in Matt Macey, who might also be leaving, or go for Dijan Iliev – who will surely replace Macey as 3rd choice keeper.

I actually think he will stick with Bernd Leno and we will see the club move away from having a “cup keeper” – although we might see Runar Runarsson in goal for League Cup games.

Cedric Soares will get a run out at right back, whilst Saed Kolasinac will be the only outfield player from Saturday’s game starting XI against West Ham to also play tonight. Kieran Tierney give the week off to fully recover from his hip injury.

Between them will be David Luiz and William Saliba.

Luiz is returning from a short injury and getting him match sharp makes sense prior to Liverpool next Monday.

Arteta has spoken about slowly integrating Saliba into the first team.

He is young and has not played a competitive game since March. Arteta clearly feels he needs games at a lower intensity before he is ready for Premier League football.

After playing in the U23s last week, a League Cup game is the next step up.

As you can tell by now, I think Arteta will switch from 343 to 433 tonight.

The midfield 3 will contain Joe Willock, Mo Elneny and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

All 3 have a role to play this season as squad players, and with Matteo Guendouzi still being re-integrated into the first team squad, they will make up a high energy midfield.

Expect Elneny to remain dairy central and disciplined, giving Willock and AMN the freedom to use their athleticism and get forward.

The front 3 writes itself.

Nicolas Pepe has found himself on the bench behind Willian in the first 2 Premier League games of the season. He will shine this season and tonight will hopefully see him push to start against Liverpool.

Eddie Nketiah replaces Alex Lacazette up top.

On the back of his winner against West Ham and his gol scoring exploits for England U21s, it’ll be good for him to get a 90 minute run out.

Out of position on the left will be Reiss Nelson.

It feels like the young Englishman is at a cross roads in his career, as Arsenal have spent big on Pepe and also signed Willian on the right hand side.

Nelson has also not put in the headline grabbing performances of Bukayo Saka on the left.

But it is easy to forget Nelson is just 20-years-old. He has time on his side to continue developing and good performances in the League Cup and Europa League will be key for his development.

I’d imagine Nelson will swap wings with Pepe throughout the game.

Predicted line up:

Keenos

KSE right NOT to inject cash into Arsenal to buy players

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In recent days, people demanding Stan Kroenke (and KSE) inject cash into Arsenal to buy players has increased.

Over the years we have been supporters of the likes of the We Care Do You? collective and Black Scarf Movement.

We have been highly critical of the way Stan Kroenke has owned the club. He allowed the club to drift under the guidance of Ivan Gazidis and failed to hold Arsene Wenger and Gazidis accountable which contributed to our demise.

But we also understand business, and do not expect KSE to put their hands in their pocket and inject hundreds of millions into the club to buy players.

A self-sustaining model is still the right way forward. We do not want to be in heavily debt to an owner just for the sake of buying a couple of players.

KSE are right to not be injecting millions into Arsenal to buy players.

“Do better with what we have”

Since 2016, Arsenal have invested heavily in new players:

2016/17 – £101.77million
2017/18 – £137.5m
2018/19 – £72.1m
2019/20 – £144.3m

That is £455million spent across the last 4 seasons; an average of £113m.

The problem at Arsenal is not that we have not spent enough, but that we have bought (and sold) poorly.

Imagine being a CEO going to an owner asking for a cash injection to buy players. The first question the owner will ask it “why should I inject cash in to buy players when you have spent the clubs money so poorly”.

And that would be followed up with “you have 32 players in the first team squad. Sell players you do not need firstly, and then come back to me”.

We have bought poorly in the last 4 years.

Shkodran Mustafi – £36.9m
Lucas Perez – £18m
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – £30.6m (book value in Alexis Sanchez exchange)
Lucas Torreira – £25.8m
Sokratis – £14.4m

That is over £125m squandered on players.

And that does not take into account £72m spent on Nicolas Pepe on the £350,000 a week Mesut Ozil is in

Arsenal have at least half a dozen players they want to sell (Calum Chambers, Mustafi, Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi, Sokratis, Ozil).

These players could generate above £70million in transfer fees and reduce the wage bill by nearly £40million a year.

That is £110m we have in players we do not want.

Arsenal’s biggest issue is not that Stan Kroenke does not invest in the playing side of the club, but we do not spend our own money well enough.

It is like going and spending all your wage over the weekend and then having to beg your mum for bus fare to get to work during the week.

Kroenke is right to demand Arsenal “do better with what we have” before asking for more.

Buying players

So Arsenal are after Thomas Partey and Houssem Aouar.

The pair would cost the club around £100m in transfers and a further £15m a year in wages.

A further cash injection of £180m from Kroenke would buy both and “pay their wages” for the 5 year deals both would get. But it is a temporary fix.

Even if he fronts the money for the transfers, and left the to finance the wages, it would still be an investment of £100million.

Remember above? We have spent poorly in recent years. We have over £100m in “talent” that we are looking to get rid of.

Why would a business owner invest £100m, when the business has £100m of sellable assets, and has purchased so poorly in recent years?

Kroenke is right not to inject cash into Arsenal’s playing side, which at the minute is a blackhole for money.

KSE have already injected £160m

Earlier in the pandemic, KSE took out a loan that enabled them to loan Arsenal money. In turn Arsenal paid off a huge chunk of the bonds they owed on the stadium, dramatically reducing the debt to the bank.

The terms of the loan from KSE to Arsenal have not been released, but it is likely these will be much more favourable than Arsenal’s repayments to the bank.

What the loan also allows is some flexibility.

Arsenal had to repay the loan to the bank each month, each year. Defaulting would dramatically damage Arsenal’s credit rating.

With the money now owed to KSE, a decision could be made that Arsenal do not start repaying the loan until 2021 or 2022. This would free up over £20million a year in Arsenal’s finances, reducing the pressure on Vinai Venkatesham and Edu to make further cuts in both the playing and non-playing sides of Arsenal.

Keep the powder dry

Arsenal are set to lose publish an estimated loss of £44m for the 2019/20 season. For 2020/21, it will be £80m. It could end up as high as £120m if teams play the entire season behind closed doors.

Add the £3m loss made in 2018/19, Arsenal could be close to losing £200m over 3 years. That is huge.

If KSE were to inject further funds into Arsenal, it would make more sense that those funds are used to manage Arsenal’s debt and offset the huge losses we are set to make, rather than buy Partey and Aouar.

 

An owner should only be injecting funds in a business when that business is struggling financially. A good owner will finances the debt allowing the business to continue trading and rebuild.

With everything going on in the world, everyone’s finances are going to be stretched, whether you are a day labourer or a billionaire.

It is more sensible that Kroenke keeps his powder dry, and only injects cash to help offset losses, rather than inject cash to sign 2 new players.

 

We appreciate Kroenke is not everyone’s cup of tea, and that he let the Gazidis / Wenger show go on too long. But we also understand business.

Arsenal’s management need to do better with the money the club generates. Need to buy and sell better. Stop offering contracts that are over market value.

Also you do not want to be too much in debt to an owner.

It is all well and good demanding he injects cash to buy players, but what then if he puts a high interest on that loan and begins to take money out of the club?

Finance from Kroenke should be a last resort, used to help with club operations, not to sign players.

Arsenal were established 131 years ago. We do not last another 131 years by getting heavily in debt buying a couple of players during a recession

If Arsenal lose £200m across 3 years, Kroenke will need to inject cash just to keep the club running.

Lets focus on the long term future of Arsenal, not a short term injection of cash to buy a couple of players

Keenos