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MATCH REPORT: Arsenal 2 – 1 Everton

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Arsenal (1) 2 Everton (1) 1
Premier League
Emirates Stadium, Drayton Park, London N5 1BU
Sunday, 19th May 2024. Kick-off time: 4.00pm

(4-3-3) David Raya; Gabriel Magalhães, Ben White, William Saliba, Takehiro Tomiyasu; Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard (c), Declan Rice; Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli.
Substitutes: Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith-Rowe, Jurrien Timber, Eddie Nketiah, Jakob Kiwior, (Jorge Luiz Frello Filho) Jorginho, Fábio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Scorers: Takehiro Tomiyasu (41 mins), Kai Havertz (88 mins)
Yellow Cards: Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber
Arsenal Possession Percentage: 69%

Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistant Referees: Stuart Burt, Dan Cook
Fourth Official: Josh Smith
VAR Team at Stockley Park: VAR Stuart Attwell; AVAR Nick Greenhalgh

Attendance: c.60,000

And so the final day of the season has arrived for us all at last. By the end of the ninety minutes we will all know whether Manchester City have fallen on their sword courtesy of West Ham United or not, and ultimately, one way or another, our fate will be sealed. But hey, what a season we have all had!

With the absence of Bukayo Saka today due to injury, there is still a fantastic party atmosphere here at the Emirates this afternoon, in which we started proceedings today for the last time this season.

In the early stages of this game, we were dominating matters with accurate passing and clever play. A superb cross by Declan Rice found the head of Takehiro Tomiyasu but it went wide of the target.

The match started to quieten down and although we had domination, the visitors still managed to sneak in and grab a half chance, which was cleared adequately by David Raya.

Martin Ødegaard slotted the ball to Declan Rice, who managed to get a left-footed shot in, which was somehow saved by Jordan Pickford, and then Gabriel Martinelli’s right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area was saved again by the Everton goalie in the centre of the goal.

After a slight delay due to an injury to Idrissa Gueye the match continued with pressure from our team, and it has to be said that frustration appears to be creeping in, as early as the twentieth minute here.

A sublime pass from William Saliba found Kai Havertz, who did very well to hold up the ball before cutting inside to push it onto his left foot; he tried a clever reverse shot in order to try beat Jordan Pickford, but the shot was blocked by an Everton defender.

Unbelievably, Dominic Calvert-Lewin managed to hit the post with a right-footed shot, which was an incredible let-off for us at this point of the proceedings.

Just after the half-hour, both Kai Havertz and Gabriel came close to scoring, but unfortunately their shots were blocked by an alert Everton defence.

Five minutes before the break, the unthinkable happened when we went a goal down because of a free-kick by Idrissa Gueye which ricocheted from Declan Rice’s head and beat David Raya and simply flew into the top right-hand corner of the net.

A minute or so later, we scored the equaliser when our captain passed the ball to Takehiro Tomiyasu who beautifully whacked the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

During the seven minutes injury time, we continued with the pressure, with the best effort being when Martin Ødegaard passed the ball to Thomas Partey who blasted the ball over the bar. Either way, the first half finished honours even here at the Emirates.

Everton kicked off the most important second half of the season, and within a minute of the restart, we won the ball and started to put pressure on the Everton goal, culminating in a header from Kai Havertz which went just wide of Jordan Pickford’s post.

Kai Havertz was fouled by James Tarkowski who received a yellow card for his trouble, and shortly afterwards Abdoulaye Doucouré also received a yellow card for his foul on Gabriel; unfortunately, Gabriel was unable to continue as he had incurred a shoulder injury, so Oleksandr Zinchenko replaced him just before the hour mark.

A blistering shot from Dominic Calvert-Lewin was saved superbly well by David Raya and at the other end, a Jarrad Braithwaite header from Martin Ødegaard’s corner only got as far as Declan Rice, who hit a powerful shot over the Everton crossbar.

Shortly afterwards, a superb Gabriel Martinelli cross found the head of Kai Havertz, whose header bounced off the crossbar.

Emile Smith-Rowe and Jurrien Timber replaced Thomas Partey and Ben White with twenty minutes of the match remaining, and we continued trying to score a goal desperately as Leandro Trossard’s cut-back pass found Martin Ødegaard, who took a touch before shooting for goal from just outside the Everton six-yard box, but there were defenders everywhere and his effort went back into general play.

Leandro Trossard was replaced by Gabriel Jesus with twelve minutes of normal time remaining in order to grab goals, and patiently we moved forward with effort and desire.

Emile Smith-Rowe, after receiving a great cross from Gabriel Martinelli, hit the crossbar with a downward shot that bounced up and struck it with some force.

A clever shot from Gabriel Jesus was blocked by a defender that went out of play for a corner kick, and with two minutes left on the clock, we finally got the goal that we were looking for when Kai Havertz got the ball in the back of the net after a clever pass from our captain. However, there was a VAR check as it was thought there was a hand-ball from Gabriel Jesus on the build-up, but fortunately the goal was given by referee Michael Oliver.

In the five minutes injury time awarded, despite our best efforts, news came in that Manchester City had defeated West Ham United by three goals to one, and although every man did their very, very best that they could, second place in the Premiership for the season 2023-24 became our fate.

With eighty-nine points from thirty-eight matches, our boys finished just two points behind champions Manchester City. Yes, we deserved better of course, but overall we should be very proud of this season as we have progressed beyond all expectations.

We did poorly in the domestic cup competitions of course, but finishing runners-up in the Premiership and quarter-finalists in the Champions League is absolutely no disgrace. We are all so very proud of you all, and who knows what will happen next season? This could be a springboard for so much more. Well done, chaps!

Remember everyone, keep the faith, get behind the team and the manager, stick with the winners. Have a great summer everyone, see you again in August! 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

Match Report: Man U 0 – 1 Arsenal

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Manchester United (0) 0 Arsenal (1) 1
Premier League
Old Trafford, Sir Matt Busby Way, Stretford, Manchester M16 0RA
Sunday, 12th May 2024. Kick-off time: 4.30pm

(4-3-3) David Raya; Gabriel Magalhães, Ben White, William Saliba, Takehiro Tomiyasu; Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard (c), Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz.
Substitutes: Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith-Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Jakob Kiwior, (Jorge Luiz Frello Filho) Jorginho, Fábio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Scorers: Leandro Trossard (20 mins)
Yellow Cards: Bukayo Saka, David Raya
Arsenal Possession Percentage: 46%

Referee: Paul Tierney
Assistant Referees: Scott Ledger, Mat Wilkes
Fourth Official: Darren Bond
VAR Team at Stockley Park: VAR John Brooks; AVAR Constantine Hatzidakis

Attendance: 64,137

Our penultimate match of the season, and it just has to be Old Trafford on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Of course, after yesterday’s results, it is more important than ever to gain maximum points from this afternoon’s game, nothing else will do at this stage of the season. Apparently, there are fitness concerns over Bukayo Saka and Takehiro Tomiyasu; but however, if they are available it would mean that Mikel Arteta will be able to name the same starting eleven for the fourth match in a row!

We kicked off proceedings at Old Trafford, and immediately we brought the match to the home team by pressurising their defence into conceding an early corner. Bukayo Saka had the first shot of the game, which André Onana comfortably saved.

At the other end, Rasmus Højlund had a chance to score, but fortunately he scuffed his shot, and then Alejandro Garnacho also had a chance to score, but his shot was deflected for a corner. Declan Rice then made a very nervy, but weak back pass to David Raya, but fortunately the ball was cleared.

The home team advanced deep into our half through Diogo Dalot, and as the ball came loose, Declan Rice cleared it for a United corner, which went nowhere.

We then started to get a grip and had a period of good possession, and then on the twentieth minute we opened the scoring when Casemiro could not get out of the United penalty area quick enough and Kai Havertz was onside down the right wing. He simply sauntered into the Manchester United box and slotted the ball across for Leandro Trossard to tap the ball home from close range.

Now that we have scored, we were starting to control the game. Declan Rice advanced towards the United penalty area, but he lost the ball and it fell to Takehiro Tomiyasu who’s strong shot bounced off a United defender, and a couple of minutes later, Ben White was unlucky not to score when he hit the ball over the crossbar from a very tight angle indeed.

On the half hour, the home team got into our penalty area, but the shot from Casemiro was headed clear by Gabriel, which was good defensive play indeed.

A diagonal pass into the our penalty area from Casemiro which was chested down by Ben White back to David Raya, which was a good move, and after Amad Diallo stood on Thomas Partey’s foot, which although the United team appealed for a penalty (which it obviously was not), everyone took the opportunity to have a well-earned drinks break.

A poorly taken corner kick by Diogo Dalot ended up with a United player fouling Kai Havertz, and after the subsequent free kick went seemingly nowhere, the match carried on.

Amad Diallo passed the ball to Garnacho who was pushed down the line by Ben White. He sent a low cross-shot into the penalty area which was beautifully palmed away to safety by David Raya. During the three minutes injury time the home side put our defence under pressure, but we held out very well to end the first half a goal ahead.

Manchester United kicked off the second half, and almost immediately Diogo Dalot ran down the wing, but Thomas Partey slipped as he tried to clear the danger, but fortunately William Saliba was on hand to kick the ball away. Shortly afterwards, Martin Ødegaard started a good move out on on the right wing and found Leandro Trossard on the left wing, but his diagonal cross was far too heavy for Kai Havertz to do something with, and so the ball bounced out of play.

We started to gain a lot of possession, and we almost grabbed a second goal when a shot from Declan Rice was blocked on the edge of the penalty area and after the ball ended up on the left wing with Leandro Trossard, the United defence again closed down the space to stop Bukayo Saka turning the ball into the back of the net. Shortly after the hour mark, space opened up for Martin Ødegaard but his shot went straight at André Onana, and a minute or so later, Gabriel Martinelli replaced Leandro Trossard in order to press for more goals.

With eight minutes of the match remaining, Bukayo Saka slid off the steep slope behind the goal and clattered into the advertising hoardings. Mikel Arteta told him to go down, which he did, and was quickly replaced by Gabriel Jesus.

After yet another Arsenal corner, the heavens opened and torrential rain replaced glorious sunshine in seemingly an instant. A minute before the end of normal time, Alejandro Garnacho ran at our defence again, but was expertly blocked off by William Saliba. In the six minutes injury time, Jakob Kiwior and Jorginho replaced Martin Ødegaard and Thomas Partey to try and shore things up, which worked very well as soon as they came onto the pitch. Shortly after David Raya easily collected a cross, referee Paul Tierney blew his whistle to signify the end of the game.

And so this season’s title race will go down to the last match of the season next Sunday, irrespective of the result between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City on Tuesday. Today’s match was not the prettiest of games, but we got the three points which is what counts at this stage of the season. Everyone did as well as they could today, especially when the downpour happened five minutes from the end of time. All eyes on Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday evening, then. 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: Everton at the Emirates on Sunday, 19th May at 4.30pm (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

Arsenal on the brink – win and it is a last day shoot out, anything less and it’s over

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So it all comes down to today.

The equation is simple. Win and we are taking the title race down to the last day. Lose and Manchester City can win the league at Tottenham mid-week.

I had said throughout the season how proud I am of the boys. And whether we win the title or not will not make me any more or less proud. We have done brilliant.

I always tell people do not define your football supporting life by the trophies you win. Do that and you will be more disappointed than delrious.

Those that will base how they rate our season on how the next 2 games go miss the bigger picture of what football is about. Only one team can we each trophy and, Manchester City aside, no other club should see finishing a season trophyless as a failure.

It can not be underestimated how Manchester City, and their spending, has changed our game.

City have raised the bar. To (potentially) win 16 of our last 18 games and still finish 2nd is incredible. Part of me has respect for Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City winning team, the other part of me sees them for what they are – a state funded team bankrolled to success based on outspending every other team.

And we are not talking about net spend, we are talking about total spend which has been huge under the Shiekhs, their gigantic wage bill to attract the best players, coaches, doctors, etc, all whilst financed by questionable sponsorship deals. Although I will always have the stance that if a billionaire wants to blow his load on football, he should be entitled to do so.

Nothing highlights City’s wealth more than Matheus Nunes.

City spent £53million on the Wolves midfielder to basically start 7 Premier League games. Nunes replaced the £42m Kalvin Phillips who also saw very little game time. Imagine a world where a team spends so much on a player (and the wages to go with it), to then play just 656 minutes of football.

Yes, those with half a brain will be saying “but Arsenal spent double that on Declan Rice”. Rice starts for us and is well worth the money. Nunes is not even a squad player for City. He is a 1st team fringe player, and in 2-years he will probably be loaned out to West Ham and they will buy another £50m midfielder to not play.

If you want the definitive proof of the difference between City and the rest, just look at how much they have spent on central defenders.

They collect £40m centre backs for one. And basically every season they sell one of them who has ended 5th choice, and spend another £40m+ on a replacement. Rinse and report stockpiling some of the best central defenders in the world whilst we have to make do with Jakub Kiwor as cover (no disrespect to Kiwor).

Finishing 2nd to City is not failure. It is not Arsenal bottling it. And if you are one of those that will claim Arsenal have bottled it, give your head a wobble and stop feeding into the TalkSport/PaddyPower narrative.

If Arsenal bottled the Premier League this season due to not winning, then so did every other team in the Premier League. It is not logical that we end up in a world where anytime someone finishes 2nd, fans of teams in 5th or 8th laugh saying “bottled it”.

These fans are like the single virgin living in their mum’s basement mocking someone online they do not know because they have split up with their misses. Take a look at your own lives and issues before pointing the finger at others.

Today we need to put everything around us out of our heads and get the win.

Man U are in horrendous form. As poor as Tottenham. But we know how they like to raise their game against us and many fans my age will be scarred from those defeats against very poor Alex Ferguson teams.

Mentally, we need to be looking at them not as Man U, the big red machine, but as a team who have won just 2 of their last 9.

Mikel Arteta will know this, and he will have his players focused.

Do our job on the field and take it to the last day of the season. I still do not expect a “favour” from Tottenham or West Ham, but stranger things have happened!

UTA.

Keenos