Boring, boring Arsenal as Gunners blast Foxes in Emirates thriller
No 'Dark Arts' from the Gunners this weekend, so Arsenal haters will probably say we were too attacking....
Happy Sunday!
It was certainly a wonderful Saturday at The Arsenal - even if, as many said, the team really don’t make it easy for themselves - or us.
At 2-0 up Mikel Arteta’s side were coasting.
I won’t go into too much detail here, as you can read my match report from the Emirates press box below, suffice to say, at 2-2 I was in a slough of despond, before experiencing deep, deep joy come the 95th minute.
Victoria Concordia Crsecit. The Arsenal in a quick huddle before Arsenal vs Leicester,. CREDIT:
Let’s hope we don’t make a habit of such late comebacks, as I’m not sure the old ticket can take it, but at 2-2 in the 93rd minute, I had my match report written, with the intro talking about a ‘frustrating afternoon in North London.’
Cue Arsenal sweeping in two goal in two added time minutes, forcing me to gladly embark on what is known as a ‘rewrite’ in the trade, whereby I had to scrap my original intro and report, in favour of late developments.
Which is why I then went with: “Arsenal sealed a vital victory to cap an entertaining match on a gloriously sunny Saturday afternoon in North London.”
Such are the fine margins at the end of Arsenal’s games these days.
Although, last week, in the 98th minute, in the Etiahd press box, it really, really pained me to have to delete the sentence “The magnificent ten players of Arsenal beat the reigning Champions in a superb backs to the wall performance full of character in the Manchester rain on Sunday…”
DAILY LIST:
I - I’m really excited about taking my youngest daughter to Arsenal Women vs Leicester Women at the King Power today as a dad and daughter Sunday treat.
We couldn’t actually get any tickets in the away end, as it looked as if they’d sold out when we entered our membership numbers, so we improvised and picked up a pair in the home end. I won’t tell anyone, if you don’t. Come on you Gunners!
PS:
A big well done to Arsenal Women on qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League after beating BK Hacken 4-0 (4-1 on aggregate).
I also have to say a massive well done to our Gooner Fanzine photographer Suzy Lycett who took some superb shots in quite treacherous conditions on Thursday evening.
We’ll aim to run a showcase later this week, to whet the appetite ahead of our new season Arsenal Women’s only digital edition out soon.
Suffice to say Beth Mead tweeted out a few of Suzy’s shots to all her followers. It would have been nice for Suzy and the Gooner to have had a credit, but hey, we can’t have everything.
But those who know, know. Which means our superb coverage at the Gooner Fanzine, headed by Freddie Cardy, and Suzy, is making waves.
And that makes me very proud.
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Match report
Read my official Morning Star newspaper match report from the Emirates press box on Saturday
Arsenal 4–2 Leicester City: Report by Layth Yousif
Arsenal sealed a vital victory to cap an entertaining match on a gloriously sunny Saturday afternoon in North London.
Despite racing into a two-goal lead by half time, with strikes from Gabi Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, the Foxes refused to be overwhelmed, and struck back with two goals by the excellent Justin James, his second a spectacular volley past fit again David Raya.
However, just as battling Leicester's hopes of a hard-earned point appeared to be moving towards an unlikely reality, Mikel Arteta’s side showed their quality to blitz Steve Cooper’s side with two late goals to capitalise on Manchester City being held at Newcastle in the early kick-off.
Speaking after the match, Arteta, whose side registered more than 30 shots including 14 on target, while totting up 14 corners said: “So happy - that’s what I told them.
“It got nasty, it got difficult, it was emotionally difficult to accept with the amount of situations that we created and the amount of goals that we should’ve scored but it wasn’t and now what?
"You don’t feel sorry for yourself, you take ownership, you start taking more risks, everybody.”
On 14 minutes Bukayo Saka tested Foxes keeper Mads Hermansen with a low drive from outside the area, but the superb 24-year-old Danish keeper was up to the task. As he was throughout the match, finishing with 13 saves, the most registered in a Premier League game since 2007.
Moments later the busy Saka sent Gabi Martinelli through in the box, but the 23-year-old Brazil attacker lifted his chance over the bar.
However, the young forward who has struggled lately finished off arguably a more difficult chance in the 20th minute when steering home Jurrien Timber’s cross for the opener to put the Gunners 1-0 ahead.
With Rodri-less Manchester City only managing a draw at Newcastle United, the opportunity was evident for Arsenal to capitalise on a rare misstep by Pep Guardiola’s side.
The home side nearly doubled their lead four minutes later when the revitalised Martinelli unleashed a fierce shot at Hermansen, but the former Brondby keeper blocked.
The Gunners dominance eventually told shortly before half time, with Martinelli teeing up Trossard to make it 2-0 in the first minute of added time.
Yet if Steve Cooper’s Foxes were discouraged at the blow of conceding a second just before the interval, they hid it well.
James Justin edged ahead of Kai Havertz from Facundo Buonanotte’s free-kick into the box to halve the deficit two minutes after the restart.
Leicester were buoyed by their opening goal, after looking dead and buried at the end of the first 45 minutes, levelling with a quite superb volley by James for his second of the afternoon, sandwiched between Trossard striking the post.
James, the former Luton defender showed exquisite technique and vision to execute a perfect volley from Wilfred Ndidi’s cross into the box, the ball flying past Raya to make it 2-2 on 63 minutes.
With 16 minutes remaining, Leicester keeper Hermansen performed a superb save from Trossard, prior to Raheem Sterling replacing Martinelli, and Ethan Nwaneri swapping with Thomas Partey, as the Gunners strove for a third in front of an increasingly fraught crowd, shocked at Leicester’s unlikely comeback.
As the clock ticked down Riccardo Calafiori’s emphatic header late on, forced a superb reaction save from Hermansen.
Just as it appeared that the Gunners would have to be satisfied with a mere point, when all three looked to be theirs, up stepped Trossard to force Ndidi to put through his own net in the 94th minute to make it 3-2, as the crowd erupted into paroxysms of joy.
The noise had barely abated when Havertz made it 4-2 moments before the final whistle, following a driving run by Jesus, as the stadium erupted in deep joy once again with a wall of noise.
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Arsenal Player Ratings:
David Raya: 7/10 - Passed a late fitness test to deny Neto a first team debut after 16-year-old Jack Porter’s appearance between the sticks in midweek. Saved well from Facundo Buonanotte midway through the second half but could do nothing about Justin James superb volley for his second strike past the former Brentford keeper
Jurrien Timber: 7/10 - Good to watch the Dutch defender find his rhythm and form after a frustrating season on the sidelines, with the former Ajax defender provided the assist for Martinelli’s opener. Appears to be such a strong performer with a superb engine and tenacious temperament
Gabriel: 7/10 - Solid but will be wondering how the Foxes scxored twice against such a normally obdurate backline
William Saliba: 7/10 - An interesting duel with Jamie Vardy at times but was as stunned as the rest of the crowd when his backline conceded two second half goals to Leicester
Riccardo Calafiori: 7/10 - Emphatic header late on forced a superb reaction save from Hermansen. Booked
Declan Rice: 7/10 - Second half shot tested Mads Hermansen but needs a good rest after a full calendar year playing football. Unfortunately the England midfielder simply won’t be able to find time for a break in such a crowded schedule
Thomas Partey: 6.5/10 - Subbed late on for Ethan Nwaneri as the Gunenrs hunted victory
Gabi Martinelli: 7.5/10 - Good to see the young Brazil attacker get his name on the scoresheet, even if the chance he scored with was arguably tougher than the one he lifted over the bar shortly beforehand. Also provided an assist for Trossard’s strike before half time
Kai Havertz: 7/10 - Could and should have got ahead of James Justin to prevent the Foxes defender from steering Facundo Buonanotte’s free-kick past David Raya moments after the restart for Leicester’s first goal. Netted the fourth in the dying moments to cap a remarkable victory
Leandro Trossard: 8.5/10 - Grabbed his first goal of the season moments before the interval to put the home side into what many believed to be an unassailable lead. Hit the post with Hermansen well beaten after Leicester pulled a goal back. Forced Ndidi to put through his own net late on for the Gunners third goal that broke Leicester spirits
Bukayo Saka: 7.5/10 - Always lively, always a threat, despite, as ever, plenty of robust challenges on the Arsenal attacker, who never rises to the bait reacts, despite some hefty knocks – testament to his temperament, which is one of the reasons the Hale End graduate is a world class attacker at the tender age of 23 years old
Substitutions
Raheem Sterling: 7/10 - On for Martinelli with 16 minutes remaining as the Gunners strove for a third
Ethan Nwaneri: 7/10 - Replaced Thomas Partey as the Gunners hunted three points
Gabriel Jesus: 7/10 - On for hero Trossard with moments remaining as the crowd acclaimed both players. Driving run was catalyst for Havertz's late goal after Foxes keeper spilled his shot
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Thrashing the Aussies
Regular readers will know I hate Australia. Well, let’s clarify that. I absolutely love Australia. And I absolutely love (most) Australians. I think their county is superb. And I like the down to earth nature of (most) Australians.
Having lived and worked there for 18 months a very long time ago I enjoyed every minute of the place and the lifestyle.
It’s just that I hated their sporting jingoism, and their ridiculous chip on their should when it came to English sport. I lived through an Ashes down under, as well as England winning the 2003 World Rugby Cup, not to mention Australia beating England 3-1 at football, which was a particular low for me. And they hate the English when it comes to sport, absolutely hate us. So it was hard for me not to reciprocate, despite initially trying to rise above it.
So, more than 20 years on, it still gives me great joy, for England to beat the Aussies, in any sport, at any time, in any place. It’s even sweeter when I’m there, and we absolutely rout them.
So, stand up Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Bryce Carson, Matty Potts, Ben Duckett and the England ODI team for absolutely thrashing, no humiliating the Australian ODI side at glorious Lord’s on Friday.
I managed to pick up a ticket (I won’t tell you how) so went along at the last minute to savour Brook’s superb 87 off 58, Livingstone’s 62 off 27 balls, Potts 4-48, Carse’s 3-36 as well as paceman Archer’s mesmerising spell in which he picked up a couple of wickets, but more importantly, reached 93 mph. As I tweeted in gleeful anticipation from Lord’s, imagine Archer in Perth (on flat, pacy wickets) at the start of the next Ashes.
As someone who endured daily, no, hourly stick, during the 2002-03 Ashes down under - we lost a miserable tour 4-1, even if we rallied at the SCG, a Test I watched all five days off at that magical ground in Sydney - it was hard to take at the time, even if you had to shrug it off with a smile and a barbed reply if you could, I would absolutely love it, love it, if we beat them next winter.
Lord’s on Friday was a perfect example of early shots fired for that particular contest, which could prove to be Ben Stokes’ Test farewell in 15 months. Let’s hope the weather holds today in Bristol and we can beat the Aussies again, to stage a thrilling comeback and win this surprisingly exciting ODI series.
But whatever happens, we’ll always have Lord’s on Friday, when England thrashed Australia by a staggering 186 runs. You love to see it.
