Job Done: Nearly - as Arsenal edge ever closer to Champions League qualification
A good night all round for the club as Arsenal Women reach the last four of the League Cup to go with Arteta's side easing past Dinamo Zagreb; focus on Declan Rice
Hello!
Happy Thursday!
It certainly is after Arsenal eased past Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 last night at the Emirates, meaning qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League is in sight.
It was a good night all round for the club, with Arsenal Women reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup after comprehensively beating Brighton 4-0 at Crawley - more of that shortly.
So, an early goal from Declan Rice, prior to Kai Havertz grabbing his 14th of the season - to already equal his entire total from last term - before a late Martin Odegaard effort (for only his second of the season) meant that, despite those relentlessly booming Balkan voices in the away end last night, the Gunners dominated the Croats on the field.
Mikel Arteta was deservedly in impish form during his post-match press conference that I attended, with the prospect dangling of a week somewhere hot, and autocratic in the form of a warm weather training camp based around the weekend of the FA Cup fourth round and subsequent Champions League first leg play-off dates.
No wonder he joked in the media theatre: “I'm going to ask Opta to speak to [travel agents,] I think that's a better idea. No, it's really good.”
It was good to see Declan Rice looking fresh last night
It was also good to note how Declan Rice looked fresher than he has done in a long time, underlining his new-found zest with an early goal, and decent knee slide celebration.
It’s been a tough season for the world class Rice, who has been playing football non-stop for more than a year.
If we look at his total minutes played, it’s a wonder he’s not absolutely knackered.
During his final season at West Ham, he racked up a total of 3,272 playing minutes in the Premier League. To go with 898 minutes across ten games in Europe when helping the Irons to victory in the European Conference League.
However, if you look at his minutes played stats since signing for Arsenal, he played 37 out of 38 Premier League matches last term, for a total of 3,230 minutes played - on top of 839 minutes in the Champions League - as well as a whopping 690 minutes extra for England during the Euro’s in Germany last summer.
If you then throw in nearly another 2,000 minutes this season (1,565 Premier League and 494 in the Champions League) it’s no wonder Rice has looked jaded at times, having played nearly two full seasons of top level football without a decent break.
No wonder his main stats haven’t really reflected his talent, with three goals and five assists in 25 games in all competitions this season.
Perhaps only coming on as a sub in the 73rd minute during the gruelling, energy-sapping 120 had-fought minutes against Manchester United during that frustrating FA Cup defeat, helped him a tad.
However, in terms of last night’s performance, if we delve deeper, after grabbing an early goal, and posting a season-high four shots in the Champions League, Rice also created a chance, which brought his total to eight created over his last five matches in all competitions - which most definitely underlines his importance, as a No8 and a No6, offensively and defensively, when he is fit and firing, as he most certainly was last night.
No wonder he looked so happy after scoring last night - it must have been the prospect of a week on the beach in the Dubai sun with only light training to keep him busy.
Such was his serenity, our Declan even ignored being pelted with plastic cups from the away end every time he took a corner.
As an aside, while we’re at it, can the powers-that-be at the club start to think about moving the away section upstairs, as they are given far too much prominence.
In Newcastle, for example, fans have to walk up seven or eight flights of stairs, to their place in the gods, where, no-one can see them, especially TV, and where their presence goes unnoticed by most, failing to influence matters in any way, shape or form.
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Fabio Cannavaro
It’s not often a media room is awed into silence, but when the truly legendary Fabio Cannavaro walked into the Emirates large media theatre, where press conferences are held, the room fell immediately silent in the presence of the 2006 World Cup winner, as well as the 2006 Balon d’Or Winner (as a cultured centre-back).
It was fascinating to watch, when, as I phrased it in my newspaper match report, the 2006 World Cup winner walked into the room, “looking as smooth, dashing and intimidating as he did when one of the finest defenders ever to play the game.”
Cannavaro managed to be gracious, considered, and unyielding all in one, as he spoke, seriously and slowly, which sucked me into listening far more intently than, say, if it was, for example, Sean Dyche.
(Although the memory of watching Dyche in the same media room having a near meltdown when accusing and berating Arsenal of diving when Burnley boss during the late Wenger-era still sticks with me for its utterly surreal and nonsensical theatre.)
Where Dyche ranted, Cannavaro, sporting a long-sleeved elegant black shirt, simply exuded confidence, style, panache and a silent threat.
A lot like his playing career as one of the finest defenders I’ve ever seen.
Suzy Lycett’s photography
We’re really delighted to have the utterly brilliant sport photographer Suzy Lycett on board with the Gooner Fanzine for what will hopefully be a long-term association.
As a journalist I’ve always been fascinated by photographers, and I always enjoyed asking questions to snappers of the calibre of Fleet Street geniuses Mark Leech and Marc Aspland, both of who, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of getting to know over the years.
As well as my old Archant colleague Danny Loo who had been shooting for London Irish. Not to mention Martyn Haworth, who shoots for a sports agency.
All of who are absolutely fantastic snappers, and I urge you to take a look at their work, if like me, you’re interested in sports photography.
And we can now add Suzy Lycett to that list of sports photographers that I heartily recommend, as I absolutely love their work.
Below is a small selection of Suzy’s work at Crawley last night, shot exclusively for the Gooner Fanzine.
(FYI: any depletions in resolution and sizing are my fault entirely)
See the Gooner Fanzine’s Facebook page The Gooner - and while we’re at it, please can you hit “like'/follow’ on our page if you haven’t already, ta.
Also, kudos to the brilliant Freddie Cardy for his superb coverage of Arsenal Women - with so much more to come from Freddie, Suzy and our platform.
Why not sample our across various platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and of course Twitter.
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Match Report:
My Morning Star newspaper match report from the Emirates press box last night
Arsenal 3–0 GNK Zagreb: Champions League report by Layth Yousif
Goals from Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and a late third from Martin Odegaard eased dominant Arsenal to the edge of qualification for the knock-out stages of the Champions League, during a routine 3-0 victory over Dinamo Zagreb in North London on Wednesday evening.
It was perhaps no surprise the home side went ahead after only 120 seconds, given the fact that Fabio Cannavaro’s side hadn’t played in a month due to Croatia’s winter break, and that it was the legendary 2006 Italian World Cup winners first game in charge of the Balkan giants.
That the goal came from Declan Rice was perhaps more of a curiosity, as it was the Arsenal midfielder’s first Champions League strike in red and white and his first in eight matches. The popular England midfielder now looking fresher than he has done this season, after practically 12 months playing football in service of club and country.
Speaking after the match, Rice said: “It was an important win tonight. It’s been a very positive Champions League campaign.”
It was certainly no shock that course and distance winner Kai Havertz – goalscorer in the 2021 final win for Chelsea - provided the assist for Rice to fire emphatically past Dinamo keeper Ivan Nevisitc.
For it was also Havertz who perfectly teed-up Raheem Sterling in the box, but the winger was denied by a last-gasp intervention, prior to the striker heading wide moments later, as Arsenal displayed their dominance in their hunt for automatic qualification. And, whisper it, a few days' much needed R&R in the form of a training camp somewhere hot and autocratic, in lieu of two gruelling, and completely unnecessary play-off matches next month.
Gabi Martinelli tested Nevisitic shortly before the interval, perhaps still smarting from his thrilling driving run at the heart of the Zagreb backline that had been thwarted at the very last by Samy Mmaee’s block, just as the Gunners attacker was gearing up to shoot, following his thrilling 50-yard sprint with the ball.
It was the lively Martinelli who was to provide the cross for Havertz to nod home on 66 minutes to make the scoreline 2-0, for the player’s 14th goal of the season – already equalling last term’s total tally - as fans and boffins everywhere attempted to work out the myriad permutations arising from this tournament’s new format. The conclusion being a win against struggling Girona in Spain this time next week would emphatically secure qualification for the last 16.
Reflecting afterwards, a satisfied Rice added: "We’ve got one more game to go now, hopefully we can win that as well.”
As strains of “he’s one of our own,’ rang around the stadium aimed at substitute Ethan Nwaneri, the talented 17-year-old crossed into space in the box for Rice, to surely head home, but the former West Ham European Conference League winner inexplicably guided the ball the wrong side of the far post, much to his frustration.
As the clock ticked down, there was still time for Odegaard to slot home from close range to make it 3-0, for the captain’s first goal in 14 matches, and only his second of a frustrating season stalled by injury.
Afterwards, Zagreb’s iconic new boss Cannavaro, looking as smooth, dashing and intimidating as he did when one of the finest defenders ever to play the game, said generously: “Arsenal are a good team.”
PS:
According to the BBC, if all things remain equal, which they won’t obviously, Arsenal could draw Brest, Borussia Dortmund, PSV or Club Brugge in the last 16.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, as the Gunners still have a trip to Spain, and Girona next week. I hear it’s nice and sunny over there.
As opposed to Friday’s dismal prospect of Storm Éowyn blowing in with red weather warnings. Stay safe, I’ll see you back at London Colney on Friday, cheers
PS II:
A massive thanks to the brilliant Ed Atkins for his on-the-whistle excellent analysis for the Gooner Fanzine’s website when on Player Ratings duties last night (which you can read here )
Btw if there is anyone in the music & sports PR/media coordination professions, passionate Arsenal fan Ed is currently seeking new opportunities, so please do hit him up on LinkedIn if you’re looking for a outstanding candidate
PS III:
For those of you who have asked, my (eclectic) music choices in the car, and tube journeys, for the last seven days have mostly been Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline, The Chemical Brothers 2005 album Push the Button - with the track ‘Galvanise’ being played particularly loudly after they closed the M25 on the way home from Cockfosters last night - as well as The Beatles’ final album Let It Be
And of course, if you’re a regular Layth’s Take reader, this, as well….
