match report – participant scores – arteta response

On the finish of the primary half, I used to be fairly animated. Regardless that we had given Man Metropolis a objective, the best way we performed, the best way we went toe to toe with the reigning Premier League champions, was very optimistic. After they beat us 5-0 final season at dwelling, I bear in mind considering it will take us years to shut that hole, however the proof on the sector final night time confirmed we might completed it a lot sooner than that.

It gave me hope for the second half, however as they are saying, it is hope that kills you. Properly, that and poor protection and resolution making. Metropolis pushed noticeably larger after the break, and even earlier than the tactical change that noticed Bernardo Silva push additional, they have been placing stress on us.

A penalty was awarded within the 57th minute after a tangle between Gabriel and Erling Haaland. He wasn’t excellent defending, however this time the VAR saved our skins. Somebody remembered to attract the strains and the Norwegian was in an offside place. Penalty annulled, yellow card to Gabriel annulled. Haaland’s frustration was evident when he left an elbow to the again of the Arsenal man’s head within the subsequent step of the sport, for some cause VAR wasn’t all that fascinated with that, and it appeared fairly consider to me.

Jorginho cleared one over the road as Metropolis’s stress constructed, and when Gabriel missed a cross in midfield, we have been punished to the max. Haaland discovered himself within the area the place Gabriel ought to have been, they’d an overload that despatched the ball to Jack Grealish however regardless of that there was a contact of fine fortune with the shot. Determined to make a block, Takehiro Tomiyasu noticed the ball catch the slightest reduce that deflected previous Aaron Ramsdale. In any other case I believe the goalkeeper would have made a simple save.

It wasn’t actually Tomi’s night time. It was his mistake that led to the opening objective. Kevin de Bruyne brilliantly and mercilessly dispatched his cross again. The main focus will likely be on the Japan worldwide, after all, however wanting again, I believe Gabriel might have completed extra. Clearly, he did not count on the error, however simply in case he ought to have been extra attentive to the Belgian, who was the one potential hazard in that state of affairs.

Metropolis’s third was an archetypal objective from Guardiola. Good passing and respectable motion towards a drained workforce trying to stress the opposite finish to seek out an equalizer. It has been wonderful to me how constantly a 6’5 blonde-haired man is left unchecked all through this Premier League season, and whereas a part of that’s all the way down to his wonderful motion, it isn’t there was no cause why he ought to have solely been in our field to make it 3-1 to attain the objective that completely sealed the sport for them.

Subsequently, Mikel Arteta was sad with the best way Metropolis’s objectives got here out, saying:

It’s exceptionally tough to play on the degree that they require you to play for an opportunity to win. I believe we did and in lots of moments we had them, however in the event you rating three objectives like we did, simply give them the sport, and particularly when you do not waste the good possibilities we had, the margin of error for them is nearly zero. It is a disgrace as a result of we actually had them.

And which may sound a bit like a supervisor in search of positives on the night time we misplaced our lead on the prime of the desk (though we nonetheless have a recreation to go), however I believe he is proper. It isn’t simply the chances, it is the timing of them, and it is one thing that has been an issue currently.

Within the match towards Everton a few weeks in the past, Martin Odegaard had a great probability to attain, he completed and inside minutes Everton have been up. Final night time, Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cross discovered Eddie Nketiah with a free header within the twenty second minute. He solely wanted to make use of the tempo of the ball to attain, as a substitute he missed his header, the ball hitting his shoulder and going extensive. Tomiyasu’s mistake and Metropolis’s first objective got here within the twenty fourth minute.

Within the second half, regardless of the opposition bettering, Tomiyasu offered a wonderful alternative for Eddie. The striker slipped in, however missed the ball. was he in full full stretch? We’re speaking a few inches tops, however that is nonetheless an enormous mistake within the context of a recreation like this. It was minute 66, Metropolis’s second objective got here in minute 72.

Within the seventy fifth minute, Granit Xhaka had an opportunity to feed Gabriel Martinelli, and even shoot himself, however he bought caught in two minds, fell behind and was introduced down. Early within the season, that is a choice he makes rapidly and executes properly. Not that it was a sure objective, nevertheless it was definitely a chance to trigger them an issue and we did not profit from it. Metropolis’s third objective got here within the 82nd minute.

Nice video games, good margins. These moments might have shifted the momentum of the sport in favor at key moments.

When you have been in search of positives, you’d undoubtedly select the primary half. To not point out, we performed very properly with out Thomas Partey, who bought injured on the worst second (one thing that deserves extra dialogue one other day), in addition to with out Gabriel Jesus and Emile Smith Rowe (final season’s second main scorer). The truth that we had these possibilities is value including to that checklist, however the stark distinction between the 2 centre-forwards on show final night time is clear.

It isn’t a criticism of Eddie who a minimum of bought into these positions, however it’s important to take these dangers. He botched his strains once more at 3-1, the kind of objective, had he scored, that would have created a grandstand end with everything of additional time to play. To be truthful, he did win the penalty (how cool was Saka’s take, putting him proper the place Ederson was goading him?), and the entire recreation from him was superb, however at this degree towards this opposition it’s important to do higher with these alternatives. Particularly when your fundamental risk as a striker is your potential within the reverse space.

Nonetheless, the second half was a priority. We appeared drained, errors usually come from fatigue, both bodily or psychological (or each), and there have been simply too many gamers who’ve been so good this season whose type is slipping in the meanwhile. Whenever you make errors like that towards most Premier League groups you may be punished, if you make them towards Metropolis there isn’t any query.

So, you possibly can say it isn’t a giant drawback to repair. Simply do not make the errors, however it’s best to ask your self why they have been made. It might simply be a kind of nights, however some extent out of the final 9 suggests there’s one thing extra. With Aston Villa off to an early begin on Saturday, Mikel Arteta has to discover a approach to convey his workforce again to life. I can suppose of some adjustments he would make for that one, however I will keep on with them for now.

Total, on an evening that extra promised than delivered as we entered halftime, it is a blow to lose floor the best way we did. There may be additionally a psychological factor to being outplayed within the title race, particularly for a workforce that has dominated the league in recent times. These 2 stolen factors within the Brentford recreation are already enjoying an element on this title race.

It was all the time going to be very difficult although, with bumps within the highway, as we have stated all alongside. We do have a match on our arms that, if we win, will put us again on prime. Nonetheless, that solely applies if we get going once more and win the matches main as much as that one.

Beginning with Villa out on Saturday, which will not be simple, nevertheless it hasn’t been simple all season and now we have outcomes. Regroup, combine a bit of and begin once more.

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Proper, that is all for now. James and I will likely be recording an Arsecast Further for you later this morning. Keep tuned for the decision for questions on Twitter @gunnerblog and @culoblog on Twitter with the hashtag #additional ass – or if you’re a member of Arseblog on Patreon, go away your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.

We must always have the podcast for you by lunchtime. Till then.